Latest news with #UFC268
USA Today
12-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michael Chandler campaigns for Justin Gaethje UFC lightweight title shot
MIAMI – Michael Chandler wants to see Justin Gaethje get the next UFC title shot. With Gaethje (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC), Ilia Topuria, Arman Tsarukyan, and Charles Oliveira all vying for a shot at UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) hopes his former rival gets the nod. Chandler lost a Fight of the Year against Gaethje at UFC 268. Along with Chandler, many fighters and pundits are on board with former interim champ Gaethje getting the opportunity, even though many can argue that his recent run presents the weakest case out of the top contenders. Gaethje was knocked out by Max Holloway at UFC 300, but rebounded with a decision win over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313. However, Chandler thinks Gaethje risking his ranking by facing former featherweight Holloway should be accounted for. 'If I'm thinking with my heart, I want Gaethje to get a shot,' Chandler told MMA Junkie and other reporters Wednesday at UFC 314 media day. 'Gaethje being the No. 1 guy and putting that No. 1 ranking on the line against Max Holloway for the BMF belt, and then losing that, so then he drops down a notch. 'Charles and I were the No. 1 contender fight, but now you've got Topuria coming up, you got (Dustin) Poirier retiring, you got Islam talking about going up to 170. There's a bunch of rumblings about that in the media and things that he has said. The coolest thing is just being a part of the most interesting division in the world.' Former Bellator champion Chandler will look to cement himself as a top lightweight when he takes on Paddy Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in Saturday's five-round UFC 314 co-headliner (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Kaseya Center in Miami. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 314.
USA Today
11-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Justin Gaethje hopes 'old guard holds up' and Michael Chandler beats Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314
Justin Gaethje is rooting for Michael Chandler at UFC Bellator champion and ex-UFC title challenger Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) meets Paddy Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in Saturday's five-round lightweight co-headliner (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Kaseya Center in beat Chandler in a Fight of the Year barnburner at UFC 268 in November 2021. He broke down the keys to victory for Pimblett."I think try to initiate the grappling early and get him tired," Gaethje told The Schmo. "That way, in the end of Round 2 and all of Round 3, you can get to the grappling. He's got very good grappling and very good submissions, so obviously Chandler needs to avoid that. But I think get him tired. Get in a couple scrambles, let him take you down a couple times, and trust in your ability to not get submitted, get back up, and fight for three rounds."Gaethje later found out that the fight is five rounds, not three. While he was advising Pimblett on how to wear Chandler down, he'd actually like to see his former rival prevail."Then definitely let him take you down," Gaethje said. "Two times, three times in the first round. I hope Chandler wins. I like Chandler. I don't dislike Chandler. I hope that the old guard holds up, keeps these young, hungry kids out for as long as possible, so we'll see. I hope Chandler wins – crazy game."RelatedUFC 314 video: Michael Chandler, Paddy Pimblett have playful faceoff at press conferenceMichael Chandler considers Paddy Pimblett fight 'The People's Main Event' of UFC 314Daniel Cormier explains why Michael Chandler under most pressure at UFC 314Charles Oliveira explains how Paddy Pimblett will be hard for Michael Chandler to beatFor more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Justin Gaethje hopes 'old guard holds up' and Michael Chandler beats Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314
USA Today
04-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Justin Gaethje plans on returning to violent WSOF ways at UFC 313
Justin Gaethje vows to bring back 'The Highlight' of old at UFC 313. Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) runs things back with Rafael Fiziev (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) in Saturday's co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+). Although nobody can doubt Gaethje's aggressiveness and entertainment as a fighter, he seems to think his recent wins over Michael Chandler at UFC 268 and Fiziev at UFC 286 saw him implement a more reserved approach. 'I don't think it's very different,' Gaethje told CBS Sports on fighting Fiziev a second time. 'I think he's got some of the best striking skills, and he's one of the most dynamic strikers in the UFC at this weight class. I think it's going to be very similar. I think I've got to really control his feet and control the pace and trust in my cardio. I've been working so hard, and my confidence in my ability to sprint for 15 minutes is going to be a huge factor here. 'I think I fell into a tendency to not move forward as much as I should in this sport, and if you look at the champions, they're moving forward 70 to 80 percent of the time, and I think that has to be implemented if you want to be successful in the sport. With Chandler and Fiziev, I kind of found success with being safer, and ultimately that's not the answer.' Gaethje, who will look to rebound from his knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300, thinks he had his better moments against Holloway when he was being the aggressor. 'If you watched the World Series of Fighting Gaethje, that's who you're going to see, but just more refined,' Gaethje said. 'I obviously have much better skills than I did in those days, and that's that's my mindset.' For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 313.
