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MMA Junkie breaks down the action from the UFC 248 open workout which took place at the MGM resort in Las Vegas.
MMA Junkie breaks down the action from the UFC 248 open workout which took place at the MGM resort in Las Vegas.
Israel Adesanya insists he doesn’t have a staph infection – and says he never will.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] says he doesn’t have a staph infection – and never will.
In an enthusiastic open workout scrum held Wednesday, UFC middleweight champion Adesanya (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) was asked about an unusual lump on his arm in a recent interview with Combat TV. Adesanya was quick to shoot down any potential rumors of staph.
“It was nothing,” Adesanya told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “Everybody wants to go, ‘Oh look at this.’ I licked it on (ESPN). Nothing is going to happen. I’ll rub it on Yoel’s face if I have to. I’ll give him a little something if he wants to wrestle me.”
The unusual patch of skin is not a concern from the UFC’s perspective, Adesanya said. According to him, the UFC doctors have checked out his arm and didn’t express concern.
“We’re good,” Adesanya said. “I’ve seen the UFC doctors. They checked it. It’s fine. It’s nothing crazy. There’s no fluid – no nothing. I don’t even know what staph feels like. It happens at every gym sometimes. Some people have had it where I’m from. I’ve never had it and I never will.”
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UFC 248 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. Adesanya headlines the main card on pay-per-view against multi-time title challenger Yoel Romero (13-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC). This following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
Check out Israel Adesanya’s full UFC 248 open workout scrum in the video above.
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UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya spoke to the media ahead of Saturday’s UFC 248 event in Las Vegas.
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya spoke to the media ahead of Saturday’s UFC 248 event in Las Vegas.
Dan Hardy and John Gooden break down the middleweight title clash between Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero at UFC 248.
UFC 248 sees the octagon return to Las Vegas with two contrasting fighting styles set to go head-to-head in the main event.
The UFC middleweight title clash between champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and Cuban contender [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) sees the former kickboxing ace take on the Olympic freestyle wrestling medalist in a battle for the 185-pound title.
Ahead of the fight, UFC broadcasters Dan Hardy and John Gooden break down the X’s and O’s of the matchup in the latest edition of their pre-event analysis show, “Inside the Octagon.”
Check out their full UFC 248 main event breakdown in the video above, as Hardy and Gooden assess each fighter’s best route to victory.
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UFC 248 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)
EARLY PRELIMS (ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET)
What a moment.
[autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag]’s meteoric rise really has been special to watch. To think, he became UFC middleweight champion in less than two years and remains undefeated is remarkable.
And now, thanks to a video released by the UFC, we know it all started with him carrying so emotion into the octagon ahead of his promotional debut on Feb. 11, 2018. On that night at UFC 221 in Perth, Australia, Adesanya took on Rob Wilkinson. Adesanya got off to kind of a slow start, but in the second round he finished the fight with punches for a TKO victory.
Afterward, Adesanya let out all his emotion and was in tears as he walked through the arena tunnel and reflected on his journey, remembering how he made a promise to a friend who died.
It’s an incredible clip to watch (via Twitter).
So much emotion! 🙏
This is what is meant for @Stylebender after making his UFC debut back in 2018… pic.twitter.com/YFjHvfqYin
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) March 4, 2020
Adesanya returns to the octagon this Saturday at UFC 248 in Las Vegas, where he’ll defend his title against Yoel Romero in the headliner.
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
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Go behind the scenes with the stars of UFC 248.
The UFC is back in its home stomping ground in Las Vegas on Saturday for UFC 248, and the promotion’s popular “Embedded” series returns to get you ready.
UFC 248 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
In the main event, middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) puts his title on the line for the first time against challenger [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC). In the co-feature, women’s strawweight champ [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (20-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) defends her title against former champ [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag] (16-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC).
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The third episode of “Embedded” follows the big-name stars at the top of the card. Here’s the UFC’s description:
Joanna Jedrzejczyk does media in NYC, then hits Vegas. Champion Israel Adesaya and team take in the UFC Apex; Zhang Weili gets fitted and photographed. Neil Magny and Li Jingliang look forward to their clash. Yoel Romero is grateful for his title shot. UFC 248 is Saturday, March 7 in Las Vegas.
Also see:
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Check out the MMA junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom’s analysis and predictions for the UFC 248 main event between Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero.
Check out the MMA junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom’s analysis and predictions for the UFC 248 main event between Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero.
