7:11 PM ET UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan will seek the first defense of his 135-pound title when he meets Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 on March 6, sources confirmed to ESPN. Both sides have agreed to the matchup, which was originally scheduled for UFC 256 on Dec. 12, but Yan was forced to withdraw
MMA
12:01 AM ET One of the sisters stabbed by UFC fighter Irwin Rivera said Friday her brother hadn’t been acting like himself in the days leading up to Thursday’s incident. Rivera’s sisters, Lezlye and Kelly, remain hospitalized but in stable condition, the fighter’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told ESPN. Earlier Friday, in a Facebook post, Lezlye
3:00 PM ET A limited number of fans will be in attendance for the UFC’s first three live events of 2021 — marking the first time UFC events will be open to any spectators since UFC 248 on March 7 in Las Vegas. The Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism discussed permitting spectators during
7:20 AM ET After a year in which UFC legends retired, unretired, threatened retirement and changed weight classes, what can MMA fans expect in 2021? Three titles changed hands in 2020, but each of those were in fights for vacant championships. In other words, defending world champions showed why they were the ones wearing the
8:37 PM ET UFC fighter Irwin Rivera was arrested Thursday on two counts of attempted murder, according to an incident report obtained by ESPN. He was booked just after Noon local time after being apprehended by the Boynton Beach Police Department and is being held without bail, per online jail records. Boynton Beach Police Department
12:11 PM ET The world’s biggest mixed-martial-arts promotion is adding to its contribution toward a long-running brain study. The UFC is donating an extra $1 million to the Cleveland Clinic to help fund brain health research for the next five years, the promotion announced Thursday. The Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in
4:24 PM ET Remember how exciting the beginning of 2020 felt? The return of Conor McGregor? The buzz in Las Vegas reminiscent of his early rise in the UFC? What a way to start a new decade. Heck, the first quarter of 2020 was phenomenal too. We got a classic from Jon Jones and Dominick
7:15 AM ET Every time Conor McGregor fights, he creates a buzz that no other UFC fighter can come close to reaching. And as he prepares for his UFC 257 main event on Jan. 23 against Dustin Poirier, part of that buzz is centered around how strong McGregor has looked in some of his social
5:44 PM ET UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will defend his 170-pound title against former teammate Gilbert Burns in the main event of UFC 258 in February, according to multiple sources. Contracts have not been signed yet, but both sides have agreed to the five-round bout. UFC 258 takes place on Feb. 13. The promotion
6:29 PM ET Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis has a new date. The heavyweight fight, which was originally scheduled for Nov. 28, will headline the UFC Fight Night event on Feb. 20, according to sources. The fight was canceled on Nov. 27 after Blaydes tested positive for COVID-19. Blaydes vs. Lewis could produce the next