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  • Kevin Holland wants a quick return to Octagon before the end of this year

    Kevin Holland, who lost to Khamzat Chimaev in the co-main event of UFC 279, was naturally disappointed with the outcome of the fight. Holland hopes to recover from a busy UFC 279 fight week by engaging in one more battle before the end of the year. Chimaev attempted to take down Holland in the opening exchange before locking on a D'arce choke to secure the submission, the bout ended without Holland landing a single punch. Holland offered praise to the undefeated Chechen for his effort despite having to criticize how the bout turned out, even though he took the fight against Chimaev with only 24 hours' notice due to numerous last-minute alterations to the card. Holland took to instagram to express his disappointments on his loss at UFC 279. He said “I lost an amazing grappling match last night – I mean fight, my bad,” Holland said in an Instagram video. “Chimaev is one hell of an athlete. I’m still gonna be talking sh*t, because you know who I am.” He further added “ Hate ending the year like this,.So, would love to go in there against a striker. I don’t know if I’m still deserving of a ‘Wonderboy’ fight, but would love a ‘Wonderboy’ fight. If not a ‘Wonderboy’ fight, ‘D-Rod,’ we were all the way on task to getting it done. We had to switch it up to save the card. So, maybe we can get something nice and get it going, and collect another check before the end of the year. My guy.” Holland is prepared to continue and enter the octagon one final time to finish his 2022 campaign, ideally against Rodriguez or a different opponent in previous title contender Stephen Thompson. Considering that Holland has previously mentioned numerous times that he prefers to maintain a very busy schedule, it appears that his mindset isn't altering just because he suffered a setback at UFC 279 as some have speculated. Holland came into UFC 279 fresh off consecutive victories. At UFC 272, he defeated Alex Oliveira. Tim Means was then submitted in the second round via a D'arce choke on UFC at UFC Austin. If his wish comes true, Holland will fight four times in a single year, second only to his five-bout campaign in 2020.

  • UFC 279 Results: Nate Diaz Wins Final Fight, Chimaev Beats Holland

    Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz didn't end up fighting, but at UFC 279, both guys had the most memorable nights of their lives. The last three fights of the night were forced to be swapped around when Borz weighed in at 178.5 pounds to get into the fight. In his last fight of UFC, The Stockton Native ended up facing former interim champion Tony Ferguson who returned to the welterweight division with the hope of snapping his losing streak. Nobody expected this to be how the pay-per-view event would end. But in the headliner of UFC 279, Nate Diaz added another guillotine submission win to his record by defeating Tony Ferguson in the fourth round. An exciting night of fighting had a suitable conclusion. It was a significant victory for Diaz because he got to put on a thrilling battle with Ferguson that featured lots of punching, taunting, and, of course, the guillotine choke that Diaz used to submit to numerous opponents. Later in the post-fight conference, Tony Ferguson admitted that he regrets his late takedown attempt and that he should have kept standing. Khamzat Chimaev dominated in the cage on Saturday despite losing on the scale on Friday. Borz defeated Kevin Holland in the first round by submission to extend his winning streak. At the start of the round, when Holland reached for the gloves, he jumped on the takedown. After then, there was a mad dash until Chimaev applied the choke. Although the D'Arce choke wasn't quite effective the first time, Chimaev changed his grasp and eventually got Holland to submit. The major news here is the serious mistake Chimaev made by exceeding the 171-pound limit at welterweight by 7.5 pounds. It would be fascinating to see if Chimaev receives a championship opportunity next after the error cost him the chance to compete in the main event versus Nate Diaz. He undoubtedly has the abilities, but he must demonstrate that he can make the required weight. Although the Swede made it clear in the post-fight conference that whether it's welterweight or middleweight division, he demanded the top fights so that he could grab UFC gold. Li Jingliang was forced to face Daniel Rodriguez in the 3rd contest of the night despite the American having the weight advantage as he was scheduled to face Kevin Holland in a catchweight bout. The fight was closely contested, and Rodriguez won on a split decision. Rodriguez got things going quickly. He started off getting in Jingliang's face and quickly gained the upper hand. Jingliang, though, countered with several of his leg kicks. The scoring for all three rounds was challenging because both fighters had their moments, and the overall striking totals were close. In the 2nd fight of the main card, Irene Aldana achieved one of the most unusual knockouts you'll ever see against Macy Chiasson. In a crucial third round, Aldana was on her back when she fired an upkick to the liver that abruptly put an end to the contest. Aldana threatened with submission in the opening round, which she certainly won, and came close to being tapped. However, Chiasson owned the second round to create a winner-take-all scenario in the final round. In the very first fight, the 6'6" Walker used his length to his advantage and applied a rear-naked choke in the first round. Early in the bout, Cutelaba secured a takedown and was working from the top position, but Walker snatched his opponent's back and repeatedly attempted the choke before finally forcing the tap.

