Tag: TA block

Reports: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury boxing match set for Feb. 25

Jake Paul and Tommy Fury will finally throw down in February, according to multiple reports.

Perhaps the third time will be the charm. [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] and [autotag]Tommy Fury[/autotag] finally will throw down in February.

Paul (6-0) meets Fury (8-0) in a boxing match Feb. 25. The pair originally was scheduled to fight on two occasions, but Fury withdrew from both. Reporter Ariel Helwani was first to announce the date.

A location has not been announced, but a report from The Sun said Saudi Arabia will host the fight.

They first were scheduled to fight in December 2021, but the bout fell through when Fury pulled out due to a bacterial chest infection and a broken rib. Tyron Woodley stepped in on just two weeks’ notice, but was knocked out in his rematch with Paul. Fury was booked against Paul a second time this past August at Madison Square Garden in New York, but the fight was scrapped when Fury was denied entry to the U.S. due to his family’s ties with Irish crime boss Daniel Kinahan, who is wanted by the U.S. government.

After he knocked out Woodley, Paul added another former MMA champion to his resume when he beat former UFC middleweight king Anderson Silva by unanimous decision this past October. Paul signed a multifight contract with PFL, where he intends to compete in both boxing and MMA. The YouTube star-turned-boxer also has assumed the role of Head of Fighter Advocacy and will post about the PFL on social media.

Fury, an undefeated boxer and half-brother of heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, most recently competed in April 2022 when he defeated Daniel Bocianski in London. Prior to that, he picked up a win over MMA fighter and boxer Anthony Taylor on the same card as Paul’s first victory over Woodley, which came by split decision.

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Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman title fight trilogy bout set for UFC 286 in London

UFC president Dana White has announced Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 for the welterweight title is a done deal for UFC 286 in London.

The UFC welterweight title trilogy fight between [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] and [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] is set for UFC 286 in March.

In a matchup that’s long been expected, Edwards (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) and Usman (20-2 MMA, 15-1 UFC) will have their rubber match in the main event of the March 18 fight card, which takes place at The O2 in London. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the booking during Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 217 post-fight news conference.

Edwards will attempt to make his first title defense on home soil after he scored the 2022 Knockout of the Year against Usman at UFC 278 in August. The fight extended his unbeaten streak to 10 fights, which dated back to his first encounter with Usman.

Usman will attempt to get some redemption on Edwards after seeing his 15-fight UFC winning streak brought to an end. “The Nigerian Nightmare” was en route to beating Edwards before he was caught by the shocking head kick finish. Despite the loss, he still holds a victory over his rival in the form of a unanimous decision at UFC on FOX 17 in December 2015.

The latest UFC 286 lineup now includes:

  • Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman – for welterweight title
  • Rafael Fiziev vs. Justin Gaethje
  • Roman Dolidze vs. Marvin Vettori
  • Gunnar Nelson vs. Daniel Rodriguez
  • Luana Carolina vs. Joanne Wood
  • Malcolm Gordon vs. Jake Hadley
  • Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O’Neill
  • Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein
  • Lerone Murphy vs. Nathaniel Wood
  • Chris Duncan vs. Michal Figlak
  • Veronica Macedo vs. Juliana Miller

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.

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Francis Ngannou released; Jon Jones returns, meets Ciryl Gane for newly vacated heavyweight title at UFC 285

Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is released from the UFC. Jon Jones will return at UFC 285 to meet Ciryl Gane for the vacant title.

[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] will make his return to the octagon in March after more than three years away when he meets [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] for the now vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285.

Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC), a former longtime light heavyweight champion, has been teasing a return to action for his heavyweight debut since heh vacated the 205-pound title in May 2020. It’s now finally set. He’ll meet Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) for the belt the UFC has stripped from [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] (17-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) after a contract dispute with the promotion.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the matchup Saturday following UFC Fight Night 217 after photos of a digital billboard attached to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas surfaced on social media. That same venue is set to host the March 4 event, which will air on pay-per-view following prelims expected for ESPN and ESPN+.

White said Ngannou has been released from his UFC contract and is free to fight elsewhere.

