UFC 291 loses main card bout: Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira canceled
A highly anticipated welterweight barnburner between Stephen Thompson and Michel Pereira will no longer take place at UFC 291. The promotion confirmed the news after the Brazilian failed to make weight at the official weigh-ins. While the non-title welterweight bout weight limit is 171 pounds, Pereira weighed in at 174 pounds, three pounds overweight. This is the second time he has failed to make weight. Meanwhile, ‘Wonderboy’ successfully came in at 170.5 pounds. While many speculated that the UFC would attempt to go forward with the fight and try to negotiate a deal between both camps, the cancelation was announced just a few minutes before ceremonial weigh-ins. Soon after, Stephen Thompson confirmed that he refused to fight at catchweight, and the bout was ultimately pulled from the fight card. He issued a statement on Instagram explaining why he chose not to fight Michel Pereira. He wrote: “Unfortunately, my fight with Michel Pereira will no longer be going forward. First off, I’m sorry to all the fans who were looking forward to my fight… Fighters who miss weight face far too few consequences and are often allowed to fight with a significant competitive advantage.” Stephen Thompson was coming off a fourth-round TKO win over Kevin Holland last December. Meanwhile, Michel Pereira was looking to extend his five-fight winning streak. UFC reveals Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira replacement bout After it was confirmed that the Stephen Thompson-Michel Pereira bout stood canceled, the promotion hinted at a replacement fight. It seems that the UFC made the decision to replace the scrapped bout with a heavyweight matchup. MMA journalist Aaron Bronsteter recently took to Twitter to point out that the official UFC website has been updated to show the Derrick Lewis vs. Rogerio De Lima fight taking place in the scrapped welterweight bout’s spot. The two heavyweights will reportedly fight just before the co-main event instead of the preliminary card. Replying to a fan comment asking which fight would replace the canceled bout, he quote-tweeted: “UFC.com has it as Lewis vs. De Lima.” ‘The Black Beast’ will be looking to stop a dismal three-fight losing slide. Lewis suffered three consecutive finishes against Tai Tuivasa, Sergei Pavlovich, and Sergey Spivak. Meanwhile, Rogerio De Lima is coming off a two-fight win streak. He last defeated Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC Vegas 72 in April.
Bryce Mitchell set to return to the octagon in September
Bryce Mitchell is set to return to the UFC octagon. The Arkansas native is reportedly booked to face Dan Ige in a featherweight matchup at a Fight Night event on September 23 in Las Vegas. Mitchell has been calling for this fight for a long time, and the promotion has finally granted him his wish. ‘Thug Nasty’ will be looking to redeem his first maiden loss against Ilia Topuria. The Georgian-Spanish fighter secured a second-round submission victory over Mitchell at UFC 282 last December. Prior to that loss, Bryce Mitchell was on an incredible 15-fight win streak. His record now stands at 15-1. Bryce Mitchell was initially slated to fight Movsar Evloev in May but was forced to withdraw due to a back injury. A lightweight barnburner between Rafael Fiziev and Mateusz Gamrot will headline the September Fight Night card. ‘Ataman’ will aim to rebound from a close decision loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 286. The defeat broke his six-fight winning streak and was his first UFC loss since his debut in April 2019. Meanwhile, Gamrot has won five out of his last six outings. He last beat Jalin Turner at UFC 285 via split decision. When Bryce Mitchell claimed Conor McGregor would cheat to defeat Michael Chandler UFC featherweight Bryce Mitchell is not a fan of Conor McGregor. ‘Thug Nasty’ once claimed that the Irishman would resort to cheating in order to defeat Michael Chandler after their The Ultimate Fighter (TUF 31) season concludes. McGregor was roped in to reprise his role as a coach opposite Chandler in the ongoing season of TUF 31. The two explosive strikers have been placed in charge of two teams of bantamweight and lightweight fighters. While McGregor has a group of MMA prospects under his tutelage, Chandler is coaching a group of UFC veterans. Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler are highly expected to face off in the octagon after the reality show ends. However, there is no official confirmation of that bout yet. In a May edition of MMA Pros Pick, Bryce Mitchell claimed that he believes McGregor could use steroids to gain a competitive edge over Chandler. He said: “I think McGregor is on steroids and I don’t think they are gonna test this properly. I think he’ll win on steroids. But if they test them, I think it’ll be a good fight. But if he’s on steroids… it’s still definitely, I’m going, I’m rooting for the American.” Watch the full video below:
Reason for Dana White’s absence from UFC 291 press conference revealed
