Petr Yan shares why clash with Umar Nurmagamedov would be 'disrespectful'
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Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Chael Sonnen confident that Ilia Topuria vs. Arman Tsarukyan is '100 percent' UFC's plan
Chael Sonnen thinks Arman Tsarukyan is the No. 1 contender after all. Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) pulled out of his lightweight title bout against Islam Makhachev just one day before UFC 311 in January, resulting in Dana White saying that he had to earn his way back to a shot. UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) recently claimed that he'd vacate his belt before defending it against Tsarukyan, and sees either Justin Gaethje or Paddy Pimblett as first title defense. However, despite all those stipulations, Sonnen says he's hearing otherwise. "Outside of illness or injury, even if I'm breaking news to you, I'm not sharing my opinion. I'm sharing a fact with you: It's Arman vs. Ilia," Sonnen told MMA Junkie. "That is 100 percent the plan." Sonnen explained where he came up with his theory. "There's a couple things (that have changed for Tsarukyan)," Sonnen said. "I'm obviously coming to you with information, whether I should have or shouldn't have. Secondly, I was the best man at his wedding and his name is Darryl Christian and he's the wrestling coach of Arman Tsarukyan. Third of all, I just spoke to coach (Sam Calavitta) who wanted to film Chimaev training, and it turned out Tsarukyan is in the room. And a bigger tell also is what Ilia did a week ago, which he said, 'I don't want the fight.' The greats, they don't even know they have it. ... Ilia's first move for doing a fight is to deny the fight. The only person that he said he'll openly fight is Paddy. "Everybody else that he's getting ready to fight, he denies. It's just his approach. Anderson (Silva) had one. He would always deny the fight and he would let that run for about two weeks. He would then accept the fight. He would let that run for about a month then he would slip an injury report to the media where you think the fight is off and it's not going to happen. He would go and get his run out of that and would tell everybody, 'I'm fine, it's on.' I'm only sharing. That was his system – 100 percent of his fights, he built the same way. Ilia's not any different, whether he knows about it or not. Ilia's first move when he's going to fight a guy, aside from Paddy, is to say to, 'I'm not going to fight the guy.'" Tsarukyan weighed in as the official backup for the vacant lightweight title fight between Topuria and Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June, but his services weren't needed. Tsarukyan hasn't competed since defeating Oliveira at UFC 300 last April. "(Tsarukyan) got put through a purgatory and he had to get out of it, but he did," Sonnen said. "When he showed up, got licensed, weighed in, went through a training camp and he has to sit in the first row and even watch Paddy 'The Baddy' get in the ring and get the attention and not him, I'm just saying, there is an appreciation, historically, that has shined down – and it's also going to be shown to him." Like many pundits, Sonnen agrees that Tsarukyan is Topuria's sternest test on paper – but still sees "El Matador" being the favorite. "Matchup-wise, the hardest matchup for Ilia is Arman Tsarukyan. ... I think that the world would lean toward Topuria right now," Sonnen said. "He's just the flavor. He's hot. He's undefeated and he's the champion of the world. (He) should be two-division champion, BMF champion, lineal-wise. But if Tsarukyan gets his hand on you, you've got a problem." To hear more from Sonnen, check out his complete appearance on "The Bohnfire" podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn above. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC analyst: Ilia Topuria vs. Arman Tsarukyan '100 percent' the plan
USA Today
44 minutes ago
- USA Today
Andrey Pulyaev breaks down the comeback he needed against Nick Klein for first UFC win
LAS VEGAS – Andrey Pulyaev met the media Saturday after his second-round TKO win over Nick Klein at UFC on ESPN 71. Pulyaev (10-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) struggled in the first round against Klein (6-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at the UFC Apex. But in the second, he found an opening, landed a kick to the body, and quickly closed in to get the TKO. 'Even in the first round, I noticed my opponent started getting tired,' Pulyaev told MMA Junkie at his post-fight news conference. 'My cornermen said it's time to start using your legs. In the second round, when we stood up, I felt it – he's too relaxed. I knew it was my chance. Before that body kick, I noticed he raised his hands. I made some punches and that body kick, and after that I knew it was time to finish him.' Pulyaev, who is a protege of former Bellator champion Alexander Shlemenko, said going through some adversity was good in the first round. He was able to battle back in a way he fell short of in his UFC debut in March, a decision loss to Christian Leroy Duncan. 'It was good to prove to myself (against Klein), and now I know what I can do,' he said. Check out Pulyaev's post-fight news conference in the video above.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Martin Buday 'very upset and very sad' about UFC exit despite 7-1 promotional record
