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USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Miranda Maverick: History with Rose Namajunas makes for 'tough fight mentally' in Atlanta
Miranda Maverick: History with Rose Namajunas makes for 'tough fight mentally' in Atlanta Show Caption Hide Caption UFC Atlanta: Miranda Maverick previews fight with Rose Namajunas Miranda Maverick opens up about the challenges of facing former training partner Rose Namajunas at UFC on ESPN 69 on June 14. Miranda Maverick is happy to put her friendship with Rose Namajunas aside for one night at UFC on ESPN 69, and she is fully confident that the feeling is mutual. Maverick (15-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) is set to face longtime training partner and former UFC titleholder Namajunas (13-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) in the women's flyweight co-main event of the June 14 card at State Farm Arena in Atlanta (ESPN, ESPN+). Although past instances of this situation have led to awkwardness in the pre-fight build or poor contests inside the cage, Maverick thinks is a different circumstance. She said this possibility has been discussed personally between and with their immediate coaches for some time, and believe UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard catching wind of that is what led to the booking. "I think both of us are professional enough – it's not like we have to go in there and sh*t talk and hate each other to really win," Maverick told MMA Junkie Radio. "It's just a matter of going in (and) showing our skills. We've always said we would fight each other. When we spar, we said it would be a heck of a charity event to just put on live sparring where people could come in and watch the fighters get rounds. (I'm) really excited to show the fans what we've both been working on." With both women training out the Denver area, Blanchfield said a respectful pact was put forth to maintain the integrity of the bout. She has split her training camp at Easton Training Center and Pound for Pound Muay Thai, while Namajunas has worked out of Genesis Training Academy and a private facility for her preparation. According to Maverick, coaches from both sides agreed to keep on their side of the line, which she said is for the betterment of everyone. Still, though, there are many vivid memories of past time training together, and Maverick said that is part of the challenge around this particular fight. "I think this may be the toughest, not necessarily because she's the toughest fighter, but because we know each other so much better," Maverick said. "We've sparred and trained so much together that we know each other's weaknesses and strengths. We know how each other fight. Each of our camps know exactly what the other's game plan is likely going to be, but it's one of those that's going to be a tough fight mentally on us, and we're going to have to use our fight IQ more than anymore." For Maverick, the opportunity to face a former UFC champion with the notoriety of Namajunas is a potentially career-altering moment. It will put her into the upper echelon of the 125-pound weight class, so her focus can be on nothing else other than getting the job done.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sean Brady calls out Ian Machado Garry for No. 1 contender fight: 'He knows what they want'
Sean Brady has one fight in mind after the welterweight landscape shifted at UFC 315. Jack Della Maddalena was the man of the hour this past Saturday in Montreal, Canada, as he made good on his title fight opportunity against the now-former champion Belal Muhammad. With Brady and several other welterweight contenders sitting cageside, "JDM" walked away with the title via unanimous decision after a back-and-forth five-round war. Advertisement UFC 315's main event had significant implications on more than just the welterweight division, as UFC lightweight king Islam Makhachev let his two-division goals be known at the night's close. With Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev now potentially next up at 170 pounds, No. 1-ranked contender Brady immediately shifted his focus. "I see it two ways," Brady explained on Monday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show." "If Belal won, there's a better chance of me definitely getting a title shot, which would be amazing. But I knew if Jack won that I'd be fighting again, which I've been saying since the Leon [Edwards] fight [in March]. "I'm fine with it — [let's do] me and Ian [Machado Garry]. People are very surprised I keep saying that. Like, 'Oh, you don't want the title shot?' Of course I want the title shot, but there's still Shavkat [Rakhmonov] there, there's Islam saying he's moving up, you've got Kamaru [Usman] and [Joaquin] Buckley saying whoever wins [at UFC Atlanta is] getting a title shot. We're all going to have to fight. I'm going to have to fight Ian Garry eventually. Why not just do it now and get it out of the way, if I'm as good as I think I am?" Despite Brady's position as the top-ranked contender, Garry entered fight week as the backup fighter for UFC 315's main event. Had Muhammad successfully beaten Della Maddalena and Garry strolled into the cage afterward for a faceoff, Brady said there's no way he wasn't also following suit himself. Advertisement But Della Maddalena ultimately played spoiler, setting up the potential of a Makhachev matchup. After making two separate lightweight title defenses against featherweight champions, Makhachev has been vocal about wanting his turn to try and