Tag: UFC 301

Jonathan Martinez admits he was starstruck in loss to Jose Aldo, calls for Dominick Cruz at Noche UFC

Jonathan Martinez admits he got starstruck in his loss to Jose Aldo, but it wouldn’t happen vs. Dominick Cruz because he was “never a fan.”

[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag] thought fighting Jose Aldo would be the same as any other opponent. Then the pair got into the octagon at UFC 301, and everything was different.

Martinez (19-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) was tasked with welcoming UFC Hall of Famer Aldo (32-8 MMA, 14-7 UFC) back from retirement in the co-headliner of the May event in Rio de Janeiro. It didn’t go his way, because “Scarface” turned in a vintage performance to win a unanimous decision.

The result snapped Martinez’s six-fight winning streak, and compared to some of his other recent showings, it seemed he just couldn’t get his offensive going in an effective manner. According to Martinez, much of that had to with being in awe of the legend he was sharing the octagon with.

“It was real tough,” Martinez told MMA Junkie during a recent interview at UFC X. “I trained hard for that fight. The thing was I let the name and the face in front of me, when I went out there in the cage I seen, ‘I’m fighting Jose Aldo.’ That’s when I started to go, ‘Wow.’ Everyone who saw me fight knows that wasn’t me in there. That’s not the way I go in there. I was pretty much just walking, not doing what I was supposed to do and that cost me in the fight.”

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Martinez, 30, knows he fumbled a big opportunity to enhance his resume against Aldo, however, he’s not deterred. He wants to right the ship against another legend of the sport, and has his eyes on a showdown with former UFC and WEC titleholder [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag], ideally at Noche UFC, which goes down Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas.

Part of the motivation for the callout, Martinez said, is his recollection of things Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has said while commentating his fights over the years.

“I want to be on that (Sphere) card in September,” Martinez said. “I want to be on that card, and I’ve been hearing Dominick Cruz wants to fight on that date, too. Hopefully they give me him. I just hear him every time I fight he’s always saying, ‘I don’t know why they don’t check Jonathan’s kicks.’ Put him in front of me and let him do that and see what happens.”

Martinez said his request to fight Cruz isn’t to right any sort of wrong from the Aldo fight. He doesn’t view “The Dominator” in the same glamorous light as he did Aldo, so for him, it would be a different mindset when he steps in the cage.

“I was never a fan,” Martinez said. “He was just there to me.”

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

MMA Junkie Radio #3462: Patchy Mix Interview, UFC may break records, more

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,462, the lads welcome in Bellator champion [autotag]Patchy Mix[/autotag] ahead of his upcoming bout at Bellator Champions Series: Paris against Magomed Magomedov. The fellas also discuss the latest news in the world of MMA, including what happened at UFC on ESPN 56. Tune in!

Dominick Cruz addresses Jose Aldo fight not coming together for UFC 301

Dominick Cruz can’t make sense of Jose Aldo preferring to fight Jonathan Martinez over him at UFC 301.

[autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] can’t make sense of [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] preferring to fight Jonathan Martinez over him at UFC 301.

Aldo said the UFC’s original plan was to have him return against Cruz, but Cruz couldn’t fight due to issues with his camp. He later said during media day that he asked for a top five opponent, and that unlike Cruz, Martinez is on a winning streak.

Aldo (32-8 MMA, 14-7 UFC) turned back the clock with an impressive showing against Martinez when he won by unanimous decision however, Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is confused by “The King of Rio’s” motives.

“Since you brought up Aldo, I’ll start with I saw his words were that they offered him to fight me but he wanted somebody in the top five, or, ‘He’s not in the top five,'” Cruz said on the “Anik & Florian Podcast.” “Is Jonathan Martinez in the top five? OK, so there’s that. And then, why would you want to be in the top five unless you’re going to fight for the title? Is he planning on renegotiating his contract for another six fights and going for the title?

“Or do you want to make sure you secure a win to become a free agent off a win instead of a loss when you’ve got to face the likes of me, which is a nightmare? I’m not saying Jonathan Martinez isn’t a nightmare, but the way that I saw it is, he showed up on the first weigh-in and then he showed up the second weigh-in apologizing for showing up to the first weigh-in and that right there showed me that the man was learning who he was against Jose Aldo before he even got in there.”

