Latest news with #Ex-UFC
USA Today
23-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ex-UFC fighters Tanner Boser and Vinicius Moreira co-headline UAE Warriors 60
Ex-UFC fighters Tanner Boser and Vinicius Moreira co-headline UAE Warriors 60 A pair of UFC veterans will co-headline UAE Warriors 60. Light heavyweights Tanner Boser (21-10-1) and Vinicius Moreira (14-8) square off June 13 at Space 42 Arena from Abu Dhabi and airs on UFC Fight Pass. A person with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the news but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Boser became a free agent after completing his contract with the UFC in 2023. He was headed to the Global Fight League where he was drafted to Team London, but after GFL was forced to cancel their first scheduled events, he opted to stay active elsewhere. The 33-year-old Canadian hasn't competed since defeating Aleksa Camur at UFC on ESPN 50 in August 2023. Meanwhile, Dana White's Contender Series alum Moreira has stayed busy since failing to notch an octagon win in four attempts. After getting released from his UFC contract in 2021, the Brazilian went 5-3, but he's on a four-fight winning streak. He captured the Jungle Fight light heavyweight title with a submission of Andre Miranda this past October.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Demetrious Johnson: Tom Aspinall becomes biggest UFC star if he beats Jon Jones
Demetrious Johnson believes if Tom Aspinall beats UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, his star power would reach unparalleled heights. Interim heavyweight champion Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has been longing for his title-unification bout with Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) but has been provided no clarity on the potential matchup – even though UFC CEO Dana White is confident it happens. That's because Jones has refused to publicly commit to fighting Aspinall, insisting that he's content with his legacy as it stands. If the fight does materialize, Johnson explained what a win could do for Aspinall – not just for his resume. "My opinion, I think it's a huge risk," Johnson said in an interview with Aspinall on his YouTube channel. "You're younger, you're athletic, you hit hard, you pose problems. We don't have much data on you, meaning we don't know what happens if you do, and this is me speaking as an analyst and my experience in MMA. Like if I were to fight Tom Aspinall, what do I need to do? "He's very fast, he's very athletic, light on his toes, he blitzes across the void. So if he gets across the void, can I take that shot? A lot of people have not been able to take that shot. So if he gets across that void and I get hit, I might go f*cking down. That happens, you become the biggest f*cking star ever. You just slayed the GOAT in a lot of people's eyes, right?'' However, Johnson understands where Jones is coming from when he says he has nothing to gain by beating Aspinall. "In Jones' eyes, if I go out there and I beat him (Aspinall), as his words said, he's here today, gone tomorrow," Johnson continued. "That's my opinion from his standpoint, or maybe he wants $30-40 million dollars. I have no idea." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ex-UFC champ: Tom Aspinall becomes biggest star with Jon Jones win
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
UFC legend makes bold prediction for Khamzat Chimaev vs Dricus Du Plessis Clash
The highly-anticipated middleweight showdown is expected to take place later this summer, with many being left torn as to how the dust-up will play out UFC legend Chael Sonnen insists Khamzat Chimaev will have a hard time taking Dricus Du Plessis down with ease ahead of their showdown. Dana White - the UFC chief - recently announced the blockbuster middleweight title fight - which is scheduled to take place on August 16 in Chicago. Du Plessis retained his title against Sean Strickland earlier this year, while the unbeaten Chimaev dominated ex-champion Robert Whittaker in his last outing. Despite Chimaev's spotless record and breathtaking performance history, Sonnen believes that the South African titlist won't be an easy target. Sonnen - a former UFC title challenger - acknowledges 'Borz' as the favourite but doesn't discount the current champion's resilience. Speaking on his official YouTube channel, the American: "How is he going to beat him? I am not fully confident that Chimaev can take him down at will. I'm not fully confident he can keep him there. We're gonna know in the very first round. If Dricus gets taken down in the first round, things are going to unravel very quickly. "But if he can defend a takedown for the entire first five minutes, it's only going to get easier after that. It's an exciting match, I would expect Chimaev to be the favourite, and he is." Michael Bisping has expressed his shock at the startling odds that peg Chimaev as the front-runner for this summer's clash. In fresh footage on his YouTube channel, the former middleweight champion stated: "The fact that they've got Dricus du Plessis as the underdog is insane. The man can wrestle, he's got great jiu-jitsu, he's big for the weight class, and more importantly, he has a gas tank. He has had no problems going five rounds. "The two times Khamzat went to a decision was when he couldn't get the finish in the first or second round. That's when Gilbert Burns started to take over. That's when Kamaru Usman had a lot of success and settled the score and it almost came out as a draw. And now it's not three rounds, it's five rounds. The way that Khamzat Chimaev fights is the way that he fights. He ain't going to change. If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Ex-UFC champ Sean Strickland, who has sparred with Chimaev and battled du Plessis across 10 gruelling rounds in their two title contests at UFC 297 and UFC 312, is well-versed in the abilities of both fighters. With the bout approaching, the American middleweight sensation is predicting Du Plessis will be the one to finally put a stop to 'Borz' inside the octagon. "They can grapple," Strickland commented on Chimaev during a chat with Helen Yee. "Someone like me, I've been training these blokes for years, I usually could counter-wrestle and grapple them. So, I just don't know if Dricus can be able to counter-wrestle him. But if he can, I think he wins, hands down." He further added: "I sparred the Chechen. Hands down, I think Dricus wins. It's just gonna come down to - are you gonna be able to stop that [takedown] and counter-wrestle him? You can. It's not hard."
