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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Tom Aspinall aims to take fellow 'niche' heavyweight Ciryl Gane out of UFC title picture
If Tom Aspinall has his way, Cirl Gane won't be getting another crack at UFC gold. Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) returns to action after more than a year on the sidelines to defend his now-undisputed heavyweight title for the first time against Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the main event of UFC 321. Somehow, the two have managed to miss each other on their ascents to the top of the division. Gane has lost two title opportunities, and Aspinall intends to give him strike three. "This is the fourth time that we've been matched up together," Aspinall said in a video on his YouTube channel. "Me and Ciryl got in the UFC around about the same time. I think he was there a little bit before me – he had a couple more fights than me. ... Now we are matched up, the 25th of October, Abu Dhabi. Me and Ciryl – the fourth attempt is here, and this is Ciryl's third title shot. So, we are going to try and get rid of Ciryl Gane from the title picture for good." For the past year, Aspinall has been waiting for Jon Jones to deliver on a title unification bout. Aspinall won the interim heavyweight title in November 2023 by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, and defended it against Curtis Blaydes last July. Jones decided to retire and relinquish the title instead of giving Aspinall the chance to become undisputed in the cage. Despite the time off, Aspinall believes he will display the best version of himself yet in Abu Dhabi. "I am the best heavyweight in the world, but I want to show everyone that I'm the best heavyweight in the world," Aspinall said. "(The time off) is no problem for me – ring rust is all mental, anyway. I'm happy to get back in there, get stuff moving, and get after it again." Aspinall acknowledges that Gane brings a unique look to the octagon as a heavyweight competitor. Gane's speed and elusiveness were a problem for each of his competitors, leading to him capturing the interim title by defeating Derrick Lewis at UFC 270 in 2021. Since Aspinall has similar traits, he expects the title fight to be one of the most exciting in the sport's history. "I think both me and Ciryl are very – we both have a niche style for heavyweights," Aspinall said. "We don't fight like heavyweights, both of us. So, this could be the fastest, the best-moving heavyweight fight that anybody's ever seen. We're both great movers, we're both light on our feet, we're both elusive – so, this is going to be great."
Express Tribune
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Francis Ngannou name linked to deadly motorcycle accident in Cameroon
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has been reportedly involved in a tragic motorcycle accident in Cameroon, as first reported by Cameroon Concord and later shared by Haymakers on Instagram. Initial accounts suggest Ngannou was riding his motorcycle when he allegedly collided with a young girl. Despite personally rushing her to a nearby hospital, the girl tragically succumbed to her injuries. Authorities have launched a formal investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident. As of now, no information has been released regarding any injuries sustained by Ngannou himself. Readers are advised to await official statements for further confirmation and updates. Ngannou, who made his UFC debut in 2015, has enjoyed a celebrated career, claiming the heavyweight title with a knockout victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 and defending it against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. Known for his inspiring journey from Cameroon to global stardom, Ngannou remains one of MMA's most prominent figures. In a recent interview with Sportsbook Review, Ngannou reflected on the long-anticipated superfight with Jon Jones that never materialized. He pointed to UFC CEO Dana White as a major obstacle, stating, "Personally, I don't care. I'm doing my stuff at my pace. I have tried to fight Jon Jones for four years... but it felt like bait until I was about to leave." Despite the missed opportunity, Ngannou expressed no regrets, indicating that it would not impact his career satisfaction.
Forbes
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Mexico City Results: Moreno Vs. Erceg Fight Card
The UFC returns to Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico for tonight's UFC Mexico City fight card. The, Saturday, March 29, UFC Fight Night features a main event between former two-time UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno and recent UFC flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg. Moreno is coming off a decision win over Amir Albazi, which ended his two-fight losing skid. Meanwhile, Erceg is looking to end a two-fight losing skid of his own heading into the UFC Mexico City headliner. Manuel Torres faces Drew Dober in a lightweight bout in the evening's co-main event. Below, we will update the UFC Mexico City fight card results, video highlights, scorecards, and more live throughout tonight's UFC Fight Night event. Moreno (22-8-2) is the No. 2 fighter in the official UFC flyweight rankings. The 30-year-old is a former two-time UFC 125-pound champion. Moreno's first title reign began in June 2021 with a submission win over Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 263. He returned the title to Figueiredo in their UFC 270 rematch, losing that January 2022 contest via decision. Moreno then won the interim flyweight belt in July 2022 with a UFC 277 TKO triumph over Kai Kara-France. In January 2023, Moreno regained the undisputed UFC title from Figueiredo with a TKO victory at UFC 283. Like his first title run, Moreno's second stint with the 125-pound ended without him making a successful defense. Alexandre Pantoja took the belt from him in July 2023 via split decision. The ex-champ then lost a split decision to Brandon Royval in February 2024. Moreno bounced back from that loss with a decision win over Amir Albazi in the main event of a UFC Fight Night event in Edmonton in November. The ex-champ has not fought since defeating Albazi. Steve Erceg (12-3) has not been with the UFC long. The fighter from Perth, Australia, has just five UFC bouts to his name, including a surprise title fight in May 2024. Erceg was 9-1 when he made his UFC debut at UFC 289 in June 2023. Despite fighting on the early prelims of that card and not getting a finish, Erceg picked up a 'Performance of the Night' bonus for a unanimous decision win that