7:00 AM ET Devin Gordon IF THIS STORY WERE a prizefight, Bruce Buffer would get introduced first. He’s the challenger, after all, the baby brother by 13 years. Coming up in the shadow of a legend drove him to find his own voice, conquer his own sport, be his own Buffer. And so he should
MMA
12:37 PM ET UFC 249 will go on as planned on April 18, although it will look a little different than originally scheduled, as a heavyweight bout with massive championship implications has been added. The coronavirus pandemic, which has effectively shut down the sports world, forced the UFC to move the card from Brooklyn, New
11:18 AM ET LAS VEGAS — UFC president Dana White is so committed to resuming operations in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, he has secured a private island to host events. White told ESPN on Monday that he has secured a location in the U.S. to host UFC 249 on April 18, which
9:37 PM ET A man has been charged after he entered the Nebraska home of UFC fighter Anthony Smith unlawfully early Sunday morning, according to police. Luke Haberman was arrested and charged with first-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor, according to Sgt. Wayne Hudson of the Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s office. Smith said in an interview
6:36 PM ET Justin Gaethje‘s tweet Monday after news broke that he signed to fight Tony Ferguson in the main event of UFC 249 reflected his understanding of his reality and the spirit that makes him one of the most feared fighters in the UFC. The G-rated version of his tweet was: I’m terrified, and
Apr 1, 2020 Tony Ferguson wanted a shot at the lightweight title, but he’ll have to settle for a chance at the interim belt. Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports Editor’s note: This has been updated after the news Monday that Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje are signed to fight at UFC 249 on April 18 for
4:00 PM ET UFC 249 has a new headliner. With Khabib Nurmagomedov in Russia and facing potential travel issues, Tony Ferguson will now meet Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 249 on April 18, UFC president Dana White tweeted Monday. The fight for the interim lightweight title is “signed” and “100%” on, White
6:51 AM ET Roman ModrowskiESPN.com The Ericsson Globe arena in Stockholm, Sweden, was empty, save for a few fighters shadow boxing and getting a feel for the Octagon in the middle of the floor. Suddenly, one of the fighters scaled a side of the cage and straddled it, feigning a celebration, raising No. 1 with
11:49 PM ET Despite facing several obstacles along the way, UFC officials are hoping to finalize the location for its April 18 show in the coming days. According to multiple sources, the promotion feels it is very close to securing a new venue for UFC 249. It’s unclear at this time where the location will
2:03 PM ET Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt says he’s recovered from the kidney issues that forced him to pull out of a scheduled fight against Raphael Assuncao last month, and he is looking forward to booking a fight as soon as the UFC resumes operations following coronavirus-related postponements. Garbrandt is even considering booking