Latest news with #featherweight
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Collins seeks 'Scotland v England' bout with Ball
Scottish featherweight Nathaniel Collins is targeting an all-British world title showdown with Nick Ball at the turn of the Glasgow fighter is coming off a stunning win over Scottish rival Lee McGregor at the Hyrdo last month and expects to be back fighting in his home city in 28, hopes that will be the springboard to a fight with WBA champion Ball who, like Collins, is promoted by Frank Warren's Queensberry."I just want to be cracking on to world titles now," Collins told BBC Scotland."It's easy for Queensberry to make world title fights because I'm a featherweight, they've got a world champion featherweight in Nick Ball." And he added: "He's fighting in Saudi Arabia in the next couple of months as well so by the end of the year, or starting next year, that's an easy fight to make."An all British, Scotland v England world title fight - it makes sense."Liverpool fighter Ball, 28, is unbeaten in 23 professional fights and claimed the WBA title with a thrilling win over Raymond Ford in Riyadh last has also yet to taste defeat in his 17 contests as a pro and has no fears of taking on a man considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the UK."We were meant to fight a couple of years ago for the British title and things didn't work out that way and then I've been calling for that ever since," Collins said."Now's the time for it because he's having a great career and building a lot of attention, I'm starting to build a lot of attention, so hopefully within the next six months that becomes a thing that comes to fruition."Collins described his appearance on the Josh Taylor v Ekow Essuman undercard, in which he dropped McGregor three times and stopped him in the fourth round, as "the best night ever".Now as he prepares to headline his own show in September back in Glasgow, Collins wants to ensure big fight nights in Scotland continue to be a feature on the boxing calendar."That was the goal when I first signed with Queensbury, I said I want to bring big nights back to Scotland and Glasgow," he said."I grew up going to Ricky Burns' fights and that made me want to do this. It was spoken about before the last fight, the winner of me and Lee's fight would continue to carry the torch as they say, and hopefully I can keep doing it."
Forbes
a day ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Dana White: Evloev Likely Next For Volkanovski With UFC Abu Dhabi Win
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: Movsar Evloev of Russia looks on prior to a featherweight fight ... More during UFC 310 at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by) Earlier this week, UFC CEO Dana White announced several fights for the July 26 UFC Abu Dhabi fight card. One of those bouts was the five-round co-main event between highly-ranked Movsar Evloev and coveted free-agent signee Aaron Pico. While announcing the bout, White added that with a win, Evloev is likely to be next in line to face UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: Movsar Evloev of Russia awaits the start of a round in a ... More featherweight bout during the UFC 310 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) "In the co-main event," said White, "we have another five-round fight, between No. 4 ranked Movsar Evloev taking on the guy most people consider to be the top free agent in the world, Aaron Pico. "Evloev is undefeated at 19-0 and one of the most intimidating guys at featherweight. Aaron Pico is a ridiculously violent striker and a very high-level grappler. Pico has had hype behind him since he was a teenager because of his skill and fighting style, which people compare him to the likes of Justin Gaethje or Dustin Poirier. "If Movsar can get the victory, he will likely be the next contender for the title against Alexander Volkanovski. "Expect this fight to be an absolute war." Volkanovski does not have his next title defense booked. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 06: Movsar Evloev of Russia prepares to fight Diego Lopes of Brazil in a ... More featherweight fight during the UFC 288 event at Prudential Center on May 06, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Evloev (19-0) made his UFC debut in April 2019 in a featherweight contest against Choi Seung-woo. At the time he stepped into the UFC Octagon for the first time, Evloev was 10-0 and coming off a defense of the M-1 Global bantamweight crown. Evloev, defeated Choi via unanimous decision. Over the next five years, Evloev would climb the featherweight rankings, facing progressively tougher opponents under the UFC banner. He is 9-0 under the UFC banner. In his most recent outing, the 31-year-old defeated former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling by decision at UFC 310 in a 145-pound scrap. Evloev has an eight-fight winning streak at 145 pounds, one of his UFC wins came at a catchweight of 150 pounds. He has the fourth longest winning streak in the history of the division. Volkanovski's 11-fight winning run between November 2016 and July 2022 is the second-longest UFC featherweight winning streak. All nine of Evloev's UFC wins have come via decision. Pico (13-4) joined the UFC as a free agent earlier this year. Pico was with Bellator for his entire MMA career before departing as a free agent. The 28-year-old had an up-and-down run with the promotion, but he enters UFC Abu Dhabi on a three-fight winning streak. His record in his past 10 fights is 9-1. His only loss during that span, which dates back to January 2020, is a October 2022 TKO loss to Jeremy Kennedy in a fighter were the doctor stopped the bout because Pico dislocated his shoulder. MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 12: Alexander Volkanovski of Australia reacts after his unanimous-decision ... More victory against Diego Lopes of Brazil in the UFC featherweight championship bout during the UFC 314 event at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) In April after wining the vacant UFC featherweight title with a decision over Diego Lopes, Volkanovski spoke about who he could face next. 'If the UFC wants to give it to Yair [Rodriguez], I ain't gonna stop that for him,' Volkanovski said. 'I'll be honest, before that fight [against Patricio Freire], I didn't think if he won, he would be getting a shot. I'll be honest, that didn't come to mind. But now that he's calling, I'm not going to be the one to say no. I'm going to leave everything to the UFC. 'Obviously, you've got guys like Movsar, who's undefeated. I'd love to take that zero. We've got to see what the UFC say. I even seen him tweeting that he wants to fight someone in May and doing all this sort of stuff, so maybe he's had the chats and they want him to have one more fight. So I don't know that situation, but I'll see how things are. I'd love to say I want to get straight back in there. I still do. But I'm gonna have to maybe look at a couple of things.' As for Evloev, he's been angling for a title fight for a while. He revisited that idea in April on social media. Saturday, July 26, 2025 Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi Main Card: 3:00 p.m. ET Preliminary Card: 12:00 p.m. ET We will have more on UFC Abu Dhabi and the Movsar Evloev vs. Aaron Pico fight as fight night approaches.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rose Namajunas 'proud' of disclosed fight purse from UFC Atlanta
