There wasn’t a lot to laugh about on April Fool’s Day this year. With the world gripped by the coronavirus pandemic, and the MMA world taking an even more direct hit on April 1 with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov apparently putting the final nail in the coffin on his fifth (!) scheduled matchup with
8:38 PM ET UFC president Dana White once said he would never book Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson again. That was after cancellation No. 4. We appear to be at cancellation No. 5. Nurmagomedov is in Russia, apparently no longer in the mix for UFC 249 because of how the global coronavirus pandemic is shutting
They take us through some of Wonderboy’s early career, from his introduction to MMA at UFC 3 to the karate scene’s reaction to the UFC when it first arrived in South Carolina. They also discuss some of Stephen’s biggest moments in the Octagon, from not giving up in his title fights against Tyron Woodley to
Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC Tony Ferguson has responded to his April 18 bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov being off. Ferguson was set to challenge Nurmagomedov for the UFC lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 249. The coronavirus pandemic has left the UFC searching for a new location and now a new main event.
When Kakutougi Revolutionary Spirits held their inaugural event in Tokyo, Japan on October 11, 1997 the Tokyo Dome was the furthest thing from my mind. In fact as a college student at the time mixed martial arts was not something I had even heard or been aware of. It was only later through the involvement
Tony Ferguson reacts to Khabib Nurmagomedov withdrawing from UFC 249 On Wednesday, lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov released a statement on Instagram stating that he would not be fighting on April 18 against Tony Ferguson. “Staying home in quarantine and reading the reaction of people to the situation around my fight, it turns out that the
Khabib Nurmagomedov is seemingly — and understandably — reluctant to fight at UFC 249 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep the planet. Nurmagomedov, the UFC lightweight champ, was expected to fight Tony Ferguson on the April 18 card. Unfortunately, new travel bans have made it difficult for him to leave his native Russia to
This is The A-Side Live Chat on MMA Fighting. For this episode, Brave CF flyweight contender Jose Torres returns with José Youngs and Petesy Carroll to break down some of the top storylines in the world of MMA. Some possible topics include UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov stranded in Russia, potential replacement opponents for Tony
7:16 AM ET What a difference a day makes. If you would have asked MMA fans on, say, Sunday if they still wanted to see the Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson fight happen on April 18, I’m certain the majority would have answered with a resounding yes. However, now that it appears as though Nurmagomedov
That approach has been a successful one, though. Primarily known as a striker, he showed off a well-rounded game against Fili, at times relying on his wrestling and grappling acumen to pull away on the judges’ scorecards. His ability to endure adversity over long periods of time is what Yusuff says is his biggest advantage.
Image Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports Dustin Poirier is confident in his ability to defeat Tony Ferguson. The status of the UFC 249 main event is up in the air. The original plan was for UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov to put his title on the line against Ferguson. In the midst of the coronavirus
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen probably thought he was in a position to start making demands after turning away the venerable Raphael Assuncao at UFC 241 back in Aug. 2019. And not without reason, as the 27 year-old Coloradan has a 12-1 record in mixed martial arts (MMA) and currently sits at
Jon Jones on Tuesday pleaded guilty to Driving While Intoxication. The charge stems from a March 26 arrest in Albuquerque. Jones was arrested at 1:01 a.m. after police responded to reports of gunshots and found him in the driver’s seat of his 2019 Jeep with the engine running and the vehicle in park. Jones denied
Tim Sylvia fought a who’s who of his era, including Frank Mir, Randy Couture and Minotauro Nogueira. The two-time UFC heavyweight champ reflects on his fighting career and his new roles as a hunting show presenter, development contractor and father. Experience UFC live with UFC FIGHT PASS, the digital subscription service of the UFC. Visit
Side-by-side with smiles, Stephen Thompson and Jorge Masvidal agree to upcoming fight
The opening betting odds have been released for a potential lightweight main event at UFC 249 between top contenders Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje. With UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov likely unable to compete at UFC 249 due to travel restrictions stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, the UFC is now considering a new main event
Long before Khabib Nurmagomedov was the UFC lightweight champion, he was an undefeated prospect from Dagestan just looking to make an impact in his Octagon debut. Now go back in time to 2012 to witness Nurmagomedov make his first appearance against UFC and WEC Kamal Shalorus, where he mauled the Iranian wrestler and secured his
1:32 PM ET Khabib Nurmagomedov took to Instagram early Monday morning to state that it appears he won’t be able to fight in the main event of UFC 249 vs. Tony Ferguson on April 18 because of the travel restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic. He’s stuck in Russia. Incredibly, this matchup may fall through