Dana White was a notable absentee from the recent UFC 291 pre-fight press conference. Considering the significance of the event and the massive hype behind the fight card, many wondered why the UFC supremo gave it a miss. Due to White’s absence, perennial UFC commentator Jon Anik took over his duties as the press conference host. Anik not only hosted the event but also answered questions from the attending journalists. Shedding light on why Dana White missed the presser, MMA journalist Mike Bohn revealed that the UFC president is currently on vacation in Italy. Confirming the same on Twitter, he wrote: “With Dana White vacationing in Italy, I’m told @Jon_Anik will host today’s #UFC291 pre-fight press conference.” UFC 291 is set to go down this weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. A rematch between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje will headline the exciting pay-per-view card. The two explosive lightweights will be fighting for the coveted ‘BMF’ title. The co-main event will feature former middleweight champion Alex Pereira’s light heavyweight debut against former 205-pound champion Jan Blachowicz. Elsewhere on the card, former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson will face Bobby Green. Welterweight contender Stephen Thompson will face Michel Pereira and Kevin Holland will fight Michael Chiesa. A heavyweight matchup between Derrick Lewis and Rogerio De Lima will also take place on the UFC 291 card. Dana White confirms main event for the Fight Night event on September 23 UFC president Dana White recently confirmed that the promotion is close to finalizing an exciting lightweight matchup between Rafael Fiziev and Mateusz Gamrot for a Fight Night event in September. The two mercurial fighters will headline the main card on September 23 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. ‘Ataman’ will look to redeem his unanimous decision loss against Justin Gaethje at UFC 286. Before that loss, Fiziev was on a six-fight winning streak. Meanwhile, Gamrot is coming off a split-decision victory over Jalin Turner at UFC 285. The card will also feature a featherweight barnburner between Bryce Mitchell and Dan Ige. This will mark Mitchell’s first 2023 octagon outing. The news was confirmed by MMA journalist Brett Okamoto of ESPN, who tweeted: “UFC Fight Night, Sept. 23 … per Dana White. No. 6 Rafael Fiziev vs. No. 6 Mateusz Gamrot. No. 12 Bryce Mitchell vs. No. 13 Dan Ige.”
Jan Blachowicz on fighting former middleweight champions moving up to light heavyweight – “Maybe this is my job… to send them back”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz is happy to play the gatekeeper of the division. Blachowicz is all set to welcome former middleweight champion Alex Pereira to the light heavyweight division at UFC 291 this weekend. This bout will mark the third time the 40-year-old fights someone who moved up from the middleweight division. Prior to this, Jan Blachowicz handed middleweight king Israel Adesanya his first MMA loss during his bid to become a two-division champion at UFC 259. He also defeated Luke Rockhold in his light heavyweight debut at UFC 239. Having faced multiple middleweights attempting to move up to the light heavyweight division, Jan Blachowicz has earned a reputation for gatekeeping the 205-pound division from the middleweight hopefuls. At the UFC 291 media day, Blachowicz was asked why the UFC always seems to book him to welcome middleweights. He replied: “I don’t know. Maybe this is my job, you know, in UFC to send them back to the lower division. I don’t know. I’m okay with that.” Catch Blachowicz’s comments here (2:55): Jan Blachowicz last fought Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 282 in December 2022. The fight for the vacant title ended in a highly controversial split draw. Jan Blachowicz eyeing a title shot against Jiri Prochazka after Alex Pereira fight at UFC 291 Jan Blachowicz is already looking beyond his fight against Alex Pereira this weekend. The Polish fighter recently opened up about a potential title shot in the future and revealed that the UFC refused to make his fight against ‘Poatan’ a championship fight. The light heavyweight division is a rollercoaster. Last year, after former champion Jiri Prochazka was forced to vacate the title due to a nasty shoulder injury, a series of events led to Jamahal Hill capturing the 205-pound strap against Glover Teixeira at UFC 283. Unfortunately, ‘Sweet Dreams’ was also recently forced to vacate his title due to suffering a long-term injury. While many expected the UFC to turn the Blachowicz vs. Pereira matchup into a title fight, the organization had other plans. Jan Blachowicz recently claimed he expects to challenge for the title with a win this weekend. At the UFC 291 media day, he said: “UFC told me that after this fight, next fight is for the title so nothing’s changed. Jamahal Hill left the belt. I wish him very fast recovery, but my next opponent will be, I don’t know, maybe Prochazka and we’re going to fight for a title so we will see, but now, I focus on the opponent Saturday. We’ll think about that after the fight we can talk about the next step.”
