MMA

7:50 PM ET A story about former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones hiding under the cage at his gym years ago to avoid taking a drug test has been part of MMA lore for years. But it had never been verified, often chalked up to trash talk from an opponent, a tall tale that

11:55 PM ET Brian Ortega‘s most-tenured coach won’t be able to corner him for a huge fight next week. Rener Gracie, the well-known Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach and member of the world-renowned Gracie family, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and was unable to make the trip with Ortega to Abu Dhabi, Gracie announced Friday night

2:10 PM ET Two of the best grapplers in the UFC’s women’s strawweight division will meet in December. Top prospect Mackenzie Dern and former Invicta FC champion Virna Jandiroba have verbally agreed to fight each other at UFC 256 on Dec. 12, sources confirmed to ESPN. No location has been made official yet for that

8:19 AM ET Jeff Wagenheim You might not think so while watching a particularly brutal fight, but MMA is a pretty forgiving sport. Barely 16 months ago, Marlon Moraes was knocked out by Henry Cejudo in his bid to become UFC men’s bantamweight champion. Moraes later suffered a different sort of indignity, defeating Jose Aldo

9:58 PM ET UFC 254 is down one of its main-card matchups. Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos announced Thursday on Twitter that he is out of his scheduled fight with Islam Makhachev because of a positive test for COVID-19. UFC 254 is set for Oct. 24 in Abu Dhabi. “COVID19 caught me big

1:22 PM ET Conor McGregor is closer to returning to the Octagon than he has been in months. McGregor said Thursday on Twitter that he “accepted the UFC offer” to fight against Dustin Poirier. Sources close to McGregor confirmed it as well. And while McGregor accepted the rematch against Poirier, whom he beat at UFC

8:17 AM ET With a key matchup between UFC men’s bantamweight contenders Marlon Moraes (23-6-1) and Cory Sandhagen (12-2) set to headline this weekend’s event on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, it feels like a good time to talk about one of the UFC’s most intriguing divisions. As far as the promotion’s

6:04 PM ET Mark Raimondi One of the best comeback victories of the year in MMA is now null and void, at least in the official record books. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) overturned Trevin Jones‘ second-round TKO over Timur Valiev, making it a no-contest Wednesday following a Jones positive drug test for marijuana.

3:04 PM ET Georges St-Pierre is leaving the door slightly open for a return to UFC — and Khabib Nurmagomedov would be the only opponent he’d consider. The UFC legend told ESPN on Wednesday that he has “mixed feelings” about an Octagon comeback but would not completely rule it out. If it does happen, St-Pierre

7:09 AM ET Scott Coker was sitting in the stands at the Next Level Sports Complex in Garden Grove, California. It was May 10, 2014. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was promoting an amateur MMA card that night, and Coker went with a friend to see Jackson. At the time, Coker, the longtime combat sports promoter, was

6:07 PM ET The Kamaru Usman–Gilbert Burns UFC welterweight title fight is not happening on Dec. 12 after all, sources said Monday. The previously reported UFC 256 main event has been postponed due to Usman needing more time to recover from undisclosed injuries, sources said. The UFC has already explored the possibility of Stipe Miocic

6:31 AM ET When Conor McGregor talks — or tweets — everyone in the MMA world is sure to take notice. That’s a pretty strong reaction for a guy who has had one cage fight in two years. But for McGregor, that’s where the problem lies. As he geared up for his January Octagon return

1:19 AM ET Holly Holm turned to her wrestling against Irene Aldana and rolled to an easy unanimous decision victory Saturday night in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday on Yas Island. The judges scored the bout 50-44, 50-45 and 50-45 for Holm. Holm, known for her skills as a striker, mixed

2:10 AM ET Much of the talk in recent years surrounding Holly Holm has focused on retirement. When will the 38-year-old Holm hang up the gloves? After her performance on Saturday in the UFC Fight Night main event on Fight Island, that discussion could be about a title shot. Holm, ranked sixth in the ESPN

6:55 PM ET Holly Holm has said time and again that she does not want her UFC career to be defined by her shocking knockout of Ronda Rousey. Saturday on “Fight Island,” Holm has a chance to forge her first winning streak since that 2015 victory — and perhaps earn another title shot. Holm, one

10:57 AM ET Former UFC stalwart Rustam Khabilov has signed a multifight deal with Bellator, sources told ESPN. Khabilov (24-4) has won seven of his past eight fights. He most recently fought for the UFC last November, defeating Sergey Khandozhko via unanimous decision. That was the last fight on Khabilov’s UFC contract. Khabilov has been

11:01 AM ET Bellator MMA lightweight prospect Aaron Pico has booked his next fight, against John de Jesus on Nov. 12, according to multiple sources. Contracts have not been signed, but both sides have verbally agreed to the matchup. The Nov. 12 event is expected to take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

8:39 AM ET Usman Nurmagomedov, the younger cousin of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, has signed a multifight deal with Bellator, according to promotion officials. Khabib Nurmagomedov announced the signing on his Instagram page Friday. Usman Nurmagomedov is 11-0 since turning pro in 2017. Ten of his 11 victories have come via finish. He is