Recently, White sat down with Nelk and Bob Menery, where they discussed numerous topics from UFC 300 to other interesting subjects. During the chat, Menery mentioned his appearance in the upcoming Roadhouse movie, stating he has five scenes in the film. The UFC boss humorously remarked that all five scenes total only five seconds. Subsequently, he expressed his excitement to see Menery in the movie and his hope for him to shine in this film.

 

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A post shared by Bob Menery (@bobmenery)

While Dana White showed excitement for Menery’s role, he hasn’t mentioned McGregor and Gyllenhaal beyond commenting on the actor’s physique. This is quite surprising given he has close connections with McGregor and Gyllenhaal is an A-lister.

Talking about Menery, he has found success in sports parody commentary, comedy, and social media. Consequently, it’ll be interesting to hear his thoughts on McGregor, Gyllenhaal, and Menery once the movie is released.

When Will ‘Roadhouse,’ Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor, Release?

The UFC’s official account announced that the movie will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Talking about the release date, ‘Road House’ is to be released on March 21st this year. The movie was supposed to be released in theaters too. However, due to the SAG-AFTRA strike on Hollywood production houses, Bezos canceled those plans. And now fans can enjoy it on Amazon Prime.

The ‘Road House’ trailer has gotten a whopping 17 million views. McGregor’s character is named ‘Knox’ and wears a necklace with his name on it. Every time he’s on screen, he gives goosebumps. Consequently, UFC fans can’t wait for March 21 to see McGregor in his first movie alongside critically acclaimed actor Gyllenhaal.

The post Dana White Snubs Conor McGregor and Jake Gyllenhaal, Excited for New Talent for ‘Roadhouse’ Movie appeared first on The SportsRush.

There is a long list of fighters who turned their fortunes around after joining the UFC. That is exactly what happened with Topuria, who joined the company in 2020 and four years later became the champion of the featherweight division by defeating one of the greatest fighters in the company.

During those four years, he gained almost 2 million followers. However, before and after winning the title, he gained 1.1 million followers, bringing his total to 3.1 million followers and counting.

As per stats from Social Blade, Topuria’s monthly follower count increased by over 3000 in 2020, but in the last 30 days, he has gained over 1 million followers, indicating how defeating Volkanovski impacted his career.

There is no doubt that this is a huge turning point in his career, where he could potentially become the next Conor McGregor of the company.

Similarities between Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor

Talking about similarities, both exude absolute confidence in their skills. However, when it comes to major similarities, notably after Conor McGregor’s first title win at age 27, he had a 15-fight winning streak, similar to what Topuria currently has.

Additionally, following the classic storyline where everyone was rooting for Volk as the people’s champ, Topuria entered the match with a persona similar to McGregor’s anti-hero image.

The Spanish fighter grabbed the belt from Volkanovski before winning it at the presser and engaged in other notorious actions, prompting many to draw comparisons between their behaviors.

Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor #UFC pic.twitter.com/r3zNSB6o9R

— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) February 18, 2024

Interestingly, after winning the belt, he also challenged McGregor, and if this match happens, it will go down as one of the greatest matches in recent times. Where two of the best talents and superstars from the UFC will share the octagon for glory.

The post Ilia Topuria Hits Another 1.1 Million Milestone After Upsetting Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 appeared first on The SportsRush.

Although what Ariel Helwani did was wrong, Dana White’s reaction was a bit severe. The UFC president banned Helwani and had his credentials removed.

Did Dana White Jeopardize Ariel Helwani’s ESPN contract?

Since this episode, the pair have not shared a very good relationship, it just kept getting worse. Helwani even made claims that White tried to jeopardize his deal with ESPN.

“Did Dana White run you out of ESPN?”

Ariel Helwani responds:
1/2 pic.twitter.com/uGwVMUFs3u

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) July 12, 2021

The UFC president then foul-mouthed Helwani alongside Paddy Pimblett in a podcast with the Scouser. Pimblett accused Helwani of being a ‘biased’ content creator.

What did Ariel Helwani say about Dana White raising his hand on his wife?

Helwani then had the opportunity to get back at White when a video of him raising his hand on his wife surfaced on the internet.

The MMA journalist blasted him publicly for it on his YouTube channel and fans had a field day. More recently, Helwani criticized White for not giving Belal Muhammad a title shot.

Ariel Helwani calls out Dana White for not giving Belal Muhammad a title shot

Following UFC 298, during the press conference, Dana White gave his flowers to Leon Edwards for being an absolute ‘stud’ and not saying no to a single fight the UFC offered him.

