Bo Nickal's appearance at UFC 290 has been salvaged with the arrival of a new opponent. After Tresean Gore's unfortunate withdrawal from the card due to injury, Nickal anxiously awaited news of a replacement. Fortunately, undefeated prospect Val Woodburn has stepped up to accept the challenge, ensuring that Nickal will still compete on the highly anticipated event. Multiple sources close to the promotion confirmed the development on Tuesday, with both fighters verbally agreeing to the matchup. The news was first reported by Marcel Dorff on Twitter. Originally slated to showcase his skills on Dana White's Contender Series in August, Woodburn now has an even greater opportunity to make his mark in the UFC. With a pristine 7-0 record, he will face off against one of the sport's most highly regarded prospects. Woodburn boasts an impressive resume, having secured five finishes in his seven professional fights. He also holds the Combat Night MMA middleweight title, showcasing his potential for greatness in the sport. Meanwhile, Nickal, a three-time NCAA champion in wrestling from Penn State, remains undefeated in his professional fighting career. With a perfect 4-0 record, he made an explosive UFC debut in March, swiftly submitting Jamie Pickett with a first-round arm-triangle choke. Originally scheduled to kick off the main card at UFC 290, the bout order may undergo changes due to the new opponent now in place. However, fight fans can still anticipate an electrifying showdown between two promising fighters. As the anticipation builds for UFC 290, all eyes will be on Nickal and Woodburn as they step into the octagon. For Woodburn, this presents a golden opportunity to make an unforgettable impression in his UFC debut. Facing an opponent of Nickal's calibre will undoubtedly test his skills and provide a platform to showcase his potential as a future contender. For Nickal, this fight serves as another chance to solidify his status as a rising star in the sport. With his wrestling pedigree and an unblemished professional record, he aims to continue his winning streak and capture the attention of MMA enthusiasts worldwide. As the date of UFC 290 approaches, fight fans eagerly await the clash between these two promising middleweights. The octagon will be their canvas, and only one fighter will emerge victorious, leaving a lasting impression on the mixed martial arts landscape.

Alberto Ramos has been editor in Boxrec recording Mexico's event results for a couple of years now and since he's been in, big changes have been made, I'd say positive changes in Mexico's boxing. If you go back 5 years ago, Mexico was a place were you could build a record for cheap compared to other countries. Promotors would have uneven fights so foreigners could rack up some wins. Now that has changed due to the fact that Boxrec has gotten very strict on the fights being even. Its been a team effort but Ramos has had alot to do with it. Ramos is set to clean up Mexico's image in boxing, making it hard on those who are involved with the boxing tourism that has plagued México's boxing. Its now hard for foreigners trying to build a record for cheap and worst of all the fights must be even (at least on paper). So there is no easy way now to build a record without putting the work in. They are also asking for video footage of the fights to spot fights that could be a fraud. Its a tiresome job but Ramos loves boxing and he knows México is one of the countries that produce the most champions, specially in the lighter divisions. All these positive changes will only make Mexico's boxing level go up. Due to these changes foreigners have chosen to go to other countries like Colombia, Guatemala, Belize and Argentina for their boxing tourism. In those countries it costs less than in México, but lets be honest , those countries dont have the boxing credibility that Mexico has. Some will do or pay whatever to rack them wins and hope the big payday comes. I personally agree with the work Ramos and Boxrec are doing in México, looking at it from a fighters prespective there are way less tragedies from even fights. So Im always going to be in favor with fighters safety. I want to say congrats for the good work and thanks for looking out for fighters safety. We have to protect fighters because they are the ones who put on the show, remember that. Good job Boxrec and Ramos!

Nearly a month has passed since UFC 289, but the disappointment still lingers for Julianna Pena as she remains upset about Amanda Nunes' unexpected retirement. Pena, also known as 'The Venezuelan Vixen,' last stepped into the octagon for a rematch against 'The Lioness' in July of the previous year. However, the outcome was far from what she had hoped for, as Nunes dominated the fight and reclaimed the championship by unanimous decision. Anticipation was building for their trilogy clash at UFC 289, but Pena's hopes were dashed when she was forced to withdraw due to injuries just weeks before the event. On short notice, Irene Aldana stepped in, only to suffer a one-sided defeat in the pay-per-view headliner. It was after this victory that Amanda Nunes announced her retirement, leaving Pena feeling frustrated and unfulfilled. Since that announcement, Pena has expressed her frustration through a series of rants aimed at the former dual-weight champion. She even contemplated storming the cage during Nunes' retirement speech. However, her outspokenness faced criticism, with some fighters, including Maycee Barber, coming to Nunes' defense. In a recent interview with ESPN, Pena openly admitted that she still grapples with the disappointment. She expressed her frustration, emphasizing the significance of their tied record and claiming that she is entitled to call Nunes a coward. “The biggest thing for me is we are 1-1,” Julianna Pena stated in the interview when asked about Amanda Nunes. “I think I’m the only person on the face of the planet that is allowed to say or can call Amanda Nunes a coward. Ah, because we do have unfinished business and I definitely think she found the easy way out with retiring, I do.” She continued, “Injuries happen in the sport. Of course, it’s my fault that I wasn’t able to compete at that time but she also pulled out of our fight when we were supposed to fight the first time. She’s pulled out of many fights in the past. It doesn’t mean you go retire because of it.” As Pena's frustration continues to brew, fight fans eagerly await her next move. With her sights set on redemption, it remains to be seen who the next opponent will be to step into the cage with 'The Venezuelan Vixen.' As Pena seeks to prove herself once again, the MMA community watches with anticipation, eager to witness her tenacity and determination in future battles. In conclusion, Julianna Pena's disappointment over Amanda Nunes' retirement after their tied series remains palpable. As Pena voices her frustration, the question of her next opponent looms, creating an air of anticipation within the world of mixed martial arts.

