Tag: TA block

Shavkat Rakhmonov meets Ian Machado Garry in five-round bout at UFC 310

Undefeated welterweights Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry will clash for No. 1 contender position at UFC 310.

Undefeated welterweights will battle it out for top contender position at UFC 310.

When welterweight champion Belal Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) was forced out of his title defense against [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) on Dec. 7 due to a bone infection in his foot, Rakhmonov called for an interim title fight against Kamaru Usman.

Both [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and Joaquin Buckley, who were scheduled to face each other in the UFC on ESPN 63 headliner on Dec. 14, threw their name in the hat to face Rakhmonov.

The UFC opted to go with Machado Garry, who will meet Rakhmonov in a five-round non-title co-main event bout at UFC 310 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Dana White announced Friday. Buckley will now face Colby Covington.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCa5-wmxZ_U/

Garry is coming off a unanimous decision win over Michael Page at UFC 303 in June. Meanwhile, Rakhmonov notched his sixth octagon victory when he became the first to submit Stephen Thompson at UFC 296 in December.

Rakhmonov expressed disappointment in the welterweight division, as a whole, on X after the fight was announced.

The winner of the UFC 310 matchup is expected to challenge Muhammad for the belt upon his return to competition.

With the addition, the current UFC 310 lineup includes:

  • Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura – for flyweight title
  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
  • Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling
  • Dominick Reyes vs. Anthony Smith
  • Virna Jandiroba vs. TBA
  • Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper
  • Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin
  • Nick Diaz vs. Vicente Luque
  • Cody Durden vs. Joshua Van
  • Martin Buday vs. Rizvan Kuniev
  • Bryan Battle vs. Randy Brown
  • Lukasz Brzeski vs. Tallison Teixeira
  • Doo Ho Choi vs. Nate Landwehr

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

Is Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson a real fight?

It’s natural to wonder if Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is a real fight given it’s a 27-year-old vs. a 58-year-old.

Ever since [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] was announced the first time early this year, there have been plenty of questions surrounding this fight on Friday at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium that also serves as streaming giant Netflix’s first foray into combat sports.

Chief among them: Is Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson a real fight?

And chief among the reasons why people would wonder about this is their age difference. Tyson is 58 years old and a legend of the fight game, while Paul is 27 and a YouTuber-turned-professional-boxer of the post-pandemic era.

While that might complicate things for the average viewer, the easiest answer to the question is: Yes, Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is a real fight. 

Paul vs. Tyson rules breakdown

Paul vs. Tyson is not an exhibition fight. What makes it a real fight is the fact that it’s been sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as a fully professional bout. However, the rules stray from the norm in this regard.

Paul vs. Tyson is scheduled for eight, 2-minute rounds, and the two combatants will use 14-ounce gloves. Under normal circumstances, a men’s professional heavyweight boxing match would take place with rounds lasting 3 minutes and gloves weighing 10 ounces.

The use of shorter rounds and lighter gloves were requested by Tyson, who figures to benefit from shorter rounds and more glove cushion given his age and general health. Paul has said he was happy to oblige these requests to make the fight happen.

The TDLR has said there was no issue sanctioning this as a professional (or “real”) fight under these rules given both combatants agreed.

Paul vs. Tyson date, time, location, how to watch

  • Date: Friday, November 15
  • Time: Preliminary card begins at 5:30 p.m. ET; main card begins at 8 p.m. ET; Paul and Tyson are expected to walk out to the ring at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET.
  • Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
  • How to watch: Prelims will stream on the Netflix Sports YouTube channel; main card will stream on Netflix, and anyone with a Netflix plan can watch.

[lawrence-related id=2786387,2786383,2786137,2785888,2785886]

For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Mike Tyson slaps Jake Paul during wild final faceoff: ‘He must die!’

All that’s left for Jake Paul and Mike Tyson is the fighting after a wild final faceoff at the ceremonial weigh-ins.

IRVING, Texas – Slap!

All that’s left for [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] and [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] is the fighting after the two men stepped on the scale and faced off Thursday at the ceremonial weigh-ins ahead of their boxing match.

Tyson, 58, weighed in at 228.4 pounds for the heavyweight bout. Paul tipped the scale at 227.2. Afterward, Paul and Tyson faced off one last time, and things certainly popped off when Tyson slapped Paul in the face, prompting members of each man’s team to intervene.

Moments later, Tyson only had this to say: “Talk is over.”

Paul took the slap in stride, but it also seemed to light a fire in him.

“I didn’t even feel it. He’s angry. He’s an angry little elf,” Paul said. “Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap, buddy, but tomorrow you’re getting knocked the f*ck out. … It’s personal now! He must die!”

[lawrence-related id=2786508]

You can watch Paul and Tyson step on the scale and stare each other down in the video above.

