logo
Jesus Pinedo motivated to take Movlid Khaybulaev's undefeated record in PFL final

Jesus Pinedo motivated to take Movlid Khaybulaev's undefeated record in PFL final

USA Today2 days ago
Jesus Pinedo promises to be the first to hand Movlid Khaybulaev a loss in MMA.
A championship belt and $500,000 should be more than enough for Jesus Pinedo to want to get his hand raised on Friday night. However, there is another factor that has the Peruvian psyched for his return to the PFL smart cage.
Pinedo (25-6-1) takes on Movlid Khaybulaev in the co-main event of the 2025 PFL World Tournament 8: Finals, which goes down at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This bout serves as the final of the 2025 PFL featherweight tournament. Both Pinedo and Khaybulaev have won the tournament in previous years, but one thing separates Khaybulaev from Pinedo – an undefeated record.
Pinedo is eager to level that statistic and become the first to beat Khaybulaev in MMA.
"Of course, that's what motivates me," Pinedo told MMA Junkie Radio in Spanish when asked about Khaybulaev's undefeated status. "I'm excited to fight with a rival of his caliber. We knew that he was the guy to beat at the beginning of the tournament, so I've been preparing very hard to fight him. I'm completely ready, and I will be the first guy to give him that first defeat."
Pinedo, who logged first-round finishes over Adam Borics and Gabriel Braga to get to the final, hopes his fight against Khaybulaev draws out a little longer than his recent bouts. He wants his fight with Khaybulaev to go long, so he can prove to the world that he's superior to Khaybulaev and leave no doubt who's the better fighter.
"I would love for the fight to go long, and that is not a fight that ends quick like the ones I've been having," Pinedo explained. "Normally, I go to finish the fight in the first round, since the very first second, but if the fight goes long, that's good for me. That way I can show my work even more both technically and physically. I want to be abke to show people what I'm made of."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bruce Buffer plans on being announcer at UFC 400: 'That's the goal'
Bruce Buffer plans on being announcer at UFC 400: 'That's the goal'

Yahoo

time5 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Bruce Buffer plans on being announcer at UFC 400: 'That's the goal'

Bruce Buffer is in it for the long haul with the UFC. The voice of the octagon, who is known for the catchphrase, "It's time!," debuted at UFC 8 in February 1996. Buffer is half brothers with renowned boxing announcer Michael Buffer, whom he reunited with in 1989. Currently 68, Buffer was asked how long he plans on announcing fights, and if he sees himself being there for UFC 400. "Yeah, I plan to – that's the goal," Buffer told Clocked N Loaded (h/t ESPN MMA). "Absolutely, no question. I've got to figure that would be another eight years or so. That's my plan. Everybody's replaceable. Just know, put it on my tombstone: I always just try to do the best job I could." Buffer's voice isn't just used in the octagon. He recently took his talents to horse racing for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes in May. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Bruce Buffer plans on being announcer at UFC 400

Williams brothers say they have been falsely accused of fraud in Spain
Williams brothers say they have been falsely accused of fraud in Spain

San Francisco Chronicle​

time7 minutes ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Williams brothers say they have been falsely accused of fraud in Spain

BILBAO, Spain (AP) — Athletic Bilbao players Nico and Iñaki Williams said Thursday they have been falsely accused of fraud. The brothers released a statement saying they plan to take legal action against those who made the accusation. The Williams brothers did not provide many details about the accusation. Some Spanish media outlets had reported that the accusation was related to the ownership of a high-end vehicle. They said the 'false accusation is clearly made to damage our personal and professional image and to try to get us to make an improper payment.' The brothers said they are not worried about the accusation because they did nothing wrong and have faith in the legal system. ___

"Robertson asked team officials for part ownership of the team, a private plane..." - Kawhi Leonard's uncle demanded "illegal" benefits from the Lakers in 2019
"Robertson asked team officials for part ownership of the team, a private plane..." - Kawhi Leonard's uncle demanded "illegal" benefits from the Lakers in 2019

Yahoo

time19 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

"Robertson asked team officials for part ownership of the team, a private plane..." - Kawhi Leonard's uncle demanded "illegal" benefits from the Lakers in 2019

"Robertson asked team officials for part ownership of the team, a private plane..." - Kawhi Leonard's uncle demanded "illegal" benefits from the Lakers in 2019 originally appeared on Basketball Network. During the 2019 offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers made an ambitious move by trading for Anthony Davis and trying to sign two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in free agency. They had already secured LeBron James the season before, creating the possibility of a superteam that could dominate the next era of NBA basketball. For a few weeks, the idea of James, Davis and Leonard sharing the same locker room felt like a potential turning point in league history. But that dream never materialized. Despite their aggressive push, the Lakers were eventually left on the outside looking in as Leonard opted to join the crosstown Los Angeles Clippers. Outrageous requests In the weeks and months that followed, the story of what happened behind the scenes slowly unraveled — and at the center of it was Dennis Robertson, Leonard's uncle and trusted adviser. His alleged "illegal" demands cast a shadow over the negotiations, raising serious questions about what it actually took to land a superstar in modern free agency. "Sources say the league was told that Robertson asked team officials for part ownership of the team, a private plane that would be available at all times, a house and — last but certainly not least, a guaranteed amount of off-court endorsement money that they could expect if Leonard played for their team," Sam Amick of The Athletic reported. That kind of ask was audacious and a direct violation of the collective bargaining agreement. No team, not even one backed by the deep pockets of the Lakers, could have legally agreed to those terms. Jeanie Buss, then the Lakers owner, pointed out the illegal nature of the wish list and refused to entertain the perks. That response was about keeping the franchise compliant and above board. For all the desperation to win another banner, Buss wasn't willing to risk tampering charges or worse just to secure a third star. Interestingly, the report adds that similar requests were made to the Toronto Raptors, Leonard's previous team. That suggests the strategy wasn't unique to Los Angeles but rather a broad approach from Robertson during the free agency tour. The NBA eventually investigated the matter and found no concrete evidence that the Clippers, the team Leonard eventually signed with, had granted any of the demands. However, the existence of those demands changed how people talked about Kawhi's free bombshell Leonard ended up signing for the other L.A. franchise as he agreed to a reported three-year, $103 million contract with the Clippers, a move that instantly reshaped the power structure of the league. The same night, the Clippers pulled off a trade for Paul George, sending a war chest of picks and players to Oklahoma City. The Lakers had done everything right from a basketball perspective, cleared cap space, built around two All-NBA stars and offered a massive market with global visibility. But it wasn't enough. Leonard's camp appeared to value control, privacy and autonomy in ways that couldn't be fully accommodated under league rules. That summer became a defining moment in L.A.'s basketball rivalry. The Clippers weren't just an afterthought anymore. They had gone toe-to-toe with the Lakers in the free agency battlefield and walked away with the prize. In the seasons that followed, however, both injuries and inconsistency haunted their playoff runs. And while the Lakers captured the 2020 championship in the Orlando bubble, the Clippers spent that same postseason imploding in the second story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store