  • Golovkin not carrying past results against Alvarez

    The only two fights Gennady Golovkin has lost in his stellar career have come versus Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, but the Kazakh boxer has stated that he is not taking that as encouragement ahead of their long-awaited trilogy clash. In 2017, the longtime opponents battled to a controversial draw in the ring for the first time. In their rematch in 2018, Alvarez of Mexico won an even more debatable points decision that many analysts thought may have gone the other way. In their trilogy fight on September 17 in Las Vegas, undisputed world super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (57-2-2) and 40-year-old Golovkin (42-1-1) will square off again, although Golovkin believes his motivation to clash again is not fueled by previous defeats. He has not any grudge against the Mexican. "I'm totally looking at the third fight as a brand-new fight from scratch," Golovkin told Reuters through an interpreter. "I don't draw any motivation from previous fights." The Golovkin-Alvarez fight will be the first time the Kazakh fighter moves up to super middleweight to compete above 160 pounds. Golovkin is arguably the most dominant middleweight of his generation. Although Golovkin acknowledged he has not made many changes in his training since moving up to a larger weight class. But he does anticipate Alvarez, 32, to use a different approach than in their prior encounters. Golovkin expressed his feeling: "He's going to change a lot of things because this fight is taking place in a different weight division and his attitude will definitely change, so there will be a lot of surprises during this fight," The enormous Kazakh, who formerly recorded 20 successful title defenses, may be past his prime, but his lethal combination of technique, patience, and devastating force still makes him a menace. There have been whispers that Golovkin would quit early rather than later if he suffers a humiliating defeat in his upcoming match, but the Kazakh boxer insisted that the result alone would probably not have any influence on his decision. "It's very difficult to point at just one particular factor that might influence my decision to end my career, unless something bad happens," he said. "But there are a lot of nuances, and they might play a role in making a decision to continue, but I am not going to spend a lot of time on those. We'll see how it goes."

  • Paulo Costa: Khamzat Chimaev only fights small guys he can bully: 'I'm the biggest UFC middleweight'

    Because of his physique and power-hitting capacity, Paulo Costa has doubts that Khamzat Chimaev will agree to a bout. Earlier in UFC 279 fight week, Chimaev and Costa got into an altercation at the UFC Performance Institute, where his team had to restrain him. During the press conference, the Swede was questioned about his desire for a match-up with Paulo Costa. Chimaev ruled out a fight with Costa, and the Brazilian accused "Borz" of exclusively choosing weaker opponents, citing his most recent triumph over Gilbert Burns at UFC 273. Talking to an interview with The MacLife, Costa accused Chimaev of picking easy fights which have put a dent in the welterweight’s hype. “I know you just want to fight small guys, short guys, shy guys like Burns,” “Guys who you can beat and be a bully, but I’m not. I’m a big one, I’m the biggest middleweight in the UFC so you cannot bully me. When you show up, I will be here, ready for you because you are a ‘Gourmet Chechen,’ you are a fake gangster so that’s it.’’ “I know this guy don’t want this fight. He will try and fight somebody else who has no grappling, no jiu-jitsu, no wrestling. I have nothing more to say about that guy. I’m fresh, I can fight him with just one hand because it’s broken, but I don’t care man.” ‘’The Eraser’’ is coming off a bloodbath victory over the UFC veteran and former middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold. With still one fight left on his UFC deal, Costa is open to smash Chimaev, who faces Kevin Holland in a co-main event of UFC 279 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. If Chimaev is unavailable, Costa has alternative plans. “We have Robert Whittaker, he’s a great fight,” Costa said. “Chimaev would be good because I’d like to beat his ass, but we have a couple of nice fights coming up.” With Chimaev's fight in his mind, Costa didn’t deny facing his bitter rival in a rematch for the UFC gold. “I have my business to do with Israel (Adesanya) and I will face him very soon. But Chimaev, you don’t need to call somebody to help you. Just me and you – I know, you’re scared. So shut up and do your thing, call to fight these shorter guys because you can’t handle me.” After the scuffle, the backstage before UFC 279 presser, and his controversial weight miss for the UFC 279 main event, Chimaev's reputation has been badly hit among the fans. He was booed when he stepped in for the ceremonial weigh-in. To restore his hype and glory, he must choose a worthy opponent like Paulo Costa if it is feasible for UFC.

