This Saturday's UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas will be different because it will be closed to the public and the media. UFC president Dana White told ESPN's Brett Okamoto on Tuesday that he simply wanted to give the media "a night off." However, strawweight fighter Mackenzie Dern told reporters on Wednesday that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to rent out the event, which is why it is being canceled. "I know Mark Zuckerberg rented out the whole event," Dern said at media day in Las Vegas. "I know he'll be there, but I don't know if it's literally him, his wife or if he'll have friends--some type of party. But from someone who wanted a main event with a crowd, [it's now] going to be very, very private." Dern (12-2) will compete in the main event of Saturday's fight card against China's Yan Xiaonan (15-3). Despite the fact that she won't have any fans cheering her on, Dern said it hasn't changed her mindset about the fight. "I'm excited. That just makes me more driven to put on a good show," she said. "I know everyone is watching on TV, but for Mark and whoever is going to be there, put on a show. If that's what they want to see, is a show, then we're going to give a show." Regular media members were notified earlier this week that press credentials for Saturday's event would not be issued. The UFC has not released an official explanation for the decision, but White stated on Tuesday that there is "no big secret" behind it. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto pointed out that Zuckerberg is an MMA fan who recently posted a video of himself doing some drills. The 38-year-old is probably one of the few people who can rent out an entire UFC event. Do you guys think it is right for a huge global personality to influence such an important fight card due to his stature? Will it compromise the focus of the fighters performing that night? Let us know in the comments.

Sean O'Malley, a rising contender in the UFC's bantamweight division, has made a name for himself thus far. And as he progresses through the ranks, he sees himself fighting in the weight class above. In a recent video posted to his YouTube channel, "Sugar" Sean discussed a possible featherweight move with his trainer Tim Welch. “I’m 27 years old, I’m gonna be in this sport for ten more years. I think I will bump up to ’45, especially when my jiu-jitsu is at a level that I’m like, ‘f—k with me.’ “I’m very confident in my jiu-jitsu, but once it gets to a point where I feel like Charles (Oliveira) on the ground, I’ll move up to ’45.” Even without the jiu-jitsu prowess he's aiming for, O'Malley claims he can hold his own at 145 pounds. “At ’45 right now, people are probably bigger than me. Even now, (if) I go up to ’45, I feel like I could still beat a lot of those turds. “The top, top guys, I’ll have trouble with right now, but it’s ‘cause I’m trying to keep my weight down and low enough for 135.” For the time being, O'Malley is preparing to face former champion Petr Yan at UFC 280 on October 22 in Abu Dhabi. However, he has been labeled a huge underdog in his next fight. Many experts think the matchup is too big of a step for the Suga Show. But he remains calm and focused on his training. In an interview with Helen Yee he stated that he intends to put on a show at UFC 280 by surprising many doubters. “ I’m a little surprised, but also I kind of get it from other people’s perspective. But I believe I’m better than Petr Yan, and I believe I’m going to go out there and beat his ass, so I guess I am kind of surprised.” What do you guys think? Can Sean O'Malley beat Petr Yan at UFC 280 and challenge for the title in the future?

At UFC 281, who has the upper hand between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya? Let Jared Cannonier respond to your query. In kickboxing, The "Last Stylebender" has lost both times against "Po Atan," once by decision and once by knockout. Helen Yee was informed by Cannonier that supporters should support the champion in this MMA match because of his superior level of expertise. “It definitely favors Izzy more,” Cannonier said of the upcoming middleweight title fight. “He’s been here longer. He’s had all these five-round championship fights with the best in our sport, so it’s definitely different. He definitely has the experience in that regard. He’s altered his kickboxing style more for MMA. Alex still has sort of a kickboxing base, if you will, in his stance. Not to say that it’s a detriment to him, but it can be exploited as far as MMA goes. I think the advantage lies with Israel in that regard.” However, the "Killa Gorilla" also mentioned that Pereira's strength may be an X-factor. Cannonier wouldn't be shocked if he used his renowned left hook against Adesanya once more because it has helped him both in the ring and in the Octagon. “The power lies with Alex, for sure,” said Cannonier. “They’re both the same size. Alex is definitely going to be a denser opponent, so he’s probably a little bit heavier. It’s definitely going to be an exciting fight.” Cannonier, who Adesanya defeated by majority decision at UFC 276 this past July, was the opponent for the sixth bout that Adesanya defended his UFC middleweight championship. The same evening, Pereira defeated Sean Strickland in the opening round to earn a shot at the title. Cannonier and Strickland are anticipated to headline the year's last UFC event on December 17 at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas following their respective defeats.

