After having secured his promotional debut versus former professional boxer, Austin Trout, UFC lightweight and welterweight veteran Diego Sanchez have appealed for both Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz to go to bare-knuckle combat under the regulations of Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship. In September 2020, Sanchez made his most recent appearance in a Dana White-led promotion, losing to Jake Matthews by a unanimous decision. Following his dismissal from UFC, Sanchez, a former lightweight championship contender and winner of The Ultimate Fighter, returned to professional mixed martial arts but lost to another UFC alumni Kevin Lee by decision at Eagle FC 45 in March. Earlier, Sanchez is slated to make his promotional debut for the BKFC promotion against former WBC lightweight champion Trout in a fight that has been lambasted for its pairing. Sanchez stated during the buildup to his BKFC encounter with Trout that he would like to face perhaps Nate or Nick Diaz next and urged the Stockton heroes to move to bare-knuckle combat. “After this fight [with Austin Trout], I would love the Nate Diaz or Nick Diaz fight,” Diego Sanchez told The Underground reporter, John Morgan. “That would be the ultimate. The ultimate big money fight for me and the Diaz army.” “All the gangster sh*t, the real gangsters take the gloves off, homie,” Diego Sanchez explained. “You know, there ain’t no gloves in the street, Nick and Nate. I know you wanna make your money, so it’s all good, I ain’t gonna get disrespectful or anything. I know they’re just making money, like all of us, as warriors in this sport.” The Diaz brothers are no newbies for Sanchez, who emerged victorious against Nick Diaz at The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale by unanimous decision after a very thrilling and back-and-forth contest. Though younger brother Nate is presently considering his alternatives as a free agent, it is speculated that Nick Diaz could make a UFC return in the upcoming year. Even though the bare-knuckle fight promotion is actively targeting Nate Diaz, neither star is anticipated to sign for BKFC.

The stage is set for an epic showdown between two of the top middleweight fighters in the world, Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith. The two will step into the ring at the Manchester Arena on January 21st, in a battle for bragging rights over their rival and a chance to prove their dominance in the British middleweight division scene. Eubank Jr, the son of former World Middleweight champion Chris Eubank, brings a professional record of 32-2 with 23 knockouts to the table. Known for his aggressive and relentless fighting style, he is a force to be reckoned with in the ring. Smith, a former WBO Super-Welterweight champion, has a professional record of 32-3-1 with 19 knockouts, and is known for his superior technical skills and solid defense. These two fighters are evenly matched in terms of skill and experience, making this an exciting and unpredictable fight. Eubank Jr's power and aggression will be put to the test against Smith's technical proficiency and defense. Will Eubank Jr's relentless onslaught be too much for Smith to handle, or will Smith's superior technique and defense lead him to victory? The experts can't seem to agree on a winner, but one thing is for sure, this will be a fight not to be missed. The undercard for the evening also features some exciting matchups that will keep fans on the edge of their seats all night long. In short, Eubank Jr vs Smith: The Battle for Middleweight Supremacy is shaping up to be a must-see event for any boxing fan. With both fighters bringing their A-game, it's sure to be an action-packed and thrilling evening of boxing that will determine the true king of the middleweight division. My prediction? Eubank Jr's power and aggression will be a major factor in the fight, and if he can maintain a high work rate and impose his will on Smith, he will have a good chance of coming out on top. On the other hand, Smith's technical skills and defense could give him the edge in the later rounds if he can outbox and outsmart Eubank Jr. It's likely to be a close and exciting fight, but if I have to pick a winner, I would give a slight edge to Eubank Jr based on his power and ability to put pressure on his opponent. However, anything can happen in the ring, and it's always best to expect the unexpected. What does a win do for these fighters? A win for Chris Eubank Jr in this fight would solidify his status as one of the top fighters in the middleweight division. With a victory over a skilled and experienced opponent like Liam Smith, Eubank Jr would likely earn a higher ranking in the division and put himself in a position to potentially challenge for a world title in the near future. Additionally, a win could open the door for more high-profile and lucrative fights for him. For Liam Smith, a win in this fight would also be a significant accomplishment. Not only would he be able to shut up his longstanding rivalry, but it would also be a major upset against a highly-touted opponent like Eubank Jr. It could also put him back on the path to world title contention, and it could lead to more high-profile and high-paying fights in the future. Overall, a win for either fighter would be a major step forward in their careers and could open up many new opportunities for them in the world of boxing.