  • Conor Mcgregor full of praise for Nate Diaz ahead of last UFC fight

    Prior to his probable final UFC fight, Conor McGregor had nothing but love for his longtime foe and "bonafide superstar," Nate Diaz. Diaz (20-13 MMA, 15-11 UFC) will battle Tony Ferguson (25-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) on Saturday night at UFC 279 in a welterweight main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to see out the remaining fight on his current contract. Diaz's journey to this point hasn't been simple. To the verge of free agency, he had to maneuver through UFC strategies, get demoted to the sidelines, and be given absurd matchups. At UFC 279, he was scheduled to face Khamzat Chimaev, an undefeated wrecking ball, but the bout was moved after Chimaev missed weight by 7.5 pounds. Mcgregor and Diaz have mutual respect for each other as they shared the octagon back in 2016 at UFC 196 and UFC 202. The first time they met Nate Diaz secured a win over a then unstoppable Conor Mcgregor by submitting in the second round of the fight. Since that fight Nate Diaz became a global superstar and has the ability to draw attention whenever he steps foot inside the octagon. However, Conor Mcgregor avenged his loss at UFC 202 when the fight went full 5 rounds and they went to a decision. The second bout was a really close fight which could have gone either way. That fight also caused Diaz’s stock to rise even higher. Conor Mcgregor also had some salty words for Khamzat Chimaev and he thinks that ‘Borz’ should have been pulled from the card entirely instead of being handed a more favorable matchup. He thinks that other fighters might follow this strategy in the future. The notorious himself is eyeing a return to the octagon in 2023 as he has been regularly training and posting videos of himself working out on social media. He has hinted that his return would be at welterweight as does not intend to cut weight in order to compete at 155lbs.

  • UFC 279 main card shuffled as Chimaev fails to make weight

    One day before the scheduled pay-per-view event, the top three fights on the UFC 279 card have been totally rearranged, according to UFC president Dana White, who made the announcement in a live Instagram video on Friday. The UFC 279 main card featured a new main event on Saturday after one of the most chaotic weigh-ins in recent UFC history. Tony Ferguson will now compete against Nate Diaz in the Saturday night's main event at T-Mobile Arena. Khamzat Chimaev, Diaz's initial challenger, failed to make weight on Friday morning and weighed in at 178.5 pounds instead of the 171 pounds allowed for the contest. It makes sense that Diaz decided against fighting such a heavy opponent. Despite the severe financial repercussions of his error, Chimaev will continue on the card to compete against Holland at a catch weight of 180 pounds. Chimaev and Holland engaged in a physical altercation on Thursday before the UFC 279 press conference, which led the organization to cancel the event. The co main event between Chimaev and Holland will also be five rounds. Rodriguez will now face Li, who weighed 170.5 pounds on Friday. Rodriguez weighed 179 pounds, therefore there will be a significant weight difference. Additional weight changes were made to the card by the UFC. The fight between Macy Chiasson and Irene Aldana at bantamweight is now a 140-pound catchweight contest. Hakeem Dawodu, a featherweight, and Chris Barnett, a heavyweight, both failed to make weight for UFC 279, although they will still compete in their scheduled matches. Dawodu will forfeit 30% of his winnings to rival Julian Erosa, while Barnett loses 20% to Jake Collier. The events leading to UFC 279 was nothing short of drama when the fight week started. From altercations between Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC PI to cancellation of the press conference due to a backstage brawl between different fighters to Chimaev missing weight badly. It has been all box office for the organization. Majority of the fans are more excited with the shuffled card as compared to the initial one. Now it's up to the fighters to put an end to a dramatic week by putting their best performances inside the octagon come Saturday night.