Aspen Ladd, a once-promising bantamweight prospect, is no longer on the UFC roster following her latest weigh-in miscalculation. Ladd was supposed to fight Sara McMann on Sept. 17 at UFC Fight Night 210, but the fight was canceled after Ladd checked in two pounds overweight for the 135-pound contest. Ladd's loss was her third in the UFC, as she also came in heavy for fights against Macy Chiasson in 2021 and Leslie Smith in 2018. As a result, both of those fights were canceled. She also failed to make weight for a fight against Jessica Hoy under the Invicta FC banner in 2016, but the fight went on as scheduled. In addition to those issues, Ladd struggled to make weight for a fight against Germaine de Randamie in the main event of UFC Fight Night 155 in July 2019. Despite visibly shaking on the scales, she managed to land at bantamweight. One day later, however, she was defeated by de Randamie in a 16-second TKO. Ladd, 27, is 9-3 as a professional and 4-3 in UFC competition. She has defeated Sijara Eubanks (twice), Tonya Evinger, Yana Kunitskaya, and Lina Lansberg in her career. She briefly fought at 145 pounds before losing a unanimous decision to Norma Dumont in the main event of UFC Fight Night 195 last October. Ladd could be a good fit for the PFL. The PFL has a women's lightweight division led by Kayla Harrison, and it has recently added former UFC fighters Marlon Moraes and Shane Burgos.

Bo Nickal has put on yet another scintillating performance in his second outing at the Dana White Contender series. He picked up the second-fastest finish of the DWCS Season 6 finale on Tuesday night. Given his first performance, a quick finish that helped promotion president Dana White get some additional shine on his talent-development network, Nickal's trip to the UFC was likely a foregone conclusion. Nickal, on the other hand, needed only 52 seconds to tap his opponent, Donovan Beard, and the triangle he rolled for was the third finish he attempted in the short time he was in the small octagon at UFC APEX. It started with an overhand left, then a guillotine choke, and finally the triangle choke, which left Donovan - and the audience - baffled. Nickal, fresh off a 52-second stoppage on Tuesday night's up-and-comer showcase, bypassed the formalities and called his own fight against Chimaev, another hype train that, despite weight issues, has taken the welterweight division by storm. “If the UFC wishes, give me that Swedish dude,” said Nickal, undoubtedly one of the brightest prospects among the 43 fighters signed to the UFC after Season 6 of the Contender Series wrapped. “He might not even be the best guy, because he can’t even make weight, but if that’s the case, I’ll take him. “If not, then give me Logan Paul. UFC debut. Me vs. Logan Paul, I know he has some skills. If we can’t do it in the UFC, let’s do it in the WWE. I’ll meet you in the ring. But Dana White was quick to dismiss those links and branded them as crazy. He told the media at the press conference that the next step for Nickal was to get some fights and build him up. “You don’t test him against ranked talent,” the UFC exec said. “You bring him in just like you would bring in any prospect. You build him up, give him fights. Nickal may have to jump through a few more hoops before he can fight top-ranked fighters, and a fight with Paul is pure fantasy. But, in terms of confidence, he's on the right track. When it comes to opportunities, that counts for a lot. While giving his interview to Laura Sanko he seemed super pumped and called out Khamzat Chimaev. “Let’s get it baby,” Nickal told Laura Sanko of his Chimaev callout. “I’m here. I’m training every day. I put the work in. I make weight. Let’s do it.” Do you guys think Bo Nickal can become the Champion one day? Let us know your views in the comments.

