After successfully defending his title against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284, Dan Hooker shocked the MMA community by accusing Islam Makhachev of cheating. 'The Hangman' accused Makhachev of taking an intravenous (IV) injection to rehydrate himself after the weigh-ins. In the UFC main event last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Islam Makhachev successfully defended his championship against featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski following a brutal five-round contest. Dan Hooker, a longtime friend and teammate of Alexander Volkanovski at City Kickboxing, recently attacked Islam Makhachev on Twitter. He claimed that the Islam and his team paid a physician on a private basis to administer the IV fluids. Volkanovski recently talked about his weight during his superfight with Makhachev and jokingly admitted the idea that his opponent may have used an IV to rehydrate in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. "178-180 lbs. That's what I think he would have been. I've heard that he gets up to like 83 kgs. You fuel up pretty quick with IVs and stuff like that... Maybe that's a little shot at him." While the camp of the lightweight champion responded to the accusations, some astute spectators noticed significant marks on Makhachev's arms in pictures taken prior to the match. Rizwan Magomedov, the co-manager of the 31-year-old Dagestani, has provided an explanation for these pictures. After a Twitter user shared an image of such marks on Islam Makhachev's arm, Magomedov responded with a quote-tweet. He added that the marks were from tests that were required to be taken during fight week. "Mandatory blood test by AUS commission, Wednesday morning right before media and photo shoot. Ask Hooker find the nurse with the commission, she can confirm." In 2019, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) prohibited UFC fighters from using IVs, with the caveat that they might do it "in the course of hospital admissions, surgical operations, or clinical investigations." Hooker (22-12 MMA, 12-8 UFC), who was in Perth to support his teammate's attempt to hold two championships simultaneously, has a past relationship with Makhachev. At UFC 267 in October 2021, Makhachev defeated Hooker by submission in the opening round.

The newest MMA celebrity to sign up with OnlyFans to share behind-the-scenes content is former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. Oliveira is reportedly going up against Beneil Dariush at UFC 288 in May, although nothing official has been made. He hasn't competed since losing to Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 for the vacant lightweight title. Oliveira rose to prominence in the UFC after defeating Michael Chandler in the lightweight division at UFC 262. Before losing to Makhachev, he went on to defeat Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier. Oliveira is determined on winning the lightweight championship once more, and in particular, another matchup with Makhachev. He is giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at his preparation “Now it’s official, I’m part of the [OnlyFans]. But calm down, it’s not this content you’re imagining,” Oliveira said. “There I will be posting exclusive stuff for subscribers. More about my routine, my workouts, my family, and even my leisure moments. If you haven’t registered yet, go ahead and register now. ” Oliveira is by no means the first UFC fighter who has signed up with OnlyFans to promote content. Cris Cyborg launched her profile to post behind-the-scenes content, while former UFC fighter Pearl Gonzalez recently revealed her new page. Oliveira has a professional record of 33-9 and has defeated some of the top athletes in his field. He had won 11 straight matches before his defeat against Makhachev.

Poliana Botelho, a former UFC women's flyweight, received extremely unfortunate news. After being dropped by the UFC, the Brazilian was taken up by Invicta FC, but she only competed in one match before learning she had breast cancer. Botelho has recently signed for Bellator in November after a brief stint at Invicta FC and has undergone surgery to remove a nodule and is currently undergoing treatment to fight the disease. It’s still unclear what her career plans are going forward. Botelho shared the news on social media, posting a photo of herself with the caption: “I’m here to tell you I’m all right and to thank you all for the messages. I had surgery to remove the nodule and now I’m resting at home. Thank you for the positive energy. This fight is already mine. Ours.” The news has sent shockwaves through the MMA community, with fans and fellow fighters including fellow athletes such as Amanda Nunes, Matheus Nicolau, and Felice Herrig, among others sending their good wishes to Botelho. Many have expressed admiration for her bravery and determination in the face of such a difficult challenge. The news of Botelho's cancer diagnosis has shed light on the importance of regular check-ups and early detection. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and early detection is crucial to successful treatment. Botelho's message of strength and positivity in the face of adversity has inspired many, and she has become a symbol of hope for those battling cancer. As she continues to fight the disease, the MMA community will undoubtedly be cheering her on and wishing her a full and speedy recovery. In the meantime, Botelho's focus remains on her treatment and her fight against cancer. She has expressed gratitude for the support she has received from her fans and has vowed to come back stronger than ever once she has defeated the disease. During 2017 and 2022, Botelho (9-5) scored 3-4 when competing for the UFC, losing her final three matches. She bounced back by defeating Helen Peralta through a decision at Invicta FC 49 in September.

