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News18
3 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
UFC Octoberfest: Major Bouts Announced For 320, 321
UFC 320 and 321 promise MMA drama. Las Vegas hosts Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2 and Dvalishvili vs. Sandhagen, while Abu Dhabi features Aspinall vs. Gane. As the nights draw in and autumn grabs hold, MMA fans are blessed with a double bill of carnage and championship drama. UFC 320 and UFC 321 are about to turn October 2025 into a wall-to-wall highlight reel. Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi, two cities miles apart, will witness history as belts, bragging rights, and possibly entire divisions shift before our very eyes. From vengeance-laden rematches to heavyweight collision courses, here's your front-row seat to MMA's ultimate Octoberfest. Main Event: Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2: Redemption or Regicide? Step into the T-Mobile Arena and you won't just hear buzz: you'll feel it. Magomed Ankalaev, the light heavyweight champ, enters the cage with his signature poker face and even tighter strategy. Their first dance at UFC 313 was cerebral, not savage, as Ankalaev tamed Pereira with grappling threats and stand-up feints, denying fans the Pereira highlight reel they craved. But Alex Pereira does his best work in rematches. The Brazilian is famed for rewriting narratives under the brightest lights. After a listless display last time, and losing his title (and aura), Pereira's camp hints at aggression—look for brisk low kicks, sniper (left) hooks, and feigned retreats to bait Ankalaev into the kill zone. Merab Dvalishvili is appropriately called the machine; with thirteen wins on the trot, he's made the transition from 'that dude from Georgia" to the UFC's most suffocating force. He's grappled, ground, and gassed out two standouts—O'Malley and Nurmagomedov—in 2025 alone. Standing across the gold line: Cory Sandhagen, the division's trickster and technician. Sandhagen's movement is balletic, his strikes precision-guided, his confidence the quiet kind. Can he keep Merab off him for five rounds, carving up the champ from range? Or will the 'Machine" simply wear him down, strip his gears, and leave Sandhagen scrambling for breath? This is classic striker vs. grinder, with five rounds to decide the fate of the 135-lb kingdom. The words 'Fight of the Year" are thrown around too easily, but when Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr. walk in, chaos feels inevitable. Prochazka's style is martial arts jazz—puzzling, unpredictable, and at times, blissfully reckless. With a head full of samurai quotes and an armory of unorthodox attacks, he brings a unique flavor to light heavyweight wars. Rountree Jr. counters with pure Muay Thai muscle and a highlight reel loaded with violent finishes. Both balled through Jamahal Hill in style earlier this year. Whoever lands clean first likely walks away ranked, relevant, and possibly next in line for the division's big belt dance. With Jon Jones now legend and memory, the heavyweight throne now Tom Aspinall's, Ciryl Gane will lock horns with the Englishman at the Etihad Arena to determine the true champion of a division that had been stagnant for too long. Aspinall is what scientists might build if asked for the perfect heavyweight: nimble, fast-fisted, and equally sick on the mat. His finishing stats are fearsome, most wins wrapped up before you've finished your first round nachos. Yet Gane is no one's stepping stone. His movement is ballet crossed with bone-breaking, and his striking is clinical. The consensus: if Aspinall bulldozes forward, Gane will slide, slip, and snipe. But if Gane's defensive wrestling hasn't leveled up since Jon Jones steamrolled him, the Brit's mix of takedowns, heavy hands, and ground strikes could spell a quick night. This is heavyweight, reimagined: a matchup where agility matters, and anyone can lead the dance. Though not officially announced, this major heavyweight bout is rumoured for 321, as it will set up the next potential challenger for the title. Alexander Volkov is now a heavyweight mainstay, known for his teep kicks, textbook jab, and climbing ever closer to the elusive title shot. Recent results paint him as technical, patient, and adaptive—save for a razor-thin loss to Gane, that caused major controversy. Enter Jailton Almeida—the submission machine. If he gets his mitts on you, good luck breathing for the rest of the round. His wrestling is relentless, and his mat control absolute, as victims Romanov and Spivac can attest. The question: can Volkov freeze Almeida long enough to keep it standing, or will the Brazilian chain-wrestle his way to another dominant win? Why October Matters: – Can Ankalaev shut down the 'Poatan storm" again, or does Pereira drop another highlight-reel finish for immortality? – Will the 'Machine" finally get short-circuited at bantamweight, or is Sandhagen's slick striking his saving grace? – Does the heavyweight division get a new era of speed and skill with Aspinall, or is Gane simply too smooth to hit? – And among the chaos merchants and on-the-cusp contenders, who will steal the show—and perhaps a golden ticket to a title shot? top videos View all Every bout, from title tilts to rising prospect showdowns, carries massive implications—championships, contenders, even careers hang in the balance. Both cards are looking to be devilishly stacked, clever in their matchmaking, and designed for pure spectacle. So, grab your snacks, assemble your crew, and cancel everything else. Because this October, the UFC throws down not one but two gauntlets—and you won't want to blink. News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Alex Pereira mixed martial arts ufc view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 23, 2025, 11:10 IST News sports UFC Octoberfest: Major Bouts Announced For 320, 321 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
