Tag: UFC 299

Spinning Back Clique (REPLAY): 90-minute show with UFC 296 recap and early 2024 previews

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel discusses UFC 296 and all its fallout, plus the first big UFC events of 2024.

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, panelists Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura have a special 90-minute show with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

  • [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] made relatively easy work of [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] to defend the welterweight title in the UFC 296 main event. What now for the champ? And is he on the way to becoming an all-time great, a la Georges St-Pierre – heights he aspires to reach?
  • Covington thought he was going to have a title put around his waist by an embattled former president. Instead, his third shot at a welterweight title came up short yet again. At 35, and with his track record of long periods of inactivity, was that his last shot? Plus, we’ll examine his fight-week and general antics and schtick.
  • [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] returned and outworked [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]. Ferguson didn’t get finished this time, but he’s now lost seven straight. The UFC almost certainly will cut him loose, particularly after [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] said he wants Ferguson to retire … right? But should he stick around longer? And what about Pimblett? Did he show us anything new?
  • UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] jumped over some cageside seats at UFC 296 to attack his January opponent, [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag], after Du Plessis apparently baited him a bit. Things were far from cordial between them earlier in fight week, too. The matchup has some serious heat on it now, but is either side going too far?
  • New UFC bantamweight champ [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] may have one downfall, and that’s a perceived lack of talent when it comes to selling himself and the fight at a press conference. Is that fair play?
  • There were a slew of big fight announcements for UFC 299 in Miami to accompany O’Malley’s title defense against Marlon Vera. The UFC seems to be stacking that card even though UFC 300 follows it.
  • We’ll take an early look at UFC 300, which we know will be in April. But where, and just how massive will it be?
  • … and much more.

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UFC 299 adds Song Yadong vs. Petr Yan to stacked Miami lineup

A long-rumored UFC bantamweight contender bout between Song Yadong and Petr Yan is on the books.

LAS VEGAS – UFC 299 in Miami is loaded with big contender fights and the additions keep coming.

A long-rumored bantamweight bout between [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] and [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] is on the books for the March 9 event at Kaseya Center, UFC CEO Dana White announced Saturday following UFC 296.

Song (21-7-1 MMA, 10-2 UFC) and Yan (16-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) were initially linked for a Dec. 9 bout in Shanghai, China. However, it never materialized and Song was matched with Chris Gutierrez instead. The bout was eventually moved to Las Vegas. Song won by unanimous decision. The win over Gutierrez was his second in a row, after a knockout of Ricky Simon.

Yan is a former UFC bantamweight champion, who enters the bout on a three-fight skid. The losses were against Aljamain Sterling, Sean O’Malley, and Merab Dvalishvili. He has not competed since March.

With the addition, the UFC 299 fight card includes:

  • Champion Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera – for bantamweight title
  • Gilbert Burns vs. Jack Della Maddalena
  • Jailton Almeida vs. Curtis Blaydes
  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Geoff Neal
  • Song Yadong vs. Petr Yan
  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips
  • Asu Almabaev vs. CJ Vergara
  • Maycee Barber vs. Katlyn Chookagian
  • Rafael dos Anjos vs. Mateusz Gamrot
  • Lauren Murphy vs. Karine Silva
  • Kevin Holland vs. Michael Page

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

After UFC 296 withdrawal, Ian Machado Garry gets booking against Geoff Neal at UFC 299

Ian Machado Garry gets a new date and opponent for his UFC return.

It didn’t take long for [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] to get a return date to the octagon.

Garry (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) has been booked to fight veteran [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag] at UFC 299, which is set to go down on March 9 in Miami. UFC president Dana White announced the news Saturday following UFC 296 in Las Vegas.

Garry was scheduled to face Vicente Luque on the main card of UFC 296, but was forced to withdraw Wednesday after falling ill with pneumonia. Now, a few days later, he’s got a new date and opponent for his return. White didn’t reveal why the promotion didn’t keep the booking with Luque.

Garry and Neal (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) have history. They were previously booked to fight at UFC 292 in August, but Neal had to pull out of the fight and was replaced by Neil Magny, whom Garry beat in a dominant unanimous decision win. In the build up to the event, Garry wore a t-shirt with the mugshot of Neal, causing a stir online.

The Irishman is undefeated in his MMA career and is regarded as one of the more promising contenders at 170 pounds. On the other hand, Neal, a veteran of the game, is looking to build back to title contention, as he last fought in March when he was submitted by Shavkat Rakhmonov. Prior to that, Neal had back-to-back wins over Luque and Santiago Ponzinibbio.

