Former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez says that he is closing the door on his MMA career to focus on wrestling professionally with the WWE. Velasquez will face Brock Lesnar at the WWE Crown Jewel event on Oct. 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Four fighters were put under contract with the UFC following their performances at Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
After making history as the first batch of winners to all earn contracts following their performances at Dana White’s Contender Series, the fighters react to making it to the UFC.
For the first time in the three-season history of Dana White’s Contender Series, every winning fighter earned a UFC contract. Maki Pitolo, Joe Solecki, Antonio Trocoli, Hunter Azure and Jonathan Pearce impressed the UFC brass and were awarded contracts by the UFC president.
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones continued his reign by taking a split decision victory over Thiago Santos at UFC 239. He discusses the close call and entertains the idea of a trilogy bout with Daniel Cormier. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Jon Jones and Amanda Nunes both retained their titles at UFC 239. Jones took a decision over Thiago Santos in the main event and Nunes scored a first-round knockout of Holly Holm. Jorge Masvidal also made promotional history on July 6 by scoring a 5-second knockout over Ben Askren. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Amanda Nunes talks about continuing her reign as a two-division champion in the UFC after defeating Holly Holm with a head kick in the first round of their title bout at UFC 239. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Jorge Masvidal discusses his history-making knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239 and makes his case for a shot at the welterweight title next. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Fighters at UFC 239 talk about what they experienced when the 7.1 earthquake was felt in Las Vegas on Friday night. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
All fighters competing at UFC 239 on July 6 at the T-Mobile Arena faced off against each other one last time before their bouts take place. In the main event, Jon Jones will put his light heavyweight belt on the line against Thiago Santos. In the co-main event, Amanda Nunes will look to continue her reign as the women’s bantamweight champion when she takes on Holly Holm.
Prior to UFC 239, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones says he’s trying to challenge himself, set his own records to establish his legacy and explains how he’s become comfortable with where he is in his career. He will put his title on the line in the main event against Thiago Santos. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
All 24 fighters competing at UFC 239 on July 6 at the T-Mobile Arena made weight at the official weigh-in at the New York-New York hotel-casino on Friday. The main event features UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones putting his belt on the line against Thiago Santos. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Prior to UFC 239, the Review-Journal’s Adam Hill and Heidi Fang break down the main event between Jon Jones and Thiago Santos for the light heavyweight title, the co-main championship tilt between Holly Holm and reigning bantamweight queen Amanda Nunes, and preview a feature bout between Ben Askren and Jorge Masvidal. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Ahead of facing rising UFC welterweight Ben Askren, promotional veteran Jorge Masvidal says he’s faced tougher opponents in the past. Askren says don’t be shocked by his approach to the fight at UFC 239 on July 6 at the T-Mobile Arena. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
At UFC 239 open workouts, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones thanked fans for their support during his “controversial moments” and says he wants to be more active through 2020. His challenger Thiago Santos says he will “shock the world” on July 6 and be the new division champion. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Holly Holm will look to reclaim the UFC women’s bantamweight title when she faces two-division champion Amanda Nunes in the co-main event of UFC 239 at the T-Mobile Arena on July 6. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC president Dana White spoke with media following the second episode of the third season of his show “Dana White’s Contender Series”. He explained why he signed the two fighters he did after their performances and discussed the heat he’s taking for not signing Brendan Loughnane last week.
UFC heavyweight Francis Ngannou will face Junior dos Santos at UFC on ESPN 3 in Minneapolis, Minn., on June 29 in a bout that could determine the next title contender. After losing in a title bout to Stipe Miocic in 2018, Ngannou says he never doubted himself. He also talks about meeting former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
On opening night at the UFC’s newest facility, the UFC Apex, the promotion signed Punahele Soriano and Yorgan De Castro to contracts after their performances on Dana White’s Contender Series. UFC president Dana White explains why he signed the fighters he did.
The UFC Apex will officially open as Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series kicks off on June 19. Here’s a look at what the promotion’s newest facility in Las Vegas has to offer.
UFC President Dana White gave the Review-Journal an exclusive interview where he spoke about the promotion’s new facility, the UFC Apex, their new deal with ESPN, when Conor McGregor may return to the octagon and more.
UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko claimed the vacant title when she defeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 231 last December. She will put the belt on the line for the first time in Chicago, Ill., when she faces Jessica Eye at UFC 238 on June 8.
Ohio native Jessica Eye says she moved to Las Vegas to get an edge in performance ahead of facing UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 238 in Chicago, Ill., on June 8.
The former NFL star needed just 17 seconds to score a knockout on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series (Adam Hill/Review-Journal)
UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo is coming up to the bantamweight division to battle Marlon Moraes for the vacant belt on June 8 at UFC 238. Moraes said Cejudo will regret going after a second title in a new division and added that he thinks his path will cross with former champion TJ Dillashaw in the future.
UFC strawweight Paige VanZant was briefly linked to fight at UFC 236, but had to withdraw from the bout due to a broken arm. As a guest on the RJ Ringside Podcast, she detailed the injury and also spoke about joining the M-1 Global booth as a color commentator. (Heidi Fang / Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC 236 will feature a pair of interim title fights. In the main event, UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway will face lightweight contender Dustin Poirier and middleweights Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum will collide in the co-main event. UFC 236 will take place in Atlanta, Ga., on Apr. 13.
Jon Jones retained the UFC light heavyweight belt when he earned a decision over Anthony Smith in the main event of UFC 235.
Kamaru Usman became the first African-born fighter to claim a UFC belt when he defeated Tyron Woodley to become the promotion’s new welterweight champion.
All 24 fighters competing at UFC 235 at the T-Mobile Arena on March 2 stepped on the scale prior for the official fight card weigh-ins. All four fighters competing in the title bouts slated for the event made weight.