Check out the MMA junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom’s analysis and predictions for the UFC 248 co-main event between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Check out the MMA junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom’s analysis and predictions for the UFC 248 co-main event between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
The best facts and figures about UFC 248, which features a Israel Adesanya vs. Yoel Romero middleweight title main event.
The UFC returns to Las Vegas on Saturday with another major event in UFC 248, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC-Fight Pass.
A championship doubleheader sits atop the card. In the main event, undefeated titleholder [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) seeks the first defense of his belt when he takes on [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC). The co-headliner, meanwhile, will see [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (20-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) attempt to defend her belt for the first time, as well, when she takes on former champ [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag] (16-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC).
For more on the numbers bheind the two title fights, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 55 pre-event facts about UFC 248.
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Adesanya is one of 13 fighters in UFC history to win an undisputed title with an undefeated record.
Adesanya is one of 11 undisputed middleweight champions in UFC history.
Adesanya’s 18-fight winning streak is third longest among active UFC fighters behind Khabib Nurmagomedov (28) and Zhang (20).
Adesanya’s 18-fight winning streak is the longest among active UFC middleweights.
Adesanya’s seven-fight UFC winning streak at middleweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Adesanya’s 10 knockdowns landed in UFC middleweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Anderson Silva (13) and Nate Marquardt (12).
Adesanya’s four knockdowns landed against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 are the single-fight record for a UFC title bout.
Adesanya defends 66.7 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Chael Sonnen (67.7 percent) and Marvin Vettori (67 percent).
Adesanya defends 85.7 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the second best rate in divisional history behind Krzysztof Jotko (86 percent).
Adesanya’s six fight-night bonuses for UFC middleweight bouts are tied for third most in company history behind Anderson Silva (11) and Robert Whittaker (seven).
Romero is the second fighter in history to fight for a title following consecutive non-title UFC losses. Tank Abbott also accomplished the feat.
Romero enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He’s 1-3 in his past four fights dating back to July 2017.
Romero’s 10 knockdowns landed in UFC middleweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Silva (13) and Marquardt (12).
Romero’s seven knockout victories in UFC middleweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Silva (eight) and Thiago Santos (eight).
Romero’s six third-round stoppage victories in UFC competition are tied with Max Holloway and Randy Couture for most in company history. Romero leads the category in knockouts.
Romero is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn back-to-back victories by third-round knockout. He’s accomplished the feat twice in his career.
Romero is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn two knockout victories stemming from a flying knee. Diego Sanchez also accomplished the feat.
Romero is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout victory stemming from elbow strikes to the body. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 35.
Romero and Robert Whittaker combined for 239 significant strikes landed, the single-fight record for a five-fight UFC middleweight fight.
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Weili is the only UFC champion born in China.
Weili enters the event on a 20-fight winning streak. She hasn’t suffered a defeat since her MMA debut in November 2013.
Weili’s 20-fight winning streak is the longest among female fighters on the UFC roster.
Weili’s 20-fight winning streak is the second longest among all fighters on the UFC roster behind Khabib Nurmagomedov (28).
Weili’s four-fight UFC winning streak in strawweight competition is the third longest active streak in the division behind Tatiana Suarez (five) and Yan Xiaonan (five).
Weili’s 42-second victory at UFC on ESPN+ 15 is the second fastest finish in UFC strawweight history behind Poliana Botelho’s 33-second win at UFC 236.
Jedrzejczyk became the first Polish-born champion in UFC history when she defeated Carla Esparza at UFC 185.
Jedrzejczyk is one of 13 fighters in UFC history to win a belt with an undefeated record.
Jedrzejczyk’s six victories in UFC title fights are tied with Ronda Rousey for second most of any female in company history behind Amanda Nunes (seven).
Jedrzejczyk’s 10 victories in UFC competition are third most of any female in company history behind Nunes (12) and Jessica Andrade (11).
Jedrzejczyk competes in her 14th UFC bout, the second most appearances by any female in company history behind Jessica Andrade (15).
Jedrzejczyk’s 10 victories in UFC strawweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Jedrzejczyk has earned 11 of her 16 career victories by decision. That includes seven of her 10 UFC wins.
Jedrzejczyk has out-landed her opponents 1,441-628 in significant strikes over her past 11 UFC appearances.
Jedrzejczyk is one of two fighters UFC history to land 100 or more significant strikes in seven separate fights. Holloway also accomplished the feat.
Jedrzejczyk’s 225 significant strikes landed against Andrade at UFC 211 are second most for a UFC title-fight record. Holloway holds the record with 290 landed at UFC 231.
Jedrzejczyk’s 76 leg kicks landed against Michelle Waterson at UFC on ESPN+ 19 are the single-fight UFC record.
