Category: MMA & UFC

The card is the first of four to be held at a purpose-built facility which is part of a "safe zone" on Yas Island, east of the city of Abu Dhabi and close to the airport. With the sporting calendar virtually wiped out by the pandemic, Mixed Martial Arts was one of the first sports in the U.S. to stage events again, with three cards in Jacksonville, Florida in May followed by five at the UFC's APEX facility in Las Vegas. Despite the organisers' best efforts, COVID-19 has still had an impact on the UFC 251 card as contender Gilbert Burns was ruled out of his welterweight title clash with Kamaru Usman following a positive test for the virus.

Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping shares some of his thoughts on UFC 251's main card and how Jorge Masvidal's "no notice" title shot vs. Kamaru Usman might play out.

Boxing commentator Chris Mannix and former world champion Sergio Mora look back on one of the biggest fights of the century and most lucrative fight of all time at that point, Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya for the WBC super welterweight title, billed as the “fight to save boxing” and what turned Mayweather into a sports superstar.

* * *Amanda Ribas wants to bet on herself for her fight against Paige VanZant, but there is one person who she must confer with before doing so: Dad.Hear everything Amanda Ribas had to say at the UFC 251 Media Day from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. Ribas faces VanZant in the UFC 251 main card opener on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View.The UFC 251 headlining bout will see welterweight champion Kamaru Usman defend against late-replacement and BMF titleholder Jorge Masvidal. UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski makes the first defense of his belt against Max Holloway, the man he took it from, in the UFC 251 co-main event. A third title bout featuring Petr Yan vs. Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight belt is also slated for Saturday’s event.(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)* * *TRENDING > Jose Aldo criticizes Jon Jones and Jorge Masvidal on fighter pay, ‘Not the right time’* * *

Masvidal has finally ascended those final steps to where so few fighters reach: UFC superstardom.

* * *Jose Aldo criticized Jon Jones and Jorge Masvidal for complaining about fighter pay, "Not the right time to do that.""I think this is a horrible time to do that." He added, suggesting most businesses are simply trying to survive right now.Hear everything Jose Aldo had to say at the UFC 251 Media Day from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi leading up to his bantamweight championship bout against Petr Yan.The UFC 251 headlining bout will see welterweight champion Kamaru Usman defend against late-replacement and BMF titleholder Jorge Masvidal. UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski makes the first defense of his belt against Max Holloway, the man he took it from, in the UFC 251 co-main event.(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)* * *TRENDING > Alexander Volkanovski: Max Holloway is a ‘sore loser’ | UFC 251 Fight Island* * *

* * *Rose Namajunas talks about getting her heart for fighting back and grieving after two family members died from Covid-19.Hear everything Rose Namajunas had to say at the UFC 251 Media Day from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. Namajunas rematches Jessica Andrade on the UFC 251 main card on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View.The UFC 251 headlining bout will see welterweight champion Kamaru Usman defend against late-replacement and BMF titleholder Jorge Masvidal. UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski makes the first defense of his belt against Max Holloway, the man he took it from, in the UFC 251 co-main event. A third title bout featuring Petr Yan vs. Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight belt is also slated for Saturday’s event.(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)* * *TRENDING > Alexander Volkanovski: Max Holloway is a ‘sore loser’ | UFC 251 Fight Island* * *

* * *Petr Yan addresses Henry Cejudo bowing out as the UFC bantamweight champion and the death of Khabib Nurmagomedov's father ahead of his championship fight with Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight belt.Hear everything Petr Yan had to say at UFC 251 Media Day from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.Yan and Aldo fight at UFC 251 on Saturday, July 11, on Fight Island on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)* * *TRENDING > Watch Petr Yan knock Urijah Faber out (UFC 251 Free Fight)* * *

* * *Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway talks about training on ZOOM and the controversial decision in his first fight with Alexander Volkanovski in December. The two rematch in the UFC 251 co-main event on Saturday on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.The UFC 251 headlining bout will see welterweight champion Kamaru Usman defend against late-replacement and BMF titleholder Jorge Masvidal. A third title bout featuring Petr Yan vs. Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight belt is also slated for Saturday’s event.(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)* * *TRENDING > Alexander Volkanovski: Max Holloway is a ‘sore loser’ | UFC 251 Fight Island* * *

What’s Canelo Alvarez’s best option?

Should boxing fans be excited to see the Golden Boy return to the ring?

Who should Garcia fight next?

The featherweight titleholder was a rugby star before dominating the UFC.

The UFC is spending July in Abu Dhabi at the so-called “Fight Island,” where it will put on UFC 251 on Saturday followed by Fight Night shows on July 15, July 18 and July 25. For us, the good news is that we’ll just stay at Fight Island and do the shows there, so we’re not going anywhere.”