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
UFC 320 Fight Card revealed! Alex Pereira seeks revenge against Magomed Ankalaev in title rematch
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will seek redemption in a highly anticipated rematch against reigning titleholder Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 on October 4 in Las Vegas. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the headlining bout, which will be held at T-Mobile Arena, via social media. Pereira (12-3), a former UFC middleweight and multiweight kickboxing champion, emerged as one of MMA's top stars in 2024, thanks to spectacular knockouts of Jamahal Hill, Jirí Procházka , and Khalil Rountree Jr. However, his momentum was halted in March when Ankalaev defeated him by decision at UFC 313, ending his brief title reign at 205 pounds. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category MCA Project Management PGDM Data Science Management Others Public Policy Operations Management Data Analytics Degree Digital Marketing MBA Healthcare Leadership Artificial Intelligence Product Management Data Science Finance others healthcare Design Thinking CXO Cybersecurity Technology Skills you'll gain: Programming Proficiency Data Handling & Analysis Cybersecurity Awareness & Skills Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Master of Computer Applications Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details — ufc (@ufc) At 38, Pereira remains one of the most accomplished strikers in combat sports history. Yet, Ankalaev (21-1-1), who hails from Dagestan, is expected to enter the rematch as the favorite. The 33-year-old is currently riding a 13-fight unbeaten streak and has firmly established himself as the division's most consistent force. UFC 320's co-main event will feature a bantamweight title clash between champion Merab Dvalishvili (20-4) and top contender Cory Sandhagen (18-5). Dvalishvili is aiming for his third title defense in 2024, having already beaten Umar Nurmagomedov and Sean O'Malley. Live Events Sandhagen, meanwhile, is chasing his first undisputed title after falling short against Petr Yan in a 2021 interim bout. Adding further intrigue, light heavyweight contenders Jirí Procházka and Khalil Rountree Jr. will also square off on the main card, making UFC 320 a can't-miss event for fans.
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Magomed Ankalaev's manager: Alex Pereira 'engineered' by UFC, never should've been champ
Ali Abdelaziz thinks the UFC intentionally tried to keep Magomed Ankalaev away from Alex Pereira. Pereira (12-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) defended his light heavyweight title three times until he ran into Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC), who dethroned him at UFC 313 in March. Abdelaziz thinks opponents Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree were tailor-made for Pereira. "Alex Pereira was engineered," Abdelaziz said on the "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with ex-UFC champs Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo. "UFC has some of the best matchmakers in the world. They have the best minds. Like you, (Usman): You should have been a champion three fights before you fought for the title. It was engineered not to get you there because of your style of fighting. ... But when I got (Usman) and Dana (White) to sit in one room, everything changed. I think Alex is a good fighter. I think he's a real fighter. He's a lion. But in a way, Ankalaev should have been champion two, three years ago. "Alex would have never been a champion, and I'll tell you something again: If they fight again – and they will fight again probably in October – it's going to be worse for Alex. Now Ankalaev has the confidence. He understands. (Pereira) was a scary guy touching people and knocking them out, but he fought a whole bunch of mediocre strikers. None of these guys was a high-level striker. Ankalaev, he can wrestle, he can grapple, and he can strike. Ankalaev is more of a striker than a grappler, and we've seen, he hurt him in the fight. Alex didn't hurt him." Abdelaziz used another client of his as an example, undefeated Movsar Evloev, to point out Ankalaev's prolonged route to the title. Ankalaev is expected to have an immediate rematch against Pereira for his first title defense. "It's Ankalaev's time," Abdelaziz said. "It should have been Ankalaev's time. Hunter Campbell, Mick Maynard, all of the UFC, they was all sandbagging him. They knew he was coming, and they was praying he'd lose."