“We’ve been negotiating with (Ngannou) for more than two years,” White said, and added that Ngannou’s knee, which recently was surgically repaired, could be an issue for him, as well. “We offered Francis a deal that would’ve made him the highest paid heavyweight in the history of the company – more than (Brock) Lesnar, more than anybody, and he turned the deal down.”

Jones, who many consider to be one of the greatest fighters in MMA history, hasn’t competed since UFC 247 in February 2020. He edged out a narrow and controversial decision over Dominick Reyes in that fight for his 13th career title fight win at 205 pounds.

Shortly after that, Jones committed to a move up heavyweight, which he’d been plotting for more than a decade. He wanted a better contract from the UFC, however, and held out in hopes of getting a better deal. It’s unknown if Jones renegotiated for the contract he wanted or if he’ll fight under his previous terms.

For the majority of the time of Jones’ looming changing in division, Ngannou and Stipe Miocic were the two names most frequently connected to his heavyweight debut. Instead, he’ll meet former interim champ Gane, who is coming off a third-round knockout of Tai Tuivasa at UFC Fight Night 209 in September. Gane lost a title unification bout to Ngannou, his former teammate, at UFC 270 in January 2022.

The latest UFC 285 lineup now includes:

  • Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane – for vacant heavyweight title
  • Derek Brunson vs. Dricus Du Plessis
  • Geoff Neal vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
  • Viviane Araujo vs. Amanda Ribas
  • Bo Nickal vs. Jamie Pickett
  • Jessica Penne vs. Tabatha Ricci
  • Farid Basharat vs. Da’Mon Blackshear
  • Julio Arce vs. Cody Garbrandt
  • Mario Bautista vs. Guido Cannetti
  • Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Julian Marquez
  • Kamuela Kirk vs. Esteban Ribovics

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.

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Rafael Fiziev gets wish, meets Justin Gaethje at UFC 286 in London

Rafael Fiziev will take another step in competition when he meets former interim UFC champ Justin Gaethje at UFC 286 in London.

[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] will get the step up in competition he’s been looking for in the form of a showdown with [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] at UFC 286.

Fiziev (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who has won six consecutive fights in the lightweight division, is set to take on former UFC interim champ Gaethje (23-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) at the March 18 event in London. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

MMA Junkie verified verbal agreements are in place with multiple people close to the matchup following an initial report from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. The people requested anonymity because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Additionally, Gaethje confirmed he’s in for the matchup when asked on social media (via Twitter):

Fiziev’s winning streak, which dates back to October 2019, includes notable names like Renato Moicano, Bobby Green, Brad Riddell and, most recently, former UFC champ Rafael dos Anjos.

Gaethje will return to action for the first time since he fell short of UFC gold against then-champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 274 in May 2022. He suffered a broken nose in the fight and after surgery is prepared to step back in the octagon.

The latest UFC 286 lineup now includes:

  • Rafael Fiziev vs. Justin Gaethje
  • Roman Dolidze vs. Marvin Vettori
  • Gunnar Nelson vs. Daniel Rodriguez
  • Luana Carolina vs. Joanne Wood
  • Malcolm Gordon vs. Jake Hadley
  • Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O’Neill
  • Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein
  • Lerone Murphy vs. Nathaniel Wood
  • Chris Duncan vs. Michal Figlak
  • Veronica Macedo vs. Juliana Miller

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.

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UFC Fight Night 217 weigh-in video: Sean Strickland has 10 pounds on Nassourdine Imavov

The first UFC headliner of 2023 is official after Nassourdine Imavov and Sean Strickland made weight Friday in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – The first UFC headliner of 2023 is official after [autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag] and [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] made weight Friday.

Ahead of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 217, which takes place at the UFC Apex and streams on ESPN+, Imavov (12-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and Strickland (25-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) stepped on the scale at the official weigh-ins.

Normally middleweights, Imavov and Strickland are fighting at light heavyweight after Strickland stepped in for the injured Kelvin Gastelum on just five days’ notice. Strickland also fought in the UFC’s last event of 2022 and lost in the UFC Fight Night 216 main event to Jared Cannonier.

Strickland was 204 pounds, while Imavov was just 194 pounds.

Check out the video from their trips to the scale above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 217.

