Latest news with #UFCAbuDhabi
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili reveals his next possible opponent after facing former champ Sean O'Malley at UFC 316
As the day of UFC 316 is nearing, it is not just the fighters who are gearing up for their respective bouts, but also the fans who will be witnessing two title fights in the main card. While the hype surrounding the event is already high, ahead of the headline event between Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley, the Georgian fighter has recently named some of the greatest fighters with good cardio, both past and present. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In the same interview, the fighter also reveals the next opponent he would like to face after UFC 316. Merab Dvalishvili lists out fighters with good cardio, claims George St-Pierre as his favorite fighter Merab Dvalishvili won the bantamweight belt at UFC 306 after defeating Sean O'Malley via a unanimous decision. It was Sean's second title defense after winning it against Aljamain Sterling and defending it once against Marlon Vera. Even though UFC 316 would be Suga's first appearance since losing the belt to Merab in September 2024, The Machine has defended his belt once against Umar Nurmagomedov. Merab and Sean are facing each other for the second time, and this has increased the hype of the headlining event. During a recent interview, the Georgian fighter revealed his plans within the Octagon after UFC 316, as well as ranked some of his favorite fighters who have good cardio. While speaking to Helen Yee, a sports reporter, the fighter claimed Georges St-Pierre as his favorite fighter, 'GSP is one of my favorite fighters, he has good cardio. Khabib has good cardio. Ilia Topuria has good cardio. Petr Yan, too.' The statement came after Merab was made aware of the fact that MMA fans have ranked him number one in the said category. Merab Dvalishvili REVEALS CRAZY Sparring Before First Sean O'Malley Fight, Looking For A Wife.. While the list was just a part of the interview, the fighter also revealed his next plans within the Octagon and the opponent he was looking out for after UFC 316, 'I think right now, Sandhagen is ready. We never fought each other… Maybe, I'm not sure. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Whatever the UFC will decide. Whatever UFC thinks the fresh guy and the most deserving guy is, I will fight.' Also read: Cory Sandhagen is ranked 4th in the bantamweight division with a pro-MMA record of 18-5-0. The fighter has won four of his last five bouts and is known for his knockout wins. Merab believes that after retaining the title, the Georgian fighter might be defending the belt against Sandhagen since Petr Yan will now be facing Marcus McGhee at UFC Abu Dhabi.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bobby Knux Favored To Rein In De Ridder
Former UFC middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker, will defend his spot in the division Top 5 when he collides with red-hot submission specialist, Reinier de Ridder, atop the upcoming UFC Abu Dhabi MMA event on both ESPN and ABC, recently made official for Sat., July 26, 2025 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Whittaker opened as the -175 betting favorite, according to against +150 for the underdog, De Ridder. Don't be surprised to see those numbers change — or flip completely — as we get closer to fight night. Elsewhere on the card, Shara Magomedov is the -260 favorite over Marc-Andre Barriault (+220). Advertisement 'I understand he's not in the top 10 yet, but he just beat Bo Nickal, he's a good, hard fight, he had two titles in ONE, he's a hard fight,' Whittaker said on his MMArcade podcast. 'I'm sure he'll be in the Top 10 before long. He's a top 10 fighter, competitor at least. That's a hard fight, let's do it. July is a good time, done. So, I just said yes straight away.' Whittaker (26-8) is looking to rebound from his first-round submission loss to middleweight title challenger Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 back in October. As for De Ridder (20-2), also 34, he improved to 3-0 under the UFC banner by stopping wrestling phenom Bo Nickal at UFC Des Moines earlier this month in Iowa. 'I want to get back in there, back in that winning column,' Whittaker continued. 'I don't want to fight forever. I've got a couple years left in my career and I want that fairytale ending. Especially after seeing [Alexander Volkanovski], and now [Jack Della Maddalena] get up, I want that fairytale ending. I want to work my way up to the title, win the belt, and sail off into the sunset. That's the dream I'm pushing and fighting for right now.' Expect more UFC Abu Dhabi fight card announcements in the coming weeks. Advertisement More from
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Shara Magomedov: Middleweight Maelstorm: Shara Magomedov and Marc André Barriault to collide at UFC Abu Dhabi
The Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi is set to welcome a middleweight thriller on July 26, which was recently announced by the UFC president, Dana White , during an Instagram Live stream. Shara Magomedov returns after his first pro-loss to thrill the audiences against 'Powerbar' March Andre Barriault. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Apart from the entire lineup and future showdowns announced by White during his Live stream, Magomedov vs. Barriault carries the potential to become the fight of the night. A battle between incredible striking power and relentless pressure is all set to shake up the middleweight division rankings and steal the spotlight on an already stacked UFC match card. Shara Magomedov vs. Marc Andre Barriault: UFC Abu Dhabi gets a middleweight thriller After facing defeat against Michael Page at UFC Fight Night early this year through a unanimous decision, Magomedov is all set to prove himself again inside the octagon with his flashing strikes and powerful finishes. Despite the setback 'Bullet' had to go through, this new announcement of a middleweight bout against Barriault brings in a fresh wave of excitement for the UFC icon. Barriault's recent victory against Bruno Silva at UFC 315 in Montreal has not only raised the spirit of the MMA fighter for bagging the win in his homeland, but it has also increased his presence as an opponent to look out for in the middleweight division. Even though Magomedov leads with an advantage over his next opponent, considering the knockout percentage of both fighters, Barriault, being the one who has fought more fights than his next opponent, also adds to the advantage. Abu Dhabi UFC Fight Night Card With many more bouts to take place in the upcoming months, as per White. The following showdowns will also be gracing the UFC octagon with their powerful performances for the night. Starting with the main event middleweight fight between Robert Whittaker and Reinier De Ridder, followed by Magomedov vs. Barriault. Light heavyweight bout between Nikita Krylov and Bogdan Guskov Flyweight bout between Asu Almabayev and Ramazan Temirov Light heavyweight bout between Ibo Aslan and Billy Elekana Also Read:
Al Etihad
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
Top middleweight contender Robert Whittaker to face off against Reinier de Ridder at Abu Dhabi Fight Night on July 26
13 May 2025 22:05 ABU DHABI (WAM) UFC returns to the UAE capital this summer with a blockbuster event set for July 26 at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. In collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the world's premier mixed martial arts organisation is bringing a thrilling lineup headlined by a high-stakes middleweight clash between former champion Robert Whittaker and fast-rising contender Reinier de Ridder. Australia's Whittaker (27-8-0), the fifth-ranked middleweight challenger and one of the most respected fighters in the division, will look to reaffirm his elite status. Known for signature victories over the likes of Yoel Romero, Jared Cannonier, and Marvin Vettori among others, Whittaker aims to bounce back into title contention with a statement win in the desert. Standing in his way is the surging Reinier de Ridder (20-2-0), a Dutch phenomenom, who has taken the UFC by storm since debuting in late 2024. De Ridder made headlines after handing previously unbeaten Bo Nickal his first professional loss, showcasing his world-class grappling and finishing prowess. With momentum on his side, de Ridder is eager to continue climbing the ranks by toppling the former champion. The fight card also features several compelling matchups across multiple weight classes: Nikita Krylov (30-10-0, Russia) returns to the octagon to face Bogdan Guskov (17-3-0, Uzbekistan) in a light heavyweight showdown, as Guskov looks to extend his winning streak. In the flyweight division, Ramazan Temirov (19-3-0, Uzbekistan) squares off against Kazakhstan's Asu Almabayev (21-3-0) in a contest that promises speed and high-level technique. Also in the light heavyweight division, Turkish knockout artist Ibo Aslan (14-2-0) takes on Billy Elekana (7-2-0) from Las Vegas in a matchup that has 'Fight of the Night' potential. With a mix of veteran names and rising stars, UFC Abu Dhabi is shaping up to be a can't-miss summer spectacle for fight fans around the globe.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC Des Moines live updates: Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo results, round-by-round analysis and highlights
Uncrowned has UFC Des Moines results, live round-by-round updates, start time and highlights for the Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo fight card on Saturday evening at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Bantamweight contenders Sandhagen and Figueiredo collide in the night's five-round main event. Sandhagen (17-5) seeks to rebound after suffering a momentum-halting unanimous decision against the then-undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov this past August at UFC Abu Dhabi. The loss snapped Sandhagen's three-fight win streak and led to Nurmagomedov challenging for the UFC bantamweight title this past January. "The Sandman's" prior loss before that came in his lone title tilt — an interim title tilt opposite former champion Petr Yan, which he dropped via unanimous decision. Advertisement Figueiredo (24-4-1) also hopes to rebound from his first loss at bantamweight. The aforementioned Yan handed the former two-time UFC flyweight champion a unanimous decision defeat in UFC Macau's headliner in November. Figueiredo has otherwise been perfect, winning his first three bouts after moving up from 125 pounds. At age 37, the Sandhagen matchup could be Figueiredo's last chance to keep his title hopes alive. In the evening's co-main event, former two-division ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder (19-2) hopes to hand middleweight super-prospect Bo Nickal (8-0) his first professional loss. Advertisement The UFC Des Moines start time for the preliminary card is at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The main card begins live at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN 2 and ESPN+. Follow along with Uncrowned's live UFC Des Moines: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo results and live blog below, as well as play-by-play for the entire main card starting at 4 p.m. ET. Main Card (10 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+) Bantamweight: Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Middleweight: Reinier de Ridder vs. Bo Nickal Welterweight: Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Daniel Rodriguez Bantamweight: Montel Jackson vs. Daniel Marcos Bantamweight: Cameron Smotherman vs. Serhiy Sidey Advertisement Lightweight: Jeremy Stephens vs. Mason Jones Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+) Bantamweight: Yana Santos vs. Miesha Tate Middleweight: Ryan Loder vs. Azamat Bekoev Strawweight: Marina Rodriguez vs. Gillian Robertson Bantamweight: Gaston Bolanos vs. Quang Le Heavyweight: Thomas Petersen vs. Don'tale Mayes Flyweight: Juliana Miller vs. Ivana Petrovic