[autotag]Drakkar Klose[/autotag] (11-1-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has earned all five of his UFC victories by decision.
Klose’s average fight time of 15:00 in UFC lightweight competition is the longest among active fighters in the weight class.
[autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 14-6 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Nov. 17, 2018. The 476-day layoff is the longest of his nearly 10-year career.
Magny becomes the seventh fighter to make 21 or more UFC welterweight appearances.
Magny’s 14 victories since 2013 in UFC competition are second most among active fighters in the company behind Donald Cerrone (17).
Magny is the only fighter in modern UFC history to make five or more octagon appearances in consecutive years. He went 4-1 in 2015 after going 5-0 in 2014.
Magny’s five UFC victories in 2014 tied Roger Huerta’s record for most octagon wins in a calendar year. Huerta accomplished the feat in 2007.
Magny’s 100 significant ground strikes landed against Hector Lombard at UFC Fight Night 85 stand as the single-fight UFC record.
Magny’s 142 total strikes landed in the second round of his victory against Lombard stand as the third most in a single UFC round.
[autotag]Li Jingliang[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 9-3 UFC) is 7-1 in his past eight UFC appearances dating back to July 2016.
Jingliang has earned all six of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.
Jingliang’s six knockout victories since 2014 in UFC welterweight competition are tied with Vicente Luque for most in the division.
[autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag]’s (19-8-1 MMA, 9-6 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since September 2018.
Oliveira is 7-5 (with one no contest) in UFC welterweight competition.
Oliveira vs. Yancy Medeiros at UFC 218 is the only fight in UFC history to feature two knockdowns for each fighter.
[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since March 3, 2018. The 735-day layoff is the longest of his more than five-year career.
O’Malley has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Saparbek Safarov[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) drops to the UFC middleweight division after spending his previous promotional appearances at light heavyweight.
[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] (29-12 MMA, 5-4 UFC) has earned 27 of his 29 career victories by stoppage. That includes all five of his UFC wins.
Meerschaert is one of 17 fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by anaconda choke. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 102.
[autotag]Deron Winn[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) landed 169 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN+ 12, the single-fight record for a UFC middleweight bout.
[autotag]Emily Whitmire[/autotag]’s (4-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) 61-second victory at UFC on ESPN 1 is the fastest submission in UFC strawweight history.
[autotag]Polyana Viana[/autotag]’s (10-4 MMA, 1-3 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of her career. She hasn’t earned a victory since February 2018.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
Yoel Romero is not looking to move up to light heavyweight, despite missing weight multiple times in the past.
LOS ANGELES – [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag]’s back-to-back weight misses have caused concern for his future as a middleweight, but don’t count him among those with worries about his weight this week.
Romero (13-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) will challenge for the middleweight title once again when he takes on champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] at UFC 248 on Friday. The Cuban challenger is confident he will make weight for the bout.
Romero’s first weight miss came at UFC 221 when he stepped in on short notice to take on Luke Rockhold for the interim middleweight title. Although he knocked out the former champion, Romero was not eligible to win the title after he missed weight by 2.7 pounds.
The weigh-in woes continued at UFC 225 when he missed championship weight by 0.2 pounds for his rematch with then-middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
So why did that not prompt him to move back up to light heavyweight, where he started his MMA career? Romero says it’s because in the heat of training camp, his weight drops drastically.
“When I’m training, I go down (in weight), and when I’m training, normally when I have a good training, (I weigh a) maximum 210 (pounds),” Romero said at a media event Monday in Los Angeles. “It’s not possible. When I’m not training, boom – yeah, heavyweight. But when I’m training – 210, 208, 210, 208. It’s not possible for me. It’s not possible because I’m training good. I have respect for my job. When I’m training, I know what I need to do for good training.
“When you don’t sleep good, and when (you’re not eating healthy), something wrong happens: mistake. … When I have a good training, it’s not possible to go up. The (potential opponents) are so heavy.”
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Romero chalks up his previous weight misses due to the inability to manage time, especially when he stepped in on short notice halfway across the world against Rockhold in Australia.
“Everybody is different, but no excuses,” Romero said. “You need to do it because it’s the one mandatory thing you need to do as a professional – as long as you have enough time to do it.”
When asked if he’ll make weight this time for his title fight with Adesanya (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), Romero, who said he was 198 pounds heading into fight week, shrugged his shoulders and laughed confidently.
UFC 248 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Adesanya vs. Romero headlines the pay-per-view main card, which follows prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.
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