Paul vs. Tyson, which has been months in the making after one cancellation, will headline a Netflix boxing event Friday at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The card is co-headlined by a highly anticipated rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

The Paul vs. Tyson preliminary card begins at 5:30 p.m. ET, with the main card kicking off at 8 p.m. ET. Anyone with a Netflix subscription can watch the event.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Old gloves return: UFC 309 fighters notified of change for New York card

UFC 309 fighters were notified Tuesday they’ll wear the old gloves Saturday, which bodes the question why?

It’s out with the new and in with the old – at least for now.

Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 309 card at Madison Square Garden in New York, competing fighters and their teams were notified the old-style gloves will be used rather than the new-style ones that were implemented June 1.

Three people with knowledge of the situation told MMA Junkie teams were notified Tuesday, though reasoning for the decision to revert is unclear. Ariel Helwani was first to report the change.

The new-style gloves have been used by the promotion in every event since June 1. In the initial revelation of the glove design, the promotion touted better construction, fitting, and material. The motives for the changes included an attempt to prevent eye pokes and broken hands.

Since the implementation of the new-style gloves, fans and media members have questioned if the design has lead to a decrease in knockouts and TKOs.

According to data compiled by MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, the knockout rate from the start of 2021 to the mid-year change in 2024 was fairly consistent, hovering around the 31-34 percent range.

Since the implementation, however, the knockout rate has dropped to 22.9 percent. The decision rate has increased 11.5 percent.

Following UFC 303 on June 29, a card during which there were five TKOs/knockouts, UFC CEO Dana White was asked about the change in design and it’s potential contribution to a lack of stoppages and admitted he was unsure.

However, in an interview with TNT Sports ahead of UFC 308 in October, White seemed a little less eager to credit the correlation.

“Who the hell knows?,” White said. “Who can really gauge that? … I don’t think… I haven’t even thought about that. The fact anybody is even talking about that is actually kind of silly, that there would be less knockouts because of the gloves. I’ve seen plenty of knockouts since the new gloves.

https://www.instagram.com/mmajunkie/reel/C82_hPzpq8U/

At the time of publication, MMA Junkie has not received a response from the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) to an inquiry checking if the glove changes were due to potential regulatory statutes. This story will be updated should comment be received.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.

How old is Stipe Miocic?

Three-and-a-half years since he last competed, Stipe Miocic has a chance to reclaim the heavyweight title at UFC 309 – just a little bit older.

How long has it been since [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] last competed in the octagon? It’s been so long that the former UFC heavyweight champion’s resume doesn’t include a fight – yet alone a win – against a currently active UFC fighter.

And yet, despite being out of action for a little more than three-and-a-half years, Miocic is stepping right back into a title shot Saturday at UFC 309 (ESPN+ pay-per-view), where he’ll challenge champ Jon Jones in the night’s headliner from Madison Square Garden in New York.

Miocic’s long layoff and his age no doubt are big reasons why Jones is a 6-to-1 betting favorite. Miocic, who was born on August 19, 1982, is 42 years old.

Miocic’s UFC title run

Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) holds the UFC record for most consecutive heavyweight title defenses at three, a streak that took place from September 2016 to January 2018 with wins over Alistair Overeem, Junior Dos Santos and Francis Ngannou.

After that run, Miocic fought Daniel Cormier three times in a row between July 2018 and August 2020, first losing the belt to Cormier before reclaiming it and winning the next two bouts to close their trilogy.

The last time Miocic competed in the octagon was on March 27, 2021, when he was viciously knocked out in a rematch with Ngannou to lose his title at UFC 260.

All these years later, Miocic has a chance to reclaim it against Jones – this time just a little bit older.

Jones vs. Miocic preview video

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.

How old is Mike Tyson? A lot older than Jake Paul

Given the age discrepancy between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, it’s no wonder so many prominent folks are against their Netflix fight happening.

A lot of people – from fellow boxing legends, to current boxers, to pundits and media personalities, and even fans – are against [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] fighting [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag]. Why? Because of his age.

Tyson, who was once the most feared boxer on the planet, celebrated his most recent birthday on June 30. He was born in 1966, making him 58 years old ahead of Friday’s Netflix event at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Even Joe Rogan, for as big a fan as he is, came out against Tyson competing – although the UFC commentator and popular podcast host can understand why the former heavyweight champ is doing it.

“I wish it wasn’t a thing,” Rogan said during an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” in September. “I wish it wasn’t a thing where a 58-year-old guy was going to fight a (much younger guy). That said, I fully support his desire to do it. What, is he going to live forever? No, he’s not going to live forever. Maybe he wants one more shot at it. Maybe his body can do one more fight. I don’t know.”

Paul vs. Tyson age difference

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul attend Fanatics Fest Press Conference at Javits Center on August 18, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano, Getty Images)

Paul was born January 17, 1997, making him 27. In other words, Tyson will be 31 years older than Paul when they step into the ring.

