Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”
Thursday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
On Episode 3,522, the fellas welcome in former UFC fighter turned BKFC title challenger [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag]. They also discuss Colby Covington’s latest wild media day comments before UFC on ESPN 63 in Tampa, Fla. Tune in!
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 3,521, the fellas recap UFC 310, the promotion’s final pay-per-view of the year. The World MMA Awards also went down in Las Vegas, and the fellas give their thoughts on the show. They also welcome in PFL 2024 women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Dakota Ditcheva[/autotag] for a chat. Tune in!
Find out more about UFC star Shavkat Rakhmonov and his central Asian origins.
When [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] made his UFC debut in October 2020, he stepped into the octagon shrouded in mystery. That was at least, in part, because of his appearance and the fact that few fans knew where he came from.
While Rakhmonov was born October 23, 1994, in Sho’rchi, Uzbekistan, his ethnical background is Kazakh. Both of his parents are from Kazakhstan, a central Asian country that shares an eastern border with China and a southern border with Uzbekistan.
UFC fans are accustomed to seeing Rakhmonov wear a headpiece during ceremonial weigh-ins and when he walks out to the cage. The headpiece, known as a malahai, is one way Rakhmonov honors his Kazakh background.
A malahai is a historical headgear originating in Kazakhstan and made from wolf fur. In Kazakh folklore, the wolf represents bravery and a warrior spirit. A malahai is worn by men to protect themselves from the winter elements and in ancient battles was worn to protect a combatant’s head from bladed weapons.
Rakhmonov, who made his professional MMA debut in 2014, is still undefeated more than a decade into his career at 18-0. That includes six UFC fights in the welterweight division, with wins over notables Neil Magny, Geoff Neal and Stephen Thompson.
Rakhmonov meets fellow undefeated contender Ian Machado Garry in the UFC 310 co-main event scheduled for five rounds.
Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”
Thursday’ episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
On Episode 3,520, the fellas preview the final pay-per-view of the year, UFC 310, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. They also welcome in bantamweight [autotag]Marcus McGhee[/autotag], who is undefeated through four fights in the UFC. Tune in!
Coming off a great finish and killer promo in his last fight, Bryan Battle finds himself in a good place heading into UFC 310.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Bryan Battle[/autotag] finds himself in a good place heading into UFC 310, a place he loves at this point in his career. All it took was a finish and a killer promo to get here.
Battle (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) meets Randy Brown (19-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) on the prelims of Saturday’s event at T-Mobile Arena (pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+). Unbeaten in his past four, including a no contest, Battle is coming off a second-round TKO of Kevin Jousset this past September at UFC Fight Night 243. It was an impressive finish, but what really put the performance over was Battle’s octagon interview in which he riled up the French fans in Paris.
That moment, it seems, has changed the trajectory of “The Ultimate Fighter 29” winner’s career. You know what he’s saying?
“It’s really been like a whirlwind,” Battle said Wednesday at UFC 310 media day. “It’s been nonstop. It’s been a blessing. It’s like everything I’ve worked for really coming to fruition. It’s been really cool. Fans have been amazing. The memes and Instagram reels have been crazy. There’s a new one every other day. It’s been a lot of fun. …
“It was always inevitable. I always felt like I would get to where I’m at, you know what I’m saying? It was just a matter of when, not if, you know what I’m saying?”
Battle considers Brown “a great opponent” and his biggest opportunity. It’s a relatively short turnaround for Battle, but he’s relishing the moment.
“I feel amazing. I feel incredibly sharp,” Battle said. “There’s definitely some aches and pains from the previous fight, but everything’s coming together at the right time perfectly.”
[lawrence-related id=2789948,2789930,2789923]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.
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 3,519, the fellas recap the 2024 PFL Championship event where a new crop of tournament winners grabbed $1 million checks. They also welcome in UFC flyweight [autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag], who competes this weekend at UFC 310 in Las Vegas. Tune in!
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 3,517, the fellas discuss Conor McGregor’s civil trial where he was found liable for sexual assault. The guys also welcome in UFC commentator Jon Anik to talk the latest in the MMA world. Tune in!
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 3,515, the fellas unpack all that happened from the past weekend in combat sports with UFC 309, where Jon Jones defeated Stipe Miocic, the Netflix boxing event headlined by Jake Paul’s win over Mike Tyson, and much more. Tune in!
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 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.
[lawrence-related id=2786387,2786383,2786137,2785888,2785886]
For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.
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 3,513, the fellas welcome in guests Andreas Hale and Curtis Millender. They also looked ahead to UFC 309, recapped UFC Fight Night 247 and much more. Tune in!