One of boxing's most evaded boxers, David Benavidez, will finally take his test. A highly anticipated fight between Benavidez and Caleb Plant will take place on March 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The 168-pound match will be broadcast on PBC Showtime. After engaging in lengthy social media warfare, Benavidez and Plant, both former super middleweight champions, revealed in November that they had agreed to the grudge match. In November, Benavidez posted a message to Instagram saying, "You can't hide from me anymore, I'll see you soon." Can Plant defeat (Benavidez) that was the pre-fight question. Their dissimilar fighting philosophies might produce a boxing classic. While Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) is a technical pro who depends on slickness to set up combinations, Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) is a pressure fighter with quick, powerful hands. After Canelo Alvarez, who defeated Plant by way of a stoppage in the eleventh round in November, Benavidez and Plant are generally regarded as the next greatest fighters at 168 pounds. Benavidez destroyed former middleweight champion David Lemieux in his most recent contest in May, demonstrating why he is so feared. But "Sweethands" Plant is a level above all of Benavidez's opponents. In 2019, Plant defeated Jose Uzcategui in a unanimous decision to claim the IBF super middleweight championship. Before falling to Alvarez, he successfully defended the belt three times. Plant made a strong comeback last month by stunning Anthony Dirrell in the ninth round. The KO won the Knockout of the Year 2022 ESPN Ringside Social Award.

Kell Brook wants to end his career on a high note as he targets the winner of Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Smith this summer. After notching up the biggest win of his career over his fierce rival, Amir Khan, boxing experts thought that would be the end of Kell Brook’s spell as a professional boxer but a fresh development has signalled that he is not done with boxing yet. Brook will be ringside witnessing the All-Britsh clash between Eubank Jr. and Smith unfold before his eyes and as per his promoter, Ben Shalom, the 36-year-old is keen on staging a fight with the winner of this contest. “He feels he wants the winner of this fight, whether that’s Liam Smith or whether that’s Eubank Jr. There is a rematch clause, so if Liam does win, Eubank will have the option with that one, but there’ll be massive fights for whoever the winner is,” told Shalom to Sky Sports. Brook’s last fight came in February, last year. For a fight to happen with either Eubank or Smith, his management will need to put in hard yards to make it happen. But as of now, it seems far from reality. Eubank has already notified the boxing world of his upcoming bouts if he gets past Smith this Saturday. But even if he doesn’t, he has a rematch clause that will put him again in the claws of Smith. In the current circumstances, Brook needs to get a couple of tune-up bouts under his belt before he can vouch for a fight with Eubank Jr. which he has been calling for the past year or so.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is poised to return to the octagon in March but it seems like it won’t be a long stint this time around. One of the most decorated Mix Martial Artists to ever grace the octagon, Jones will be back in action after a hiatus of three years. During this time, the Rochester native had his troubles as he faced severe repercussions for his failed USADA drug test. Jones was banned from competing in the UFC till he cleared his name from the USADA list. Jones also broke his alliance with the longtime training team, Jackson MMA as coach Greg Jackson denied him entrance into the gym following a rift with his wife. Since then, Jones has managed to pull himself out of that trouble whorl and is ready to go again but the 35-year-old has indicated that his future in the octagon relies on the quality of competition that is there to welcome him. So far, Jones has assured the fighting community that they will witness him fighting on at least a couple of occasions. “My immediate goal is to beat Ciryl Gane, and to beat Stipe Miocic,” Jones said. “After that, it’ll be conversations with the UFC to see what makes sense. I’m guaranteeing the fans at least two more fights out of me,” Jones quoted in a recent interview on MMA Underground. Jones is considered one of the most dominant champions in the history of the MMA. The 35-year-old feels he has nothing to prove to anyone. A win against a fighter of Miocic’s calibre will surely be a befitting farewell to his glamorous career. As far as Miocic is concerned, he is yet to come out of his hibernating state as he last fought almost 2 years back. The prospect of a fight with Jones will definitely attract a lot of eyes.

