Tag: TA block

MMA Junkie Radio #3557: UFC 314 fallout, PFL guest Impa Kasanganay, more

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Monday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,557, the fellas welcome in guest [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag], the 2023 PFL middleweight champion who goes after a second title starting this week. Plus, they look back at the biggest results from Miami, where UFC 314 went down. The lads also discuss the UFC’s broadcast situation, preview this week’s PFL event and more. Tune in!

UFC 314 video: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes final faceoff for vacant title bout

Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes crossed paths for the final time before their UFC 314 vacant title bout at ceremonial weigh-ins.

MIAMI – [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] are just one sleep away from crowning a new featherweight champion after a final pre-fight staredown at UFC 314 ceremonial weigh-ins.

Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) and Lopes (26-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC) will clash in Saturday’s headliner at Kaseya Center (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+) in a contest that will determine who fills the role as 145-pound champion in the wake of Ilia Topuria vacating to move up to the lightweight division.

[lawrence-related id=2816889]

Former champion Volkanovski, 36, will return from a nearly 14-month layoff and back-to-back losses against Topuria and Islam Makhachev in hopes of becoming a two-time undisputed titleholder. Lopes, 31, looks to continue to his trajectory to the top and claim gold less than two years after his promotional debut.

Both men have been respectful in the build to the fight, and that trend continued when they squared up for the last time before stepping in the octagon.

Check out the video above to see the Volkanovski vs. Lopes faceoff from Friday’s UFC 314 ceremonial weigh-ins.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

UFC 314 video: Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett final faceoff for five-round co-headliner

It was clear from the final UFC 314 faceoff that Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett are counting down minutes until fight time.

MIAMI – [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] and [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] are champing at the bit to go at UFC 314, and they showed it at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins.

Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) and Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) are two of the most energetic figures on the roster and will have five rounds to determine a winner when they meet in Saturday’s lightweight co-main event at Kaseya Center (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+).

Coming off back-to-back loses against Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira, former Bellator champ Chandler, 38, looks to rebound and get his first victory since May 2022. He’ll have to stop the surge of former Cage Warriors titleholder Pimblett, 30, though, who has yet to be beaten inside the octagon.

Check out the video above to see the final Chandler vs. Pimblett faceoff from UFC 314 ceremonial weigh-ins.

[lawrence-related id=2816889]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

UFC 316 video: Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison heated first title fight faceoff

After trading words at the UFC 316 press conference, Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison had an intense first title fight staredown.

MIAMI – There was no shortage of intensity when [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] and [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] got in front of each other for the first time ahead of their UFC 316 title fight.

Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will attempt to make the first defense in her second reign as women’s bantamweight champion when she takes on two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in the co-main event of the June 7 card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+).

[lawrence-related id=2816880]

Both women launched strong words and insults at each other when the microphones were hot at Friday’s UFC 316 on-sale press conference. The disdain between them was even more clear when they stood inches from each other for the staredown afterward.

Check out the video above to see the Peña vs. Harrison faceoff from the UFC 316 press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

UFC 316 video: Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O’Malley have first faceoff for title rematch

Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley had the first faceoff Friday for their UFC 316 title rematch on June 7.

MIAMI – [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] and [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] got a first look at each other Friday after their UFC 316 bantamweight title rematch became official.

After Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) took the belt from O’Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) by unanimous decision this past September, the pair will run it back in the main event of the June 7 card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+).

Leading into the first meeting, Dvalishvili and O’Malley had some heat between them. The tone has dramatically changed for the sequel, however, with both men expressing a degree of admiration toward each other.

[lawrence-related id=2816880]

That attitude was clear in the staredown, which was a respectful and professional scene.

Check out the video above to see the Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley faceoff from the UFC 316 on-sale press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree headlines UFC’s debut in Azerbaijan

Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree have a new UFC main event date – and it’s a far cry from their original setting in Kansas City.

The UFC will touch down in Azerbaijan for the first time this summer, and its bringing a light heavyweight contender main event with it.

At UFC Fight Night on June 21 at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, top 205-pound contenders [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] and [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] will meet in a five-round headliner, the promotion announced Friday.

Both fighters look to bounce back from TKO losses.

A former UFC light heavyweight champion, Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) never lost his title. He was forced to vacate after an Achilles injury in a celebrity basketball game, then returned and was knocked out by Alex Pereira in the UFC 300 headliner in April. He returned in January and was finished by Jiri Prochazka via TKO.

Rountree (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) fought Pereira at UFC 307 in August as a sizeable underdog. Despite the odds, Rountree fought valiantly and had his moments against the champion. The fight was a grueling and violent affair. Rountree was finished in Round 4, but respect was heaped on him from every edge of the combat sports world for his performance.

