![]() In January, an Irish woman said McGregor attacked her on his yacht last summer in Ibiza, according to Spanish newspaper Ultima Hora. McGregor is gearing up for what he hopes will be a successful return to the Octagon, but the UFC superstar is still making headlines for the wrong reasons. Mike Roach / UFC / Getty The ugly McGregor accused of assault Former 205-pound champ Glover Teixeira retired after a lopsided loss in a vacant title fight with Jamahal Hill in January, and longtime bantamweight contender Raphael Assuncao did the same after a submission defeat to Davey Grant earlier in March. It was a heartbreaking result for the old-school fans who remember Rua's legendary Pride FC run in 2005, and it served as yet another reminder that fairy-tale endings rarely occur in MMA.Įmelianenko and Rua aren't the only big names who've called it quits after a tough result this year. Two weeks earlier, at UFC 283, former light heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua came up short in his own retirement bout, losing by TKO to a relatively unknown prospect in Ihor Potieria. Several legends - including Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, and Dan Henderson - were at the event to celebrate Emelianenko, but it was not the result he wanted. ![]() And then he suffered a TKO loss less than three minutes into the first round. Challenging Ryan Bader for the heavyweight title in a rematch, it was quickly evident that Emelianenko was at a lower level than his opponent. Heavyweight great Fedor Emelianenko stepped into the cage for the final time at Bellator 290, and it did not go well. This year hasn't been kind to the departing legends of the sport. Just like that, this matchup is the Nurmagomedov-Ferguson of the heavyweight division. It cannot be understated how big of a blunder passing on Ngannou-Jones was - and how unfortunate it is for the fans that it will likely never take place. Instead, the UFC dropped out of the Ngannou business after failing to come to terms with him on a new contract. The blockbuster fight was being talked about in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and it seemed like 2023 might finally be the year Jones returned to the Octagon to take on the heavyweight champ. ![]() An action figure-esque heavyweight champion - the consensus baddest man on the planet - against a longtime titleholder at 205 pounds and perhaps the most talented fighter this sport has ever seen. Jeff Bottari / UFC / Getty The bad Ngannou-Jones falls apartįrancis Ngannou versus Jones would've gone down as one of the biggest, most monumental fights in UFC history. Silva, Aldo, and Pulver in particular are no-brainers for induction, so it's nice to see them get honored. The Class of 2023 is rounded out by inaugural lightweight champion Jens Pulver, a pioneer who had been campaigning for his inclusion in the Hall of Fame for years, and Donald Cerrone, a former title challenger who has some of the most fights, wins, and finishes in UFC history. Aldo is known as the "King of Rio," and the big reveal fittingly took place during the UFC 283 broadcast in Rio de Janeiro. The promotion announced in January that Jose Aldo, the former two-time featherweight champ, is also headed to the UFC Hall of Fame. Silva isn't the only GOAT set to be immortalized in 2023. He holds the record for longest winning streak in UFC history (16). He's a former longtime middleweight champion and widely considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. Silva is undeniably a first-ballot Hall of Famer. This year's UFC Hall of Fame class will go down as one of the most prestigious in recent memory.Ī couple years overdue, the UFC announced earlier in March that Anderson Silva will enter the Hall this summer during International Fight Week. Both cemented their status as two of the best fighters on the planet. Makhachev, a feared grappler from Dagestan, showed off a more complete game. Volkanovski, a dominant champ who could've stayed at 145 pounds but instead dared to be great, was the first person to give Makhachev a good fight in recent years. Makhachev prevailed victorious, surprisingly relying on his striking to edge Volkanovski in a five-round nail-biter. In fact, it was perhaps more entertaining than anyone could've guessed. 11 bout at UFC 284.ĭespite not having the big-fight feel of a Conor McGregor or Jones event, Makhachev-Volkanovski was a historic showdown between the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the promotion. ![]() UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski put on an incredible display of high-level MMA in their Feb. Chris Graythen / Getty Images Sport / Getty A superfight exceeds expectations It was a massive moment for the UFC, as Jones is one of its biggest pay-per-view draws and is now positioned to headline a massive event against Stipe Miocic later this year. With the victory, Jones became the eighth two-division champion in UFC history and arguably cemented himself as the greatest MMA fighter of all time.
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