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Gonebred? Masvidal Retiring With Loss To Burns

Former UFC welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal will look to snap a three-fight losing streak when he collides with fellow 170-pound contender Gilbert Burns in the upcoming UFC 287 co-main event this Sat. night (April 8, 2023) at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida.
A fight that could mark the final appearance for “Gamebred.”

“This could be the last one,” Masvidal said during “Countdown to UFC 287” (transcribed by Farah Hannoun). “If I lose, I’m pretty much calling it quits. But a win against Gilbert means that things are headed in the right direction. So if I roll the dice and do everything right, I’m going for it all.”
Masvidal (35-16) came up short in consecutive title fights against Kamaru Usman at UFC 251 and UFC 261, the latter of which ended by way of thunderous knockout (so much for that “full camp” excuse). “Gamebred” resurfaced at UFC 272 the following year but lost a lopsided decision to bitter rival Colby Covington.
At 38 years old, it’s now or never.

“I think I’m at my best right now – my mental (game), my physical – and now I’ve got to go out there and prove it,” Masvidal continued. “I’ve got my back up against the wall. I get to start my resurrection here in Miami-Dade County, the city that birthed me, that made me, that molded me, so I’m more than excited. April 8, I give it all I’ve got. I win, we keep rolling that dice until we get that f*cking belt.”
Expect welterweight champion Leon Edwards to keep a close eye on this fight.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 287 fight card on fight night, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

For the updated and finalized UFC 287 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

McGregor, Twitter React To Rumored WWE Sale To UFC (Endeavor)

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fans are used to a little professional wrestling news on their mixed martial arts (MMA) sites on WrestleMania weekends, but this is something else entirely. On Sunday afternoon, CNBC reported that a deal was close to being reached that would see UFC parent company, Endeavor, buy World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
According to this report, UFC and WWE would become part of a new publicly-traded company, with Endeavor owning 51 percent and WWE shareholders holding 49 percent. Endeavor CEO, Ari Emanuel, would remain overall chief executive, while WWE head honcho, Vince McMahon, would serve as executive chairman.
Interestingly enough, that would technically place him above UFC President, Dana White, in the new company’s org chart.

It’s a wild change, and word is the deal could be officially announced as soon as Monday. The Internet is already buzzing from the news, and a variety of important figures in both MMA and pro wrestling are already weighing in.
“Congrats to the UFC, now worth a cool Proper $12bn,” Conor McGregor wrote on Twitter regarding the deal. “Wow! Endeavor bout to scoop the WWE now also. Incredible. What a powerhouse!”
Take a look at other thoughts from across the Twitterverse:

Congrats to the @ufc now worth a cool Proper $12bn. Wow! Endeavor bout to scoop the @WWE now also. Incredible. What a powerhouse!— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 2, 2023

UFC and WWE under one umbrella? Very interesting. One note: this deal would value the UFC at “more than $12 billion.” Not bad given Endeavor paid $4bn for the UFC seven years ago. https://t.co/8QeYrTo0v9— Simon Head (@simonhead) April 2, 2023

UFC + WWE makes too much sense. Great path to increasing fighter pay.— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) April 2, 2023

Per CNBC, Endeavor, the parent company of UFC, is nearing a deal to buy WWE with a deal to be announced as early as TOMORROW. UFC and WWE are expected to form a new publicly traded company. Vince McMahon would remain as Executive Chairman. Holy shit.— Jason Solomon (@solomonster) April 2, 2023

Vince McMahon couldn’t have made out better in the deal if it goes through as reported, second highest ranking officer for both WWE and UFC behind Ari Emanuel, gets huge payoff, keeps stock with the idea WWE/UFC combined company will become even stronger in the stock market.— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) April 2, 2023

When WWE CEO Nick Khan said there was robust interest this week …. He was slow playing it.— Alex Sherman (@sherman4949) April 2, 2023

If it goes anything like the UFC sale at the start and for a few years, there’s going to be a lot of cost cutting going on in WWE. I don’t know if it’s going to be a plus for talent contracts, and this may make AEW more viable when it comes to big contracts.— Ryan Frederick (@ryanjfrederick) April 2, 2023

NEWS: Endeavor is finalizing a deal to buy WWE, per @CNBC.The deal values WWE at about $9.3 billion — and would combine UFC and WWE into one publicly traded company. pic.twitter.com/LdnoyuflvX— Front Office Sports (@FOS) April 2, 2023

BREAKING: Endeavor is finalizing a deal to buy WWE, according to @sherman4949.Endeavor will then combine WWE and the UFC into one publicly traded company.Shares of WWE are up 33% this year, and the deal gives WWE an enterprise value of more than $9 billion. pic.twitter.com/kjSt3v9qtf— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) April 2, 2023