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Paddy Pimblett uses Islam Makhachev as example to argue why he deserves UFC title shot
Paddy Pimblett explains why he deserves to challenge UFC lightweight champion llia Topuria. Pimblett (22-4 MMA, 7-0 UFC) is coming off a dominant TKO finish of former title challenger Michael Chandler at UFC 314. Although higher-ranked Justin Gaethje and Arman Tsarukyan were also in attendance for UFC 317, it's Pimblett who was called into the octagon to face off Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC), who knocked out Charles Oliveira to claim the vacant 155-pound belt. Pimblett thinks his resume warrants a title shot. He used Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira as examples to make his case. "To be honest, Arman's probably most deserving. But at the same time, is he? Because he split decisioned Charles in a fight a lot of people think Charles won," Pimblett told Sky Sports. "It just annoys me when people say I'm not deserving when Islam (Makhachev) got a title shot off beating Bobby Green, and I beat him faster. "Oliveira just got another title shot off beating Chandler, who he went to decision with and nearly got finished with, when I beat Chandler up for three rounds and beat him like no one else has beaten before. People just have a different opinion when it's me. When it's these other fighters, it's all right. 'Yeah, give them a title shot.'" Tsarukyan will likely have to get back to the UFC's good graces after pulling out of his title fight against Makhachev just a day before UFC 311. As for Gaethje, Pimblett doesn't see him in the title conversation after a rebound win over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313. "People are saying Gaethje, when Gaethje just beat ranked (No.) 11 or 12 (Rafael Fiziev) then coming back off the Knockout of the Year against (Max) Holloway in a fight he lost," Pimblett said. "You can probably make arguments for several people, but the fact that me and Ilia have got history – I think apart from Ilia vs. Islam, pound-for-pound No. 1 vs. pound-for-pound No. 2, me vs. Ilia is the biggest fight the UFC can make, especially now that Jon Jones is retired and you can't do Aspinall vs. Jones."
Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Andrew Tate sends UFC chief Dana White clear message over fight debut
Tate has not fought in MMA since 2010 but has called on Dana White to give him a fight following the announcement of potential event at the White House Controversial influencer Andrew Tate has expressed his desire to compete in the UFC and has even urged Dana White to give him a chance. The 38-year-old had a successful career in kickboxing, becoming a four-time world champion. After a successful stint in ISKA and Enfusion, Tate was forced to retire due to eye injuries that affected his last few fights. In 2016, he was forced to quit against Ibrahim El Boustati. Despite fighting several times since then, but against much lower opposition, Tate continues to train regularly and has always been open about a potential return to competitive action. He was recently seen at UFC 313 and Power Slap, alongside his brother Tristan, fuelling speculation about a possible comeback, reports All Out Fighting. Tate's only MMA fight took place back in 2010 at an Ultimate Warrior Challenge event, where he knocked out Shane Kavanagh in the first round. Although it's been 15 years since his last appearance inside the cage, Tate is very much open to stepping foot inside the cage again. The 38-year-old has urged White to sign him up for the UFC. In a post shared on X - previously known as Twitter - he penned: "I'll fight. Call me Dana White." His tweet was in response to President Donald Trump's recent declaration. Last week, Trump made a series of significant announcements during a rally in Iowa ahead of Independence Day. As part of his victory lap after Congress passed his 'Big Beautiful Bill,' the 79-year-old unveiled plans for the country's 250th birthday celebrations next July. Among the plans is a UFC event at the White House. Trump has been a big supporter of the UFC for many years and is regularly spotted at events. Moreover, he revealed that a UFC title fight will be staged in front of 20-25,000 spectators at the White House next year. "And I even think we're going to have a UFC fight... Does anybody watch UFC and the great Dana White?' Trump asked the crowd of MAGA faithful. "We're going to have a UFC fight. We're going to have a UFC fight," Trump reiterated. "Think of this - on the grounds of the White House." Trump added: "We have a lot of land there. We're going to build a little - we're not, Dana's going to do it, Dana's great, one of a kind - we're going to have a UFC fight, championship fight, full fight, like 20-25,000 people." The UFC - as of yet - are yet to officially comment on Trump's comments, but White later reposted the clip of the president's announcement, seemingly confirming the event. Tate is presently awaiting a date for a civil trial after four women lodged a lawsuit against him over allegations of sexual violence, including claims that he throttled one woman multiple times in 2015, assaulted her with a belt and brandished a firearm at her face. Tate denies these accusations.