  • Michael Chandler still eyes Conor McGregor

    The former Bellator lightweight champion was the favorite out of possible available options to welcome McGregor back to the octagon following a spectacular "Knockout of the Year" triumph over Tony Ferguson in May. Following his recovery from a broken leg sustained in his previous fight against Dustin Poirier, the Notorious posted training photographs, and videos to demonstrate just how far he had recovered from the catastrophic injury. He aimed to return to the cage by the end of 2022. Days stretched into weeks, and weeks into months before Chandler identified that McGregor most likely wouldn't make a comeback until 2023. And it was obvious that the bout wouldn't take place anytime soon because the former two-division champion was getting ready to film the new Roadhouse remake in the Dominican Republic. Chandler explained in The Fighter vs. The Writer that although there remains a doubt over the Irishman's come back, he has no issue in waiting for his wish to come true. “Truthfully, if there was a guarantee [that] ‘this fight is happening,’ I have no problem waiting a couple extra months into January, February, even March next year,” “But the sport of mixed martial arts, a lot changes every single day, and we’re also talking about the biggest combat sports icon on the planet. “There’s rumors out there of him fighting Floyd Mayweather. There’s rumors of him never coming back. There’s rumors of him coming back before the end of the year. We don’t know when Conor’s coming back, so with that level of uncertainty, it would be really foolish to hitch your wagon to that fight.” Chandler has often expressed his desire to face McGregor before calling it a day in his tenure. But it just doesn't make sense to have him sit out for months while still trying to win UFC gold. Instead, a crucial Lightweight matchup between Chandler and the former interim champion, Dustin Poirier, will now take place at UFC 281, which will take place on November 12, 2022, in New York City. There will be three rounds in the fight. All of that is not to say that Chandler won't eventually face McGregor, but as long as he stays, his main focus is on winning the 155-pound championship, that battle may have to wait. He continued, “Do I want that fight [with Conor]? Of course,” Chandler said. “Do I think that fight is going to happen eventually? Absolutely. But still, my No. 1 goal isn’t to fight Conor — it’s the win the title. “My No. 1 goal is to be UFC champion. To be the No. 1 guy on the entire planet. I’ve got to get through somebody else in the top five, get another win under my belt and then go fight Charles [Oliveira] or Islam [Makhachev], whoever wins that fight in October, probably in the first quarter of next year. I’ll be your champion in March, April, May of next year.” Chandler still values winning a UFC championship more than the glory and monetary gain that come with the McGregor clash. Since the first day he committed to MMA after his college wrestling career, it has been his goal so he could dedicate it to his family and loved ones who have sacrificed for him to get him there where he is now. He wants to repay his fans who have supported him throughout his career.

  • Thiago Santos departs UFC, signs multi-fight deal with PFL

    After nine years in the world’s best MMA organization, former UFC light heavyweight title contender Thiago Santos has left the organization to join the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Santos is anticipated to make his promotion debut as a member of the 2023 light heavyweight division. Santos is the second UFC fighter to recently switches to the PFL. Shane Burgos, a featherweight contender, moved to PFL in August after his contract with the UFC ran out, which, in Dana White's opinion, was a mistake. Speaking to ESPN, Santos’s Manager Alex Davis explained that, “It was an amicable separation with the UFC,” “Thiago is very grateful for everything the UFC did for him, and he’s very grateful toward the PFL for signing with him. He’s looking forward to winning a million dollars.” The story was confirmed by PFL officials on Thursday after an earlier ESPN report. In an interview with ESPN, PFL president Ray Sefo stated, “We are very excited to bring in Thiago Santos to the PFL light heavyweight division. He is known throughout the MMA world as a guy who delivers exciting fights, and I’m looking forward to seeing his elite knockout power up close.” Santos originally caught the attention of the UFC on The Ultimate Fighter Brazil Season 2 in 2013, and that was as a welterweight. As a welterweight, he earned several remarkable victories, including knockouts of Gerald Meerschaert, Jack Hermansson, and Anthony Smith." Marreta" attracted attention as a middleweight, creating a reputation as a legit knockout specialist with the ability to throw devastating Capoeira kicks. Since switching to 205 pounds, he had achieved even better results, won three straight matches, and ended them by knocking out former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz. Santos had a break at the title after that triumph, but at UFC 239, he was defeated by Jon Jones by a hard split decision although many fans still argue he actually should have won. Santos, unfortunately, incurred an injury to both of his knees during that bout, and he was sidelined for more than a year before making his comeback to the ring. Since making a return, he has lost four of his last five fights, including back-to-back defeats to Jamahal Hill and Magomed Ankalaev in his most recent bouts. A fresh promotion might be exactly what 38-year-old Santos needs to revive his fine form, and a $1 million prize is a powerful motivation. In November, Rob Wilkinson and Omari Akhmedov will square off in the light heavyweight finals of the ongoing PFL season, which features another veteran UFC duo.