The lightweight champion Islam Makhachev's management denies that he took intravenous fluids to rehydrate following the UFC 284 weigh-ins. Makhachev was making his first defense of his lightweight championship in the main event of the card. The champion was experiencing a difficult time trying to lose weight, Alexander Volkanovski claimed in the run-up. The verdict was close, but Makhachev certainly made the mark and emerged victorious. However, Dan Hooker used social media the day following Makhachev defeat Volkanovski to allege that the Dagestani fighter had used IVs, which is against the principles laid by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), a longstanding member of the UFC's drug testing system. Infusions and injections of IV fluids are prohibited by USADA as they can be used to mask the use of performance-enhancing drugs, with the possible exception of participants who had an IV "during hospital admissions, surgical operations, or clinical investigations". The feud ignited by Hooker against Makhachev has garnered a lot of attention in the MMA community, with fans taking sides and speculating about the truth behind the accusations. Rizvan Magomedov has denied the claims, stating that Makhachev has never used IV therapy, and accused Hooker of being salty and jealous of Makhachev's success. In an interview with MMA Junkie, he said: “We all know this is completely B.S. The guy is a loser. He’s salty and just looking for attention, and that’s it.” For now, there is no evidence that Makhachev used an IV; therefore, it is simply speculation. It's also unknown if the USADA or UFC will take a notice of it. The lightweight champion's staff, however, is sure that Makhachev did not apply an IV and that he fought honestly and rehydrated. It seems somewhat inevitable that a rematch will take place considering that the bout between Makhachev and Volkanovski was intense, fascinating, and is currently the subject of some debate. But the next time around, both guys will probably face new opponents. The drama between Makhachev and Hooker has certainly added to the excitement surrounding UFC 284, and fans of the sport will undoubtedly be tuning in to see what happens next in this heated rivalry. Only time will tell whether or not Hooker's claims will turn out to be true or not. Quite yet, Hooker has seldom been the type to have a strained connection with any of his rival competitors.

Alvarez had been depressed since his second defeat of his career. He was compelled to direct the majority of his rage against his long-hated opponent Gennadiy Golovkin for their matchup in September 2022. Even though it was harder than most anticipated, the pound-for-pound champion eventually put an end to their feud with a unanimous decision. Meanwhile, Bivol maintained his lead by outdistancing Gilberto Ramirez. Overall, Alvarez has come to terms with his loss against Bivol and has promised to avenge himself in their next rematch. Alvarez will most likely first face John Ryder, the WBO interim super middleweight champion, in Mexico. If everything goes as planned, the 32-year-old has every intention of meeting Bivol in the second half of the year. Numerous experts, however, believe that the Mexican fighter would be gravely mistaken if he chose to abandon his uncontested super middleweight kingdom once more in order to take on Bivol. Alvarez, however, intends to proceed with their rematch. Many believe Alvarez cannot manage Bivol's complex offensive output because it is too confusing. Nevertheless, Alvarez indicated in a recent interview with ESNEWS that despite losing, he isn't apprehensive about taking against Bivol once more. In fact, he has a great deal of faith that things will turn out entirely differently this time.

