Verdict MMA

We could be getting closer to a Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler announcement. McGregor confirmed that the fight would be announced at some point during the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter. The season ends on August 15th, so you can expect an announcement before that.

# Quick Hits

[MacKenzie Dern](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/5/24/23736727/mackenzie-dern-estranged-husbands-domestic-violence-allegations-revealed-in-court-docs) accused her ex-husband of domestic violence.

[Cain Velasquez's](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/5/24/23736718/cain-velasquez-attempted-murder-trial-date-setting-delayed-again-until-august) attempted murder trial has been delayed until August.

[Adam Sandler](https://talksport.com/sport/mma/1436504/dana-white-adam-sandler-ufc-comedy-show/) is working with Dana White on a new UFC comedy show.

[Khamzat Chimaev](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/ufc-news-khamzat-chimaev-opinion-israel-adesanya-cash-cow-protected-kill-that-guy-middleweight-title) said the UFC won’t let him ‘kill’ Israel Adesanya.

[Tom Aspinall](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/ufc-news-tom-aspinall-completely-different-person-after-knee-surgery) feels like a different person after knee surgery.

[Shavkat Rakhmonov](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/ufc-news-shavkat-rakhmonov-interested-kelvin-gastelum-welterweight-mma-callout) wants to fight Kelvin Gastelum at 170.

[Tatiana Suarez](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Virna-JandirobaTatiana-Suarez-Among-3-Fights-Booked-for-Aug-5-UFC-Card-190025) vs. Virna Jandiroba at Strawweight is set for August 5th.

[Jan Blachowicz](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/5/22/23733566/jan-blachowicz-reveals-he-asked-for-alex-pereira-fight-ufc-promised-title-shot-with-a-win) wants to test his striking against Alex Pereira.

[Tyson Fury](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/tyson-fury-responds-dana-white-jon-jones-fight-must-be-boxing-rules) refuses Dana White’s offer to fight Jon Jones in the UFC.

[Ariel Helwani](https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-ariel-helwani-reveals-may-turn-offer-donald-trump-show) was offered to have Donald Trump as a guest on his show.


# Big Stories

* Dana White criticizes Francis Ngannou and the PFL
* Jim Brown, who called UFC 1, has died at the age of 87


# Dana White criticizes Francis Ngannou and the PFL

Since Dana White became the President of the UFC in 2001, he’s been ruthless toward those that have gone against him. He once famously held a tombstone with names of MMA promotions that collapsed, including Elite XC, Affliction, and more. Though his attitude has rubbed many people the wrong way, it was this same attitude that led the sport to explode into an industry worth billions of dollars. Dana has stayed relatively quiet on the topic of rival fight promotions in recent years, and that’s because the UFC has had such a strong lead against everyone else. That might be changing soon, and we got a glimpse of that last Saturday.

[Dana was asked about his thoughts on Francis Ngannou signing with the PFL](https://youtu.be/vtU4xp4jBEs?t=258) at the post-fight press conference for UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill. “Based on what I know about the deal, which is not much, it makes no sense to me. You’re going to pay a guy not to fight for a year, and it’s already been like 14 months. He’s fought three times in the last three years. Francis wants to take zero risks” Dana said.

In addition to ripping into Francis, Dana criticized the PFL, whom he’s been respectful of in the past. “I’m hearing that they’re raising money right now, $283 million, $300 million from the Middle East. Who in the hell would give them $280 million because I’m hearing they’re buying Bellator” Dana said. It’s been a long time since the UFC has felt threatened by another fight promotion. If the PFL does indeed raise that kind of money and purchase Bellator, you can expect the entire landscape of the sport to change.


# Jim Brown, who called UFC 1, has died at the age of 87

Jim Brown was known for a lot of things over the course of his life. He was an NFL player that was on the team that won the 1964 Championship, he was a Pro Football Hall of Famer, and he was a civil rights activist. In addition to these accolades, Brown is an important figure in MMA history, as he was a commentator for UFC 1 in 1993. “Bill, I’ve been around the toughest fighters in the world in Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson. I’ve been around the greatest NFL players, the tough guys, Dick Butkus, Sam Huff, all of those guys. But I tell you, they could not last in this ring.” Brown said at UFC 1.

He passed away on May 18th at this home. He’ll always be a part of the soundtrack of our sport.


# Videos of the Week

![Tyson Fury and Alex Pereira hangin' out^Two of the greatest strikers in combat sports history exchanging words.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCN6fEoYc1I](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1282c942-34b1-424e-e10a-7b55cb351e00/public?updated_at=2023-05-25T21:53:47.938Z) 

![Justin Gaethje gets pushed to the bushes^He got up and chased the dude down a parking lot.^https://www.instagram.com/p/Csl68JDJ9VL/?igshid=MmJiY2I4NDBkZg%3D%3D](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6adee6a0-ec5a-489a-9fd1-c86b914ec500/public?updated_at=2023-05-26T05:20:13.200Z) 

![DC talks about Conor McGregor and Jon Jones fighting at MSG^Cormier thinks there's a possibility that we'll see the two biggest stars in the UFC on one card.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MreVNg2JsPs](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4aec9788-b43b-41bc-81b3-4727b619a400/public?updated_at=2023-05-25T21:56:07.912Z) 

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.


Dana White gives his thoughts on the Francis Ngannou/PFL deal

An Endeavor representative confirmed this week that the name of the company that will operate the UFC and WWE will be TKO Group Holdings. It will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker TKO.


# Quick Hits

[Alex Pereira](https://verdictmma.com/news/jan-blachowicz-vs-alex-pereira/664) is moving up to 205 to fight Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291.

[Dustin Poirier](https://verdictmma.com/news/dustin-poirier-vs-justin-gaethje/663) will fight Justin Gaethje for the vacant BMF title.

[Francis Ngannou](https://verdictmma.com/news/francis-ngannou-signs-to-pfl/661) will fight for the PFL in 2024.

[KSI's](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/5/19/23729854/ksis-knockout-of-joe-fournier-overturned-due-to-accidental-elbow-strike) win against Joe Fournier has been overturned to a No Decision.

[Jailton Almeida](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/5/17/23724098/jailton-almeida-ufc-brazil-main-event-fight-tai-tuivasa-drink-beer) wants to fight Tai Tuivasa in a main event in Brazil.

[Daniel Cormier](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/daniel-cormier/daniel-cormier-applauds-francis-ngannou-for-setting-a-new-standard-in-the-free-agent-market/) believes Francis Ngannou has set a new standard in MMA.

[Aljamain Sterling](https://verdictmma.com/news/aljamain-sterling-vs-sean-omalley/640) vs. Sean O’Malley is set for UFC 292.

[Kron Gracie](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/5/15/23723841/kron-gracie-breaks-silence-ufc-288-loss-no-punches-bad-advices-mma-charles-jourdain) didn’t throw any punches at UFC 288 because of ‘bad advice’.

[Jessica-Rose Clark](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-Parts-Ways-with-JessicaRose-Clark-Chase-Sherman-Ji-Yeon-Kim-190006) and Chase Sherman are no longer on the UFC roster.

[Kyler Phillips](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/ufc-news-kyler-phillips-darrius-flowers-ostarine-suspensions) has been suspended for banned substances by the NSAC.

[Weili Zhang](https://verdictmma.com/news/zhang-weili-vs-amanda-lemos/667) will defend her title against Amanda Lemos at UFC 292.

[Tony Ferguson](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/ufc-291-tony-ferguson-vs-bobby-green-booked) vs. Bobby Green is finalized for UFC 291.

[Paulo Costa](https://verdictmma.com/news/paulo-costa-vs-ikram-aliskerov/666) will fight Dagestan’s Ikram Aliskerov at UFC 291.


# Big Stories

* Francis Ngannou has found a new home with the PFL
* Is the BMF title here to stay?


# Francis Ngannou has found a new home with the PFL

Francis Ngannou sent shockwaves through the fight game on Tuesday when it was announced that he signed an [exclusive MMA contract with the Professional Fighters League](https://pflmma.com/news/professional-fighters-league-and-francis-ngannou-announce-exclusive-global-mma-strategic-partnership). The former UFC Heavyweight Champion is targeting a debut in the PFL Smart Cage in early 2024. The historic contract signing guarantees Ngannou the terms he wanted when he became a free agent, including the right to box, a seat on the advisory board to represent fighter interests, equity ownership, becoming the Chairman of PFL Africa, and a guaranteed base of $2 Million for his opponent. 

When Ngannou entered free agency, he spoke about his desire to elevate the sport, and signing with the PFL has checked many of those boxes. In a sport that's often selfish, Ngannou made sure his future opponent would also reap financial rewards. The only Heavyweights making $2 Million per fight in the UFC are Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. Being Francis Ngannou’s debut opponent in the PFL is a sweepstake you can expect many to chase.

Now that his future in MMA is certain, Ngannou is narrowing down on a professional boxing debut in 2023. Competing inside the squared circle is something that Ngannou has talked about for a long time.


# Is the BMF title here to stay?

Just hours after Francis Ngannou revealed he signed with the PFL, UFC President Dana White revealed some shocking news himself, as he [announced that the BMF title is back](https://verdictmma.com/news/dustin-poirier-vs-justin-gaethje/663) and will be on the line in a rematch between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje at UFC 291. The first fight between the two took place in April 2018 when Poirier finished Gaethje by knockout after a back-and-forth war.

When Dana White made the announcement, he said that the BMF title was vacant because Jorge Masvidal is now retired. Masvidal defeated Nate Diaz for the title in November of 2019, which ended up being the final win of his career. This news is surprising because [Dana White initially said in 2019 that the title is one-and-done and would never be contested for again](https://www.mmafighting.com/2019/9/9/20854733/dana-white-bmf-belt-will-be-one-and-done-for-jorge-masvidal-vs-nate-diaz-winner).

Now that the BMF title is back in the mix, what’s next? If it’s being referred to as a ‘vacant’ title, does that mean this belt will be defended moving forward? It seems likely at this point. It used to be a novelty belt, but not anymore. The BMF title allows the UFC to hold PPV main events where no UFC title is involved. That was the case at UFC 244 when Jorge Masvidal fought Nate Diaz, and it’s the case now when Dustin Poirier fights Justin Gaethje at UFC 291.

# Videos of the Week

![Henry Cejudo discusses the Verdict Scorecard^Cejudo appeared on Episode 6 of Smack Talk with Sandhu with Chamatkar Sandhu for an exclusive interview and discussed the Verdict Scorecard and a wide range of topics.^https://youtu.be/XlcuCUGeF6o?t=518](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0d1f6f5c-ae4e-4060-222e-57f15692d000/public?updated_at=2023-05-18T19:52:38.986Z)

![Conor McGregor backstage after losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov^A clip from Conor McGregor's latest Netflix documentary 'McGregor Forever'.^https://twitter.com/sa_gwang/status/1658845019141287936?s=46&t=PxAIyfJkVxQxvHcmKmCXNQ](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/41797518-f345-4cb2-7d4b-f73fea64a400/public?updated_at=2023-05-18T19:55:01.618Z)

![Francis Ngannou announcing he's joined the PFL roster^Ngannou discussed why signing with the PFL made sense for this stage of his career.^https://youtu.be/ti4hI7GfAIU](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/780f5eec-0351-4393-c139-b5af967c5c00/public?updated_at=2023-05-18T19:52:39.673Z)

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Francis Ngannou's Contract with the PFL is unprecedented

There’s a weird thing happening with MMA media right now. It’s getting infiltrated by a genre of media that’s intention is to go viral. We saw that at the Nate Diaz/Jake Paul press conference this week when a troll asked Nate a stupid question about his brother Nick. Nate's response was great. [You can watch it here](https://twitter.com/SandhuMMA/status/1656014565543403520?s=20).

# Quick Hits

[Cédric Doumbé](https://verdictmma.com/news/c%C3%A9dric-doumb%C3%A9-signs-with-ufc/651), a legendary kickboxer, signed with the PFL.

[Paige VanZant](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsALQoNsTQY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MTIyMzRjYmRlZg==) is sick of being fat-shamed.

[Tom Aspinall](https://verdictmma.com/news/tom-aspinall-vs-marcin-tybura/650) vs. Marcin Tybura will headline UFC London in July.

[Robbie Lawler](https://www.postwrestling.com/2023/05/10/robbie-lawler-to-retire-after-ufc-290-fight-with-niko-price/) will retire after fighting Niko Price at UFC 290.

[Colby Covington](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/5/8/23715212/colby-covington-reacts-belal-muhammad-ufc-288-gilbert-burns-reveals-new-timeline-leon-edwards-fight) said Belal Muhammad has to fight again.

[Demetrious Johnson](https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-demetrious-johnson-wants-understand-gsp-khabib-nurmagomedov-retired) plans on consulting with GSP and Khabib on retirement.

[Ciryl Gane](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/ufc-news-coach-fernand-lopez-analysis-ciryl-gane-targeting-september-return-vs-sergei-pavlovich) wants to fight Sergei Pavlovich in September.

[Nate Diaz](https://www.mmanews.com/news/texas-commission-nate-diaz-tested-marijuana-jake-paul) will be subjected to marijuana testing for his Jake Paul fight.

[Rafael dos Anjos](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/4/29/23704769/report-rafael-dos-anjos-vs-vicente-luque-expected-to-headline-ufc-fight-night-on-july-15) vs. Vicente Luque postponed to the August 12 UFC event.

[Holly Hom](https://verdictmma.com/news/holly-holm-vs-mayra-bueno-silva/653) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva will headline the July 15th UFC event.


# Big Stories

* Jon Jones headlined the highest-grossing UFC PPV of the last 12 months
* Henry Cejudo’s last chance against Merab Dvalishvili


# Jon Jones headlined the highest-grossing UFC PPV of the last 12 months

Jon Jones is undeniably a box office attraction, and the data supports it. [Endeavor CFO Jason Lublin confirmed](https://www.si.com/fannation/mma/news/jon-jones-return-at-ufc-285-was-a-huge-ppv-success) this week that UFC 285, headlined by Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane, was the highest-grossing commercial PPV of the last 12 months. The official PPV numbers aren’t released, but if you estimate that the PPV sold 750,000 buys on ESPN+, that’s $60,000,000 in revenue. The gate for the event was $12,154,753.10, which made it the 4th highest-grossing UFC live gate of all time.

All of his Heavyweight fights will likely be blockbuster events moving forward. He’s hinted at retirement after a Stipe Miocic fight, but that could just be leveraging for a bigger contract. Jones has always wanted the biggest fight purses, and rightfully so. In traditional sports, the athlete that’s the greatest of all time always has the biggest contract. If anyone deserves ‘Conor McGregor money’ outside Conor himself, it’s Jon Jones. It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out.


# Henry Cejudo’s last chance against Merab Dvalishvili

Henry Cejudo has always reached the pinnacle of each sport that he’s competed in. It’s why he came back. He wanted to defeat Aljamain Sterling, defend his title against Sean O’Malley, then defeat Alex Volkanovski for the Featherweight title, becoming the only 3 division Champion in UFC history. But what happens when you fail to reach the pinnacle? Cejudo lost a split decision to Sterling and failed to reclaim his Bantamweight title. He took his gloves off after the fight and looked confused about whether he should retire on the spot or not.

Henry Cejudo isn’t going to be one of those fighters that will compete in non-title fights against random top 10 opponents. If he’s not competing for the highest stakes, he’s not going to compete at all. Though his next fight won’t be for a title, it will be a high-stakes situation as it’s likely that his career will be on the line. The day after UFC 288, [Cejudo called out Merab Dvalishvili](https://twitter.com/HenryCejudo/status/1655568469700534272?s=20), who’s become the boogeyman of the division. This is the perfect fight to make, given the circumstances. Merab won’t fight for the Bantamweight title as long as Sterling is the Champion and wants a big fight next. There’s no bigger fight for him in the division than Henry Cejudo. 

For Cejudo, fighting Dvalishvili is a litmus test for his career. If he bounces back and defeats an animal like Merab Dvalishvili, he leaves no doubt that he’s still one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. If he doesn’t, then his ultimate goal of fighting Alex Volkanovski will likely never happen. High stakes.

# Videos of the Week

![Conor McGregor gets violent with Michael Chandler^The trailer for the upcoming season of the Ultimate Fighter dropped this week and it showed Conor shoving Michael Chandler in his throat.^https://twitter.com/WonderbreadMMA/status/1656439309963255809?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d52faf30-018b-4f22-d29f-1c161eeb9200/public?updated_at=2023-05-12T01:11:23.007Z) 

![Captain Eric Albarracin references Verdict on the MMA Hour^Eric Albarracin and Ariel Helwani discussed the split decision result for Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo.^https://youtu.be/ZUDIFvaEk8o?t=142](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/8e32af57-bba7-4104-817f-2f9f2d523f00/public?updated_at=2023-05-12T01:11:22.757Z) 

![Demetrious Johnson announces ONE Fight Night 10 is on Verdict^ONE Championship made their debut on Verdict and it was Demetrious Johnson who announced it.^https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr3RmkNsa0H/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MTIyMzRjYmRlZg==](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/cd62e50e-fae2-4265-45bf-e86245121c00/public?updated_at=2023-05-12T01:11:23.222Z) 

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

The data shows Jon Jones is the biggest UFC Box Office Star

Michael Chandler is starting to get impatient waiting for Conor McGregor. Not only is there no date for the fight, McGregor still isn’t even in the USADA pool. He needs to be in the USADA pool for at least 6 months before being eligible to fight in the UFC. If he was to enter the pool today, the earliest he could come back and fight is in November. This fight is far away from being guaranteed to happen.

# Quick Hits

[Manny Pacquiao](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/5/3/23709687/manny-pacquiao-ordered-pay-5-1-million-paradigm-sports-after-losing-lawsuit-over-breach-of-contract) has been ordered to pay $5.1 million to Paradigm Sports after losing a lawsuit.

[Nate Diaz](https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1646192738239492096?s=20) and Jake Paul will have their first faceoff next Tuesday.

[Kamaru Usman](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/36620750/ufc-kamaru-usman-pitches-khamzat-chimaev-next-opponent) wants to fight Khamzat Chimaev.

[Jessica Andrade](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/ufc-288-jessica-andrade-wardrobe-change-shirt-instead-of-sports-bra) is ditching her bra and will wear a shirt when she fights.

