The Ultimate Fighter 17 champion Gastelum, who had a rough 1-5 record inside the Octagon, was just one position from dropping out of the middleweight rankings. That is why, to put it mildly, his return after more than a year away was so important. In his matchup with Chris Curtis, Gastelum displayed glimmers of his former self on the feet and ultimately won by unanimous decision. With the comeback victory, Gastelum moved up the middleweight rankings four spots to #11, staking his claim to a title eliminator against Dricus Du Plessis. But, after being shot down by the South African, who is now scheduled to face Robert Whittaker at UFC 290, Gastelum has made a huge decision. Although Gastelum initially appeared dedicated to another middleweight title run and pursuit of a rematch with Israel Adesanya, who Gastelum lost to in a 2019 interim championship match, it has since been revealed that the 31-year-old Californian is considering leaving the category. Gastelum previously competed in the welterweight division between 2013 and 2015, making his divisional debut one match after his triumph on The Ultimate Fighter. In his five 170-pound scheduled fights, Gastelum missed weight twice, tipping the scales in the wrong direction for his victories over Nico Musoke.

In a new 4-part documentary series that will premiere on Netflix on May 17, Conor McGregor will describe his career and recovery from a terrible broken leg. McGregor Forever was created by Religion of Sports and directed by renowned documentarian Gotham Chopra. Chopra was previously in charge of documentaries like Tom vs. Time, which won a Sports Emmy for its inside look at Tom Brady, and Shut Up and Dribble, which followed LeBron James and other athletes caught up in the nation's expanding cultural and political debates. In the first video from the series to be aired, McGregor is still in the hospital bed recovering from surgery to fix a terrible broken leg he sustained during his most recent fight with Dustin Poirier. McGregor says in the documentary that even he believed his career would be ended after suffering that injury, despite the fact that he has come a long way since then. “I thought it was over as well,” McGregor said. “I thought it was over as well, that’s why I flipped into a different mode. It was the adrenaline as well and I know I would have came down but part of me was thinking, Jesus, imagine it was taken from me like that, I would be a different person and it was a bit scary, to be honest with you. “But it’s McGregor forever. That’s it. It’s done. It’s McGregor forever and don’t you forget it.” Each episode in the series will be one-hour long with behind-the-scenes footage from McGregor’s career as well as the aftermath from that broken leg as well as his rehabilitation.

In the world of mixed martial arts, few things are more exciting than a heated back-and-forth between two fighters who are eager to prove themselves in the octagon. And that's exactly what we're seeing right now with Paulo Costa and Jan Blachowicz. The two fighters were slated to go head-to-head at UFC 288, but the fight fell through due to a last-minute change in the card. Blachowicz claimed that Costa had turned down the fight, but Costa is now firing back, saying that it was Blachowicz who declined. According to Costa, he had been negotiating the fight for several days and was excited about the opportunity to face off against Blachowicz. The UFC had offered him the chance to fight at light heavyweight, which would have required him to move up a weight class, but he was more than willing to do so. Costa declared that he is interested in returning to middleweight so that he could beat Chimaev in October followed by challenging champion Israel Adesanya again because the latter knocked Costa out in a title bout in 2020. Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, the #5 ranked middleweight stated: "Jan, he's lying. I never turned down a fight. Actually, in fact, he is who turned down the fight. I have always been negotiating that fight. For three or four days, I was negotiating with the UFC. I never pulled out the fight. I was actually very happy with that fight." Paulo Costa added why the fight failed to materialize: "I accept the fight, but the UFC suggested to me that once I beat him, I don't come back to 185 [pounds]. They said 'once you beat Jan, you need to stay at 205 and hold your position because Jan is No.3 so you need to hold at 205'. I told them, 'guys, I have business to finish at 185 so I cannot go right now to 205'." Costa said that Jan Blachowicz turned down the fight when the UFC opted to comply with his requirements. Costa made the assertion that he was not expecting such an outcome from the former light heavyweight champion, but it doesn’t matter as it was a short-notice fight, and maybe the Polish was not a good shape or training these days or maybe he was injured. Now, Costa is hoping to secure another bout, which will end his current agreement and begin a new UFC deal with a large salary rise. He is capable of reaching Chimaev more quickly if he desires it done first.