With the addition, the UFC 299 fight card includes:

  • Champion Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera – for bantamweight title
  • Gilbert Burns vs. Jack Della Maddalena
  • Jailton Almeida vs. Curtis Blaydes
  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Geoff Neal
  • Song Yadong vs. Petr Yan
  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips
  • Asu Almabaev vs. CJ Vergara
  • Maycee Barber vs. Katlyn Chookagian
  • Rafael dos Anjos vs. Mateusz Gamrot
  • Lauren Murphy vs. Karine Silva
  • Kevin Holland vs. Michael Page

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

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Michael ‘Venom’ Page signs with UFC, debuts vs. Kevin Holland at UFC 299 in Miami

All-time Bellator knockout leader Michael “Venom” Page has signed with UFC and will debut against Kevin Holland at UFC 299 in Miami.

Two-time Bellator title challenger [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] has come to terms with the UFC and is set for his octagon debut against [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] in the first quarter of 2024.

Page (21-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC), also known as “MVP,” has inked a contract with the promotion and will make his first appearance against Holland (25-10 MMA, 12-7 UFC) at UFC 299, which takes place March 9 at Kaseya Center in Miami.

UFC officials announced the news Saturday during the UFC 296 pay-per-view broadcast. The matchup first leaked via an image of UFC’s matchmaking room during the “Full Send Podcast” with UFC CEO Dana White.

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Holland, 31, will attempt to give Page a rude welcome to the organization while looking to get back on track following a split decision loss to Jack Della Maddalena at Noche UFC in September. “Trailblazer” is 4-2 since he moved down to 170 pounds from the middleweight division, and hasn’t lost consecutive bouts in the weight class.

Page, 36, will attempt to change that, and prove he can beat elite fighters on the sport’s biggest stage. The Brit has competed in all but four of his 23 career fights under the Bellator banner, beating various levels of competition en route to taking a co-lead for most knockouts in Bellator history (11).

After becoming a free agent earlier this year, Page said he was “flirting” with the UFC on contract talks. UFC boss White said there was mutual interest in signing “Venom,” and ultimately the two sides made a deal to see the devastating striker join the roster.

The latest UFC 299 lineup now includes:

  • Champ Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera – for bantamweight title
  • Ian Garry vs. Geoff Neal
  • Gilbert Burns vs. Jack Della Maddalena
  • Song Yadong vs. Petr Yan
  • Kevin Holland vs. Michael Page
  • Maycee Barber vs. Katlyn Chookagian
  • Jailton Almeida vs. Curtis Blaydes
  • Asu Almabaev vs. CJ Vergara
  • Rafael dos Anjos vs. Mateusz Gamrot
  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips
  • Lauren Murphy vs. Karine Silva

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

UFC 299 video: Sean O’Malley, Marlon Vera exchange heated words at press conference faceoff

Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera got all up in each other’s face once again, ahead of UFC 299 in Miami.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] and Marlon Vera [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] have gotten in each other’s face multiple times, including again Friday at the UFC’s seasonal news conference.

Bantamweight champion O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) and next title challenger Vera (23-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC) will fight in a rematch years in the making at UFC 299. The event takes place at Kaseya Center on March 9 in Miami.

Check out the heated O’Malley vs. Vera 2 seasonal news conference faceoff in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

Video replay: UFC seasonal press conference live stream with Strickland-Du Plessis, O’Malley-Vera, more

After a multi-year absence, the UFC is bringing back its seasonal press conference format on Friday, and you can watch it on MMA Junkie.

After a multi-year absence, the UFC is bringing back its seasonal press conference format on Friday spotlighting its championship bouts for the first quarter of 2024, beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

With the promotional closing out its 2023 campaign on Saturday with UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, attention is beginning to shift to the turn of the calendar, where several title bouts are on the doctor.

UFC 297, which takes place Jan. 20 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, is headlined by a middleweight title clash between [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) and [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC).

UFC 298, which goes down Feb. 17 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., has a featherweight championship bout between [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (26-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) and [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) set as the main event.

And, in the final announced headliner of Q1 at UFC 299 on March 9, an anticipated bantamweight rematch between [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) and [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] (21-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC).

All four title fights will be in attendance at the press conference and are expected to face off afterward.

For more on UFC’s 2024 schedule, check out the MMA Schedule section of the site.

UFC 299 set for Miami with Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2 title headliner

After going 20 years without an event in Miami, the UFC is bringing a pay-per-view to the city for the second consecutive year with UFC 299 on March 9.

After going 20 years without an event in Miami, the UFC is bringing a pay-per-view to the city for the second consecutive year with UFC 299.

The UFC announced on Friday during its 2024 seasonal press conference that the March 9 event will go down at Kaseya Center, and it will be headlined by a bantamweight championship rematch between reigning titleholder [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] and [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag].

It will be the first attempted defense for O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC), who claimed the belt at UFC 292 in August with a second-round knockout of Aljamain Sterling. “Sugar” will attempt to avenge his lone career loss, which came against “Chito” Vera (21-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC) by first-round TKO at UFC 252 in August 2020 after O’Malley sustained a leg injury.