[Conor McGregor](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/mma/conor-mcgregor-ufc-wwe-fight-29888081) teased going to the WWE to ‘compete’ against Roman Reigns.

[Jon Jones](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/jon-jones/jon-jones-not-interested-in-fighting-fellow-ufc-star-israel-adesanya-names-the-one-opponent-who-can-keep-him-from-retiring/) says he’s no longer interested in a fight against Israel Adesanya.

[Gilbert Burns](https://twitter.com/JakeNoeckerMMA/status/1653807906326818831?s=20) says Kamaru Usman is back at Kill Cliff training full-time.

[Sean O'Malley](https://www.mmanews.com/news/sean-omalley-gives-his-official-prediction-for-aljamain-sterling-vs-henry-cejudo-at-ufc-288) predicts Henry Cejudo will defeat Aljamain Sterling.

[Irene Aldana](https://verdictmma.com/news/amanda-nunes-vs-juliana-pena/624) will fight Amanda Nunes for the Bantamweight title at UFC 289.

[Paul Craig](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/ufc-news-paul-craig-announces-intention-middleweight-interested-sean-strickland) is moving to the Middleweight division.

[Deontay Wilder](https://www.tmz.com/2023/05/02/deontay-wilder-arrested-booked-gun-charge-los-angeles/) got arrested for alleged possession of a concealed weapon.


# Big Stories

* Henry Cejudo’s path to Alex Volkanovski
* BKFC had their TUF 1 finale moment last week


# Henry Cejudo's path to Alex Volkanovski

Henry Cejudo returns from a 3 year absence this weekend to take on Aljamain Sterling for the Bantamweight title he relinquished after defeating Dominick Cruz in 2020. Cejudo has accomplished perhaps what no athlete will ever accomplish again. [He won an Olympic Gold Medal at the age of 21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMfYzypKZ1o&ab_channel=facetofaceshooting) and became a 2 division UFC Champion. He's achieved what no one else will, so why's he back? Cejudo has a clear game plan and it can soon become a reality. He wants to fight Alex Volkanovski for the Featherweight title and become the only fighter in UFC history that's won 3 Championships in 3 weight classes. If he accomplishes that, it's hard to deny him as the greatest competitor in UFC history.

Cejudo spent most of his career in the Flyweight division, which is why he hasn't had many high profile fights. He now returns to Bantamweight, which is regarded as the most stacked division in the UFC. If he defeats Sterling, he has a blockbuster fight against Sean O'Malley lined up next. Winning these back to back fights will likely open up the door to Alex Volkanovski. The first step of the process takes place this weekend.


# BKFC had their TUF 1 moment last week

At the end of each Saturday, the combat sports world is usually discussing the UFC. This wasn't the case last week, as the talk of the town was BKFC and the viral moments that took place at the event. It was the most important event in the promotion's history, as they hosted marquee fights, including Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez vs. Chad Mendes. [The fight between Alvarez and Mendes is regarded as the best fight in BKFC history](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jJvpH1_QyQ&ab_channel=TheMacLife), as the two were competitive until the final bell. They scored 2 knockdowns each, including knocking each other down in the final 10 seconds of the fight.

To make the moment even bigger, Conor McGregor showed up to watch his former foes compete. McGregor has always had an affinity towards his former opponents, and that's why he was in the building. It was a competitive fight that left both men bruised and battered, with Alvarez earning a split decision win. Mendes announced his retirement from combat sports after the fight.

The main event saw Mike Perry do serious damage to the face of Luke Rockhold, shattering his teeth. Rockhold told the referee he couldn't continue, and the fight was ruled a TKO win for Perry. It was what happened after the fight that made BKFC the most discussed subject of the night. [Perry had a faceoff Conor McGregor which blew up the internet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4SJEI8_o8w&ab_channel=ESPNMMA). BKFC and their President David Feldman earned the respect of a lot of fans with the event. It's going to be interesting to see how they carry forward their momentum from this point.

# Videos of the Week

![Kron Gracie and Henry Cejudo have an awkward moment^Kron didn't want to sign posters with Henry Cejudo, so he walked out of the room.^https://twitter.com/JustTheFights/status/1654195584650326018?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/89fee197-0722-469d-282a-d968f414bf00/public?updated_at=2023-05-05T01:10:19.076Z) 

![Conor McGregor and Mike Perry face off in a BKFC ring^Conor McGregor wearing a BKFC belt while facing off with Mike Perry is something no one expected.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4SJEI8_o8w](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/69284341-3f11-4ebe-6447-b7b36ee61e00/public?updated_at=2023-05-05T01:10:18.779Z) 

![Fabricio Werdum looks shredded^It looks like Fabricio Werdum is ready to compete again, as he looks to be in the best shape of his career.^https://twitter.com/HelloJapan01/status/1651990624168550400?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1c6cd43c-fb84-4987-4099-0e7597bc0000/public?updated_at=2023-05-05T01:10:19.842Z) 


If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

Henry Cejudo's route to Alex Volkanovski

Sergei Pavlovich finished Curtis Blaydes by 1st round TKO and has separated himself from the rest of the division. He’s one 1st round knockout win away from tying Chuck Liddell’s record for the most consecutive 1st round knockout wins in UFC history, at 7. We never got Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones, but we can get the next best thing with Jon Jones vs. Sergei Pavlovich.

# Quick Hits

[Deiveson Figueiredo](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/4/27/23700088/midnight-mania-deiveson-figueiredo-not-medically-cleared-manel-kape-ufc-290-espn-flyweight) is out of his fight against Manel Kape at UFC 290.

[ONE Championship](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/4/26/23699732/chatri-sityodtong-confirms-francis-ngannou-talks-warns-hell-have-tough-time-in-one-championship) is in talks with Francis Ngannou.

[Floyd Mayweather](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/floyd-mayweather-john-gotti-fight-29827474) will fight Mafia Boss John Gotti's grandson on June 11.

[Ben Askren](https://twitter.com/Benaskren/status/1650945422511177731?s=20) broke the internet with a viral tweet.

[Gervonta Davis](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10073925-report-gervonta-davis-vs-ryan-garcia-fight-sold-12m-ppv-units-made-228m-gate) vs. Ryan Garcia sold more than 1.2 million PPV buys.

[Brendan Loughnane](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/4/26/23699116/brendan-loughnane-vs-jesus-pinedo-headlines-pfl-4-in-june) vs. Jesus Pinedo headlines PFL 4 on June 8.

[6 Power Slap](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/4/25/23697859/6-power-slap-competitors-suspended-nevada-for-numerous-banned-substances-steroids-and-narcotics) competitors have been suspended in Nevada for steroids and narcotics.

[Conor McGregor’s](https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1650726076048621568?s=20) comeback documentary is dropping on Netflix.

[Sean Brady](https://verdictmma.com/news/sean-brady-vs-jack-della-maddalena/612) vs. Jack Della Maddalena is in the works for UFC 290 in July.

[Walt Harris](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/After-2Year-Absence-Walt-Harris-Returns-Against-Josh-Parisian-at-UFC-Event-on-July-15-189836) is set to return against Josh Parisian at July 15 UFC event.

[The UFC](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-news-five-las-vegas-events-confirmed-apex-spring-summer-2023) has booked 4 events at the UFC Apex from May to July.


# Big Stories

* Nate Diaz has been charged with second-degree battery.
* Israel Adesanya really wants to fight Dricus Du Plessis.


# Nate Diaz has been charged with second-degree battery

Nate Diaz is no stranger to getting into brawls. We’ve seen it for years, from the Strikeforce Nashville brawl in 2010 to the EliteXC melee in 2008 and so on. Throughout it all, one thing has been constant. Nate Diaz has never faced any legal troubles for these incidents and has never been arrested. In fact, [Nate once tweeted](https://twitter.com/NateDiaz209/status/1506828071235555333?s=20) that UFC fighters need to stop getting arrested and acting like ‘irresponsible animals.’ Nate’s undefeated streak against the law came to an end last week when he was charged with second-degree battery after getting into a fight with YouTube personality Rodney Petersen on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Peterson is a well-known Logan Paul impersonator and looks very similar to him. He’s 1-0 as a pro boxer and is a BJJ Blue Belt. He walked up to Diaz on Bourbon Street and was unconscious a few seconds later after [Nate put him to sleep with a guillotine choke](https://twitter.com/Billyhottakes/status/1649841051987845120?s=20). Peterson later posted on social media that he would knock Nate out if he saw him again. Nate’s legal team is claiming that ‘Nate was acting in self-defense as Peterson is a trained fighter that aggressively approached him.’

On Thursday, [Ariel Helwani reported](https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1651580905188728833?s=20) that Nate voluntarily turned himself in to the New Orleans Police Department and has been granted a bond that allows him to continue to travel. This case will either be fought inside of a courtroom or settled outside, which could cost Diaz a lot of money.


# Israel Adesanya really wants to fight Dricus Du Plessis

Israel Adesanya sat down with his brother David on his YouTube channel Freestylebender this week and [discussed a variety of topics](https://youtu.be/rsnI1v2PS0g?t=5166). One of the most notable topics was Adesanya’s desire to fight Dricus Du Plessis next. Adesanya has defeated everyone in the top 5 of his division and some of them twice. DDP is ranked #6 and is the only fresh opponent for Adesanya. The problem is the UFC booked DDP to fight Robert Whittaker at UFC 290. When you fight Robert Whittaker and your name is not Israel Adesanya, you’re probably going to lose. Whittaker has defeated every fighter he’s fought in the last 9 years that’s not named Israel Adesanya.

After defeating Alex Pereira, Israel Adesanya said he wanted to fight fresh opponents. If that is the case, then fighting Robert Whittaker for the third time is something Adesanya certainly won’t be excited about. When news of the fight between DDP and Whittaker broke, [Adesanya quoted DDP’s tweet](https://twitter.com/stylebender/status/1649961684981936128?s=20) and said, “Please Win”. Not only does Adesanya want to fight DDP because he’s a fresh opponent, he wants to fight him because he strongly dislikes him.

They’ve traded barbs about their status of being African, which has bothered Adesanya. This is a feud that can get ugly real quick, as they’re already discussing the colonization of Africa from several years ago. Adesanya is a proud African man and has the continent tatted on his chest. Though he strongly dislikes him, no one will be rooting for DDP harder than Israel Adesanya at UFC 290.

# Videos of the Week

![Israel Adesanya goes in on Dricus Du Plessis^If these two end up fighting, you can expect a very heated build-up to the fight.^https://twitter.com/Chisanga_Malata/status/1651365718909235200?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9586341c-2318-413b-014c-e3a626d3c200/public?updated_at=2023-04-27T23:17:01.279Z) 

![Nate Diaz chokes out a Logan Paul lookalike ^Nate Diaz channeled his inner Jon Jones when he fought Lyoto Machida in this street fight.^https://twitter.com/Billyhottakes/status/1649841051987845120?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/40d6d827-1903-4831-7231-8d19aa848400/public?updated_at=2023-04-27T23:17:00.663Z) 

![Patchy Mix puts Raufeon Stots out with a knee^Mix became the interim Bellator Bantamweight Champion with this performance.^https://twitter.com/SandhuMMA/status/1649999402927370241?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e51af496-2abc-4f09-5b60-834237a55000/public?updated_at=2023-04-27T23:17:01.171Z) 

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

Nate Diaz Finishes a Street Fight with a Guillotine Choke 

Clay Guida swerved fight fans last week after he took off his gloves to signal a retirement following his loss to Rafa Garcia. Usually, when a losing fighter takes off their gloves, the UFC gives them a post-fight interview to call it a career. Guida got the mic after taking off his gloves off, but he told the audience in Kansas City that he wasn’t going anywhere. He wanted the mic to wish his mother a happy birthday. This pissed off Dana White, who said that these things mess up live TV production.

# Quick Hits

[Belal Muhammad](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/4/20/23692100/belal-muhammad-vs-gilbert-burns-set-to-co-headline-ufc-288-in-5-round-fight) vs. Gilbert Burns is set for 5 rounds at UFC 288.

[Bobby Green](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/04/ufc-fight-night-222-video-bobby-green) plans to legally change his name to ‘King’.

[Demetrious Johnson](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/one-championship/demetrious-johnson-reveals-retirement-possible-after-trilogy-with-adriano-moraes-i-dont-want-to-fight-for-two-more-years/) might retire after his upcoming fight.

[Jan Blachowicz](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/4/19/23689783/paulo-costa-calls-for-jan-blachowicz-fight-at-ufc-288-blachowicz-says-bout-was-offered-costa-said-no) vs. Paulo Costa is being discussed by the UFC.

[Jose Aldo](https://bloodyelbow.com/2023/04/18/jose-aldo-sorry-conor-mcgregor/) apologized to Conor McGregor after recently degrading him.

[Chris Curtis](https://verdictmma.com/news/nassourdine-imavov-vs-chris-curtis/605) vs. Nassourdine Imavov is targeted for UFC 289.

[Raquel Pennington](https://verdictmma.com/news/irene-aldana-vs-raquel-pennington-2/604) vs. Irene Aldana 2 will headline the May 20th UFC event.

[Dana White](https://middleeasy.com/mma-news/dana-white-confirms-alex-pereira-needs-to-beat-a-real-guy-before-getting-title-shot-at-light-heavyweight/#:~:text=Speaking%20to%20reporters%20in%20his,real%E2%80%9D%20contender%20in%20the%20division.) confirms Alex Pereira must fight a contender before a title shot at 205.

[Charles Oliveira](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/4/16/23685649/report-charles-oliveira-vs-beneil-dariush-being-rebooked-for-ufc-289) vs. Beneil Dariush is being moved to UFC 289 in Canada.

[Dricus Du Plessis](https://twitter.com/dricusduplessis/status/1648302960412172288?s=20) rejects Kelvin Gastelum's fight offer.

[Ilia Topuria](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/04/ufc-on-abc-5-news-josh-emmett-vs-ilia-topuria-moved-to-june-24-headliner) vs. Josh Emmett will headline the UFC's return to ABC.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Robert Whittaker is as confident as ever that he’ll defeat Israel Adesanya.
* Max Holloway and the Korean Zombie want to fight each other.


# Robert Whittaker is as confident as ever that he’ll defeat Israel Adesanya

It’s usually been the case in this sport that when you lose to a Champion twice, it’s unlikely that you’ll get a third shot at the same Champion. We saw it when [Georges St-Pierre defeated Josh Koscheck](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zata4fXAMU) twice and when Kamaru Usman defeated Colby Covington twice. You have to put in some real work if you want to challenge a Champion for the third time after losing twice before. This is why Robert Whittaker was pulling for Alex Pereira to defeat Israel Adesanya at UFC 287. Had Pereira won, Whittaker would have been next in line to challenge for the Middleweight title. 

Unfortunately for Whittaker, he’s back to being in a confusing spot as Israel Adesanya is once again the Middleweight Champion. He needs to do more work before challenging Adesanya again. Though this isn’t the best case for Whittaker at this time, Adesanya’s performance lit a fire under him. Seeing Adesanya compete at UFC 287 made Whittaker even more confident that he’s going to defeat him if and when they fight again. 

“_Izzy fought Pereira four times over the course of his career_,” Whittaker told Ariel Helwani on [the MMA Hour](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eylMdMBI-Js&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN). “_I’m only gonna need to fight Izzy three times because I will beat him that next time. I’m 100% confident that I will beat him that next time_.” Seeing Adesanya defeat Alex Pereira after losing to him 3x before inspired Whittaker to do the same to Adesanya but in one fight less.


# Max Holloway and the Korean Zombie want to fight each other

Max Holloway continues to prove that after Alex Volkanovski, he’s the best Featherweight on the planet. Last weekend, Holloway did what no fighter in 9 years and 12 fights has done: He defeated Arnold Allen. Prior to fighting Holloway, Allen looked spectacular in the UFC with a career record of 19-1. Had he won, Arnold would have guaranteed himself a title shot against the winner of Alex Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez. Holloway looked like the same fighter he was when he reigned as the king of the division.

Unfortunately for Alex Volkanovski, as long as Max Holloway is in his division, it looks like he’ll be killing off contenders before they can even make it to a title shot. Holloway has always fought the best of his division, but he now has his eyes set on a special attraction fight. He wants to compete against the Korean Zombie next, and [Zombie is down for it](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrI0Op_tmGd/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=c820e045-8aaa-4452-9815-994b630b0aa6). This is good news for the division, as it doesn’t kill off any prospective title contenders at Featherweight.

# Videos of the Week

![One of the best Flying Knees of all-time^Justin Vasquez landed one of the best flying knees you'll ever see at a Combate event this week.^https://twitter.com/Grabaka_Hitman/status/1634799075617910785?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7760d2e4-8e27-4e79-d49c-d18946918300/public?updated_at=2023-04-21T18:46:44.673Z) 

![A rare double retirement^Zak Cummings and Ed Herman both retired after their fight in Kansas City last week.^https://twitter.com/SandhuMMA/status/1647390202967605248?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ecf57f04-a043-47ed-d690-37bbfc519500/public?updated_at=2023-04-21T18:46:44.823Z) 

![Ryan Garcia appears on Hot Boxin' with Mike Tyson^Ryan Garcia spoke with Mike Tyson ahead of his super fight against Gervonta Davis this weekend.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7g4o3KtCpM&ab_channel=Hotboxin%27withMikeTyson](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/3bb14197-965c-4134-c3a5-025075ce8500/public?updated_at=2023-04-21T18:46:43.876Z) 

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.


Robert Whittaker is 100% sure he'll defeat Israel Adesanya

TJ Dillashaw revealed on Instagram that he needs a second shoulder surgery because the first one didn’t work. He was told by doctors that his shoulder will never be good enough to compete at a high level again. Many questioned whether Dillashaw was ‘retiring’ to get out of the USADA pool and recover the way Conor McGregor is. This might be the nail in the coffin for Dillashaw’s career.

# Quick Hits

[Nate Diaz](https://twitter.com/NateDiaz209/status/1646209252653150209?s=20) vs. Jake Paul is official for August 5th.

[Brandon Moreno](https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1646172538920214529?s=20) vs. Alexandre Pantoja 3 set for UFC 290.

[Shane Burgos](https://pflmma.com/event/2023-pfl-3) is making his PFL debut tonight.

