UFC 318: Brendan Allen media day interview
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USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Chael Sonnen says it's unfair to question Khamzat Chimaev's conditioning ahead of UFC 319
Chael Sonnen doesn't see Khamzat Chimaev's cardio being a cause of concern at UFC 319. Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) challenges middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) in the Aug. 16 main event at United Center in Chicago (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). Many pundits and fighters have predicted the Chimaev vs. Du Plessis fight in the same way – if Chimaev can't finish Du Plessis early, he likely will get outlasted. But Sonnen disagrees. "Chimaev has got to get him down," Sonnen told MMA Junkie. "He can't just go fight him anywhere. Then there's a big question around Chimaev's conditioning. I don't know if that's fair. We've seen Chimaev get exhausted. Fedor (Emelianenko) used to get exhausted, but he never stopped. It never slowed him down. And it's the same thing with Chimaev. "I don't think it's fair to question his conditioning. I think he's got a bunch of energy and he uses it all, which is what he's supposed to do. That's going to get tested and we are going to find out if that's accurate. I am also giving Dricus a lot better of a look than I was when Chimaev beat Whittaker and the fight got announced." Sonnen, a two-time UFC middleweight title challenger, says this weight class is more stacked with talent than it's ever been. He thinks the winner of Du Plessis vs. Chimaev needs to be rewarded even more than just holding the UFC belt. "As the king of middleweights – and I will tell you when I had my run I had no equal, I was not losing fights, I was not losing rounds, I was not losing moments of fights – but I will tell you I didn't have anything as difficult as it is today," Sonnen said. "We had one or two guys that, at that time, could be top-five guys now. Maybe three guys that fit into the top 10. I have never seen 185 so hard. I don't know who the best guy is. "I always assumed it was Chimaev because that's what we were told every day. But all of a sudden this guy named Dricus steps forward. ... It is murderer's row. One thing I will accurately tell you about middleweight: Whoever comes out of this fight doesn't just leave with the championship; they need to be moved in the pound-for-pound rankings. If you're the champion of 185, and it's deeper than it's ever been, that needs to be considered – and I don't think it will be. I don't think people are realizing this weight class has never been this difficult." To hear more from Sonnen, check out his complete appearance on "The Bohnfire" podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn above.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Kevin Vallejos checked the box for his UFC on ESPN 71 pre-fight goal
LAS VEGAS – Kevin Vallejos met the media Saturday after his unanimous decision win over Danny Silva at UFC on ESPN 71. Vallejos (16-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) outworked Silva (10-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) to open the main card at the UFC Apex. His scores included a pair of 30-27s from the judges, though it was the first time he had to go the distance for a win since late 2022. Still, Vallejos had a pre-fight goal to put on an exciting fight, and he thinks he did that. 'I love to hit people and I love to get hit, so for me, it's fun to do that. But at the end of the day, I know what I have to do. I know I have to stay focused,' Vallejos told MMA Junkie at his post-fight news conference. 'I felt like this was doing to be a really fun fight, which is what I was trying to do. I was trying to be exciting, and I think I accomplished that.' Check out Vallejos' post-fight news conference in the video above.
USA Today
15 hours ago
- USA Today
Andrey Pulyaev breaks down the comeback he needed against Nick Klein for first UFC win
LAS VEGAS – Andrey Pulyaev met the media Saturday after his second-round TKO win over Nick Klein at UFC on ESPN 71. Pulyaev (10-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) struggled in the first round against Klein (6-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at the UFC Apex. But in the second, he found an opening, landed a kick to the body, and quickly closed in to get the TKO. 'Even in the first round, I noticed my opponent started getting tired,' Pulyaev told MMA Junkie at his post-fight news conference. 'My cornermen said it's time to start using your legs. In the second round, when we stood up, I felt it – he's too relaxed. I knew it was my chance. Before that body kick, I noticed he raised his hands. I made some punches and that body kick, and after that I knew it was time to finish him.' Pulyaev, who is a protege of former Bellator champion Alexander Shlemenko, said going through some adversity was good in the first round. He was able to battle back in a way he fell short of in his UFC debut in March, a decision loss to Christian Leroy Duncan. 'It was good to prove to myself (against Klein), and now I know what I can do,' he said. Check out Pulyaev's post-fight news conference in the video above.