This weekend there was buzz that a non-Saudi entity was leading the pack to finalize a potential sale with WWE. If correct, Endeavor would own WWE and UFC https://t.co/sMCuqliaZg— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) April 2, 2023

UFC has fought incredibly hard to prevent fighters from being paid fairly. They have benched and outright fired some of their biggest stars over issues involving pay. WWE not only being under the same umbrella but a part of the same company probably won’t behave much differently.— Adam Lash (@newfoundmass) April 2, 2023

Some personal thoughts on WWE possibly being sold to Endeavor:1) There is a lot of synergy between UFC and WWE, so you’ll probably be seeing a lot of departments being combined.2) There were a lot of layoffs after Endeavor bought the UFC. 3) Endeavor buying UFC paid off…— Raj Giri (@TheRajGiri) April 2, 2023

WWE being bought by the UFC after Shane McMahon begged his dad to buy the UFC back in 2000 when it was struggling is like some Blockbuster / Netflix shit https://t.co/m6t99tbKx4— ᶜᵃˢᵗᵉʳ ˢʰᵉˡˡ (@castergunx) April 2, 2023

Keep it locked to MMAmania.com for more news about this massive sale and what it could mean for both UFC and WWE.

Prediction! Jones Vs. Pettis Full Fight Preview

The ongoing explosion of non-boxers boxing produces one of the most out-of-left-field matchups in recent memory this evening (Sat., April 1, 2023) when 54-year-old former four-division champion, Roy Jones Jr., welcomes Anthony “Showtime” Pettis to the Sweet Science in Gamebred Boxing 4’s pay-per-view (PPV) main event.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE coverage of tonight’s PPV main card right here. The UFC Fight Pass/PPV.com “Prelims” undercard kick off at 7 p.m. ET, then main card at 9 p.m. ET.
The rest of the card is loaded with former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) talent, most notably the co-feature that sees Jose Aldo look to make it 2-0 in the ring against old rival, Jeremy “Lil’ Heathen” Stephens. One fight prior, Vitor Belfort attempts to avenge his 2016 technical knockout loss to Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, while Pearl Gonzalez continues her boxing renaissance against the debuting Gina Mazany.
Need help making sense of this mess? Read on …

Cruiserweight: Roy Jones Jr. (66-9, 54 KO) vs. Anthony “Showtime” Pettis (0-0)
It’s been five years since Jones’ last sanctioned bout, a wide unanimous decision over well-traveled veteran, Scott Sigmon. It’s been 15 since his last major win, which saw him send fellow legend, Felix Trinidad, into retirement, and around 20 since Antonio Tarver ended his stint atop the pound-for-pound list.
It says something about Pettis’ decline that I’m still on the fence about who wins this. Pettis is talking about entering the ring around 45 pounds above his ideal weight and he’s never been a particularly scary boxer. In fact, the only real highlights I can remember his hands generating were that big knockdown of Tony Ferguson and the Superman punch that felled “Wonderboy” Thompson.
My guess is that we’ll see Jones take a page out of old rival Bernard Hopkins’ book, using regular clinches to smother Pettis’ output and force him to carry an unfamiliar amount of weight. Pettis is obviously far younger and better-conditioned, but this is new territory for him. Even if Jones is far past his expiration date, I can definitely see him latching on, stinking the joint out, and surviving a late surge to eke out a decision.
Prediction: Jones via split decision

Welterweight: Jose “Scarface” Aldo (1-0, 0 KO) vs. Jeremy “Lil’ Heathen” Stephens (0-0)

Here’s an interesting factoid about Jeremy Stephens: despite his reputation as a knockout puncher, he’s stopped just two men with punches in the last decade. I think it’s safe to assume that bigger gloves aren’t going to fix what ails him.
Though Aldo has unquestionably lost a step himself, he looked pretty damn sharp in his pro boxing debut last February, albeit against a very limited opponent. I certainly have quite a bit more faith in his technique than I do Stephens; best as I can tell, the only adjustments Stephens made once the knockouts dried up was a greater emphasis on low kicks, which aren’t going to help him here.
The only real advantage Stephens has here is conditioning, but it’s offset by his lack of experience in pacing himself for a boxing match. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see his big, straight-armed swings suck the life right out of him due to the unfamiliar glove weight. That said, odds are that Aldo once again finds the off button on his midsection before that can play a factor.
Prediction: Aldo via second round technical knockout

Heavyweight: Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (0-0)