[Sean O'Malley](https://twitter.com/MMAFighting/status/1646188060223086593?s=20) suggests that Raul Rosas Jr. should take 2 years off to train.

[Cynthia Calvillo](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/4/11/23679740/cynthia-calvillo-released-from-the-ufc-following-ufc-287-loss) has been released by the UFC.

[Robbie Lawler](https://twitter.com/UFCEurope/status/1645366727943806983?s=20) vs. Rory MacDonald 2 will be inducted to the UFC Hall of Fame.

[Amanda Nunes](https://verdictmma.com/news/amanda-nunes-vs-juliana-pena-3/583) vs. Julianna Pena is set for UFC 289.

[Leon Edwards](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhrVWFyUwdk&ab_channel=SkySports) won’t fight in July unless he gets a huge payday.

[Khabib Nurmagomedov](https://twitter.com/TeamKhabib/status/1646252841755869193?s=20) lists Jon Jones and Fedor as the greatest of all time.

[Henry Cejudo](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/ufc/henry-cejudo-believes-champion-status-awaits-kelvin-gastelum-at-welterweight-hed-be-a-lethal-lethal-weapon-at-170-pounds/) believes Kevin Gastelum could be Champion if he dropped to 170.

[Dana White](https://twitter.com/MMAJunkie/status/1644940839729201155?s=20) plans on going after the media if they instigate fights at press conferences.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Alex Pereira is moving to Light Heavyweight
* What’s next for Israel Adesanya?


# Alex Pereira is moving to Light Heavyweight

Alex Pereira lost by knockout to Israel Adesanya, but he still looked like one of the best strikers in the world prior to the stoppage. The fight was very competitive before the stoppage, with Pereira landing several leg kicks that affected Adesanya. For years, Israel Adesanya was levels above his opponents in the striking realm, but that wasn’t the case against Pereira. From a technical standpoint, these two are the best pure strikers in the UFC, and we’ve seen that in their last 2 fights.

[Pereira announced on Wednesday](https://twitter.com/AlexPereiraUFC/status/1646363746518941696?s=20) that he’ll be taking his talents to the Light Heavyweight division, confirming that his next fight will be at 205. Given what he’s already accomplished, it’s safe to assume that he doesn’t need to do much to compete for the Light Heavyweight title. [Pereira has already been going back and forth with Light Heavyweight Champion Jamahal Hill](https://twitter.com/MMADIRTcom/status/1646571825189601286?s=20), who is welcoming a fight against Pereira. This fight already has a built-in storyline, as Pereira would be moving up to avenge Glover Teixeira’s loss to Hill. Former Champion Jiří Procházka is guaranteed to get a title shot when he returns from injury, but the timetable for his return isn’t clear yet. If Hill wants a big fight in between, Alex Pereira is an option. Even if Pereira doesn’t receive an immediate title shot, the division has a lot of interesting options for him, including Jan Blachowicz, Khalil Rountree, and the winner of Anthony Smith vs. Johnny Walker.


# What’s next for Israel Adesanya?

Now that Alex Pereira has announced that he’s moving up to the Light Heavyweight division, talks of a trilogy fight between him and Adesanya are on pause. At the UFC 287 press conference, Adesanya told the media that he wants new opponents. The problem for Adesanya is that he’s already defeated everyone in the top 5 of his division, including Robert Whittaker and Marvin Vettori twice. The highest-ranked fighter that Adesanya hasn’t fought is Dricus Du Plessis, who’s ranked #6 in the Middleweight rankings.

Du Plessis is a fighter that brings action. He’s been competing in MMA for 10 years and has only been to a decision once in 21 professional fights. He’s currently on a 7 fight-winning streak and has finished Darren Till and Derek Brunson in back-to-back fights. He’s already on Adesanya’s radar as he’s claimed that he’ll become the first African-residing Champion in UFC history, which didn’t sit too well with Adesanya, who said [he wants to drag DDP’s carcass across South Africa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKfYLemzLlQ&t=78s&ab_channel=MMACrazy). Given the landscape of the division, don’t be surprised if DDP gets fast-tracked to a title shot if Adesanya does indeed want to fight new opponents.

# Videos of the Week

![Israel Adesanya's iconic celebration^Israel Adesanya always celebrates in style, but the celebration for UFC 287 was special.^https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oPpETNCOP-E](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/98838730-13e9-4677-3e79-00f87cb95d00/public?updated_at=2023-04-13T22:05:52.266Z) 

![Gilbert Burns apologizes to Jorge Masvidal^Gilbert Burns initially accused Jorge Masvidal of greasing in their fight but later apologized for the accusations.^https://twitter.com/GilbertDurinho/status/1645844223990611980?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b453055f-456d-4807-7f8e-99a46495f300/public?updated_at=2023-04-13T22:05:51.377Z) 

![Shane Burgos discusses his PFL debut^Shane Burgos appeared on Ariel Helwani's the MMA Hour to discuss his PFL debut and his plans for 2023.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG6ZWngUVag&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9fcf31cb-7f48-4695-1e05-5990e9175200/public?updated_at=2023-04-13T22:05:52.202Z) 

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

Alex Pereira is moving to Light Heavyweight

Alex Pereira has defeated Israel Adesanya 3x, but that still isn't enough to convince the oddsmakers that he'll defeat Adesanya again at UFC 287. Pereira is currently the betting underdog heading into the rematch at +117.

# Quick Hits

[The UFC](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/4/6/23672411/gilbert-burns-shows-off-new-ufc-glove-debuting-at-ufc-287) created new gloves to reduce eye pokes.

[Jorge Masvidal](https://verdictmma.com/news/jorge-masvidal-kevin-holland-altercation/575) and Kevin Holland got into an altercation.

[Jake Paul](https://twitter.com/PFLMMA/status/1644004675522539521?s=20) will make an appearance on tonight's PFL broadcast.

[Alex Volkanovski](https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1644004276711092225?s=20) vs. Yair Rodriguez is in the works for UFC 290.

[BKFC](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/4/4/23670440/bkfc-not-willing-to-shell-out-unrealistic-money-for-francis-ngannou-as-requested-mma) believes that Francis Ngannou is asking for unrealistic money.

[Robert Whittaker](https://middleeasy.com/mma-news/robert-whittaker-colby-covington-title-shot/) believes Colby Covington deserves a title shot.

[Kayla Harrison](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/professional-fighters-league/kayla-harrison-reveals-that-uncertainty-with-tournament-and-cris-cyborgs-future-could-lead-to-missing-all-of-2023-just-trying-to-stay-patient/) has no idea who or when she'll fight in 2023.

[Jairzinho Rozenstruik](https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1643335126733180928?s=20) vs. Jailton Almeida will headline the May 13 UFC event.

[Belal Muhammad](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/4/2/23664016/belal-muhammad-interested-leon-edwards-kamaru-usman-or-colby-covington-next-im-only-looking-upwards) isn't interested in fighting Shavkat Rakhmonov.

[Jose Aldo](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/04/gamebred-boxing-4-jose-aldo-disappointed-frustrated-judges-jeremy-stephens) is now being represented by Ali Abdel Aziz.

[Eddie Alvarez](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/04/mma-news-eddie-alvarez-wants-settle-2015-incident-nate-diaz-bkfc-fight-never-hash-out) wants to fight Nate Diaz in a bare-knuckle fight.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Israel Adesanya's mindset heading into UFC 287
* The PFL’s 2023 Season kicks off this Saturday


# The WWE and the UFC are merging

It's no surprise that the WWE was going to be acquired. WWE officials have discussed a possible sale of the company for the past year, as WWE CEO Nick Khan has been shopping the company around to prospective buyers. What did come as a surprise was who ultimately purchased the company.

It was [announced this Monday after Wrestlemania 39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9V23PY0XCc&ab_channel=CNBCTelevision) that Ari Emanuel's group Endeavor, who also owns the UFC, has acquired the WWE. The agreement will see the WWE and the UFC merge under a new publicly traded company, which is not yet named, listed on the New York Stock Exchange as "TKO." The transaction values the company at $21.4 Billion, with the enterprise value of the UFC at $12.1 Billion and WWE at $9.3 Billion.

Ari Emanuel will serve as the CEO of the new company, while Vince McMahon will serve as the Executive Chairman. Vince is technically higher on the organizational chart than Dana White, who will continue to serve as the UFC President. With the merger of these two powerhouse brands, both sides expect to take their product to the next level. The next 12 months will be very telling.


# Israel Adesanya's mindset heading into UFC 287

Since becoming UFC Champion in October 2019, Israel Adesanya has been criticized by many for coasting in a lot of his fights. This isn't something that's uncommon for fighters that become Champions. We saw it happen with Jose Aldo and Georges St-Pierre as well. Once they became Champions, they took fewer risks. Taking the most efficient path to victory had become the goal. Can you blame them? Fighters make a lot more money as long-reigning Champions.

You can see the difference when looking at Izzy's two fights against Robert Whittaker. He steamrolled him in the first fight, whereas he just got by in the rematch. He said after the rematch that it was Whittaker's job to take the belt from him. That's the difference in mentality between a hunter and a fighter just trying to defend his throne. A hunter puts it all on the line and goes for the kill.

[Adesanya says he's back to being the hunter](https://twitter.com/MMACrazy/status/1644037273413992448?s=20) heading into his fight against Alex Pereira at UFC 287. It's now on Adesanya to go and take the belt from Pereira. When you're fighting someone that's already defeated you 3x, you know you have to be better than what you've been because what you've been hasn't gotten the job done. Adesanya is one of the most intelligent fighters in the sport, and you can expect to see the best version of him at UFC 287.

# Videos of the Week

![Robert Whittaker and Alex Volkanovski dress up as WWE Legends^It looks like Whittaker and Volkanovski are excited about the WWE/UFC merger. Whittaker dressed up as Hulk Hogan and Volkanovski dressed up as Stone Cold Steve Austin.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVnIPGHqSH0&ab_channel=mainevent](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6088546f-76e3-40c9-49d4-18b752a84400/public?updated_at=2023-04-06T23:07:59.568Z) 

![Jorge Masvidal talking smack about Colby Covington^Masvidal speaks about the 3 felonies Covington charged him with and how it can prevent Covington for fighting for the title.^https://twitter.com/MMAJunkie/status/1643709421627797504?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b807abc3-d30f-4231-7509-d2fb96223f00/public?updated_at=2023-04-06T23:07:59.663Z) 

![A behind the scenes look at PFL 1^The PFL's production team is top notch, and you can see it in the way they produced a behind the scenes video of their season opener.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3L6PjcygwQ&ab_channel=PFLMMA](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/efb8c952-1353-4e4f-f0fa-0e620c363800/public?updated_at=2023-04-06T23:07:59.232Z) 

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

Vince McMahon is the Executive Chairman of WWE X UFC


This is the 30th edition of OverUnder. Thanks for joining along as we aim to bring you the most important stories of the week in a 3-4 minute read every Friday. OverUnder is the first and only major weekly newsletter in combat sports history.

# Quick Hits

[Jose Aldo](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/3/30/23659912/jose-aldo-floyd-mayweather-exhibition-saudi-arabia-jeremy-stephens-boxing-ufc) is in talks to box Floyd Mayweather in Saudi Arabia.

[Paddy Pimblett](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/mma/paddy-pimblett-ufc-fight-news-29566718) wants a rematch against Jared Gordon.

[Tim Sylvia](https://twitter.com/JohnMorgan_MMA/status/1641445171861639168?s=20) will compete in a slap fight on April 22nd.

[Donald Cerrone](https://verdictmma.com/news/donald-cowboy-cerrone-ufc-hall-of-fame/546) is being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

[Khamzat Chimaev](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/3/26/23652357/khamzat-chimaev-predicts-hell-finish-alex-pereira-in-first-minute-if-they-fight) thinks he can finish Alex Pereira in 1 minute.

[Ilia Topuria](https://verdictmma.com/news/josh-emmett-vs-ilia-topuria/552) vs. Josh Emett is in the works for June 17th.

[Cody Garbrandt](https://verdictmma.com/news/cody-garbrandt-offered-fight-against-dominick-cruz/544) was offered a Dominick Cruz rematch for July.

[The UFC](https://www.mmanews.com/news/date-reportedly-confirmed-for-next-ufc-london-here-are-3-potential-headliners) is targeting a return to London on July 22nd.

[UFC 289](https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1640830160860504068?s=20) is rumored to take place in Calgary, Alberta on June 10th.

[Charles Oliveira](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/ufc/charles-oliveira-plans-to-hunt-beneil-dariush-the-entire-fight-at-ufc-288-youll-see-me-get-knocked-down-dropped-and-get-back-up/) vows to ‘hunt’ Beneil Dariush at UFC 288.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Israel Adesanya's mindset heading into UFC 287
* The PFL’s 2023 Season kicks off this Saturday


# Israel Adesanya's mindset heading into UFC 287

When Israel Adesanya lost his Middleweight title to Alex Pereira at UFC 281, we knew he’d get an immediate rematch, given everything he accomplished in the division. What many didn’t expect was how fast the turnaround would be. Adesanya will compete against Alex Pereira 147 days after suffering a TKO loss to him. This was Adesanya’s 3rd loss to Pereira which includes 2 kickboxing fights. This is likely his last shot at Pereira, and that’s exactly how he’s viewing it. 

“_I’m hunting, and I mean that in every sense of the word. The mindset is different, definitely. Even Eugene and I are on the same page. I like it because it puts it all on me, and it’s kind of poetic in a way. One life: Roll the dice. This is my last shot, and I’m going to give it all I’ve got in every sense of the word_,” said Adesanya on his [YouTube channel](https://youtu.be/LCuAADHwKG8?t=446). Adesanya has always chased greatness. Losing to Pereira for the 4th time would mean that there was always someone there that had his number.


# The PFL’s 2023 Season kicks off this Saturday

There’s no UFC this weekend, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any MMA fights. The Professional Fighters League returns to ESPN on April 1st for the start of the 2023 Season. To be a successful MMA promotion in 2023, you need to be different, and that’s what the PFL is. Fighters compete in a season and accumulate points based on their performances. The goal is to advance to the playoffs and eventually to the Championship event, where fighters compete for a $1 Million prize.

The PFL upgraded their roster this year by signing Shane Burgos, Thiago Santos, and Marlon Moraes, who will all compete in the 2023 PFL season. For some fighters, not being in the UFC might seem like a downgrade, but the PFL has proved otherwise, especially from a financial point of view. Brendan Loughnane [was refused a UFC contract](https://twitter.com/MMAJunkie/status/1143919156129161216?s=20) on Dana White’s Contender Series because he shot for a takedown. He went on to become a millionaire in the PFL by winning the 2022 PFL Featherweight Championship. Now the likes of Thiago Santos and Shane Burgos have the opportunity to become millionaires themselves. If that happens, expect more fighters to join the PFL in the coming years.

# Videos of the Week

![The most incompetent refereeing in MMA^Edgar Cháirez puts Gianni Vazquez to sleep with a triangle, and the referee simply doesn't stop it. Cháirez ends up armbarring an unconscious Vazquez who wakes up in the submission.^https://twitter.com/Grabaka_Hitman/status/1639484900150575104?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9ae7eea9-8939-4bef-fb98-a2ca3cfee500/public?updated_at=2023-03-30T23:12:55.021Z)

![Merab Dvalishvili almost beats up a fan^Merab got mad at a fan that suggested he should fight Aljamain Sterling.^https://twitter.com/SandhuMMA/status/1640342193339596801?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/36f0cded-d5f0-4534-73d2-1c39f7975600/public?updated_at=2023-03-30T23:12:55.195Z)

![A look at the PFL Refcam^All PFL referees wear cameras that bring you closer to the action than anyone else can.^https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqV_MQUDsz_/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/16c89ddd-d835-4c72-96a8-41803955bf00/public?updated_at=2023-03-30T23:12:55.553Z) 

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

The PFL’s 2023 Season kicks off this Saturday

The fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for all four of the major Heavyweight boxing titles on April 29th has been officially canceled. Both sides are blaming each other for the cancellation and it looks like this fight will not happen any time soon. Unfortunately, this is something that’s common in the world of professional boxing. With Fury free, maybe it’s time to explore the fight with Francis Ngannou again.


# Quick Hits

[Jorge Masvidal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xKrHUIAXhE&ab_channel=MMAJunkie) has ‘insider information’ that he’ll fight Leon Edwards next if he defeats Gilbert Burns.

[Khamzat Chimaev](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93TBAv-OT0E&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN) confirms his next fight will be at Middleweight.

[Holly Holm](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10069722-holly-holm-agrees-to-new-6-fight-ufc-contract-ahead-of-fight-night-bout-vs-santos) signed a new 6-fight contract with the UFC.

[Fabricio Werdum](https://twitter.com/guicruzzz/status/1638617377733767168?s=20) is officially a free agent.

[Dustin Poirier](https://www.mmanews.com/news/dustin-poirier-responds-justin-gaethje-callout) is open to a rematch against Justin Gaethje.

[Justin Gaethje](https://themaclife.com/sports/mma/justin-gaethje-hits-out-at-unprofessional-michael-bisping-following-ufc-286/) believes Michael Bisping was biased in his commentary for Edwards/Usman 3.

[Alexa Grasso](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/3/21/23649007/alexa-grasso-targets-september-rematch-with-valentina-shevchenko-hopefully-in-mexico) is targeting a return to action in September.

[Colby Covington](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/03/ufc-news-colby-covington-khabib-nurmagomed-avoided-welterweight) believes Khabib Nurmagomedov was afraid of him.

[Marvin Vettori](https://youtu.be/ydneBrMlxAw?t=22) believes Robert Whittaker is a better fighter than Israel Adesanya.

[Conor McGregor](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/mma/conor-mcgregor-ufc-fight-news-29155522) vs. Michael Chandler could take place at Allegiant Stadium.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Does Colby Covington deserve a title shot?
* Paulo Costa agrees to a new 4-fight contract with UFC


# Does Colby Covington deserve a title shot?

When Colby Covington pressed charges against Jorge Masvidal last year, he went radio silent. For almost one year, Covington didn’t do a single interview and didn’t address if he was ever coming back. He returned to the spotlight last weekend when he weighed in as the backup fighter for the trilogy fight between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman. He ultimately wasn’t needed, but it looks like stepping on the weight scale has secured him a title shot against Leon Edwards. At the UFC 286 post-fight press conference, [Dana White confirmed that Covington would receive the next Welterweight title shot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAh9s0lNP3g&ab_channel=ESPNMMA) regardless of what happens between Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns.