Israel Adesanya reveals his pick for the Alex Pereira vs. Jan Blachowicz matchup at UFC 291
Israel Adesanya recently weighed in on the upcoming light heavyweight matchup between Alex Pereira and Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291. The Nigerian-born Kiwi believes that Pereira will secure a knockout victory. Pereira will make his light heavyweight debut against Blachowicz this weekend in Salt Lake City. The former middleweight champion moved up a weight class after suffering a second-round knockout against his longtime combat sports rival Israel Adesanya, who reclaimed his 205-pound throne at UFC 281. Before Alex Pereira’s arrival in the UFC, Adesanya’s lone MMA loss came against Blachowicz in his attempt to become a two-division champion. The Polish fighter secured a unanimous decision victory in what would be his first and only title defense as the light heavyweight champion. Given his familiarity with both men in the octagon, Israel Adesanya recently analyzed their matchup. In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, he claimed that the fight result could be determined by whoever lands first and said: “If Jan does what I think he’s gonna do, he’s gonna get caught with a left hook. I don’t think this goes the distance. If it does, Jan wins. I felt [Blachowicz’s power]. I think Alex hits harder… Jan could definitely learn how to hit harder but if Jan gets him down, I think he’s just going to control him there for three rounds. I’m going Alex by knockout.” Israel Adesanya on Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje for the BMF title Israel Adesanya recently discussed the rematch between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje at UFC 291. Poirier and Gaethje will face off in a lightweight matchup for the BMF title this weekend. This is the second time the two striking savants meet in the octagon. They first met at UFC on Fox 29 in April 2018, with ‘The Diamond’ ultimately securing a TKO win after four brutal rounds. Given the riveting nature of their first meeting, many eagerly look forward to their second outing. In the video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Israel Adesanya picked Dustin Poirier to emerge victorious. Predicting the fight not going the distance, ‘The Last Stylebender’ said: “I don’t think this goes the distance. I’m going to go with Dustin. ’DP.’ I think he’s disciplined… ‘DP’ keeps it disciplined as much as he can… Unless he has to brawl his way out of something, he might either catch him again or win the decision… I don’t know who’s going to win, but if I had to put my money on it, I’d go with DP.” Watch the full video below (10:40):
Dustin Poirier didn’t expect to face Justin Gaethje once more after their first meeting – “I don’t want to do that again”
Dustin Poirier recently claimed he did not expect to face Justin Gaethje in the octagon for the second time. This weekend, Poirier will face Gaethje at UFC 291 in the Delta Center located in Salt Lake City. The pair will go head-to-head for the coveted ‘BMF’ title. Poirier first fought Gaethje at UFC on Fox 29 in April 2018. While Gathje found success early with his devastating leg kicks, ‘The Diamond’ applied his exceptional boxing skills to pepper ‘The Highlight’ with brutal combos. The two explosive lightweights put on a striking clinic over four action-packed rounds, at the end of which Poirier secured a TKO victory. Given the brutality of their first meeting, Dustin Poirier wasn’t looking forward to a rematch. At the UFC 291 media day, Poirier was asked if he ever considered fighting Gaethje again after their first fight. He replied: “No… I actually sat next to Justin at one of the pay-per-views in Vegas. We were talking, chopping it up, and I told him, ‘Dude, I don’t want to do that again.’ I told him that… And here we are, about to throw hands. Honestly, throughout the five years since the first fight, I didn’t see it coming.” Catch Poirier’s comments below (3:35): Dustin Poirier claims to have an “unwritten agreement” with Justin Gaethje about selling their UFC 291 fight Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje aren’t keen on trash-talking each other to sell their upcoming BMF title fight. The two mercurial lightweight contenders, who are set to throw down this weekend, see no need to market their bout any more than necessary. As mentioned above, Poirier and Gaethje fought one of the most entertaining fights of 2018. After a slugfest that matched up to every expectation, ‘The Diamond’ stunningly defeated the Arizona native via fourth-round TKO. The fight also won the two fighters a $50,000 ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus. Fans are already hyped to see them run it back, considering how entertaining their first bout was. While fighters exchanging barbs in the build-ups to fights is common, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje have notably steered away from engaging each other that way. In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Poirier discussed the same. Claiming that they have an “unwritten agreement” between them, he said: “It’s cool because we have an understanding. We have an unwritten agreement. We know what we’re going to try to do to each other on Saturday night. I think the hardcore fans, maybe even the casual fans, understand that too. We don’t have to push each other off the stage and curse at each other at a press conference or be crazy to sell the fight. Cause’ you know what you’re getting with this.” Watch the full interview below:
