Tag: UFC 257

Spinning Back Clique: How critical is mental aspect of McGregor vs. Poirier rematch at UFC 257?

Check out the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique” focused on the UFC’s upcoming three events on “Fight Island.”

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a quick spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. This week, host John Morgan is joined by panelists Brian Garcia from MMA Junkie Radio, as well as MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn and Nolan King. Let’s get into it!

SHOW TOPICS:

  • Future UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier recently came out and said [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag]’s mindset is key heading into his rematch with [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] at UFC 257, that “The Diamond” needs to convince himself he just got caught in their first meeting. This comes on the heels of McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, stating that “The Notorious” should have a huge advantage in the mental department due to his first-round knockout in 2014, and McGregor saying he’ll score a knockout in less than a minute. The old cliche is “styles make fights,” but should it be “minds make fights”? How big is the mental aspect here?
  • Before UFC 257, the UFC’s “Fight Island” run kicks off with a sensational featherweight main event on network television with [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] at UFC on ABC 1. For Kattar, it’s all upside, with a real chance to prove himself among the division’s elite. But for Holloway, it’s his first non-title fight since 2016 and would seem to be a potential crossroads fight, even at just 29 years old. That being said, how much pressure is on Holloway? Is this a must-win situation?
  • Looking outside of “Fight Island,” UFC president Dana White recently said he’s hoping to see [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] fight in 2021 but admitted he’s not incredibly optimistic. It’s been 14 months now since Diaz has fought, and we know he’s only coming back for the biggest fights available. What fight could entice Diaz to get back in the octagon?
  • [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag] took home MMA Junkie “Fight of the Year” honors in 2020 for her epic battle with Zhang Weili, but right now, the former UFC champ said she’s content waiting on the sidelines until the right opportunity arises. She’d like more money and said fans are a must, and she really believes a title shot should be on the table, too. What do you make of her comments, and is there an ideal scenario you envision for her return this year?
  • Between UFC on ABC 1, UFC on ESPN 20 and UFC 257, what is one bold prediction for this three-event span on “Fight Island”?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 62 of “Spinning Back Clique” above.

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Dana White no longer in ‘a really bad place’ with Conor McGregor, praises UFC 257 mindset

Dana White reflects on his September spat with Conor McGregor, which is now water under the bridge.

As UFC 257 approaches, promotion president Dana White says he’s currently in “a good place” with headliner [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag].

In September, McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who takes on Dustin Poirier in the main event of the upcoming UFC 257 pay-per-view, released a series of private direct messages he exchanged with his boss.

The message release came in the midst of McGregor’s negotiations with the UFC for his next fight, but what bothered White most was that another fighter, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 1 middleweight winner [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag], was mentioned.

McGregor asked to fight Sanchez, to which White replied, “Bro… We should lose our (promoter’s) license if we make that fight.”

“We were in a really bad place then,” White told UFC broadcast partner ESPN in a recent interview. “I was really upset. It wasn’t because he put out private messages. It was (because) we were talking about another fighter. I like Diego Sanchez a lot and I have a lot of respect for Diego Sanchez. I care about Diego Sanchez. I was very upset about that. I talked to Diego face-to-face about it. Being the great human being that he is, we’re all good. Then I was really, really upset with Conor.”

At no point was there a damper placed on his business relationship with McGregor, according to White. Since their message spat, White indicated their personal relationship has been rebuilt.

“Conor and I fixed that and we talked and we got through it,” White said. “We’re in a good place now. … Me and everybody are always in a good place as far as business goes.”

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UFC 257 is less than two weeks away and White is excited about what he’s seen and heard from McGregor. The UFC president thinks McGregor is as motivated as ever entering his rematch against Poirier. The current mindset McGregor is in is exactly what White likes.

“There’s nothing more exciting or more fun than a motivated Conor McGregor when his head is in the right place,” White said. “You can tell when he is, and you can tell when he isn’t. Right now, you can tell he’s in. … If something happens to Dustin Poirier, he is the Conor McGregor right now that does not give a (expletive) who we put in that fight on that night. He’s that guy right now.”

UFC 257 takes place Jan. 23 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

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Dana White: Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 2 won’t be for title, even if Khabib opts out of return

UFC president Dana White says Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 2 won’t be for a title – even if Khabib Nurmagomedov opts out of a return.

No matter what happens in the next few days, [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] 2 will not turn into some kind of championship fight, UFC president Dana White said.

Speaking with ESPN, White made it clear McGregor-Poirier 2 will not be for the undisputed or an interim UFC belt at 155 pounds, even if there’s some clarity on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s future in MMA before McGregor and Poirier fight Jan. 23 at UFC 257.