USA Today
19-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
T.J. Dillashaw says Luke Rockhold 'pieces up' UFC 312 version of Sean Strickland
T.J. Dillashaw is confident that Luke Rockhold could beat Sean Strickland. Strickland (29-7 MMA, 16-7 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) earlier this month in the UFC 312 headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. Rockhold, who's wanted to get his hands on Strickland for a while, went off on him and accused him of quitting in the fight. Dillashaw was also rather critical of Strickland's performance against Du Plessis and likes Rockhold's chances of beating him after what he saw. 'The Sean we're watching in this fight, Luke pieces him up,' Dillashaw said on the 'JAXXON PODCAST.' 'Sean, for whatever reason, was like gun shy. He's a volume fighter and for whatever reason, he's pop shotting. He's throwing one jab at a time. He's throwing one push kick at a time. 'He is not putting combos together. He's not feinting. He's not moving his f*cking head. He's a robot. He was standing straight up, tall and throwing a jab the whole fight. I think that Sean was hopefully going to evolve coming into this fight, and I thought he looked worse than the first one.' Rockhold and Strickland were previously booked to fight at UFC 268, but their matchup was scrapped after Rockhold withdrew due to a back injury. With Rockhold no longer in the UFC, a fight between them is highly unlikely, but that hasn't stopped Rockhold from constantly berating him. Rockhold is expected to run things back with Chris Weidman under the GFL banner this year. Rockhold dethroned Weidman to become UFC middleweight champion in December 2015 after battering him for a Round 4 TKO win.
USA Today
11-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Luke Rockhold lambasts Sean Strickland for overhyping, underdelivering at UFC 312
Luke Rockhold went off on Sean Strickland for not delivering at UFC 312. Strickland (29-7 MMA, 16-7 UFC) lost a dominant decision to middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) in this past Saturday's headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. Prior to the fight, Strickland challenged Du Plessis to a stand-up only fight and vowed to give the fans a war. Rockhold believes Strickland failed to show a sense of urgency after being down from the get-go and questioned his championship grit after Du Plessis broke his nose. 'We all watched the fight. We all heard this guy talk, 'To the death, Dutchman, to the death,'' Rockhold said on 'The Ariel Helwani Show.' 'This motherf*cker talks such a big game, and then he b*tches out and basically quits in the fight after he breaks his nose. What are you worried about? The world title is on the line. That's all you want, that's all you've dreamed of, and you're more worried about fixing your f*cking nose than winning and biting down on your mouthpiece and doing what you've got to do? I mean, it shows your true character. 'That's what the cage is all about. When has he ever put his ass on the line and bit down and really went for it – through a whole process of a fight, not just the last 10 seconds of a round? He's not finishing any big fights, I'll tell you that. Just look at him out there just talking. Just talking and doing sh*t that's not even him. I'm just tired of fake people. You see everything he presents himself as, which he is not.' Rockhold and Strickland were previously booked to fight at UFC 268, but their matchup was scrapped after Rockhold withdrew due to a back injury. Although Rockhold is no longer in the UFC, he continues to campaign for the fight while expressing his disdain toward Strickland.