By the time Paul was born, Tyson had 47 professional fights under his belt. Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion at 20 when he beat Trevor Berbick by TKO on November 22, 1986, more than 10 years before Paul was born. Tyson’s shocking upset loss to Buster Douglas happened February 11, 1990, nearly seven years before Paul was born. Paul still wasn’t born for Tyson’s first fight with Evander Holyfield on November 9, 1996, and was barely 5 months old when Tyson infamously bit Holyfield’s ear during their rematch.

Mike Tyson health concerns

In addition to Tyson’s age, there are concerns about his general health heading into the fight with Paul. The original fight date earlier this year had to be scrapped after Tyson experienced a medical scare due to an ulcer while aboard a plane. Since then, Tyson’s health and overall condition have been scrutinzed. His agent, Andrew Ruf, last month had to quell fears of a knee injury after Tyson was seen wearing a compression sleeve in a training video.

All things considered, it’s no wonder so many prominent folks are against Tyson getting back in the ring.

For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Brandon Moreno’s return, Belal Muhammad out of UFC 310, Max Holloway’s move

On “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses Brandon Moreno’s return, Belal Muhammad’s UFC 310 withdrawal and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • UFC Fight Night 246 went down Saturday in Canada and left us with two key results at men’s and women’s flyweight. In the main event, former champion [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] successfully returned to action after taking a break from the sport by dominating [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] in a unanimous decision win. Also, [autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag] outpointed [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] in a hard-fought decision to cement herself as a top title contender. What happens next? We discuss.
  • Bad news. UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] suffered a foot injury and was forced out of his title bout against [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] in the main event of UFC 310. This leaves a big hole to fill since the bout was scheduled to headline the final pay-per-view of the year. Should the UFC implement an interim title? If so, who should fight for it? We react to Muhammad’s injury and how it impacts both UFC 310 and the welterweight division.  
  • A lot of news went down this past week, including fight bookings and retirements. Former UFC champion [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] announced her retirement from the sport; the UFC booked a key welterweight bout between [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] and [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] for December; and featherweight all-time great [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] revealed he is moving back up to lightweight. We analyze those headlines and more.
  • We close out the show by previewing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 247 event in Las Vegas. We break down the welterweight bout between [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] and rising contender [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag] headlining the card, along with other standout bouts.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

Derrick Lewis out of UFC Fight Night 246 vs. Jhonata Diniz on eve of Edmonton event

Derrick Lewis wasn’t present during Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins. His fight has now been canceled.

“The Black Beast” won’t compete Saturday after all.

Late Friday, less than 24 hours before he was scheduled to step into the cage, [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] was removed from his bout vs. [autotag]Jhonata Diniz[/autotag] due to medical reasons, the promotion announced Friday evening.

The heavyweight fight was scheduled to take place Saturday at UFC Fight Night 246 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Lewis (28-12 MMA, 19-10 UFC) was not present for Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins – an unusual occurrence for a fighter. UFC officials stated the fight was still scheduled to take place as planned at that time, but the bout has since been called off.

The cause of the medical issues is unknown, although the promotion said it was not related to Lewis’ weight-cut. He tipped the scales at the heavyweight limit of 266 pounds during Friday’s official weigh-ins.

It’s unclear what the next move is for Diniz (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who was expecting his first high-profile fight vs. Lewis.

With the cancellation, UFC Fight Night 246 continues with 13 bouts as follows:

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi
  • Erin Blanchfield vs. Rose Namajunas
  • Caio Machado vs. Brendson Ribeiro
  • Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Dustin Stoltzfus
  • Trevin Giles vs. Mike Malott
  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Aiemann Zahabi
  • Ariane da Silva vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
  • Victor Henry vs. Charles Jourdain
  • Jack Shore vs. Youssef Zalal
  • Rodrigo Nascimento vs. Alexandr Romanov
  • Garrett Armfield vs. Serhiy Sidey
  • Chad Anheliger vs. Cody Gibson
  • Jamey-Lyn Horth vs. Ivana Petrovic

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.

UFC Edmonton faceoff video: Brandon Moreno, Amir Albazi get last look before headliner

Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi were all business when they crossed paths for a final staredown before UFC Fight Night 246.

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada – There’s now only a matter of hours before [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] and [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] meet in the UFC Fight Night 246 main event after the conclusion of their final faceoff.

Moreno (21-8-2 MMA, 9-4-2 UFC) and Albazi (17-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) meet in a five-round flyweight headliner on Saturday at Rogers Place (ESPN+), and the winner will have momentum for a title shot behind them.

The last step in the pre-fight process was a staredown at ceremonial weigh-ins, and you can watch the video above to see Moreno and Albazi interaction for the final time before the UFC Fight Night 246 main event.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.