The WBO super bantamweight world champion, Emanuel Navarrete, intensified his preparation before the possibility of returning to the ring in June and ruled out the view that fighting without an audience is something negative for him. In fact, he chooses to see it as a golden opportunity in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Navarrete is one of the fighters who have been ...

Eddie Hearn says he is planning to stage a series of fight nights in the garden of the house where he grew up in Essex. The Matchroom headquarters in Brentwood are in what used to be the home of Hearn’s father, Barry, the Matchroom founder, and is situated in 15 acres of grounds off a country lane. Hearn says he ...

Glover Teixeira bludgeons Anthony Smith en route to fifth-round TKO win Glover Teixeira turned back the clock as he put on one of his finest Octagon performances to defeat former UFC light heavywight title contender Anthony Smith in Jacksonville, Florida. The 40-year-old left Smith battered and bruised to earn a fifth-round TKO victory. Smith started the fight strongly, landing power ...

UFC President Dana White is eyeing up a lightweight title unification bout between champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim champion Justin Gaethje on Fight Island in the summer. Speaking to ESPN, White says he isn’t necessarily expecting the world to return to normal any time soon so would like to host the fights on Fight Island. “I don’t know if it ...

One of the most dominant champions in UFC history is set to be inducted in the promotion’s Hall of Fame later this year. At UFC 249, it was announced that former UFC welterweight and middleweight king Georges St-Pierre will be inducted into Modern Wing as part of the Hall of Fame class of 2020. The Modern Wing is for fighters ...

UFC 249: Justin Gaethje gets TKO win over Tony Ferguson in an absolute war Thanks to Justin Gaethje, we will have to wait a little while longer to see Tony Ferguson face UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov – if that fight was to happen at all. Arizona native Gaethje put on a striking clinic to dispatch of a game, iron-chinned ...

By Alistair Hendrie There is a warm feeling in the air as we approach Saturday’s twice-postponed UFC 249 card which will be headlined by Tony Ferguson against Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title. The UFC has the backing of the Florida State Athletic Commission, has implemented social distancing procedures and is providing daily tests for coronavirus. So far, so good.   That aura of hope is exacerbated by ...

By Alistair Hendrie “I look at this fight a lot differently than just belts,” said Dominick Cruz, talking on a conference call about his bantamweight title shot against Henry Cejudo on Saturday at UFC 249, which will be held behind closed doors. “What’s the value of championship belts when there are millions of Americans applying for unemployment benefit who can’t feed their families? I ...

By Alistair Hendrie As Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje gear up to meet for the interim lightweight title bout on Saturday at UFC 249, they share an interesting anomaly: although they’re two of the most skilled fighters in the world, neither has held a full UFC title. Ferguson in particular stands out in this regard. Riding a lightweight-best twelve wins on the bounce, “El Cucuy” has seen six contests with champion Khabib Numragomedov fall ...