The question now becomes, does Covington deserve a title shot? It really depends on how you view the sport. From an entertainment standpoint, Covington would generate the most buzz. [He’s already referencing the American Revolutionary War of 1776](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvT4Eefyw9w&ab_channel=RhyanSledge) and is setting up a US vs. UK theme for the fight. From a merit standpoint, it’s hard to justify Covington receiving a title shot over Belal Muhammad, who’s won 8 straight fights, while Covington is 2-2 in his last 4.

While Covington has been squatting on his position and wanting only ‘money fights,’ Muhammad has been fighting everyone the UFC has offered him. Muhammad defeated two consecutive top 5 opponents, then was offered undefeated Sean Brady, who was behind him in the rankings. Not only did Muhammad end his winning streak, he finished him. [The UFC now wants Muhammad to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzOAAhoBZJc&t=37s&ab_channel=MMACrazy), who is again behind him in the rankings. If Covington refuses to fight backwards, why should Muhammad? It’ll come down to whether the title shot is based on entertainment or merit.


# Paulo Costa agrees to a new 4-fight contract with UFC

It seems like the standstill between Paulo Costa, and the UFC is finally coming to an end, as Costa confirmed this week that he’s agreed to a new [4-fight contract](https://www.thescore.com/mma/news/2608649) with the promotion. He hasn’t signed the contract yet, but both parties seem to have come to an agreement. The UFC announced late last year that Costa would be fighting Robert Whittaker in Australia at UFC 284 but scratched the plan because Costa didn’t sign a bout agreement.

Costa also revealed that the UFC approached him with an offer to face Sean Strickland in May or face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. Costa is intent on fighting both opponents in back-to-back fights this year.

# Videos of the Week

![One of the coldest moments to take place during a UFC intro^Leon Edwards didn’t let Kamaru Usman intimidate him, reminding him of the headshot.^https://youtube.com/shorts/nMP71tlxFbs?feature=share](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/679f314d-240f-4eb7-8039-0fb89f63c800/public?updated_at=2023-03-23T20:41:20.919Z)

![Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo get heated^Sterling and Cejudo appeared on the most recent episode of DC and RC and got into it.^https://youtu.be/OcNXq8Q9Tz4](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ed0535d7-ffcf-48e8-31af-828ed4798c00/public?updated_at=2023-03-23T20:41:20.516Z)

![Alex Pereira makes a reaction video to Israel Adesanya reacting to Edwards/Usman 3^Whatever Israel Adesanya does, Alex Pereira is there watching.^https://twitter.com/sandhumma/status/1637653044274905088?s=46&t=PxAIyfJkVxQxvHcmKmCXNQ](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/153ca4af-8357-4747-5a7a-666ae64ba200/public?updated_at=2023-03-23T20:41:20.417Z)

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

Does Colby Covington deserve a title shot?

UFC 289 is rumored to take place in Canada on June 10th. This would be the first PPV in Canada since UFC 231 in Toronto, when Max Holloway handed Brian Ortega his first career loss. If the promotion is to return to Canada, the likely frontrunners for the card are Vancouver and Toronto.

# Quick Hits

[Alex Pereira](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/ufc/alex-pereira-taunts-rapper-drake-ahead-of-his-ufc-287-rematch-with-israel-adesanya-i-hope-this-time-you-bet-on-the-right-person/) warns Drake not to bet against him again.

[Glover Teixeira](https://sports.yahoo.com/glover-teixeira-couldn-t-stay-210015720.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFMtfzylyhTxeMiErIlYM6PsB4cj-JGiFDEPTlYRPrHrWO8f2dKqjEttVQlBiBwn2z9bPvRiR6DNadOq7QUNDVsryefgl7DPeHx_QfqvgiWN5sTNIzuAbbkPWJpIH9tpkhKpR7jgnhv7jmXpLWZPJCV-NvqtwS4YEJkccjV_SEvi) is open to box against someone his age.

[Henry Cejudo](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/03/ufc-news-henry-cejudo-says-merab-dvalishvili-easy-money) believes a fight against Merab Dvalishvili would be easy money.

[Dana White](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/3/13/23637494/dana-white-believes-jon-jones-wouldve-handled-francis-ngannou-the-same-way-he-did-ciryl-gane-ufc-285) believes Jon Jones would have finished Francis Ngannou.

[UFC 294](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-returns-to-uae-for-epic-ufc-294-october-21-2023-in-abu-dhabi) will take place in Abu Dhabi in October.

[Francis Ngannou](https://www.tmz.com/2023/03/14/francis-ngannou-deontay-wilder-former-heavyweight-champ-boxing-match-jon-jones-dana-white-ufc/) says Deontay Wilder is the frontrunner for his boxing debut.

[Demian Maia](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/3/15/23639368/white-belt-demian-maia-commentated-1000-old-fights-prepare-ufc-commentary-gig) practiced commentary on 1000 fights to prepare for his official commentary debut.

[Alistair Overeem](https://verdictmma.com/news/alistair-overeem-tests-positive-for-banned-peds/515) is suspended for 1 year by Glory Kickboxing for PED’s.

[Justin Gaethje](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/3/15/23641795/justin-gaethje-im-most-exciting-fighter-has-ever-stepped-in-that-octagon-in-history-of-this-sport) believes he’s the most exciting fighter in MMA history.

[Canelo Alvarez](https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/64957911) will compete in Mexico for the first time in 12 years this May.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Conor McGregor is beefing with USADA
* Merab Dvalishvili breaks a Cain Velasquez record


# Conor McGregor is beefing with USADA

Conor McGregor made a surprise appearance on a prime-time version of [the MMA Hour](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtOtXWEm9do&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN) with Ariel Helwani on Wednesday and confirmed that he’s still not in the USADA testing pool. McGregor dismissed the idea of needing to be in the testing pool for 6 months before returning to action.

He told Helwani that he has a meeting scheduled with USADA and he needed just 2 clean tests to return to action. McGregor exited the USADA testing pool to treat the leg break injury he suffered against Dustin Poirier in July of 2021. Though he dismissed having to partake in a 6 month testing period, USADA disagrees.

USADA confirmed to [TSN Sports](https://twitter.com/aaronbronsteter/status/1636387322488066049) that they want McGregor in the testing pool for the full 6 month period before he can return to action against Michael Chandler. McGregor can only bypass this rule if the UFC exercises its right to make an exception. Brock Lesnar was previously granted an exception to this rule before he returned to action against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in 2016. It's is a decision that will likely come down to the discretion of the UFC brass.


# Merab Dvalishvili breaks a Cain Velasquez record

Merab Dvalishvili put on the best performance of his career last weekend when he drowned Petr Yan in a 5 round unanimous decision win. He smashed the [all-time record](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-fight-night-221-post-event-facts-merab-dvalishvili-sets-takedown-attempt-record) for the most takedown attempts in a UFC fight, going 11 of 49. This broke Cain Velasquez’s previous record of 33 takedown attempts against Junior dos Santos at UFC 155. That’s a 48% increase by Merab and an average of almost 10 takedown attempts per round.

With a decisive win against Yan, Merab proved he might just be the best Bantamweight fighter in the world. The question now becomes, what’s next? He’s the #1 ranked Bantamweight and has no plans of challenging for the title anytime soon as his friend and training partner Aljamain Sterling holds the title. The only feasible option is to fight the winner of Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen, as the UFC wants Sean O’Malley to challenge for the title after Henry Cejudo. The problem with that is, if Vera wins, how can you give Sean O’Malley a title shot over Vera, considering Vera finished him by 1st round TKO? It’s interesting times in the most stacked division in the sport.

# Videos of the Week

![Kamaru Usman impersonates Leon Edwards' cornerman^Usman nailed the British accent and impersonated Leon's corner after the 4th round.^https://twitter.com/SandhuMMA/status/1636424065803075584?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2d928ad0-a11a-4807-51b9-9615138b0800/public?updated_at=2023-03-17T00:31:42.130Z)

![Conor McGregor talks Dillon Danis^McGregor told Ariel Helwani that Dillon Danis is a good kid and good for the sport.^https://twitter.com/MMAFighting/status/1636393467193466880?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9f8b12b3-5ce0-429a-1371-e5987f0ee700/public?updated_at=2023-03-17T00:31:42.195Z)

![OnlyFans girls compete in MMA^Two OnlyFans girls kiss at their weigh-ins before their MMA fight in the Czech Republic.^https://twitter.com/MMAFighting/status/1636393467193466880?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/adccaa54-2ac9-42e1-2a86-d4125f08a500/public?updated_at=2023-03-17T00:31:42.778Z)

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

Conor McGregor and USADA are Beefing

The UFC’s broadcast partnership with ESPN is set to expire at the end of 2024. There’s one year left until WME CEO Ari Emanuel can start negotiating a new deal. He confirmed this week that he has a great relationship with ESPN but there are ‘a lot of buyers’ for the next UFC broadcast rights deal in the United States.

# Quick Hits

[Kron Gracie](https://www.sportsnet.ca/ufc/article/canadian-featherweight-charles-jourdain-to-face-kron-gracie-at-ufc-288/) returns against Charles Jourdain at UFC 288.

[Deiveson Figueiredo](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/ufc/deiveson-figueiredo-calls-to-face-dominick-cruz-in-bantamweight-debut-would-be-a-great-first-fight/) wants to fight Dominick Cruz next.

[Nick Diaz](https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2023/3/9/23631585/nick-diaz-wants-to-fight-as-soon-as-possible-just-not-against-jon-jones-ufc-285-mma-news) wants to fight guys like Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira.

[Mike Swick](https://twitter.com/officialswick/status/1633642619241922561?s=46&t=GhtqDcds9BwZN3QWavB33g) announces he’s cancer free.

[Gable Stevenson](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1222801/gable-steveson-eyeing-2024-olympic-gold-medal-chase-ahead-of-upcoming-wwe-debut/) is targeting a 2nd Olympic Gold Medal in 2024.

[The NAC](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/3/8/23631590/nac-no-conclusive-video-evidence-illegal-groin-strike-on-jamie-pickett-ufc-285-loss-to-bo-nickal) find no evidence of a groin strike from Bo Nickal against Jamie Pickett.

[Brandon Gibson](https://twitter.com/MMAFighting/status/1633564731406417922?s=20) believes Jon Jones will retire early.

[Francis Ngannou](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/03/francis-ngannou-reacts-jon-jones-ufc-285-win-superfight-will-never-happen-now) believes a fight against Jon Jones will never happen.

[Miesha Tate](https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2023/3/8/23630906/miesha-tate-mayra-bueno-silva-set-ufc-event-june-womens-mma-news) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva set for June 3.

[Jon Jones](https://www.ufc.com/rankings) takes the pound-for-pound #1 spot in the official UFC rankings.

[Merab Dvalishvili](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/03/ufc-fight-night-221-video-merab-dvalishvili-blasts-petr-yan-human-angry) believes Petr Yan is not a good human.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Daniel Cormier refuses to call Jon Jones the GOAT
* A Lee Murray documentary will be released next month


# Daniel Cormier refuses to call Jon Jones the GOAT

The way Jon Jones submitted Ciryl Gane stunned a lot of people, including his former rival Daniel Cormier. People expected the fight to be competitive but we got a blowout instead. Jones came back after three years and submitted the Heavyweight division’s top contender in two minutes and four seconds. You could see the disbelief on the faces of Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier from the [booth reaction video](https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1633194086806216705?s=20). Jon Anik immediately referred to Jones as the greatest of all-time and Rogan called him the GOAT during the post-fight interview.

During [his show DC & RC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=883&v=xZptd6ox0po&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=ESPNMMA) with Ryan Clark, Cormier said he couldn’t consider Jones the GOAT. “_I think it’s hard to really argue the greatest of all time when Jones has now gone up to heavyweight and won the championship because of what he did at light heavyweight_,” Cormier said. “_I think especially with the drugs and the steroid failures and those types of things. I think when you have those things, it’s hard to call you the greatest of all time_”. Cormier also stated that he doesn't think Jones should be ranked above Alex Volkanovski as the pound-for-pound #1 fighter in the world.


# A Lee Murray documentary will be released next month

Lee Muray has one of the most interesting stories in combat sports history and it will finally be told in a 4 part documentary series by Showtime Sports on April 7. Directed by two-time Emmy winner Pat Kondelis, the series titled [Catching Lightning](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq6hBgDIZS4&ab_channel=SHOWTIMESports) will chronicle “Lightening” Lee Murray’s story of fighting in the UFC and his role in one of the [largest bank robberies in history](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGy7Et37zwA) with £52,996,760 in cash stolen. That’s the equivalent of $92 Million USD.

Less than two years before the bank robbery, [Lee Murray fought Anderson Silva](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFhg5CvBciI&t=73s&ab_channel=TheUFCGuy) in Cage Rage and lost a decision. Murray competed in the UFC once, submitting Jorge Rivera in the 1st round at UFC 46. He made his entrance to the Octagon wearing a Hannibal Lecter mask and felt like a star. He’s also rumored to have knocked out Tito Ortiz in a street fight outside a London nightclub in 2002. If he stayed on track, he might have been the UFC’s first big British star.

# Videos of the Week

![Conor McGregor poses with Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili^McGregor has once again immersed himself in the fight game. He met with Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili at the UFC PI in Las Vegas.^https://twitter.com/SandhuMMA/status/1633968153989378051?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/be2ff040-b5b3-40a0-f4d4-bf4443c3a100/public?updated_at=2023-03-10T00:48:14.337Z)

![Francis Ngannou reacts to Jon Jones winning^Ngannou admired Jones's win against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5tgO7kIxns&ab_channel=FrancisNgannou](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d0d128ee-593b-455f-5dda-a68691da3500/public?updated_at=2023-03-10T00:48:14.532Z)

![Sergei Pavlovich looks like a monster^Pavlovich shadow boxed on the beach and showed his hand speed..^https://www.instagram.com/reel/CpkvEdwOMcz/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/914973a5-9f62-4bf5-caaa-7187f226d700/public?updated_at=2023-03-10T00:48:14.528Z)

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

Daniel Cormier refuses to call Jon Jones the GOAT

Jon Jones might have lost his abs, but he’s gained a lot of strength. He’s been on a 4000-4500 calorie per day diet plan since deciding to become a Heavyweight. He’s deadlifting 640 lbs and squatting 520 lbs.

# Quick Hits

[Charles Oliveira](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/3/2/23621076/charles-oliveira-never-watch-loss-islam-makhachev-demands-title-shot-ufc-288-beneil-dariush) will never watch his fight with Islam Makhachev back.

[Luke Rockhold](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Luke-Rockhold-vs-Mike-Perry-Eddie-Alvarez-vs-Chad-Mendes-Booked-for-BKFC-41-189308) will fight Mike Perry in a bare-knuckle fight on April 21st.

[Eddie Alvarez](https://middleeasy.com/mma-news/eddie-alvarez-mcgregor-chandle-mismatch/) predicts Conor McGregor will knock out Michael Chandler.

[Sergei Pavlovich](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Sergei-Pavlovich-Slated-to-Be-Backup-Fighter-for-UFC-285-Main-Event-189297) is the backup fighter for Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane.

[Francis Ngannou](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/02/ufc-285-francis-ngannou-says-jon-jones-multiple-personalities-switching-stance) says Jon Jones has multiple personalities.

[Tatiana Suarez](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/28/23615367/tatiana-suarez-loves-rose-namajunas-matchup-nixes-carla-esparza-rematch-i-would-catch-a-case-twice) wants to fight Rose Namajunas next.

[Dricus Du Plessis](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/03/ufc-285-video-dricus-du-plessis-upset-about-preliminary-card-placement) is upset about fighting on the prelims and not the main card.

[Paddy Pimblett](https://www.combatsportsuk.co.uk/paddy-pimblett-islam-makhachev-was-holding-on-for-dear-life-at-ufc-284/) believes Makhachev was hanging on for dear life against Volkanovski.

[The UFC](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/28/23619576/ufc-generated-record-revenues-in-2022-including-the-best-sponsorship-year-ever) generated record revenues in 2022 including the best sponsorship year ever.

[Georges St-Pierre](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnxmSzLhgzn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) acknowledges his physical abilities are diminishing.

[Nate Diaz](https://twitter.com/NateDiaz209/status/1630047486403579905?s=20) has planted the seeds for a potential fight against Logan Paul.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Jon Jones is bringing David Goggins to fight week
* Darren Till has been released from the UFC
* Dana White tried to overturn Jon Jones’ DQ loss to Matt Hamill


# Jon Jones is bringing David Goggins to fight week

Jon Jones says he lacked motivation in his last few fights, which made for dull performances. Many questioned whether the dull performances were caused by a regression in skill or if Jones was truly unmotivated. After stepping away from the Octagon for more than 3 years, Jones says his passion for the sport has been reinvigorated. He’s moving up to a weight class 65 lbs heavier than the weight class he once ruled. He’s entered a weight class where he doesn’t hold a significant size advantage, which has forced him to be at his best. To add to his motivation, Jones is bringing in [ultra-marathon runner David Goggins to his fight week for extra fuel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CpJbjnBJYyQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link).

Goggins is a former US Navy Seal that became famous for his intense fitness regime and attitude of never quitting. He has over 6 million followers on Instagram and has appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast multiple times. In addition to being an ultra-marathon runner, [Goggins once held the Guinness World Record for pull-ups completing 4,030 in 17 hours](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1yiAQ7S1ac&ab_channel=DISCIPLINEEQUALSFREEDOM). If you ever need extra motivation, having David Goggins with you during the week of your Heavyweight title fight will certainly do the trick.


# Darren Till has been released from the UFC

In what came as a surprise to many, Twitter bot account [UFC Roster Watch](https://twitter.com/UFCRosterWatch/status/1630716501199134720?s=20) revealed this week that Darren Till is no longer a member of the UFC roster. The release comes 3 months after Till was submitted by rising contender Dricus du Plessis at UFC 282. [Till later clarified on Twitter](https://twitter.com/darrentill2/status/1630871412402450433?s=20) that he was the one that asked the UFC to be released and that he still has a good relationship with Dana White and Hunter Campbell, who is the Chief Business Officer of the UFC.

