ufc-news

Gaethje Declares Interim⁢ Title Clash with Pimblett a Championship ‌Possibility, Vows to Disrupt Topuria-Pimblett Plans

LAS VEGAS ‌- Justin Gaethje views his upcoming interim lightweight title ‌fight‍ against Paddy Pimblett‌ at UFC 324 as fully legitimate as a championship bout, and intends to derail potential ​future matchups, including⁢ a highly⁢ anticipated clash ⁢between Pimblett and current ​featherweight champion Ilia Topuria.

“Its no disappointment at all,” Gaethje stated⁤ at a press ‌conference Friday. “Interim champion is the same as⁣ a champion, on paper, contract-wise.That’s what ​we fight for. ⁣This is ⁤my job, and it’s the biggest opportunity for me.” He added that the fight represents a significant moment⁤ for the newly combined UFC and Paramount platforms, predicting it⁣ will “gain massive fans for UFC.”

The ‍bout ‍was scheduled after⁢ uncertainty surrounding‍ Topuria’s availability. Gaethje noted the UFC⁢ waited⁤ to see if⁢ Topuria would⁢ be ‍ready to compete before ⁢finalizing the matchup with ⁢Pimblett.

This marks Gaethje’s⁤ second opportunity to ​claim the interim ⁢lightweight title; he previously secured ⁣the belt with⁢ a victory over⁣ Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. That win came as a ⁢result ‌of circumstances similar to the current situation, stepping in⁢ when Khabib Nurmagomedov was unable to face Ferguson due to the COVID-19 pandemic.‌ Gaethje sees parallels between that situation‍ and his current challenge.

“Ultimately, this⁤ gets us paid as a champion, and it definitely gives me the ​chance to fight Ilia,” Gaethje said. “I⁢ want to‍ fight Ilia. I want⁢ to play ⁤spoiler, just like I did with Khabib and Tony. I’m going ​to f*ck this up ‌for everybody. There’s going ‍to be ​no⁢ Paddy and​ Ilia. I’m going ​to do ​the same thing‍ I did ‌for ​that fight, and then I’m going to fight Ilia on the White House‌ card, if he’s ready to​ fight again.”

UFC 324 is scheduled ⁤for ⁣January 24 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las ⁤Vegas. The event will also feature a women’s bantamweight ‌title fight between Kayla ‌Harrison and ⁣Amanda⁣ Nunes.

Bo Nickal⁣ and Yoel Romero, two highly decorated athletes with backgrounds in both wrestling and mixed martial arts, will clash at Real American⁣ Freestyle 4 (RAF 4) ‍on December 20th at the Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana.⁢ The announcement came ⁣Saturday during the RAF 3 ⁤event in chicago from Izzy Martinez.

Nickal (8-1⁢ MMA, 5-1 UFC) recently secured‍ a knockout victory at UFC 322 and is returning to wrestling after winning the inaugural RAF⁣ light heavyweight title in ‌August with a win over Jacob Cardenas. ‍Prior to his MMA career,Nickal was a three-time NCAA National Champion at Penn State. He attempted to qualify for the 2020 ⁢Olympic team ​but ultimately transitioned to professional fighting.

Romero, 48, boasts an impressive wrestling pedigree of his own, earning a silver medal ⁣at the 2000 Olympic Games and a World‍ Championship title in 1999. He has continued to compete in combat sports, including Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and Dirty boxing. ⁣Notably, Romero is one of the few competitors ⁢to defeat Olympic gold medalist Cael Sanderson, who later ⁣became‍ the head coach at Penn State, where he guided Nickal to his ​three NCAA championships.

RAF 4⁢ will also feature a heavyweight title‌ bout between Wyatt Hendrickson, ⁤a recent⁣ NCAA champion, and mason Parris, a⁤ 2024 Olympian.Former UFC ‍champion Belal Muhammad is ⁢also scheduled to compete against David Carr on the card.

‘What a disappointment’: Ilia Topuria, Pros Rip Jack Della Maddalena for Loss to Islam Makhachev ⁢at UFC 322

NEW YORK – Islam⁣ Makhachev’s dominant performance against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 on Saturday night wasn’t the only talking‌ point leaving Madison Square Garden. A chorus of ⁤fighters, led by featherweight champion Ilia Topuria,⁢ sharply criticized Della Maddalena’s showing in the one-sided defeat. Makhachev secured a unanimous decision victory, adding welterweight gold to ⁢his lightweight title adn becoming a two-division UFC champion.

The lackluster⁤ performance from Della Maddalena, who was widely considered ⁣a hazardous ⁢challenger, drew immediate and harsh reactions. Topuria, ⁢who has repeatedly called for ‌a fight with Makhachev, was among the⁢ first⁤ to ⁤voice his ⁤disappointment, stating simply, “What a disappointment.” The criticism highlights the growing pressure on contenders to deliver compelling performances against elite fighters like ⁣Makhachev.

Makhachev controlled the fight from start to finish, utilizing his wrestling to repeatedly take Della Maddalena down and maintain⁣ top control ⁤throughout the five rounds. He ⁢now boasts a 16-fight win streak,tying Anderson Silva’s UFC record,and successfully defended his lightweight title four times prior to moving up to welterweight – another UFC record.