Ryan Garcia's promoter Oscar De La Hoya claims he had a valid excuse for skipping the post-fight press conference between Davis and Garcia. The post-fight press conference for this past Saturday's fight, in which Davis knocked out Garcia in the seventh round, was held on the floor of the T-Mobile Arena, was missed by De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, due to "death threats" he received throughout fight week in Las Vegas. Bernard Hopkins, a legendary boxer and a partner of Golden Boy Promotions, was allegedly involved in foul play at the Davis vs. Garcia weigh-ins, according to De La Hoya, who also claimed that Hopkins was barred from the event. In a video uploaded to Oscar's social media, he explained his absence from the press conference by saying: “And so, as for myself, my security team told me, ‘Boss, we’ve got to get the fuck out of here,’ because I received death threats. You guys don’t know this, I received death threats throughout the whole week, and they just said it was simply too dangerous so we got out of there. And plus Eric Gomez, who is my president, who was right there front and center with Ryan Garcia — so there was no issue, no problems. This is all coming from all these PBC minions that are just attacking Ryan, attacking Golden Boy. But it’s all good, it’s all good. Garcia, 24, suffered the first loss of his professional career at the hands of Davis after sustaining a devastating punch to the liver midway through the seventh round. Davis, 28, proclaimed himself to be “the face of boxing” following the highlight-reel finish, which moved his professional record to 29-0 with 27 knockouts.

Get ready fight fans, because it looks like we may be in for a showdown between two of the UFC's most promising up-and-comers. Sean Brady and Jack Della Maddalena are reportedly set to face off at UFC 290 this July, in what promises to be an action-packed battle between two fighters with a lot to prove. Both Brady and Della Maddalena have been making waves in the UFC lately, with impressive performances in recent fights. Brady, with a professional record of 15-1, is a rising star in the welterweight division, known for his aggressive striking and strong grappling skills. Meanwhile, Della Maddalena, with a record of 14-2, has been making a name for himself in the welterweight division in UFC, with a reputation for being a hard-hitting brawler. On July 8, UFC 290 is scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main event features title bouts between Brandon Moreno with Alexandre Pantoja as well as Alexander Volkanovski versus Yair Rodriguez. Brady was slated to make his comeback facing Michel Pereira in February, but a torn groin prevented that from happening. The emerging fighter's first match of 2023 will take place at UFC 290. Brady's 15-fight winning streak came to an end when he lost to Belal Muhammad in October of last year, marking the very first defeat of his professional career. Brady had a five-match winning streak in the UFC before the defeat, featuring accomplishments over Michael Chiesa and Jake Matthews. In returning to the ring, Della Maddalena will face Brady in a bout at welterweight, stepping up to a greater degree of intensity as he attempts to maintain his undefeated status. With four straight victories and all of his fights concluding by knockout or submission in the first round, Della Maddalena has appeared unbeatable since signing the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster. The most recent instance was at UFC 284 in Perth, Australia, Della Maddalena submitted Randy Brown via a rear-naked choke. Regardless of who comes out on top, this is sure to be an exciting fight for UFC fans. With two hungry young fighters at the top of their game, anything could happen in the octagon. Will Brady's grappling skills be enough to take down Della Maddalena's striking power? Or will Della Maddalena prove too much for Brady to handle? We'll have to wait until July to find out, but one thing's for sure – this is a fight you won't want to miss.

WBA Super Middleweight Champion David Morrell Jr. Eyes Showdown with WBC Interim Champion David Benavidez in a Fight for Autism Awareness David Morrell Jr., the reigning WBA "regular" super middleweight champion, is setting his sights on a showdown with WBC interim champion David Benavidez in his next fight. Morrell, who boasts an impressive record of 9-0 with 8 knockouts, recently secured a first-round knockout victory over Yamaguchi Falcao on the undercard of the Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia mega-fight, further solidifying his status as a rising star in the boxing world. Morrell, who is promoted by Warriors Boxing, has been garnering attention with his dominant performances and is quickly gaining a following of fans. The undefeated Cuban fighter is hungry for bigger challenges, and a fight against Benavidez, who holds a record of 27-0 with 23 knockouts, is a matchup he is eager to pursue. "I'll say it and I'll say it again, I want to fight the best, and David Benavidez is one of the best in the division," said Morrell. "Millions of fans got to see what I'm all about, and I believe I have the skills to beat him. I know he is a warrior that never backs down from a fight, so I'm expecting him to take the challenge. This is a fight I know that fans want to see. The winner can be next in line to fight Canelo. I'm the real monster, and I'm ready to prove it in the ring." Morrell has also announced that he will dedicate this fight to Autism Awareness, a cause that holds personal significance to him. The champion has close friends who have children with autism, and he is determined to use his platform to raise awareness and support for the cause. "I want to use my platform to raise awareness for autism," said Morrell. "Some of my closest friends have kids with autism, and they are an inspiration, and I want to do everything I can to support them." Morrell's dedication to autism awareness has garnered support from the boxing community, with many recognizing his efforts to use his platform for a worthy cause. A potential showdown with Benavidez would not only be a highly anticipated matchup in the super middleweight division, but it could also potentially unify the WBA and WBC titles, setting the stage for an even bigger showdown in the future, possibly against boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez. As Morrell continues to make waves in the boxing world with his impressive performances and unwavering determination to fight the best, fans eagerly await news of a potential matchup against Benavidez. With his skills, dedication to Autism Awareness, and a hunger for success, Morrell is poised to make a significant impact in the super middleweight division and beyond.

