Category: UFC

UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones announces return to training after surgery for torn pectoral

The road to coming back has begun for UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones.

The [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] comeback has begun.

The UFC heavyweight champion announced late Tuesday night that he’s back to training for the first time since having surgery on a torn pectoral muscle suffered last October.

Jones made the news known with a post on his Instagram, posing with his teammates and long-time coaches Greg Jackson and Brandon Gibson.

“First day back in the gym since my injury, felt amazing. And so it began,” Jones wrote.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Ii7eWO5JW/?igsh=cTRxaGVlOWxtdGgy

Jones tore his pectoral muscle ahead of a scheduled title defense against former champion Stipe Miocic. The fight was supposed to headline UFC 295, but the injury forced Jones to withdraw. Shortly after the withdrawal, Jones had surgery and has been recovering ever since.

An interim title fight was put in place at UFC 295, in which Tom Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich. Despite the interim coronation, Jones is expected to return late summer or early fall to defend his title against Miocic and not Aspinall, despite Aspinall’s calls for a unification.

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Justin Gaethje plans to limit physical training for ‘six months at least’ after UFC 300 knockout loss

Justin Gaethje intends to take a cautious approach with his long-term health in mind coming out of UFC 300.

[autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] will take some extended time off after UFC 300.

Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) was knocked out by Max Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) in an iconic last-second finish less than two weeks ago in Las Vegas. The fighter in Gaethje is willing to compete again soon, but he knows it’s best to let his brain heal after being put out cold.

“Metaphorically I could be ready tomorrow, but physically I think, again, I want to take care of myself,” Gaethje said on “The MMA Hangout.” “I do think that repeated concussions, you know, with me going to sleep like that, me receiving that shot, it would be foolish for me to jump back into training anytime before 180 days. I could do cardio. I can stay in shape.

“That’s what I want to try to do. Especially the older I get, the harder it is to get back to the best shape of my life. So, I want to stay active, but obviously the physical contact is going to be limited for quite some time just because I want to preserve myself. I’ve been doing this for a long time. I think six months at least is before I get back to taking shots, but that doesn’t say that I won’t be training the whole time. We’ll see. It’s a crazy game, see how the Dustin (Poirier) and (Islam) Makhachev fight goes, crazy game.”

Gaethje also broke his nose at the end of Round 1 courtesy of a spinning back kick from Holloway. However, “The Highlight” says it didn’t impact his performance in the fight.

“The crazy thing was the last one second, neither one of my coaches that were coming into the cage saw it happen,” Gaethje said. “They were working their way into the cage. They got to get their sh*t together, get their bucket together, get their ice together. So, they didn’t see it happen.

“I sat down and coach was like, ‘What the hell happened? You broke your nose.’ I was feeling my nose. I was trying to see how crooked it was. That’s the first time I ever broke my nose in a fight. … I don’t think it did (affect my breathing). I mean, I felt really good in there. I felt amazing in there.”

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UFC returns to Manchester for UFC 304 on July 27

The UFC will make its return to the U.K. this year in a big way.

The UFC will make its return to the U.K. this year in a big way.

UFC 304 will take place July 27 in the newly built Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, promotion officials announced Wednesday morning.

The prelims will start at 6 p.m. ET (11 p.m. BST), and the main card at 10 p.m. ET (3 a.m. BST) on ESPN+ pay-per-view, following the traditional start times for U.S. pay-per-views.

UFC 304 marks the promotion’s first show in Manchester since UFC 204 in October 2016, when former middleweight champion Michael Bisping avenged his loss to Dan Henderson to defend his title in an all-out war.

No fights have been officially announced for the event, but UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards’ coach, Dave Lovell, is expecting a rematch with Belal Muhammad in the main event. UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall also hinted that he will be on the card.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Legend 2 Legend with Burt Watson, Episode 8: Cain Velasquez

Cain Velasquez looks back on the pivotal fights in his UFC career and much more with Burt Watson.

As the former UFC event coordinator, Burt Watson has seen it all. A beloved figure among fighters past and present, he can tell stories nobody else can. What can we say? He’s a legend.

That’s why he’s got this show, “Legend 2 Legend,” an MMA Junkie feature where Burt and another legend shoot the breeze and peel back the curtain – at least just a little bit.

