[ad_1] Gilbert Burns will not compete in the main event of UFC 251, a source confirmed to ESPN.Burns had been set to face welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in a title fight July 11 that was the headliner of the first card at UFC's Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.The 33-year-old Burns appeared to reference his removal from the fight in a tweet early Saturday, writing "devastating news" and
[ad_1] Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, father of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, died Friday after battling COVID-19, and his impact on the world of mixed martial arts was evident by the outpouring of respect that immediately followed on social media.Abdulmanap was not just the father of Khabib, the undefeated phenom who is ESPN's top-ranked pound-for-pound MMA fighter, he was also Khabib's longtime head coach and the mentor of many of the excellent
[ad_1] Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the father and trainer of undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, has died in Moscow, the fighter's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, confirmed to ESPN on Friday.The elder Nurmagomedov had been hospitalized in Moscow since May, when he was diagnosed with the coronavirus. He also underwent heart surgery for a preexisting condition further complicated by COVID-19.ESPN reported in May that he had been placed into a medically induced coma."We've
[ad_1] As the giant screens hanging from the roof of the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas went from blank to an Irish flag, and Sinead O'Connor's version of "Foggy Dew" played over the house system, it was obvious 2020 would be a memorable year for the UFC with the return of Conor McGregor on Jan. 18.But nobody could have expected what the next six months would hold for the promotion.
[ad_1] There were times during the first half of 2020 when the idea of voting for midyear awards in any sport seemed ill-conceived, and it was no different for the UFC.Would there even be enough events from which to garner candidates for the various categories? The coronavirus pandemic canceled sports around the world and although the UFC had to cancel six cards, promotion president Dana White was determined to forge
[ad_1] Rose Namajunas' last fight was more than 14 months ago.On that night, in Brazil, she lost her strawweight title in dramatic fashion after she was knocked out following a slam by Jessica Andrade.Following the bout, Namajunas said she might never fight again. Six months later, in an emotional interview, she told ESPN she decided to keep on fighting after all.The original plan was for the fan-favorite, nicknamed "Thug Rose,"
[ad_1] Five championship bouts. Several other top-10 showdowns. A few high-profile rematches. More than a dozen fights featuring former world champions.The UFC has quite a summer of fighting lined up. After taking this coming weekend off, the promotion makes a big splash on July 11 in Abu Dhabi with UFC 251, featuring a trio of title bouts. That will be followed by three more fight cards in the United Arab
[ad_1] It's safe to say that a familiar face is back in UFC title contention.In what could be a fight of the year candidate, Dustin Poirier won a brutal battle against Dan Hooker in the UFC Fight Night main event on Saturday in Las Vegas. Both fighters traded wicked shots from the opening bell, and Poirier took control of the fight in the later rounds.The win was critical for Poirier,
[ad_1] Safe to say that a familiar face is back in UFC title contention.In what could be a fight-of-the-year candidate, Dustin Poirier won a brutal battle against Dan Hooker in the UFC Fight Night main event in Las Vegas on Saturday. Both fighters traded wicked shots from the opening bell, with Poirier taking control of the fight in the later rounds.The win was critical for Poirier, who was coming off
[ad_1] Dustin Poirier's time as a top UFC lightweight contender was in peril. He was coming off getting finished by champion Khabib Nurmagomedov last September and in front of him after a long layoff was Dan Hooker, a tall, rangy, rising star.Facing adversity early with blood pouring from his face, Poirier rallied for a unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-46) victory over Hooker on Saturday night in the main event of