  • Gilberto Ramirez aims to be on the front foot against Dimitry Bivol

    On November 5 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez indicated he intends to put unrelenting pressure on WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol to topple him. With pressure and a high work rate, Ramirez (44-0 KOs, 30 KOs) thinks he can stop Bivol (21-0 KOs) and win their DAZN main event. Ramirez, a former 168-pound WBO champion, has been contending for the belt for well over a year. He finally has the chance to overthrow the man he claims has been dodging him for so long. Bivol, on his part, wished to build upon his triumph over Canelo Alvarez in May. Ramirez, however, takes the lead as impatient Bivol waits for the September 17 conclusion of the Canelo vs. Golovkin trilogy. The 31 years old Mexican , has never been very agile, even when he is competing as a super-middleweight. However, since climbing to 175 lbs three years ago, Zurdo Ramirez's progress has stagnated because of the strain his 6'2" frame is under. Due to his slow speed, Bivol might be difficult to hit for 12 rounds. In an interview with Fight Hub Tv Ramirez said “I’ll be looking for him all night, I’ll throw my fists.and I’ll take the belt. “We’re going to put on a great show for all the fans in Abu Dhabi. It’ll be really interesting because I’m bigger than him and stronger. It’ll be tough for him, but I think it’ll be an exciting fight. “The timeframe will be different. Jet lag. That’s the only thing that will be different. I will bring every skill that I have and good vibes. Each fighter is different and tough in their own way. I will enjoy the night and bring back the title for Mexico. Bivol is aware that a victory over Canelo in May might potentially result in a much larger paycheck than the previous one. He cannot afford to make any errors and take Ramirez lightly for this fight. The 12-round contest will take place on Saturday, November 5, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and is the inaugural contest of the recently established "Champion Series."

  • UFC 279 Press Conference called off due to a massive backstage 'scuffle' between the fighters

    For the first time in UFC history, a press conference before a fight had to be postponed due to an altercation between Khamzat Chimaev, Kevin Holland, and Nate Diaz backstage that descended into physical aggression. The last-minute cancellation of Thursday's UFC 279 news conference was mainly caused by heated exchanges and physical altercations between the competitors. Kevin Holland and Khamzat Chimaev, who both have fights on the card but aren't up against one another, are allegedly the root of the problem that prompted White and the UFC to call off the conference before it even got going. The circumstances surrounding this pay-per-view main event couldn't be crazier if Saturday's UFC 279 main event proves to be Nate Diaz's farewell trip to the Octagon after 15 erratic years. There was a protracted delay at first, but this is standard procedure when celebrities like Nate Diaz are involved. As Diaz, Khamzat Chimaev, Tony Ferguson, Li Jingliang, Kevin Holland, and Daniel Rodriguez were set to arrive, the UFC personnel also moved the name tags about. The last two, though, were the only ones to show up. White welcomed them onto the platform and informed the audience that the fighters would initially enter the ring in pairs. Holland and Rodriguez answered a few questions before facing each other off after and White neglected to make any meaningful comments about what had happened. Before leaving the platform, White told the jeering crowd that the choice was the best one for "everyone's safety." White added that when Chimaev and Holland originally clashed, "things went south" and that Diaz and Chimaev had "100 people" with them backstage. According to reports, Diaz and his camp ultimately became involved in the argument, and the sheer volume of participants overcame the security measures in place backstage. He said "S--- show. An absolute s--- show back there," White said as he canceled the event. "Ask them questions. There's lots of crazy s--- going on back there. ... Trust me when I tell you this is the right decision not to do this press conference right now. For everybody's safety, this is the right decision. I apologize." White did state that the event on Saturday will proceed as scheduled and that no fighters will be punished. Press conferences for the UFC have a reputation for getting out of hand. Conor McGregor has had several close calls during news conferences, most notably the one before his matchup with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in 2018. However, nothing had previously led to a cancellation before Thursday's spate of incidents.

