1:16 PM ET A highly anticipated welterweight bout between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev on Jan. 20 is now off, after Chimaev was forced to withdraw for undisclosed reasons, sources confirmed. The 170-pound matchup was scheduled to headline UFC Fight Night on Jan. 20 in Abu Dhabi. The UFC has not formally announced the cancellation
MMA
7:58 AM ET The UFC shouldn’t be short on excitement to open 2021. The promotion will head back to Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to kick off its January schedule, with three compelling main events in an eight-day span. And each of those fights has title implications. The one that surely will
3:56 PM ET Former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has agreed to a new multi-fight deal with Professional Fighters League, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. He will take part in PFL’s 2021 season and will compete in their lightweight division. On Tuesday, Pettis, who recently fought out his UFC contract after an almost
8:47 PM ET It will no longer be “Showtime” in the Octagon. Anthony Pettis, the former UFC lightweight champion, announced his departure from the UFC in social media posts Tuesday. Pettis, nicknamed “Showtime” for his flashy, exciting fighting style, wrote that he would be exploring free agency. “From being on MTV to the cover of
10:57 AM ET The UFC is officially headed back to Fight Island for its first slate of events in 2021, and it includes the return of former two-weight champion Conor McGregor. UFC president Dana White announced on Tuesday that McGregor’s nontitle lightweight fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 on Jan. 23 will take place
8:31 AM ET In the past six months, the UFC has seen records fall for the fastest 3-0 start in modern history, most middleweight wins during that span and fastest turnaround for a champ. There have been viral knockouts, stunning submissions and dominance of title contenders. ESPN’s MMA Hot List features the top fighters over
11:13 AM ET A featherweight title fight between two-weight champion Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson has been rebooked to March 6, according to UFC officials. The 145-pound championship fight was originally scheduled to take place at UFC 256 on Dec. 12, however Nunes was forced to withdraw because of health issues. The UFC has not
12:55 PM ET A UFC strawweight bout between Nina Ansaroff and Mackenzie Dern is in the works for April 10, according to multiple sources. Contracts have not been signed, but both sides have agreed to the opponent and date. The UFC has not formally announced an event or location on April 10. Ansaroff (10-6), the
8:30 AM ET MMA fans who have seen recent social media posts by Jon Jones know that he’s nearly ready to compete at heavyweight. He has stated he weighs around the 240-pound mark, and at 6-foot-4, the former UFC light heavyweight champ is looking to pack more muscle onto his frame. He should be ready
11:35 PM ET ESPN’s panel of Ariel Helwani, Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi and Jeff Wagenheim breaks down the biggest stories coming out of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, including Stephen Thompson‘s convincing unanimous decision win over Geoff Neal and two former champions earning key victories. Helwani: ‘Wonderboy’ is no steppingstone Considering what Geoff Neal overcame just