MMA

Several UFC fighters are facing suspensions and fines in Nevada. Tim Elliott, a popular flyweight fighter and former title challenger, and undefeated light heavyweight prospect Jamahal Hill both tested positive for marijuana in in-competition drug tests in relation to their respective fights May 30 in Las Vegas, sources told ESPN. The Nevada State Athletic Commission

The buildup to the Oct. 24 UFC lightweight unification bout is expected to be civil with champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim champ Justin Gaethje enjoying a friendly rivalry while being represented by the same manager, Ali Abdelaziz, but Nurmagomedov made it clear he views himself as the better fighter. “I will take him to the

Dana White does not expect Conor McGregor to return to the Octagon this year. The UFC president said Monday in an interview with Barstool Sports that there are no plans for McGregor to fight in the UFC again in 2020. White said he considers McGregor retired ever since McGregor tweeted about retirement June 6. “This

For the second straight week, ONE Championship has fortified its heavyweight division. The Asian MMA promotion signed former Greco Roman wrestling world champion Amir Aliakbari to a contract Monday, Aliakbari’s manager Ali Abdelaziz told ESPN. The plan is for Aliakbari to debut in ONE at the end of October, Abdelaziz said. Aliakbari (10-1) has won

A UFC fighter says a heart issue is the main cause of a fainting spell prior to his scheduled fight over the weekend. Trevin Giles said Monday in an Instagram video that doctors informed him he had “irregularities” in his heart and said he is seeking an appointment with a cardiologist. Giles passed out right

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card was a cold dose of reality for a pair of fighters who appeared to be on the precipice of major breakthroughs. Edmen Shahbazyan ran into the stiff offense of Derek Brunson and suffered the first loss of his career, and Joanne Calderwood saw her immediate title hopes shrink after taking

Joanne Calderwood rolled the dice in Las Vegas on Saturday night and lost her bankroll. Calderwood accepted a fight against Jennifer Maia when her promised challenge of Valentina Shevchenko was put on hold because the UFC women’s flyweight champion is still recovering from a leg injury. Calderwood had to decide between waiting or staying active.

A scheduled UFC middleweight bout between Trevin Giles and Kevin Holland was canceled Saturday night when Giles fainted backstage right before the fighters were set to walk out. Giles’ manager, Oren Hodak, told ESPN that Giles seemed fine afterward but was being taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons. Giles will remain at the hospital

The only way to the top of UFC’s middleweight division is through Derek Brunson. On Saturday, he slammed that door shut for a red-hot prospect. Brunson stopped Edmen Shahbazyan via TKO 26 seconds into the third round in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas. The previously undefeated Shahbazyan had all the

The UFC is finalizing a middleweight contest between former champion Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier for its UFC 254 pay-per-view event, UFC president Dana White told ESPN on Friday. UFC 254 is scheduled to take place on Oct. 24 at a location to be determined. Whittaker (21-5) is fresh off a unanimous decision win against

The UFC has added a heavyweight matchup between Alexander Volkov and Walt Harris to its UFC 254 pay-per-view lineup in October, sources confirmed to ESPN. UFC 254 is scheduled to take place on Oct. 24 at a location to be determined. UFC president Dana White revealed this week it will feature a lightweight title unification

A crucial middleweight headliner is now official. Derek Brunson and Edmen Shahbazyan both weighed in successfully Friday morning in Las Vegas for the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday at the UFC Apex. Brunson weighed 186 pounds and Shahbazyan weighed 185.5. This is the UFC’s first event back in the United States after

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend now has his first home in mixed martial arts. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida, a 13-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, has signed a multiyear contract with Asia’s ONE Championship, manager Ali Abdelaziz told ESPN on Thursday. The 6-foot-3 Almeida, 30, will compete in the heavyweight division. Per Abdelaziz, Almeida will debut in ONE

The UFC is targeting a 125-pound bout between former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade and Jessica Eye for a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 17, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The promotion has not announced the flyweight contest but is close to finalizing it, sources said. The UFC Fight Night event will take place at

UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic acknowledges the smaller Octagon in which he will fight Daniel Cormier at UFC 252 on Aug. 15 in Las Vegas probably benefits his opponent, if anyone. But he does not see it having an impact on the result. Miocic (19-3) will face Cormier (22-2) for the third time at UFC

UFC middleweight Darren Till suffered a torn MCL in the second round of his recent decision loss to Robert Whittaker, his coach told ESPN on Thursday. Till (18-3-1) lost a very narrow decision to Whittaker (20-5) in the main event of UFC Fight Night last Saturday, in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Shortly after the bout,

It was not the rock-’em-sock-’em thriller that fans were hoping for when they saw that Jorge Masvidal was challenging for the UFC welterweight championship, but that was the whole point for Kamaru Usman. Making his second defense of the 170-pound belt in the UFC 251 main event on July 11, Usman relentlessly crowded Masvidal, taking

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has suspended veteran MMA fighter Gilbert Melendez for two years, despite Melendez no longer being under UFC contract. Melendez, meanwhile, is arguing that USADA had no right to test him in the first place. USADA, the UFC’s contracted anti-doping partner, announced Monday that it had won its arbitration case