9:09 AM ET The excitement Jorge Masvidal injected into UFC 251 when he replaced Gilbert Burns in the main event on Fight Island appeared ready to erupt in the first round Sunday morning, when the challenger came out aggressively, but champion Kamaru Usman knew success depended on focus and patience. Those aren’t traits of an

Jul 12, 2020 From Siberia to UFC royalty. Petr Yan stopped the legendary Jose Aldo by TKO at 3 minutes, 24 seconds of the fifth round Sunday morning in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to win the vacant UFC bantamweight title. Yan, who was born in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk, dropped Aldo with a

1:50 AM ET Kamaru Usman dominated Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 251 on Fight Island, showcasing his power and wrestling against one of the UFC’s most explosive fighters. Alexander Volkanovski didn’t have as easy a time against Max Holloway, but he also walked out of the Octagon with the title still in

3:01 AM ET Jeff Wagenheim Well, UFC fans? Was that good enough? Has Kamaru Usman finally, belatedly, laboriously earned his recognition as a champion to celebrate? Usman methodically beat down Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 251 on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as the UFC launched its Middle East residency

5:49 PM ET The UFC’s hottest prospect, Sean O’Malley, appears to have his next challenge set as the undefeated bantamweight is scheduled to face Marlon Vera at UFC 252 on Aug. 15. O’Malley (12-0, 4-0 UFC) announced on his YouTube channel Saturday that he has signed the bout agreement, and Vera (15-6-1, 9-5 UFC) told

Jun 30, 2020 Just when you think nothing in MMA will surprise you anymore, Jorge Masvidal goes and accepts the first UFC title fight of his career on six days’ notice. And you know what? I’ll definitely fall for it again. Even though I’ll try to remember moving forward that I know nothing, and this

9:56 PM ET A UFC Fight Island title bout is in jeopardy. Deiveson Figueiredo, a top UFC flyweight contender, tested positive for the coronavirus Friday in Brazil, his manager, Wallid Ismail, confirmed to ESPN Brazil. Figueiredo is scheduled to fight Joseph Benavidez for the vacant flyweight title in the main event of UFC Fight Night

1:20 PM ET The UFC’s oft-criticized apparel deal with Reebok is coming to a close next year. Venum will take over as the UFC’s apparel partner beginning in April 2021, the promotion announced Friday. The UFC’s apparel deal with Reebok runs through March 2021, but the company will stay on as the UFC’s official footwear

10:21 AM ET A welterweight title fight between champion Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal was the July big-show main event that the UFC wanted all along. It took a bit of a meandering route to get there, but now the blockbuster matchup is finally official. Usman and Masvidal both weighed in successfully at 170 pounds

Jul 7, 2020 When Jorge Masvidal fights for the UFC welterweight title on Saturday, he will not have one of his head coaches by his side. Mike Brown, considered one of the best coaches in MMA, tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week and as a result was unable to fly to Abu Dhabi to