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Mario Bautista fires back at Conor McGregor after UFC 307 win over Jose Aldo: ‘He can kiss my a**’

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Mario Bautista fires back at Conor McGregor after UFC 307 win over Jose Aldo: ‘He can kiss my a**’

Mario Bautista scored the biggest victory of his career Saturday, winning a close split decision against UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City, but many people disagreed with the judges’ call — including MMA superstar Conor McGregor.

“The Notorious” took on social media Saturday night to call the result a “dirt” and “bullsh*t” decision, and Bautista responded during his UFC 307 post-fight media scrum.

“Conor can kiss my a** and he can fight whenever he’s supposed to,” Bautista said. “Take the fight against [Michael] Chandler. Shut up.”

McGregor complained on social media that Bautista “was shooting in just to hold him against the fence”, and “that’s not good enough”. The Irishman believes the referee Mike Beltran should have separated them because there is “no point prolonging these positions as if they haven’t taken place exactly the same way prior and nothing has taken place but [stalling].”

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Bautista explained his strategy, citing Merab Dvalishvili’s performance against Aldo — also in Salt Lake City — as reference.

“The performance is what it is. Had to do what I had to do,” Bautista said. “I got cut in the second round. I got hit with something pretty good. I was able to drive him through the fence. He has good takedown defense, but he cannot get off the cage. That’s not my fault, you know? If that was me, I’m able to circle off the cage. So whatever the crowd thinks, whatever everyone thinks, I mean, that’s on him.

“He wasn’t getting off the fence and I’m not gonna let him off the fence. And I try to take him down, he’s good right there. And like you said, that’s something Marab did, and now look at him, he’s the champ. … I thought I did enough. Striking wise he was getting after a little bit but like I said, he just gave up a lot of time on the cage, so that that’s on him.”

Bautista said he was not worried about the boos because boors os cheers, “it’s energy” for him. Now 15-2 as a professional and riding a long winning streak, Bautista said he’s open to facing Henry Cejudo next.

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“We’ll see who comes up,” Bautista said. “I was thinking [Cory] Sandhagen, but he’s kind of coming off a loss I’m a seven in a row now. Someone that’s been calling out [Sean] O’Malley, [and] O’Malley just lost, so if Henry Cejudo wants to fight, we could do that too.”

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Match of the Day 2 analysis: How Jonny Evans kept Ollie Watkins quiet

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Match of the Day 2 analysis: How Jonny Evans kept Ollie Watkins quiet


Match of the Day 2 pundit Stephen Warnock discusses the “outstanding” performance of Jonny Evans in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League.

MATCH REPORT: Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester United

Watch Match of the Day 2 on BBC iPlayer.

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Available to UK users only.



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UFC 308 main card revealed, including Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway title fight

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UFC 308 main card revealed, including Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway title fight

The UFC and BMF champions will collide when the octagon returns to Abu Dhabi on Oct. 26.

The company officially announced the UFC 308 main card during Saturday’s UFC 307 broadcast, with 145-pound titleholder Ilia Topuria defending his throne for the first time since stopping Alexander Volkanovski. He faces Max Holloway, a former featherweight king who recently claimed the BMF belt with a epic knockout over Justin Gaethje at lightweight.

The co-main event will feature Robert Whittaker battling undefeated Khamzat Chimaev in a pivotal middleweight contest. Chimaev hasn’t competed since scoring a majority decision over Kamaru Usman in October of 2023, while Whittaker walked through Ikram Aliskerov this past June, obliterating the man that stepped in a replacement for Chimaev in Abu Dhabi.

Shara Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan will open the UFC 308 main card, followed by Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic in a contest that could define the next contender for UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. The third bout on the list is Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige.

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Below is the full fight card and bout lineup for UFC 308.

Main card, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN+ PPV

Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway

Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev

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Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic

Shara Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan

Preliminary Card, 10 a.m. ET, ESPN+

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Geoff Neal vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Mateusz Rebecki vs. Myktybek Orolbai

Said Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Santos

Abus Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira

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Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Justin Tafa

Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo

Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Nursulton Ruziboev

Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira

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Dana White trashes ‘drowning’ PFL for Kayla Harrison promo

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Dana White trashes ‘drowning’ PFL for Kayla Harrison promo

SALT LAKE CITY – UFC CEO Dana White didn’t hold back in his latest verbal assault on PFL.

