MMA

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPNMar 20, 2024, 08:36 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Once again, it’s back to the starting line for Bellator MMA. The second-fiddle fight promotion seems to always be starting over, redefining itself or making a comeback. Friday will bring the latest incarnation at Bellator Belfast, with the fight card in the Northern Ireland

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterMar 19, 2024, 06:19 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Conor McGregor could be making a return to the Octagon relatively soon after his feature film debut. The former UFC double champion and biggest star in the history of the sport told ESPN on Tuesday that he will be coming back to

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMar 19, 2024, 12:07 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Petr Yan will undergo surgery on a torn ACL on Tuesday, the former UFC bantamweight champion announced on social media. Yan (17-5) revealed multiple injuries in a

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMar 18, 2024, 09:21 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions The UFC’s heavyweight division has always been one of its most popular. At the moment, it’s also one of its most confusing. The big boys have enjoyed

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMar 16, 2024, 10:08 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Marcin Tybura picked up one of the fastest wins of his UFC career on Saturday as he submitted Tai Tuivasa in the first round of their heavyweight

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterMar 16, 2024, 09:09 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Jose Aldo, a UFC Hall of Famer and longtime former UFC featherweight champion, will come out of retirement and fight Jonathan Martinez in a bantamweight fight at UFC 301 on May 4 in Aldo’s native Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sources confirmed with

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMar 15, 2024, 06:49 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will make his second title defense against Steve Erceg at UFC 301 on May 4 in Rio de Janeiro, the promotion announced

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMar 15, 2024, 01:21 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions UFC middleweight Chris Curtis has agreed to step into a main event bout against Brendan Allen at UFC Fight Night on April 6, the promotion announced on

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPNMar 15, 2024, 08:37 AM ET Open Extended Reactions At the game-changing moment when a fighter locks in an inescapable submission hold or connects with a no-getting-up knockdown punch, just as the referee jumps in and the crowd erupts, the TV broadcasters at cageside always amplify the scene with a few defining words.

Jake Michaels, ESPN Senior WriterMar 14, 2024, 04:43 PM ET Close Jake Michaels is a Melbourne-based sports writer who covers everything from Aussie Rules to Formula One, basketball to boxing. He has been with ESPN for 10 years and works as a Senior Writer, covering sport in Australia and around the world. Open Extended Reactions

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMar 14, 2024, 12:54 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions UFC legend Mark Coleman was awake and responsive Thursday after he was hospitalized Wednesday after suffering from smoke inhalation in a house fire in Toledo, Ohio. Coleman,

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterMar 13, 2024, 01:15 PM ET Open Extended Reactions A rematch of a marquee UFC headliner will happen in boxing. Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal will fight again June 1 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, in a boxing match, officials told ESPN on Wednesday. The two fought in MMA

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMar 13, 2024, 12:17 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Jack Della Maddalena earned one of the most impressive wins of the night at UFC 299 last weekend in Miami — and he did it with a

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMar 12, 2024, 07:34 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun UFC legend Mark Coleman remains hospitalized on Tuesday after suffering from smoke inhalation in a house fire in Toledo. Coleman, 59, was airlifted to the hospital after pulling his mother

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMar 11, 2024, 05:44 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions The opening round of the PFL’s 2024 regular season is officially set. Heavyweights Ante Delija (24-5) and Valentin Moldavsky (12-3) will headline the first event on April

Mar 11, 2024, 08:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions With the conclusion of UFC 299, MMA’s leading promotion now turns its focus to what is expected to be its biggest fight card of the year, UFC 300, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 13. But there is still plenty of action to look

Mar 10, 2024, 01:59 AM ET Open Extended Reactions A 14-fight UFC 299 in Miami was headlined by a dominant title fight performance from Sean O’Malley. In the co-main event, Dustin Poirier reminded the world that he’s still one of the pound-for-pound best in the sport and Michael ‘Venom’ Page put on a show in

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterMar 10, 2024, 01:25 AM ET Open Extended Reactions MIAMI — Sean O’Malley‘s only career loss came against Marlon “Chito” Vera. And now he has avenged it, cementing himself as the UFC’s next big star in the process. In a stylish striking performance befitting someone who wore blue and pink cornrows