The UFC has yet to strip or make vacant the lightweight title. Nurmagomedov retired in October after defending his title against Justin Gaethje at UFC 256. He’s had no intentions walking back his retirement since he promised his mother he would stop fighting after the death of his father in 2020 from COVID-19 complications. Nurmagomedov’s father was also his coach and mentor.

“If Khabib does retire, then whoever the highest ranked guy is at the time will end up facing Conor if Conor beats Poirier and would end up fighting for the title, I’m sure,” White said.

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White reportedly will soon meet with Nurmagomedov, hoping to entice him back to MMA. Nurmagomedov is a huge star for the company and very much in his prime and remains unbeaten. White hopes Nurmagomedov is not done with MMA.

“As a promoter, you always want the best guys in the world. But when a guy wants to retire, he probably should,” White said. “But the difference with a guy like Khabib is that he’s been through so much and losing his dad is such a major blow to him. It was something that they did together and his dad wanted him to hit 30-0. But as a fight fan, I want Khabib to fight 10 more.”

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Conor McGregor predicts knockout of Dustin Poirier ‘inside 60 seconds’ at UFC 257

Conor McGregor has brought back his “Mystic Mac” prediction for his UFC 257 rematch with Dustin Poirier.

“Mystic Mac” is back with a prediction for the UFC 257 main event.

Ahead of his lightweight rematch with [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (26-6 MMA, 18-5) this month, [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] has offered up his official estimation of what’s going to go down when the pair step inside the octagon.

After winning the first contest in less than two minutes at UFC 178 in September 2014, McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) is expecting an even quicker second clash with “The Diamond.”

On a snippet of the upcoming UFC 257 “Countdown” show, the Irishman said he expects Poirier to fall within the first minute.

“I like Dustin. I think he’s a good fighter,” McGregor said. “He’s even a great fighter. But great is still levels below me. I’ll knock Dustin out inside 60 seconds.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ4GPtMJeIP

McGregor has a history of being accurate with his pre-fight predictions. It’s not always gone according to plan, but more often than not, he’s proved to be on point.

In less than two weeks, the MMA world will know if he can do it again when he steps in the octagon with Poirier at UFC 257, which takes place Jan. 23 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

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With Mike Grundy out Saturday, Nik Lentz moves to UFC 257 vs. Movsar Evloev

Nik Lentz is in Abu Dhabi and was all set for a fight Saturday. Now he’s pushed back a week with a new opponent.

[autotag]Nik Lentz[/autotag] is in Abu Dhabi and was all set for a fight this week.

Now his plans have changed, and he won’t have to wait too long. Lentz (30-11-2 MMA, 14-8-1 MMA) was supposed to take on [autotag]Mike Grundy[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) on Saturday at UFC on ABC 1. But Sunday, Grundy posted online that a member of his team tested positive for COVID-19, which will keep him from competing on the card.

Instead, Lentz will miss Saturday’s event and fight a week later at UFC 257 against new opponent [autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC). MMA Junkie confirmed the new matchup with a person with knowledge of the booking following an initial report from MMADNA.com.

UFC 257 takes place Jan. 23 at Etihad Arena at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Lentz will be looking to snap a two-fight skid. In May 2019, he lost a second-round TKO in a rematch againnt Charles Oliveira. In January 2020, he dropped a decision to Arnold Allen. In that fight, Lentz took an eye poke and ultimately had to have a complicated surgery that could have left him worse off than when he started. But now he’s ready to return.

Evloev fought just once in 2020 and stayed unbeaten with a unanimous decision against Grundy in July. He was supposed to meet Nate Landwehr this past December, but tested positive for COVID-19 and went on the shelf. Now he’ll try to stay perfect against Lentz with a short-notice assignment.

Grundy was set to try to get back in the win column after his loss to Evloev until the positive test took him out of the fight. In a Twitter post, Grundy said the “devastating news” has him down for now, but plans to “run through the featherweight division” when he returns.

With the addition, the UFC 257 lineup now includes:

  • Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor
  • Michael Chandler vs. Dan Hooker
  • Joanne Calderwood vs. Jessica Eye
  • Marcin Prachnio vs. Khalil Rountree
  • Amanda Ribas vs. Marina Rodriguez
  • Sara McMann vs. Julianna Pena
  • Ottman Azaitar vs. Matt Frevola
  • Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Brad Tavares
  • Sergey Morozov vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
  • Nasrat Haqparast vs. Arman Tsarukyan
  • Makhmud Muradov vs. Andrew Sanchez
  • Movsar Evloev vs. Nik Lentz

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Daniel Cormier: Dustin Poirier’s mindset critical heading into Conor McGregor rematch at UFC 257

Daniel Cormier thinks Dustin Poirier must “convince himself that he just got caught” the first time he fought Conor McGregor.