I would genuinely love for Souza to Terminator-walk right into Belfort’s face and blast his nose clean off with an overhand right. It’s a genuine shame that he never got the chance to fight for a UFC title, and after all the struggles he went through at the end of his MMA run, it’d warm the heart to see him ride victoriously into the sunset.
Can’t always get what we want, though. Souza never really developed his standup beyond that overhand right, which loses a lot of its potency when there’s no threat of a takedown to set it up. Against a bulked-up Belfort who, let’s face it, is probably on the sort of gear that’d melt a USADA agent like he’d opened the Ark of the Covenant, that just ain’t enough. Souza will do a bit better than Evander Holyfield did, but I don’t think he has an answer for Belfort just rushing in and throwing flurries until one or the other goes down.
Prediction: Belfort via first round technical knockout

For more on Gamebred Boxing 4 and other boxing-related events, click here.

Paul Claims Diaz Stalling ‘Extremely Healthy’ Fight Contract

Fight fans may end up seeing a boxing match between former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) superstar Nate Diaz and social media star Logan Paul, but Diaz first needs to accept a very sweet deal.
This is according to Paul who sat down with BT Sport’s Ariel Helwani earlier this week. Paul had previously revealed that a matchup with a very known fighter had fallen apart, but fight fans didn’t know who that was until now.

According to Paul, the deal was very close to being finalized. He believed they extended a good enough offer for Diaz to accept, but the Stockton native isn’t giving in (just yet).
“I think he’s running. This guy, I think he’s ducking,” Paul told BT Sport. “We have the sweetest deal for him and he knows the type of numbers I bring in. I’m not a quarter of a million [pay-per-view buys] type of fighter, you’re going to get 750,000 [to a] million buys, and I’m an 0-1 YouTuber. Seems like an easy fight on paper.
“It’s Nate Diaz.”

Paul, who last competed in an eight-round exhibition match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. back in 2021, was surprised to learn that Diaz wasn’t going to agree to the matchup. Both fighters bring eyes to the sport of boxing and a potential clash would most certainly produced north of 500,000 pay-per-view (PPV) buys.
“I don’t even care anymore,” Paul said. “I thought I had something locked in, but apparently he said the fight was off. Like, why? Why? So he could fight someone else? For what purpose? To get less buys, and maybe an easier fight? I don’t get it.

“As far as I know, it’s not dead because we had to f—king offer him more money. It’s like we’re baiting this guy into fighting me. It’s hard for me to get a fight because either you’re not worth my time and energy, or you’re not going to sell pay-per-views. I’ll do it, but I need a dance partner. And I don’t need a tune-up fight, give me the real dogs. Nate Diaz is a dog. I was looking forward to that fight, then I got a call the other day and they said they didn’t want to do it. It was almost done. I don’t know.”
Paul is unsure what will come next, but he still has respect for Diaz and his big brother, Nick. The social media star is finding out the hard way that dealing with Diaz is no walk in the park, but it seems like a logical matchup on paper. Only time will tell if the two sides can agree on terms.
“Let’s recount the facts: You have an extremely healthy deal on the table with the person that, by far, will sell you the most pay-per-views of any dance partner that you decide to go with, and I’m an 0-1 YouTuber,” Paul explained. “Why would you back out of that?

“I think he’s great, I think it would be a great fight. People would want to see that fight. He’s tough as hell, obviously an MMA legend, can move the needle. I’m just hyper ambitious, a little delusional, and can kind of box.”
What say you, fight fans? Would you pay up for Diaz vs. Paul?
Let us know in the comments below!

Knockout! James Completes Comeback Over Golm With Insane Combo

Things weren’t looking all that great for Daniel James after 10 minutes of action against Marcelo Golm in the main event of Bellator 293. But the thing about Heavyweight contenders is that the tide can turn in the blink of an eye.
After getting shut out in the first two rounds as a result of Golm’s grappling, James decided to come out aggressive from the jump in round three. Indeed, “The American Predator” started to let his big fists fly. Though he was not hitting much to start, he wanted to send the message.

During an exchange, James landed a huge uppercut that rocked the Brazilian big man, and had him seeing stars. Smelling blood, James wasted zero time and landed a huge right and then a left hand that dropped Golm like a big sack of potatoes, though he was out before he hit the canvas.
Check out some of the action below:

That is now five straight wins for James, including winning his first two fights under the Bellator banner via devastating knockout. After his win, James called for a title fight against division king, Ryan Bader, but that fight will likely go to Linton Vassell. Nevertheless, James is in prime position to challenge the winner.

To check out the latest Bellator MMA-related news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive news archive right here.

