MMA

Feb 25, 2020 For many years, UFC flyweight Joseph Benavidez kept an old 4-inch-by-6-inch photograph of a UFC championship belt on his mantel. Keeping the spot warm until the real belt could take its place. But a few years ago, Benavidez and his wife moved to a new home in Las Vegas, and the photograph

9:25 PM ET Tito Ortiz‘s next fight appears to be against the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The UFC Hall of Famer’s Dec. 7 win over former WWE champion Alberto “Del Rio” Rodriguez at Combate Americas 51 was overturned by the TDLR last month to a no contest (or no decision), and sources

8:08 AM ET Jeff Wagenheim Joseph Benavidez was in the midst of a TV interview backstage in Las Vegas, wearing the cruel facial evidence that he had just been in a scrap. Through bloodied lips, he reflected on his split-decision victory over Henry Cejudo, and when the subject of his immediate future came up, Benavidez’s

5:46 PM ET When UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili was told on Feb. 1 that she had to immediately move her training camp from China to avoid the travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus, she thought it was a dream. That dreamlike sequence took an even more surreal turn a week later when she had

5:50 PM ET LAS VEGAS — The UFC’s strawweight champion, Zhang Weili, says her upcoming title defense against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248 on March 7 has taken on a “deeper significance” due to the ongoing health crisis in her native China. Earlier this month, Zhang (20-1) was forced to flee her normal training camp

12:50 PM ET Khabib Nurmagomedov has made no secret of his lack of desire to fight Conor McGregor again. In an interview with TMZ on Wednesday, the UFC lightweight champion doubled down. Nurmagomedov said fans only want a rematch between him and McGregor to see a continuation of “what happened last time.” In the lead-up

8:19 AM ET Let’s make something very clear right off the bat: Jose Aldo getting a bantamweight title shot against Henry Cejudo isn’t the most egregious title shot in UFC history. No, that distinction still belongs to Alexander Gustafsson, who got a shot at then-light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier in 2015 following a brutal knockout

3:25 PM ET UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo will attempt to defend his title in enemy territory, when he meets Brazilian legend Jose Aldo in Brazil later this year. UFC president Dana White told ESPN on Monday the 135-pound championship fight will headline UFC 250 on May 19 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Additional sources confirmed

8:19 AM ET It’s been over a month since Conor McGregor‘s 40-second destruction of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. And while McGregor wanted to stay active in 2020, it’s possible he may wait out the winner of the Khabib Nurmagomedov–Tony Ferguson lightweight title fight on April 18 before booking his next bout. UFC president Dana White said

12:39 PM ET A potential No. 1 contender fight involving “The Korean Zombie” will have to wait a few months. Chan Sung Jung, the popular UFC featherweight, has opted for eye surgery and is planning a return to the Octagon in the summer, his manager Jason House confirmed with ESPN on Monday. Jung suffered an

9:28 AM ET Watch a replay of Monday’s Ariel Helwani MMA show on ESPN+. When Tyson Fury weighed in on Friday night in Las Vegas for the biggest fight of his career — his rematch against Deontay Wilder — the boxing world collectively gasped when Fury tipped the scales at 273 pounds. Fury insisted that

9:28 AM ET Not long after Tyson Fury thumped Deontay Wilder on Saturday night, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn took to Twitter in hopes of getting the next heavyweight money fight put together. “No need for a third let’s go straight to it in the summer!” Hearn tweeted. No, he doesn’t want a Fury-Wilder trilogy. He’ll

10:46 PM ET Dan Hooker got a signature win in New Zealand this weekend, his first headlining slot in his home country. It was a hard-fought, back-and-forth split-decision win over Paul Felder in the main event of UFC Auckland on Sunday. With three consecutive wins, Hooker is in prime position to get another big fight

10:47 PM ET UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. Hooker delivered on the promise of an action-packed card, especially the main event, which featured Dan Hooker pulling out a split-decision victory over Paul Felder. The animosity between the fighters was so intense during fight week that Hooker wouldn’t touch gloves with his opponent before the fight.

6:12 PM ET Dan Hooker of New Zealand celebrates after his split-decision victory over Paul Felder. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC If Israel Adesanya‘s thrilling stoppage of Robert Whittaker in Melbourne last October was the coronation of New Zealand’s next sporting king, the past week in Auckland has been the party to end them all. For New Zealand

10:50 PM ET Dan Hooker kissed his daughter, hugged his wife Isabella and went down the front row embracing his teammates. As he walked toward backstage, he let out two loud roars. With a badly swollen jaw late in a pivotal career fight, Hooker was able to stave off an incredibly game Paul Felder with

11:50 PM ET Chinese UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili has made her way to the United States and is good to go for her scheduled title defense against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248 on March 7 in Las Vegas. Zhang’s manager, Brian Butler, told ESPN that she was scheduled to arrive in Las Vegas on

10:24 PM ET AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has hit out at Yoel Romero‘s failure to travel to New Zealand to promote UFC 248 and promised to make the Cuban cry when the duo face off inside the Octagon in Las Vegas on March 7. Appearing on stage Saturday at Auckland’s Spark