Sean O'Malley embarrassed seeing Cody Garbrandt at UFC Atlanta: 'Oh, that's how people see me' Sean O'Malley calls in after his defeat to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316 to break down the submission loss, his viral lifestyle changes, differences in the rematch, his future at featherweight, the state of the bantamweight division.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC 317 Full Fight Card: Bout Order Announced For Las Vegas PPV
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 26:Ilia Topuria of Spain prepares to face Max Holloway in ... More the UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) International Fight Week turned out pretty good. For weeks, UFC fans were concerned about how the card would shape up. However, as the dust has settled, we have a pretty strong card from top to bottom, with two title fights in the main and co-main event spots. Former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will take on former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound strap. In the co-main event, long-standing men's flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will defend his title against Kai Kara-France. We know those two fights will close the night at the T-Mobile Arena on June 28, but here is a look at the complete bout order, per ESPN. Main Card Preliminary Card Early Prelims Card The card has a little bit of everything. There are dynamic young fighters with incredibly high ceilings, like Jacobe Smith and Payton Talbott, in action. Smith is one of the biggest standouts from Season 8 of Dana White's Contender Series. The hardcore wrestler has explosive power in his hands and a chance to pound his way up the welterweight ranks. Price is a gamer, but perhaps positioned to be Smith's next stepping stone. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 11: Jacobe Smith poses for a portrait after his victory during the UFC ... More Fight Night event at UFC APEX on January 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Talbott is trying to bounce back from a loss to Raoni Barcelos in his last fight. The polarizing Talbott's underdeveloped ground game was exposed against Barcelos. We'll find out if he has worked to advance his skills against Lima. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 29: Payton Talbott reacts after knocking out Yanis Ghemmouri of France in a ... More bantamweight fight during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) The card also features two all-or-nothing action fighters: Hyder Amil and Terrance McKinney. Amil throws punches with reckless abandon, and McKinney is one of the most spectacular finishers in the sport. However, he has also been the victim of some of the most brutal KO losses in recent years. Before we get to the main and co-main events, we have solid battles between respected veterans like Royval-Van, Costa-Kopylov, and Dariush-Moicano. If Pantoja defeats KKF, the proud Brazilian could be staring at his next opponent earlier in the card. If Van, a fighter stepping up on short notice to face Royval, wins, he probably should be next to challenge Pantoja for the title. Whoever wins in the main event will likely take on Arman Tsarukyan, who has said he is an alternate for UFC 317. If he doesn't get a chance to step in for Topuria or Oliveira, he will almost certainly be the winner's first challenger for the title.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Didn't want to' – Ilia Topuria explains reason for major career change ahead of UFC 317 clash with Charles Oliveira
ILIA TOPURIA has revealed why he ditched the UFC featherweight title. The Georgian-born Spaniard vacated the 145lbs belt he ripped from Alexander Volkanovski 's clutches in February to pursue lightweight gold. 4 4 4 The 28-year-old departed the division after a sole, but emphatic, title defence against fan favourite Max Holloway last October. Topuria left featherweight with a wealth of contenders, all of whom he'd have to face after cutting more than a STONE of bodyweight, champing at the bit to face him. And the difficulty of the gruelling 40lbs weight cut ultimately proved to be the catalyst for a permanent return to lightweight. He told ESPN Deportes: 'In that moment [when cutting weight], I'm so low. "I feel terrible… I didn't want to suffer anymore… "It's like living in the desert, and I wanted to live on the beach.' Topuria has looked to have put on a considerable amount of muscle mass on his frame ahead of his crack at the vacant lightweight title against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 later this month. The fight will be his first since his departure from his long-time trainers Jorge and Augustin Climent and decision to make Madrid his permanent training base. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 4 The split was an amicable one, with Jorge telling Submission Radio: "You feel, always, this is not good for the sentimental feeling, but this [is] life. 'We go with him on the journey and now he grow, and he wants to fly away, you know? Ilia Topuria went OFF on Conor McGregor in response to his tweet "We are very proud to [go as far as we did] with him. We are very proud for everything he [has done]. "Of course, we are a little sad, but I want everything in his life [to] continue going well. "I want all good for him and his brother, and I think that they do the same for us. 'I don't know what can be in the future. We have our own [direction right now] We love him. We love his brother. "We know he's going to [beat] everybody that [he fights] because he's the best.