Morning Report: Justin Gaethje would ‘probably’ quit if Conor McGregor gets title shot off Michael Chandler win

Conor McGregor could potentially be the man to end Justin Gaethje’s career without even fighting him.
Come July, it will have been two full years since McGregor last fought in the octagon. McGregor fell short in a second consecutive loss to Dustin Poirier via TKO in after breaking his leg at the end of Round 1. Now fully healed, “The Notorious” is anticipated to return in the latter half of 2023 despite having yet to re-enter the USADA testing pool.
McGregor’s comeback fight is expected to come against his rival coach Michael Chandler. The pair recently starred opposite one another as coaches on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, which airs May 30 on ESPN. Gaethje shares that he was offered the opportunity to be a coach on the same season, but didn’t name who his opponent would have been. The fear going forward is that a single McGregor win will lead to a title shot, whether or not the Chandler bout takes place at lightweight or welterweight.
“Would I quit if Conor won and they gave him a title shot? Probably,” Gaethje told ESPN. “That’s how hurt I would be by the actions of the company I represent. But that’s out of my control. I just really hope that doesn’t happen.
“We can imagine a lot of things, but there’s a possibility that that’s the scenario, which I would be devastated, for sure.”
Always active, Gaethje’s fought three times since McGregor’s trilogy bout with Poirier. “The Highlight” is 2-1 in that stretch, defeating Chandler in a 2021 Fight of the Year before most recently taking home a unanimous decision nod against Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286 earlier this month.
Gaethje has always been open and interested in a McGregor matchup, but at this juncture, it isn’t looking likely to happen anytime soon. Instead, Gaethje targets a rematch with the man who handed him his second-ever MMA loss, Poirier. The thrilling lightweights first met in April 2018, resulting in an unforgettable war that saw Poirier score a fourth-round TKO.
“I think the obvious fight is Poirier,” Gaethje said of his next move. “Not sure when, but I think that’s obvious with [Charles] Oliveira fighting [Beneil] Dariush coming up. The winner fighting [Islam] Makhachev probably towards the end of the year. I think I’m either gonna fight Poirier or the loser of Oliveira-Dariush. I think those are the only two fights that are out there for me.
“I’m a much different, more mature fighter as is he (Poirier), but I think we’re two of the best in the world. Neither one of us have a fight lined up, so no-brainer. It leads to big title discussions. I gave the new guys a chance, they proved that they can’t crack it yet with the experienced [guys]. At the end of the day, it comes down to being able to fight a smart fight and not get tired.”

Nope. Sean O’Malley reveals he won’t serve as UFC 288 backup fighter: “If one of those dorks pull out, reschedule it.”
Moves. Anthony Pettis expects Roy Jones Jr. to be “surprised” by his boxing skill, will decide future after match.
Crossover. Carl Froch declares he’d face Conor McGregor “in the cage,” McGregor responds.
$$$. Markus Perez: Gamebred Boxing paying me “three times more” than UFC.
Prediction. Jorge Masvidal takes aim at Khamzat Chimaev, vows to “melt” Gilbert Burns: “He’s a front-runner.”
Review. Paddy Pimblett admits Jared Gordon fight “a lot closer than I thought,” but scoffs at alleged UFC favoritism.

The MMA Hour.

Free fight.
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Full fight.
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Salty submissions.
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Early UFC 287 look.
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10 days out.
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Fancy judging.
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Larkin’s crazy elbow KO.
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Insight.
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DAMN! They Were Good. MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew, Mike Heck, and Shaun Al-Shatti look back at the “Smooth” career of Benson Henderson.

The plot thickens.

Classic Cung Le.

15 years ago today: Cung Le defeated Frank Shamrock to become the Strikeforce middleweight champion. Shamrock was unable to answer the bell for Round 4 due to an arm injury in what was a chaotic fight. The card was co-promoted by Strikeforce and EliteXC pic.twitter.com/anc9IA610y— Shakiel Mahjouri (@Shak_Fu) March 29, 2023

Tatted.

Cycling.

Keyword.

Predators.

Whoops.

Just look at it.

Basics.

Champ.

Bad leg locks.

RIZIN 41 fight week hype.

Dan.

Good question.

Gabe Green (11-4) vs. Bryan Battle (9-2); UFC Fight Night, May 13
Blake Bilder (8-0-1) vs. Kyle Nelson (13-5-1); UFC 289, June 10
Josh Emmett (18-3) vs. Ilia Topuria (13-0); UFC Fight Night, June 17

Gaethje may be the one fighter I can confidently say I never want to see retire. It’s entirely selfish, but I don’t care. The man knows he’s must-see TV!
Thanks for reading!

Poll
Who retires first?

41%

Justin Gaethje

(107 votes)

58%

Conor McGregor

(151 votes)

258 votes total

Vote Now

If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @DrakeRiggs_ on Twitter and let him know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Facebook.