Robert Whittaker is still on the hunt for Israel Adesanya. The middleweight title rematch between "The Reaper" and Adesanya took place at UFC 271 in February of this year. However, "The Reaper" made a strong comeback by defeating top challenger Marvin Vettori by unanimous decision at UFC Paris. Whittaker, who is ranked No. 2 at 185 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, has won 13 of his last 15 fights. His only defeats in that time have come at the hands of "The Last Stylebender." Whittaker made it obvious that he still wants to win the UFC championship after successfully retaining his No. 1 contender position. “I’m hunting that title shot,” Whittaker said on a recent episode of The MMA Hour. “That’s what I’m doing and that’s what I’m always going to be doing because that’s the only up direction. I’m a fiend for progress, I just want to move forward. “I want to move up. And whoever’s got that ‘C’ above me, whoever is above me in the ranking is my next target, obviously.” Given his two defeats to Adesanya, Whittaker's declaration that he was "the most dangerous man" in the middleweight class during his UFC Paris post-fight address drew questions. He said on The MMA Hour that he frequently does his adversaries more harm than Adesanya does, which was an especially incisive statement given the criticism Adesanya has recently faced for championship defences that have been largely drama-free. “I’m the most dangerous man in the division,” Whittaker said. “Izzy, he’s the champion of the division, he beat me the last fight as well. He’s a great fighter. But I’m the most dangerous man. I can beat anyone in the division. That last fight against Israel I got within a hair’s breadth of taking everything away from him. Just the fights that I’ve been in and the opponents that I’ve had, I’m not just beating them. I’m flogging them. There’s a difference in that." “I’m hurting these guys and that’s what makes me so dangerous. It’s because I don’t just come to the fight to win, I come to break my opponents. And I’m not a big talker or anything, but mentality-wise, that’s what I do when I go in there. I don’t go in there expecting to leave there. … That’s why a lot of the injuries I have when I leave the octagon, it’s because I’ve done them to myself. Throwing too many kicks or throwing too many punches with reckless abandon, it’s just how it is.” Whittaker attributes the change in view of Adesanya more to the opponents that the champion has faced than to any adjustments in approach. “Israel’s fighting the exact same way he has always fought,” Whittaker said. “He’s a picture-perfect defensive striker that uses his physical attributes perfectly with the way he fights. The only difference now is that he’s fighting much higher quality guys and they’re harder to stop, harder to go away, a bit tougher. He’s always fought that way. He’s always fought defensively, safe. And he gets the W. I guess that’s what you want.” Whittaker began his UFC career at 170 pounds and has hinted at moving up another weight class. He feels that if he ever moves up to compete at 205 pounds, that is the division he will eventually retire in. He is currently anticipating Adesanya's subsequent championship defence against Alex Pereira at UFC 281, which will happen on Nov. 12. Whittaker is certain that, regardless of the outcome, he will continue to be mentioned as a top contender for the championship. “I know that I have one more shot against Izzy if that’s what it is or if he gets dethroned I definitely have another shot at gold,” Whittaker said. “I think getting that third fight with Israel will be a deciding point for that or whoever else it is.” “Definitely [there will be a third fight with Adesanya,]” he added. “It would be silly not to because I’m just running through everybody else. Especially the way the second fight left off, I’d have to have come the closest since he’s gotten the title to taking it back off him.”

On Nov. 13 in Dubai, Floyd Mayweather's exhibition tour will resume with a pay-per-view matchup between the Hall of Famer and British YouTuber Deji. Deji released a statement on Monday confirming the fight. "Huge gratitude to Global Titans and my team for creating this great chance," she added. "It's an honour to be the star of this incredible event in Dubai, going up against the legendary Floyd Mayweather. It's going to be enjoyable! “Huge thanks to Global Titans and my team for creating this incredible opportunity,” Deji said in a statement announcing the fight Monday. “It’s a privilege to be headlining this phenomenal spectacle in Dubai, against the all-time great Floyd Mayweather. This is going to be fun!” Said Mayweather, “I am delighted to bring this incredible boxing experience to Dubai. Global Titans will give fans an unrivalled boxing match with a huge undercard. It is an honour to be a part of such an iconic event in an iconic city, and I would like to thank the Global Titans team for reaching out to me and giving back so much to the sport I love.” Deji is KSI's brother, who in 2019 defeated fellow YouTuber Logan Paul in a match that was officially sanctioned. Paul and Mayweather engaged in an exhibition match in June of last year. On Sunday in Saitama, Japan, Mayweather, 45, submitted Japanese mixed martial artist Mikuru Asakura in the second round of their scheduled three-round showcase. Additionally, he has shown desire in rematching with UFC champion Conor McGregor. Additionally, Manny Pacquiao was a guest on invitation at the Super RIZIN event on Sunday, fueling rumours that a Mayweather-Pacquiao exhibition is imminent. In 2017, Mayweather stopped McGregor to end his career with a 50-0 record in his final bout under the rules. Since then, he has profited from his notoriety by competing in lucrative pay-per-view performances against Asakura, Paul, retired boxer Don Moore from this past May, and Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa.

