UFC fighters Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone weigh in on how things are different in preparation for UFC 249 amid the coronavirus pandemic and what they think the atomesphere at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena will be like on May 9 in Jacksonville, Fla., without an audience. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Ahead of UFC 249, the promotion administered tests to all of the fighters competing at the event slated to take place at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla on May 9. This is a video of heavyweight Francis Ngannou receiving the test. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Video was released on Friday from an officer’s body cam of UFC champion Jon Jones going through a sobriety test and before being arrested. Jones was arrested early Thursday on charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated, possession of an open container and negligent use of a firearm.
The Nevada Athletic Commission voted to suspend all combat sports licenses through March 25 in order to protect the health and safety of those working and competing in the events from coronavirus. Adam Hill and Heidi Fang discuss what this means for future events the UFC have on their schedule and more. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Israel Adesanya retained the UFC middleweight belt by defeating Yoel Romero via unanimous decision, but the fight came under criticism for there being a lack of action. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
After Sean O’Malley defeated Jose Quinonez in the first round of their bout at UFC 248, the bantamweight fighter talked about his return, why ring rust wasn’t an issue for him and also said he’d be interested in fighting in Vegas again during International Fight Week in July. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley explains what his two-year hiatus from competing in the octagon was like, what he missed most about fighting in his time away and what he thinks his strengths are against Jose Quinonez at UFC 248. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
All fighters on the UFC 248 main card faced off at media day at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, including Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk who will fight for the women’s strawweight title and middleweights Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero who will do battle for the division’s belt on March 7 at the T-Mobile Arena.
UFC President Dana White explains how the promotion as a global brand with fight cards in all corners of the world is preparing to handle the coronavirus. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC President Dana White explains how the promotion as a global brand with fight cards in all corners of the world is preparing to handle the coronavirus. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili discusses how she fled her native China to train in Las Vegas due to the spread of the coronavirus and responds to jokes her opponent, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, made about the outbreak ahead of their UFC 248 title bout. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
After defeating Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, Conor McGregor talked about who he’d be interested in facing next, his desire to fight in Ireland or to be the first combatant to compete in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
After Conor McGregor’s first-round demolition of Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, UFC president Dana White said a rematch between “The Notorious” and UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is the fight to make next. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
MMA veteran Roxanne Modafferi, who trains out of Las Vegas, defeated 21-year-old rising prospect Maycee Barber via unanimous decision at UFC 246. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The UFC 246 fight card, featuring a welterweight main event between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone, is official, minus one planned bout. In place of Claudia Gadelha vs. Alexa Grasso, a bantamweight bout between Brian Kelleher and Ode’ Osbourne will move up to the pay-per-view main card. All fighters competing on the card faced off during the ceremonial weigh-ins at The Park Theater.
Conor McGregor says he knows that other fighter’s eyes light up at the chance of facing him as it usually means a dramatic increase in pay. Welterweights Jorge Masvidal and Kamaru Usman spoke about why they’d face McGregor next and Donald Cerrone explained how he’s affected his payday for UFC 246. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
As 21-year-old Maycee Barber begins her quest to become the youngest champion in the UFC, she must first face a competitor in women’s flyweight Roxanne Modafferi – a veteran of the sport who is often regarded as one of the pioneers of women’s mixed martial arts. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Ahead of their welterweight bout at UFC 246 on Jan. 18, Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone were respectful of one another, despite having traded barbs close to four years ago at another press conference. Their bout will serve as the five-round main event at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
In the co-main event at UFC 245, the featherweight belt changed hands. Alexander Volkanovski defeated Max Holloway via decision. Amanda Nunes retained her bantamweight belt taking a decision over Germaine de Randamie at the T-Mobile Arena. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Kamaru Usman retained the UFC welterweight title when he knocked out Colby Covington in the fifth round of their title bout at UFC 245. After a heated lead-up to their bout, Usman says sometimes love and unity wins. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
All fighters involved in the three title fights happening on Dec. 14 event at the T-Mobile Arena made weight. Only Jessica Eye, who trains in Las Vegas, missed weight. She came in 5-pounds heavy for her women’s flyweight bout against Viviane Araujo. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Ahead of their welterweight title fight, division champion Kamaru Usman explains where the rivalry with his opponent, Colby Covington originated and discusses what he thinks about the challenger’s persona. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC welterweight title challenger Colby Covington discusses his upcoming fight taking place on Dec. 14 at the T-Mobile Arena against Kamaru Usman and says he is fueled by those who boo him at events. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Germaine de Randamie seeks her second UFC title on Saturday when she faces one of the greatest female fighters of all time, two-division champion Amanda Nunes. The fight will take place at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 14 as part of UFC 245’s main card. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez says that he is closing the door on his MMA career to focus on wrestling professionally with the WWE. Velasquez will face Brock Lesnar at the WWE Crown Jewel event on Oct. 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Four fighters were put under contract with the UFC following their performances at Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
For the first time in the three-season history of Dana White’s Contender Series, every winning fighter earned a UFC contract. Maki Pitolo, Joe Solecki, Antonio Trocoli, Hunter Azure and Jonathan Pearce impressed the UFC brass and were awarded contracts by the UFC president.
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones continued his reign by taking a split decision victory over Thiago Santos at UFC 239. He discusses the close call and entertains the idea of a trilogy bout with Daniel Cormier. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Jon Jones and Amanda Nunes both retained their titles at UFC 239. Jones took a decision over Thiago Santos in the main event and Nunes scored a first-round knockout of Holly Holm. Jorge Masvidal also made promotional history on July 6 by scoring a 5-second knockout over Ben Askren. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Amanda Nunes talks about continuing her reign as a two-division champion in the UFC after defeating Holly Holm with a head kick in the first round of their title bout at UFC 239. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)