However, Ariel Helwani felt something was wrong, and during the latest episode of The MMA Hour, he questioned why Belal Muhammad was not offered a shot:

“I expect the next title fight for Leon to still probably be Belal. But man what an indictment on how they feel about the guy. Not one phone call and he is on the front row on Saturday going 300 give me a call.”

Ariel Helwani believes Dana White, and the UFC did Belal Muhammad dirty by not offering him a UFC 300 main event title fight.

This new call-out just further fuels the rivalry between the pair. White is yet to respond to the accusations made by Helwani.

The post Dana White Ariel Helwani Rivalry: Why Does the UFC CEO Dislike Veteran MMA Journalist? appeared first on The SportsRush.

Islam Makahchev followed in the footsteps of Khabib Nurmagomedov and became the lightweight champion. However, becoming a double champ would set him apart.

His head coach revealed that Makhachev would ideally want to challenge for the welterweight title. He then explained why the UFC won’t let him:

“The UFC I’m sure they gotta have the lightweight title resolution taken care of by the next title challenger. So I don’t think that’s gonna happen.”

However, there is still hope for Islam Makhachev because Javier Mendez believes it could happen in the future. Once Makhachev defends his title against another contender, it could be a possibility.

Meanwhile, the champion’s name is still being connected with Alexander Volkanovski as reporters question whether the Australian turned around from that fight too soon.

Alexander Volkanovski shuts down rumors of Islam Makhachev knockout connections with UFC 298 loss

Alexander Volkanovski got knocked out for the second time in his UFC career in 2 consecutive fights. The Australian lost to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 via knockout.

During the post-fight press conference, reporters wondered whether he returned to action too soon following his knockout loss to Islam Makhachev. Here’s what he had to say:

“Nah mate, you can’t take anything away from Topuria. If he puts a hand on you like that, you’re gonna go down, that’s just that. That was a clean right hand.”

Alexander Volkanovski rejects the notion his 4-month turnaround from the KO vs. Islam Makhachev contributed to his #UFC298 title loss.

“That was a clean right hand. No matter who you are.” pic.twitter.com/jNzX6BEPlT

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 18, 2024

Alexander Volkanovski stated that the Islam Makhachev fight had nothing to do with it. He had a great training camp and felt great inside the ring, he had no excuses to lose the fight.

However, he gave Ilia Topuria his flowers for connecting a solid right hook. He did not take anything away from the Spaniard.

The post Islam Makhachev Won’t Fight for UFC Welterweight Title: Head Coach Explains appeared first on The SportsRush.

Islam Makhachev is the current lightweight champion of the world. He has a lot of fighters waiting to challenge him for the title, but he has given no confirmation of his next fight.

Yee asked Mendez when Makhachev would return, to which he responded:

“Probably June no up, I would think so. Hopefully, he can get two fights but let’s see. Let’s see what the UFC can plan for him.”

Javier Mendez does not have any specific opponent in mind, for Islam Makhahchev. He claimed that whoever Makhachev wants to fight is, who he thinks he should fight.

Islam Makhachev prioritizes his rest. He even warned Alexander Volkanovski of returning to the octagon too soon after suffering a knockout loss to him.

Islam Makhachev warned Alexander Volkanovski and his team of the dangers of returning to action too soon

Alexander Volkanovski took the fight against Islam Makhachev on short notice. Some would say he paid the price for it, as he got knocked out.

Following their fight, Islam Makhachev spoke to the media and stated that Volkanovski should take a couple of months rest since he got knocked out via a head kick.

“He have to take some rest. If his team’s smart, he have to take some couple months rest. Because, this is not choke him or body kick, this is head kick…..his team have to make decision.”

Islam Makhachev warned Alexander Volkanovski about making a quick turnaround pic.twitter.com/BGwXGvWl8N

— Best MMA Moments (@XcellentMMA) February 20, 2024

However, just four months after fighting Islam Makhachev, he returned to action against Ilia Topuria. The Spaniard ended up knocking him out in the second round.

Some fans believe he turned around after the Makhachev fight too soon and did not give his body enough rest. The Australian will now prioritize some well-earned rest before he thinks of returning to the octagon.

The post Islam Makhachev Next Fight: Head Coach Lays Out Potential ‘Two Fight’ Plan for 2024 appeared first on The SportsRush.

Most fans may have noticed the noted Meta head honcho, Mark Zuckerberg in the fallen UFC featherweight champ, Alexander Volkanovski’s corner during his UFC 298 fight. But the addition of such celebrities to the people in a fighter’s corner is an extremely rare incident.

