The fan-favorite Tai Tuivasa will step up against the former interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane in the event headliner when the world’s biggest promotion will be heading to Paris this Saturday for a UFC Fight Night for the very first time. While Robert Whittaker and Marvin Vettori will face each other in the co-main event of the evening. Since making his debut at UFC, he went unbeaten in his first three fights before facing three back-to-back losses to Junior dos Santos, #15 ranked Blagoy Ivanov, and #12 Sergey Spivak. With the win over Derrick Lewis at UFC 271 in February 2022, Tuivasa improved his winning to 5-fights making him a serious contender in the heavyweight division. He is currently #3 ranked in the division and if he gets past Ciryl Gane, Tuivasa is targeting a clash with the UFC living legend Jon Jones. Jon Jones vacated the light heavyweight title and announced to move up the division. He has already hinted his return targeted at UFC 282. It is expected that Jon Jones will be offered an interim title fight against Stipe Miocic. But Miocic has not stepped in the octagon since losing his title against Francis Ngannou back in March 2021. So most probably, the winner of the UFC Paris main event will earn the number one spot in the division and a shot for the UFC gold. On the other hand, Tai Tuivasa is a fan of Jon Jones. It can be difficult to tell considering the brief exchange the two had on social media a few weeks ago, but Tuivasa has plenty of praise for the three-time UFC light heavyweight champion. During an appearance on The MMA Hour on Monday, Tuivasa revealed how he and Jones ended up exchanging direct messages this past July. “He messaged me actually, which was pretty funny,” Tuivasa said. “I must have said I’ll fight him [in an interview] and he’s going, like, ‘Keep winning, you’ll get your wish or something. “I don’t know if he was trying to scare me or turn me on, but it did kind of both.” The conversation with the former champion didn’t produce something eventful, but he is in line for the title fight. If Jones is serious about adding to his legacy with a legitimate run at heavyweight, there is a possibility the Australian might step in with Jon Jones across the cage. It excites the #3 ranked heavyweight when asked about his opinion over a potential meeting with Jones. He admires Jon Jones and states, “I’ve said it many times before and I stand by what I said, I think Jon Jones is the best fighter to ever fight,” Tuivasa said. “Just how he fights. How he fights, he is probably the best fighter to ever step foot in the cage. “But is he a d***head? Yes, I think he’s a d***head. And will I fight him? Yes. Will he fight me? I think he would because he’s fought, everyone and anyone. He’s one of the greatest to do it, but I’d love to fight him. Not for anything else, just for the same reason, I like to fight all these people who have made names.” No fighter has ever actually defeated Jones in competition, but Tuivasa thinks he could be the first to not only beat Jones but knock him out. It will be one of the most anticipated fights if it does happen in the near future. Let us know your opinion about the potential match-up in the comment box. Will Tai Tuivasa would be the one to defeat Jon Jones on his heavyweight debut?

Its been 53 years since we lost the Bronkton Blockbuster Rocky Marciano in a tragic plane crash on august 30th 1969. It was his 46th birthday. He got on a plane to get to a friends birthday party which they were also going to make it his surprise birthday party. He and two others got on that plane and risked it even though the weather was really bad. He was a very beloved champion and one of a few that retired undefeated with a record of 49-0-0. He was a small heavyweight but was known to win his fights with heart and outworking everyone he fought. Rest in peace champ.

