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Belal Muhammad believes Max Holloway should initially play it really safe against Conor McGregor.

McGregor (22-6) returns to action after a five-year hiatus from the Ultimate Fighting Championship in a welterweight matchup against Holloway (27-9) in the main event of UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. While Muhammad foresees a striking-heavy bout, he believes Holloway should be the one to initiate wrestling against the returning former two-division champion.

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Belal Muhammad explains why Max Holloway should wrestle Conor McGregor early at UFC 329 Muhammad notes that McGregor's form, speed and power are unknown after his long layoff. The former welterweight champion believes “Notorious” could still pose a serious knockout threat in the first two to three minutes, especially considering his move up to 170 pounds.

The 37-year-old also believes the Irish superstar’s gas tank, which was an issue even in his prime, will be an even bigger factor now.<…

Daniel Cormier not only saw his national team crash out of the FIFA World Cup but also lost a bet to Paddy Pimblett.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer had bet $1,000 on the U.S. to defeat Belgium in the Round of 16 knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup. However, the co-hosts were knocked out via a 1-4 loss to Belgium and Cormier has paid his dues after meeting Pimblett in Las Vegas ahead of UFC 329.

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Daniel Cormier pays Paddy Pimblett after losing FIFA World Cup bet Cormier admittedly let the hype get the better of him after the U.S. defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32. The former UFC double champ immediately paid Pimblett in cash, saying, “I was filled with unnecessary confidence watching us beat Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sh*t! Bro, I owe you money. I owe you $1,000.”

They are both in Las Vegas, with UFC 329 set to go down at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 11. Pimblett will look to return to winning wa…

Brandon Royval has been serving his community for half a decade.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight recently revealed that he has been volunteering for five years at the Denver Dream Center, a non-profit organization that helps youth from troubled backgrounds rebuild their lives.

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Brandon Royval’s Denver Dream Center volunteer work before UFC 329 Royval feels privileged to have built personal relationships with less-fortunate kids and watched them grow into young adults. The former title challenger said in the UFC 329 “Embedded” video series:

“The Dream Center is – we pick up the kids in the local area, normally the lower-income area. We bring them, feed them, just create relationships, and check up on everybody… Five years I’ve been a volunteer there. And it’s cool cause most of the kids are in middle school or high school. So I’ve watched them become young adults and handle adversity. So it’s been really cool and a real privilege.”

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Benoit St. Denis claims he is medically cleared to fight at the upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship event.

St. Denis is set to take on Paddy Pimblett in a lightweight bout in the co-main event of UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 11. Hawk-eyed fans recently noticed a small scar on the Frenchman’s right foot in training videos. This instantly sparked speculation of a staph infection, which could potentially lead to the cancellation of the fight.

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Benoit St. Denis shuts down staph rumors before Paddy Pimblett clash St. Denis has assured fans that he doesn’t have a staph infection. “God of War” claims the mark of his foot is merely a scab, which is pretty common. He told RMC Sport Combat:

“No, not at all, I don’t have staph. Everything happens very quickly on social media; it’s crazy. I did have a scab on my foot, yes, but it’s not staph. That’s all it was. These are things that can happen. But the camp was managed very well…

Sean Strickland believes Dustin Poirier is genuinely dealing with mental health issues.

Poirier was recently arrested at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for threatening to fight a police officer while drunk. Currently out on bail, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship star has since opened up about his alcoholism and depression.

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Sean Strickland explains why he changed his opinion on Dustin Poirier’s struggles Strickland (31-7) initially went off on Poirier (30-10) for claiming to be depressed. The UFC middleweight champion said that “The Diamond” has no right to be depressed as he’s rich and well-loved, while those less fortunate battle each day.

However, Strickland has since changed his stance after speaking to Poirier. He is convinced that the former interim champion honestly regrets his actions and isn’t just trying to clean up his image in the media. Strickland wrote on X:

“I spoke to Dustin and he is legitimately messe…

Shavkat Rakhmonov is finally hitting pads after months of recovery and rehabilitation.

While Rakhmonov (19-0) was once widely considered the most promising welterweight contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he has been sidelined for a year and a half due to a knee injury. He was expected to challenge then-champion Belal Muhammad for the title in December 2024, but Muhammad withdrew due to a bone infection. Rakhmonov went on to defeat Ian Garry instead on the same card.

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Shavkat Rakhmonov resumes striking training as the unbeaten UFC welterweight contender continues recovering from knee surgery Rakhmonov allegedly went into the fight against Garry with a knee injury that was aggravated. While “Nomad” was expected to recover within a year, he was seen with a knee brace and crutches earlier this year.

Furthermore, Rakhmonov’s manager subsequently confirmed that the 170-pound star had to undergo surgery this past January after re-injuring his…

Dustin Poirier has shared intimate details about his father’s struggles with alcoholism and its influence on him.

Poirier (30-10) was recently arrested at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for public drunkenness. While the former Ultimate Fighting Championship star was traveling to South Florida, he started drinking during the layover in Atlanta. He was then denied entry to his flight, following which he uttered a racial slur and threatened to fight a police officer, got arrested and was later released on bail.

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He recently revealed that the alcohol binge that led to the arrest was partly triggered by memories of his father. “The Diamond” claims his father has been a lifelong victim of alcohol addiction, which led to estrangement from friends and family.

“He’s ruined his marriages; he’s ruined his relationships, his friendships. He’s ruined his relationship with his kids,” Poirier said on “The Diary of a CEO” podcast. “My little broth…

Craig Jones didn’t have much to say when Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov brought up the jiu-jitsu vs. combat sambo debate with him.

Jones is considered one of the best jiu-jitsu practitioners of recent times. He has humorously taken shots at combat sambo repeatedly, claiming to have found the answer to elite wrestlers like Makhachev and Nurmagomedov. Moreover, Jones has been an integral part of multiple Australian fighters’ camps leading up to fights against wrestlers.

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However, he found himself on the losing side when Jack Della Maddalena put his welterweight title on the line against Makhachev at UFC 322 last November. Despite Jones’ assistance, Della Maddalena was dominated on the ground for five rounds by Makhachev, who then confronted the grappling coach about his jiu-jitsu superiority claims.Craig Jones explains his exchange with Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov after UFC 322While Jones didn’t say it to Makhachev’s face, he though…

Veronica Hardy has been ruled out of her fight against Dione Barbosa at UFC Oklahoma City.

They were slated to lock horns at the next Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Night on July 18. However, Hardy suffered a cut while training, leading her to withdraw from the fight card. Instead, Anna Melisano has stepped in to take on Barbosa.

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Veronica Hardy withdraws after training injury, Anna Melisano steps in Hardy has revealed in an Instagram post how she suffered a cut during a recent training session. She posted a video of her sparring session, including slow-motion footage of a clash of heads with her training partner. Her post also includes images of her cut, both open and stitched up.

“It pains me to write this. I’ve replayed the day over and over wishing it would have gone differently,” Hardy wrote in the caption. “The headgear wasn’t enough. I was so excited for Oklahoma City and I’m left heartbroken and disappointed. I am very sorry. I hope t…

Dustin Poirier isn’t ruling out a return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Poirier (30-10) called it a career last year following a loss to Max Holloway. While “The Diamond” never tasted undisputed UFC gold despite three bids, he enjoyed a memorable run in the lightweight division. The former interim champion recently admitted that he’s still open to a return to the Octagon for a lucrative fight.

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Dustin Poirier isn't done yet—and he already has two dream opponents Poirier’s former foe, Conor McGregor, returns to action after a five-year hiatus against Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11. McGregor hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in a trilogy loss against “The Diamond” back in 2021.

The American is open to ending his retirement to fight McGregor for a fourth time and would also consider returning for a bout against Nate Diaz. Poirier vs. Diaz never came to fruition despite nearly materializing previously. Furthermore, while Poirier is 1-1 again…

Dricus Du Plessis has accused former Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder Kamaru Usman of delaying their bout.

While Usman and du Plessis are now confirmed to be squaring off at UFC Oklahoma City on July 18, the latter claims “The Nigerian Nightmare” wasn’t keen on the matchup. Ahead of the two former champions’ clash, du Plessis has revealed that the UFC had to convince Usman to sign the contract.

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Dricus Du Plessis claims Kamaru Usman didn’t want UFC fight contract The UFC Oklahoma City main event announcement was left until the 11th hour, despite du Plessis claiming weeks earlier that he’d been offered a fight and was waiting for his opponent to sign the contract. With the Fight Night headlining bout now confirmed, “Stillknocks” has opened up about how it came together.

“He didn’t want to sign the contract. I know that for a fact,” du Plessis said in an interview with Fight Forecast. “I spoke to the UFC and they said, ‘We finally convinced…

Conor McGregor claims he’s currently the most dangerous version of himself.

Days before his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship following a five-year hiatus, McGregor has stated his belief that he’s in his athletic prime going into a rematch with Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

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Conor McGregor prepares for Max Holloway rematch at UFC 329 McGregor is high in confidence heading into UFC 329. Despite being 37 years old and coming off a lengthy absence from competition, the former two-division champion is eager to add more accolades to his legacy.

“I feel there’s so much left for me to conquer in this game. So much more accolades. More belts, more knockouts, more records, more cash,” he told The Mac Life ahead of his return to the Octagon. “I am taking everything of what I have built. The fight game in the combat sports world is McGregor’s world. And I’m in my prime here now. So, it is on me now to go and sho…

Paddy Pimblett is plotting a Conor McGregor fight if they both win at UFC 329.

McGregor (22-6) is set to return after a five-year hiatus from the Ultimate Fighting Championship in a welterweight matchup against Max Holloway (27-9) in the main event of the upcoming numbered event on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Pimblett (23-4) co-headlines the card in a lightweight bout against Benoit St. Denis (17-3).

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Paddy Pimblett wants Conor McGregor matchup at UFC’s MSG event Pimblett wants to fight again before the end of the year. If McGregor defeats Holloway, he wants to face the Irish superstar on the UFC’s annual card at Madison Square Garden in New York, typically scheduled for November. While the Liverpool native competes at lightweight, he is willing to move up to 170 pounds to face the former two-division champion.

“The perfect fight for me would be Conor… Mad being on the same card as Conor McGregor. The biggest name in the spor…

Jon Jones didn’t have difficulty choosing between two of the greatest soccer players of all time.

Jones (28-1) was recently asked to pick between soccer legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, siding with the former for one simple reason. “Bones” revealed that he has built a friendship with Ronaldo over Instagram DMs.

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“I’m going with Ronaldo, all day, 'cause Ronaldo writes to me,” He told a fan in an Instagram video. “We have an open dialogue on Instagram. We DM each other every once in a while. So, I have a good relationship with Ronaldo. Gotta go with my friend.”Jon Jones explains why Cristiano Ronaldo beat Lionel Messi in his soccer GOAT debate Jones isn’t the only mixed martial arts fighter Ronaldo has a friendship with. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star also has regular communication with Khabib Nurmagomedov and is a stakeholder in Ilia Topuria’s MMA promotion, The Way of the Warrior.

Ronaldo was even spotted sitti…

Dustin Poirier wants to make amends for the behavior that led to his arrest.

Poirier (30-10) was recently arrested at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after threatening to fight a police officer and being denied permission to board a flight. He was admittedly drunk when he approached the airport desk. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight believes the desk agents denied him entry and called the police after seeing him intoxicated.

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Dustin Poirier’s airport arrest and apology to the police officer involved Poirier recently issued an apology to the desk agents with whom he got into an altercation. “The Diamond” has also asked his lawyer to acquire the contact details of the police officer he threatened to fight and called a racial slur.

Poirier now wants to contact the officer to let him know what a great job he did. He admits that things could have taken a turn for the worse if it hadn’t been for the police officer…

Sean Strickland doesn’t understand depression.

Ultimate Fighting Championship fan-favorite Dustin Poirier was recently prohibited from boarding a plane and subsequently arrested for alleged public drunkenness. Addressing the incident, “The Diamond” has opened up about his battle with depression.

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However, Strickland is having none of it.Sean Strickland criticizes Dustin Poirier’s comments about depression and mental health The UFC middleweight champion says Poirier is not allowed to be depressed, as he is rich and loved by many. The former middleweight champion wrote on X:

Dustin "Im depressed" bro what? Youre rich and loved by thousands of people.. Youre not allowed to be depressed...

What you did is got kicked off a flight and tried to fight a cop....relax it happens to the best of us #IGBBMN

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) July 6, 2026

Strickland then slammed how those with a stable life are being depress…

Joe Lauzon doesn’t know the details of his Ultimate Fighting Championship contract despite signing with BKFC.

Lauzon (28-15) is scheduled to make his BKFC debut on Aug. 29 at Fenway Park in Boston, the iconic home of Major League Baseball’s Red Sox franchise. Lauzon’s opponent is yet to be determined.

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Lauzon recently detailed his conversation with UFC executive Hunter Campbell about signing with BKFC. While Lauzon hasn’t fought since 2019, his contract with the UFC hasn’t officially expired. The UFC has now written a letter allowing Lauzon to compete in BKFC. However, despite signing a multi-fight contract with the BKFC, Lauzon isn’t sure if he is officially out of his UFC contract.

“I emailed the UFC, I’m like, ‘What’s the status of my contract?’... I think they didn’t cut me out of respect more than anything,” Lauzon told MMA Fighting. “I talked to Hunter on the phone and told him what I wanna do. He’s like, ‘We love you. Every time you come out,…

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s teammate believes the former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion will never compete in any combat sport again.

Zubaira Tukhugov (20-6) is scheduled to meet former UFC foe Elves Brenner in a no-gi grappling match at ACBJJ 21 this weekend in Moscow. Ahead of the matchup, Tukhugov revealed that Nurmagomedov isn’t very excited about the idea of his return to competition.

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Nurmagomedov has been persuading Tukhugov to retire, suggesting that he just continue training to stay in shape. The latter told Red Corner MMA: “He laughed and was like, ‘Why do you need this?’ Leave the sport and just train for yourself. He’s been persuading me to retire for a long time.”Zubaira Tukhugov on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s future Nurmagomedov (29-0) retired from mixed martial arts as the undefeated, undisputed UFC lightweight champion in 2020. Despite multiple attempts by Dana White to bring him out of retirement, “The Eagle” has stood firm o…

Tracy Cortez believes her move to Mexico City has made her a better athlete.

Cortez is scheduled to fight Cong Wang at UFC 329 9 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Cortez’s longtime coach Santino Defranco retired from coaching following her loss against Erin Blanchfield this past November. Cortez subsequently parted ways with the Fight Ready gym in Scottsdale, Arizona. Cortez has since moved to Mexico City to train at the UFC Performance Institute for her upcoming bout.

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Cortez claims she is still on good terms with the Fight Ready team. However, the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight believes she outgrew them, fuelling her move to Mexico City. The move has not only helped Cortez develop as an athlete, but also helped her connect deeper to her Mexican roots.Tracy Cortez departure from Fight Ready and coaching split explained “Obviously, I know I’m on good terms with them, but I just felt like I outgrew them… It's just one of those thing…

Dzhihad Yunusov has reportedly passed away while fighting for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Yunusov was embroiled in controversy this past May after alleged footage emerged of him assaulting two of his neighbors. Yunusov reportedly threw coffee at an elderly woman and also assaulted her daughter when she intervened.

The feud allegedly started when Yunusov asked his neighbour to reposition her security camera so it no longer recorded his door. Yunusov was subsequently expelled from the Akhmat Fight Club, which Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov owns.

Yunusov enlisted in the Russian army soon after. According to reports, Yunusov was initially expected to serve his time away from the front lines. However, Yunusov was reportedly dispatched to the warzone after a falling out with leadership.

Yunusov (19-8) had last competed in 2024 under the ACA banner.

OK, I've got the context. The woman is Yunusov's neighbour and she installed a camer…

Ian Garry is drawing inspiration from Sean Strickland ahead of his maiden title bid in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Garry (17-1) believes he can pull off an upset and emerge victorious when he takes on welterweight champion Islam Makhachev (28-1) in the main event of UFC 330 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Aug. 15. The Irishman is high in confidence, especially considering the last two numbered events ended in big upsets.

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Ian Garry is looking to replicate Sean Strickland’s success Garry questions those who aren’t giving him a chance against Makhachev and points to Strickland’s win over the previously unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328.

“If people think when Sean Strickland goes out and beats Khamzat Chimaev and upsets the apple cart, and no one expected, no one can sit here and think that it's impossible that I can beat Islam Makhachev,” He told Paul Browne.

“The Future” added that he’s a far more well-rounded fighter than …

Paddy Pimblett recently reflected on his infamous post-fight incident while competing for Cage Warriors.

After a 2016 title fight in London, Pimblett suffered a memorable mishap during his post-fight interview due to a pre-fight mistake. He has now shed light on his worst weight-cutting gaffes, one of which ultimately led to the viral moment.

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Paddy Pimblett reflects on infamous vomiting clip Pimblett vomiting soon after his 2016 featherweight title fight against Julian Erosa at Cage Warriors “Unplugged 1” remains one of his standout memories from fighting in the England-based promotion. He secured a decision win, but his pre-fight meal got the better of him during the post-fight interview. He recalled on his YouTube channel:

“When I spewed in the cage [after fighting Erosa], it wasn’t because of the refuel; it was just because of being an idiot before I went to the venue. Before I went to the venue, I went to Starbucks or Costco… I got a hot chocol…

Terence “Bud” Crawford has shut down Conor McGregor’s claims about a $200 million offer.

McGregor has previously said that a two-fight crossover offer was on the table courtesy of Turki Al-Sheikh. However, according to the Irishman, Crawford turned it down. The unbeaten boxer has now clarified whether the offer was real.

Crawford has revealed that there was no serious offer for a two-fight deal comprising a boxing and a mixed martial arts bout against McGregor.

“That was a lie. It was cap. It wasn’t never no $200 million offer,” Crawford told Ariel Helwani. “They asked me would I do it, and I told them, ‘You ain’t about to be kicking on me, Conor.’ We were on FaceTime, and I did tell him that. But they didn’t say, ‘Hey, you got $200 million. You fight him in boxing and MMA.’ That was never the case. If it was said to me, I could say there was an offer, but if nothing is previewed to me, I can’t say what is what. He’s making up numbers, in my head.”

Terence Cr…

Conor McGregor is leaving no stone unturned in preparation for his Octagon return.

McGregor’s five-year hiatus will come to an end when he takes on Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The Irishman believes that putting in the hard yards and staying “quiet” is a sign of confidence ahead of his return.

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Conor McGregor describes quiet training camp for UFC 329 With his rematch with Holloway fast approaching, McGregor is feeling the benefits of a solid training camp. He claims his team’s “no flash” approach in preparation for UFC 329 will aid him going into the bout.

“I feel great. I feel absolutely amazing. Stellar,” The former two-division champion told The Mac Life. “The work has been exceptional. No corners cut. You know, no flash. We’ve been quiet this camp, and we’ve been at work. So, that’s confidence. If there’s a lack of confidence, you need to share things to get this ego boost. We don’t need it. We’ll do it on th…