  • With team behind him at UFC 279, Tony Ferguson calls welterweight home: 'I'm here to collect'

    Throughout his eleven-year UFC stint, Tony Ferguson appeared in 20 fights. Ferguson was 15-1 in the UFC over the first nine of those years and earned the interim lightweight title. He is, however, 0-4 over the last two years. He will meet Li Jingliang at UFC 279 after jumping to the welterweight division because of his four consecutive defeats. Ferguson, 38, hasn't recorded a victory since defeating Donald Cerrone in a lightweight contest at UFC 238 in 2019. Tony Ferguson is coming off four straight losses, the last of which had many questioning whether or not he would retire. Michael Chandler put El Cucuy to sleep on the canvas with a vicious front kick in the very second round of the fight. With other three losses came against the top-ranked lightweight fighters Beneil Dariush, Charles Oliveira, and Justin Gaethje. Well, retirement wasn't in the cards of El Cucuy, and he'll be back in the cage to face Li Jingliang, however at welterweight this time. Ferguson says he feels strong and is prepared to prevail at welterweight this weekend after training at Jackson Wink MMA. Ferguson spoke at the UFC 279 media day about his decision to return to the welterweight division, where he last contested in 2011. Ferguson was questioned about his choice and whether it would impact his future, to which he replied: “One-seventy is home. Love it,” Ferguson said. “This is where I hang my hat. I’m 14-2 with mostly knockouts at 170. So, like I said, it’s where I hang my hat. A hundred-and-55 is home, too, so I’m here to collect.” Ferguson will confront a difficult opponent in Li Jingliang, even though he feels excellent and has not had to lose weight in preparation for the fight. With eight knockouts, Jingliang is tied for second most in UFC welterweight history. Jingliang is hot off a win over Muslim Salikhov this past July. El Cucuy expressed his desire to join a team for the rest of his career after a devastating loss against Chandler. He had not been a part of any team for years. But now that he has joined Jackson Wink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it looks like a fresh start for the former interim champion. Before joining Jackson Wink, he hadn’t trained in a cage or sparred “in five or six years.” He’d only been training on a wrestling mat. “I went fishing,” Ferguson said. “What I got was a bunch of trainers that I believe in. I’ve always had my eye on a couple of people. I’m like a scout. I know what the f*ck to look for. … I got some really good people that are helping me open my eyes with some things that I cannot see, which is the trust. It helps to be able to be in an octagon, get some sparring in and get the great training that I really need.” What do you think of Ferguson’s move back to welterweight? Who are you predicting will win this Saturday at UFC 279, Tony Ferguson or Li Jingliang? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

  • Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler made official for UFC 279

    Poirier and Chandler have been back-and-forth with one another for months in the hopes that a fight will take place. The fight, which had been rumored to take place at UFC 281, has now been confirmed for the November pay-per-view show, according to UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell, who spoke to ESPN. There will only be three rounds in the bout. Chandler vs. Poirier's official position on the fight card is not yet confirmed. However it is predicted that it will take place just before the co main event takes place. The promotion's pay-per-view event in November is anticipated to be UFC 281, which will take place inside Madison Square Garden. Two title fights have already taken the top spots on the New York event. Israel Adesanya, the reigning middleweight champion, defends his title against Alex Pereira, a previous foe from the kickboxing community, in the main event. Carla Esparza, the newly crowned women's strawweight champion, will face former champion Zhang Weili in the co-main event and defend her title for the first time. When reports of the fight being close to being finalized started to emerge in early August, a Poirier-Chandler matchup appeared to be quite likely. Poirier, a native of Louisiana, has not been interested in competing against Chandler since the latter joined the promotion in 2020. But as the 36-year-reputation has grown, particularly following a knockout of the year victory over Tony Ferguson in May, Chandler vs. Poirier seemed to be a matchup that made sense for both fighters. It is no secret that Michael Chandler will be aiming to get another shot at the Lightweight belt as he came close to becoming a Champion before getting beaten by Charles Oliveira. Whereas Poirier has made it clear that he is only looking for fun fights at this stage of the career. Rumors of Poirier facing Nate Diaz also gathered pace but the fight could not be materialized. This fight also comes with a grudge between the two fighters as they went back and forth engaging in a war of words on social media mocking each other knockouts. They also happened to be involved in an altercation which took place at UFC 276. This fight will be guaranteed fireworks for the fans as both fighters will look to engage and move forward with dynamite in their hands wanting to knock each other out. One thing is for sure that the UFC 281 pay per view card is turning out to be a delight for fight fans.

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