night over David Dvorak. That win put Erceg into the top 15 of the UFC's 125-pound division. In his next outing, Erceg faced Alessandro Costa in the 'featured prelim' spot of the UFC 295 fight card. Erceg again picked up a unanimous decision win on that night. After defeating Costa, Erceg moved up to No. 12 in the division. For his next scrap, Erceg faced Matt Schnell in March of this year. Erceg won that fight and his second 'Performance of the Night' bonus with a second-round knockout of Schnell. The win put him in the top 10 of the division, and thanks to some booking quirks, it earned him a shot at Pantoja's title in the top spot of the UFC 301 fight card. Erceg handled himself well against Pantoja but lost to the champ by decision in their May 2024 matchup. Erceg next faced Kai Kara-France in the co-main event of UFC 305, a fight that Kara-France won via first-round TKO. Erceg enters UFC Mexico City as the No. 8 ranked UFC flyweight. UFC Mexico City Fight Card Odds And Predictions: Moreno Vs. Erceg Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg Manuel Torres vs. Drew Dober Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Vince Morales David Martínez vs. Saimon Oliveira Ronaldo Rodríguez vs. Kevin Borjas Édgar Cháirez vs. C.J. Vergara José Daniel Medina vs. Ateba Gautier Christian Rodriguez vs. Melquizael Costa Loopy Godinez vs. Julia Polastri Rafa García vs. Vinc Pichel Jamall Emmers vs. Gabriel Miranda MarQuel Mederos vs. Austin Hubbard Saturday, March 29, 2025 Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico Full fight card streams on ESPN+ and airs on ESPN2 Prelims: 4:00 p.m. ET Main Card: 7:00 p.m. ET Check back as the UFC Mexico City fight card progresses, for updated results, reactions, video highlights, scorecards and more for tonight's UFC Fight Night at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico.
Forbes
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Tonight: What You Need To Know About The UFC Mexico Fight Card
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - MARCH 28: (L-R) Opponents Brandon Moreno of Mexico and Steve Erceg of ... More Australia face off during the UFC Fight Night ceremonial weigh-in at CDMX Arena on March 28, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) The is back at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico for tonight's UFC Mexico fight card. The UFC Fight Night features a main event between former two-time UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno and recent UFC flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg. Moreno is coming off a decision win over Amir Albazi, which ended his two-fight losing skid. Meanwhile, Erceg is looking to end a two-fight losing skid of his own heading into the UFC Mexico City headliner. Manuel Torres faces Drew Dober in a lightweight bout in the evening's co-main event. Below is the pertinent information you need to know about tonight's UFC Mexico fight card. MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - MARCH 28: Brandon Moreno of Mexico is interviewed during the UFC Fight Night ... More ceremonial weigh-in at CDMX Arena on March 28, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Moreno (22-8-2) is the No. 2 fighter in the official UFC flyweight rankings. The 30-year-old is a former two-time UFC 125-pound champion. Moreno's first title reign began in June 2021 with a submission win over Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 263. He returned the title to Figueiredo in their UFC 270 rematch, losing that January 2022 contest via decision. Moreno then won the interim flyweight belt in July 2022 with a UFC 277 TKO triumph over Kai Kara-France. In January 2023, Moreno regained the undisputed UFC title from Figueiredo with a TKO victory at UFC 283. Like his first title run, Moreno's second stint with the 125-pound ended without him making a successful defense. Alexandre Pantoja took the belt from him in July 2023 via split decision. The ex-champ then lost a split decision to Brandon Royval in February 2024. Moreno bounced back from that loss with a decision win over Amir Albazi in the main event of a UFC Fight Night event in Edmonton in November. The ex-champ has not fought since defeating Albazi. MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - MARCH 28: Steve Erceg of Australia poses on the scale during the UFC Fight ... More Night ceremonial weigh-in at CDMX Arena on March 28, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Steve Erceg (12-3) has not been with the UFC long. The fighter from Perth, Australia, has just five UFC bouts to his name, including a surprise title fight in May 2024. Erceg was 9-1 when he made his UFC debut at UFC 289 in June 2023. Despite fighting on the early prelims of that card and not getting a finish, Erceg picked up a 'Performance of the Night' bonus for a unanimous decision win that night over David Dvorak. That win put Erceg into the top 15 of the UFC's 125-pound division. In his next outing, Erceg faced Alessandro Costa in the 'featured prelim' spot of the UFC 295 fight card. Erceg again picked up a unanimous decision win on that night. After defeating Costa, Erceg moved up to No. 12 in the division. For his next scrap, Erceg faced Matt Schnell in March of this year. Erceg won that fight and his second 'Performance of the Night' bonus with a second-round knockout of Schnell. The win put him in the top 10 of the division, and thanks to some booking quirks, it earned him a shot at Pantoja's title in the top spot of the UFC 301 fight card. Erceg handled himself well against Pantoja but lost to the champ by decision in their May 2024 matchup. Erceg next faced Kai Kara-France in the co-main event of UFC 305, a fight that Kara-France won via first-round TKO. Erceg enters UFC Mexico City as the No. 8 ranked UFC flyweight. UFC Mexico City Fight Card Odds And Predictions: Moreno Vs. Erceg Saturday, March 29, 2025 Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico Full fight card streams on ESPN+ and airs on ESPN2 Prelims: 4:00 p.m. ET Main Card: 7:00 p.m. ET Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg Manuel Torres vs. Drew Dober Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Vince Morales David Martínez vs. Saimon Oliveira Ronaldo Rodríguez vs. Kevin Borjas Édgar Cháirez vs. C.J. Vergara José Daniel Medina vs. Ateba Gautier Christian Rodriguez vs. Melquizael Costa Loopy Godinez vs. Julia Polastri Rafa García vs. Vinc Pichel Jamall Emmers vs. Gabriel Miranda MarQuel Mederos vs. Austin Hubbard Stay tuned for more coverage for tonight's UFC Mexico fight card: Moreno Vs. Erceg, including results, video highlghts and more from the UFC Fight Night event.