Aldo’s UFC future remains unclear, but the former featherweight champion said he plans on sitting down with UFC brass to discuss what’s next. Cruz doubts Aldo re-signs.

“He’s not going to renegotiate,” Cruz said. “Why would he sign for another six fights in the UFC? He’s not going to do that. He’s going to go be a free agent.”

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MMA Junkie Radio #3461: Daniel Cormier and Austin O’Connor interviews, UFC preview, more

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,461, the lads welcome in UFC Hall of Famer and former two-division champion [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] to discuss the latest in MMA. The fellas also speak with wrestling standout turned MMA prospect Austin O’Connor. Tune in!

After UFC 301 TKO win, Alessandro Costa calls for ranked opponent: ‘I’ve proven that I’m at that level’

Alessandro Costa is hoping to draw a top-15 name after his impressive TKO win at UFC 301.

[autotag]Alessandro Costa[/autotag] feels he’s among the top flyweights in the world, and he thinks it’s time to prove that to the UFC.

After stopping Kevin Borjas to win a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus at UFC 301, Costa (14-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) would like to get a step up in competition. After all, he saw his former rival Steve Erceg, whom Costa lost to in December in a close bout he took on 10 days notice, give a tough outing to the champion Alexandre Pantoja that same night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Costa is confident he’s one of the world’s best and would like to prove that, ideally in August or late summer.

“I think by August I can be ready, and I think a top 15 would be good for me,” Costa told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I think I’ve proven that I’m at that level. When I have a full camp, and I think I showed that this past Saturday, that I’m different.

“I’m a much different fighter with a full camp and I think I have the level to compete with the guys in the ranking. I think I deserve that opportunity. It’s also a chance for me to win and get in the rankings myself.”

Although Costa is 2-2 since joining the UFC in December 2022, but that record may be deceiving. His two losses came in on short notice against Erceg, who just for the title, and Amir Albazi, who’s regarded by many as the No. 1 contender today. Both of Costa’s wins have been finishes and have won Performance of the Night bonuses.

Costa doesn’t see the UFC flyweight title too far into his future. He hopes that this calendar year he gets the opportunities to prove that he’s a legit threat to the belt in the division.

“I know there’s a line, but I honestly don’t think I’m too far,” Costa said when asked about fighting for the title. “I don’t see it being too far with what happened with Steve, that was his fourth fight, and he already fought for the title. Also, just seeing how he did and knowing how I did against him, I don’t think I’m too far. That’s all I have in mind, (the belt). That’s why I say my steps in 2024 are going to be very important.”

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UFC 301 a night to remember for Alessandro Costa: TKO win, $50K bonus, praise from idol Jose Aldo

Alessandro Costa explains why UFC 301 was the ‘complete package’ for his fighting career.

UFC 301 was a special moment in [autotag]Alessandro Costa[/autotag]’s fighting career – one he will remember for the rest of his life.

The UFC flyweight had what he called the “complete package.” He fought for the very first time in his native country of Brazil, got a TKO finish over his opponent Kevin Borjas, earned a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus, and received a personal congratulation from his idol [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag].

Life is good for Costa (14-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC).

But first, before the win, before the bonus money, Costa was just happy to be home. In his late teens, he moved to Puebla, Mexico, to pursue his dream of becoming a fighter and opening an MMA academy with his close friend Diego Lopes. Just fighting in Brazil, where his father and friends would get to watch him fight for the first time, was a treat for him.

“It was incredible, and it was even more than what I expected,” Costa told MMA Junkie in Spanish, reflecting on his first professional fight on home soil. “It was very cool. All the people were behind me. Even at the faceoff, when my opponent walked out, everyone was booing him, and when I came in, everyone kept chanting, ‘You’re going to die.’ So, that kind of support I didn’t expect.

“It made me really happy, and I think that helped me to fight at my best on Saturday.”

Costa opened up the event in a flyweight bout against Peru’s Borjas (9-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC). The Brazilian was coming off a close, competitive decision loss to Steve Erceg, who was fighting for the 125-pound title in the main event of the card.