After Till finished Donald Cerrone in October of 2017, many expected him to be a future UFC Champion. [Dana White even posted a picture of Till on his Instagram after the fight with a caption that read “The Future”](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bah_ylmB7FV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link). Dana has never since posted about a fighter in a similar context. Till was undefeated when he challenged Tyron Woodley for the UFC Welterweight title in September of 2018 and lost the fight by submission. Till never looked the same and went 1-5 in his last 6 UFC fights.

A few hours after tweeting about his UFC release, [Till tweeted a bunch of boxing glove emojis along with money bags](https://twitter.com/darrentill2/status/1630988545325166592?s=20) signaling that he would be competing in boxing next. This could be a great fit for Till because he has name value that promotions outside the UFC would pay a lot for, and he wouldn’t need to worry about grappling, which is something he’s struggled with.


# Dana White tried to overturn Jon Jones’ DQ loss to Matt Hamill

Jon Jones has only one loss on his professional record, and that came against Matt Hamill in December of 2009. However, this wasn’t a fight that Jones actually ‘lost’. He was disqualified for hitting Hamill with illegal 12-6 elbows by referee Steve Mazzagatti. [This was during a fight that Jones was dominating](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoYWbBo3UCw&ab_channel=aceydoppa). In fact, while Jones reigned down strikes against Hamill while in full mount, he looked at referee Steve Mazzagatti to see why he wasn’t stopping the fight. After Jones threw a few 12-6 elbows, the referee paused the fight to take a point away from Jones. However, Hamill couldn’t get up because he was battered. The fight was waived off, and it was ruled as a disqualification loss for Jones.

This was highly controversial at the time, as many believed the fight should have been called off way before the 12-6 elbows or be ruled a no contest instead of a loss. 14 years later, this remains as the only official loss on Jones’s record. [Dana White confirmed to Jim Rome](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWZxj8v_lVE&ab_channel=TheJimRomeShow) this week that he tried to speak with the Nevada State Athletic Commission to get the DQ overturned to a win, as he believes Jones should have a professional record of 27-0.

As a promoter, there’s nothing better than promoting a fighter as undefeated. When most people think about Khabib Nurmagomedov, the first thing they think about is his perfect record. You’ve got to wonder how much more popular Jones would have been throughout the years as a mainstream star if he had been promoted as an undefeated fighter.


# Videos of the Week

![A fan gets Jon Jones hyped^The energy is starting to build at UFC 285 fight week. A fan gave Jon Jones a glimpse of how he'll be announced by Bruce Buffer.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQwVEc-4DnE&ab_channel=FULLSENDMMA](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4513b723-8519-4815-98e9-bdb6e1c3db00/public?updated_at=2023-03-03T00:14:26.479Z)

![Conor McGregor and Wonderboy train^Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson will make an appearance on the upcoming season of the Ultimate Fighter as he was brought in by Conor McGregor for a training session.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT6pvodkjJg&t=7s&ab_channel=Lieutenant%27sLoftMMA](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/79c2e301-4301-47cd-67aa-a748e5e05000/public?updated_at=2023-03-03T00:16:12.023Z)

![Bo Nickal and Jon Jones wrestle^Bo Nickal feels like he got the better of Jon Jones in this wrestling exchange.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDy5G-YOHuw&t=8s&ab_channel=TheMacLife](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/bbf6fbb0-eaf9-40e8-90bd-906675c1f900/public?updated_at=2023-03-03T00:14:26.313Z)

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

Jon Jones is bringing in David Goggins

The Francis Ngannou sweepstakes in the world of professional boxing is an ongoing story. Ngannou’s head coach Eric Nicksick confirmed to MMA Junkie Radio that a boxing fight is likely next for Ngannou, and the most interesting potential opponent for the team is Deontay Wilder.

# Quick Hits

[Rampage Jackson’s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liz0wutfF5c&ab_channel=CVVCLIPS) dreams of becoming a pro wrestler were killed by the Undertaker at 17.

[Jon Jones](https://youtu.be/ANVHuKNNZIg?t=79) reveals he’s hit 250 lbs.

[Beneil Dariush](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/2/22/23610917/ufc-288-odds-beneil-dariush-opens-early-betting-favorite-over-former-champion-charles-oliveira-mma) opens as a betting favorite against Charles Oliveira at UFC 288.

[Sergei Pavlovich](https://verdictmma.com/news/Pavlovich-vs-blaydes/487) vs. Curtis Blaydes will headline the UFC event on April 22.

[Tyron Woodley](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/exclusive-interviews/tyron-woodley-interested-in-facing-jake-paul-in-pfl-blasts-people-for-saying-he-took-a-dive-if-you-stand-still-and-let-someone-punch-you-as-hard-as-they-can-you-can-die/) wants to fight Jake Paul in the PFL.

[Aljamain Sterling](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/35706161/ufc-finalizing-aljamain-sterling-henry-cejudo-title-fight) vs. Henry Cejudo is being finalized for UFC 288.

[Erin Blanchfield](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNgZxNmyeRI&ab_channel=TheSchmo) wants to fight Valentina Shevchenko in July.

[William Knight](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/21/23609526/william-knight-no-longer-with-ufc-following-much-maligned-performance-against-marcin-prachnio) has been released from the UFC following his bizarre performance.

[Ryan Bader](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/21/23605816/michael-chandler-assistant-coaches-revealed-for-tuf-31-including-bellator-champ-ryan-bader) will serve as an assistant coach to Michael Chandler on TUF 31.

[Jake Paul](https://twitter.com/jedigoodman/status/1628517728867991552?s=20) has been in talks with Francis Ngannou to join the PFL.

[Jessica Andrade](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/mma/jessica-andrade-ufc-fight-news-29280511) says her breast popped out during her loss to Erin Blanchfield.

[MacKenzie Dern](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Mackenzie-Dern-vs-Angela-Hill-Added-to-UFC-Fight-Night-on-May-13-189238) vs. Angela Hill is set for May 13th.

[Ben Askren](https://www.instagram.com/p/Co2fdvWp_9n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) was dethroned by MMADro in last week's featured Tournament.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Islam Makhachev’s mother wants him to retire
* Ciryl Gane admits to being lazy when it comes to training
* Eugene Bareman wanted Israel Adesanya to have a longer break before rematching Alex Pereira


# Islam Makhachev’s mother wants him to retire

Islam Makhachev has followed the lead of Khabib Nurmagomedov throughout his career. He was trained under the tutelage of Khabib’s late father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, and shares the same cultural values as Khabib. One of those values is family. Khabib [suddenly retired](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05HuTGeF5AA&ab_channel=UFC-UltimateFightingChampionship) from fighting because of a request from his mother. She didn’t want Khabib fighting without his father in his corner. Khabib promised her that he’d retire after fighting Justin Gaethje, and he did. He retired at the top of the sport as the pound-for-pound #1 ranked fighter on the UFC roster. 

When you retire at the top of the sport the way Khabib did, it’s hard to have any regrets. He reached a goal that only a few fighters ever achieve. It’s a goal that Islam Makhachev is still chasing, the pound for pound #1. After his fight with Alex Volkanovski, [Islam’s mother asked him to retire from the sport](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akNeoMcCx1A&ab_channel=RedCornerMMA). “_When I came home, there were a lot of people there. She said, ‘You’re a champion now. Wrap it up. Khabib listened to his mother. When will you listen to yours?’ “I told her Khabib defended his title and I need to do the same. It’s a hard topic for my mother_” said Islam when speaking with UFC Russia. Islam is still ambitious and wants to continue to fight, but it will be interesting to see for how long.


# Ciryl Gane admits to being lazy when it comes to training

Ciryl Gane did an interview with the [French outlet La Sueur](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU3E4c5Y3Wc&ab_channel=LaSueur) where he told them he was lazy when it comes to training. “_I love grappling, but unfortunately, I’m lazy, that’s the truth. I only train when a fight is announced. I have a lot of media obligations. Professional opportunities outside of the sport. You can’t say no to all these things. I also have to give time to my family, rest well_ ”.

Gane is a naturally gifted athlete and has been fighting in MMA for less than 5 years. He’ll be taking on Jon Jones, who arguably has the greatest fight IQ of any fighter that’s ever competed. While Gane only trains when a fight is announced, Jones is a student of the game that’s never stopped learning since entering the sport. Experience is where Jones will have a significant advantage in this fight. 

While Gane’s comments came as a surprise to many, Jones thinks it’s a trap. He [tweeted](https://twitter.com/JonnyBones/status/1628533120923471872?s=20), “I smell a trap, either way doesn’t matter, I’m training my ass off”. There are a lot questions heading into this fight, and they’ll all be answered next week.


# Eugene Bareman wanted Israel Adesanya to have a longer break before rematching Alex Pereira

When Israel Adesanya suffered his 2017 knockout loss to Alex Pereira in kickboxing, his head coach [Eugene Bareman forced him to take an extended break from fighting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1193&v=pPePSnhWeZ8&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=SubmissionRadio). Bareman felt that more head trauma in close concession would be harmful to Israel’s career, so he made him sit out. Adesanya will step back into the Octagon with Alex Pereira 4 months and 3 weeks after Pereira finished him at UFC 281. [Baremen appeared on the MMA Hour](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7l_SOXj4sI&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN) this week and said he would have liked Adesanya to have more time off.

“_If I had a choice, which I quite often don’t, then I would probably have waited longer just to give Israel a little bit more time between a stoppage like that and the next fight,” Bareman said. "Israel is 100% adamant that he must be the next person to fight Alex Pereira. Beyond all doubt_.” Stepping into the Octagon against Alex Pereira after a TKO loss this fast is a difficult challenge for anyone, but one that Israel Adesanya is choosing to embrace.

# Videos of the Week

![Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker share a friendly moment^Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker spoke about the Alex Volkanovski/Islam Makhachev decision at UFC 284.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBmwum_9p5o&ab_channel=FREESTYLEBENDER](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a04930ef-b4c5-4d2a-35a1-b7820fb2ae00/public?updated_at=2023-02-24T02:49:52.060Z)

![A fan edit of Jon Jones entering to Super Hero^Jon Jones asked fans on Twitter what song he should walk out to at UFC 285. This option was the most popular choice amongst fans.^https://twitter.com/BallsDeepInYm3/status/1628535758158962689?s=20](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/94143e38-0d46-4c63-0c4e-abc374ad9800/public?updated_at=2023-02-24T02:49:49.689Z)

![Dustin Poirier slaps a troll^A troll showed Dustin Poirier a sign at Mardi Gras that got him very upset.^https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7X-Ug4JmJsI](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9f901026-2bce-4e21-2549-826819260600/public?updated_at=2023-02-24T02:49:50.500Z)

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

Islam Makhachev's mother wants him to retire

Jim Miller wants to retire at UFC 300, which is lining up to take place in 2024. Miller is the only fighter that’s competed at both UFC 100 and UFC 200. Accomplishing this would mean he’s competed in 3 landmark events across 3 different decades.

# Quick Hits

[Power Slap](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/15/23601404/power-slap-competitor-jon-kennedy-receives-9-month-suspension-after-testing-positive-for-cocaine) competitor Jon Kennedy got suspended for 9-months for testing positive for cocaine.

[Conor McGregor](https://www.instagram.com/p/CottZLwObTC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) has arrived in Las Vegas to shoot the Ultimate Fighter.

[Diego Sanchez](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/16/23574903/diego-sanchez-wants-nick-diaz-bare-knuckle-fight-open-to-nate-diaz-but-knows-he-will-never-fight-me) wants to fight Nate Diaz in a bare-knuckle fight.

[Israel Adesanya](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/02/ufc-news-israel-adesanya-five-year-timeline-to-end-of-career) doesn’t think he’ll be fighting in 5 more years.

[Laura Sanko](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/16/23603165/laura-sanko-returns-to-the-broadcast-booth-to-call-ufc-vegas-69) returns to the booth this weekend to call her 2nd official UFC event.

[Mark Goddard](https://twitter.com/marcraimondi/status/1625904314006016000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) will serve as the referee for Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane.

[Jack Della Maddalena](https://www.lowkickmma.com/jack-della-maddalena-vicente-luque-matchup/) wants to fight Vicente Luque next.

[Ben Askren](https://verdictmma.com/tournaments/tournament/1515) comes in 1st place again in a real-money Verdict Tournament.

[Matt Brown](https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2023/2/14/23600192/ufc-matt-brown-return-bout-with-court-mcgee-event-may-13th-mma-news) vs. Court McGee set for May 13.

[Jon Anik](https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-ufc-commentator-reveals-got-hit-burger-fries-aftermath-ufc-284-main-event) was hit by a burger after Islam Makhachev was announced as the winner.

[Alex Volkanovski](https://verdictmma.com/news/UFC%20Pound-For-Pound%20Rankings:%20Alexander%20Volkanovski-Stays-at-1-Over-Islam-Makhachev/471) retains his pound-for-pound #1 status after losing to Islam Makhachev.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Jon Jones invites Daniel Cormier to commentate his Heavyweight title fight
* Jens Pulver will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame
* Islam Makhachev’s IV controversy


# Jon Jones invites Daniel Cormier to commentate his Heavyweight title fight

When most people think about Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier, they think about one of the greatest rivalries in MMA history. Not only did it involve two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, it involved two fighters that had bad blood. [Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier couldn’t be in the same room without bickering at each other](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zSvq0pRQ_Y&ab_channel=nysz90). The rivalry got so personal that it seemed impossible for the two ever to bury the hatchet.

However, it seems like things might change now. [Jon Jones sent out a tweet](https://twitter.com/JonnyBones/status/1625999619237765120?s=20) on Wednesday where he complimented Cormier and invited him to commentate his Heavyweight title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. The tweet went viral as fans loved the idea of Jones and Cormier being cordial with each other. Cormier has only commentated on one Jon Jones fight, which was at UFC 197 when Jones fought Ovince Saint Preux. Jones gave Cormier the middle finger as soon as he walked out of the Octagon that night. Since Jones last competed, Cormier has gone on to become a full-time member of the UFC’s PPV commentary team.

[Cormier posted a video on his YouTube](https://youtu.be/azQr1Uy2Kwg?t=36) channel on Thursday where he addressed Jones’ tweet. He confirmed that he’ll be calling the fight with Joe Rogan and was excited to do so as he believes that Jones is one of the most phenomenal fighters that’s ever lived. It remains to be seen if these two will bury the hatchet, but it’s a step in the right direction.


# Jens Pulver will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame

It was revealed during the UFC 284 broadcast that Jens Pulver will finally take place in the UFC Hall of Fame when he gets inducted this July. Pulver was streaming during the event and had no idea the announcement was going to come. His reaction was shown on the broadcast, [where he broke into tears](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-CkE8OI_bk&ab_channel=UFC-UltimateFightingChampionship). This is a Hall of Fame induction that’s long overdue in the eyes of many fans, which makes it even more rewarding for Pulver, [as he mentioned on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB0nXBDJVok&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN).

Pulver made his professional debut in 1999, which was 2 years before Dana White and the Fertitta Brothers took over the UFC. Just 5 months after making his professional debut, Pulver made his UFC debut at UFC 22. He became the first Lightweight Champion in UFC history when he defeated Caol Uno at UFC 30. This was a historic event as it also marked the first event under the Zuffa regime.

The Lightweight title has gone on to become one of the most coveted Championships in UFC history as it’s been held by greats like Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, BJ Penn, Charles Oliveira, and more. The Lightweight division's founding father will be honored at International fight week this year.


# Islam Makhachev’s IV controversy

The controversy surrounding Islam Makhachev vs. Alex Volkanovski went beyond the scoring of the fight. Islam Makhachev is being accused of illegally using an IV to rehydrate himself after the UFC 284 weigh-ins. Makhachev’s former opponent and Volkanovski’s teammate Dan Hooker was the first to throw accusations at Makhachev in a tweet this past Monday.

Alex Volkanovski also eluded to Makhachev using the IV on his appearance on the MMA Hour. Using Intravenous (IV) to rehydrate was allowed before USADA in the UFC. The likes of Paulo Costa and BJ Penn have both previously been suspended by USADA for using IVs. Costa’s doctor Lucas Penchel was also suspended for 2 years by USADA for administrating IVs. There’s been a lot of confusion surrounding IVs as the rules have changed. ESPN’s [Brett Okamoto](https://twitter.com/bokamotoESPN/status/1625979382107107332?s=20) clarified that athletes are allowed to be administered an IV of more than the permitted 100 ML as long as it's done by a licensed professional.

# Videos of the Week

![Paulo Costa reveals Secret Juice is coming.. maybe^Paulo Costa has turned into one of the most beloved characters in MMA and you can see why.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdPSAgE47kI&ab_channel=TheMacLife](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0d8a741b-00d6-40d4-bde3-b094354a4e00/public?updated_at=2023-02-17T01:58:47.587Z)

![Episode 389 of the Anik & Florian Podcast^Andrade v. Blanchfield Picks with Brian Petrie and more UFC 284 talk.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AVKKMP-_x4&ab_channel=DraftKings](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e77e4e4a-8173-4ea1-315a-81a8165aad00/public?updated_at=2023-02-17T01:58:47.165Z)

![The official UFC 285 trailer^We're less than 3 weeks away from the return of Jon Jones as he takes on Ciryl Gane for the Heavyweight title.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saWnmQeHndc&ab_channel=UFC-UltimateFightingChampionship](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/262c4119-dd0c-4487-0ac0-5d2895c5ca00/public?updated_at=2023-02-17T01:58:47.157Z)

If you've made it up to here, thanks for reading. OverUnder drops every Friday at 8 AM ET.

A Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier Truce?

The UFC will return to Miami for the first time since 2003, with UFC 287 headlined by the rematch between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya. The last time the UFC was in Miami was for UFC 42, which was headlined by a Welterweight title fight between Matt Hughes and Sean Sherk.

# Quick Hits

[Deontay Wilder](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10064912-deontay-wilder-offers-ufc-legend-francis-ngannou-2-fight-contract-in-boxing-and-mma) challenges Francis Ngannou to a boxing and MMA fight.