The Oleksandr Usyk promoter believes that all participants in the fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship should receive equal compensation. Usyk, the champion of the WBO, WBA, IBF, and IBO heavyweight divisions, and Fury, the WBC champion from England, have been in discussions to square off for the four championship titles in the spring. The Usyk-Fury fight's discussions, however, suddenly came to a standstill after months of what appeared to be easy sailing. According to an ESPN article from last week, Mike Coppinger, the bout is not expected to take place in the Middle East, where it was originally planned to happen and where both combatants might have theoretically earned their greatest career paychecks. The event will now take place in late April at London's Wembley Stadium, according to the organizers. According to reports, money is now the issue. If the bout is held in England, both combatants would have to accept a comparatively lower payout. Usyk's chief handler, Alexander Krassyuk, revealed to BoxingScene.com on Monday that he would be leaving for London tomorrow to seal a deal with Queensberry, the promoter of Fury. Asserting that Fury is now seeking the lion's share of the prize money, Krassyuk claimed his side will not accept anything less than a 50-50 split for Usyk. A 50-50 split is "more than fair," according to Krassyuk, considering Usyk has three titles to Fury's one. “I can’t really say anything in particular because we’re in the middle of negotiations,” Krassyuk said, “but I can say for sure if it’s a fair deal when it comes to the unification—which is the undisputed unification, where one fighter has three belts and the other has one belt—a 50-50 split sounds fair. It sounds more fair than it should be. “If Tyson accepts this fair condition, it means he’s a real warrior and he really wants to fight not just for money but for heritage, for legacy and for four belts in the biggest fight in heavyweight history at Wembley stadium. Why not? End of April, beginning of May, perfect timing.

Russian MMA sensation Shamil Gasanov is set to dominate the featherweight MMA division in ONE. The unbeaten grappling specialist will face former two-division ONE World Champion Martin Nguyen on February 24 at ONE Fight Night 7: which will be his biggest opportunity to date. The fight takes place four months after Gasanov's spectacular promotional debut at ONE, where he dispatched South Korean knockout artist Kim Jae Woong without much of a struggle. He made a huge statement with the first-round submission, which propelled him into the top five in the featherweight division. Fans are eager to learn more about the emerging sensation known as "The Cobra" as the 27-year-old gets ready for a decisive matchup with Nguyen. Gasanov was raised in a remote mountain village in the Russian Republic of Dagestan, which has produced some of the best combat sports competitors in the world. He started wrestling at a young age, following in his father's footsteps, which would prove to be a wise choice over time. “In my village, you could go to boxing or freestyle wrestling. However, at that time boxing was just developing, it was a novelty, and our fathers had practiced wrestling before, so it was the more logical choice. I liked wrestling, even though I often lost, but I always wanted to be the best and to be the winner.” The young wrestler's upbringing in a tiny town also turned out to be a recipe for success, pushing him to achieve greatness while being watched over by his supportive, close-knit community. “For training, you can’t hide in the village. If you missed your 5 p.m. training, everyone knew about it. I went as a matter of principle, even if I was ill, so that the neighbors would not ask me why I was absent.” Gasanov continued to excel as a student and an athlete throughout his teenage. He migrated to Rostov-on-Don when he was 17 years old to study and pursue a promising medical career. But soon he was again competing in sports, this time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. When given the option of choosing between academics and martial arts, Gasanov chose the latter, and he hasn't looked back since. The fight between "The Cobra" and #4-ranked featherweight contender and former divisional king Martin Nguyen is now just a few weeks away. With a victory, the Russian might find himself vying for the title bout versus Tang Kai. Gasanov, who is poised to defend his perfect 13-0 record on February 24, is eager to prove himself as the next big thing from Dagestan.

