Latest news with #UFC310
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 321 headliner
Tom Aspinall will look to officially begin his undisputed heavyweight title reign in the UFC 321 main event when he clashes with former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane. Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane preview Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) was upgraded from interim to undisputed champion in June when UFC CEO Dana White announced that Jon Jones had informed the promotion of his retirement from MMA. The Brit claimed the interim strap with a knockout of Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023, then subsequently defended it in July 2024 with another quick finish against Curtis Blaydes, avenging his only octagon defeat. Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) will look to finally get his hands on the undisputed heavyweight belt after falling short in previous bids against Jones and Francis Ngannou. The Frenchman is coming off a highly controversial split decision victory over Alexander Volkov at UFC 310 in December. Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane odds According to DraftKings, Aspinall is a sizeable -345 favorite to retain his title against challenger Gane, who's a +275 underdog. How to watch Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 Where: Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view When: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025
USA Today
18-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'Disappointed' Aaron Pico calls for scrapped Movsar Evloev bout to be rebooked at UFC 319
A post shared by Aaron Pico (@aaronpicousa) Aaron Pico's UFC debut will be delayed. Movsar Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) was forced out of his featherweight co-main event against Pico (13-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC on ABC 9 on July 26 from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Evloev's reason for withdrawing remains undisclosed, but Pico suggests that the pair could be rescheduled for as soon as next month at UFC 319 on Aug. 16 in Chicago – or at least that's what he's hoping for. "Not going to sugarcoat it. I'm pretty disappointed you pulled out of this one. I get that things happen, and I truly hope whatever's going on, you recover quickly. That said, my camps aren't cheap, and I'm ready to get in there and put on a show sooner rather than later. I understand there's an opening for us on August 16th in Chicago. We don't get promotions for calling in sick. I'll see you in Chicago." Pico's eagerness to compete is understandable, as the former Bellator standout hasn't fought since a finish over Henry Corrales in a lightweight bout in February 2024. Evloev is coming off a unanimous decision win against former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling this past December at UFC 310.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC featherweight rankings: Alexander Volkanovski returns to No. 1 spot after UFC 314
The UFC featherweight rankings showcase some of the best fighters in the entire sport. Where lightweight was once considered the deepest weight class in MMA, 145 pounds has caught up and become one of the premier divisions in the UFC. With that in mind, here is the official Sportsnaut top 10 for the organization's featherweight class. Related: 1. Alexander Volkanovski (27-4) Alexander Volkanovski has solidified his place as the best featherweight of all time. However, trips up in weight for a second title and the rise of Ilia Topuria led to three straight losses for 'The Great' and speculation that his best days were behind him. With Topuria choosing to leave the division and move up to lightweight, the Australian was gifted another chance at the 145-pound belt at UFC 314 when he faced Diego Lopes for the vacant title. In April, the legend turned back the clock one more time and proved he is still an elite fighter to become a two-time featherweight champ. 2. Movsar Evloev (19-0) Movsar Evloev has been outstanding to begin his UFC career. He has won his first nine inside the Octagon and scored wins over proven featherweight veterans like Hakeem Dawodu and Dan Ige. He took another step closer to title contention when he scored a hard-fought victory over former bantamweight king Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310. While it wasn't easy, he was under pressure in a big moment and came through looking like a future title challenger. 3. Diego Lopes (26-7) After making his UFC debut in a very difficult short-notice clash with Movsar Evloev, Diego Lopes has caught fire inside the Octagon. He has won five straight and scored wins over top 15 stalwarts Sodiq Yusuff, Dan Ige, and, most recently, a UFC 306 win over former title challenger Brian Ortega. That is why he fought for gold at UFC 314. While he gave a solid effort, his loss to Alexander Volkanovski showed he still has some work to do if he wants to be a UFC champion one day. 4. Lerone Murphy (16-0-1) England's Lerone Murphy has quietly become one of the best 145-pound fighters in the world. 'The Miracle' has won eight straight inside the Octagon, and none was bigger than his latest victory at UFC Vegas 105 over Josh Emmett. The American has been a stalwart of the top 10 for years, so scoring a win over one of the weight class's elite went a long way toward proving the undefeated has serious title contender potential 5. Yair Rodriguez (19-5) After a period where he battled injuries and some tough losses, there was doubt as to whether Yair Rodriguez would ever reach his potential. He quieted all the uncertainty with massive wins over Brian Ortega and Josh Emmett. The latter made him the new interim champion. However, his reign was short-lived as Alexander Volkanovski took back the undisputed spot at UFC 290. He then followed that up with another decisive loss in his home country to Brian Ortega in February. He entered UFC 314 in a must-win situation if he ever wanted to fight for UFC gold again. In a big fight welcoming Patricio Pitbull to the UFC, 'El Pantera' posted a dominant win to get his name back in the championship conversation. 6. Josh Emmett (19-5) Over the last five years, few fighters at 145 pounds have been better and more consistent than Josh Emmett. Over his 15-fight UFC career, he has scored huge wins over fights like Shane Burgos, Calvin Kattar, Dan Ige and Bryce Mitchell. However, at 40, Father Time is tapping on his shoulder. While he is still a very good fighter, he has lost three of his last four fights, and his dream of one day fighting for UFC gold is done. 7. Arnold Allen (20-3) There are few fighters who have been better than Arnold Allen over the last decade. His recent 11-fight win streak was one of the best in division history, and it turned him into one of the United Kingdom's top fighters. However, his title-contender hopes were derailed in a decisive loss to Max Holloway. That was followed up by another setback to Movsar Evloev. However, he bounced back at UFC 304 with an important victory over talented striker Giga Chikadze. 8. Jean Silva (16-2) If there were any doubts about how good Jean Silva is, he sent a massive message to the division at UFC 314. He passed a huge test by completely shutting down Bryce Mitchell's grappling and pummeled him on the feet. But even better, instead of getting another knockout win, he actually submitted the American. He has won 13 straight overall and all five in the Octagon. 'Lord' is a problem. 9. Aljamain Sterling (24-5) After an outstanding run at bantamweight that should land him a run in the UFC Hall of Fame one day, Aljamain Sterling made the jump to featherweight in 2024. While he has split his first two in the division, he has faced elite-level competition in Calvin Kattar (win) and Movsar Evloev (loss). While he may never fight for gold at 145 pounds, he will be a big problem for any fighter in the top 10 for as long as he stays in it. 10. Youssef Zalal (17-5-1) After losing three straight and being on the brink of being cut, Youssef Zalal has caught fire over the last three years. In that time, he has won seven straight, with the biggest yet coming in February when he scored a definitive win over top 15 stalwart Calvin Kattar. Related Headlines Six Philadelphia Eagles Who Must Step Up for Another Super Bowl Run Steelers Make T.J. Watt Highest-Paid Defender in NFL History Derrick Lewis Next Fight: 3 Options for 'Black Beast's' UFC Return, Including Sergei Pavlovich UFC Lightweight Rankings: Where Do Poirier and Holloway Land Ahead of UFC 318 Showdown?
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alexander Volkov weighs in on UFC title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane
Alexander Volkov will have his eyes peeled for the expected next UFC heavyweight title fight. All signs are pointing to Tom Aspinall's first title defense since getting promoted to UFC heavyweight champion to be against Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC). Having fought both fighters, top contender Volkov (38-11 MMA, 12-5 UFC) gave his take on the matchup. "(The fight is) 50-50, I think," Volkov told MMA Junkie. "Both of them are good, and Ciryl Gane, he's really good with his movement, with his legs and everything. He's not so bad at grappling now. He started working a lot on his grappling and his ground skills, so I think it's 50-50. "It depends how the fight starts, how both of them will be prepared for this fight. I saw that Gane will be motivated a lot for this fight to get the belt. It's 50-50, but on paper, when I fought both of them, Tom Aspinall looks better. But in the fight, it could go any way." Volkov faced Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 204 headliner in March 2022, losing by first-round submission. He then went on a four-fight winning streak until dropping a controversial split decision to Gane in his most recent outing at UFC 310 this past December.
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alexander Volkov explains where he's been, weighs options in new UFC heavyweight landscape
Alexander Volkov needed a break, so he took one. But now, his time away from competition is coming to an end. With the UFC heavyweight divisional landscape much different than it was when he fought in December, Volkov (38-11 MMA, 12-5 UFC) is eying a fall return. "Everything is good," Volkov told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. "I just took a small break for myself. I trained and competed in grappling and then I decided to take a break and vacation for myself. I visited Russian, which is my home. Now, I've come back and I'm ready to prepare for my new fight. ... Now, we know Jon Jones retired and things moved on. Maybe it's time to come back, to have a good fight, and maybe after, fight for the belt." Volkov, like many viewers, still doesn't agree with the judges' decision that cost him his UFC 310 bout vs. Ciryl Gane in December. The fight was highly controversial, with Dana White telling Volkov, "You got f*cked" when referring to the decision. But with that said, Volkov found growth in the moment. He admitted he may have become complacent had he won. Instead, he became more determined than ever. "I have no problem with it right now," Volkov said. "Emotionally, I had bad feelings from the fight. I did a lot. I trained a lot. It was a really hard camp for me. I had some injuries. I had some of my own problems, a lot of things. It was a rematch for me. It was in Las Vegas, where I live now. A lot of things put me in a bad position to lose here. After, I just stopped thinking about what I could do better this fight, what I should do better. ... I think I did a good job, a good fight with him. For myself, I won. "It's a (fact) of course who won for real. But for myself, I won. I got better in this fight. For sure, this fight gave me more opportunity to grow up, after this loss. Because if I won, I would've thought everything was good, everything was OK. 'I'm not needing to train any more. I'm ready for the best of the best.' But now, after losing, I started thinking about myself in a different way, how to learn more, and how to get better. I'm not worried about this loss any more." With Jon Jones retired and Tom Aspinall the undisputed champion, Volkov isn't totally sure where he fits into the heavyweight puzzle. He confirmed a matchup vs. Jailton Almeida was discussed multiple times with the UFC, but indicated he's warmed up to the idea, should the promotion not offer him a title shot. "I could fight for the title any time the UFC asks me to fight," Volkov said. "I'm ready for it 100 percent. But the decision is made by another person, not me. This is why I think I don't want to say I need to wait or something, because it's a bad position also. After my loss, I don't have a good position to say I want to fight for the title or the belt. I understand this sport. I have my last fight as a loss in my stats. I should go out first and maybe have one fight and go to the title then. I don't know who it should be. Maybe you can help me because I hear a lot about Almeida as well. Maybe him, maybe another fighter. ... Maybe it makes sense to fight with him because we're contenders for the belt. Now, it looks like an interesting fight for me." Curtis Blaydes is another fighter who has called for a fight vs. Volkov. The two faced off in June 2020 and Blaydes won by unanimous decision. Volkov wouldn't mind trying to get that one back. One way or another, Volkov said he hopes to return in October or November and fight for the title by early 2026. "If they speak about title fight, I could fight any time they ask me. If they speak about a regular fight for me, I'll fight after maybe October. So October or November is OK. ... I could fight with Curtis, as well. Curtis fought Almeida if I remember (correctly). It's a really good match for me and rematch as well for me. It's a good match, also. It should be possible as well. I think I need to think about it: Almeida, Blaydes. Both of them are really similar-style fighters. Both of them will use grappling and wrestling skills with me. It's really similar, Almeida to Blaydes. Blaydes is more interesting because I lose to him before in a very close fight. It'll be a really good chance to get him back, this loss. I like most of them. We'll see. For sure, I would prefer if UFC would tell me it was a mistake my last fight and give me a title shot. But October or November, I could fight with anybody." Should Volkov earn that crack at gold and should Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) still be the one to hold the title, it would be a rematch of their March 2022 bout. Aspinall defeated Volkov by submission inside one round. Volkov isn't sure exactly how the second fight would be different, but he's enthralled by the process of trying to figure it out. "Yes, it's a really good question," Volkov said. "It's a really good question for me, as well. I need to be more ... in this fight. It's hard to say. Because the first fight, I wasn't really serious with it because of many things happening in the world at this time. Now, I changed my game, my location with leaving my training partners and coaches. Everything is different and I showed progress after. I believe if I sit with his videos, watch all his videos and see his moves, I could win this fight."
