Feb 10, 2019 Jeff WagenheimESPN Lando Vannata woke up Saturday morning and began his preparations for his bout scheduled for the early prelims of UFC 234. But then he got a call informing him that he had been moved up to the co-main event, and he made the most of the opportunity on the bigger
MMA
4:04 PM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — An abdominal hernia has forced UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker out of his highly anticipated title defense against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 234, just hours before doors were scheduled to open at Rod Laver Arena. UFC president Dana White told ESPN that Whittaker complained of pain in his abdomen
8:36 PM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and challenger Kelvin Gastelum each made weight on Friday for their 185-pound title fight on Saturday at Rod Laver Arena. Betting odds for UFC 234’s main event favor Robert Whittaker over Kelvin Gastelum. Where does the smart money belong? UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker
3:33 PM ET UFC president Dana White reaffirmed his belief that Tony Ferguson should be next in line to compete for a lightweight belt against champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. “Of course Tony deserves it,” White told MMAJunkie in Melbourne, Australia, ahead of UFC 234. “He’s the No. 1 contender. He’s the guy. That’s the fight.” Ferguson
11:59 AM ET Devonte Smith knew the time had come. To quit his job as a truck driver in Cleveland delivering construction material. To stop bouncing around random gyms with sparring partners that were “scared to go against me.” To focus all of his energy on pursuing his dream of becoming a top UFC fighter.
12:21 PM ET LOS ANGELES — On a sunny, fall morning in Southern California, UFC legend Anderson Silva greets visitors to his recently opened training facility with a beaming smile. “Welcome to my home.” The fighter once known for being the longest reigning middleweight champion in UFC history appears relaxed in his signature Spider Kick
12:15 AM ET MELBOURNE, Australia — Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk is planning a return to the 115-pound division in the second half of 2019. Jedrzejczyk (15-3) told reporters on Wednesday she is enjoying time off, following a failed 125-pound flyweight title bid against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 231 in December. She declined an
5:56 PM ET MMA legend Wanderlei Silva, who has competed in the sport for 29 years, said in an interview with Brazilian website PVT on Tuesday that he has experienced many CTE-like symptoms. “I was in a lecture about concussions and of the 10 symptoms the guy mentioned, I had eight,” Silva, 42, said. “The
11:37 AM ET Igor Resende MMA fans would relish the thought of Anderson Silva fighting against Georges St.-Pierre or Jon Jones, but neither fight has ever happened. And the answer to the question of who would win these intriguing matchups or who remains as the best fighter will always be up for debate. Ask the
4:51 AM ET SYDNEY – Israel Adesanya may adorn himself in the New Zealand flag in victory, but Nigeria retains a special place in his heart as he continues the push to take a fight “home” to Africa. One of the rising stars of the UFC, Adesanya puts his unbeaten record through its toughest test