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Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is confident that Paulo Costa will fight him at UFC 298. Whittaker (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) takes on Costa (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in the Feb. 17 co-main event at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Costa has had five fights canceled or rebooked in the past couple of years – including against Whittaker at UFC 284, when the fight fell through due to Costa failing to come to terms on a new deal. Despite Costa’s inactivity, Whittaker remains unfazed. “Not really,” Whittaker said on “The MMA Hour.” “It’s always so funny with contracts and contract signing. I didn’t even realize that was a thing? ‘I haven’t signed’ or whatever. UFC comes here and they say, ‘Hey, do you want to fight X on this date?’ And I say yes, right? When I say I’m in for something, that’s it, I’m down. Doesn’t matter whether I sign the contract today or sign it two days before the fight, I said I’ll be there, that’s what I’m doing. “Whether or not I was worried about it actuall...

Former UFC flyweight title challenger John Dodson continues to build his bona fides in the world of bareknuckle boxing and in March will headline a card as champion in front of his home fans. Dodson will put his flyweight title on the line against Dagoberto Aguero at BKFC 59, the promotion announced Monday. The event will take place March 29 at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, N.M., which is Dodson’s home city. “We love promoting events in Albuquerque, whether it’s the huge shows at the Tingley Coliseum or our tremendous sold-out BKFC Prospect Series event this past Friday night at the Revel,” BKFC president David Feldman said in a statement. “The deep local talent pool of great bareknuckle fighters and the overwhelming support we’ve received from local fans over the last two years makes Albuquerque one of the very best cities for BKFC. “John Dodson has looked sensational in his first three BKFC fights, but Dagoberto Aguero is a tough and talented Dominican with an impressive profe...

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 235 event in Las Vegas. Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT). Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC Fight Night 235 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC Fight Night 235 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+. Make your picks below. from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/nKq62Fc via IFTTT

A lot is at stake for Henry Cejudo at UFC 298. Cejudo (16-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) meets the streaking Merab Dvalishvili (16-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) Feb. 17 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected on ESPN and ESPN+. Cejudo, who fell short to Aljamain Sterling in their title fight at UFC 288 , is contemplating hanging up his gloves again if he loses to Dvalishvili. “This is for the No. 1 contender spot,” Cejudo said on “The HJR Experiment.” “I think to have to lose it to Aljamain, I think if I was going to go maybe down the ladder, I would probably be done with fighting again because it’s just like the sport is hard, man. Training camps, having two kids, and things like that. … It’s all or nothing, man.” Cejudo retired in May 2020 after retaining his bantamweight title against Dominick Cruz. The former UFC dual-champion got the itch to return three years later where he lost a competitive fight to then champion Sterling this past Ma...

Waldo Cortes-Acosta ’s “Salsa Boy” nickname was not self-appointed – like every proper nickname should be. His curious fight nickname was earned and given by his teammates after a spicy story behind his cooking, not his dancing. Cortes-Acosta (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who fights in the UFC’s heavyweight division, hosted a party years ago at which he invited his friends and teammates from Ultimate Kombat Training Center in Arizona. “I dance well, yeah – but the nickname actually came from salsa I made for a party,” Cortes-Acosta told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “There were guys from Nicaragua, Mexico, Brazil, Colombians – all over the place.” Training with many Hispanic people, especially those from Central America, Cortes-Acosta knew he had to show out with the salsa given the high standards and high tolerance for spicy food at the party – and he might’ve gotten a bit overboard. “A friend of mine, who we call ‘El Chimmy,’ and he already fought in the UFC, tried the sauce, and before he was ...

Longtime fan favorite Yoshihiro Akiyama was stopped in his fighting return Sunday. The Japanese star quickly was dispatched by former Glory Kickboxing champion Nieky Holzken in the first round of their 187.25-pound catchweight bout at ONE 165 in Tokyo. Akiyama and Holzken competed in a three-round mixed-rules bout, alternating between boxing, muay Thai and MMA. The official stoppage came at the 1:40 mark of Round 1. Below, you can watch the video of Akiyama TKO defeat: VEIO SEM ENTENDER NADA! Yoshihiro Akiyama ficou perdido com as regras especiais do combate e sucumbiu aos pés do Nieky Holzken. #ONEnoCombate pic.twitter.com/3HnlkwyiWO — Combate (@combate) January 28, 2024 Akiyama, now 48, has been competing sporadically in combat sports in this late stage of his fighting career. Prior to this defeat at ONE 165, Akiyama fought and defeated fellow Japanese legend Shinya Aoki in an MMA bout in March 2022. Although already a known name in Asia, “Sexyama” made his fame in Ame...

Garry Tonon continues his campaign back to the ONE championship featherweight title. The grappling standout picked up a first-round submission win over Martin Nguyen on the main card of ONE 165 on Sunday in Tokyo. Tonon sank a nasty rear-naked choke at the 4:41 mark to get the tap. The 32-year-old also won a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus for his finish. Below, you can watch Tonon’s submission win: COMPLETE A FRASE: Se não bater, ________! Garry Tonon finaliza Martin Nguyen no finalzinho do primeiro round! #ONEnoCombate pic.twitter.com/fZuYVfXBt4 — Combate (@combate) January 28, 2024 Tonon now is on a three-fight wining streak, all by submission, since his first professional defeat in 2022 when he challenged for the ONE featherweight title. Tonon told MMA Junkie, in the lead up to the event, that he hoped to s ecure another title shot with a win at ONE 165. More ONE Championship! ONE 165: Sage Northcutt pulls out, so Shinya Aoki taps John Lineker in open-w...