Latest news with #UFC308
New York Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Latest UFC-ESPN+ snafu leads to more speculation on relationship
Nearly every UFC event, up to and including Oct. 26, 2024's UFC 308 has been completely scrubbed from both the ESPN+ mobile app and desktop website. A source close to the situation believes this is a part of an ongoing technical issue rather than a maneuver against UFC or anything related to their television broadcast negotiations. This is not an indication ESPN is preparing to remove all UFC programming from its site ahead of the deal's expiration later this year, the source added. Full episode:
New York Post
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
UFC fight library vanishes from ESPN platforms in the middle of billion dollar negotiations
And poof, it's gone. In the middle of a tenuous television rights negotiation where the UFC is looking to get up to $1 billion dollars to broadcast their 40-plus events per year, ESPN+ pulled the rug on those looking to watch some old fights. Nearly every UFC event from UFC 308 (Oct. 26, 2024) and prior has been completely scrubbed from both their mobile app and desktop website. 5 The UFC is actively negotiating a TV deal. Getty Images A source close to the situation believes this is a part of an ongoing technical issue rather than a maneuver against UFC or anything related to their television broadcast negotiations.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Daniel Cormier questions Ilia Topuria's decision to split with team before UFC 317
Daniel Cormier questions Ilia Topuria's decision to split with team before UFC 317 Daniel Cormier thinks Ilia Topuria is making a mistake by splitting with his longtime team before UFC 317. Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) has parted ways with coaches Jorge and Agustin Climent ahead of his vacant lightweight title fight against Charles Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) in the June 28 main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). It was an amicable split, but the now Madrid resident is hours away from his team. Topuria had been training at Climent Club in Alicante, Spain since he was a teenager, which led him to a UFC featherweight title and back-to-back knockouts over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Cormier questions Topuria's decision to move on from the team who brought him so much success. "Ilia Topuria wants to fight Islam (Makhachev) but needs to get through Charles Oliveira first, especially when we are hearing that he and his team are kind of going in separate directions," Cormier said on his YouTube channel. "Just because of the schedule, they said it's no bad blood. I really don't know how, at this point, a month before what will be your opportunity to win a second title, how much effect that will have on Team Topuria. "If I'm Ilia, I'm still just using those guys because even if I have to do my training camp with someone else, I know that those guys know me so well, that if they can get with me for a week, two weeks, we are still so aligned – especially if there's no bad blood, we're still so aligned that we will get through the fight, and we will still be able to coexist. Not only coexist, but also we gel. This is the team that got him from a young, young man, to being 16-0 and a UFC champion. Beating the two greatest featherweights of all time. So to have that familiarity is very important to an athlete. ...To me, that's a little bit odd." For his UFC featherweight title defense against Max Holloway this past October at UFC 308, Topuria did his camp in Madrid with his coaches traveling back-and-forth between the two cities.
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC on ABC 9
Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC on ABC 9 Robert Whittaker will aim to halt another rising middleweight contender at UFC on ABC 9. Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder preview Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) is coming off a first-round submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 last October, a setback which resulted in the former middleweight champion needing dental surgery. Prior to that, Whittaker scored back-to-back wins over Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov. Unbeaten in the octagon, De Ridder (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) handed the highly touted Bo Nickal his first career loss when he finished him by second-round TKO at UFC on ESPN 67 earlier this month. The former ONE middleweight and light heavyweight champion has finished 18 of his 20 professional wins. Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder odds According to FanDuel, former UFC champion Whittaker is a moderate -188 favorite to beat former ONE dual-champion De Ridder, who's a +146 underdog. How to watch Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder at UFC on ABC 9 Where: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi Broadcast/streaming: ESPN, ESPN+ When: Saturday, July 26, 2025
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Reinier de Ridder aims to earn UFC title shot by submitting Robert Whittaker
Reinier de Ridder aims to earn UFC title shot by submitting Robert Whittaker Reinier de Ridder could find himself as No. 1 contender in less than one year with the UFC. De Ridder (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) draws former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) in the UFC on ABC 9 main event July 26 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Whittaker required dental surgery after suffering a first-round submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 last October. De Ridder isn't ready to write off Whittaker after his quick loss to Chimaev. "The Ikram (Aliskerov) fight is not that long ago, and he looked amazing in that one," De Ridder told MMA Junkie. "The Khamzat fight was a bit unfortunate, I think, with the injury he came into it with. But he's still there, very explosive, very dangerous dude. So I'm going to get into camp as soon as possible and get ready." A submission specialist, De Ridder showed off his hands when he finished formerly unbeaten Bo Nickal by TKO at UFC on ESPN 67 earlier this month. Despite the new wrinkles in his game, the former ONE dual-champion plans on choking out Whittaker. "It's an interesting one to prepare for because there's not a lot of guys with his style and his standup," De Ridder said of Whittaker. "Very explosive, likes to leap in, hands low, good punches, good kicks. So it's not an easy one to prepare for in any way, shape, or form. We'll see where it goes. You'll see me do the same thing I always do: Put the pressure, get close, try to hit him with some good shots, take him down, choke him out. That's the plan." If De Ridder can get another finish over Whittaker, he hopes to position himself in title contention and face the winner of the title fight between middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 319 headliner on Aug. 16. "It's crazy, so cool to get another shot like this," De Ridder said of fighting Whittaker. "If I just keep making good on all these opportunities, I think I have a good chance to fight for the title in a little while here."