Islam Makhachev, in the words of The Rock, wants Michael Chandler to understand his duty and shut his mouth. When responding to Chandler's criticism on Twitter on Monday, Makhachev (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) made that point quite apparent. In an MMA Fighting interview, Chandler criticized Makhachev's résumé. “He hasn’t really fought anybody,” Chandler said. “That’s really the truth.” It is true that Makhachev, who defeated Bobby Green by TKO at UFC 280 after Beneil Dariush backed out of their scheduled fight in February, will soon face Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight championship. Before that, Makhachev's biggest victory came over Dan Hooker, who had been on the decline and had dropped four of his previous five matches, including one to Makhachev. Nevertheless, Makhachev has won 10 consecutive fights dating back to September 2016 and feels he is entitled to a championship opportunity in Abu Dhabi next month. Makhachev responded after hearing Chandler's remarks. Haha., your only two win [sic] in UFC is Hooker who came out of loss, and Tony who has 5 losses in the row now.,” Makhachev tweeted, “please shut up and stay in line:zipper_mouth_face: ” In response to Makhachev's comment on Chandler, the former lightweight champion of Bellator is 2-2 since entering the UFC, with victories over Hooker and Tony Ferguson coming in May at UFC 274. Following his victory against Hooker by TKO, Chandler was given the opportunity to challenge Oliveira for the vacant championship. Despite controlling the first round, Chandler lost by TKO in the second. In the 2021 Fight of the Year versus Justin Gaethje, who accepted a unanimous decision following a three-round brawl, Chandler suffered his other UFC defeat. A championship fight between Chandler and Makhachev may occur if Chandler defeats Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November and Makhachev wins gold at UFC 280.

Israel Adesanya headlines one of the year's most anticipated cards. The main event of UFC 281, which takes place on Nov. 12 at the legendary Madison Square Garden venue in New York, will see the UFC middleweight title going up against longtime foe Alex Pereira. Adesanya and Pereira have a history dating back to their time as professional kickboxers. Pereira had a 2-0 advantage against Adesanya in their series, which culminated with a highlight-reel knockout in the rematch in 2017. Adesanya and Pereira have both won all 12 of their matches at 185 pounds so far in their UFC careers, with Pereira going 3-0 in the promotion and "The Last Stylebender" winning all five of his championship defenses. Below is the official poster for their clash at UFC 281. As part of UFC 281, incumbent strawweight champion Carla Esparza will face former champion Weili Zhang in a championship fight. Also on the card is the highly anticipated fight between former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier and former Bellator champion Michael Chandler.