Forbes
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Mexico City Fight Card: Time, Date, Location, How To Watch, Stream
The UFC returns to Mexico City for Saturday's UFC Fight Night Card, which takes place on Saturday, March 29, from Arena CDMX. The main event pits former two-time UFC flyweight champion against recent UFC flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg. Moreno is coming off a decision win over Amir Albazi, which ended his two-fight losing skid. Meanwhile, Erceg is looking to end a two-fight losing skid of his own heading into the UFC Mexico City headliner. Manuel Torres faces Drew Dober in a lightweight bout in the evening's co-main event. We look at the details for the UFC Mexico City fight card, including the date, location, time and how to watch or stream Saturday's UFC event. Moreno (22-8-2) is the No. 2 fighter in the official UFC flyweight rankings. The 30-year-old is a former two-time UFC 125-pound champion. Moreno's first title reign began in June 2021 with a submission win over Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 263. He returned the title to Figueiredo in their UFC 270 rematch, losing that January 2022 contest via decision. Moreno then won the interim flyweight belt in July 2022 with a UFC 277 TKO triumph over Kai Kara-France. In January 2023, Moreno regained the undisputed UFC title from Figueiredo with a TKO victory at UFC 283. Like his first title run, Moreno's second stint with the 125-pound ended without him making a successful defense. Alexandre Pantoja took the belt from him in July 2023 via split decision. The ex-champ then lost a split decision to Brandon Royval in February 2024. Moreno bounced back from that loss with a decision win over Amir Albazi in the main event of a UFC Fight Night event in Edmonton in November. The ex-champ has not fought since defeating Albazi. Steve Erceg (12-3) has not been with the UFC long. The fighter from Perth, Australia, has just five UFC bouts to his name, including a surprise title fight in May 2024. Erceg was 9-1 when he made his UFC debut at UFC 289 in June 2023. Despite fighting on the early prelims of that card and not getting a finish, Erceg picked up a 'Performance of the Night' bonus for a unanimous decision win that night over David Dvorak. That win put Erceg into the top 15 of the UFC's 125-pound division. In his next outing, Erceg faced Alessandro Costa in the 'featured prelim' spot of the UFC 295 fight card. Erceg again picked up a unanimous decision win on that night. After defeating Costa, Erceg moved up to No. 12 in the division. For his next scrap, Erceg faced Matt Schnell in March of this year. Erceg won that fight and his second 'Performance of the Night' bonus with a second-round knockout of Schnell. The win put him in the top 10 of the division, and thanks to some booking quirks, it earned him a shot at Pantoja's title in the top spot of the UFC 301 fight card. Erceg handled himself well against Pantoja but lost to the champ by decision in their May 2024 matchup. Erceg next faced Kai Kara-France in the co-main event of UFC 305, a fight that Kara-France won via first-round TKO. Erceg enters UFC Mexico City as the No. 8 ranked UFC flyweight. UFC Mexico City Fight Card Odds And Predictions: Moreno Vs. Erceg Saturday, March 29, 2025 Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico Full fight card streams on ESPN+ and airs on ESPN2 Prelims: 4:00 p.m. ET Main Card: 7:00 p.m. ET Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg Manuel Torres vs. Drew Dober Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Vince Morales David Martínez vs. Saimon Oliveira Ronaldo Rodríguez vs. Kevin Borjas Édgar Cháirez vs. C.J. Vergara José Daniel Medina vs. Ateba Gautier Christian Rodriguez vs. Melquizael Costa Loopy Godinez vs. Julia Polastri Rafa García vs. Vinc Pichel Jamall Emmers vs. Gabriel Miranda MarQuel Mederos vs. Austin Hubbard We will have more on the UFC Mexico City fight card as the UFC Fight Night event approaches, as well as results, reactions, and more on fight night.