Jake Paul can’t seem to get away from boxing former MMA fighters as he is apparently in talks with former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva for a highly anticipated boxing match at 185 pounds, The MMA Hour's Ariel Helwani reports. According to TMZ Sports, the fight would occur in October, although the fight date and location are yet to be decided. Paul’s promotion Most Valuable Promotions tweeted on Tuesday that his next fight will be announced next week but did not specify an opponent or date. Since stepping into the boxing ring, Paul is currently 5-0 as a professional boxer. His first two wins have come over a fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib and former NBA guard Nate Robinson. The YouTube sensation knocked out former UFC fighter Ben Askren following up with two wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley. Jake Paul has not competed since this past December. In the past nine months, he was set to face the UK reality television star Tommy Fury in a high-profile grudge match on two occasions but both times Fury had to withdraw from the fights. The main event at Madison Square Garden appeared to be rescued when Hasim Rahman Jr agreed to fight Paul on short notice. But the bout fell through due to Rahman being unable to make the weight. Paul has faced questions about his legitimacy as a boxer since he hasn’t fought any traditional boxers but remains one of the most talked-about personalities in combat sports as he has called out multiple well-known fighters including Conor McGregor and Canelo Alvarez, while also having a feud with UFC President Dana White over the pay structure and targeting the promotion’s notable names. The match with Anderson Silva will be a huge opportunity for Paul to regain the lost momentum in his fighting career. Like Askren and Woodley, Silva is a former UFC fighter, although he is considered one of the all-time greats. During his run with the UFC from 2006 to 2020, Silva compiled a 17-7-1 record which includes his 16-fight win streak and 10 successful title defenses of the middleweight championship. Since leaving the UFC, the Spider has looked well settled in the boxing ring. Silva has won two boxing matches in 2021. In the first match, he claimed a split decision win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in an eight rounds bout. Later that year, The Spider knocked out fellow former UFC champion Tito Ortiz in the very first round. If Jake Paul vs Anderson Silva happens, it will be the toughest challenge to date for the YouTube star given what Silva has achieved in both MMA and boxing. Anderson Silva has the experience edge as a fighter while Paul has the advantage from a physical perspective. Who you guys will be cheering for when they meet inside the ring? Let us know your opinions regarding the match-up in the comment box.

After Dana White's Contender Series 52 at the UFC Apex on Tuesday, the middleweight contender Sean Strickland made a decision to withdraw from his Oct. 15 main event matchup against Jared Cannonier. White said there would be no replacement and the fight had been completely abandoned. Strickland has been posting pictures and videos of the infection all week, which has raised concerns that the fight could not go as planned. To fix the damage, Strickland will now require surgery. The 31-year-old aimed to recover from being knocked out by Alex Pereira in the first round at UFC 276 in July. Strickland claims that during practice, he cut himself on a sparring partner's tooth, which resulted in an injury. Strickland announced Tuesday that he will need surgery because the incision was infected. Dana White said in his press conference, “Yeah, it does (effect the upcoming fight). He’s out,” White told the reporters Tuesday. “We had matchmaking today and that was when I found out there was something wrong with him. … I think we just scrapped the fight.” This will come as a blow to Strickland as he intended to get right back in the title picture if he had won against Cannonier. Strickland suffered a terrible defeat when he was knocked out in the first round by Alex Pereira at UFC 276 in July, but it doesn't always mean he regressed, according to his manager Tim Simpson of Paradigm Sports. Simpson was positive that Strickland was one win away from the next title shot even after a devastating loss. He recently said on account of his fighter’s defense, “Yeah, 100 percent,” Simpson recently told a reporter from MMA Junkie “Because if… Israel goes and beats Alex, Sean goes and beats Jared (Cannonier), and then also Jack Hermansson has a big fight in December as well. Jack and Sean obviously just fought. Out of those guys in the top five, top 10, again speaking of Izzy wanting to fight everyone of his era, Jack and Sean are two he hasn’t fought yet. They are guys who are credible fighters, top five guys. Both of those guys are there for an opportunity, too. Both of them deserve a title shot and I’m sure both of them will.” This won’t be possible as Strickland withdrew from the fight and now he must wait and climb the ladder once again to get to the title shot. Only if he had taken Alex Pereira seriously would he have his name up on the boards at Madison Square Garden where Israel Adesanya will face Pereira. Prior to his loss Strickland was on a tear in the division winning six fights in a row where he defeated contenders such as Uriah Hall and Jack Hermansson. Still 31, Strickland should prioritize his recovery and should look to get back in the octagon early next year and establish a win streak which will land him a title shot. Let us know in the comments if you think that Sean Strickland will ever become the UFC Middleweight Champion of the world.