Isao Kobayashi, the Pancrase featherweight champion, has joined Bellator MMA, the organisation declared on Monday. The 34-year-old native of Osaka, Japan, will be working for the California-based company for the second time. In his two bouts with Bellator between 2015 and 2016, he lost to Goiti Yamauchi and Justin Lawrence. Kobayashi will be a part of every Bellator event that is live aired on U-Next in Japan. “This will be my second contract with Bellator, and I didn’t get the results I wanted last time, so I’ll be there to show I am a new fighter and string the wins together,” Kobayashi said. “I’m out to give everything and make a championship run in Bellator. “I’ve fought in Pancrase for the majority of my career. I’m grateful to Pancrase for my two championship runs and also for allowing me to spread my wings. Kobayashi will make his Bellator comeback on the wave of a six-match winning streak. He successfully defended the featherweight title at Pancrase 321 by defeating Taichi Nakajima in five rounds. Over the course of a career that began in 2008, he has amassed a record of 27-5-2. Bellator president Scott Coker said in a release: “Since his last stint with Bellator, Kobayashi has been tearing through competition culminating in a Pancrase championship win now and we’re looking forward to seeing him back in the Bellator cage.”

In a recent interview with BJPENN.com, legendary UFC fighter Diego Sanchez aimed the Nevada State Athletic Commission for its inconsistent stance on combat sports. While they refuse to sanction Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) events, they have allowed other controversial activities such as "Power Slap." Sanchez expressed his frustration with the situation, pointing out the hypocrisy of the commission's actions. He argued that bare-knuckle fighting has a rich history and is a legitimate form of competition and that fighters should have the right to participate in these events if they choose to do so. As said by Sanchez, claims Dana White and even the UFC are to blame for the fact that BKFC isn't permitted but Power Slap is. White and the UFC, in Sanchez's opinion, hold excessive control over the NSAC, which is problematic. “This is the farthest BKFC has gone West (going to Albuquerque) and of course in their expansion, of course, they want Vegas,” Sanchez said to BJPENN.com. “But, UFC has the lock on that, they won’t sanction BKFC where they are combat athletes that are skilled fighters and warriors that are trained. But, they will sanction Power Slap where you got a powerlifter that is smacking the hell out of another guy giving him real brain damage.” The veteran mixed martial artist also touched on the increasing popularity of BKFC, noting that it has attracted a large and dedicated fanbase, as well as top-tier fighters from all over the world. He called on the commission to reconsider its stance and to allow bare-knuckle fighting events to take place in Nevada. Sanchez undoubtedly has an argument when he explicitly states that BKFC trains its athletes and that those guys must pass medical examinations to obtain fighting permits. A few other regions have also permitted BKFC despite not yet approving Power Slap in the same states. Diego Sanchez hasn't competed since losing a decision to Kevin Lee in March of last year. Earlier to that, he lost to Jake Matthews by decision, and the UFC ultimately let him go. At KnuckleMania 3, he will face former boxing world champion Austin Trout in his BKFC premiere. Sanchez's comments have sparked a heated debate, with many fans and fighters expressing their support for his stance. Whether the Nevada State Athletic Commission will take his words to heart remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain: Diego Sanchez is not afraid to speak his mind and fight for what he believes in.

