Latest news with #UFCFightNight256
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Noche UFC loses Mexican flyweight due to leg injury
Noche UFC had four Mexico-born fights set to compete, and now it has three. Edgar Chairez has withdrawn from the Sept. 13 event in San Antonio, he announced Wednesday in a series of Instagram stories. According to Chairez (12-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC), he suffered a leg injury and tried to push through it – but his body would not let him. Chairez was scheduled to face Alessandro Costa. "Before the gossipmongers and those who don't know a thing tell you, I'm going to let you know that I won't be fighting at Noche," Chairez said in Spanish. "Unfortunately, it's impossible for me to compete since I broke my leg. Well, first it was my neck. They discharged me and I was already getting back into my rhythm, and now my foot. Well, I've been wanting to try everything for 10 days now. "I was competitive like that, but no, I can't even walk. I have to be out for about a month without putting any weight on my leg, and then they'll start training. But since I'm back in shape, I'll continue dieting, etc. And well, I want to move my fight to mid-October for a month more, so I'll be ready. Oh, we'll see if it's with the same opponent or another." It's unclear what the promotion has in store for Costa (14-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) or if a replacement will be sought. With the change, the UFC Fight Night 256 lineup includes:
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gilbert Burns in 'concussion protocol,' wants Daniel Rodriguez for UFC return
ABU DHABI – Gilbert Burns has a name in mind for his next UFC opponent. Burns (22-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC) is currently dealing with the physical aftermath of a first-round TKO loss to unbeaten Michael Morales at UFC Fight Night 256 in May, which marked a fourth consecutive defeat for the one-time welterweight title challenger. He hopes he's cleared by doctors in the coming months, however, and Burns said he's looking at a showdown with Daniel Rodriguez, who is on a three-fight winning streak after edging Kevin Holland on the scorecards at UFC 318 this month. "I'm looking toward December," Burn told MMA Junkie. "I had a little concussion, I'm still not able to come back, so I've still got to get a few more things in the protocol to get able to get back to training. I've still got to take it easy a bit. It was a hard one, but I'm looking toward December. I just saw Daniel Rodriguez just got a nice win against Kevin Holland. He's ranked now. I think that should be a fun one. Me and Daniel Rodriguez in December, maybe January." Burns said his concussion came with the knockout blow from Morales in the octagon. The 39-year-old said he's "feeling much better now," but it being intelligent with his recovery process and won't allow himself to do contact training until fully cleared. "Let's see how the concussion protocol goes," Burns said. "That's one I'm looking forward to. With the brain you can't play it all. We've got to take it most serious. Most likely December or January. Let's see how it goes." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Gilbert Burns in 'concussion protocol,' wants Daniel Rodriguez next
USA Today
24-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Gilbert Burns in 'concussion protocol,' wants Daniel Rodriguez for UFC return
ABU DHABI – Gilbert Burns has a name in mind for his next UFC opponent. Burns (22-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC) is currently dealing with the physical aftermath of a first-round TKO loss to unbeaten Michael Morales at UFC Fight Night 256 in May, which marked a fourth consecutive defeat for the one-time welterweight title challenger. He hopes he's cleared by doctors in the coming months, however, and Burns said he's looking at a showdown with Daniel Rodriguez, who is on a three-fight winning streak after edging Kevin Holland on the scorecards at UFC 318 this month. "I'm looking toward December," Burn told MMA Junkie. "I had a little concussion, I'm still not able to come back, so I've still got to get a few more things in the protocol to get able to get back to training. I've still got to take it easy a bit. It was a hard one, but I'm looking toward December. I just saw Daniel Rodriguez just got a nice win against Kevin Holland. He's ranked now. I think that should be a fun one. Me and Daniel Rodriguez in December, maybe January." Burns said his concussion came with the knockout blow from Morales in the octagon. The 39-year-old said he's "feeling much better now," but it being intelligent with his recovery process and won't allow himself to do contact training until fully cleared. "Let's see how the concussion protocol goes," Burns said. "That's one I'm looking forward to. With the brain you can't play it all. We've got to take it most serious. Most likely December or January. Let's see how it goes."
