8:28 AM ET UFC president Dana White said his promotion will not “muzzle anybody” when he was asked early Thursday morning about the reaction to recent Colby Covington comments, which several UFC fighters labeled as racist. During a news conference in Abu Dhabi to promote Saturday’s UFC 253 card on “Fight Island,” White was asked

6:05 PM ET UFC president Dana White and his promotion’s biggest star, Conor McGregor, are in an apparent flap over released direct messages and potential fights. McGregor tweeted Sunday morning that White should “stop lying,” in reference to comments White has made about McGregor’s desire to fight and a potential boxing match between McGregor and

1:32 AM ET Israel Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz entered UFC 253 on Saturday with their share of doubters, which made what happened in the Octagon even sweeter for both men. Adesanya had a “boring” tag hung on him by critics after a lackluster win over Yoel Romero in March. But that label didn’t fit on

12:47 AM ET The return to Fight Island saw the continued dominance of the middleweight champion, the crowning of a new light heavyweight champion and the emergence of a new flyweight contender. Israel Adesanya found a way to keep his title and undefeated record with a victory over the previously undefeated Paulo Costa. While Costa’s

Sep 27, 2020 Jeff Wagenheim All zeroes are not equal. UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya entered Saturday night’s title fight with a 19-0 record. His challenger, Paulo Costa, came in at 13-0. And when the UFC 253 main event began and it was time for these two men to put their unbeaten records on the

6:22 PM ET A five-week stay for the UFC on Fight Island kicks off in earnest on Saturday with UFC 253 from Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The main event will feature undefeated middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (19-0) looking to defend his title for the second time against an undefeated challenger in Paulo Costa (13-0). It

3:12 PM ET UFC star Conor McGregor is in serious talks to fight boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, but the bout isn’t a done deal yet, McGregor’s manager, Audie Attar, told ESPN on Friday. McGregor said Friday on Twitter that he is “boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.” The McGregor-Pacquiao boxing match would take

8:44 PM ET You have to give it to the UFC. The promotion has pulled off this 2020 concept of “Fight Island” remarkably well, and I’m not just referring to stringent COVID-19 measures. The UFC’s pay-per-views this year on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, have offered a lot. From the “BMF” champion

1:58 PM ET The UFC women’s featherweight and bantamweight champion can add another title to her collection: mother. Amanda Nunes and her fiancée, UFC fighter Nina Ansaroff, had their first child Friday. Ansaroff gave birth to a daughter, Raegan Ann Nunes. Nunes and Ansaroff each made the announcement on social media. “Speechless,” Nunes tweeted. Nunes,

9:19 AM ET One of the biggest middleweight title fights in recent UFC history is officially set. Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa both successfully made weight Friday in Abu Dhabi ahead of the UFC 253 main event. Adesanya weighed 184 pounds and Costa was 185 pounds. Adesanya questioned Costa’s ability to make the 185-pound limit