MMA

Magomed Ankalaev has a path to a title shot after dispatching Johnny Walker. (Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports) For the first time since July 2022, a Magomed Ankalaev fight ended with a winner. It might be enough to set up another title shot for the Russian. Ankalaev put away Johnny Walker in brutal fashion in the main

Dec 27, 2023, 11:23 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Magomed Ankalaev meets Johnny Walker in a rematch of top-10 light heavyweights in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas. The fights at UFC Apex are on ESPN+, with the 7 p.m. ET main card preceded by prelims at 4 p.m.

Yahoo Sports What caused Mike Vrabel’s shocking departure & more Black Monday news | Inside Coverage Jason Fitz is joined by Senior NFL Reporters Jori Epstein and Charles Robinson to react to the biggest news to come out of the infamous Black Monday coaching changes as Jori and Charles give their insider analysis on what’s

Getty Images Jon Jones is maximizing his time off. Jones revealed this week that he underwent elbow surgery while recovering from a separate pectoral surgery. The UFC heavyweight champion took to Instagram on Monday to update fans on his condition. Jones is still healing from a torn pectoral muscle that forced him out of a

Jan 8, 2024, 08:31 AM ET Open Extended Reactions This year is going to be a for MMA. Even with the sport having just a limited number of events already booked, there is plenty to look forward to. The UFC is set to host its 300th pay-per-view event in Las Vegas in April. The PFL

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterJan 5, 2024, 02:54 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Former UFC champion Chris Weidman‘s return from a serious leg injury will continue in March, when he takes on Bruno Silva at a UFC Fight Night event

Francis Ngannou booked another big fight. This time, against Anthony Joshua. (REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri) Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is headed back to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for another major boxing match. He’s set to fight two-time world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed Friday. The 10-round heavyweight fight was first reported by

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterJan 3, 2024, 09:28 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Let’s go, baby. It’s my annual “Fights I want to see most” for 2024, and you know what? I’m optimistic we’ll actually get to see a lot

Conor McGregor hasn’t fought since 2021, when he broke his leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Conor McGregor is ready to make his return to the UFC. McGregor said on social media Sunday that he intends to fight Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas. The bout will reportedly take

Getty Images Conor McGregor says he has a fight date. The Irish superstar announced on Sunday that his return will come in 2024 against Michael Chandler at the year’s edition of International Fight Week in Las Vegas. In announcing the fight, McGregor also revealed that the event will take place on June 29. UFC has

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterDec 31, 2023, 01:37 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Conor McGregor intends to make his UFC return against Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas. Whether or not that actually happens still remains to be

Yahoo Sports Week 17 fantasy playoffs viewer guide: Games to binge, stream, skip It’s the money weekend. If you gotten this far you’re likely playing for a fantasy championship and eternal glory. Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski provide all the fantasy insight you need for this important weekend and identify which games you need to

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPNDec 27, 2023, 09:30 AM ET Open Extended Reactions In 2023, UFC champions put their belts up for grabs 16 times, and on six of those occasions the challenger walked out of the cage with the gold. If you add in the three bouts for vacant titles it becomes clear how turbulent the

Ben Askren thinks losing to Paddy Pimblett should signal the end for Tony Ferguson. Ferguson (25-10 MMA, 15-8 UFC) suffered yet another loss when he was dominated by Pimblett at UFC 296 less than two weeks ago. “El Cucuy” dropped his seventh straight fight, tying B.J. Penn for most consecutive losses in UFC history. Askren

Yahoo Sports 9 players not named Caleb Williams or Drake Maye to know before the NFL Draft | Zero Blitz Jason Fitz is joined by NFL Draft expert Connor Rogers as the duo do an early deep dive into the 2024 NFL Draft. Fitz and Connor spend some time discussing Connor’s New York Jets and

Dec 21, 2023, 09:45 AM ET Open Extended Reactions 2024 is shaping up to be a fascinating year in MMA. The UFC will celebrate its’ 300th pay-per-view event in April, Francis Ngannou — the “baddest man on the planet” — will make his debut in PFL (though we don’t know if it’ll be MMA or

Getty Images Fight of the Year honors are as important as they are undesirable. To engage in a memorable fight is to create a spark of magic. The magic that turns a casual viewer into a diehard fan. Unfortunately, such honors demand a painful toll from its recipients. The last 12 months have treated fans

Editor’s note: Watch Stephania Bell’s documentary on Chris Weidman’s recovery on ESPN+. Chris Weidman lay face down in the Octagon, writhing in pain and trying to understand the severity of his injury. The former UFC middleweight champion was just 17 seconds into his fight against Uriah Hall at UFC 261 in Jacksonville, Florida, on April