MMA

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 6, 2024, 11:24 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions The UFC has rebooked a bantamweight matchup between Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov for its next trip to Abu Dhabi. The 135-pound bout will headline UFC Fight

May 6, 2024, 07:20 AM ET Open Extended Reactions UFC 301 came and went, leaving us with some special moments and memories, including Alexandre Pantoja‘s impressive title defense and Jose Aldo returning to the UFC as the “King of Rio.” Now it’s time to look ahead to the biggest questions heading into the summer, including

Andreas Hale, ESPNMay 5, 2024, 01:31 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Alexandre Pantoja turned back a formidable challenge from Steve Erceg to earn a unanimous decision and retain the UFC flyweight championship in the main event of UFC 301 on Saturday night. Fighting in front of his fellow countrymen at the Farmasi Arena in Rio

May 5, 2024, 02:03 AM ET Open Extended Reactions UFC 301 was an action-packed affair, with the 13-fight card in Rio de Janeiro delivering an epic flyweight title bout between Alexandre Pantoja and Steve Erceg. Jose Aldo returned to the UFC after a two-year hiatus and reminded fight fans why he’s one of the best

May 4, 2024, 05:24 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Alexandre Pantoja will defend his flyweight championship against Steve Erceg in the main event of UFC 301 on Saturday, May 4, in Rio de Janeiro. The main card at Farmasi Arena will be on ESPN+ pay-per-view starting at 10 p.m. ET, with prelims on ESPN and

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 4, 2024, 11:03 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions The UFC will induct Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, one of the most lethal knockout artists of all time, into its Hall of Fame later this year. Rua, of

Andreas Hale, ESPNMay 4, 2024, 01:14 PM ET Open Extended Reactions UFC welterweight Matt Brown is retiring from mixed martial arts after nearly 19 years in the sport and 30 Octagon appearances. Brown, who turned 43 in January, announced his departure from the sport on X. “Not doing it again. I’m out,” said Brown. “That’s

Andreas Hale, ESPNMay 3, 2024, 07:53 AM ET Open Extended Reactions “Who is this guy?” When it was announced that Steve Erceg (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) would challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the men’s flyweight championship at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, the overwhelming number of comments on social media were similar to the aforementioned

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 1, 2024, 01:32 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions SCOTT MORTON HAS been watching Anthony Smith fight for the last 17 years, but on Dec. 9 in Las Vegas, he was certain that he never wanted

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterApr 29, 2024, 05:58 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Former UFC heavyweight champion and professional boxer Francis Ngannou publicly mourned the death of his 15-month-old son on Monday. Ngannou, 37, wrote a tribute to his son, Kobe, on all

Brett Okamoto Close Brett Okamoto ESPN Staff Writer MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Andreas Hale Apr 29, 2024, 09:15 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The UFC heads back to Brazil on Saturday night to follow up on the wildly successful UFC 300 card. Although UFC 301

Andreas Hale, ESPNApr 28, 2024, 01:20 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Conor McGregor‘s empire is expanding. The former two-division UFC champion is now a part-owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, he announced during the BKFC KnuckleMania 4 card Saturday night. “‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor here,” McGregor said in a video that aired before the evening’s

Andreas Hale, ESPNApr 27, 2024, 10:12 PM ET Open Extended Reactions LAS VEGAS — Alex Perez scored a scintillating second-round knockout of Matheus Nicolau in a battle of flyweights jockeying for title contention Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex. Ranked No. 8 by the UFC, Perez (25-8 MMA,

Andres Waters, ESPNApr 26, 2024, 08:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions MMA is still a relatively new professional sport, but it has created plenty of historical moments, and the UFC, the sport’s most recognizable promotion, has developed countless stars. Many fighters have built impressive records, highlight reels full of wild knockouts and crazy submissions and

ESPN Apr 22, 2024, 02:57 PM ET Email Print Open Extended Reactions Matheus Nicolau meets Alex Perez in the men’s flyweight main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas. The main card at UFC Apex will be on ESPN and ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET, with prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+ at

Jeff Wagenheim Apr 23, 2024, 12:15 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Bellator MMA’s event in Paris next month is down to one title bout, but the fight card has added the anticipated debut of a popular Frenchman. The PFL, which owns Bellator, said undefeated lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov has withdrawn from his title defense against

Andreas Hale Apr 22, 2024, 11:59 AM ET Open Extended Reactions WWE, in partnership with the UFC, has announced that NXT Battleground will take place at the UFC Apex on Sunday, June 9 in Las Vegas. This will mark the first-ever WWE event that will be hosted at the 130,000-square foot production facility, home of

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPNApr 21, 2024, 01:28 PM ET Open Extended Reactions It’s been over a week since UFC 300, and the sport is still abuzz. What keeps this milestone evening of fights at the forefront of fans’ minds, in part, is the juicy array of questions it poses. Was UFC 300 the greatest event in