Ranked middleweights Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez will throw down this summer.
Ranked UFC middleweights [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] and [autotag]Anthony Hernandez[/autotag] will throw down in June.
Dolidze meets Hernandez on June 1 at UFC 302, which is expected to take place at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie following an initial report from MMA Fighting.
Dolidze (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) will look to snap a two-fight losing skid after facing Marvin Vettori and Nassourdine Imavov. Prior to that, the Georgian fighter was a on a four-fight winning streak, including a TKO finish of Jack Hermansson.
Winner of his past five in a row, Hernandez (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is coming off back-to-back finishes of Edmen Shahbazyan and most recently a Performance of the Night submission over Roman Kopylov at UFC 298.
The current lineup for UFC 302 includes:
Jailton Almeida vs. Alexander Volkov
Joselyne Edwards vs. Ailin Perez
Bassil Hafez vs. Mickey Gall
Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki
Gillian Robertson vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez
Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.
UFC heavyweight Jailton Almeida is wasting little time getting back in the octagon after having his winning streak snapped.
[autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] is wasting little time getting back in the octagon.
Just more than two weeks removed from defeat, Almeida has agreed to fight [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] in a big-time heavyweight showdown set for June 1 at UFC 302, which is expected to take place at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie on Monday following an initial report from Leo Guimaraes on X.
Dustin Poirier can’t agree with Islam Makhachev when the champ says he’s not deserving of a potential title shot at UFC 302.
[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] doesn’t really care what [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] thinks about his worthiness as a UFC lightweight title contender – he just wants the shot.
Following Poirier’s (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) thrilling knockout finish of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299 this month, reigning 155-pound champion Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) told MMA Junkie he wants to fight “The Diamond” next, ideally at UFC 302 on June 1.
Makhachev outright stated Poirier “does not deserve” the shot above the winners of either upcoming UFC 300 matchups of Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway, but the situation comes down to timing. Makhachev is hungry to defend his belt and sees Poirier as the most logical opponent right now.
Poirier is unbothered by the slight from Makhachev, and disagrees that he would not be getting an undeserved opportunity given his overall body of work in MMA.
“That’s on him,” Poirier told USA TODAY Sports’ Mackenzie Salmon. “I’ve done more in the sport of mixed martial arts than he has. I’ve been around a long time. I was doing this before it was cool, and I’m still here. Still here doing it at the highest level. I can beat anybody in the world, and I hope he’s next.”
Poirier did not reveal whether his management team has had productive discussions with the UFC brass about booking the fight at UFC 302. He’s ready and the champion is ready, though, and he will be ready to sign a bout agreement.
“One hundred percent that’s what I want,” Poirier said. “If I could pick a fight, the title fight – that’s my choice. That’s what I want.”
Poirier, 35, has been on the UFC roster since January 2011. He’s put on countless memorable fights during that stretch, and is currently tied for the most knockout wins in UFC lightweight history.
Although Poirier has claimed an interim UFC title before, he’s come up short in two undisputed bids. He was submitted in his first opportunity against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 in September 2019, then also succumbed to a submission against Charles Oliveira in his second chance at UFC 269 in December 2021.
Poirier, No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings, is confident he could make the best of a third crack at gold against No. 1-ranked Makhachev, and is hopeful it will happen in just a few months.
“It’s the only thing left for me to do,” Poirier said. “I’ve done everything else in the sport of mixed martial arts. I’ve created business – multiple businesses. I’ve headlined so many cards. I’ve been 30 times in the UFC octagon. My family is set. I’ve done everything I’ve set out to do but capture the title, and that’s the only thing left for me to do, and that’s what I want.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.
The UFC has yet to officially announce the matchup against Conor McGregor, but Michael Chandler is gearing up for June.
One of the most anticipated matchups on the UFC’s radar appears to finally be coming together with [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] acknowledging a fight date.
On New Year’s Eve, McGregor posted a video to social media in which he stated his return to the octagon will take place against Chandler in a middleweight bout at International Fight Week on June 29 in Las Vegas.
Although the promotion has yet to officially confirm the booking, Chandler is preparing for the date. “In camp…woke up feeling dangerous,” Chandler wrote on X.
On Instagram, Chandler posted a photo from his walkout at UFC 281 with a caption beginning with the date of June 29, 2024, followed by a few words.
“Patience that produced impending pandemonium,” Chandler wrote. “Buckle up boys and girls. Walk on. See you at the top!”
Chandler has waited for the matchup since coaching opposite McGregor on “The Ultimate Fighter 31.” He was last in action at UFC 281 in November 2022, where was submitted by Dustin Poirier. Coincidentally, Poirier was McGregor’s last opponent as well, but the Irishman has been sidelined due to a broken leg suffered in their trilogy bout at UFC 264 in July 2021.
After the filming of TUF, McGregor has teased a return on various occasions, while also taunting Chandler, who began to think the former two-division champion would never fight again.
Oddsmakers have already opened betting lines on the fight, placing McGregor as a slight favorite at -120 over Chandler.