UFC star reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage in fight back in 2022
UFC welterweight contender Vincente Luque has reportedly received his Nevada license to resume fighting after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage after his loss to Geoff Neal at UFC Vegas 59. Neal knocked out the 31-year-old Brazilian in the third round of their fight. Following the loss, Luque was handed a minimum one-year suspension due to brain bleeds. He recently applied for a new fighting license during a Nevada Athletic Commission meeting in Las Vegas. According to a report by MMA Junkie, Vincente Luque was required to submit clearance from a neurologist and a neurosurgeon as well as a new MRI of his brain to fight. An NSAC medical consultant then approved the clearance. NSAC executive director Jeff Mullen stated: “He suffered a brain bleed [a year ago]. He had a suspension of one year. Luque had to bring before the commission clearance from a neurosurgeon and a neurologist independently who recommended he be licensed. We have that material. … I have faith in our doctors.” Vincente Luque is booked to face Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC on ESPN 51 on August 12. He is on a two-fight losing slide. Vincente Luque on Rafael Dos Anjos fight getting moved from July to August UFC welterweight mainstay Vincente Luque recently addressed his July bout against Rafael Dos Anjos getting postponed to August. ‘The Silent Assassin’ was initially booked to face Dos Anjos at UFC on ESPN 49 on July 12. However, the fight was later rescheduled for August 12 for reasons unknown at the time. While Luque doesn’t know the exact reasons behind the postponement, he recently speculated that compulsory additional medical testing could explain why he’s fighting a month later instead. In a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Vincente Luque stated: “I’m not 100 percent sure why it moved. But I believe part of it was kind of the commission wanting me to get some more exams and get cleared since my last fight because I got suspended for six months. I was cleared to fight in February but still they wanted some more exams. Just making sure I’m 100 percent. I do feel 100 percent, so I’m sure that everything is going to be good. They wanted to wait maybe a year after my last fight.” Watch the full interview below: As of now, Vincente Luque’s fighting license is valid for a year. If he fights in Nevada again, he’ll be required to submit additional testing to confirm he’s healthy to compete.
TUF coach Conor McGregor hilariously instructs referee from cageside in latest episode; referee complies
Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor is undoubtedly among the most influential personalities in mixed martial arts. To top it off, the Irishman recently proved that he can even influence an in-cage referee during a fight. McGregor reprised his role as a coach on the ongoing season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) opposite Michael Chandler. ‘The Notorious’ is in charge of a team of bantamweight and lightweight MMA prospects, whereas ‘Iron’ has a team of UFC veterans under his tutelage. While McGregor’s run this season has been notably dismal, the Irishman has avoided a clean sweep. His team went 1-7 against Chandler’s team. In the latest episode of TUF 31, UFC veterans Austin Hubbard and Roosevelt Roberts faced off in a largely uneventful semifinal contest. However, fans witnessed a hilarious moment between Conor McGregor and the referee during the fight. After the first minute of the third round, both fighters found themselves in a clinch deadlock against the cage. As the fight stalled while the clock ticked on, ‘The Notorious’ promptly addressed the referee, saying: “Keep them busy, ref.” Almost immediately, the referee responded: “Come on guys, do something, or I’m going to break it up.” Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler: TUF 31 Episode 9 results In the ninth episode of TUF 31, team Michael Chandler’s Austin Hubbard and Roosevelt Roberts faced off in a semifinal matchup. After three uneventful rounds, Hubbard edged out a split-decision win to advance to the lightweight finals. Hubbard will now face the winner of the other lightweight semifinal bout between fellow veterans Jason Knight and Kurt Holobaugh. Interestingly, Chandler and his coaching staff decided not to corner either contender to avoid favoritism. However, Conor McGregor still showed up energetic as always and sprinkled some much-needed commentary during the fight. However, even the Irishman acknowledged that Hubbard and Roberts were engaged in a glorified spar. Due to Michael Chandler having most fighters competing against each other going forward, the producers suggested that some veterans switch to team McGregor. While most refused, Brad Katona agreed to make the switch. Given that Katona has trained at Conor McGregor’s stable at SBG Ireland under coach Kavanagh, it was an easy decision for the TUF 27 winner. Next week, Brad Katona and Timur Valiev face off in the first bantamweight semifinal bout.