The great Julio Cesar Chávez Sr stated in an interview that his downfall was after the Camacho fight. Chavez said that his life changed after the victory over the great Hector "Macho" Camacho and that he felt after that victory that he had accomplished everything there was to do in boxing. He felt unbeatable and thats when things fell apart , he wouldnt train anymore and with his popularity things got out of control with women , drugs and alcohol, he started to disrespect boxing, thats what he feels was his downfall. He feels that if he would of trained more and take things more seriously he'd of made it to 100-0-.

Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz stated in an interview that he will do whatever he needs to do to get a rematch against Geovanta "Tank" Davis because he feels he can beat him this time around. Pitbull also stated that in their first fight he didnt have enough time to train for the fight. Even in those conditions he was able to break Tank's 16 fight KO streak. Pitbulls plan is to beat everyone around so Tank wont have a choice but to fight him again. He will fight Eduardo Ramírez next on september 4th in the Ruiz v.s Ortiz undercard. I hope Pitbull gets what he wants but you guys know that now a days if a fighter doesnt want to fight he moves up in weight or says he wont fight mexicans like Canelo. I sure hope Pitbull gets what he wants because he gave Davis a hell of a fight and the rematch has to be alot better.

Cain Velasquez's pre-trial hearing in Santa Clara county court is about a month away, and his attorney Mark Geragos is keeping his cards close to his chest. Velasquez was detained on February 28 and then charged with several offences, including attempted murder, 180 days ago. Prior to his preliminary hearing on September 26, he is scheduled to return to court on Monday for an in-camera hearing. Geragos expressed annoyance that the district attorney's office, which is in charge of prosecuting Velasquez, is also the prosecution in Goularte's ongoing civil case, in which he is charged with sexually assaulting children at a daycare facility, with Velasquez's 4-year-old son among the alleged victims. Although Velasquez's preliminary hearing will happen before Goularte's, Velasquez's legal team is undecided whether Velasquez or Goularte's case would be tried first. Velasquez is accused with numerous felonies, including attempted murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. While Goularte was released without bail soon after his arrest, he has been repeatedly denied bail. Geragos let his frustration out and said while speaking to the press, “As we argued, not one or twice but three times on the bail hearings, he does not belong where he is, No. 1. And No. 2, the only victims here, which are his family, are the ones who really need him,” Geragos said in a recent interview with COURT TV. “It’s frankly perplexing to me what is going through the mind of the people who are seeking or who have sought to keep him in custody.” Cain Velasquez, according to Geragos, merely hopes that the trial will reveal the truth about this case. He said, “The uncontroverted facts are: Michelle and Cain Sr. did exactly what they were supposed to do. The authorities did exactly what they’re not supposed to do. You’re supposed to stay in touch, you’re supposed to investigate, you’re supposed to have – and by the way, it’s not just this family, it’s other families as well.” “And we’ll hold them to account because apparently the authorities are more worried about an accused molester and his ability to be free in the community than they are the man who set out to protect the community.” The 40-year-old Velasquez has already entered a not guilty plea to all of the accusations. According to the penal code of California, Velasquez risks a minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of attempted murder. If found guilty of more crimes, he could serve more imprisonment. In July, Geragos submitted a 246-page writ appeal to an appellate court in the hopes that he would be able to either get his client released on bond or have the matter heard by a higher court. What are your opinions regarding the Cain Velasquez trial? Please tell us in the comments.

Undisputed supermiddleweight champion Canelo Álvarez has again stated that he is still interested in a mega fight against unified heavyweight world champ Oleksandr Usyk in a catchweight fight. He also said that after beating GGG and Bivol thats the fight he wants next. God bless him, Im a fan but to beat Usyk he is going to need a miricle.