[Khamzat Chimaev](https://www.mmanews.com/2023/02/robert-whittaker-responds-to-khamzat-chimaev-callout/) and Robert Whittaker are down to fight each other at 185.

[Bellator](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/7/23589631/bellator-290-draws-just-over-1-million-average-viewers-on-cbs) averaged 1.068 million viewers for their CBS debut.

[Conor McGregor](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/35587249/the-notorious-back-breaking-conor-mcgregor-vs-michael-chandler) and Michael Chandler will coach the Ultimate Fighter 31.

[Islam Makhachev](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/ufc/ufc-lightweight-champion-islam-makhachev-confirms-his-intentions-of-eventually-competing-at-welterweight-its-gonna-happen-one-day/) plans to challenge for the Welterweight title in the future.

[Dan Hooker](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/2/8/23591776/dan-hooker-injured-out-of-ufc-285-bout-vs-jalin-turner-mma) is out of his fight against Jalin Turner with a broken hand.

[Tommy Fury](https://twitter.com/BTSportBoxing/status/1623357353515941890?s=20&t=RNOFSavQJSv2ESV7Kx9yFw) failed to appear at a press conference with Jake Paul again.

[Jon Anik](https://sports.yahoo.com/ufc-284-broadcast-set-commentary-143038779.html) will call UFC 284 with Michael Bisping and Dominick Cruz.

[Kevin Lee](https://verdictmma.com/news/where-does-kevin-lee-fit-in/453) re-signed with the UFC.

[Ultimate Fighter](https://twitter.com/ColeShelton91/status/1623365028899393537?s=20&t=RNOFSavQJSv2ESV7Kx9yFw) season 31 will feature former UFC fighters and rising prospects.

[Chris Weidman](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/6/23588331/chris-weidman-targets-summer-ufc-return-im-coming-back-to-try-and-get-back-what-is-mine) is targeting a return to the UFC this summer.

[Sean O'Malley](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/35608416/sean-omalley-very-happy-8-fight-ufc-contract-extension) signed an 8 fight contract extension with the UFC.

[Anshul Jubli](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik7gpyYrSto&ab_channel=UFC-UltimateFightingChampionship) becomes the first Indian-born fighter in history to win a UFC fight.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Coffeezilla exposed Dillon Danis
* Jorge Masvidal announces a major boxing event
* Tim Simpson splits from Paradigm Sports and starts his own management company

# Coffeezilla exposed Dillon Danis

Once upon a time, Dillon Danis was considered a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu killer with a potentially bright future in mixed martial arts. Now he’s someone that can’t stop catching L’s, and it’s gone beyond the fight game. Earlier this week, YouTuber and investigative crypto journalist [Coffeezilla released a video dedicated to Dillon Danis and his scams on Twitter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVqcwi1ZTSA&t=710s&ab_channel=Coffeezilla). Unfortunately for Dillon, Coffeezilla’s popularity exploded during his recent investigation into [Logan Paul’s NFT scam](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=386p68_lDHA&ab_channel=Coffeezilla). The timing couldn’t have been worse for Danis, as there are more eyes on Coffeezilla’s YouTube channel than ever.

If you’ve been following the crypto and NFT space as of late, you’re probably familiar with the scams and rug pulls that have been taking place. Influencers on Twitter promote NFTs to their audiences without knowing what they’re promoting, which in turn causes people to lose a lot of money. Coffeezilla’s team noticed that Dillon promoted over 20 fake projects that were rug pulls on Twitter over the last year. They decided to set up Dillon by seeing if he would accept money for another fake project which he did. 

Dillon charged $5,000 to promote an NFT project on his Twitter for 24 hours. They sent Dillon a contract that explicitly mentioned that he would be the butt of a joke and that this was a fake project. Dillon didn’t read the agreement and didn’t have it reviewed by a lawyer. He signed off on the agreement and posted the tweet without any due diligence.

Since the video was posted 4 days ago, it’s already had 2.2 million views. You can imagine that most of these viewers are not combat sports fans. Dillon Danis being a fraud is no longer just a secret between fight fans. The world knows now.


# Jorge Masvidal announces a major boxing event

Jorge Masvidal surprised a lot of people this past Monday when [he announced he’s hosting a starstudded boxing event](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aFRm2UfhWY&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN) featuring some of the most prolific fighters in combat sports history on April 1st. The event, titled Gamebred FC 4, will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and will be headlined by a fight between Anthony Pettis and Roy Jones Jr. Other matchups on the card include Jose Aldo vs. Jeremy Stephens, Vitor Belfort vs. Jacare Souza, and Paul Daley vs. Anthony Taylor. Aside from Roy Jones, these are all fighters that rose to prominence in the world of MMA but will be competing under boxing rules for this event. The event will be available for purchase through UFC Fight Pass.

Masvidal has hosted several combat sports events, including bare-knuckle, pro boxing, and MMA fights. His event, iKON FC 3, in June of 2022, [saw the professional MMA debut of Bo Nickal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om0yAd8gM-s&ab_channel=ESPNMMA), who many predict will become a future UFC Champion. April 1st will be a busy night as it marks the beginning of the 2023 PFL Season and night 1 of Wrestlemania 39. This will also be a busy week for Jorge Masvidal, who’s scheduled to fight Gilbert Burns 7 days later in his hometown of Miami, Florida, for UFC 287.


# Tim Simpson splits from Paradigm Sports and starts his own management company

In last week’s edition of [OverUnder](https://verdictmma.com/newsletter/overunder/Laura-Sanko-becomes-the-first-female-commentator-in%20modern-UFC-history/22), we discussed the trend of fighters leaving their managers to represent themselves in negotiations. Fighters like Dominick Cruz, Sean O’Malley, Colby Covington, and more have started to represent themselves because they feel they could get more value in business deals than what a manager could get them. A criticism of managers throughout combat sports history is that they add too many fighters to their roster, which limits the attention they can provide to each fighter. Earlier this week, [Tim Simpson made a major statement when he announced](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoU6Thnp5ZH/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet) that he left Paradigm Sports and has founded his own management company, Chosen Advisory Group.

Not only did Simpson leave Paradigm, he brought a lot of the Paradigm roster with him, including Israel Adesanya, Leon Edwards, Jiri Prochazka, Casey O’Neil, Jack Della Maddalena, Muhammad Mokaev, Jack Hermansson, and Don Madge. In addition to migrating these fighters to his roster, he announced that he now represents Max Holloway. Simpson represents 9 total fighters and wants his group to be small and focused. This is a boutique management group in MMA which is something we haven’t seen before.

# Videos of the Week

![Mark Zuckerberg fights Alex Volkanovski in the metaverse^The future of mixed martial arts in the metaverse is something that Mark Zuckerberg has taken a big interest in.^https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1623771509587156992?s=20&t=Ey8Wz1ZkYQM_tCusP_7Bag](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/3a6eb6e8-bc1b-4cec-b86a-53ec4529c700/public?updated_at=2023-02-10T08:53:52.478Z)

![Khamzat Chimaev plays word association^Khamzat revealed what he thought about a lot of fighters including Colby Covington, Robert Whittaker, Kamaru Usman, Conor McGregor, and more.^https://twitter.com/mma_orbit/status/1623372310131474432?s=20&t=Ey8Wz1ZkYQM_tCusP_7Bag](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/54150150-8af5-4e66-eefb-79c896e71c00/public?updated_at=2023-02-10T08:53:53.333Z)

![Dan Hardy breaks down Islam Makhachev vs. Alex Volkanovski.^Dan Hardy and guest co-host Veronica Hardy break down & make predictions for the entire UFC 284 card.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN-sgx4SU18&t=970s](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/cd905522-49d5-4a5c-a31c-e9dc637d1400/public?updated_at=2023-02-10T08:53:54.295Z)

What did you think about this edition of OverUnder? Let us know by sending us a DM on Twitter or Instagram. We answer everyone back. Remember, we're bringing you the best stories in combat sports every Friday at 8 AM ET. Tell a friend. 

Coffeezilla exposed Dillon Danis

This weekend's UFC main card has a unique start time of 1 AM ET. The reason for the late start time is that the event was originally supposed to be held in Seoul, South Korea but is now at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

# Quick Hits

[Islam Makhachev](https://www.lowkickmma.com/islam-makhachev-promotion-ufc-284-do-better-job/) is unhappy with the UFC’s promotion of UFC 284.

[Aljamain Sterling](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/2/23582625/morning-report-aljamain-sterling-says-hes-fighting-henry-cejudo-in-may-might-move-up-to-145-after) says he’s fighting Henry Cejudo in May.

[Nate Diaz](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21251342/eddie-hearn-nate-diaz-talks/) wants to fight Canelo Alvarez.

[Deiveson Figueiredo](https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2023/2/1/23581394/deiveson-figueiredo-has-successful-surgery-on-broken-orbital-nose-after-ufc-283-mma-news) had surgery for a broken orbital bone.

[Max Holloway](https://verdictmma.com/news/Betting-Odds:-Max%20Holloway-vs-Arnold-Allen/438) vs. Arnold Allen is targeted for April 15.

[Julio Arce](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Julio-Arce-Withdraws-from-UFC-285-Due-to-Knee-Injury-189050) withdraws from Cody Garbrandt fight at UFC 285.

[Mike Perry](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/30/23577620/jake-paul-announces-mike-perry-as-backup-opponent-for-tommy-fury) is the backup fighter for Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury.

[Eddie Hearn](https://www.badlefthook.com/2023/2/1/23581861/eddie-hearn-francis-ngannou-vs-anthony-joshua-should-be-first-fight-sell-unknown-boxing-news-2023) wants Francis Ngannou to fight Anthony Joshua.

[Leon Edwards](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/30/23578502/leon-edwards-jorge-masvidal-title-shot-wins-ufc-287-lets-get-in-there-and-settle-it-once-and-for-all) will give Jorge Masvidal a title shot if he defeats Gilbert Burns.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Fighters representing themselves without managers
* Laura Sanko will be the first female commentator in modern UFC history
* Fedor’s last fight takes place this weekend


# Fighters representing themselves without managers

Earlier this week, [Jorge Masvidal confirmed to Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour that he has split with First Round Management](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/1/23580403/jorge-masvidal-claims-he-was-negotiating-own-contracts-before-split-with-longtime-manager). This was a surprise to many as Masvidal and Abraham Kawa were close friends, and Kawa played an instrumental role in Masvidal’s rise to fame in 2019. Masvidal mentioned in the interview that he’ll be negotiating with Dana White and Hunter Campbell directly moving forward. This is something that’s starting to become more prevalent in MMA.

Colby Covington, Sean O’Malley, Dominick Cruz, and Francis Ngannou also represent themselves without a manager. “Hey, the UFC called, you want this deal?’ You want 15% of my money just to tell me about a deal? No, that ain’t happening.” [said Sean O’Malley when discussing not having a manager](https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/7/29/23282055/sean-omalley-explains-why-hes-now-his-own-manager-doesnt-want-to-pay-team-for-really-not-doing-much).

“I think in the UFC, we’re signed to a six-fight contract. A four-fight contract is usually at the lowest. Why would I pay someone for four fights when it’s set after one?” [said Dominick Cruz when discussing the issue](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iCJJHmedhg&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN) with Ariel Helwani. As more and more fighters have started to drop their representation, it will be interesting to see the state of fighter management in MMA this year.


# Laura Sanko will be the first female commentator in modern UFC history

Lauro Sanko will make history at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivak as she’ll become the first female commentator in modern UFC history. [The last woman that sat in the commentary booth was Kathy Long](https://www.ufc.com/news/kathy-long-true-pioneer), who was a commentator at UFC 1 in 1993. Sanko has previously served as a commentator for Dana White’s Contender Series and has been working for the UFC as a backstage reporter since 2016.

In addition to her broadcasting duties, Sanko competed as a professional fighter with a record of 4-1 as an amateur and 1-0 as a professional. She’ll join the likes of Dominick Cruz, Paul Felder, Daniel Cormier, and Michael Bisping as former fighters turned UFC commentators.


# Fedor’s last fight takes place this weekend

The legendary Fedor Emelianenko will get an opportunity to have a rare storybook ending to his mixed martial arts career this weekend when he challenges Ryan Bader for the Bellator Heavyweight title. This fight will mark the end of a 23-year career for Fedor, who was once considered the greatest Heavyweight fighter in MMA history.

Fedor asked for his final fight to be against Bader, who he had previously lost to in January of 2019. [Bader finished Fedor by knockout in just 35 seconds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKkCB_lkrlg&ab_channel=BellatorMMA) in their first meeting. During his iconic reign, Fedor was unbeaten for 28 consecutive fights that spanned over 9 years. If he defeats Bader, he’ll retire as the Bellator Heavyweight Champion. There will be several legends in attendance to bid Fedor farewell, including Dan Henderson, Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Frank Shamrock, Royce Gracie, and more. It’s rare that fighters retire on a win, let alone with a Championship. Fedor has that opportunity this weekend.

# Videos of the Week

![Khamzat Chimaev looks like a beast in training^Khamzat returned to Tiger Muay Thai to clean up his striking as he waits for his next fight^https://twitter.com/TheArtOfWar6/status/1621272556282978304?s=20&t=qJA6HqhLkRnG2l6eLFbWqw](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4c8a4aa0-467e-4efe-8ef7-2f00a0091000/public?updated_at=2023-02-03T00:59:00.527Z)

![Israel Adesanya drops a Saw themed trailer for UFC 287^The build-up for the rematch between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira is heating up^https://twitter.com/stylebender/status/1619217461399912449?s=20&t=qJA6HqhLkRnG2l6eLFbWqw](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/c6f34b6d-227c-4d52-b2ed-6a131f19c900/public?updated_at=2023-02-03T00:59:01.121Z)

![A Ciryl Gane and Jon Jones hype video^This is one of the most historically significant fights of all time^https://twitter.com/MMADIRTcom/status/1619943674271645696?s=20&t=LNwRRrNa0-NJ5raEsv27SA](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1d23fe22-c97b-484d-b519-804095937400/public?updated_at=2023-02-03T00:59:01.138Z)

What did you think about this edition of OverUnder? Let us know by replying to this email. We answer everyone back. Remember, we're bringing you the best stories in combat sports every Friday at 8 AM ET. Tell a friend

Laura Sanko becomes the first female commentator in modern UFC history

It’s shaping up to be a big year in the world of combat sports and there was a lot of news that dropped this week to confirm that. From Conor McGregor to Jorge Masvidal, we discuss it all in the 21st edition of OverUnder.

# Quick Hits

[Paradigm Sports](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/25/23571486/paradigm-sports-ceo-audie-attar-releases-statement-addressing-manny-pacquiao-lawsuit-ahead) filed a lawsuit against Manny Pacquiao.

[Nick Diaz](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/25/23571323/nick-diaz-makes-movie-debut-in-upcoming-jean-claude-van-damme-film-badass-fight-scene-teased) is appearing in a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie.

[Alex Pereira](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/ufc-news-alex-pereira-challenges-jamahal-hill-what-about-knockout) called out Jamahal Hill.

[Jose Aldo](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/1/22/23566360/jose-aldo-reveals-he-and-conor-mcgregor-are-friends-now-and-exchange-instagram-messages) and Conor McGregor are now Instagram buddies that DM each other.

[Islam Makhachev](https://www.mmanews.com/2023/01/khabib-ufc-284/) confirms Khabib won’t be in his corner at UFC 284.

[John Hackleman](https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2023/1/24/23569978/john-hackleman-talks-ufc-283-glover-teixeira-corner-towel-coaching-retirement-mma-news) retires from cornering after trying to call off Teixeira vs. Hill.

[Dan Hooker](https://twitter.com/danthehangman/status/1618034545676386305?s=20&t=xNe5CaPVF_QyMYs7_Ede3A) vs. Jalin Turner is set for UFC 285.

[Royce Gracie's](https://bvmsports.com/2023/01/25/royce-gracies-son-khonry-set-to-return-from-28-month-layoff-at-bellator-293/) son Khonry will fight at Bellator 293.

[Joe Pyfer](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/ufc-287-joe-pyfer-books-second-octagon-assignment-vs-gerald-meerschaert) vs. Gerald Meerschaert is set for UFC 287.

[Valerie Loureda’s](https://twitter.com/richschellhase/status/1618046923247857664?s=20&t=krUXMBFvkpBao05Vm-7zXQ) professional wrestling debut match airs tonight.

[John Kavanagh](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/23/23568273/john-kavanagh-very-very-confident-conor-mcgregor-fights-in-2023-reveals-what-he-wants-most-opponent) is ‘very, very confident’ Conor McGregor fights in 2023.

[Sage Northcutt](https://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/sage-northcutt-mma-return-one-fight-night-10-feels-so-good-to-be-back) will return to fighting in May after a 4-year layoff.

[Jorge Masvidal](https://twitter.com/GamebredFighter/status/1618663551752884224?s=20&t=Ki8_seq7cXOTEgXKz4s0Ug) says a fight announcement is coming soon.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Terrence McKinney vs. Barstool Sports
* Conor McGregor offered a coaching role on the Ultimate Fighter
* Tyson Fury challenges Francis Ngannou


# Terrence McKinney vs. Barstool Sports

MMA is a lot different than conventional sports because it involves the highest highs and the lowest lows. When you have a bad performance in a baseball game, you get a chance to make up for it the next day. When you have a bad performance in MMA, your physical health could be compromised for the rest of your life. We live in a time where making fun of athletes has become normalized. It’s why it’s imperative for combat sports fans to think twice before making fun of a fighter that gets beaten into unconsciousness. A lot of fighters have to deal with serious consequences, and that’s nothing to make fun of.

While it’s imperative for MMA fans to think twice, it’s essential for media publications not to make fun of fighters. While that seems obvious, that wasn’t the case for Barstool Sports this past weekend. They published an [article](https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3453226/terrance-mckinney-gets-knocked-out-cold-just-hours-after-saying-barstool-didnt-know-sports) titled “Terrance McKinney Gets Knocked Out Cold Just Hours After Claiming Barstool Didn't Know Sports”. The article’s author, Robbie Fox wrote that McKinney was “STIFF AS A BOARD” and compared McKinney going down to a Ric Flair faceplant, with a GIF included.