The 'Bullet' is currently preparing for her highly anticipated comeback. It appears that the UFC has fulfilled Valentina Shevchenko's desire for either Alexa Grasso or Manon Fiorot to be her opponent for her upcoming fight. Shevchenko vs. Grasso will now be listed on UFC 285 on March 4, according to Carlos Contreras Legaspi of ESPN Deportes, who broke the news on Wednesday. UFC 285 will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. With a career record of 23-3, Shevchenko ranks among the most dominant female fighters in the history of the sport. At 135 pounds, she faced two-time champion Amanda Nunes and suffered her only two UFC defeats. Shevchenko, who fights out of Kyrgyzstan, has triumphed over well-known opponents including Holly Holm, Julianna Pea, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and Jessica Andrade. Shevchenko most recently competed at UFC 275, where she defeated Taila Santos by a split decision to add a seventh defense to her record. It was one of the many fights Shevchenko fans thought she lost. Most people concurred that she appeared the least dominant as champion, if for no other reason. The current UFC flyweight champion wished to fight again in December, but there wasn't any challenger available. Grasso, a Mexican fighter who fights out of Guadalajara, has long been touted as being one of the sport's best female talents. At the age of 23, she joined the UFC and has since compiled a 7-3 record inside the Octagon. She receives her first shot at a title after winning four matches in a row since transitioning from strawweight to flyweight. Grasso went up a division after losing to former strawweight champion Carla Esparza, and since then, she has defeated Ji Yeon Kim, Maycee Barber, Joanne Wood, and most recently, Viviane Araujo in her very first UFC main event this past October. Before she accepted the chance to compete in the first championship, Grasso proposed she participates in one more main event. It looks like the UFC determined Shevchenko ought to be the next opponent. The main event of UFC 285 is a heavyweight championship match between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane. The card now includes 12 announced contests, including Shevchenko vs. Grasso. Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane – for the vacant heavyweight title Champ Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso – for women’s flyweight title Viviane Araujo vs. Amanda Ribas Bo Nickal vs. Jamie Pickett Geoff Neal vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov Derek Brunson vs. Dricus Du Plessis Julio Arce vs. Cody Garbrandt Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Julian Marquez Kamuela Kirk vs. Esteban Ribovics Farid Basharat vs. Da’Mon Blackshear Jessica Penne vs. Tabatha Ricci Mario Bautista vs. Guido Cannetti

Francis Ngannou opened up to Ariel Helwani during a special Tuesday episode of The MMA Hour about his split from the UFC. During a lengthy contract negotiating process, Francis Ngannou says he requested the UFC for a lot of things. But the former UFC heavyweight champion claimed that in the end, he came to the conclusion that the UFC's offer did not give him enough independence. Even though the two parties were unable to come to an agreement, Ngannou stated at the outset of the interview that he had no regrets about the way he handled the negotiations with the UFC. “I really hoped for this to work out. I really wished that we could find a way to work (it) out. I’ve been in the UFC (for) the past seven years, and I always (saw) myself in the UFC. I never really envisioned myself out of the UFC. And when it came to this point — because at first, it was just a matter of principle. It wasn’t even an idea of leaving the UFC. It was just like, ‘OK, it’s the principle. Ngannou also reacted to White's claim that the proposed contract would have made him the highest-paid heavyweight in UFC history. Ngannou had other specific demands that were denied in place of money. He admitted that he requested board meetings to be attended by a fighter advocate, sponsorship opportunities, and health insurance. “I hear them talking about money. Obviously, money is a part of it, but it wasn’t all about money. But how about those guys (who) are still at the bottom (making) $10,000 + $10,000 or (lose) a fight (and) make $10,000? They can’t really afford that health insurance.’” Even though Ngannou is currently an unrestricted free agent after failing to reach an agreement with the UFC, the possibility of a comeback is still alive. “I think I have gotten to a point in my life that, I’m cool, man, you know? I get past everything. I have seen a lot. And one thing that I have also learned in life: never say never.”