Generally, a UFC fighter’s corner consists of his head coach and other coaches, a cutman, and about one to two of his training partners. They perform their primary roles in between the rounds of a bout. Here’s a list of the various duties that these people perform:

• Providing strategic advice whenever they feel their fighter isn’t being effective enough
• Managing the cuts and damages that the fighter sustains
• Checking on the hydration levels and providing rehydration
• Managing equipment malfunctions and providing immediate replacements
• Making decisions to end a fight whenever they feel the fighter’s safety is at risk

UFC fans may have noticed several fights where fighters have completely changed their game after receiving instructions from their corner.

But many of them may agree that UFC 278 presented one of the brightest examples of how instructions from a fighter’s corner can change the outcome of a fight completely.

Leon Edwards’ corner is a major reason behind his UFC welterweight title victory

Most fans may remember that the current UFC welterweight king, Leon Edwards, was getting dominated by his former welterweight champ rival, Kamaru Usman, at UFC 278. Lots of MMA pundits also agree that ‘Rocky’ may have lost all the first four rounds of the fight.

But the incident that took place during the break after the fourth round was one of the biggest reasons behind Edwards managing to win the fight.

Edwards’ head coach, Dave Lovell, probably knew the exact measure to get him fired up. He shouted at Edwards’ face even with a few cuss words during the 1-min break in between the fourth and final rounds of the bout.

Almost every UFC fan is well aware of what came next. ‘Rocky’ had only one way in which he could win the fight, and that was by finishing Usman.

Well, not only did he finish his rival, but UFC fans will probably remember the incredible head kick KO that he scored for ages. Incidents like these testify that corners and cornermen are indispensable for any UFC fighter.

The post UFC: What Is the Role of a ‘Corner’ During a Fight? appeared first on The SportsRush.

UFC fans are usually very ruthless, especially on social media. However, Alexander Volkanovski is one such fighter who just doesn’t have haters.

The Australian is loved by his fans and his peers. Jon Anik and Nick Kyrgios are just some of the names that showered him with support on Instagram:

 

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A post shared by Alexander Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski)

Here’s what fans had to say:

“You’ve won the respect of the whole world champ.”

One user said:

“take the year off come back healthy and tko ilia inside 3”

Another user assured Alexander Volkanovski that he had the rematch:

“Keep your head up champ. U GOT THAT REMATCH”

Tennis star Nick Kyrgios said:

“My brother! Head up always”

One fan called ‘Volk’ a true champ:

“True champion inside and outside that octagon”

Jon Anik commented:

Volkanovski also got a word of appreciation from the new UFC Featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria.

Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria share a wholesome moment on Instagram

Alexander Volkanovski was a class act, even in defeat. He gave no excuses for his loss and just congratulated his opponent on a good fight.

Despite all the trash talk leading up to the fight, Ilia Topuria put out a message on Instagram. He thanked Volkanovski and said it was an honor to share the octagon with him.

‘The Great’ responded by saying:

“Appreciate it brother. Congratulations on your victory.”

Love to see the respect between Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuira pic.twitter.com/i05KkCbPSh

— Benny P (@Bendaman2001) February 20, 2024

Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria have a lot of mutual respect for each other. However. Volkanovski is still looking for the rematch in Spain.

Ilia Topuria made it clear that he would defend his belt in Spain and the Australian is willing to fight him anywhere.

The post Alexander Volkanovski Finds Overwhelming Support from Jon Anik and Others Upon Homecoming After UFC 298 Loss appeared first on The SportsRush.

What is a ‘lineal’ champion in boxing?

The Lineal Championship is regarded as the real World Championship in professional boxing. It is a carryover from the era in boxing prior to the establishment of sanctioning organisations and the widespread use of trophy belts, when it was simpler to crown one world champion per class.

How is a lineal champion crowned and how is it lost?

There is a common saying in combat sports, ‘to be the man, you have to beat the man’. This is the philosophy that is followed for the lineal championship. In order to be crowned the lineal champion, you have to beat the current lineal champion. A lineal champion can lose his belt in only one of three ways. If he/she is beaten in a contest within his weight class. He/she retires from the sport. If he/she vacates his weight class.

 

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A post shared by Tyson Fury (@tysonfury)

Who are the current lineal champions in boxing?

According to reports, there are currently 10 lineal champions in the sport of boxing. These include names such as Canelo Álvarez, Jermell Charlo and more.

What is an undisputed champion in the UFC?

The UFC instituted a system of interim champions a while back. When the champion is set to be away for a significant period, the two contenders in the division fight for the interim title. The winner then gets an interim title and the next shot at the current champion.

In divisions that have an interim champion, the reigning champion does not get the ‘undisputed’ title. However, if there is no interim champion, the reigning champion is referred to as the undisputed champion.

 

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A post shared by El Matador (@iliatopuria)

Are there any undisputed champions in the UFC right now?

All the champions in the UFC are undisputed right now except one. In the heavyweight division, Tom Aspinall is the interim champion. This means that Jon Jones does not get the undisputed title.

The post UFC: What Does It Mean to Be an ‘Undisputed’ or ‘Lineal’ Champion? appeared first on The SportsRush.

Following an impressive win the past weekend, Ian Garry sat down with Ariel Helwani. Helwani asked Garry about potentially facing Colby Covington next. In response to the same, Garry said,

“I’ll talk to [Colby] when I beat the f*** out of him in that octagon. If Trump’s in attendance, I will drag Colby in front of Trump and I will beat the mouth off him. And I’ll say ‘this is what you created. Boom this is MAGA. Boom it’s no more.’ Get rid of him, get him out of the UFC. I will silence Colby Covington. I will hit him so hard he never speaks again… that is how I want to beat Colby Covington.”

Over the past few months there has been an increased amount of attention around Ian Garry and his wife. Prior to his last fight, fans on Twitter shared details about his wife.

This became something that both fans and fighters used to troll Garry relentlessly. Chief among them were Colby Covington as well as Sean Strickland.

Will Ian Garry get his wish granted to him?

In the entire build up to the fight, Garry stated multiple times that after he secures a win against Geoff Neal he wants Colby Covington. For ‘The Future’ the fight against Covington is extremely personal.

He wants revenge for everything Covington said about his wife. However, getting a fight against Covington might be easier said than done. ‘Chaos’ has been extremely sporadic in his activity over the past few years.

 

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A post shared by ‘The Future’ Ian Machado Garry (@iangarry)

Although he stated he wants to change that, there is no guarantee that he will actually be more active this year.

Furthermore, Garry will not be on top of Covington’s list of opponents and he will not agree to the fight immediately. To make things a bit more complicated, Covington is currently ranked 5th in the welterweight division whereas Garry is 10th.

The post Ian Garry Vows to ‘Beat the Fu*ck Out’ of Colby Covington in Front of Donald Trump and Retire Him From UFC appeared first on The SportsRush.

Emelianenko was asked if he was interested in fighting only boxing stars who are older in age. Surprisingly, ‘The Last Emperor’ replied, saying he was ready to take on a lot more than old fighters on their way out. He said,

“I can fight MMA guys too. I’d like to fight Francis Ngannou. I want to box him, I can’t do MMA anymore but I’d like to box him. Yes, I’d like to fight him. Maybe it’s not overconfidence but I would be interested in fighting him.”

Fedor Emelianenko expresses interest in a boxing match with Francis Ngannou. #MMA #UFC pic.twitter.com/uuBjvgore6

— MMA Frenzy (@mma_frenzy) February 19, 2024

Emelianenko drew the curtains on an extremely decorated career that lasted two decades in February 2023. ‘The Last Emperor’ succumbed to a first-round knockout loss against Ryan Bader while fighting for the Bellator heavyweight title.

During his time in the sport, ‘The Last Emperor’ competed in a number of organisations and won a host of belts. However, he has never competed in boxing professionally. If he were to take on Francis Ngannou, it would be his boxing debut.

Fedor Emelianenko to take on Francis Ngannou instead of Mike Tyson?

‘The Last Emperor’s retirement did not last too long. Almost a year on from his decision to step away from the sport, Emelianenko confirmed that he was in talks with Mike Tyson for a boxing match.

The 47-year-old confirmed that everything about the fight was agreed upon and that the only thing left was to secure funding. Unfortunately, at this point in time, there have been no further updates on the situation.

 

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A post shared by Francis Ngannou (@francisngannou)

If Francis Ngannou were to beat Anthony Joshua on March 8th, it would make him too big of a star. At that point, it is highly unlikely that he accepts a fight against someone like Emelianenko.

However, if he loses against Joshua, that conversation becomes much more realistic.

The post “Can’t Do MMA”: Fedor Emelianenko Eyes Boxing Showdown Against Francis Ngannou Amidst Mike Tyson Fight Talks appeared first on The SportsRush.