It started when [McKinney tweeted](https://twitter.com/SpinninBackfist/status/1616867079243862017?s=20&t=l_VRjfSChV9qWXBbzX9v6A) “Barstool isn’t known for actually knowing sports” after a Barstool employee picked his opponent Ismael Bonfim to win at UFC 283. The Barstool employee made the correct pick, but that wasn’t enough for Barstool. They made an entire article about how they were right and rubbed it in McKinney’s face. This upset McKinney, [who discussed the issue in an Instagram post](https://www.instagram.com/p/CnxTYPQPn-E/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link). Barstool is usually tongue-in-cheek with their sports coverage, and their employees don’t take themselves too seriously, but that’s where the conflict arises. This is a serious sport with serious consequences. There's nothing tongue-in-cheek about this.


# Conor McGregor offered a coaching role on the Ultimate Fighter

On Wednesday, [Conor McGregor revealed on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn29isnIP6y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) that he’s been offered a role to coach on the upcoming season of the Ultimate Fighter, and it looks like he's interested. This is a familiar spot for McGregor, who coached the 22nd season of TUF against Urijah Faber in 2015. He initially hesitated to take the role, as filming started immediately after he defeated Chad Mendes at UFC 189. After the show ended, McGregor was happy that he got to experience it.

Now 8 years later, it’s possible we’ll see McGregor back as a coach. His life is much different now than it was 8 years ago. At the time, McGregor was a hungry fighter in the midst of one of the most historic runs in UFC history. He now has a [net worth of $200 Million](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-athletes/mma-net-worth/conor-mcgregor-net-worth/) and doesn’t need to fight again. He doesn't need to but he still wants to. Being surrounded by a bunch of young and hungry fighters he's coaching might be the best thing for McGregor at this stage of his career. It could bring him close to the same mindset he had when he finished Jose Aldo in 13 seconds after coaching the Ultimate Fighter. McGregor knows he has to be fully immersed in the sport in order to succeed. 

Since the return of TUF in 2021, Dana White said that the show will run once per year. [The coaches of last year’s season were announced on February 4th, 2022](https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/2/4/22918427/julianna-pena-and-amanda-nunes-to-serve-as-the-ultimate-fighter-30-coaches-rematch-after-season). If the UFC plans on running this year’s season on a similar timeline, an announcement could be imminent. If McGregor is indeed coaching, there will be a sweepstake for the opposing coach. One possible option is Michael Chandler.


# Tyson Fury challenges Francis Ngannou

For years, Francis Ngannou has expressed interest in competing for a Heavyweight title in the world of professional boxing. This dream could soon be a reality now that Ngannou is officially a free agent. After Tyson Fury defeated Dillian Whyte in April of 2022, [he brought Ngannou into the ring and discussed a possible fight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=169&v=b4F0YBnVdno&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=TopRankBoxing) with him. They discussed competing in a fight with hybrid rules. It would be a boxing match with MMA gloves on. However, the discussion of a possible fight stopped after that day. Tyson Fury didn’t bring it up again and turned his attention to other Heavyweight boxers.

Earlier this week, Fury brought Ngannou back onto his radar, saying that if a fight against Oleksandr Usyk doesn’t materialize, [he wants to fight Francis Ngannou for the title of the baddest man on the planet](https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1616899665030701057?s=20&t=rSWZNOjcgNJNe_Up5-fUbg). Fury mentioned that the fight would be contested under the classic Queensbury rules of boxing but with MMA gloves and would take place in a cage to make the fight more interesting.

Competing in a boxing fight with MMA gloves would certainly add a new dynamic to the fight as MMA gloves can’t block punches the way boxing gloves can. The visual of Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou standing in a cage with MMA gloves on would be wild. The lineal boxing Heavyweight Champion vs. the lineal UFC Heavyweight Champion.

# Videos of the Week

![Ciryl Gane looks like he can compete in an NBA Dunkoff^Ciryl Gane shows that he's one of the most athletic Heavyweights in all of combat sports.^https://twitter.com/mcgregorrousey/status/1616172431101542413?s=46&t=tOIGcK4E4817O0lw8n-W_w](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/affdb92e-a0b5-4c32-31d7-c70cc234ae00/public?updated_at=2023-01-27T01:29:43.760Z)

![Jamahal Hill and Jiri Procházka send us a message to each other in the snow^The build-up for this Light Heavyweight title fight has already begun.^https://twitter.com/btsportufc/status/1618288228548898817?s=46&t=tOIGcK4E4817O0lw8n-W_w](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2a78a1cf-9ee4-47d5-5847-cc592e650c00/public?updated_at=2023-01-27T01:29:50.153Z)

![Glover Teixeira makes his final post-fight speech^Glover Teixeira dropped his gloves in the middle of the Octagon and announced his retirement.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1eSX5khLFg&ab_channel=UFC-UltimateFightingChampionship](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/eba0dd8f-a6cf-4a32-5bfc-5b52df865100/public?updated_at=2023-01-27T01:29:39.176Z)

What did you think about this edition of OverUnder? Let us know by replying to this email. We answer everyone back. Remember, we're bringing you the best stories in combat sports every Friday at 8 AM ET. Tell a friend. 

Conor McGregor Coaching on the Ultimate Fighter

2023 has kicked off in the world of mixed martial arts as the fights are finally back. This was a crazy week in the world of MMA as the entire landscape has shaken up. Francis is gone and Jones is back. We cover it all in the 20th edition of OverUnder.

# Quick Hits

[Petr Yan](https://verdictmma.com/news/Petr-Yan-vs-Merab-Dvalishvili-Set-For-March-11/397) vs. Merab Dvalishvili is set for March 11th as a main event.

[Power Slap](https://twitter.com/jedigoodman/status/1616185372731637761?s=46&t=3f47g95mgQsV7PQlD3Uyew) draws 295,000 viewers in its debut episode on TBS.

[Ontario](https://www.tsn.ca/ufc-betting-reinstated-in-ontario-1.1908257) has lifted its ban on betting on UFC fights.

[Demetrious Johnson](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/1/18/23560351/demetrious-johnson-reveals-not-so-mighty-ufc-salary-including-60k-for-third-title-defense) made $23,000 and $23,000 for a UFC title defense.

[Arnold Allen](https://twitter.com/loganofford/status/1615462110351310848?s=20&t=CB6VIlZOrbMkh9696u1UQg) was supposed to fight Max Holloway in London.

[Edson Barboza](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/1/19/23562347/edson-barboza-vs-billy-quarantillo-ufc-fight-night-co-main-event-april-15-mma) vs. Billy Quarantillo is set for April 15.

[James Gallagher](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/18/23560633/james-gallagher-returns-from-16-month-layoff-to-fight-leandro-higo-at-bellator-292) returns from a 16-month layoff to fight Leandro Higo.

[Valentina Shevchenko](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/valentina-shevchenko-vs-alexa-grasso-ufc-285-women-mma-title-fight-booking-matchup-announncement) vs. Alexa Grasso is set for UFC 285.

[Jake Paul](https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/35467345/jake-paul-tommy-fury-agree-feb-25-bout-sources-confirm) vs. Tommy Fury targeted for February 25.

[Paddy Pimblett](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/17/23558924/paddy-pimblett-headed-for-ankle-surgery-in-march-following-injury-suffered-at-ufc-282) will undergo ankle surgery in March.

[Leon Edwards](https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/ufc/leon-edwards-admits-hes-rooting-for-jorge-masvidal-to-secure-title-shot-he-just-keeps-losing-so-its-hard-to-make-the-fight-make-sense/) still wants to fight Jorge Masvidal.

[Khamzat Chimaev](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/1/18/23561413/neil-magny-f-ked-around-and-found-out-when-training-with-khamzat-chimaev-hes-the-real-deal-ufc) got the better of Neil Magny in a training session.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Jon Jones has his eyes on 2 fights
* Francis Ngannou’s options going forward
* Jeff Molina has been suspended for his involvement with James Krause


# Jon Jones has his eyes on 2 fights

Last Saturday, Jon Jones’ long awaited Heavyweight debut was announced by UFC President Dana White. Jones will compete against Ciryl Gane for the undisputed Heavyweight title at UFC 285 on March 4th as Francis Ngannou is no longer with the UFC. White also confirmed that Jones has 8 fights left on his UFC contract. [Jones is currently the betting underdog against Gane at +160](https://verdictmma.com/news/Jon-Jones-vs-Ciryl-Gane-Betting-Odds/393). This marks the first time Jones has been an underdog since 2009 when he fought Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94. This is Jones’ first fight in over 3 years, which is the longest he’s gone without a fight since making his professional debut in 2008.

Though Jones has 8 fights left on his UFC contract, he’s only interested in 2 fights for the foreseeable future: Ciryl Gane and Stipe Miocic. Jones plans on defeating Gane and then defending his Heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic later this year. Jones confirmed this to [John Morgan of the UG](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y531kvE52EA&t=415s&ab_channel=MMAUnderground) earlier this week, as he stated that he wants these 2 fights and then will reassess his future plans with the UFC afterward. Jones mentioned in the interview that he feels like he’s under pressure for his fight against Gane, which is something he lost towards the end of his run in the Light Heavyweight division.

After accomplishing everything he has in the sport, Jones felt like his last few opponents in the Light Heavyweight division didn’t excite him, which can be attributed to why he coasted in his last 3 performances. Jon Jones fights at his best when he’s the hunter, and he’s finally back in that position.


# Francis Ngannou’s options going forward

After Dana White announced Jones vs. Gane for the Heavyweight title, he confirmed that [Francis Ngannou would not be returning to the UFC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBhrSlu9fh4&t=79s&ab_channel=TheMacLife) and that the promotion waived their right to match any offers that Ngannou receives. The question now becomes, what does Francis Ngannou do next? The most likely options are in the world of professional boxing. Ngannou has long said that he dreamed of becoming a Heavyweight Champion in professional boxing before he even started training in MMA.

In addition to fighting for a Heavyweight title in boxing, Ngannou is likely to make significantly more money in the squared circle compared to the Octagon. If [Jake Paul made a total of $40 Million from boxing](https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2022/01/14/pivoting-from-youtube-to-boxing-jake-paul-earned-40-million-in-the-ring-in-2021/?sh=74d00dc82a2e) in 2021, how much would the lineal UFC Heavyweight Champion make if he transitioned to boxing? There are several options in professional boxing for Ngannou, including Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, and Andy Ruiz. None of these boxers currently have a fight lined up. Now that Ngannou is officially on the market, expect negotiations to heat up as Ngannou is looking to compete by July of this year.


# Jeff Molina has been suspended for his involvement with James Krause

When the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Jeff Molina last month, Molina wrote on social media that he was being suspended for "Betting on UFC just like half the roster does”. This couldn’t be confirmed, as the suspension was listed as “uncategorized” in the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports’ internal database. Molina has referred to himself as an “MMA gambling degenerate” and was a big supporter of James Krause’s 1% Club betting discord server, which has been deleted since the ongoing investigation of Krause. Molina said in the server that he paid off bills, mortgage, and car payments with Krause’s picks.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that [Molina was suspended because he had substantial involvement in the ongoing James Krause investigation](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/17/23560004/ufc-reaffirms-jeff-molina-barred-from-promotion-after-nevada-athletic-commission-suspension). What exactly Molina did hasn’t been revealed yet, but it was enough for the UFC to pull Molina from the Flyweight rankings and put a hold on offering him fights. It’s an unfortunate situation, as Molina was on a 10-fight winning streak and looked like he could be a real contender in the Flyweight division.

Molina has been training with Krause at Glory MMA since 2017. The James Krause situation gets sketchier every week as more details emerge. Last week, it was revealed that [Krause acted as an agent for an offshore betting company](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/35412818/sources-suspended-mma-coach-james-krause-worked-offshore-sportsbook) for several years, where he facilitated bets, offered referral kickbacks, and took payments through Venmo and Paypal. This is a developing story.

# Videos of the Week

![Alex Pereira looks nonchalant on a roller coaster^Alex Pereira sits at the front of a roller coaster and looks like he's gone for a stroll in a park.^https://twitter.com/ajduxche/status/1615239095176859648?s=46&t=DOxJh2-VPDnXg0_YE1P5_w](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2aa62c4d-9916-4a14-fc87-3d4ba0c36400/public?updated_at=2023-01-19T22:34:33.698Z)

![Francis Ngannou talks about why he left the UFC^Ngannou went in-depth into why he walked away from the UFC and what could be next.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=qmqzaK51NGQ&ab_channel=FrancisNgannou](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/3180b31c-ecb5-4de7-5f87-deec08a8e500/public?updated_at=2023-01-19T22:34:33.638Z)

![Jon Jones’ speaks about training with Henry Cejudo^Jones speaks about what makes Henry Cejudo great and why he wants him to corner him for his fight at UFC 285.^https://twitter.com/sandhumma/status/1614400511762997248?s=46&t=DOxJh2-VPDnXg0_YE1P5_w](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ada9195f-1ad9-4bfa-69d8-ab44b1e40200/public?updated_at=2023-01-19T22:34:33.080Z)

What did you think about this edition of OverUnder? Let us know by replying to this email. We answer everyone back. Remember, we're bringing you the best stories in combat sports every Friday at 8 AM ET. Tell a friend. 


Francis Ngannou's next move

After several weeks without action, 2023 is about to kick off this weekend for fight fans as the first UFC event takes place at the Apex. As the fights are back, several news stories have begun to develop and we talk about them all in this week’s edition of OverUnder.

# Quick Hits

[Justin Gaethje](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/10/23547419/morning-report-rafael-fiziev-promised-justin-gaethje-fight-in-march-will-be-shocked-if-doesnt-happen) vs. Rafael Fiziev is in the works.

[James Krause](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFJ3FcG3oXg&ab_channel=ESPNMMA) worked as an agent for an offshore sportsbook.

[Sean Strickland](https://verdictmma.com/news/Gastelum-out-strickland-steps-in/378) is stepping in for Kelvin Gastelum to fight Nassourdine Imavov.

[Dana White](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcAgdvr9U4o&t=12s&ab_channel=TheMacLife) won’t be suspended or take a leave of absence.

[Anthony Rocco Martin](https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2023/1/10/23548794/former-ufc-fighter-anthony-rocco-martin-arrest-charged-assault-law-enforcement-officer-mma-news) faces assault charges after allegedly threatening Florida cops.

[A.J. McKee](https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2023/1/11/23549465/bellator-mma-re-signs-a-j-mckee-to-a-multi-fight-multi-year-contract-news) signs a new multi-fight Bellator deal.

[Mike Jackson](https://www.mmanews.com/2023/01/mike-jackson-ufc-released/) challenged Jake Shields to a boxing fight at a gym.

[Daniel Cormier](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAmjKgJDioM&t=793s&ab_channel=DanielCormier) and Jake Paul squashed their beef.

[Jose Aldo’s](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/8/23544992/jose-aldo-professional-boxing-debut-targeted-february-brazil-mma-ufc) professional boxing debut is targeted for February 10 in Brazil.

[KSI](https://boxingjunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/ksi-hopes-dillon-danis-disappears-into-irrelevancy-regrets-not-choosing-tyron-woodley-fight) regrets not picking Tyron Woodley for a fight over Dillon Danis.

[ONE Championship](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/one-championship-announces-16-man-openweight-muay-thai-grand-prix) announced 16-man open weight Muay-Thai Grand Prix for $1 million.

# What we're going to discuss today.

* Khabib Nurmagomedov is stepping away from coaching
* Aljamain Sterling says he can’t fight Henry Cejudo in March
* The return of Tatiana Suarez

# Khabib Nurmagomedov is stepping away from coaching

When Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from fighting in October 2020, we learned that he values loyalty to his family more than anything else. He retired from fighting as the pound-for-pound #1 fighter in the world because [he made a promise to his mother](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05HuTGeF5AA&t=96s&ab_channel=UFC-UltimateFightingChampionship). Though he stopped fighting, Khabib remained an active member of the sport as he transitioned into coaching. 2022 marked his first year as a full-time coach and saw him achieve great success. He coached Islam Makhachev into flawlessly becoming the UFC Lightweight Champion and coached Usman Nurmagomedov to becoming the Bellator Lightweight Champion. Khabib went 10-1 as a cornerman in the UFC in 2022 and he won the [coach of the year award for many publications](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/mma-junkie-awards-coach-of-year-2022-ufc-bellator-khabib-nurmagomedov-javier-mendez).

As suddenly as his fighting career ended, his coaching career has ended in the same way. Khabib Nurmagomedov is stepping away from coaching to spend more time with his family. His friend and former head coach [Javier Mendez confirmed this news to Submission Radio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLtsri-I9aU&ab_channel=SubmissionRadio), stating that Khabib will stay home and no longer corner fighters. Khabib’s former teammate and long-time friend Daniel Cormier also confirmed the news when speaking with his colleague Ryan Clark on their show [DC & RC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTAnxnmpjYY&t=625s&ab_channel=ESPNMMA).

Khabib propelled himself to superstardom after defeating Conor McGregor. Not only did he become popular in the combat sports world, he became an icon to Muslims around the world that never watched MMA before Khabib. However, the glitz and glamour that comes with superstardom is always something Khabib struggled with. At his core, he’s a simple family man that likes to keep a low profile, but that’s something he can’t do while he’s always on the road cornering his fighters. He’s already fulfilled his father’s plan by coaching Islam Makhachev to become the Lightweight Champion. The next generation of Dagestani fighters will have to achieve success without Khabib in their corner.


# Aljamain Sterling says he can’t fight Henry Cejudo in March

It looks like the Bantamweight division is about to get messy as [Aljamain Sterling can’t defend his Bantamweight title in March because of a torn bicep](https://twitter.com/Shak_Fu/status/1612906100034277381?s=20&t=WPeBC4qP--pnPEG0trDUOQ). What makes this situation tricky is that the UFC has promised a Bantamweight title fight to two fighters, Henry Cejudo and Sean O’Malley. The UFC originally planned for Sterling to defend his Bantamweight title against Henry Cejudo in the co-main event of UFC 284 in Australia, with the winner fighting Sean O’Malley later in the year. If Sterling gets bicep surgery, this will potentially sideline both Cejudo and O’Malley who were both promised a title shot. This could also lead to the UFC creating another interim Bantamweight title while Sterling recovers from the injury. This would be the second time that an interim title has been created while Sterling has been injured.