The latest lineup for the card now includes:

  • Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree
  • Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev
  • Ismail Naurdiev vs. JunYong Park
  • Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Mohammed Usman

UFC 314 video: Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire’s first UFC fight week faceoff vs. Yair Rodriguez

Patricio Freire’s octagon debut is just days away after his faceoff with Yair Rodriguez at the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference.

MIAMI – [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] continues to hit milestones in his first UFC fight week with a pre-fight press conference faceoff Thursday vs. [autotag]Yair Rodriguez[/autotag] ahead of UFC 314.

The former two-division Bellator titleholder “Pitbull” Freire (36-7 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is slated to make his octagon debut against former interim UFC featherweight champ Rodriguez (15-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) on Saturday at Kaseya Center (ESPN+ pay-per-view).

[lawrence-related id=2816386]

Freire’s move to the UFC has been long desired, and he gets tasked with spot on the main card of a numbered event against against dangerous perennial contender Rodriguez, who has his own aspirations of returning to championship fights.

Both men were respectful during the media event, but were intense when they got in front of each other for the staredown.

Check out the video above to see the first Rodriguez vs. Freire faceoff from the UFC 314 press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

UFC 314 video: Michael Chandler, Paddy Pimblett have playful faceoff at press conference

Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett kept the chill attitude toward each other at Thursday’s UFC 313 press conference faceoff.

MIAMI – [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] and [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] got another opportunity to face off Thursday ahead of the UFC 314 co-main event.

Former three-time Bellator champ Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) will serve as the next test in the rise of Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) when they meet in a five-round lightweight bout on Saturday at Kaseya Center (ESPN+ pay-per-view), and it has significant implications for both men.

[lawrence-related id=2816386]

Chandler, 38, is 1-4 in his past five bouts and faces questions about his decision to wait two years for a failed fight with Conor McGregor. Pimblett, 30, for his part, has stated this is the fight that will get him traction as a viable title contender at 155 pounds.

Both men have been clear in their intentions to win, but have been respectful toward each other in the process. That attitude continued at their latest staredown.

Check out the video above to see the Chandler vs. Pimblett faceoff from the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

UFC 314 video: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes press conference faceoff

Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes came face-to-face at Thursday’s UFC 314 press conference ahead of their vacant title bout.

MIAMI – [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] will decide a new featherweight champion at UFC 314, and on Thursday, they got to size each other up officially for the first time on fight week.

With Ilia Topuria vacating the belt for a move to lightweight, former divisional kingpin Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) now meets the red-hot Lopes (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in the headliner of Saturday event at Kaseya Center (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+).

[lawrence-related id=2816386]

Volkanovski, 36, and Lopes, 30, have been respectful throughout the build to the contest, and that didn’t change at the pre-fight press conference. They were intense during the staredown, however, with a clear understanding of what’s at stake this weekend.

Check out the video above to see the Volkanovski vs. Lopes staredown from the UFC 314 press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

UFC signs Aaron Pico after PFL departure

Former Bellator star Aaron Pico is officially headed to the UFC, according to manager Ali Abdelaziz.

(Editor’s note: This story was updated with Pico’s statement at 7:20 p.m. ET)

[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] has signed with the UFC.

The former Bellator standout Pico (13-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has spent recent months campaigning for a full release from the PFL so he could make his way to the octagon. He’s now struck a deal, his manager Ali Abdelaziz, of Dominance MMA, confirmed Tuesday with MMA Junkie after an initial report by ESPN.

“After years of hard work, dedication, and unwavering belief, I’ve officially signed with the @UFC!” Pico wrote on Instagram. “This is more than just a dream come true; it’s the beginning of a new chapter. Thank you to my family, my manager @aliabdelaziz, coaches, training partners, and everyone who has supported me on this journey. Your belief in me has fueled my fire. The ultimate goal? To become the UFC champion. I’m ready to work harder than ever before to make that a reality.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DINBQIOp4pn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Pico, 28, has long been an combat sports prodigy. Before he even stepped into an MMA cage, Pico had a decorated resume of accomplishments. Accompanying a host of national and international wrestling competition, Pico was a golden gloves boxing and PAL champion.

His highly-anticipated MMA debut in June 2017 was a 24-second submission loss to Zach Freeman. Despite the early stumble in the bright lights, Pico rebounded with four consecutive brutal knockouts before he was finished in a wild affair by Henry Corrales. A loss to Adam Borics set him back further.

After the Borics loss, however, Pico turned a corner. He won nine fights out of 10, with the lone loss a shoulder injury suffered against Jeremy Kennedy.

Pico enters the UFC on a three-fight winning streak consisting of victories over James Gonzalez, Pedro Carvalho, and Corrales. He will look to shake up the 145-pound title picture in his first octagon appearance. It’s unknown when his debut will be. The American hasn’t competed since the first-round TKO of Corrales in February 2024, and has just two professional bouts in the past two years.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 256.