MMA

Oct 10, 2023, 10:40 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Sodiq Yusuff meets Edson Barboza in the men’s featherweight main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas. The fights at UFC Apex are on ESPN+, with the 7 p.m. ET main card preceded by prelims at 4 p.m. Yusuff (13-2) last fought just

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterOct 11, 2023, 09:39 PM ET Open Extended Reactions The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced Wednesday that UFC fighter Conor McGregor has officially returned to the drug-testing pool, the next step ahead of a potential return fight. But CEO Travis Tygart’s statement in an accompanying news release came with a caveat: USADA’s

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterOct 11, 2023, 04:59 PM ET Open Extended Reactions UFC 294 has another major change — with another high-profile replacement stepping in. Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will now fight Khamzat Chimaev in the co-main event of the card Oct. 21 in Abu Dhabi, UFC president Dana White announced Wednesday

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterOct 11, 2023, 01:40 PM ET Open Extended Reactions The UFC will hold its first-ever event in Saudi Arabia on March 2, 2024, officials told ESPN on Wednesday. The card will be a Fight Night in conjunction with Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season festival. According to a release, UFC president Dana White

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterOct 11, 2023, 12:28 AM ET When one rematch falls, another one rises. Alexander Volkanovski will step in for Charles Oliveira to face current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound title at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. Oliveira, who first fought Makhachev and lost at UFC 280 last year, was

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterOct 10, 2023, 11:12 PM ET The UFC’s next pay-per-view main event fell apart Tuesday, only for the promotion to put together arguably an even bigger fight. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is injured and out of the UFC lightweight title main event at UFC 294 on Oct. 21 in

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterOct 10, 2023, 08:23 PM ET A first-of-its-kind retirement fund for MMA fighters was signed into law Sunday in California by Gov. Gavin Newsom, per a news release Tuesday. The new law will go into effect beginning Jan. 1, 2024, according to California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) executive officer Andy Foster.

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterOct 10, 2023, 12:20 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis has signed to replace Curtis Blaydes in a main event fight against Jailton Almeida, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday. Lewis (27-11) just signed a new

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterOct 9, 2023, 01:58 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun UFC middleweight Paulo Costa underwent surgery to treat an infected bursa on his right elbow three weeks ago, ahead of his high-profile bout against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 on

Oct 8, 2023, 06:31 PM ET Three champions put their titles on the line at Bellator 300 on Saturday. Three champions dominated. The event at Pechanga Arena in San Diego showed off some high-level command from two champs and a little workmanlike mastery from the third. Lightweight champ Usman Nurmagomedov did the improbable in the

Jeff Wagenheim Oct 8, 2023, 12:42 AM ET The name Nurmagomedov has long been associated with undefeated fight careers and dominant lightweight performances. Usman Nurmagomedov, cousin of former UFC champion Khabib, continued the family tradition Saturday night in San Diego, successfully defending his Bellator lightweight championship with a one-sided unanimous-decision victory over former champ Brent

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterOct 6, 2023, 09:00 AM ET Jorge Masvidal was looking for a grappling transition, something that would give him an advantage in the second round of a fight against Toby Imada. Masvidal went for what looked like a single-leg takedown attempt. But Imada’s entire body went with it, up into the

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterOct 6, 2023, 09:17 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Longtime UFC middleweight Derek Brunson has signed an exclusive deal with the PFL and will face two-time welterweight champion Ray Cooper III in his promotional debut Nov. 24. PFL officials

Oct 2, 2023, 10:24 AM ET Grant Dawson meets Bobby Green in the lightweight main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas. The fights at UFC Apex are on ESPN+, with the 7 p.m. ET main card preceded by prelims at 4 p.m. Dawson (20-1-1) is unbeaten in his most recent 12

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterOct 4, 2023, 01:56 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Alexa Grasso recently underwent surgery on a previously undisclosed hand injury, the UFC flyweight champion revealed Tuesday. Grasso (16-3-1) posted about the surgery online and said she suffered a fractured

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterOct 3, 2023, 11:56 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will be a licensed corner for Bellator MMA lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov at Bellator 300 on Saturday in San Diego. California State Athletic Commission

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterOct 3, 2023, 05:09 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is scheduled to defend his title against a familiar foe at UFC 294 on Oct. 21, and would like to challenge for the welterweight strap

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPNOct 2, 2023, 12:05 PM ET Bellator 300 was to be headlined by an unprecedented four championship bouts. Now it’s down to three. Linton Vassell, who was to challenge heavyweight champion Ryan Bader at Saturday’s event in San Diego, withdrew from the fight because of illness, a Bellator official confirmed Monday. The fight