Martin Buday was riding a three-fight win streak when his manager called in late July. The fighter, then ranked No. 12 in the UFC's heavyweight division, had just scored a unanimous decision win over the legendary jiu-jitsu champion Marcus Buchecha at UFC Abu Dhabi. Buday was still celebrating — Buchecha, after all, had been an idol of his for more than a decade. But on fight week, Buday said, the two foes 'separated any good emotions' during an impromptu meeting. They shook hands and wished the best man to win. That man, on July 26, was Buday. Buday out-struck Buchecha on the feet and successfully stuffed the jiu-jitsu ace's takedown attempts. He ground out a convincing but unspectacular win. The 33-year-old explained Monday on Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show" that he knew the Buchecha bout would be the last of his UFC contract, but he'd been in that situation before. 'In the first contract, they let me fight it to the end,' he said. 'This was the same scenario, again.' Back then, an August 2023 first-round submission win over Josh Parisian helped seal Buday's fate. The UFC offered a four-fight contract extension. This time around, there was no such deal. There was no negotiation. The UFC was no longer in the Buday business. 'I found out last Wednesday [July 30],' said Buday. 'I got a call from my manager to say the UFC will not be extending the contract with us. So, it was pretty rough. I was very upset and very sad because I love UFC. I was hoping to get re-signed. I was sad about the situation.' Buday, who won seven of his eight UFC appearances in the promotion's heavyweight division, said he's aware of the reasons why. He'd been told his victories needed that punctuation mark — that slam dunk. Buday needed to finish people in exciting fashion, rather than win by decision, as all but the Parisian win were. 'My fights are not attractive on the eyes of the fan,' he said. 'But I do everything to secure the win. That was the main problem — I didn't have finishes in the fight.' When Buday lost by brutal, second-round knockout to Shamil Gaziev in 2023, he feared the worst. He feared the UFC would cut him from the roster. It was communicated to him that the UFC "was not happy with decisions.' He needed a big finish, he said. But, against Gaziev, it was he who got finished. Buday admitted he was worried. "It was a bad performance," he said. Regardless, Buday rebounded to win three fights in a row. He eked out a split decision over the former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski in June 2024, even though Buday's father died during fight week. Buday 'wasn't there mentally' that week, or in the fight itself, he said. 'It was a very unfortunate situation for me.' Buday then scored a clear-cut unanimous decision over Uran Satybaldiev this past April. And then, of course, he beat Buchecha in what he described as his 'best performance in the UFC.' Ranked No. 12 in the division after a three-year grind, his exit from MMA's market-leader blindsided him somewhat. 'I was hoping after my last performance that I would be re-signed,' he said. Nonetheless, Buday chooses to look at the future with optimism as he's confident his skills are improving. There are also at least three organizations scrambling for his signature, he claimed. Buday said there is interest from the PFL, and that Oktagon MMA — a surging promotion in Europe — is also keen to bring its former champ back. 'I have some offers from other promoters all around the world,' he said. One other proposal was from GLORY Kickboxing, but Buday knocked back their advances. He wants his next move to stay within the realm of mixed martial arts. He would also spur any advances from KSW, if there were any, because he trains alongside Phil De Fries, the current KSW heavyweight champion. 'I will decline that offer instantly,' he said. 'I will not fight my teammates.' That leaves PFL and Oktagon. 'I like the interest from PFL, and also Oktagon MMA, where I was champion before the UFC,' he said, noting that he's leaning toward a return to the organization he fought for from 2018-21. 'They're doing incredible things and are No. 1 in Europe right now. Expanding big. Doing stadiums. Big promotion, and good for them.' If Buday continues sharpening his skills and starts finishing fights rather than simply winning them, then he hopes a return to the UFC is in the cards. It's a company he says he still loves. 'I want to thank them for making me the fighter and person I am today,' he said. 'If I do some good wins, good finishes, maybe they will be open to re-signing me.'