Several other ⁣fighters⁣ and analysts weighed in on social media, ​echoing the sentiment that⁢ Della Maddalena failed to ⁣capitalize on the prospect. The defeat raises questions about ⁤the Australian’s readiness for championship-level competition and the future of the welterweight division.

Check out how the pros reacted on social media below.

jon Jones Seeking Meeting ​with dana White ‍to Apologize, Pursues ⁣White House ⁤Fight

WASHINGTON D.C. – Former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion ‍Jon Jones ⁤is actively ‍seeking a face-to-face meeting with UFC CEO Dana White to offer a⁣ direct apology, acknowledging past friction with the promotionS leader. Jones, who last fought in March‍ 2023, sustaining a broken leg in ⁢a trilogy with Dustin ⁢Poirier back ‌in 2021, expressed a desire to mend fences and perhaps secure⁢ a fight on the ⁢planned UFC event at the White House.

The‌ strained relationship between ​Jones ⁤and‍ White has been‌ a recurring theme throughout jones’s career, ⁣marked by‍ both praise and conflict. Despite White frequently referring to Jones‌ as the greatest‍ of all-time and previously‍ touting⁣ him⁣ as⁤ the No. 1 ​pound-for-pound fighter, Jones recognizes he⁣ has tested White’s patience. “When he’s feeling me, I ⁣think I’m one of his favorite‍ fighters,” Jones said. “When he’s not feeling me, I’m probably the reason why he has ‌a⁤ bald head.”

Currently,‌ Jones⁢ is lobbying for a⁤ fight against current UFC ​light heavyweight ‌champion Alex Pereira, with Pereira also indicating interest in the matchup, potentially‍ on ⁤the White House card. Jones hopes‍ a direct conversation with ‌white will pave the way for this fight ​and future opportunities. “I wish I could see him face-to-face and just apologize to​ him ​so we⁢ can let bygones be bygones and⁣ get ⁣back to making some major money for⁢ the‍ sport and⁢ realy entertaining these fans,”⁢ Jones added.⁣

The⁤ potential White House event represents a⁢ significant possibility for Jones, who envisions it as a‌ fitting⁣ culmination to a Hall of Fame career. “I hope so,” Jones said about getting his wish ‍to compete at⁣ the White House. “I really ​hope so.” While ⁤the UFC has not confirmed​ any plans, jones‍ remains optimistic about​ securing a meeting with White and⁣ ultimately competing on the historic card.

UFC Veterans Question⁢ Tom Aspinall‘s Withdrawal at UFC 321 Following ‍Eye⁤ Poke

Seattle, WA – ‍Concerns are rising among ​UFC veterans regarding Tom Aspinall’s decision ‌to withdraw from‌ his ⁣heavyweight bout ‍against Sergei Pavlovich at UFC ⁢321 following an ‍accidental eye poke in​ the first round. ‍While‍ replays clearly show⁤ the impact of the‌ poke, some former fighters believe ⁤Aspinall may have been capable of continuing despite‌ the injury.

The incident ⁣occurred during a ‍striking exchange, ⁢with ⁤Aspinall visibly reacting to ⁤a poke to the eye. He received a ⁣brief break for medical attention, during ‌which an⁣ ice cube was applied to ⁢the affected ​eye via a⁣ cloth.Aspinall ultimately informed the referee he ⁤could​ not continue, leading to a no-contest result.

Chael sonnen, a former UFC title contender, questioned‌ the ⁤severity of the injury and Aspinall’s response. “Don’t ‌forget this ⁣cloth ⁤that he had on⁤ his eye⁣ contained ​an ice cube.This wasn’t some kind of magic cloth that was going to cure a‍ cornea or something‌ wrong with your⁢ eye or even take swelling away. It contained an ice cube and it was ​just being held‌ on there oddly,” Sonnen stated. He added, “If ‍you get poked ‌in the eye⁣ and you ‍can’t ‌see, ‍generally in our sport that’s just something ‌you’ve⁢ got ‌to ⁣push through.”

Fellow UFC veteran,Smith (last ⁤name‌ not provided in source material),echoed Sonnen’s sentiment,acknowledging the likely public‌ perception. “The⁣ narrative’s‍ going to be tomorrow ⁤is ⁢that Tom Aspinall was ⁢in a fight​ that was harder than he thought it​ was going to ‌be…and looked for a‌ way out,” Smith‍ predicted. “That’s ‌not what I’m saying. ⁢I would‌ never‍ say that. But that’s ⁢what everybody else is‌ going to say.”

Pavlovich had been aggressively pursuing Aspinall prior​ to the stoppage, landing significant strikes. Sonnen noted Pavlovich was “throwing bombs…the kind of punches had they landed, would⁤ have ended the night ‌and did end the night for six prior opponents.”‍

Aspinall is ⁣now expected to face ⁣scrutiny and criticism as the incident⁤ is debated within the MMA community. The outcome⁣ leaves the heavyweight‍ division in a state of uncertainty, with a rematch ⁢between⁣ aspinall⁢ and ‍Pavlovich likely to⁣ be discussed for a future⁢ event.