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ex-UFC champ Holly Holm signs with Jake Paul's MVP for boxing return
Ex-UFC champ Holly Holm signs with Jake Paul's MVP for boxing return Holly Holm is headed back to the boxing ring. A former UFC women's bantamweight champion, Holm (33-2-3) has joined Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the company announced Wednesday. Holm will face Yolanda Vega(10-0) on the June 28 undercard of the Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-headlined event at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The main card will stream on DAZN pay-per-view. 'I'm excited to partner with Most Valuable Promotions and return to the boxing ring,' said Holm in a press release Wednesday. 'This new chapter is going to be an exciting journey, and I'm looking forward to the challenge. Coming full circle back to boxing- I've spent most of my MMA career at 135 pounds, and now I have the opportunity to make my boxing debut at that weight. With boxing titles in three higher weight classes under my belt, I'm eager to pursue a fourth title in a new division.' Holm, 43, departed the promotion after asking for her release in January. She signed with Global Fight League (GFL), though the promotion never launched leading to many fighters' departures including Holm's. Holm reportedly still had fights on her UFC deal at the time of her departure and was 2-2 with one no contest in her final five UFC outings. When Holm debuts for MVP, it'll mark her first boxing match since May 2013. She exited the sport over a decade ago while she held IBA and WBF championships. Holm also held WBAN, WBC, NABF, GBU, WBA, IFBA, and WIBA gold throughout her boxing career. In 2022, Holm was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Mexico's Vega, 29, aims to maintain her perfect undefeated record as she takes on her most high-profile test to date.
USA Today
11-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Aiemann Zahabi got legend-making tip from GSP after Jose Aldo's brutal UFC 315 weight flub
Aiemann Zahabi got legend-making tip from GSP after Jose Aldo's brutal UFC 315 weight flub Ex-UFC two-division champion gave teammate a boost on weigh-in day Show Caption Hide Caption Aiemann Zahabi details comeback win over Jose Aldo after weight change UFC 315 winner Aiemann Zahabi spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters post-fight after his unanimous decision victory over Jose Aldo in Montreal. MONTREAL – Now that it's all over, Aiemann Zahabi no doubt would say it's water under the bridge. But at the time, truth be told, the bantamweight could not have been thrilled that he got within less than a pound of making the bantamweight limit, only to be told his opponent, former featherweight champion Jose Aldo, wasn't even close. In fact, it wasn't even just a simple matter of Aldo giving up a percentage of his purse for the weight infraction. In Quebec, where UFC 315 went down at Bell Centre in Montreal, more than a five-pound discrepancy would have shut the fight down. Zahabi, who lives and trains in Montreal, was painted into the proverbial corner: No fight at all, or fight an ex-champ a division up – and after he had nowhere the same level of energy loss during his weight cut. Zahabi (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) cut a new deal to fight Aldo (32-10 MMA, 14-9 UFC) at featherweight, then put on an absolute banger of a fight and won a decision in an upset. Teammate and former UFC middleweight and longtime welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre was in Zahabi's corner, along with his brother and head coach, Firas. St-Pierre knows a thing or two about making memorable moments in the sport. "When he missed weight by eight pounds, the first thing Georges told me was, 'It's going to be so good for the story: Not only are you fighting a legend in the sport, you're fighting him 8 pounds up – you had to move up in weight for him (because he couldn't make weight).' And then getting rocked only adds to the adversity – and I overcame it all," Zahabi said after his win. Zahabi won for the fifth straight time. The first four were at bantamweight, as his win over Aldo was originally contracted to be. Instead, Zahabi gave the ex-champ what amounted to a really bad retirement gift: Aldo announced his MMA retirement (for a second time) after the loss. And Zahabi also joined some elite company as the only fighters to beat Aldo at 145 pounds: Conor McGregor, Max Holloway, Alexander Volkanovski, and now Zahabi. But taking the fight was a no-brainer. "I was in a terrible spot. I was between a rock and a hard place," he told MMA Junkie. "The last time (the UFC) came to Montreal was 10 years ago. I don't know if they're coming back. My wife hasn't seen me fight live in five years because I was on a hot streak and I got the mental coach and I feel top of my game. I got my wife front-row tickets. I've got my family coming, my friends coming, everyone coming here. "Do I fight, or do I not fight? If I wanted to become a legend, I would have to face adversity. I'd have to win when the odds were against me. I felt like I did that today."
