UFC News

Robert Whittaker, UFC Vegas 24
Robert Whittaker

Odds: Robert Whittaker favored over new interim champion Israel Adesanya

Tom Taylor - April 16, 2019

Having won the UFC interim middleweight championship with a thrilling decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum in the co-main event of UFC 236 this past Saturday, Israel Adesanya can now look forward to a title-unifying collision with undisputed middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. This clash between New Zealand’s Adesanya and Australia’s Whittaker will likely go down in Australia late this year, per UFC President Dana White.

Yoel Romero, Israel Adesanya
Yoel Romero

Yoel Romero to Israel Adesanya: 'See you soon'

Tom Taylor - April 16, 2019

Over the weekend, in the co-main event of UFC 236, undefeated UFC middleweight contender Israel Adesanya became the interim champion with a dazzling decision defeat of the dangerous Kelvin Gastelum. Adesanya’s thrilling victory over Gastelum caught the attention of pretty much every member of the MMA community. That includes former middleweight title challenger Yoel Romero, who sent the new interim champion a quick message post fight.

Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov

Odds: Khabib Nurmagomedov opens as significant favorite over Dustin Poirier

Tom Taylor - April 16, 2019

Dustin Poirier is now the UFC interim lightweight champion. He won this title with a riveting decision defeat of reigning UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway in the UFC 236 main event. With a UFC belt now wrapped round his waist, Dustin Poirier can look forward to a title unifying showdown with undisputed champion Khabib Nurmagomedov — perhaps as soon as September.

Kevin Lee
Rafael dos Anjos

Kevin Lee wanted Rafael dos Anjos fight to be first 165-pound matchup

James Lynch - April 16, 2019

Kevin Lee wanted to make history with Rafael Dos Anjos. The 26-year-old asked the UFC if his matchup with Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC Rochester could be the first fight in the promotion’s history at 165-pounds. Instead the “Motown Phenom” has to settle for a welterweight contest instead, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t make a statement about the weight class on May 18. Lee thought about the idea of showing up five pounds less for the welterweight contest to make a statement.

Kelvin Gastelum, UFC 236
Max Holloway

UFC 236 medical suspensions: Holloway, Gastelum facing indefinite sits

Tom Taylor - April 16, 2019

UFC 236, which went down last Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia, featured a bevy of impressive finishes and back-and-forth wars. Unfortunately, that means it also produced some significant medical suspensions. Max Holloway, who lost a decision to Dustin Poirier in an interim lightweight title fight in the main event, has been sidelined indefinitely. So too has Kelvin Gastelum, who came up short to Israel Adesanya in an interim middleweight title fight in the UFC 236 co-main event.

Robert-Whittaker
Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker says Israel Adesanya got exposed in Kelvin Gastelum fight at UFC 236

Cole Shelton - April 15, 2019

Israel Adesanya became the interim middleweight champion after beating Kelvin Gastelum by unanimous decision at UFC 236. Now, the plan is for Adesanya to unify his belt with current champion, Robert Whittaker, potentially in a stadium in Australia. Although ‘The Last Stylebender’ is undefeated, Whittaker believes it is an easy matchup for him, this after seeing Adesanya get exposed against Gastelum.

Dominick Cruz TJ Dillashaw
UFC

Dominick Cruz talks TJ Dillashaw suspension: 'Two years is nothing'

Drake Riggs - April 15, 2019

When it comes to the two greatest bantamweight fighters of all time, the two that will come to mind first will surely be former two-time UFC champions, Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw. The former WEC kingpin, Cruz was, of course, the division’s inaugural UFC champion. Since his Octagon debut in 2011, he would go on to defend the title a total of three times across two reigns. For his second reign, he would earn back the belt that he originally lost due to injury by defeating Dillashaw.

Jon-Jones-Israel-Adesanya
Jon Jones

Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones continue to banter back and forth

Drake Riggs - April 15, 2019

The undefeated Nigerian kickboxing sensation, Israel Adesanya had a star like quality to him that was evident as soon as he made his Octagon debut in February 2018. Five fights later and he’s now the interim champion of the middleweight division. To earn that label, ‘The Last Stylebender’ defeated Kelvin Gastelum in a thrilling fight of the year candidate in UFC 236’s co-main event this past Saturday.

Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway
Max Holloway

Dustin Poirier sends heartfelt message to Max Holloway: 'We need more people like you in MMA'

Thomas Taylor - April 15, 2019

Last Saturday night, in the main event of the action-packed UFC 236 card, streaking lightweight contender Dustin Poirier stepped into the cage with reigning UFC featherweight champ Max Holloway to battle for the interim lightweight belt. The result was a riveting, five-round battle that left both men bruised and bloodied. In the end, the judges named Dustin Poirier the victor of this bout. Now the interim lightweight champion, Poirier wants his vanquished foe Max Holloway to know how thankful he is for the fight, which earned them both $50,000 Fight of the Night bonuses.

Dominick Cruz
UFC

Dominick Cruz shares potential timeframe for return to the cage

Tom Taylor - April 15, 2019

Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has not fought since December of 2016, when he surrendered the title to then-undefeated challenger Cody Garbrandt. Absences of this kind, of course, are unfortunately nothing new for Dominick Cruz. The former champion has fought just five times since 2011.

Daniel Cormier, Dana White
Dana White

Dana White addresses critics of Daniel Cormier vs. Brock Lesnar fight

Tom Taylor - April 15, 2019

UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier has been angling for a super fight with former heavyweight champ and long-time WWE star Brock Lesnar for some time. Not everybody, however, is a fan of this potential matchup. In fact, some fans outright hate the idea, adamant that Brock Lesnar doesn’t deserve a title shot, and that Daniel Cormier should instead defend his title against a more legitimate heavyweight contender.

Chris Weidman, New York Islanders, NHL
UFC

Chris Weidman opens up on his former plan to try out for the New York Islanders

Tom Taylor - April 15, 2019

We’re used to seeing Chris Weidman in 4oz. MMA gloves and Reebok fight shorts, but from the sounds of it, he nearly ended up on skates. Speaking to MSG Networks amid the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, the former UFC middleweight champion divulged that he previously planned to try out for the New York Islanders. He hoped to become a high-scoring, physical center for the NHL team.

Dana White, UFC, Tony Ferguson, Jon Jones, UFC on ESPN 12
UFC

Dana White promises to 'unveil the future of fighting in the next two months'

Tom Taylor - April 15, 2019

Speaking backstage at UFC 236 over the weekend, UFC President Dana White started hinting at something big. Though it’s not completely clear just what he has in store, he promised that it will change the future of fighting as we know it. Not just the UFC, but fighting as a whole.

Israel Adesanya, UFC 236, Yoel Romero
UFC 236

The biggest winners from UFC 236

Mike Straus - April 15, 2019

UFC 236, emanating from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, was an extremely exciting night of fights. From the very first bantamweight scrap to kick off the 13-fight card to the double interim title fight main event, UFC 236 was one of the more memorable night of fights in recent years.

Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor
Khabib Nurmagomedov

Dana White confirms Dustin Poirier will fight Khabib Nurmagomedov next

Tom Taylor - April 15, 2019

Dustin Poirier is now the UFC interim lightweight champion. He won this title with a riveting decision defeat of reigning UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway in the UFC 236 main event. Even with this new piece of hardware wrapped around his waist, however, their was still some question as to whether Dustin Poirier would get the next crack at undisputed lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. This doubt was due primarily to the presence of Conor McGregor and Tony Ferguson in the division, either of whom could seemingly jump to the front of the lightweight contendership line.

Kelvin-Gastelum-Israel-Adesanya
Israel Adesanya

Dana White reacts to Kelvin Gastelum vs Israel Adesanya from UFC 236

Christopher Taylor - April 15, 2019

Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya delivered one of the greatest fights in history at last night’s UFC 236 event in Atlanta according to President Dana White. ‘Stylebender’ and ‘KG’ went back and forth for the better portion of twenty-five minutes in what could only be described as an all out war.

Israel Adesanya, Paulo Costa, Stephen Thompson
Paulo Costa

Paulo Costa takes shot at 'fake' champ Israel Adesanya after UFC 236

Tom Taylor - April 14, 2019

On Saturday night, in the co-main event of the action-packed UFC 236 card, undefeated striking specialist Israel Adesanya claimed the interim middleweight title with a thrilling decision defeat of Kelvin Gastelum. In the wake of this win, Adesanya has been praised for his incredible efforts and also his ability to survive Gastelum’s many strong moments in the fight. Not everybody, however, is celebrating the new interim middleweight champion.

Justin Gaethje
Justin Gaethje

Justin Gaethje lists potential opponents for next fight

Tom Taylor - April 14, 2019

Justin Gaethje, who was in attendance for UFC 236 on Saturday night, is hoping to keep marching toward a UFC lightweight title shot as Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov look to unify their titles later this year. Speaking to the media backstage, the former World Series of Fighting lightweight champion divulged that he’s got his eyes on two potential opponents in particular: Tony Ferguson and Conor McGregor.