Latest news with #DominanceMMA
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Islam Makhachev clarifies UFC retirement speculation: 'We're just beginning'
People around Islam Makhachev might have certain ideas about the timeline for his retirement from MMA, but he will be the one to make the final call. One of his longtime coaches, Javier Mendez of American Kickboxing Academy, stated this past month that he believes Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) only has three fights remaining in his career, including his expected next bout against UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena. Advertisement Shortly thereafter, one of Makhachev's managers, Ali Abdelaziz of Dominance MMA, said that was incorrect, and he instead believed the former longtime UFC lightweight champion still has at least three good years of competition left. Makhachev said everyone is welcome to share their takes, but right now retirement couldn't be further from his mind. He is focused on conquering a new challenge at 170-pounds and achieving his "dream" of a second belt in a second UFC weight class after vacating lightweight gold. "Javier has his opinion, Ali has his opinion – I have my opinion," Makhachev told MMA Junkie. "We're just beginning. This is a new book. We're just beginning." After some gruelling cuts down to 155 pounds, Makhachev will get some physical relief competing at welterweight and could potentially add more fights to his career. It also comes down to how often he can compete, too. Advertisement Makhachev had initially hoped for three fights in 2025. Given the change in weight class it's going to be two, and he would prefer UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 25, or ideally November's UFC 322 event in New York City. "We will see when I'm going to fight," Makhachev said. "Madison Square Garden or Las Vegas or Abu Dhabi, because still we don't have the day. If not Madison Square Garden, I want to fight in Abu Dhabi. I don't want to wait." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Islam Makhachev on UFC retirement timeline: 'We're just beginning'
USA Today
04-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kayla Harrison's manager sets two-division title plan for Amanda Nunes with UFC 316 win
Kayla Harrison's manager sets two-division title plan for Amanda Nunes with UFC 316 win Show Caption Hide Caption Manager Ali Abdelaziz previews UFC 316, gives mass client update Dominance MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz talks to MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn about Islam Makhachev, Movsar Evloev, Magomed Ankalaev and UFC 316 clients Kayla Harrison, Patchy Mix and more. MORRISTOWN, N.J. – If Kayla Harrison can capture the women's bantamweight title at UFC 316, then it appears her reward will be a fight with the greatest female athlete in MMA history, Amanda Nunes. When promotion began for Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) to challenge Julianna Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) for gold on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark (ESPN+ pay-per-view), former two-division titleholder Nunes, who retired in June 2023, showed up in the front row for the first press conference between the two. Shortly thereafter, it became clear why Nunes was there. She said she intended to challenge the winner of Peña vs. Harrison in a comeback fight, which she is already apparently training for. According to Harrison's longtime manager Ali Abdelaziz of Dominance MMA, the plan doesn't stop by simply luring Nunes back for one fight. He said he wants his client Harrison beat Nunes at women's bantamweight and women's featherweight in order to leave no doubt about who is superior. "This is what I want her to do, this is the road map: I want Kayla to win the title on Saturday and Amanda Nunes will come back," Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. "We will fight for this 145 title. Kayla will beat her at 145. Amanda will cut down to 135. Kayla will beat her at 135, then Kayla will have two UFC championships. This is what I want to do. "Of course we have to talk to UFC and of course Julianna Peña, she is tough as nails. She is not easy. She is not a walk over. She is going to stick around, she is going to take a lot of punishment and is going to be tough. But is what I would love for Kayla to do and after that I would like Kayla to go to WWE and she's going to get a WWE title, too. Why not?" Despite all the bold ambitions for the future, Abdelaziz said he's more than aware that Harrison must first handle her business against Peña at UFC 316. Both women expressed the utmost confidence in their ability to win during media day to kick off fight week, but naturally Abdelaziz has faith in his client to emerge with gold, and do it in lopsided fashion. "There's something different about her this week," Abdelaziz said. "She has more energy. Since I met Kayla she didn't change. She's the same person. She just gets grumpy on fight week, and this fight week she's been awesome. She has a great energy. She's lifting everyone up. There's no negativity and she's going to go in there and – I respect Julianna Peña. She's tough as nails. She's a world champion. You have to put respect on her name. But I think Kayla is going to make a bloodbath. I think it's going to be a bloodbath. Kayla has every intention to make her pay for everything Julianna said. It's a great build up and I think they are almost taking over the main event."