Prior to Saturday’s UFC 307 event at Delta Center, PFL put out a promotional video for its upcoming pay-per-view title fight between Larissa Pacheco and Cris Cyborg on Oct. 19 in Saudi Arabia. The video focused on Pacheco’s victory over Kayla Harrison in 2022.

Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) parted ways with PFL one fight after the loss (which was Pacheco’s first win against her in three attempts), and joined the UFC. She has started with back-to-back wins in the octagon, including a unanimous decision over Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307.

White was asked about the promo video following the event, and he said it’s just another example of desperation from the rival promotion, which he claims is bleeding financially.

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“I think when you’re losing as much money as they are, f*cking go for it,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the UFC 307 post-fight press conference. “F*cking throw the kitchen sink at it. (Donn Davis) just came out recently and said, ‘You know, we’re going to spend more money than they did on the Sphere.’ That sounds f*cking brilliant. How many tickets are you going to sell?

“They’re not very bright. It’s all fair. Knock yourself out. They’re drowning. Drowning. They suck. They’re not good at what they do, so I guess you would just keep trying anything you can to make something stick. All good.”

Harrison has quickly become an attraction in the women’s bantamweight division upon joining the UFC roster. She has taken her personality to another level, and White said that’s a product of escaping her previous environment.

“It’s just another level when you get here,” White said. “They feel it. You f*cking rot away in the PFL for years or f*cking Bellator and sh*t and you finally get here – you feel it.”

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Harrison will now seemingly get the chance to maximize her potential and platform. She positioned herself as the top contender by beating Vieira, and later in the night at UFC 307 the title in the weight class changed hands when Julianna Peña won a split decision over Raquel Pennington.

White said he eagerly anticipates a showdown between Peña and Harrison.

“When you get here and you start to break into the top five, top three – it gets tougher,” White said. “Julianna and (Kayla) are both dogs, so it should be fun”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

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Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.

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Khalil Rountree thanks Alex Pereira for self-discovery

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Alex Pereira def. Khalil Rountree at UFC 307: Best photos

Khalil Rountree continues to handle his UFC 307 defeat with class.

Although Rountree (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) gave an interview in the cage Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, as he nearly bled all over commentator Joe Rogan, he did not post anything on social media until Sunday.

In a lengthy written statement, Rountree thanked Alex Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) for the intense back-and-forth battle their shared together and indicated he discovered a lot about himself over the course of the fight.

“I didn’t win the title but I grew last night,” Rountree wrote on Instagram. “@alexpoatanpereira thanks for helping me see that I’m ready to take on the world. You showed amazing skill, you brought out a version of me that I needed to experience. You’re the champ for a reason, much respect. But I now know what I am capable of.”

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Rountree lost his first UFC title fight by fourth-round TKO, but had strong moments in the first two rounds despite his status as a heavy betting underdog. He was praised across social media by fans for his heart, courage and moments of success in the fight.

“#saltlakecity you guys were amazing and gave me such a memorable experience,” Rountree continued. “I appreciate all of the positive messages from everyone around the world. @danawhite @espn @espnmma and the entire @ufc staff, thanks for giving me a home, a place to have purpose and providing me with challenges to overcome. Big thanks to my wife @miakang, my family (Donny, Dave, P, all of my uncles and aunts, The Pavlica’s, the Ramseys, Everyone) for your unconditional support. Brazil 🇧🇷 you guys have a strong champion, be proud.

“I will take time to heal from this, I’ll be back even better, it’s inevitable. I’m grateful. Never give up on yourself, always fight hard, uplift your communities and find ways to make the most out of life. @deltacenter thanks for hosting us. #ufc307 was a night to remember.”

Rountree, 34, had won five fights in a row to earn his title shot. Given the damage (some of it very visible) sustained Saturday, it’s unclear when he will return. Whenever he does, Rountree will almost certainly do so with a following.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

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Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.

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Football gossip: Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Konate, Pogba, Rodri, Eze, Perez

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Football gossip: Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Konate, Pogba, Rodri, Eze, Perez


Real Madrid might make a January move for Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool look at extending two deals, and Paul Pogba is set for a fresh start away from Juventus.