Former UFC dual champion [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] knows a thing or two about taking part in big rematches.

During his illustrious career, Cormier twice defeated Anthony Johnson and twice lost to Jon Jones in light heavyweight title fights before moving on to heavyweight where his trilogy with Stipe Miocic ended with DC losing two of three title fights.

All of this is to say that Cormier is familiar with the mental battle that goes with facing someone a second (or third) time, especially after losing. That’s the situation [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] finds himself in as he prepares to rematch [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] at UFC 257 more than six years after suffering an embarrassing TKO loss to “The Notorious” in a featherweight fight that lasted just one minutes and 46 seconds at UFC 178.

The way DC sees it, it’s vital that Poirier gets his mind right about that first outcome before stepping into the octagon with McGregor again Jan. 23 on “Fight Island.”

“I know a lot about it,” Cormier, who will call the UFC 257 headliner, told the South China Morning Post. “… I had seven of my 25 fights against three dudes. Any fighter can convince himself that he just got caught. And I think that’s what Dustin is gonna have to rely on to give himself a chance.

“(It’s) difficult to forget, but you want to remember it and use it to motivate you to do better in the rematch.”

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SBG Ireland head coach John Kavanagh, who trains McGregor, has said he believes “The Notorious” has a clear mental edge over Poirier heading into the rematch. Poirier, though, recently told MMA Junkie that he’s not heading into UFC 257 with personal animosity toward McGregor, much different than the buildup to UFC 178.

“When I was younger, I used to fight with a lot of emotion,” Poirier said. “This isn’t the same thing for me. This isn’t about getting even for me. This isn’t like a revenge type of thing for me. This is about moving my career forward, about putting my family in a better spot. It’s not trying to get back a guy who got me. This is just business.”

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Fan tickets gone in a hurry for Conor McGregor-Dustin Poirier rematch at UFC 257 on ‘Fight Island’

Fans will be in attendance when the UFC returns to “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi for a three-event stint starting next week.

Fans will be in attendance when the UFC returns to “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi for a three-event stint starting next week.

And early Friday in the U.S., tickets already were gone not long after they went on sale for UFC 257 on Jan. 23. at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. That event features a rematch between former lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor and former interim lightweight champ Dustin Poirier.

Tickets that started at $795 Arab Emirates Dirham (about $216 USD) and went all the way up to $4,995 AED ($1,360 USD) all show as sold out at Etihad Arena’s official website.

The website also lists an abundance of health and safety rules that must be adhered to by fans, and though a total number of tickets available was not announced, the site says “seating capacity has been reduced to comply with social distancing rules.”

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Tickets remain available for UFC on ABC 1 next Saturday, as well as UFC on ESPN 20, which takes place Wednesday, Jan. 20. UFC on ABC 1 will be headlined by a featherweight fight between former champion Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar. Four days later, Michael Chiesa meets Neil Magny in the UFC on ESPN 20 main event. Tickets start at $595 AED ($162 USD)

The three events will be the first time since March 2020 that the UFC will have fans in attendance. After getting past the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and cancellations of events, White and the UFC eventually put on a series of events without fans in Jacksonville, Fla., then have made the UFC Apex in Las Vegas its semi-permanent home, also without fans. In addition, the UFC twice in 2020 made multi-event visits to “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi for fight cards without fans.

But the big-splash finale for the three-event run in Abu Dhabi over the course of just seven days is UFC 257, which will feature a rematch between former lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor and former interim lightweight champ Dustin Poirier.

McGregor is the UFC’s biggest draw by far. He has headlined all but three of his 12 career UFC fights, including his past seven on pay-per-view. In January 2020, he fought Donald Cerrone and generated a reported 1 million pay-per-view buys, which was his lowest number since UFC 189 did a reported 825,000 buys for his interim featherweight title win over Chad Mendes. His UFC 229 submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov generated a reported UFC record 2.4 million buys.

Where the UFC will have to suffer likely significant losses are in the live gate totals that McGregor fights typically have generated, mostly in Las Vegas. His UFC 246 fight against Cerrone ha a live gate in excess of $11 million at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena and UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden in New York each generated more than $17 million in live gate totals – an MMA record, as well as the Garden’s gate record.

