Author: Danny Howard

UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling’s recent social media posts suggests that Henry Cejudo is out and Sean O’Malley is in to face him at UFC 288. The news comes after both Sterling and O’Malley have agreed in principle to face each other at the event. Sterling is making the third defense of his title, and is coming off a dominant win over TJ Dillashaw . O’Malley is the #1 ranked fighter at bantamweight, and is coming off a controversial points win over former champion Petr Yan at UFC 280. https://twitter.com/MMASAGGA/status/1633258069445468161 Considering O’Malley’s rising star power and high ranking, it seemed…

Jon Jones established his credentials as the GOAT with a rapid submission win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. Jones, now a two-division champion, had been inactive for nearly two-and-a-half years in building his frame to fit the heavyweight division and restructuring his UFC contract. In the end, Jones’ return to the UFC resulted in perhaps the best performance of his entire career. The fight was non-competitve, with the only offense Gane was able to muster was a low-kick that hit Jones in the groin. Once the action resumed, Jones pressured Gane relentlessly, and then scored a takedown that signaled…

Jon Jones is not impressed with Ciryl Gane’s body of work. The former light heavyweight champion faces off against the former interim heavyweight champion this weekend in the main event of UFC 285, and Jones doesn’t seem the least bit concerned. At the media presser, Jones poured water on Gane’s praises. The Frenchman has been called one of the most versatile heavyweights ever, but Jones doesn’t see it that way. “I feel like Ciryl is the most incomplete fighter in the top five right now. He has really good striking and he has really good footwork, but he got tired…

Jon Jones’ return at UFC 285 is the first of his new eight-fight deal, and it comes with a hefty $1 million payout. Even after a two-year absence, Jones remains one of the UFC’s best paid fighters. In a report obtained by The Sports Daily, Jones is set to make $1.032 million when combining his salary and incentives. That is almost twice as much as opponent Ciryl Gane ($532,000) and more than the next eight highest earners combined ($1.014 million). The former light heavyweight champion was already one of the highest paid fighters in the promotion behind Brock Lesnar and…

Sergei Pavlovich has been revealed as the backup fighter for the Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane main event at UFC 285. Last Saturday, UFC president Dana White announced that a backup fighter had been chosen for the Jones vs. Gane main event, but did not disclose it was the streaking Pavlovich. Ali Abdelaziz, who represents Pavlovich, would announce via ESPN that his client is indeed on deck if either Jones or Gane are unable to make the ring for their heavyweight title fight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QaCxC-bS9A&ab_channel=MMAJunkie Though it’s unlikely Pavlovich will make the card, he’s a ferocious substitute. He has scored five…

The spotlight shined bright on Brendan Allen as he scored a huge win over Andre Muniz. South Carolina’s submission specialist got the added boost of being elevated to the main event of UFC Fight Night 220, and he made it count submitting Muniz in the third round. Muniz was a significant favorite against the unranked Allen, winning his last nine and earning the reputation of being the middleweight division’s scariest submission artist. With wins over the likes of Uriah Hall is his last fight and Ronaldo Souza at UFC 262. As the #11 middleweight, many expected Muniz to tangle with…

Jon Jones is looking to make up for lost time ahead of his UFC 285 heavyweight title fight against Ciryl Gane. The former light heavyweight champion is making his long-awaited trip up the scales after a two-year absence, and should he win, he’s setting his sights on former champion Stipe Miocic. Miocic has been inactive since losing the title to recently released champion Francis Ngannou, but has been long linked to Jones’ proposed heavyweight run. Jones is not taking Gane lightly, yet he is aware that beating Miocic would be a tremendous statement in his Hall of Fame career. Miocic…

Islam Makhachev is facing familial pressure to call it quits. The lightweight champion is at the height of his powers, but that isn’t impressing mama Makhachev. In an interview with UFC Russia, Makhachev confirmed his mother is actively asking him to walk away from the sport. Citing his former coach Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement at his families request, Makhachev’s mother is eager for him to stop fighting. Makhachev is arguably the top pound for pound fighter in the UFC at the moment. He’s not likely to walk away anytime soon, especially at the prime of his career. The Dagestani grappler detailed…

Erin Blanchfield has yet to lose in the UFC. After turning in a devastating win over Jessica Andrade, one would wonder if anyone can stop the 23-year-old as she marches towards a title shot. Though Blanchfield was facing a former champion in Andrade, she held her own and wore her opponent down. It wasn’t easy, especially as Andrade dictated the action from the start. While Andrade looked to overwhelm Blanchfield with a volley of strikes, Blanchfield fired back while biding her time for a takedown. Even though Andrade was winning the striking contest, Blanchfield managed to land some shots of…

Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter already became a must-see event with the announcement of Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler as coaches, and now the rosters have been released. A preliminary roster featuring the bantamweights and lightweights that will make up Team McGregor and Team Chandler leaked on social media, though no formal announcement has been made. A glance at the proposed roster feels more in line with the subtext between the upcoming McGregor vs. Chandler bout at the end of the season. That subtext being this is the last big chance these fighters have to make a statement. Nearly…