Real Madrid had planned to sign England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, 25, on a free transfer next summer when his contract with Liverpool expires, but might move for him in January after Spain defender Dani Carvajal, 32, sustained a serious knee injury. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Liverpool are progressing with contract talks for two key defenders – 21-year-old Jarell Quansah and France centre-back Ibrahima Konate, 25. (Mirror), external

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Paul Pogba, 31, is in talks with Juventus aimed at ending his second stint with the Serie A club and making a fresh start after his doping ban was reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. (Mail), external

Wolves do not intend to sack manager Gary O’Neil and will give him time to turn his side’s fortunes around after six defeats from their opening seven Premier League games. (Telegraph), external

Manchester City have set aside £80m to spend on players in the January transfer window after Rodri’s season-ending injury. (Football Insider, external)

West Ham are interested in bringing former Leicester and Newcastle forward Ayoze Perez back to the Premier League in the hope the 31-year-old Villarreal player can improve their attacking options. (Caught Offside), external

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Former Barcelona manager Xavi ​​is seen as the ideal choice to lead a reconstruction project at Old Trafford should Erik ten Hag leave Manchester United. (El Nacional – in Spanish), external

Newcastle United’s attempts to sign Lille striker Jonathan David, 24, have been dealt a blow after Barcelona entered the bidding. (Shields Gazette), external

Liverpool have joined Newcastle and Tottenham in the race to sign 26-year-old attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace. (Football Insider), external

Barcelona are monitoring Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane, 28, who is out of contract at the end of the season. (Sport – in Spanish), external

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Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Wolves, Everton and Chelsea have been monitoring Santos’ 18-year-old Brazilian defender Joao Pedro Chermont. (Caught Offside), external



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Daniel Cormier criticizes Julianna Pena for not calling out Kayla Harrison: ‘She dropped the ball’

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Julianna Peña slams Kayla Harrison’s UFC 307 performance: ‘We’re not impressed’

Julianna Pena had the chance to start promoting her next title defense after reclaiming the women’s bantamweight title at UFC 307 but instead turned her attention to an unlikely rematch against a fighter who is currently retired.

Following a controversial win over Raquel Pennington in the UFC 307 co-main event, Pena was asked about what’s next for her and a split screen showed Kayla Harrison backstage waiting to react after she defeated Ketlen Vieira earlier in the night to earn a title shot. Rather than acknowledge Harrison, who the UFC is pretty clearly naming as the No. 1 contender, Pena asked for a trilogy against Amanda Nunes, who called it a career back in June 2023.

“I will say this — she dropped the ball on the callout,” UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier said when addressing Pena after UFC 307 ended. “I mean Kayla’s on the screen. Say her name. Why no sell the person that is clearly going to be your No. 1 contender?

“There is no world where she does not fight Kayla Harrison. She’s fighting her next. You might as well put the sell on it.”

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Harrison moved to 2-0 in the UFC with a unanimous decision win over Vieira in the opening bout on the main card on Saturday. While not as dominant as her debut performance against former champion Holly Holm at UFC 300, Harrison still delivered a win against one of the UFC’s top ranked challengers to cement her spot as the rightful contender at 135 pounds.

During the broadcast, Harrison could only shake her head in disappointment as Pena called for the Nunes fight despite UFC color commentator Joe Rogan specifically mentioning the two-time Olympic gold medalist as her most likely next opponent.

Cormier believes Pena should have started building towards that fight now rather than waiting because there’s almost no world where Harrison isn’t her next opponent.

“Don’t wait until the fight is announced,” Cormier said. “Now you’re a step behind when you had the opportunity to be a step ahead going into your fight with Kayla Harrison, who will be the No. 1 contender for your championship as we go forward.

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“Tonight, it’s not like Kayla Harrison looked the best. Kayla’s looked better. Tonight she looked like a girl that needs to get takedowns and if she doesn’t, she is still in the very early stages of her striking. Julianna Pena should’ve after this performance been more willing to say her name.”

While he wasn’t a fan of her callout, Cormier did offer congratulations to Pena on becoming a two-time champion with her win over Pennington.

As much as the scorecards came into question after the fight, Cormier still praised Pena for putting on a gutsy performance and bringing a title back to the same gym that UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad calls home.

“The one thing you can never question about Julianna Pena is her toughness,” Cormier said. “She will be a deserving champion.

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“At the end of the day, she becomes the champion again and Mike Valle and his team out at Valle Flow now have two UFC champions on their roster. Massive for a gym that is out of Chicago that isn’t a massive, huge gym.”

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