Connect with us

MMA

UFC Executive David Shaw says there will be fewer APEX events in 2025

Published

on

UFC Executive David Shaw says there will be fewer APEX events in 2025

The UFC is looking to get on the road more often in 2025.

For the past several years, a major talking point among MMA fans has been the rise of the UFC APEX. Built in 2019, the APEX became one of the UFC’s primary event venues during the COVID-19 pandemic as promotion continued to put on shows during the lockdown. However even after the lockdowns ended, the APEX remains a fixture of the UFC rotation to the dislike of some fans. But that may be changing soon.

This past Saturday, UFC Edmonton took place and per the promotion it broke the record for highest-grossing UFC Fight Night event in North American history. This comes on the heels of similar performances when the promotion visited other locations like Denver and Louisville earlier this year, and speaking with reporters after the event, UFC Vice President David Shaw told reporters that this continued success will lead to some changes for how often the UFC goes on the road in 2025.

“Yeah, there will be [more events on the road],” Shaw said. “There will be an increased number of events outside of the APEX relative to this year as we get into the 2025 schedule.”

Advertisement

This weekend marks the UFC’s 100th event in the APEX and will be the promotion’s 17th trip there this year. The promotion also used the APEX 17 times in 2023, down from the 21 times they held events there in 2022.

But while Shaw envisions a world where the UFC relies less heavily on the APEX, he also made it clear that things will not return to the pre-COVID era where every show was somewhere different.

“It’s tough for us to anticipate what two or three years down the road looks like, but it makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons,” Shaw explained. “There’s a lot of fighters in Vegas, it’s easy for us operationally, it’s simple from a budgetary perspective. The rigor and the pressure and how laborious it can be to be on the road… It’s tough.

“So I think having home games and being in the APEX where we can just turn off the lights and lock the door, it makes a lot of sense for us. So will we ever get back to pre-COVID or no APEX? I don’t think so. But I think we’re going to find the right balance for us.”

Advertisement

And according to Shaw, more road shows does not just mean more opportunity for American fans to attend events. With the UFC’s media rights deal ending next year, Shaw says that more international trips is part of the promotion’s longterm planning as well.

“Are there more plans? Yes. We’re going to be back in the U.K. next year,” Shaw said “… Then as we get through next year which is sort of the last year of our current media deal in the U.S. and we start to plan out what we want to do in 2026 and beyond in terms of the number of international events we can have, the intention is to be able to go back to Europe more often.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Football

DePaul's Jacob Meyer hits HUGE three-pointer to send game in OT vs. Southern Indiana

Published

on

DePaul




DePaul Blue Demons’ Jacob Meyer hit a huge three-pointer to send the game in overtime against the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles.



Source link

Continue Reading

Football

Clarke shows 'loyalty' to struggling Shankland

Published

on

Clarke shows 'loyalty' to struggling Shankland



Scotland coach Steve Clarke discusses Lawrence Shankland’s inclusion in the latest national squad, despite only scoring once for this term.



Source link

Continue Reading

MMA

Down bad with 0-2 start, Brendson Ribeiro had no fear at UFC Edmonton

Published

on

Brendson Ribeiro def. Caio Machado at UFC Edmonton: Best photos

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada – Brendson Ribeiro beat Caio Machado with a split decision Saturday on the main card at UFC Fight Night 246 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Take a look inside the fight with Ribeiro, who snapped a two-fight skid and won by decision for the first time in his career.

Brendson Ribeiro def. Caio Machado

Brendson Ribeiro

Result: Brendson Ribeiro def. Caio Machado via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Updated records: Ribeiro (16-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Machado (8-4-1 MMA, 0-3 UFC)
Key stats: Machado outstruck Ribeiro 79-49 in a fight contested entirely on the feet and at distance.

Advertisement

Ribeiro on the fight’s key moment

Nov 2, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Brendson Ribeiro (blue gloves) fights Caio Machado (red gloves) in a light heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

“I knew it was going to be a tough fight and it was going to be a war. We knew it was going to happen. We talked about this – there’s going to be a tough fight, but it doesn’t matter. We’re frustrated sometimes because we don’t get the knockout, but it doesn’t matter how we get the win. I knew that my arm was the one to be raised.”

Ribeiro on his 0-2 UFC start

Nov 2, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Brendson Ribeiro (blue gloves) fights Caio Machado (red gloves) in a light heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

“(I had) no terror whatsoever. I didn’t feel any (pressure). I knew we were going to make it happen. I work so hard, but in my other fights in the UFC, they were just minor adjustments that prevented me from a win. I just needed to make these adjustments. We put a lot of work, even on on the on the mental side. There’s no pressure. I knew that all those adjustments, all we needed to do is just make those minor adjustments to come out with the win.”

Advertisement

Ribeiro on what he wants next

“I’m a fighter. I want to fight as soon as possible. I have another challenge coming – no, no, not a challenge. I’m getting married on the 4th of January to my future wife. Love you – I love you. So it is a beautiful moment in my life, very important step in my life.”

To hear more from Ribeiro, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.

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

Source link

Continue Reading

Football

Clayton Kershaw declines $10 million option with Dodgers, becomes free agent

Published

on

Clayton Kershaw declines $10 million option with Dodgers, becomes free agent


Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw has declined his $10 million player option with the Los Angeles Dodgers, electing to become a free agent.

The MLB Players Association listed Kershaw as a free agent in a statement released on Monday. The left-hander is still expected to re-sign with the Dodgers, his only big league team during his 17-year career.

Advertisement

 [Related: Check out our rankings of the top 2025 MLB free agents]

The 36-year-old was hurt for much of last season, finishing with a 2-2 record and a 4.50 ERA over seven starts.