Canelo stated that if WBA lightheavyweight champ Dimitri Bivol were to lose his mandatory defense against Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez he isnt interested in getting a rematch. Even though Canelo is the one who wants the fight, does he really want it? As a fighters perspective I would want a rematch against the man who beat me last even if he lost his last fight. So I dont understand that part, we all know Canelo is the A side in boxing at the moment so he pretty much puts his conditions. Im not hating on him but I dont understand why not fight Bivol even if he loses. Also he is also not interested in fighting Ramirez if he would win because he is mexican. Even though Ramírez has been calling him out for a while now. So I do understand that either. Even though I dont see the flat footed slow punching Ramirez beating the quick footed talented champion, but then again this is boxing and anything can happen. I think Canelo should just wait and see what happens on november 5th insted of making statements about that fight. He should concéntrate on his fight against GGG in september because GGG shouldnt be taken lightly because he is capable of upsetting Canelos plans.

I really think this is a much more intresting fight than the other fights Jake Paul (5-0-0) had planned. He will now face MMA legend and former champion Anderson Silva (3-1-0) on october 29th. Silva is a real danger to Paul, Silva is coming off a victory over former world champion boxer Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. Jake Paul has never fought anybody in that level , so it will be intresting to see what he can even do against someone like Silva thats been fighting all of his life. I really dont think Paul will be a betting favorite on this fight.

Paddy Pimblett has been very vocal and has become famous for several reasons, one of which is his love of junk food and putting on significant weight in between his fights. The British star is currently competing in the lightweight division of UFC and has rapidly risen to glory with three finishes since arriving in the promotion in September 2021. Before joining the UFC, Paddy Pimblett used to be a featherweight champion at the Cage Warrior. Now that he has moved up to lightweight, he jokes about overeating junk food and ballooning up to 200 pounds while not training. This might be funny from a fan’s perspective, but it’s no laughingstock to Volkanovski, who takes his weight very seriously as the UFC featherweight champion. Alexander Volkanovski went down memory lane and admitted that he used to walk around at 190 pounds in between fights and even weighed as much as 214 pounds on the rugby pitch. He feels more qualified to give Paddy Pimblett some advice on his current weight issues as he faced a hard time too in losing weight ahead of fights. In an interview with The All-Star’s John Hyon Ko, Volkanovski revealed that the huge weight cut had ill effects on his body at the start of his career and he used to be careless in taking precautions despite being a professional athlete. "I know the science. I don't just know that, but I used to do that. Back in the days when people would see me win the PXC world title, featherweight. I'll go back to Thailand, not even two weeks later and people are looking at me like 'How do you look like that?' It doesn't make sense..." “I used to weigh in at 65.8 [kilograms], 145 [pounds], and within the week ... so next weekend, 86 kilograms. That’s over 185 [pounds], and you used to see that, well over — that’s almost 190. I used to go from 145 to 190 [pounds] in one week. It’s not healthy. It’s terrible for you. It blows my mind how his head just balloons like that. It’s quite funny.” Paddy Pimblett has been extremely criticized regarding his weight problems. Ahead of his most recent fight at UFC London in July, The Liverpool star burst out in front of the spectators at the weigh-ins after making the weights. “For every one that tried to fat shame me and said I’d miss weight or f****** pull out, kiss my ass,” Pimblett said. UFC champion Volkanovski suggested that maybe some of the comments aimed at Pimblett were constructive. “Look, honestly, I hear about people fat shaming him and all that type of stuff, yeah, some people would be,” Volkanovski said. “But I think there’s a lot of people that probably care for his health as well because it ain’t healthy. I know because I’ve been in the same position.” Dana White has revealed that Paddy Pimblett weight putting habit has stopped him from earning short-notice fights booking. He explained that it is a tough task for him to appear in a such short time and he needs adequate time intervals to be ready for the fight. Paddy Pimblett has shown his concerns regarding the mental health issue at UFC London post-fight interview but he should be taking notes from the featherweight champion as he has discouraged such weight-gaining habit.

Unified heavyweight world champ Oleksandr Usyk has returned to his home in the Ukraine after his victory over Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.