claim a second division's title. From Brady's perspective, there are two ways to view the situation. "I would rather see [Makhachev] stay where he's at and kind of clean out 155 [pounds]," he said. "The whole double champ thing is hard, especially when two of his fights were against [Alexander] Volkanovski, and then he does have Dustin Poirier but there's still guys at 155, then you have Ilia [Topuria] trying to come up. But then again, on the other hand he's done so much. If he's going to move up, is he going to stay there though? Because if not, now you're holding up two divisions [if you win]. "So if he's going to move up, then me and Ian are fighting. I know that's the fight to make, and that's just the way I see it." Advertisement If Makhachev is indeed the name for Della Maddalena's first UFC title defense, it doesn't get much more difficult than the world's No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter. Although he's still proving himself to the world, Della Maddalena has won 18 straight fights since losing his first two professional bouts. After seeing his title-winning performance against Muhammad, Brady believes the new champion will put up a better fight against Makhachev than many seem to expect. "I think 'JDM' is going to make it a lot more interesting than what people would think it would be," Brady said. "He fights as good as he does southpaw, orthodox. He's hard to take down. He just has this ability to create these scrambles and get right back to his feet. Advertisement "He started working with Craig Jones — Craig's known for doing unorthodox stuff like that, and it definitely added to his game plan and his weapons. ... I think Jack's going to hang around for a little bit longer than people think." After submitting the former champion Edwards in March, Brady is eyeing a return of his own in August or September to keep his momentum rolling, and he fully expects it to come against Garry — despite the Irishman's insistence on getting a title shot first. "Ian's not scared of me. Ian just wants the title shot," Brady said. "That's what he's thinking he's getting next, which I know is not true. I know I'm not even getting it. Islam's getting it. "[Garry] knows who the fight is. He knows. [We share the] same manager. He knows the landscape, he knows what they want. It makes the most sense and it makes more sense for him. I'm the No. 1 guy. You're like six rankings behind me or wherever you're at. It could be the other way around — I could be saying, 'Nope, I'm sitting on my spot. Not giving it up. I'm going to sit on it until I get my title shot.' And I'm not here doing that. I'm 32 years old, I'm in the prime of my career, I feel great, I want to fight, and like I said, whether Ian is [ranked] six or No. 2 or the champion, eventually I'm going to have to fight him because he is good. So why not just fight now?"
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Kamaru Usman breaks silence on Belal Muhammad's UFC 315 defeat
Kamaru Usman breaks silence on Belal Muhammad's UFC 315 defeat (Image Source: Getty Images) The former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, expressed his disappointment after Belal Muhammad was defeated by Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 . Fans were surprised by the outcome, and Kamaru Usman, who has a mixed past with Belal Muhammad as a welterweight, also felt the result personally. After the fight, Kamaru Usman spoke about the rollercoaster nature of the sport, saying that even though he and Belal Muhammad have a history, he wanted Belal Muhammad to achieve title glory. The Unexpected Defeat That Shook the Welterweight Division Kamaru Usman's response was triggered by Jack Della Maddalena's complete victory over Belal Muhammad, which cost the previous champion his title and his unbeaten status. White's subsequent announcement that Belal Muhammad sustained a broken nose, orbital bone fracture, and split lip made clear how tough the match had been. Even though he and Muhammad have a history of conflict, Kamaru Usman reacted thoughtfully to Muhammad's defeat. During a recent conversation with Henry Cejudo, Kamaru Usman said, "I couldn't be happy he lost because we hadn't fought each other." In his remarks, Kamaru Usman showed a strong sense of the competitive environment, noting that their unresolved conflict could still be a highly appealing bout for fans. Kamaru Usman's Insight into Muhammad's Strategic Misstep The Nigerian Nightmare critically examined Belal Muhammad's approach and proposed that his opponent's arrogance was what led to his defeat. Kamaru Usman pointed out that Muhammad's self-labeling as the 'Canelo hands' challenger, plus his aversion to wrestling, seemed to favor Jack Della Maddalena's strengths. Usman pointed out that Jack Della Maddalena appeared like the champion on the night, which reflects the psychological dimension of high-pressure bouts, according to him. From the commentary, it seems that Muhammad's emphasis on striking may have underestimated Jack Della Maddalena's abilities. Given that Muhammad's title defense ended early, and with Kamaru Usman set to fight Joaquin Buckley on June 14, the welterweight division continues to be full of surprises. Kamaru Usman's next bout at UFC Atlanta is expected to be a key event in his career path. Also Read: Who is Jack Della Maddalena? Exploring the newly crowned UFC welterweight champ's personal life and others The welterweight landscape continues to evolve, with Kamaru Usman remaining a central figure in potential future title challenges and exciting matchups.