Colby Covington believes he will face Conor McGregor “before next winter” after defeating Leon Edwards
Colby Covington is already looking beyond his potential welterweight title fight against Leon Edwards. The 35-year-old Californian recently revealed that he has a blockbuster fight against Conor Mcgregor on his mind after he secures the 170-pound strap and also shared a possible timeline for the super fight. While the Covington vs. Edwards fight hasn’t officially been announced yet, UFC president Dana White has made it abundantly clear that ‘Chaos’ has the next shot at the welterweight title. Despite the decision proving to be widely unpopular among the other welterweights, especially Belal Muhammad, White’s mind seems made up. At the recent Turning Points USA Chapter Leadership Summit, special guest speaker Colby Covington discussed his future career moves. Over the course of his 27-minute Q&A session, he called for a fight with Conor McGregor repeatedly. When a fan asked Covington when he thinks he’d face ‘The Notorious,’ he replied: “That’s the big fight, that’s what people want to see… That fight sells, I think that’s the biggest fight the UFC could ever do. And I think it lines up perfectly after I beat Leon Edwards Scissorhands this fall… I think before next winter Conor and I square up, and we see who the baddest man on the planet is.” Catch Covington’s comments below (2:39): Colby Covington blasts Jake Paul and Logan Paul; calls the brothers the “most pathetic human beings on the planet” It’s safe to say that Colby Covington is not a big fan of the Paul brothers. Jake and Logan Paul are arguably two of the most popular social media stars today and have made quite a splash in the world of influencer boxing. While Jake Paul has beaten former MMA fighters like Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley, Logan Paul lost his sole professional outing against KSI. ‘The Maverick’ has now turned his attention to professional wrestling in the WWE. Meanwhile, ‘The Problem Child’ is booked to face former UFC star Nate Diaz in the boxing ring on August 5. At the same Turning Point USA conference, Colby Covington was asked if he thought the Paul brothers were real fighters. ‘Chaos’ replied: “They’re not real fighters, no… Those guys are the most pathetic human beings on the planet… I’ve seen them in person before. ‘Oh, hey, Colby. Can I get a picture? Can I shake your hand?’ Jake Paul’s in my DMs, ‘Bro, you’re the best fighter. I want to be just like you,’ and this and that. So, those guys are fake. They are not real. They’re not real fighters. They’re YouTube stars and they’re little Lizzie McGuire stars. Who cares about them?”
Donald Trump praises Khabib Nurmagomedov – “I thought he was a fantastic fighter!”
Khabib Nurmagomedov is undoubtedly among the most well-known MMA fighters in the world. Considered the greatest lightweight ever to set foot in the UFC octagon, the grappling savant has no dearth of admirers. Given his incredible achievements in the cage, ’The Eagle’ recently received high praise from former US President Donald Trump. In an exclusive interview with Jim Norton and Matt Serra for UFC Unfiltered, Trump discussed Nurmagomedov’s fighting career. Revealing that he once asked UFC president Dana White if the Dagestani grappling phenom would ever return to competition, Trump said: “I think Khabib was great, and it looks like he probably doesn’t come back, but I asked Dana last night, ‘Where is Khabib? Are you going to get him to come back?’ I thought he was a seriously good fighter.” When Norton pointed out that Khabib Nurmagomedov promised his mother that he would never fight again, Trump added: “Well when his father died, he had something, but I thought he was a fantastic fighter.” Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from MMA after defeating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020. ‘The Eagle’ successfully defended his belt for the third time via second-round submission and used the post-fight octagon interview to inform his fans of his decision to call it a career. Despite the consensus that he walked away in his prime, Nurmagomedov’s dominance was recognized via induction into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022. Justin Gaethje outlines plan to avenge his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 Justin Gaethje recently revealed how he plans to avenge his loss against Khabib Nurmagomedov by defeating his prodigy. ‘The HIghlight’ faced ‘The Eagle’ at UFC 254 in a lightweight title unification bout. Despite being known as the hardest-hitting lightweight, Gaethje was put to sleep by Nurmagomedov’s triangle choke in the second round of their bout. In the aftermath, Khabib Nurmagomedov laid down his gloves and announced his retirement. Charles Oliveira soon claimed the 155-pound title and defended it once before being stripped due to missing weight against Gaethje at UFC 274. The Brazilian then lost the title to Nurmagomedov’s childhood friend and training partner Islam Makhachev at UFC 280. With an Oliveira-Makhachev title rematch looming, Justin Gaethje is looking forward to facing the Dagestani grappling phenom. Hoping to avenge his loss against Khabib Nurmagomedov by defeating Makhachev, ‘The Highlight’ recently reiterated his intention to go for gold. In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, he said: “Khabib beat me. Islam is kind of his prodigy. So, I can kind of get that fight back a little bit. You know he [Makhachev] beat Oliveira. So, I can certainly get a two-for-one deal on that one.”