In Episode 8, Burt sits down with former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Cain Velasquez[/autotag] – still free after a an eight-month jail term while he awaits the legal process to play out on an attempted murder case stemming from a March 2022 incident – for a career-focused conversation as they discuss:

  • What motivated him to transition from collegiate wrestling to mixed martial arts.
  • His UFC 110 fight against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
  • His UFC 121 title fight against Brock Lesnar.
  • His legendary title-fight trilogy with Junior Dos Santos.
  • What it meant to be the first UFC champion of Mexican descent.
  • His foray into pro wrestling.
  • His relationship with Daniel Cormier.
  • And more.

You can watch the full episode in the video above.

WE ROLLINNNN!!!

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Photos: Dana White separates UFC fighters

Check out these photos highlighting instances when UFC President Dana White had to step in to separate fighters during a faceoff. 

You never know what’ll happen when two fighters face off with each other. Check out these photos through the years that highlight instances when UFC president [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] had to step in to keep the peace.

 

 

Islam Makhachev’s coach: ‘Biggest threat’ Justin Gaethje no longer in UFC title picture

Javier Mendez believes UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s most dangerous opponent is out of the way.

Javier Mendez believes UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag]’s most dangerous opponent is out of the way.

[autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] lined himself up for a title shot after knocking out Dustin Poirier to claim the BMF title at UFC 291. However, he opted to defend his belt against Max Holloway at UFC 300 and was on the receiving end of a last-second knockout.

Now Mendez isn’t sure if Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) will ever face Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) in a title fight.

“Yeah, to me, the guy out of all the guys that I thought for us stylistically was very dangerous out of all of them, I thought it was Justin Gaethje,” Mendez said on his YouTube channel. “Stylistically because of his wrestling pedigree and his striking is really good, strong.

“It’s all apples and oranges right? Because everybody brings a different skillset, so I thought that he was the biggest threat for us and now he’s probably never going to be in the picture for us going forward. So, no need to talk about him for us as a threat because he’s never going to be there, I think.”

Mendez already had to prep for Gaethje before when Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his title against him. Nurmagomedov submitted him in Round 2 at UFC 254 but lost Round 1 on two of the three judges’ scorecards.

Makhachev will defend his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) in the UFC 302 main event June 1 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Waiting in the wings is Arman Tsarukyan, who edged out Charles Oliveira at UFC 300.

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For more on the cards, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

Manon Fiorot open to Maycee Barber fight – but only if interim UFC flyweight title at stake

Manon Fiorot has cemented herself as No. 1 contender, but she might have to wait a while for her UFC title opportunity.

[autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag] has cemented herself as No. 1 contender in the UFC women’s flyweight division, but she might have to wait a while for her title opportunity.

Fiorot notched her seventh octagon win in a row when she defeated Erin Blanchfield in the UFC on ESPN 54 headliner last month. But with flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko expected to complete their trilogy at UFC 306 on Sept. 16 after they coach Season 32 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Fiorot might not fight again in 2024.

Like Fiorot (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC), streaking contender [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] also offered her services as a backup fighter for Grasso vs. Shevchenko. Barber took shots at both Fiorot and Blanchfield by calling them boring, and Fiorot thinks that’s rich coming from her.

“I don’t think I’ve ever watched a full fight of Maycee’s,” Fiorot told MMA Junkie in French. “I know she fought Katlyn Cerminara, and I know she won by decision, too. I might have watched the first round, but it honestly wasn’t spectacular. She didn’t do better than me.

“I fought with an injured knee. I tore my ACL in the first round against Katlyn, and I didn’t find her fight sensational. She won by decision, too. She has a lot of decisions. I know she wrestles a lot, she sticks (to her opponents) a lot, so I don’t think her style is spectacular either.”

Fiorot, who’s coming off back-to-back wins over Blanchfield and Rose Namajunas, thinks her resume is a lot stronger than Barber’s (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC). She’s willing to fight her next as long as a piece of the flyweight title is on the line.

“For the time being, she hasn’t proven anything in comparison to what I’ve done so far,” Fiorot continued. “I have no problems fighting her, but for an interim title.”

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Arman Tsarukyan fires back at Michael Chandler: ‘You are just waiting for a paycheck’

Arman Tsarukyan responds to Michael Chandler’s comments questioning his decision to pass on a UFC title shot.

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] didn’t stay quiet following Michael Chandler’s recent comments about him passing up a title opportunity.

Tsarukyan, a top UFC lightweight contender, was offered to fight UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 302 on June 1 after his decision win over Charles Oliveira earlier this month at UFC 300. Although it was a big opportunity, Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) decided to pass up on the opportunity and wait for his turn, given the short amount he would’ve had to prepare.

This caught the attention of many, including Chandler, who was critical of Tsarukyan’s decision. However, Tsarukyan doesn’t expect Chanlder to understand his thought process, as he believes they’re in very different positions.

“I don’t expect you to understand (Michael Chandler),” Tsarukyan wrote on X. “We are not on the same level. I am here to be the champ. You are just waiting for a paycheck. I also don’t understand why you waited Conor fight for 2 years, you could’ve lost 4 exciting fights during that time.”

Chandler returns at UFC 303 on June 29 to face Conor McGregor in a welterweight bout. This fight has been years in the making, and has been expected for a long time, as both Chandler and McGregor served as opposing coaches of last year’s season of The Ultimate Fighter.

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Mike Perry lauds Max Holloway for being in phenomenal shape compared to Justin Gaethje

Max Holloway put a lot of work into his physique heading into UFC 300, and Mike Perry noticed it.

[autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] put a lot of work into his physique heading into UFC 300, and [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] noticed it.

Holloway bulked up into a lightweight frame for his BMF title fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. The hard work paid off as Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) was en route to winning an exciting battle before knocking out Gaethje in the last second of the fight.

Perry praised Holloway’s performance, but also questioned Gaethje’s physical shape for the fight.

“It wasn’t just the end of the fight,” Perry told MMA Junkie on Holloway’s win. “Max was performing all night in that ring. He did so good. The shape he was in looked phenomenal compared to Justin, who I thought was going to be bigger and stronger looking. He kind of looked out of shape. I mean, he went five rounds, but you look at Max’s physique vs. Justin’s, it couldn’t be compared.

“Max, like he had no body fat. You saw all his muscles, he was moving, he was fast, he was swift, sharp, slick. He was touching him up, and he just said it in the last second, ‘Bam, bam, bam.’ Oh my gosh, it was awesome. Definitely stole the night and then he gets $600K, got two bonuses when the bonuses were more than ever. Incredible stuff, man.”

Perry, who emerged as “The King of Violence” in bare-knuckle boxing, faces fellow ex-UFC fighter Thiago Alves in Saturday’s BKFC KnuckleMania 4 main event at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

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UFC’s Stephen Thompson agrees that Michael Page ‘could possibly be a very boring fight’

Stephen Thompson also believes a fight against Michael Page could turn out to be lackluster.

[autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] also believes a fight against [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] could turn out to be lackluster.

After Page defeated Kevin Holland in his octagon debut last month at UFC 299, many threw out Thompson’s name as his next opponent. Page (22-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) shut down that idea, suggesting that, with their striking styles, the fight could end up being boring – and Thompson (17-7-1 MMA, 12-7-1 UFC) agrees.

“Even when he was in Bellator, everybody was like, ‘Man, you know MVP vs. ‘Wonderboy,'” Thompson told Inside Fighting. “Great performance, I think he did a really good job out there. Distance management, covering the gap, being tricky – especially with somebody like Kevin Holland. But, you know, everybody asks that, and I think actually Michael ‘Venom’ Page said it very well: A positive and a positive doesn’t always make a positive. We have such similar styles, it could possibly be a very boring fight for everybody.

“We’re both counter strikers, very similar styles, so it could possibly be me and him bouncing out there in the middle just waiting on somebody to do something and even though we have similar styles, that doesn’t always make it an exciting fight. So he’s a good friend of mine, good martial artist, karate guy. At this point, I don’t think it’s necessary, but he’s going to keep working his way up, and he might even jump past me to fight some of these guys because he’s on such a hype train right now.”

Thompson is coming off a submission loss to undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 296. While he’s open to facing another strong grappler next, if he’s matched up against a striker, he wants it to be a show for the fans.

“It gets so much hype around it and when it’s not exactly what everybody expects, it’s known as one of the first fights out there,” Thompson said. “I’m in the entertainment industry, and I want my fights to be entertaining. I want the fans to go, ‘That was epic.’ Kind of like the Kevin Holland fight that I had because he was game.

“This was a guy that (has a) completely different fighting style as Michael ‘Venom’ Page. He comes forward, he likes to duke it out, he’s got charisma, he likes to chat out there, things like that. Ian Garry would be another possible one that I would love to step out there in the cage, as well, and to test myself.”

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