After months of failed negociations with the Fury camp , unified world champion (WBA,WBO,IBF) Oleksandr Usyk will defend his world titles against his mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois on august 26th in Poland.

On july 15th we will once again see the legendary "Filipino Flash" Nonito Donaire try to make history and go for another world title taking on a young rugged "Peque" Santiago from Tijuana, México. Its a youth v.s experience type fight where many experts believe Donaire's best days are behind him and see Santiago getting the WBC strap on a silver platter. We will soon see if they are right, we are only 10 days away. My heart is with Nonito on this one ,Im a fan I cant help it.

On The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 31, Conor McGregor's second coaching gig has been a letdown. In the most recent TUF show, McGregor's winless run increased to 6-0 when the Irishman fell to his knees following the loss of a bout he was easily winning for a member of his team. Lee Hammond, who was recently hailed by McGregor as a potential champion, was shockingly defeated by Kurt Hollobaugh. In the beginning, as the fight went on, McGregor's prospects of earning the first victory of the current season rose, but Hammond unleashed a relentless onslaught while displaying expert ground-and-pound. Despite putting on a commanding performance, Hammond's luck quickly changed as he lost to a devastating guillotine choke from Hollobaugh in the last seconds of the second round. A visibly disappointed Conor McGregor, consoled Hammond in the cage, passionately affirming his unwavering faith in the young prospect's fighting prowess. 'The Notorious' also acknowledged Hammond's remarkable growth as a fighter: "I thought Lee was the better fighter, he got caught but he was dominating the guy. he loves it, it's his life. I'm very happy to see him grow and become the fighter he has become today."

Before his title match at UFC 290 this weekend, Yair Rodriguez unveiled the custom-made belt he received. After earning the UFC interim featherweight title, Yair Rodriguez knew Alexander Volkanovski would be his next opponent. One of the sport's top fighters pound-for-pound is "The Great," and on Saturday, the two will square off in an attempt to unify the gold at 145 pounds. Although Volkanovski is the front-runner, many people think Rodriguez has what it takes to surprise everyone. He has worked hard, earned his chance, and is eager to demonstrate his abilities. The only thing left to do is to go out there and perform to the best of his ability. Rodriguez has been given a custom-made design of his interim UFC belt before the fight. As you can see, it is quite beautiful. How do you feel about the customised belt? Will Yair Rodriguez be able to defeat Alexander Volkanovski? Comment and let us know.

In the main event of Saturday's Las Vegas programme, Du Plessis will compete against Robert Whittaker in a title eliminator. Even though the fight's booking was somewhat unexpected, the South African was okay with accepting it since he wanted to prove himself worthy of a title opportunity by defeating the best. Dricus Du Plessis also believes the UFC believes he will win, therefore he is ready to show them right. Although defeating Robert Whittaker is easier said than done, Dricus Du Plessis is full of confidence heading into UFC 290. Du Plessis recently underwent nose surgery, allowing him to finally breathe normally during his fights. In light of this, Dricus Du Plessis anticipates a dogfight and is convinced that he will not only defeat Robert Whittaker at UFC 290, but also put him away. Dricus Du Plessis would be the next in line for the title shot if Robert Whittaker were to be defeated at UFC 290 as he claims. The South African is okay with the fight taking place in September, despite the short turnaround. “I think I could have gotten the title fight, to be honest with you. I almost believe the title fight was imminent if the Whittaker fight didn’t happen they would’ve given me the title shot anyway,” Du Plessis. “I’m not looking to earn my title shot off of hype, or anything other than the fact that I deserve to be there because I am the best and beat the best.“ “He is a gatekeeper that just won’t let anybody through. That is why it is so interesting they gave me that fight,” Du Plessis continued. “The UFC believes they are in a position where I am the new star, if I get past Whittaker, I am the only other person outside the champion to do that. That’s what I’m going out there to do that, I’m going out there to prove them right.”