USA Today
30-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michael Bisping: Kamaru Usman faces bleak future with UFC Atlanta loss to Joaquin Buckley
Michael Bisping: Kamaru Usman faces bleak future with UFC Atlanta loss to Joaquin Buckley Michael Bisping questions former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman's fighting future if he's unable to rebound at UFC on ESPN 69. Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) faces knockout artist Joaquin Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in the June 14 main event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Usman will look to snap a three-fight losing skid. He hasn't competed since losing a short-notice fight to No. 1 middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev in October 2023. If Usman fails to stop the streaking Buckley, Bisping thinks he needs to consider retirement. "If Kamaru Usman loses this fight, will that be the end of his career? I'm not throwing any shade," Bisping said on his YouTube channel. "I've got nothing but the greatest respect and deep admiration for Kamaru Usman. He's a solid human being, he's an incredible fighter, he's been a great ambassador for this sport. However, 37 years old, hasn't been too active, and then if you lose four in a row, maybe it's time to think about walking away from the sport. "As I say, I don't say that lightly. He's a great guy, but we know Joaquin Buckely is coming into this one revved up. This is the biggest fight of his career. They always are, by the way. But this one is the big one. This one is the final hurdle, this is the one that gets him a title fight, maybe if he's victorious. He's only 30 years old." Prior to losing three fights in a row, Usman had defended his welterweight title five times. Many could argue that Usman's losses aren't a clear indication that his best days are behind him after he was en route to a dominant decision over Leon Edwards at UFC 278 before getting caught with a last-minute head kick. He lost a close decision to Edwards in their trilogy at UFC 286, then impressed in a majority decision loss to the dominant Chimaev at UFC 294.
USA Today
30-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Daniel Cormier: UFC Atlanta is Kamaru Usman's last chance to 'stay relevant'
Daniel Cormier: UFC Atlanta is Kamaru Usman's last chance to 'stay relevant' Daniel Cormier sees UFC on ESPN 69 as a must-win for former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) will look to snap a three-fight losing skid when he takes on Joaquin Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in the June 14 headliner at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Although Usman hasn't gotten his hand raised since November 2021, Cormier thinks a win over the streaking Buckley can completely change the narrative. "I think it's a really good matchup, and it will show what Kamaru Usman has left," Cormier said on "Good Guy/Bad Guy" with Chael Sonnen. "I mean point-blank, right? All great champions have a time frame for greatness, because time doesn't wait for anyone. It's going to keep going forward. So it's fair to say, right, he fought a while ago against Khamzat Chimaev and in losing, he almost elevated himself. Because he fought him so well when Chimaev was thought to be so dominant, and think about what Chimaev has done now to Robert Whitaker since the Kamaru Usman fight. "So yes, Usman doing what he did should be applauded, but a win over Buckley can propel him forward. Doesn't matter what happened with Leon Edwards because he's the biggest name, and if he wins he can then yell, 'Belal Muhammad, Jack Della Maddalena, I want my shot,' especially if Shavkat (Rakhmonov) is still hurt and those guys will listen. Is it safe to say that we are right in the midst of Kamaru's last chance – not best chance, this is his last chance to try to not only become a champion, but to even really stay relevant in his division." Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad defends his title against Jack Della Maddalena in the UFC 315 headliner on May 10 in Montreal. Usman has recently been trading barbs with Muhammad so, if both fighters emerge victorious, their storyline could lead to a title fight.