Costa went out there and dominated Borjas from start to finish. He chopped him down with leg kicks in the second, and then mounted him to finish him with ground-and-pound. The victory got him a Performance of the Night bonus.

“If you look at my fight (where I won a bonus) against Flick, I basically took the same route,” Costa explained. “When I had his back, I thought about submitting him with a rear-naked choke or an armbar, but then I remembered I won the bonus against Flick because of the ground and pound, so I wanted to do the same. I just followed the same steps that took me to my first bonus. I promise you, this whole week I was thinking of the bonus. I wasn’t just fighting to win, I wanted to win the bonus.

“… It got tough for a moment with Michel Pereira and Caio Borralho’s win. When I saw those finishes, I said, ‘Man, there goes my bonus.’ But then, when I was at the hotel, I was already getting ready to sleep when my coach, Pancho, wrote to me saying I had won the bonus. My manager’s wife called me, ‘Hey, you need to come down and celebrate,’ so I jumped out of bed and went and celebrated with everyone.

Things didn’t stop escalating for Costa there. Just when he thought it couldn’t get any better, the following day he fired up a live stream on his Instagram account – and none other than his idol Jose Aldo, who won in his return from retirement in the co-main event of the card. Costa had been fanboying all week over Aldo, and told MMA Junkie it was an honor and dream come true to be fighting on the same card as him.

“Everything was just perfect,” Costa said. “You know how during fight week you’re doing interviews and stuff? UFC put me in a room to do an interview, and he (Aldo) was finishing one, so I had the chance to introduce myself and talk to him. UFC Brazil actually uploaded that video to TikTok. I told him that he was the first fighter I followed when I started training jiu-jitsu and that he was a big inspiration for me. It was a dream come true to meet him and also fight on the same card as him. It was incredible.

“He went in the Instagram live and congratulated me and said, ‘Go, Manaus!’ and he said I was very good and that he’s happy for me. This is one of the best moments of my career, given everything that’s happened. It was the complete package. I’m so thankful, and this motivates me to work even harder. I’m not satisfied, don’t get me wrong, but this just motivates me and makes me really happy.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6mhzP8poJZ/

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Anthony Smith explains why he declined new fight offer immediately after UFC 301 win

Anthony Smith says he was offered a fight within three days of his UFC 301 win but thought better of accepting it.

[autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] has taken pride in his activity during his UFC career, but this time he thought better of it.

Just days after scoring a first-round submission win to upset previously undefeated Vitor Petrino on Saturday at UFC 301, Smith (38-19 MMA, 13-9 UFC) revealed that matchmakers presented him with another offer to step back in the octagon “soon.”

During many stages of his career, Smith would’ve jumped all over the return. But at 35 and at a precious moment in terms of trying to make another – and perhaps final – run at the title belt, Smith said it wouldn’t be wise.

“I already got another fight offer, and it’s too quick of a turnaround,” Smith said on the “Believe You Me” podcast with Michael Bisping. “I’ve found out it’s nothing physical. It’s (mental). I need to be 100 percent committed, 100 percent focused and dialed in on only that, and I’ve figured out I can only do that for so long. I’m not in my early 20s anymore where I can just keep going back to back. I would have to go back to training camp next week. The thought of that makes me want to slam my head in a f*cking car door.”

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Smith, No. 12 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie light heavyweight rankings, would not reveal the opponent or date he was offered but said it wasn’t at UFC 302 or UFC 303.

Ultimately, Smith knows he could’ve competed again in the presented timeline, but it wouldn’t be in his best interest. He said he wants to spend summer with his children and figured he would resent his decision to jump back into a training camp within the first couple weeks of preparation.

Following his third-round TKO loss to Khalil Rountree in December, which Smith took on short notice and claims he did zero proper training, “Lionheart” vowed to never fight again without the support of a full training camp.

Smith knows he’s treading in shaky waters if he really wants to get another title shot and needs to stack up the right wins in the right ways. He forced his doubters to back off with the two-minute finish of Petrino in Brazil and was pleased to shed some of the narratives he doesn’t have it anymore.