Logan Paul has always shown interest in transitioning to MMA, and it appears that he has selected the ideal card for his debut. Paul says he would be more than happy to fight on the same card as Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, two billionaires who have been teasing each other for years now. UFC president Dana White is also eager to promote the fight. “I’ll be honest, I pitched it,” Paul said on his podcast. “I pitched it internally, I pitched it to the [executives] that be, if Elon Musk and [Mark] Zuckerberg fight, I will do my UFC debut on the undercard. I’ll fight for free, for charity.” Musk has gone so far as to train with UFC great Georges St-Pierre since first hinting at the prospect on social media, and Zuckerberg has recently developed a passion for Brazilian jiu-jitsu while studying under renowned instructor Dave Camarillo. As for Paul, he already has an idea for an opponent for his UFC debut. “You know who I want to fight actually cause that b**** ass Andrew Tate won’t fight me. Give me Paddy Pimblett,” Paul said. “Give me ‘Paddy the Baddy.’ “In the offseason, that boy looks like a blimp and he’ll come up to my weight class and I’ll wallop him. He’s too small when he cuts weight. When he doesn’t cut weight he’s a f****** horseshoe.” While Pimblett typically competes as a lightweight, Paul doesn’t seem too concerned with the size differences between them with the Ohio native hitting the scales at 189.5 pounds when he had a boxing exhibition against Floyd Mayweather back in 2021.

Tijuana's boxing comission keeps on making history. Not only is it the bussiest boxing comission in North America, it now made history in Mexico being the first comission to legally sanction a bare knuckle boxing event. Comission President Juan Manuel Cardona made it possible with months of proper planning and taking all the nessesary precautions they allowed known Promotor Repo Ric with his "Whoop that Ass" Promotions to also make history in being the first promotion company to do a bare knuckle boxing show in Tijuana, Mexico. Alot of buzz is coming out of Tijuana and more promotors are interested in doing bare knuckle boxing shows. We are in exciting times here in northern Mexico.

On this day in 1919, then champion Jess Willard defended his world title against legendary Jack Dempsey in Toledo, Ohio. That fight was named the most brutal fight in boxing history. It certainly made Dempsey a superstar, the champion Willard suffered a broken cheek bone and a few broken ribs and permanent hearing loss. Willard took all that damage in just three full rounds. The fight ended in the start of the fourth round where Willard failed to start the round, staying in his corner , making Jack Dempsey the new world heavyweight champion.

In a surprising turn of events, combat sports veteran Alistair Overeem has revealed that he has decided to hang up his gloves and retire from fighting. The 43-year-old, renowned for his illustrious career in the UFC, K-1, and Strikeforce, made the quiet announcement during an interview with Lovin Dubai. While primarily discussing his nutrition and recent physical changes, Overeem took a moment to confirm that his fighting days are now behind him. During the interview, Overeem expressed: "This actually ties into what I want to do because I actually just decided to stop fighting. This is not my thing anymore... It's been 25 years, right? We're going to do other cool stuff now." After his final UFC appearance in February 2021, where he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Alexander Volkov, Overeem sporadically competed in kickboxing. He had a scheduled bout with Rico Verhoeven that fell through but eventually faced long-time rival Badr Hari in a Glory Kickboxing event last October. Although Overeem emerged victorious in the trilogy fight, the result was later overturned to a no-contest due to a failed drug test, resulting in a one-year suspension. During the interview with Lovin Dubai, Overeem also shed light on his recent physical transformation and lifestyle choices. The Dutch star explained: "I've been doing a lot of new things for health. This is my next chapter, promoting health... I became a vegetarian also. I got no desire to eat meat anymore. Meat is not good for you. It negatively affects you. Yes, it tastes delicious. Even now I could still eat meat, but I just choose not to." Overeem's professional fighting career spans an impressive 24 years, with his debut dating back to 1999. Throughout his journey, he amassed numerous accolades in both MMA and kickboxing, competing for the UFC heavyweight title in 2016, capturing championships in Strikeforce and K-1, and even gracing the legendary PRIDE promotion in Japan. He concludes his remarkable career with an MMA record of 47-19 (1 NC). As the curtain falls on Overeem's fighting legacy, fans and fellow athletes alike will undoubtedly celebrate the contributions and memories he has gifted to the world of combat sports. While his decision to retire may surprise some, it opens the door to a new chapter in Overeem's life—a chapter focused on promoting health and exploring fresh endeavors beyond the realm of fighting. As the combat sports community bids farewell to one of its most revered competitors, the legacy of Alistair Overeem will forever remain etched in the annals of mixed martial arts and kickboxing history.