4:03 PM ET Marc RaimondiESPN The UFC has signed a decorated former world champion wrestler with a sketchy past. Amir Aliakbari, one of the top unsigned heavyweights in the world, announced the news Saturday on his Instagram page. UFC officials confirmed with ESPN that Aliakbari penned a deal, following a report from Brazilian outlet Combate.
MMA
5:43 PM ET Marc RaimondiESPN The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is continuing to adjust UFC doping cases involving the prohibited substance ostarine. On Friday, the UFC’s anti-doping partner announced it has terminated the suspension of strawweight Amanda Ribas, who tested positive for ostarine in 2017 and was given a two-year suspension in January 2018. But with
10:08 AM ET Al Iaquinta and Donald Cerrone both made weight Friday morning for their UFC Fight Night main event Saturday in Ottawa, Ontario. Iaquinta (14-4-1), No. 5 in ESPN’s lightweight rankings, hit the scale at 155 pounds. The ninth-ranked Cerrone (35-11, 1 NC) weighed 155.5. “Cowboy” Cerrone, a 36-year-old fighting out of Albuquerque, New
9:23 AM ET Not that long ago, Cub Swanson was a legitimate UFC featherweight title contender. The native of Palm Springs, California, had four victories in a row — including a thriller against Doo Ho Choi in ESPN’s 2016 Fight of the Year. But it has been more than two years since he won a
1:27 PM ET It appears as if the UFC’s lightweight division is reopening its doors for big business, making Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event in Ottawa between Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Al Iaquinta all the more relevant. The UFC is now on ESPN and ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ to get: exclusive live UFC events,
5:18 PM ET Marc RaimondiESPN The UFC’s first trip to South Carolina has a main event. Chan Sung Jung, better known as “The Korean Zombie,” will meet Renato Moicano in the featherweight headliner of UFC Greenville on June 22, the UFC announced Thursday. The card will air on ESPN+ from Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Jung
5:17 PM ET MINNEAPOLIS — In his effort to regain the welterweight title surrendered in a lopsided loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 in March, Tyron Woodley said he will demand an immediate title shot if he beats Robbie Lawler in the main event of UFC Fight Night on June 29 at the Target
9:20 AM ET Tony Ferguson recently changed management groups, leaving Paradigm Sports Management — a team that represents former UFC champion and fellow lightweight Conor McGregor — for Ballengee Group. Some have questioned whether being part of the same organization might have hurt the chances of this matchup being made in the past. Now that
5:15 PM ET Marc RaimondiESPN Brock Lesnar‘s time in the UFC — or at least the tease of a return — appears to be done, for now. That still leaves many lingering questions for the former UFC heavyweight and WWE Universal champion. 1 Related Lesnar, 41, will not be fighting Daniel Cormier for the UFC
4:48 PM ET Marc RaimondiESPN Felice Herrig won’t get her Chicago homecoming next month. The UFC women’s strawweight fighter tore her ACL and is out of her UFC 238 fight against Yan Xiaonan, Herrig announced Tuesday on Instagram. That bout was scheduled for United Center on June 8. Herrig is a resident of nearby Crystal