11:01 AM ET It was about three years ago when UFC featherweight Zabit Magomedsharipov first started training in New Jersey under striking coach Mark Henry and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Ricardo Almeida. And within five minutes of Magomedsharipov’s arrival, he already had a nickname. “The first time I come to the gym, coach Ricardo showed me
MMA
9:07 AM ET UFC No. 1 ranked lightweight contender Tony Ferguson took aim at Conor McGregor on Twitter, saying he’d love to connect his right hand to McGregor’s chin. Ferguson’s tweet Tuesday indicated that he wants a shot at McGregor, although he referred to the former champion as a “Replica Of A Former Self.” “No
12:34 PM ET The wife and brother of UFC legend Matt Hughes have each filed a restraining order against him alleging physical violence and threats. ESPN confirmed via court records that Audra Hughes, Matt’s wife, and Mark Hughes, his twin brother, filed for protective orders against Hughes late last year. Audra Hughes’ request, which was
12:10 PM ET Vitor Belfort is close to finding his next promotion. “The Phenom” is currently in serious negotiations with ONE Championship to sign a multifight deal, sources told ESPN. ONE has extended an offer and, according to sources, the final details are being worked out, though the deal isn’t finalized just yet. An announcement
9:51 PM ET It’s one of the most common questions ahead of UFC 235. “Who is Anthony Smith? And does he stand a chance?” For the first time at UFC 235, Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley will both fight on the same night for the UFC. Fighting together isn’t anything new for the pair who,
10:01 PM ET Believe the hype. That’s the message from Israel Adesanya to Robert Whittaker after the injured middleweight title holder declared his trans-Tasman rival to be “not as good as he thinks he is”. The verbal exchange has added to a bubbling UFC narrative that will explode later this year, providing Adesanya defeats American
5:55 PM ET UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, who was scheduled to face Kelvin Gastelum two weeks ago but was pulled from the title defense on fight day and rushed to a hospital in Melbourne, Australia, said Monday that upon being examined he was told, “You need emergency surgery or you’re gonna die.” Whittaker, 28,
12:04 PM ET Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley will walk to the Octagon on Saturday at UFC 235 just mere minutes apart. Askren, making his UFC debut, takes on former champion Robbie Lawler while Woodley, in the bout that follows, aims to defend his welterweight title for the fifth consecutive time against Kamaru Usman. It
12:26 PM ET UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov took to Instagram late Saturday night to voice his displeasure with lightweight contender Tony Ferguson’s decision to turn down an interim title fight. “Tony, you had your chance and you missed it, and that’s your fault only,” Nurmagomedov wrote. “You know that I’m disqualified and can’t fight,
5:27 PM ET Thiago Santos continued his sprint up the light heavyweight rankings on Saturday, with a crushing third-round TKO against Jan Blachowicz. A former middleweight, Santos (21-6) dropped Blachowicz with a counter left hook and pummeled him with hammer fists until referee Herb Dean stepped in at the 39-second mark. The 205-pound bout headlined