King Callum Walsh Takes on Veteran Carson Jones in Hollywood Fight Nights Main Event On the next edition of the Hollywood Fight Nights series, rising star Callum Walsh will face off against veteran fighter Carson Jones. Walsh, hailing from Cork, Ireland, boasts an undefeated record of 6-0 with 5 KOs, and is considered a potential world champion and superstar in the sport. However, Jones, with a record of 43-15-3 and 31 KOs, is a tough test for the young southpaw. The event will take place at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, California and will be broadcast globally on UFC Fight Pass. Walsh, trained by the legendary Freddie Roach, is looking to follow up his impressive knockout victory over Wesley Tucker in Boston with another strong performance. Jones, who is coming off a dominant win over Dedrick Bell, is no stranger to facing top contenders and champions, including Kell Brook, Antonio Margarito, and Steven Butler. He is determined to pull off the upset against Walsh and believes his experience will be the key to victory. With a stacked undercard yet to be announced, Tom Loeffler, the promoter of the event, is confident that this will be a sensational night of boxing. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early for what promises to be an exciting event on the Los Angeles sports calendar.

Erdenebat Tsendbaatar, the two-time Olympian for Mongolia, has found himself at the center of a controversy surrounding the recent super fight between Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis. Despite the negative attention he has received, Tsendbaatar has quickly learned that even negative publicity is still publicity. The controversy began when Tsendbaatar posted a video on social media claiming that he hurt Garcia with a body shot during a sparring session. Following Garcia's subsequent claim that Tsendbaatar was leaking information to Davis' camp, Tsendbaatar felt the need to clarify his previous statement. In response to the allegations, Tsendbaatar posted a message on his Instagram account, stating that the translation of his previous post was incorrect and that he did not speak English or like Davis. He also denied being a "mole" inside Garcia's training camp and expressed his desire to fight and knock out Davis in the future. Despite the controversy, Tsendbaatar's name has trended more than ever before, and he can expect an expanded audience for his upcoming fight against Mexico's Edy Valencia. Although the matchup is not particularly competitive, it is an important step in Tsendbaatar's deliberate career start. Tsendbaatar, who trains at Manny Robles' Legends Boxing Academy in California, has fought twice in Moscow and twice in China before making his way to the United States. He appeared in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics while already beginning his professional career, losing to eventual gold medalist Artur Batyrgaziev. While Tsendbaatar may not like the reasons for the attention he has received, he is not interested in a rivalry with Garcia and would love nothing more than to help his previous sparring partner. He encouraged Garcia to learn from their sparring sessions and wished him luck in the future. Despite the negative attention surrounding him, Erdenebat Tsendbaatar has quickly learned that even negative publicity is still publicity. As he continues to develop in his career, Tsendbaatar can expect a growing audience and increased attention, even if it comes from controversial circumstances.

Former unified heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz Jr. has discussed his ambitions to fight again and who he might face. Since defeating Luis Ortiz by unanimous decision in September of last year, Ruiz hasn't competed. Following Ortiz's victory over Robert Helenius the following month, the WBC ordered the two former champions to square off in a final eliminator for a chance at Tyson Fury's title. However, as is so common in boxing, the dialogue went on before dying down altogether. After an undisputed fight against Oleksandr Usyk fell through last month, Ruiz is now the favorite to take on Fury in the summer. According to the most recent reports, when 'The Gipsy King' is anticipated to return in July, either 'The Destroyer' or Zhilei Zhang will be the one in the opposing corner. Ruiz made it obvious that he's "coming" for those at the top of the division in a comment on the Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia bout posted on his official Instagram account. “We all risk our lives in there to f***ing feed our loved ones. Hell of a fight. Can’t wait, man, till I fight f***ing Wilder, Fury, everybody. All the people at the top. I’m coming.” Wilder and Anthony Joshua, who Ruiz famously defeated in 2019 to pull off one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history, have been linked to a high-profile matchup. It will be interesting to see who Ruiz will fight next given the limited options available.