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Dan Ige feels ‘written off,’ wants to prove he’s still one of the best at UFC Fight Night 217

“I’m still one of the best. I do feel written off by a lot of people and that’s fine.”

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] finds himself in unfamiliar territory ahead of UFC Fight Night 217.

Ige (15-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC) will look to snap a three-fight losing skid when he faces Damon Jackson (22-4-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) in Saturday’s co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

At one point, Ige was on a six-fight winning streak heading into his first main event with Calvin Kattar in July 2020. But after losing four of his past five, Ige wants to remind everyone – and himself that he’s still a top contender.

“I think most important for me is just to go out there and have fun,” Ige told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at UFC Fight Night 217 media day. “I really love this sport, I love what I do, and I’ve experienced burnout just through training every day. It sucks cutting weight all the time.

“So I’ve experienced that end, but I just want to go out and prove myself that I still have it, I’m still one of the best. I do feel written off by a lot of people and that’s fine. I definitely want to go out there and prove something that I am one of the best in the world.”

A three-fight losing skid often means a fighter may be on the chopping block. But Ige says he puts pressure on himself to win regardless of the circumstances, and he’s only focusing on the present.

“I don’t block it out, I always feel some type of pressure and it’s mostly the pressure I put on myself,” Ige said. “By nature, I’m a perfectionist. So, I do everything I’m supposed to do that’s right in my mind. I don’t see this like I have to win or I’m going to lose my job, what am I gonna do. I’ve learned and I’ve realized that my identity doesn’t end as a fighter.”

He continued, “I’m in my prime. I’m loving this, I’m enjoying this, so if I can just go out there and perform and be free, that’s the best Dan Ige you’re gonna see.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 217.

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Fight Game on the ‘Gram: Juliana Miller’s best posts | UFC 286, London

Check out some of Juliana Miller’s most popular Instagram posts ahead of UFC 286 in London.

Social media is part of life in the fight game for most fighters. Many of them turn to Instagram to keep their fans and followers informed and entertained since (for now) its reputation is less vitriolic than some of its contemporaries.

Following news of her first booking after she won “The Ultimate Fighter,” check out some of the most popular Instagram posts from [autotag]Juliana Miller[/autotag] over the past year.

Miller (3-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) returns March 14 to take on Veronica Macedo (6-4-1 MMA, 1-4 UFC). Their women’s flyweight fight will be part of UFC 286 in London.

Fight Game on the ‘Gram: Veronica Macedo’s best posts | UFC 286, London

Check out some of Veronica Macedo’s most popular Instagram posts ahead of UFC 286 in London.

Social media is part of life in the fight game for most fighters. Many of them turn to Instagram to keep their fans and followers informed and entertained since (for now) its reputation is less vitriolic than some of its contemporaries.

Following news of her return from a retirement of nearly three years, check out some of the most popular Instagram posts from [autotag]Veronica Macedo[/autotag] over the past year.

Macedo (6-4-1 MMA, 1-4 UFC) returns March 14 to take on Juliana Miller (3-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC). Their women’s flyweight fight will be part of UFC 286 in London.

Bellator announces 8 participants for lightweight grand prix; tournament starts March 10 in San Jose

Eight lightweights will fight for the end rewards of a Bellator lightweight title and a $1 million bonus, beginning in March.

The Bellator lightweight grand prix is official, and so are its eight participants.

While some matchups are still being worked out, the tournament is slated to begin at Bellator 292 on March 10 from SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. Bellator president Scott Coker announced the news Wednesday on “The MMA Hour.”

After a report Wednesday by OC Register, MMA Junkie confirmed with promotion officials the first two quarterfinal matchups at Bellator 290: champion Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Benson Henderson, and Tofiq Musayev vs. Alexander Shabliy.

This leaves Mansour Barnaoui, Sidney Outlaw, A.J. McKee, Patricky Freire, and Sidney Outlaw left to be matched up.

The lightweight grand prix is the fifth tournament during the Coker era of Bellator, but the first at lightweight. Heavyweight, featherweight, light heavyweight, and bantamweight previously have been featured.

Coker did not rule out the tournament could end by the end of 2023, depending on how the fights and scheduling plays out.

Scroll below to find out more about the eight fighters who earned a shot to compete in the Bellator lightweight grand prix.