The Dodgers did exercise a $5 million option for infielder Miguel Rojas and a $3.5 million option for catcher Austin Barnes. Barnes is the second-longest tenured Dodgers player behind Kershaw, playing 10 seasons.

The 35-year-old Rojas just finished one of the best seasons of his 11-year career, batting .283 with six homers and 36 RBIs. Barnes hit .264 with one homer and 11 RBIs.

Advertisement

Dodgers win World Series, Is Los Angeles a dynasty? | First Things First

Los Angeles also extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to slugger Teoscar Hernández, who hit a career-high 33 homers. Players have until 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 19 to accept.

If Hernández does, he will be under contract with the Dodgers for another season. If he declines and signs elsewhere, his new team must forfeit at least one draft pick and Los Angeles will receive at least one draft pick as compensation.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

Advertisement

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more




Source link

Continue Reading

MMA

Erin Blanchfield sees Alexa Grasso proposal as UFC title eliminator

Published

on

Erin Blanchfield sees Alexa Grasso proposal as UFC title eliminator

Two days later, Erin Blanchfield is wearing the biggest fight of her career.

Despite the bumps and bruises and ballooning foot, Blanchfield (13-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is overall content with her UFC Fight Night 246 unanimous decision victory over Rose Namajunas (13-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) that she thinks moved her one step away from a title shot.

“I was happy I stuck to the game plan me and my coaches had,” Blanchfield told MMA Junkie on Monday. “I was trying to be more patient and find my strikes and find my takedowns. The last round, we just tried to come out harder and really push the pace on her. She was maybe used to that little slower rhythm that I was showing that I haven’t really done before. I was really happy with how I executed that.”

Blanchfield admittedly got off to a slow start, but she’s proud of how she successfully adjusted to win the final three rounds and ultimately the fight.

Advertisement

“I think she was super sharp the first two rounds,” Blanchfield said. “I really needed to find my rhythm. I guess I was struggling to find my rhythm a little bit. I was trying to play a little bit of a different game than maybe what I’m used to. But I didn’t want to run into anything. Like, with my previous fight, I feel like I ran into a lot of strikes, and my takedowns were pretty obvious. I really wanted to change that. I think I was finding my rhythm better in the third round and then was able to get that takedown. It’s kind of a balance of being patient but then knowing when to go. I think I kind of found that in the third round.”

After the fight, Blanchfield had a name ready to call out for her next UFC appearance. She respectfully proposed a fight vs. former champion Alexa Grasso (16-4-1 MMA, 8-4-1 UFC), who is not currently booked.

Grasso held gold for a significant portion of Blanchfield’s rise up the divisional ladder. Because of that, Blanchfield has kept a close eye on the Mexican fighter. From a stylistic standpoint, Blanchfield selfishly likes what she sees.

“I really like that matchup because she’s another former champ,” Blanchfield said. “I just have two former champs on my record now that I’ve won (against). She doesn’t have a fight lined up right now. I just won my fight. I know beating her puts me right in line for a title shot next. I think there would be no argument that, after whoever the winner of Manon and Valentina is, I should get the next shot at after beating someone like Alexa. That’s ultimately why I called her out.”

Advertisement

“… With Alexa, I obviously feel like my ground game is significantly better, and I feel like I can really find a finish there. It’s another opportunity to test my striking, as well. She’s a great boxer, too, just like Rose is. I feel like it’d be a good challenge everywhere. I feel like I can find my finish.”

While champion Valentina Shevchenko’s next move is not known (though top contender Manon Fiorot is waiting in the wings), Blanchfield firmly hypothesized the Grasso fight will be for a title shot should it take place.

“One thousand percent,” Blanchfield said. “I think the winner of me and Alexa gets the next title shot.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.

Advertisement

 

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

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Football

Football gossip: Fernandez, Isak, Quenda, Zirkzee, Reijnders, Lampard

Published

on

Football gossip: Fernandez, Isak, Quenda, Zirkzee, Reijnders, Lampard


Inter Milan and Barcelona eye move for Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, Arsenal target Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and Manchester United face battle to sign Sporting’s Geovany Quenda.

Inter Milan and Barcelona are plotting a swoop for Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, 23, whose future at Stamford Bridge looks increasingly unclear. (Sun), external

Arsenal have identified Newcastle forward Alexander Isak, 25, as their top transfer target, although the Magpies would demand a fee of about £100m for the Sweden international. (Teamtalk), external

Advertisement

Manchester United are keen on Sporting winger Geovany Quenda, 17, with the Portugal Under-21 international also interesting Manchester City, Liverpool and Juventus. (Teamtalk), external

Sacked Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag did not want to buy Netherlands forward Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna in the summer and was furious when the £36.5m signing arrived for training a stone overweight. (Sun), external

Tottenham are interested in Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, 26, but do not think they will be able to prise him away from AC Milan in January. (Football Insider), external

Chelsea will not consider selling defender Benoit Badiashile, 23, with the France defender considered part of their long-term plans. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Advertisement

Nottingham Forest would like to take Bayern Munich winger Mathys Tel, 19, on loan but the France Under-21 international has no plans of leaving Bavaria this winter. (Sky Germany), external

Former Chelsea and Everton boss Frank Lampard has emerged as a surprise candidate to take over from under-pressure manager Ivan Juric if Roma decide to part ways with the Croat. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Tottenham are to trigger a one-year option on the contract of 32-year-old South Korea forward Son Heung-min. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Manchester United will give new head coach Ruben Amorim a say before making contract decisions on players approaching the end of their deals. (ESPN), external

Advertisement

Aston Villa are close to agreeing a bumper new contract with English forward Morgan Rogers, 22. (Football Insider), external

Edu is set to take up a role with the network of clubs controlled by the Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis after resigning as Arsenal’s sporting director. (Times – subscription required), external



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 WordupNews.com