Stephan Bonnar’s sudden passing late last year came as a shock to many MMA fans. The longtime UFC veteran had had his share of struggles outside the cage, but at just 45 years old, his death was sudden and unexpected. At the time, the UFC reported that the Hall of Fame inductee had died “from presumed heart complications while at work.” No further updates or statements were given, beyond confirmation of his death. According to a report issued by the coroner's office in Clark County, Nevada, Stephan Bonnar died due to an unintended drug overdose. The coroner's findings specifically blame fentanyl, parafluorofentanyl, and mitragynine for his demise. Two of the three compounds are exceedingly potent opioids, including the strong synthetic opioid fentanyl and the highly potent opioid equivalent parafluorofentanyl. Mitragynine, the third component, is an alkaloid that aids in mediating opioid receptors. The three drugs are all used to treat pain. Prior to his passing, Bonnar was a well-known user of opioid painkillers to manage his painful injuries from his demanding years as a professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Unfortunately, Bonnar could never get past the horrible pain he endured. 'The American Psycho' is one of the most important people in the promotion's history, despite the fact that he never claimed a UFC title. He competed in the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter and lost to eventual 205-pound champion Forrest Griffin in one of the most significant fights in UFC history. He competed against famous fighters like Rashad Evans, Jon Jones, and Anderson Silva

A man who was supposedly choked to death by Nate Diaz sought vengeance on the UFC fighter and displayed a horrifying head wound. The man, known online as TikTok user Rodney Petersen, claimed that after approaching Diaz during a street fight on Friday in New Orelans, he had been put in a chokehold. The victim was suffocated by Diaz until he lost consciousness, at which point he fell and hit his head on the concrete. When a video of the altercation circulated, some noticed Petersen's likeness to influencer turned boxer Logan Paul. On his social media accounts, Peterson has previously made fun of people thinking he and his twin were the same person. In a new video, a dazed Petersen curses Diaz and the apparent case of mistaken identity. “So I don’t know what the hell I did to Nate Diaz,” he said. “But I’ll telling you what. I’m going to knock him the f*** out when I know he’s coming. You caught me off guard, dude. Did you think I was Logan? What the f***?” Diaz can be seen running away from what seems to be a pub fight that erupted into the street in another footage of the incident. The former football player and reality star Chase DeMoor also appeared to be participating in the confrontation. Earlier on Friday, DeMoor was involved in another brawl involving Diaz, who threw a water bottle at him at the Misfits Boxing 6 competition where his longtime teammate Chris Avila was competing. In a boxing battle scheduled for August, Diaz will take on Jake Paul, the younger brother of Logan Paul. His first fight since leaving the UFC as a free agent is this one. After the Aug. 6 event, he will return to the MMA promotion, he stated in the announcement of the fight.

In the most anticipated fight of the year on Saturday night, Gervonta Davis made a statement by stopping Ryan Garcia in the seventh round with a powerful blow to the body In front of a packed house at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the 28-year-old three-division champion knocked down Garcia out in the second round and then finished him out with a pinpoint hook to the ribs in the seventh. Periodic eruptions of temper during the build-up to the fight heightened the tension of the high-profile match. It's possible that Ryan Garcia was alluding to the effect of the rehydration clause in their fight when he said that he felt "weak" versus Gervonta Davis during the fight. 'King Ryan' recently claimed on social media that a spy in his training programme may have given Gervonta Davis access to crucial information. The fighter who hurt Garcia during their practise match was identified as Tsendbaatar Erdenebat, a former Olympian and unbeaten professional boxer. It is said that the Davis camp was informed of the injury. Additionally, Erdenebat posted a video to Twitter in which he claimed to have hurt Garcia while training. Ryan Garcia expressed his relief that the information has been made known to the public: "Actually sad I had a mole in my training camp. Like wtf.... That's crazy. Thank God it's brought to light now." According to Garcia, this new information is in no way an explanation for their recent loss to Davis: "Also didn't mean that to come off as an excuse or anything. I lost period. I'll come back but I'm just shocked that part of my team crossed me.... someone close to me. Unbelievable! But it's a testimony that you must be aware of everyone."