Don't expect an all-British heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua this year. Because all the hype and the rumors regarding the all British super heavyweight clash has been called off by the Gypsy King. "The Gypsy King" took to social media today to announce that he will be exiting the talks after a self-imposed 5 p.m deadline. The contract signing deadline of Monday has passed. Fury set the deadline on Friday and announced that he would look into other options for his next fight. “Well guys, it’s official. D-day has come and gone,” Fury (32-0-1, 23 knockouts) said in an Instagram video on Monday. “It’s officially over for Joshua. He is now out in the cold with the wolf pack. Forget about it.” Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs), who is coming off back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, had previously stated that his side had agreed to the terms of the fight, and said in an Instagram live video on Sunday that he intended to sign the contract but that the bout agreement was being reviewed by his legal counsel. “It ain’t in my hands – it’s with a legal team. That’s why you hire lawyers,” said Joshua, who is two years younger than Fury at 32. The deadline was missed despite Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, saying there was "no chance" the contract would be signed by Monday while it was being reviewed. Fury, the lineal and WBC champion, most recently defeated Dillian Whyte in six rounds at Wembley Stadium in April. Fury announced his retirement from boxing shortly after, but was almost immediately back to talking about future fights. Fury had publicly called for a fight with Usyk, the newly crowned RING heavyweight champion, but Fury claimed Usyk was "running, hiding" after a similar deadline to make the fight passed on September 1. Let us know what do you guys think about the match up between Fury and Joshua? Does that fight still happen?

One-time UFC title challenger Michael Chandler has joined fellow UFC fighter Sean O'Malley in labeling Islam Makhachev overhyped ahead of his highly anticipated lightweight title unification bout against Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. Chandler has been impressed by Makhachev but only half heartedly , labeled as Khabib’s Nurmagomedov heir to the throne, in the UFC, Iron Chandler believes that crowning him the next best thing at lightweight based on his recent victories over Dan Hooker and Bobby Green is a little premature. He said “Nothing against Islam, you say he looks great, you say he looks unbeatable at times, but he hasn’t really fought anybody,” Chandler, who is one spot below Makhachev in the UFC lightweight rankings at #5, told in a recent interview with MMA Fighiting. “That’s really the truth. He beat No. 14 and then he beat Dan Hooker, who was on a three or four-fight losing streak. “Now people will say, ‘well, one of your wins was against Dan Hooker, what are you talking about?’ I fought Dan Hooker at a different time. He had just gone 25 minutes with Dustin Poirier, who at that time was the No. 2 lightweight on the entire planet.” Chandler is willing to be proven wrong if Makhachev rises to the occasion and defeats Oliveira, but despite being backed by bookmakers to win the fight based on his previous performances and overall dominance in the division, he sees no path to victory for the Dagestani native. “I think Charles is just too slick, too good, and he’s going to give him fits on the feet,” Chandler said. “I don’t think it will be hard to take Charles down, but I think Charles wins the grappling exchanges. Chandler is the only person who has been to the ground with Oliveira during his current run and survived to recount his experience. That back-and-forth war is why he's grown so fond of the Brazilian. When it comes to Makhachev, Chandler simply does not believe that the Dagestani have the credentials to put his name alongside the names of other lightweights that Oliveira has already defeated. He believes his former opponent can win this match stylistically.

Floyd Mayweather was in Japan for a boxing exhibition when he was challenged by a tough MMA fighter, Mikuru Azakura, who had no idea it was an exhibition. The three-round fight did not need to go that far, and in the end, Mayweather punished his opponent's irreverence by knocking him out at the end of the second round in a proper fight that could have gone on. Azakura attempted to counter his opponent's speed by using his size and reach advantage against Mayweather who appeared to be a 45-year-old former champion who has already lost some of the great elusiveness he once possessed. In a fight with little time for preparation, the American struggled to shake off the Japanese's straight punches and jab. In the second round, Azakura attempted to close the fight by punishing Mayweather, who resented the punishment and ended up smiling and backing away after being hit with at least three powerful combinations. However, the former world champion punished his opponent's brashness and sent him to the canvas near the end of the second round with a powerful right hand. The referee did not allow the fight to continue, and Mayweather's unblemished record remains at 50-0-0, which he endorsed as undefeated, but with more work to dominate as he used to. At the end, 'Money' thanked Manny Pacquiao's presence in the arena, as well as the Japanese public's respect and affection, for having paid a lot of money to see him in action and increase his fortune. After the fight Mayweather said that he wants to continue to fight in exhibition bouts. “I’m happy we were able to give the people excitement tonight,” he said. “Thanks for having me . I’ll be back.” The fact that Manny Pacquiao, a rival of Mayweather, was invited by the event's organizers and spoke in the ring both before and after the main event may not have been a coincidence. Could they be planning a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown?