MMA

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterJan 9, 2024, 10:14 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Jorge Masvidal‘s Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA will crown its first heavyweight champion early in 2024. Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos will fight fellow UFC veteran Alan Belcher for the title on March 2 in Orlando, the promotion announced Tuesday night. In

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterJan 8, 2024, 08:54 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Jon Jones had a second surgery in four months Monday, the MMA all-time great announced on social media. The UFC heavyweight champion said that he had a procedure done by Dr. Neil S. ElAttrache in California to shave down bone spurs in

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterJan 8, 2024, 10:08 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions The UFC has added a major lightweight matchup between Dustin Poirier and Benoit Saint Denis to its pay-per-view in March, UFC CEO Dana White announced Sunday evening.

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterJan 8, 2024, 10:16 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira will look to solidify himself as the division’s next title challenger against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 in April, UFC CEO Dana

Jan 8, 2024, 08:31 AM ET Open Extended Reactions This year is going to be a for MMA. Even with the sport having just a limited number of events already booked, there is plenty to look forward to. The UFC is set to host its 300th pay-per-view event in Las Vegas in April. The PFL

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterJan 5, 2024, 02:54 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Former UFC champion Chris Weidman‘s return from a serious leg injury will continue in March, when he takes on Bruno Silva at a UFC Fight Night event

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterJan 5, 2024, 03:17 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions While Michael Chandler‘s fight against Conor McGregor in June is not official, that won’t stop Chandler from getting into fight camp as early as this month. Chandler

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterJan 3, 2024, 01:21 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions UFC featherweight Bryce Mitchell says he will avoid contact training for six months after he was on the wrong end of one of the most vicious knockouts

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterJan 3, 2024, 09:28 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Let’s go, baby. It’s my annual “Fights I want to see most” for 2024, and you know what? I’m optimistic we’ll actually get to see a lot

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterDec 31, 2023, 01:37 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Conor McGregor intends to make his UFC return against Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas. Whether or not that actually happens still remains to be

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPNDec 27, 2023, 09:30 AM ET Open Extended Reactions In 2023, UFC champions put their belts up for grabs 16 times, and on six of those occasions the challenger walked out of the cage with the gold. If you add in the three bouts for vacant titles it becomes clear how turbulent the

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterDec 21, 2023, 10:28 PM ET Open Extended Reactions UFC 300 has its first three official fights. UFC CEO Dana White announced Thursday night on social media that former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka will face Aleksandar Rakic and former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling will move up to featherweight to

Dec 21, 2023, 09:45 AM ET Open Extended Reactions 2024 is shaping up to be a fascinating year in MMA. The UFC will celebrate its’ 300th pay-per-view event in April, Francis Ngannou — the “baddest man on the planet” — will make his debut in PFL (though we don’t know if it’ll be MMA or

Editor’s note: Watch Stephania Bell’s documentary on Chris Weidman’s recovery on ESPN+. Chris Weidman lay face down in the Octagon, writhing in pain and trying to understand the severity of his injury. The former UFC middleweight champion was just 17 seconds into his fight against Uriah Hall at UFC 261 in Jacksonville, Florida, on April

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterDec 18, 2023, 10:15 AM ET Open Extended Reactions LAS VEGAS — Ali Abdelaziz posted a few lines Dec. 10 on social media that raised the collective eyebrows of the mixed martial arts industry. The prominent MMA manager, who has helped guide the careers of all-time greats such as Khabib Nurmagomedov

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterDec 17, 2023, 01:17 AM ET Open Extended Reactions LAS VEGAS — Leon Edwards took all of Colby Covington‘s trash talk leading into the fight, stayed composed and put together a poised performance. Edwards defeated Covington via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) in the main event of UFC 296 on Saturday

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterDec 17, 2023, 12:37 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions LAS VEGAS — Alexandre Pantoja secured the first defense of his flyweight championship on Saturday, outworking Brandon Royval in a clear decision victory in the co-main event

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterDec 17, 2023, 03:13 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The UFC has signed coveted free agent Michael “Venom” Page, and he is already booked in a major fight early next year. UFC president Dana White announced the signing Saturday night at the UFC 296 postfight news conference in Las Vegas. Page,