Eddie Hearn has been a public admirer of Salt Papi for some time now, something he hasn't been shy about expressing in multiple interviews over the past few months, but his interest has taken a sharp turn and has become serious. Hearn is seemingly no longer interested in being a fan of Salt Papi, preferring to be his promoter instead. After Salt Papi's win on Saturday nights Misfits x DAZN 004 card with a second round knockout over pro boxer and fellow influencer Josh Bruekner, Hearn took time out of his day to privately message the Philippine star. That win took Salt Papi to 3-0 in the scene and his second by way of knockout, having previously taking a UD over Halal Ham and a flash knockout in the first 30 seconds of the first round over Andy Warski. Josh Bruekner was by far his toughest test yet, being a former MMA pro and an unbeaten pro boxer coming in to fight, as well as holding a strong height and reach advantage. Many people had Salt Papi as the underdog in this fight, but he made light work of the American, coming out of the fight looking ready to jump straight back in. Hearn has more recently took to the DAZN platform to express his love for the star, as well as his desires to take him pro. "Salt Papi can fight. Salt Papi is my favorite. I want to turn Salt Papi pro. I want to see what we can do with him" Eddie Hearn on DAZN's Hearn Unleashed. "He's the man of the people, he's got a belly like me" Hearn continued, before wrapping up the Salt Papi talk with "we love him"

World renowned boxing promoter, Eddie Hearn has come a long way from his former critical of the influencer boxing world days, carrying a much different tune. Eddie himself has worked in that world himself and has built up strong business relations with a few of the influncer boxers in many different ways. His DAZN platform has just signed a 5 year deal with KSI's boxing promotion, Misfits Boxing, while he has had an extensive history with Jake Paul. Over the years, YouTubers such as KSI, Jake Paul, Logan Paul and Anesongib have found themselves under a Eddie Hearn promotion for their fights, something that Hearn was heavily criticized for by the boxing purists, which may have caused his change of tune. Eddie Hearn kicked of the interview, uploaded to the DAZN Boxing YouTube channel, by saying "I don't know why people take it so personally to what these guys are doing", referring to the contant hate the influencer scene gets from the boxing traditionalists and purists alike. "For years and years across major sports, we've had celeb formats, right, and that's what this is, a celebrity format for boxing." "It's a bit different because it's a dangerous sport, but don't worry." Hearn responded in comment to those that claim it is too risky for novices to be holding a world stage. "Let's take a minute to recognize that these guys are doing proper camps, they are doing proper training and you know what I saw on Saturday night? I saw some okay boxing" Eddie Hearn on the Misfits x DAZN 004 card in London, England. An event ran and headlined by KSI. "From a business point of view, this could really shape boxing up, because the perception is that these youtubers are making so much money to fight, they're not. They are making a lot less money than fighters the average man has never heard of" Eddie Hearn on claims the influncers are stealing a living from 'real' fighters. "What I am saying is, the arena sold out and they went nuts for Salt Papi. I bet you Salt Papi got 10x less than a world champion fighter that no one has heard of, that won't put bums on seats and won't sell viewership. "So what I am saying is: This other format, I think it's great. You got young kids now going through doors of amateur boxing gyms, because they were watching KSI, because they were watching Jake Paul, not because they were watching another fighter that they might not have heard of." "It's great for DAZN as well, DAZN had several hundred thousand subscribers on Saturday night and now our next show coming up, hopefully those subsribers tune in to the professional code. The viewership goes up, the popularity of the fighters goes up."

According to @UFCRosterWatch on "Twitter," the UFC has cut ties with eleven fresh competitors. It should be emphasised that it is unclear if all of these actions constituted outright releases or expired contracts. These are the list of fighters released: 1. Brandon Davis, bantamweight (14-10 MMA) Brandon Davis made his UFC comeback in 2021, losing to Dana Batgerel by first-round TKO and Mana Martinez via split decision in October. 2. Vince Morales, bantamweight (11-7 MMA) Vince Morales finished his UFC career with a two-fight losing streak and a record of 3-5. 3. Kevin Natividad, bantamweight (9-4 MMA) Natividad lost a split decision against Ricky Turcios back in November and had a 0-3 UFC record. 4. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev, welterweight (13-2 MMA) At UFC 280 and in his promotional debut, Omargadzhiev lost to Abubakar Nurmagomedov via decision. 5. Raulian Paiva, bantamweight (21-5 MMA) Paiva recently competed in June, losing a decision to Sergey Morozov after being knocked out by Sean O'Malley before that. 6. Alejandro Perez, bantamweight (22-9-1 MMA) Since joining the UFC in 2014, Alejandro Perez had an 8-4-1 record. 7. Jay Perrin, bantamweight (10-7 MMA) At UFC 282 in December, Jay Perrin lost to Raul Rosas Jr. by first-round submission. 8. Marcelo Rojo, featherweight (16-9 MMA) In his most recent fight, Francis Marshall TKO'd him in the second round at UFC Orlando. 9. Liudvik Sholinian, bantamweight (9-3-1 MMA) Sholinian last competed in November, losing a decision to Johnny Munoz Jr. 10. Michael Trizano, lightweight (10-3) In November at UFC 281, the TUF 27 winner defeated Seung Woo Choi by way of KO. Trizano had a 4-3 UFC record. 11. Women's flyweight: Sijara Eubanks (7-7 MMA) Eubanks was scheduled to make a comeback last weekend, but the fight had to be cancelled due to weight constraints.