“It was a big sense of relief, because the questions do come in,” Smith said. “Some of it my decision making and some if it is just circumstance. I just kept telling myself, ‘You’re fine. You’re OK.’ Just the way some of my career has gone, it’s up and down, and you get into a little bit of a rut and struggle to get out of it. You can only hear people say it so much to where you listen and you’re like, ‘F*ck, maybe they’re seeing something that I’m missing.'”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 301.

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, May 7: Jose Aldo returns to top 10

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings following UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro.

Following UFC 301, the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings required updating.

In the main event of UFC 301 at Rio Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, flyweight champion [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] denied challenger [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag] to maintain his position as No. 1.

The co-main event produced the biggest move of the week. Former UFC champion Jose Aldo returned to action to fight on home soil, facing Jonathan Martinez. It was a vintage performance from Aldo, who won every round on the scorecards. After his removal from the rankings due to a brief retirement from MMA, Aldo reenters the top 10, landing at No. 7. Martinez, who entered as an honorable mention, maintains his status there.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.

Chael Sonnen makes case for Jose Aldo title shot after UFC 301

Chael Sonnen wouldn’t be surprised if Jose Aldo got a title shot after his impressive UFC 301 performance.

[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag] wouldn’t be surprised if [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] got a title shot after UFC 301.

Aldo (32-8 MMA, 14-7 UFC) looked in prime form when he shut out streaking contender Jonathan Martinez in this past Saturday’s UFC 301 co-main event in Rio de Janeiro. Aldo fought out his contract but said he plans on sitting down with UFC CEO Dana White to discuss his future.

Aldo said “it would be great” if he could skip the line to challenge bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) when asked during the UFC 301 post-fight news conference, and Sonnen can see it happening if O’Malley addresses it.

“I’m going to call for a Jose Aldo title shot,” Sonnen said his YouTube channel. “You’re going to give me a hard time, I understand that. … But, if Sean O’Malley goes on his podcast and gets this going right away – ‘I’m going to get rid of Merab, and I’m going to go right after Jose’ – there is a very possible chance that Jose Aldo goes right into a title shot. Now we’re also drunk on the excitement ride. It’s brand new, and it’s fresh.

“I understand those things, but I could give you examples. Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping. Dan Henderson’s last fight on his contract. Dana White went, ‘Give him another fight,’ and it was a world title fight. So, you will find times in history where an older guy came back and he did something very impressive. Randy Couture, Daniel Cormier. Daniel fought till 41, pushing 42. Fedor (Emelianenko). Let’s just do this, play this game. Stipe Miocic is going through it right now.”

O’Malley is currently focused on No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili, who is expected to be his next opponent. However, if Aldo does get the title opportunity down the line, Sonnen says “The King of Rio” has still got it.

“You counted him out just because of his age. You didn’t count him out for anything else,” Sonnen said. “You didn’t count him out because you didn’t think he was great, or he didn’t work hard, he didn’t have the right training, he didn’t have the right experience. It was just father time came and got him.

“You will not give me one of those guys that exceeded expectations that was a striker. Jose Aldo only struck tonight. Did they ever go to the canvas? If they did, it was so quick that I don’t even remember it. He outstruck a younger Jonathan Martinez, and he did it for 15 minutes. Not to mention he was sharp. Not to mention he was crisp.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 301.

Video: Does Jose Aldo have another UFC title run in him?

How realistic is Jose Aldo’s aspiration to win another UFC title? We discuss on the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique.”

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel reacts to [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]’s big return win at UFC 301, as well as his potential of becoming a champion once again.

Aldo, considered one of the greatest fighters of all time, returned to the octagon on Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 301. In his comeback fight since retiring in 2022, Aldo defeated Jonathan Martinez by decisive unanimous decision. The former UFC and WEC champion surprised many with the way he looked at 37 years of age. He also let the world know that he’s interested in making another title run if he re-signs with the UFC.

So how realistic is Aldo’s plan to become UFC bantamweight champion? Are there better options for him in free agency?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Mike Bohn, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discuss Aldo’s big win and what the future may hold for the living legend.

Watch their discussion in the video above and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/vARR1szSFH4

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