USA Today
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Daniel Zellhuber sees Michael Johnson as a 'stepping stone,' promises KO at UFC 318
Daniel Zellhuber expects a big win at UFC 318. Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway 3, rightfully so, has drawn most of the attention of the MMA community heading into Saturday's UFC 318, given it's the main event and Poirier's farewell from the sport. But down below, in the opening bout of the UFC 318 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) pay-per-view card, there's another lightweight matchup that's heating up. Mexican prospect Daniel Zellhuber takes on one of the three men to ever knock out Poirier, UFC veteran Michael Johnson. This matchup wasn't just a fun booking from the UFC matchmakers, it was a fight Zellhuber picked himself. "I began to bother Michael Johnson, making fun of him here and there, calling him old, and it worked," Zellhuber told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "I got his attention. He blocked me on Instagram, which I thought was very funny. After he blocked me on Instagram, it got even funnier." After taking some online shots from Zellhuber (15-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC), Johnson (23-19 MMA, 15-15 UFC) confronted "Golden Boy" while he was working the Spanish broadcast for UFC Fight Night 256 in May. The two traded verbal jabs, and then Johnson went his own way. "That day on the broadcast, he came up to me. I had been bothering him, and looking for that fight before I got injured for Mexico," Zellhuber said. "He didn't want to fight with me. He kept turning it down, turning down, and turning it down, like throwing a tantrum. He has like 30 years in this game and can't take a joke online. That's wild. "He blocked me on Instagram, threw a fit, and finally that day he thought it was a good idea to confront me. That day I was working, so it's not like I could do anything. We had words for each other, nothing that crossed any lines. I'd never take things too far. So we had a few words and a few weeks later, I got the word I was fighting him. I think he still has me blocked on Instagram." Zellhuber really likes the matchup against Johnson, hence the callout. He's happy the fight was able to come together for UFC 318 and sees Johnson as a step towards his ultimate goal – the UFC lightweight title. "I've prepared very well, and we did an extensive study of all his fights," Zellhuber said. "I've noticed he hasn't really improved, and I mean, why would he? He's 40 years old. He's in the UFC because he goes out there, fights hard, gives somewhat of a show, and he serves as a stepping stone for young fighters like myself. In the end, that's what this is. He's just one more step in my career." As far as the fight itself, Zellhuber doesn't expect a war like the one he was in last September against Esteban Ribovics, which won MMA Junkie's Fight of the Year. He believes he will put away Johnson. "He needs to make the most out of this opportunity because after I knock him out on Saturday, he's not going to get another call to fight on a pay-per-view."
USA Today
05-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Randy Brown targets ranked UFC opponent next, interested in Gilbert Burns
LAS VEGAS - Randy Brown thinks he's earned a ranked UFC opponent for his next fight. Winner of eight of his past 10 fights, Brown (20-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC) is coming off a Fight of the Night knockout of Nicolas Dalby at UFC on ESPN 66 in April. He is certain that he'll get a big step up in competition after his statement performance against Dalby. "I would love October," Brown told MMA Junkie on the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame red carpet. "There's so many different guys I'd love to fight. I know that I'm fighting in the rankings next so, it's moving. The division is moving. So for me, I like Geoff Neal. I think that's a great fight. I also think that Gilbert Burns is another great fight for me. There's so much opportunities right now in the division, and I think there's a lot of opportunities for myself." Geoff Neal is rumored to be rebooked against Carlos Prates at UFC 319 on Aug. 16 in Chicago. As for Gilbert Burns (22-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC), the former title challenger lost his fourth-straight fight when he was knocked out by Michael Morales in the UFC Fight Night 256 headliner, but sits in the No. 10 spot in the welterweight rankings. Brown was happy to rebound in emphatic fashion after his controversial decision loss to Bryan Battle at UFC 310. "The way the Bryan Battle fight went, I personally thought I won," Brown said. "A lot of people thought I won, the company thought I won, but you can't leave it in the hands of the judges. That's just what it is, and yeah, that fight with Dalby was a moment to remind people that I'm still here, I'm still hungry, and I'm still very dangerous, and I belong in the top of the division with the best in the world."