Following a year off, James Gallagher aims to restore his winning ways. Leandro Higo and James Gallagher will step into the Bellator cage for the fight scheduled for March 10 at the SAP Centre in San Jose, California, according to a formal announcement made by the promotion on Wednesday. This would be Gallagher's first fight after losing to Patchy Mix via third-round submission at Bellator 270 in November 2021. After winning three fights in 2019, the 26-year-old Irishman hasn't triumphed after beating Cal Ellenor at a Bellator event in October 2020 and has struggled to maintain bookings. In his ten appearances for Bellator, he has eight victories. His absence from the bantamweight Grand Prix last year and a subsequent fight versus Brett Johns at Bellator 285 were both due to injuries. Higo suffered a loss in his most recent fight, losing to Danny Sabatello by unanimous decision in the quarterfinals of the bantamweight Grand Prix. Higo's three-fight winning streak—which includes a victory over Darrion Caldwell, Ricky Bandejas, and Shawn Bunch—was halted by that. Bellator 292 will be headlined by two lightweight quarterfinal bouts which include Usman Nurmagomedov defending his 155lb title against ex-UFC champ Benson Henderson. With the addition of the bantamweight matchup, the Bellator 292 lineup includes: Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Benson Henderson – for Lightweight title/Grand Prix Quarterfinal Tofiq Musayev vs. Alexander Shabily – Lightweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal James Gallagher vs. Leandro Higo Enrique Barzola vs. Erik Perez Cass Bell vs. Josh Hill Wladmir Gouvea vs. Sean Tucker Theo Haig vs. Adam Wamsley

In spite of the fact that Glover Teixeira will undoubtedly benefit from fighting in front of his compatriots, Jamahal Hill feels unconcerned by the prospect of competing there. At UFC 283, the 43-year-old will hope to regain the title of light heavyweight champion for the second time in his tenure. Before their fight for the vacant light heavyweight title, which will be the main event of UFC 283, Hill and Teixeira were seen engaged in a fierce but courteous stare-down in Brazil. Hill was approached regarding competing in Brazil with someone of Teixeira's caliber, particularly with a title at stake when interacting with journalists on media day. He said he's not bothered about the fighting atmosphere and doesn't think the audience will have an impact on the outcome. "I don't care. The crowd can't fight for him, so it doesn't matter to me. However he feels, it don't matter. I'm gonna do what I do and we gonna see what he could take." ‘’Sweet Dreams’’ emphasized that everything he desires is to capture the title of the champion as the hype is buzzing around regarding him winning the title in Brazil considering his tremendous record and entering favorite to shine against a well-experienced 43-years old Teixeira. ''It adds a little bit more to the story, a little bit more to it in that regard. But for me personally, just getting the title. I just want the title - I'm hungry for gold." Hill will be entering the octagon with a 3-fight unbeaten streak. He currently ranks at #7 and defeated former title challenger Thiago Santos in his last outing. But Hill believes that facing a highly touted prospect like Teixeira will be his most difficult challenge so far. “I’d say Glover would probably be the biggest test of my career to this point, just because the level he’s fought at, the level he’s been fighting at, and just the experience and overall the strength of schedule that he had,” Jamahal Hill looks certain, although it will be intriguing to watch if the audience's reaction will ultimately affect his game. The Rio de Janeiro fans will undoubtedly be backing Teixeira because of his hard journey to the UFC and potential for becoming a two-time light heavyweight champion at the age of 43.