After fighting professionally for ten years, Jessica Eye talks about how excited she is to headline the UFC on ESPN 10 fight card against Cynthia Calvillo on June 13 in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Following UFC 250, bantamweight competitor Aljamain Sterling said he plans to join Black Lives Matter protests in New York City, talked the importance of the protests and what he thinks it’ll take for change can happen. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Amanda Nunes became the first, two-division UFC champion to successfully defend both of her titles after she earned a unanimous decision victory over Felicia Spencer at UFC 250. Former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt knocked out Raphael Assuncao in the co-main event to rebound from three straight losses. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Amanda Nunes became the first fighter in UFC history to successfully defend both titles in two different divisions, but Conor McGregor attempted to steal her thunder on social media when he announced his retirement following UFC 250. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC featherweight Alex Caceres took a unanimous decision win over Chase Hooper at UFC 250 and spoke about the example he wants to set for others and his community amid protests for Black Lives Matter taking place all over the world. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
At a media event during UFC 250 fight week, UFC president Dana White spoke about how the UFC is faring amid the coronavirus pandemic, what it was like to see Las Vegas reopen after being closed for 78 days and his thoughts on the George Floyd protests. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Following the Friday weigh-ins for UFC 250, all 24 fighters faced off one last time before competing in the octagon on June 6 at the UFC Apex. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
All fighters competing at UFC 250 on June 6 at the UFC Apex made weight for the event on Friday. In the main event, Amanda Nunes will put her featherweight belt on the line against Felicia Spencer. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
As former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt prepares to face Raphael Assuncao at UFC 250 on June 6, he reflects on his past few years of competition and what he’s done to improve his fight skills. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Gilbert Burns established himself as a top contender in the welterweight division after dominating Tyron Woodley in the main event of UFC on ESPN 9 in Las Vegas. Heidi Fang and Adam Hill discuss his performance as well as Mackenzie Dern’s win over Hannah Cifers. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
After losing his welterweight title in his last fight, Tyron Woodley returns from a 14-month hiatus to face Gilbert Burns at UFC on ESPN 9 on May 30. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
For the first time since March, the UFC and Top Rank Boxing have been permitted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission to host events in Las Vegas. Sam Gordon, Adam Hill, and Heidi Fang break down what to expect when the promotions return starting with the UFC event on May 30 at the UFC Apex.
UFC heavyweight Walt Harris will collide with Alistair Overeem in the main event of UFC Fight Night 172 in Jacksonville, Fla., on May 16. It’ll be the first time Harris competes since his 19-year-old stepdaughter, Aniah, was kipnapped and killed in Fall 2019. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal
In the main event of UFC Fight Night 171, Glover Teixeira stopped Anthony Smith in the fifth round to claim victory in the promotion’s second fight card to take place in Jacksonville in the past week. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC light heavyweight fighter Anthony Smith, who lives in Nebraska, says he wouldn’t allow the “psychopath” who broke into his home to dictate his return to the promotion. Smith, who successfully fought off the home invader in April this year, will return to headline UFC Fight Night 175 against Glover Teixeira in Jacksonville on May 13. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
In the first sporting event to take place after shutdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic, UFC 249 saw a new interim champion crowned in the lightweight division in Justin Gaethje and in the co-main event, Henry Cejudo successfully defended his title against Dominick Cruz and then retired.
UFC fighters Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone weigh in on how things are different in preparation for UFC 249 amid the coronavirus pandemic and what they think the atomesphere at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena will be like on May 9 in Jacksonville, Fla., without an audience. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Ahead of UFC 249, the promotion administered tests to all of the fighters competing at the event slated to take place at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla on May 9. This is a video of heavyweight Francis Ngannou receiving the test. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Video was released on Friday from an officer’s body cam of UFC champion Jon Jones going through a sobriety test and before being arrested. Jones was arrested early Thursday on charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated, possession of an open container and negligent use of a firearm.
The Nevada Athletic Commission voted to suspend all combat sports licenses through March 25 in order to protect the health and safety of those working and competing in the events from coronavirus. Adam Hill and Heidi Fang discuss what this means for future events the UFC have on their schedule and more. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Israel Adesanya retained the UFC middleweight belt by defeating Yoel Romero via unanimous decision, but the fight came under criticism for there being a lack of action. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
After Sean O’Malley defeated Jose Quinonez in the first round of their bout at UFC 248, the bantamweight fighter talked about his return, why ring rust wasn’t an issue for him and also said he’d be interested in fighting in Vegas again during International Fight Week in July. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley explains what his two-year hiatus from competing in the octagon was like, what he missed most about fighting in his time away and what he thinks his strengths are against Jose Quinonez at UFC 248. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
All fighters on the UFC 248 main card faced off at media day at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, including Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk who will fight for the women’s strawweight title and middleweights Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero who will do battle for the division’s belt on March 7 at the T-Mobile Arena.
UFC President Dana White explains how the promotion as a global brand with fight cards in all corners of the world is preparing to handle the coronavirus. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC President Dana White explains how the promotion as a global brand with fight cards in all corners of the world is preparing to handle the coronavirus. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC Strawweight Joanna Jedrzejczyk posted a meme of herself in a gas mask next to her Chinese opponent Zhang Weili and later deleted it from Instagram. At a media day, Jedrzejczyk explained what her intent was with that post and fired back at Weili who had said earlier in the day that she was still angry over the joke. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili discusses how she fled her native China to train in Las Vegas due to the spread of the coronavirus and responds to jokes her opponent, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, made about the outbreak ahead of their UFC 248 title bout. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
UFC president Dana White believes there is a real possibility he will be watching his good friend Tom Brady taking snaps for the Las Vegas Raiders from White’s suite at Allegiant Stadium next season. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
After defeating Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, Conor McGregor talked about who he’d be interested in facing next, his desire to fight in Ireland or to be the first combatant to compete in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.