Latest news with #Pound-4-Pound
News18
02-08-2025
- Sport
- News18
'He Ran From Me!': Dominick Reyes Calls Out Jon Jones' Retirement Games
Reyes accused Jon Jones of ducking him and Aspinall, criticizing Jones' controversial retirement and quick return, tarnishing his legacy and frustrating fans. Former light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes didn't hold back when discussing Jon Jones' controversial retirement drama, accusing the former champion of ducking both him and current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. The MMA world was left scratching their heads six weeks ago when UFC CEO Dana White announced that Jones had officially stepped away from fighting, vacating his heavyweight title in the process. The move killed the highly anticipated unification bout with Tom Aspinall, who was subsequently promoted to undisputed champion and booked against Ciryl Gane for UFC 321 this October. But Jones' retirement didn't last long. Just weeks later, 'Bones" was back in the UFC testing pool, eyeing a comeback at the historic White House card planned for July 2026. This flip-flopping left fans furious, and Reyes believes it's part of a larger pattern of deceptive behavior. The Frustration Boils Over 'I think because he does this thing that he does, and he just strings everyone along, and he lies, and tells this and says that," Reyes explained during his appearance on the Pound-4-Pound podcast. 'And he's smug about it and arrogant. He's not being genuine. We just want a genuine answer out of you, bro. Not some bullcrap string everybody a long, 'Oh, well, maybe this, uhhhh.' Are you going to fight or not?" The criticism gets personal when Reyes recalls his own experience chasing a rematch after their competitive UFC 247 title fight in 2020. Despite many believing Reyes won that contest, Jones retained his belt by decision. 'I did!" Reyes confirmed when asked about wanting a rematch. 'If you guys don't remember after that fight, I lobbied for the rematch for an entire year and he said, 'Drop the belt' and went to heavyweight. Literally that's what happened. People forget that, too. He ran from me! He said, 'You're not paying me enough to fight that guy. He's too dangerous.' That was literally his response." With Jones' pattern of avoiding dangerous fights becoming clearer, fans are left wondering if the greatest fighter of all time is tarnishing his own legacy through calculated duck-and-dodge tactics. view comments First Published: August 02, 2025, 11:53 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kamaru Usman stuns audience with a brutal take on former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad ahead of the former's UFC Atlanta showdown
Belal Muhammad (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) and Kamaru Usman (Photo by Per Haljestam-Imagn Images) Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is in need of a blatant win after his last three debacles against welterweight contender Leon Edwards and middleweight fighter Khamzat Chimaev. While the fighter is returning to the division after a failed attempt against a middleweight fighter, Usman, in a recent press meet ahead of his UFC Atlanta bout against Joaquin Buckley, shockingly turned down a fight against one of the top contenders of the division and former champion , Belal Muhammad . Kamaru Usman denies possibility of facing Belal Muhammad anytime soon, explains speculated beef with the fighter Belal Muhammad, the former welterweight champion, recently lost his belt to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, which resulted in Islam Makhachev's move up to the division, with the intention of eyeing a second championship belt. Belal, who faced defeat for the first time in the last six years, seems to be getting back to work, with his recent training clips going viral. Even though there has been no official confirmation about his next opponent, sources within the promotion have confirmed Shavkat Rakhmonov to be his next potential opponent. Amid all the speculation, Kamaru Usman, who is preparing for a comeback against Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta on June 14, 2025, turned heads with his unapologetic comment on Belal at a recent press meet. Usman and Belal aren't exactly friends owing to their on-set brawl while filming an episode of Pound-4-Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo. The bitterness was reflected in the recent statement made by Usman. 'When Belal Muhammad was champion, there was a reason to fight him. He had a title.' The fighter stated, 'Let's be honest here. We are not the best of friends. But I don't wish him any bad.' Usman reflected on the relationship shared between the two fighters, while analysing the kind of profit he would make from a bout between the two, 'But what do you have to offer me? You are gonna give me a side deal? You gonna throw me a little extra cash on the side? If you are willing to do that, maybe. But who knows?' Usman, however, negated the existence of any bad blood between the two fighters, citing the example of Colby Covington, with whom the Nigerian Nightmare shared a full-on rivalry both inside and outside the Octagon. Belal becoming the champion and his voice being a little louder than usual was more on the lines of being annoying for Usman, and not a reason for an actual rivalry between the two. The Nigerian fighter, towards the end of his statement, however, agreed that a scenario where both fighters are eyeing the belt is an ideal situation for the fighters to face each other. Also read: 'Chill for few weeks' - Sean O'Malley reveals his plans for Octagon return after a second defeat in his year-long rivalry against Merab Dvalishvili Kamaru Usman is now preparing for his upcoming fight against Joaquin Buckley to reestablish himself within the division. There has been no response from Belal on this comment yet.