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Dana White: Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier winner ‘probably’ next for title after UFC 257

It appears the winner of the UFC 257 main event between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor is destined for another title fight.

There’s still much uncertainty about the future of the UFC lightweight division, but it appears the winner of the UFC 257 main event between [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is destined for another title fight.

UFC president Dana White said in a recent ESPN+ Q&A with fans that, given where both Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) and McGregor (21-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) sit in the 155-pound rankings, and how a win would further elevate their resume, it would be tough not to insert whoever comes out on top in a championship bout.

“Yeah, whoever wins that fight is probably next in line,” White told Laura Sanko in response to a fan question.

The future of the lightweight class heavily depends on the status of champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired from MMA following a successful title defense against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October.

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Nurmagomedov said that he promised his mother he wouldn’t fight again after the death of his father, Abdulmanap, but he’s still the official belt holder. There’s been rampant speculation about what it would take for White to lure “The Eagle” back to the octagon, and he’ll get a chance to make an in-person pitch in the coming days.

White reiterated he has a face-to-face meeting with Nurmagomedov lined up during the promotion’s upcoming three-event stretch in Abu Dhabi. The last of those cards features the bout between McGregor, the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champ, against Poirier, the former interim lightweight champ, which headlines UFC 257 on Jan. 23.

Whatever happens beyond that is going to be determined by White’s conversation with Nurmagomedov, and that’s why he said the UFC 257 main event winner is “probably” next for a title shot, and not definitive.

“It does (depend on what Nurmagomedov does),” White said. “I get on the plane next Monday and fly to Abu Dhabi. I don’t know when he gets there, but he and I are set to meet as soon as he arrives.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh5swPkBkcw

Fans are back: UFC will have ‘limited’ attendance at three-card ‘Fight Island’ stint at Etihad Arena

For the first time since March 2020, the UFC will put on events with non-essential event personnel – in this case, fans – in attendance.

For the first time since March 2020, the UFC will put on events with non-essential event personnel – in this case, fans – in attendance.

The promotion’s upcoming three-event stint at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi will take place not at Flash Forum on Yas Island, like its two 2020 visits to the country, but at Etihad Arena. In addition, a “limited number of spectators” will be able to watch the fights on site.

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism on Thursday made official the UFC’s next three events at Etihad Arena, starting with UFC on ABC 1 next Saturday. There was no mention about how many total fans will be allowed inside the venue. That event will be followed by UFC on ESPN 20 on Wednesday, Jan. 20, and UFC 257 on Jan. 23.

In November, UFC president Dana White said he would not be interested in putting on events in partially filled arenas or stadiums.

“I’ll stay here at the Apex instead of going somewhere where we can’t have a full crowd,” White said after UFC 255. “What I’m not going to do is I’m not going to take a 10,000-seat arena and sell 5,000 tickets. I’d rather stay (in Las Vegas).”

But White also said this past year that when the UFC returns to Abu Dhabi, the partnership the promotion has with officials there would have him likely to cede to event organizers’ wishes for circumstances like a limited number of fans instead of a full house, and that appears to be the case.

After the UFC’s second Flash Forum series of events this past fall, the plan was for Etihad Arena to host future UFC fight cards in Abu Dhabi, which was posted to the arena’s official Twitter account in October.

After getting past the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and cancellations of events, White and the UFC eventually put on a series of events without fans in Jacksonville, Fla., then have made the UFC Apex in Las Vegas its semi-permanent home, also without fans. In addition, the UFC twice in 2020 made multi-event visits to “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi for fight cards without fans.

UFC on ABC 1 will be headlined by a featherweight fight between former champion Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar. Four days later, Michael Chiesa meets Neil Magny in the UFC on ESPN 20 main event.

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But the big-splash finale for the three-event run in Abu Dhabi over the course of just seven days is UFC 257, which will feature a rematch between former lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor and former interim lightweight champ Dustin Poirier.

McGregor is the UFC’s biggest draw by far. He has headlined all but three of his 12 career UFC fights, including his past seven on pay-per-view. In January 2020, he fought Donald Cerrone and generated a reported 1 million pay-per-view buys, which was his lowest number since UFC 189 did a reported 825,000 buys for his interim featherweight title win over Chad Mendes. His UFC 229 submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov generated a reported UFC record 2.4 million buys.

Where the UFC will have to suffer likely significant losses are in the live gate totals that McGregor fights typically have generated, mostly in Las Vegas. His UFC 246 fight against Cerrone ha a live gate in excess of $11 million at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena and UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden in New York each generated more than $17 million in live gate totals – an MMA record, as well as the Garden’s gate record.

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