MMA

UFC 307 official fight poster released featuring both title fights

Published

3 hours ago

September 20, 2024

UFC 307 official fight poster released featuring both title fights

We are officially on the road to UFC 307.

On Monday, the UFC released its official poster for the upcoming pay-per-view event which takes place on Oct. 5 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the main event, Alex Pereira defends his light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree Jr., while in the co-main event, Raquel Pennington puts her bantamweight belt on the line against former champion Julianna Peña, and the UFC 307 fight poster puts the focus on both fights.

Pereira is the current front-runner for 2024 Fighter of the Year, with successful title defenses against former champions Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka at UFC 300 and UFC 303 respectively. Rountree is on a five-fight winning streak but has not competed since last December, in part due to a suspension for failing a drug test.

Pennington won the vacant women’s bantamweight title by defeating Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 back in January. This will be her first title defense. Peña, meanwhile, won the title by defeating Amanda Nunes at UFC 269 in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. She then dropped the title back to Nunes in their rematch seven months later and has not competed since.

UFC 307 also features a number of other marquee matchups, including a bantamweight bout between Jose Aldo and Mario Bautista, a featherweight contest between Movsar Evloev and Aljamain Sterling, a women’s bantamweight battle between Kayla Harrison and Ketlen Vieira, and a welterweight clash between Stephen Thompson and Joaquin Buckley, among other fights.

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Football

Martin Odegaard: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says captain’s ankle injury ‘quite significant’

Published

8 mins ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Martin Odegaard: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says captain's ankle injury 'quite significant'

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says captain Martin Odegaard has suffered a “quite significant” ankle ligament injury.

The midfielder limped off during Norway’s Nations League win over Austria on Monday, 9 September.

Odegaard had gone down in pain after hurting his left ankle following a foul by Christoph Baumgartner midway through the second half.

He returned to Arsenal for an MRI scan and missed his side’s 1-0 win at Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.

“The scan showed some damage around the ligaments in the ankle so we are going to miss him,” said Gunners boss Arteta before his side play Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday.

“It’s something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months.”

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MMA

Tony Ferguson calls out UFC champion Conor McGregor

Published

9 mins ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Tony Ferguson calls out UFC champion Conor McGregor

Tony Ferguson has called out UFC champion Conor McGregor after landing the interim lightweight belt in Las Vegas.

The 33 year-old defeated Kevin Lee with a third-round triangle choke submission at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.

While still in the octagon, the 23-3 fighter addressed McGregor as McNuggets and said he was going to “kick the ass” of the Irishman.

“You better come and f*****g defend that belt. Defend or vacate,” he added.

McGregor is the reigning UFC lightweight champion after defeating Eddie Alvarez in November 2016 in New York.

But the Irishman is yet to defend the belt, having taken on Floyd Mayweather Junior in August at the same arena which hosted UFC 216 on Saturday night.

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MMA

Huge brawl breaks out after Khabib Nurmagomedov attacks Conor McGregor camp following stunning victory

Published

30 mins ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Huge brawl breaks out after Khabib Nurmagomedov attacks Conor McGregor camp following stunning victory

Two hours after the mass brawl erupted at the T-Mobile Arena, White explained later that three of the Russian’s team were arrested and later released.

“I’m so disappointed,” said White. “I’m one of the guys who has worked 18 years to get this sport where it is today.”

Mixed martial arts – the UFC – was banned in 36 US states in the mid-nineties and forced underground. White has been part of a small team helping the sport gain recognition in the mainstream.

“The thing was trending to be number one or two of all time on pay-per-view and this is how it ends,” he said of the fight league, whose estimated worth is $7 billion. “It’s bad for the brand, it’s bad for the sport, it’s bad for both fight camps. I don’t know how anyone can come out looking good from this.”

White said the Nevada State Commission, which sanctioned the contest, has withheld 30-year-old Nurmagomedov’s purse – $2 million – pending an investigation. McGregor was to be paid his, added White.

The Nevada State governor, who was at the contest, is likely to call for an investigation and the Nevada State Athletic Commission could suspend Nurmagomedov’s licence to fight.

White added: “Police officers were getting punched, security guys were getting punched. I actually think police and security did an incredible job. Khabib jumped over the cage like one of those Parkour guys. What are you expected to do?

“What he should have done was walk over, pick Conor up and say some great things to one of other. Whatever you think of Conor, at least respect the guy. I don’t like it and don’t want to ever be in that position again.

“It’s a great sport with great athletes and this is not how we conduct ourselves.”

This was a black eye for the sport. On a night when the most eyes in its 25-year history were watching.

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MMA

UFC 308 adds Said Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Santos

Published

51 mins ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

UFC 308 adds Said Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Santos

UFC 308 continues to deepen.

The most recent addition is a three-round bantamweight bout. Said Nurmagomedov will take on Daniel Santos at the Oct. 26 pay-per-view event at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the promotion recently announced.

Nurmagomedov (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will return almost exactly one year to the date from his previous fight. His most recent appearance was a 73-second submission win over Muin Gafurov on Oct. 21, 2023. The victory moved him to 4-1 in his most recent five.

Santos (11-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) aims to extend his winning streak to three after consecutive victories against John Castaneda and Johnny Munoz.

It just keeps getting better! 👊
Said Nurmagomedov vs Daniel Santos & @FaridBOfficial vs @VictorStriker0 have been added to #UFC308 #InAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/KLpVYpgQGy
— UFC (@ufc) September 18, 2024

With the addition, the UFC 308 fight card includes:

Champion Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway – for featherweight title
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Robert Whittaker
Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Shara Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan
Dan Ige vs. Lerone Murphy
Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Nursulton Ruziboev
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Geoff Neal
Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira
Brunno Ferreira vs. Abus Magomedov
Myktybek Orolbai vs. Mateusz Rebecki
Ismail Naurdiev vs. Bruno Silva
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Justin Tafa
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Santos

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

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

Rodri: WIll players actually go on strike and legally can they do it?

Published

1 hour ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Rodri: WIll players actually go on strike and legally can they do it?

Southampton manager Russell Martin said he “didn’t think” his players were interested in striking after their promotion to the Premier League.

He said: “We’ve gone from 50 games to 38 and a couple of cup games so I think our lads will be delighted.”

But he did add: “I think something’s going to give at some point. I think that will be that the quality will be diluted at the top level.

“The top players… you’ll see less of them because of injuries, so I think he [Rodri] has a very good point and I think it needs to be looked at – the welfare of the guys playing internationals and the Champions League.”

Ross Meadows, head of employment at law firm Oury Clark, said: “In practice, I think this will be a last resort if co-ordinated through the Professional Footballers’ Association or Fifpro as there are significant legal hurdles to overcome to have a lawful strike, including a ballot to all members and notice to the Premier League clubs.

“The PFA, for example, typically seeks to resolve disputes through negotiations rather than strikes. Historically, football players have avoided strike action in favour of collective bargaining and pressure through their union.”

Former England and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart said on BBC Radio 5 Live that Rodri and Alisson were “just speaking from their hearts”.

“Two players there that are going to speak honestly,” he said. “They’re not rash guys, they’re not guys who sensationalise everything. I’m sure they just answered questions.

“Rodri, in particular, was asked whether they’re close to going on strike. I don’t think in the forefront of his mind was thinking ‘you know what we are up to… that is actually the plan’.

“He is just saying that at some point they’re going to have to stand up for themselves because it is a lot of football.”

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