Get ready for a fierce showdown between two of the fiercest female fighters in the Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)! Reigning BKFC featherweight champion Christine Ferea will put her title on the line against former champion Bec Rawlings in April. Earlier, Ferea was scheduled to defend her flyweight championship on February 17 at KnuckleMania, the main event of the promotion. It was originally scheduled for the third version of this yearly spectacular to pit "Misfit" against Usanakorn Thawilsuhannawang, an undefeated bare-knuckle boxer, and former WBC gloved boxing champion. Unfortunately, that match will not take place, as a while back the promotion's President said that Ferea had been shifted to BKFC's second quarter of 2023 program. In a video statement, Feldman said: “What’s up, everyone? I’ve got some updates for KnuckleMania. Unfortunately, Christine Ferea will not be fighting Usanakorn (Thawilsuhannawang) on that card. But we do have Christine Ferea will defend her championship against Bec Rawlings in April. Don’t forget to tune in to the biggest show in BKFC history, KnuckleMania 3 next Friday, February 17th.” Ferea has made a name for herself with her relentless pace and powerful striking. On her way to being crowned BKFC champion, Ferea has emerged as a battering ram in her most recent matches. She beat Calista Silgado, Calie Cutler, and Britain Hart-Beltran before destroying Taylor Starling in her most recent match in August of last year. Rawlings, a seasoned fighter, is a well-rounded competitor with a reputation for her grappling skills and durability. After only a short time in Bellator MMA, Rawlings will make her second appearance after re-signing with BKFC. Although getting 3-0 with the promotion, Rawlings suffered her maiden setback in bare-knuckle competition when she lost a tight decision against Hart-Beltran upon her comeback. Even before BKFC created its very own titles, Rawlings retained the Police Gazette as well as World Boxing Foundation Latin America championships. The former champion is eager to reclaim her title and establish herself once again as one of the top female fighters in the BKFC. Expect a no-holds-barred battle as these two warriors clash in the ring. With their unyielding spirit and knockout power, Ferea and Rawlings are guaranteed to bring the heat and leave everything in the ring. This is a high-stakes fight that you won't want to miss! The winner of this explosive encounter will cement their place as one of the top female fighters in the BKFC and set the stage for future title defenses and high-profile matchups. Get ready for a bare-knuckle brawl like no other when Ferea and Rawlings step into the ring in April!

The two former heavyweight champions are expected to face each other in the near future in what will be deemed a final eliminator for the WBC world title. Wilder, after two consecutive knockout losses to Tyson Fury, recovered with a violent first round knockout of Robert Helenius. Ruiz, who lost in a decision to Anthony Joshua, has secured two wins with close decisions over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz. De La Hoya has a high level of respect for Ruiz's abilities, who shocked the world in 2019 with his knockout victory over Joshua to claim the WBO, IBF, WBA, and IBO world titles. Although Ruiz possesses a strong punch, Wilder is considered the most formidable one-punch knockout artist in the heavyweight division. De La Hoya predicts that if Ruiz lands, he has the ability to knockout Wilder. “He knocked out Anthony Joshua, which was the shock of the century. I think Andy Ruiz can do the same thing to Deontay if he catches him,” said De La Hoya to media Deontay is a very different fighter from Joshua. He’s a smarter fighter, he’s a more passionate fighter. Deontay is smarter. He can use his distance He has that powerful jab, right hand. The only thing that worries me is the chin of Deontay. So, if Ruiz catches him, it’s lights out. Everybody knows that, but he has to catch him. I think it’s going to be a good fight

Normally stern, Jermaine Franklin had a big grin on his face. The 29-year-old was confident he had secured the best win of his career after pushing Dillian Whyte to the limit during their matchup in November. The American contestant raised his fists in celebration, but he was shocked when Whyte was awarded a fairly contentious majority decision. Franklin (21-1, 14 KOs), who was left to lick his wounds, discovered that his name was on a long list of potential rivals for Anthony Joshua's comeback. The former unified champion carefully considered a variety of opponents before deciding to challenge Franklin. Joshua, of course, has seen the decline of his once-glamourous career. Even his longtime promoter Eddie Hearn is curious to see how his fighter will recover after suffering back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Hearn predicts that there will be a lot of answers by April 1st, especially given Franklin's resilience and intriguing offensive production. “I think it’s a great fight,” said Hearn during a recent interview with Seconds Out. “He had a tremendous fight with Dillian Whyte, showed how good he is. Obviously, AJ is coming off two defeats, a lot of question marks for him. I feel like Franklin will be the guy to tell us where he’s at.” Joshua's ultimate objective still stands as being very clear: to completely eliminate Franklin and move on to larger and better things. Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) is adamant that at least one more title run is still in him, and he also longs for fights with Whyte and Deontay Wilder. Even Hearn, a steadfast backer of the former unified champion, will acknowledge that Joshua's pugilistic journey will soon to its conclusion if he loses to Franklin.