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UFC 299 will mark the organization’s third overall event in Miami. The octagon made its debut with UFC 42 in April 2003, then did not return again until April 2023, with UFC 287.

The latest UFC 299 lineup currently includes:

  • Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera – for bantamweight title
  • Maycee Barber vs. Katlyn Chookagian
  • Jailton Almeida vs. Curtis Blaydes
  • Rafael dos Anjos vs. Mateusz Gamrot
  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips
  • Lauren Murphy vs. Karine Silva
  • Asu Almabaev vs. CJ Vergara

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

Aljamain Sterling thinks Calvin Kattar a likely opponent for featherweight debut, but calls out an ex-champ, too

Aljamain Sterling is honing in on a possible opponent for his 145-pound debut.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] is honing in on a possible opponent for his 145-pound debut.

Sterling (23-4 MMA, 15-4 UFC) plans on moving up to featherweight for his next fight after losing his bantamweight title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292.

“The Funkmaster” is targeting the upper echelon of the division right off the bat. He sees [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC), who’s on the cusp of returning from knee surgery, as his likely next opponent for UFC 299 on March 9.

“Realistic scenario is probably myself and Calvin Kattar,” Sterling told MMA Junkie on the World MMA Awards red carpet. “He’s the only one that doesn’t have a fight and has been out for a bit, as well. At this point, come March, I’m probably going to be out for a bit as well. So with that said, I think that’s going to be the fight.”

But if it were up to Sterling, he’d fight former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway (25-7 MMA, 21-7 UFC), who currently doesn’t have a fight booked.

“The Max Holloway fight would be a nice one – two former champions going at it,” Sterling said. “Max doesn’t really have much to do right now unless he’s going up to ’55. That’s still speculation.

“But if he gets bored … Max, ‘the best is Blessed’ but, ‘Funky’ has got something to say about that, as well. If you do decide to hang around at ’45, it would be an absolute honor to share the octagon with you.”

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Former champ Rafael dos Anjos returns to lightweight to fight Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 299 in March

Rafael dos Anjos will return to lightweight at UFC 299 with an opportunity to disrupt the top of the division.

[autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] will return to lightweight with an opportunity to disrupt the top of the division.

Dos Anjos, 39, has made his last two octagon appearances at welterweight. But for his next fight, he’s going back to the division where he was once UFC champion as he’s set to meet [autotag]Mateusz Gamrot[/autotag] in a 155-pound bout March 9 at UFC 299.

The event is expected to take place in Miami, but the promotion has yet to officially confirm the location and venue.

Despite not competing as a lightweight since July 2022, Dos Anjos (32-15 MMA, 21-13 UFC) remains No. 11in the official UFC rankings, while Gamrot (23-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is No. 6.

Gamrot, 33, had been on a four-fight winning streak before he lost to Beneil Dariush in October 2022. Since then, he’s earned back-to-back victories against Jalin Turner (by split decision) and most recently Rafael Fiziev (by injury TKO) this past September.

In his two most recent appearances at welterweight, dos Anjos choked out Bryan Barberena last year and followed up with a unanimous decision loss to Vicente Luque in a five-round headliner this past August.

The updated UFC 299 card includes:

  • Champ Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera – for bantamweight title
  • Maycee Barber vs. Katlyn Chookagian
  • Jailton Almeida vs. Curtis Blaydes
  • Rafael dos Anjos vs. Mateusz Gamrot
  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips
  • Lauren Murphy vs. Karine Silva
  • Asu Almabaev vs. CJ Vergara

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

Jailton Almeida vs. Curtis Blaydes rebooked for UFC 299

UFC is revisiting a previosuly-booked matchup that fell through between heavyweight contenders Jailton Almeida and Curtis Blaydes.

The UFC has rebooked a previously scheduled heavyweight main event that fell through.

At UFC Fight Night 231 in November, [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] was set to face [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] in a five-round headliner. Blaydes withdrew due to injury, and Alemida ended up fighting and defeating Derrick Lewis.

The promotion has decided to revisit the matchup, booking Almeida (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) against Blaydes (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) in a three-round bout March 9 at UFC 299. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie following an initial report from MMA Fighting on Tuesday.

The event is expected to take place in Miami, but the promotion has yet to officially confirm the location and venue.

Almeida’s unanimous decision win over Lewis was a dominant outing, but also the first time the undefeated Brazilian heavyweight went the distance in his UFC career. “Malhadinho” entered that contest on the heels of a first-round submission win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

Blaydes will be looking to rebound from a first-round TKO loss to Sergei Pavlovich in April. The setback halted a three fight winning streak.

With the addition the UFC 299 lineup includes:

  • Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera – for bantamweight title
  • Gilbert Burns vs. Jack Della Maddalena
  • Maycee Barber vs. Katlyn Chookagian
  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips
  • Asu Almabaev vs. CJ Vergara

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.