What could make things even more complicated is if Marlon Vera defeats Cory Sandhagen next month. If Vera is successful, how do you give Sean O’Malley a title shot over Marlon Vera when you consider that Vera finished O’Malley by 1st round TKO? Another twist to the division is 3rd rank Bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili who is killing off contenders while [refusing to fight his teammate Aljamain Sterling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8zS0bbax6U&t=217s&ab_channel=UFC-UltimateFightingChampionship) for the title.

Does Sterling’s hitman Merab Dvalishvili keep killing off contenders before they can fight Sterling? We might see a big logjam in the Bantamweight division in the coming months.


# The return of Tatiana Suarez

One of the best Women’s pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Tatiana Suarez will make her long-awaited return to action on February 25th when she takes on Montana De La Rosa. Newer fans might not be familiar with Suarez, who’s been sidelined with injuries since June of 2019 when she defeated Nina Nunes. [Suarez has suffered multiple injuries](https://verdictmma.com/news/Where-is-Tatiana-Suarez-A-Timeline-of-Her-Career-Injuries-and-Return/315) that have kept her away from the Octagon for nearly 4 years. Suarez is undefeated at 8-0 and has finished the likes of Carla Esparza and Alexa Grasso.

Carla Esparza is a 2x UFC Strawweight Champion that’s known for taking down opponents and grinding them out. Tatiana Suarez ragdolled Esparza and finished her by TKO on the mat. Many considered her the female version of Khabib Nurmagomedov when she was climbing through the Strawweight ranks. Suarez will return to competition as a Flyweight when she takes on De La Rosa next month. Given the current state of the Women’s Flyweight division, it’s not crazy to think that Suarez could be granted a title shot against Valentina Shevchenko if she wins in impressive fashion next month. On paper, this would be one of the most difficult challenges of Shevchenko’s career.

Tatiana Suarez is no stranger to bouncing back from adversity. While training for the 2012 Summer Olympics as a wrestler, [Suarez was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2838933-after-cancer-and-a-lost-olympic-dream-tatiana-suarez-takes-aim-at-ufc-glory). She overcame cancer and became one of the most dominant fighters in the world. She gets her chance to restart her MMA career next month.

# Videos of the Week

![Henry Cejudo breaks down Andrew Tate's fighting ability^Cejudo makes his prediction on who he'd think would win in a fight between Andrew Tate and Jake Paul.^https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnU5MHyqUpF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1103cd6f-2d4f-4fd9-25c3-9d7786898400/public?updated_at=2023-01-12T22:17:03.279Z)

![Dan Hardy breaks down Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov^Hardy returned to the war room to break down the first UFC main event of 2023.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IawkRY54_Sk&t=228s&ab_channel=DanHardy%7CFullReptile](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6b19c438-af6a-4794-462d-84bc196acc00/public?updated_at=2023-01-12T22:17:02.794Z)

![Gervonta Davis lands a clean left hook^Davis continues to prove he's one of the best pound for pound boxers in the world.^https://twitter.com/SandhuMMA/status/1611976017467277313?s=20&t=dvbaeCMVZpzm1k1zIwCA6g](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/5024f7bd-c11b-4160-b7e2-75be01dd1e00/public?updated_at=2023-01-12T22:17:03.056Z)

What did you think about this edition of OverUnder? Let us know by sending us a message. We answer everyone back. Remember, we're bringing you the best stories in combat sports every Friday at 8 AM ET. Tell a friend. 


Khabib is stepping away from coaching

The week started off with bad news for the leader of our sport Dana White. We discuss this and more in today’s edition of OverUnder.

# Quick Hits

[Phil Baroni](https://www.tmz.com/2023/01/04/ex-ufc-star-phil-baroni-arrested-murder-mexico-allegedly-beat-girlfriend-death/) got arrested in Mexico for murdering his girlfriend.

[Bellator](https://www.mmamania.com/2023/1/5/23540348/bellator-up-for-sale-theyre-on-the-market) might be on the market for a potential sale.

[Francisco Trinaldo](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/4/23539639/ufc-parts-ways-with-tuf-brazil-1-veteran-francisco-trinaldo-mma) has been released by the UFC.

[Michael Bisping](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/ufc-news-michael-bisping-paddy-pimblett-humble-himself) advised Paddy Pimblett to be more humble.

[Nate Diaz](https://twitter.com/NateDiaz209/status/1611137773620310021?s=20&t=mic4i7xF1BZpca9NSAqmOQ) teases signing with Rizin.

[We](https://verdictmma.com/seasons-leagues) launched the first seasonal fantasy league format in combat sports history.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Jake Paul signs a contract with the PFL to fight in MMA
* Dana White gets into a physical altercation with his wife
* Dillon Danis pulls out of his boxing fight against KSI

# Jake Paul signs a contract with the PFL to fight in MMA

On Thursday morning, the PFL made the biggest announcement of their promotion’s history, as they announced that [Jake Paul has signed a multi-year contract with the PFL](https://twitter.com/PFLMMA/status/1610988359668621313?s=20&t=2pFkoWhCjSVgK2wRKR3WqA) and will compete in MMA. Paul will be fighting in the PFL’s “PPV Division” in PPV events that are distributed on ESPN+ in the US. The promotion held its first PPV event this past November for the PFL Championship which was well received by fans. Many wondered what kind of success a non-UFC MMA event could achieve on PPV heading into the Championship. The PPV numbers aren’t public, but it seems like the PFL was happy with the results as they’re doubling down on their PPV initiative with the signing of Jake Paul.

Jake mentioned in the announcement video that headlining fighters will receive a 50% split on PPV revenue, which is significantly higher than the UFC’s. The question now becomes who will be Jake’s first MMA opponent? In the video, Jake offered Nate Diaz a 2-fight deal where they box first and then compete in MMA under the PFL. Jake opened up as a -300 favorite for a boxing fight against Nate while Nate opened up as a -1000 favorite for an MMA fight against Jake. [Anthony Pettis, who’s under contract with the PFL, offered to be Jake’s first opponent in MMA](https://twitter.com/Showtimepettis/status/1611024544638332928?s=20&t=Hh3GbXbr08dpO1J_iSNpwA).

In addition to receiving a significant PPV cut, Jake also mentioned that he now owns an equity share in the PFL. Another important part of the announcement that’s not getting talked about enough is that Jake’s manager [Nakisa Bidarian](https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/01/02/nakisa-bidarian/) also received an equity share in the PFL. Bidarian is the former Chief Financial Officer of the UFC and was in that position when WME-IMG purchased the UFC for $4.4 Billion in 2016. Having Bidarian as a part of the PFL could pay dividends for the promotion if the PFL potentially gets bought out in the future.


# Dana White gets into a physical altercation with his wife

It was a rough start to the new year for UFC President Dana White, who got into an altercation with his wife, Anne White, at a New Year's Eve party in Cabos San Lucas, Mexico. Dana and his wife got into a heated argument that led to his wife slapping him, followed by Dana slapping her back. [TMZ released the footage of the incident two days later](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaAYPvvx7xA&ab_channel=TMZSports). Along with the video, TMZ also released statements from Dana White and his wife, where they both essentially stated they apologized for what happened as it was out of character for both of them. Dana said there was a lot of alcohol involved but it wasn’t an excuse for what happened.

It’s bad timing considering Dana White’s Power Slap League is set to go live on TBS this month. On Thursday, [Jeremy Botter reported that the Power Slap League was not listed on any internal programming schedules and that the broadcasting deal was dead](https://twitter.com/jeremybotter/status/1611055685206216708?s=20&t=Hh3GbXbr08dpO1J_iSNpwA). However, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto later [tweeted](https://twitter.com/bokamotoESPN/status/1611104548202123264?s=20&t=Hh3GbXbr08dpO1J_iSNpwA) that the debut show was being pushed from January 11th to January 18th which explains why the show is currently not on TBS listings for next week. It’s not confirmed at this time, but the slapping incident between Dana and his wife might have forced the delay. This is a developing story and it remains to be seen if there will be any consequences for Dana White.


# Dillon Danis pulls out of his boxing fight against KSI

To no surprise, Dillon Danis pulled out of his scheduled January 14th boxing fight against YouTube influencer KSI. When the bout was originally announced, many fans were hesitant as they predicted that Danis wouldn’t show up to the fight. Danis didn’t attend a press conference for the fight last month, which made fans even more hesitant. [KSI’s manager revealed that Danis pulled out of the fight because he was “Underprepared” and dealing with weight issues](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/1/4/23538825/dillon-danis-out-of-ksi-fight-on-jan-14-manager-claims-danis-underprepared-struggling-with-weight).

Once upon a time, Dillon Danis was a respected Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. He rose to prominence because he became one of Conor McGregor’s training partners. When Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated McGregor, he jumped the fence to attack Danis. Since that point, Danis went from being a respected BJJ practitioner to a full-time online troll. [Many cut ties with Danis because of his troll persona including his long-time BJJ trainer Marcelo Garcia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk8Z4ZQW3mc&t=691s&ab_channel=MarceloGarciaJiu-Jitsu). Garcia didn’t like how Danis carried himself so he suspended him from his academy. Since then, Danis has failed to surround himself with another team which has led him to being “Underprepared” for the KSI fight. Simply put, Danis is so disliked in combat sports that no team wants to train with him.

Danis [tweeted](https://twitter.com/dillondanis/status/1610811392541474817?s=20&t=KvY6NXJhRBm2O27JLIwPnw) “The truth will shock everyone” after the announcement of him withdrawing from the fight. Danis hasn’t competed in MMA since 2019 and hasn’t shown interest in coming back. It looks like it’s time to close the door on any talks of Dillon Danis competing again.

# Videos of the Week

![Dana White and his wife slap each other^This was the most viral video of the week in combat sports.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaAYPvvx7xA&t=4s&ab_channel=TMZSports](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e8d47d93-55e3-4ad3-cb74-f94dbd873700/public?updated_at=2023-01-06T06:50:36.889Z)

![Cory Sandhagen speaks about Marlon Vera^Cory Sandhagen talks to MMA Junkie's Farah Hannoun about his upcoming main event against Marlon Vera.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhSti7yQ2Zw&ab_channel=MMAJunkie](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a77f0593-fdcc-40bc-dac7-162a09301600/public?updated_at=2023-01-06T06:50:42.554Z)

![The 10th Annual MMA Hour Awards Show^Ariel Helwani, Conner Burks, and New York Ric hand out the awards for the best of 2022.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwdWNhTvDeQ&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9a927111-d88a-4aca-e397-0dfa63024600/public?updated_at=2023-01-06T06:50:41.506Z)

What did you think about this edition of OverUnder? Let us know by sending us a message. We answer everyone back. Remember, we're bringing you the best stories in combat sports every Friday at 8 AM ET. Tell a friend. 

Jake Paul will fight in MMA for the PFL

It’s been another week without a major MMA event, but that hasn’t stopped the news cycle from moving. There’s a lot to discuss in this edition including some upsetting news.

# Quick Hits

[Derek Brunson](https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/12/28/23530030/derek-brunson-vs-dricus-du-plessis-on-tap-for-ufc-285-in-march) vs. Dricus du Plessis is being targeted for UFC 285.

[Alex Volkanovski](https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/12/27/23523053/alexander-volkanovski-determined-to-prove-islam-makhachev-is-beatable-twice-the-fighter) believes he’s already twice the fighter he was heading into the Islam Makhachev fight.

[Aljamain Sterling](https://twitter.com/funkmasterMMA/status/1606418695609270273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1606418695609270273%7Ctwgr%5Ee9cda0abc1983aef7c44e5c5e96e976bd8f0dc5b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mmamania.com%2F2022%2F12%2F24%2F23525590%2Faljamain-sterling-move-to-featherweight-ufc-285-henry-cejudo) says he’ll move up to Featherweight after defeating Henry Cejudo.

[Conor McGregor](https://www.mmamania.com/2022/12/26/23526671/conor-mcgregor-legally-cleared-to-call-artem-lobov-a-rat-as-proper-12-whiskey-case-continues) is legally cleared to call Artem Lobov a rat.

[Forrest Griffin](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmsAo9LNrgZ/?igshid=NTdlMDg3MTY%3D) named an official “Head Catcher” of the Power Slap League.

[Tatiana Suarez](https://wmmarankings.com/tatiana-suarez-says-ufc-comeback-will-be-at-flyweight-in-february-teases-imminent-fight-news/) says she’s fighting in February.

[Jeff Molina](https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/12/26/23525994/jeff-molina-placed-on-suspension-by-nevada-athletic-commission) got suspended by the NSAC.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* The importance of Stephan Bonnar
* Antonio Bigfoot Silva announces his retirement from MMA
* Khamzat Chimaev can’t find an opponent


# The importance of Stephan Bonnar

On December 22nd, Stephan Bonnar died of heart complications at the age of 45. In a sport where fighter accomplishments are often exaggerated, the importance of Stephan Bonnar to mixed martial arts cannot be stated enough. It wasn’t his fighting skills that made him significant, it was his fighting spirit. We often hear about the successful business story of the Fertitta Brothers [purchasing the UFC for $2 Million and then selling it for $4.4 Billion](https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahkirsch/2016/08/22/ufc-sale-officially-closes-for-4-billion-fertitta-brothers-earn-huge-payday/?sh=2f8aad254eda) 15 years later.

A part of the story that is often left out is that the UFC was $44 Million in debt before the first Ultimate Fighter. The Fertitta Brothers had to pay out of their pockets to feature the Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV. The first season of TUF aired on Spike immediately after WWE RAW. This was a big success for the UFC because wrestling fans stuck around to watch TUF after RAW had ended. This was during a time when reality TV shows thrived on cable. It became clear that people liked TUF as a reality show but would they like the UFC itself? This would be determined by the success of the finale. [It was the final all-in play by the Fertitta Brothers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qu6wjHObQc&ab_channel=UFC-UltimateFightingChampionship).

When the sport needed it the most, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar put on a fight for the ages. It wasn’t a technical fight, it was a gritty fight, and that’s what the world needed to see that night. Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar showed an incredible amount of fighting spirit, and it connected with people. Casual viewers turned into lifelong fans. The fight started a snowball effect that pushed the sport into the mainstream.

If MMA had jerseys, we’d have to retire Stephan Bonnar’s number and hang it in the rafters somewhere. He helped pave the way for us to be fans.


# Antonio Bigfoot Silva announces his retirement from MMA

The MMA community took a collective sigh of relief this week when Bigfoot Silva announced that he’s finally retiring from the sport. Fans became concerned about Bigfoot’s career over the past few years as he’s [suffered several knockout losses](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpIS7OA0YZo&ab_channel=ITPMMA). 12 of Bigfoot’s 14 career losses in MMA have come by knockout, with 9 of those knockouts coming in his last 12 fights. Bigfoot also suffered 4 knockout losses outside MMA. He was knocked out in a boxing match this past July, knocked out in a bare-knuckle fight by Gabriel Gonzaga in late 2019, and knocked out twice in kickboxing, most recently this past September. What’s sad is that Bigfoot was knocked out in back-to-back fights in a 60-day span from July to September. He shouldn’t have been fighting, let alone training for a fight.

It’s no secret that brain trauma isn’t good for your long-term health. The number of knockouts Bigfoot has suffered in the last few years is concerning. Bigfoot has name value and that’s why promotions have been quick to sign him after he left the UFC. These promotions aren’t signing him because they think he’s one of the best fighters in the world. They’re signing him because he’ll bring more awareness to their promotion…. But at what cost? A lot of these promotions exploit the legends of our sport.

“_I’ll leave the sport professionally, I have a wife and kids and people to take care of, people I love and that love me_” [Bigfoot said when discussing his retirement](https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/12/28/23529140/antonio-bigfoot-silva-announces-retirement-from-mma-everybody-has-a-limit). He’ll look to compete in grappling matches in the future but says his time in MMA has come to an end.


# Khamzat Chimaev can’t find an opponent

When Khamzat Chimaev burst onto the scene in the UFC, it seemed like he’d be fighting all the time. He earned 3 wins in 3 months and did it in devastating fashion. Many fans expected this to be the norm as Khamzat wanted to remain active, and the UFC kept offering him fights. Unfortunately, [Khamzat was hit by a bad case of COVID-19 that sidelined him for over 1 year](https://www.mmamania.com/2022/4/2/23007230/coach-recalls-khamzat-chimaevs-near-retirement-after-covid-19-scare-it-affected-him-quickly-ufc-273). When he returned, Khamzat looked better than ever. He picked up where he left off, but he isn’t as active and the reason for that is the UFC can’t find him an opponent.

Khamzat didn’t absorb a single strike when he fought Kevin Holland. It looked like Khamzat could have stayed in the Octagon and fought a fresh opponent the same night. Given how dominant he was, combined with not taking any damage, many expected Khamzat to have a quick turnaround which hasn’t been the case. [Khamzat revealed on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmjybLos22k/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) this week that he was offered 4 opponents in 4 countries, and they all turned down the fight. Many were expecting him to fight Colby Covington, but Covington has gone radio silent since March.

Khamzat is in a strange place as it’s unclear whether he’ll fight at Welterweight or Middleweight. His coach recently said he wants Khamzat to fight at Middleweight, but Khamzat has been speaking about fighting for the Welterweight title for a long time. Rumors have circulated that Kamaru Usman won’t be ready for the March PPV in London, which would leave Edwards without an opponent. As soon as that situation is figured out, you can expect more fights to be signed at Welterweight. Colby Covington and Belal Muhammad have both made a case to step in to fight Edwards if Usman isn’t available. With Khamzat missing weight by a significant margin in his last fight, it’s less likely that the UFC will offer him a Welterweight title fight without making the weight limit against a contender first. If Khamzat decides to move to Middleweight, a fight against Robert Whittaker might make the most sense for both competitors.

# Videos of the Week

![Marcus ‘Lelo’ Aurelio drives Hidenori Ebata into moat^This took place at the Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye x Ganryujima event in Tokyo.^https://twitter.com/marcraimondi/status/1607997659826225153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1607997659826225153%7Ctwgr%5E05105613edd75f2e0b2bd5613c417b4ef3f1013d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mmafighting.com%2F2022%2F12%2F28%2F23529294%2Finoki-bom-ba-ye-x-ganryujima-video-marcus-lelo-aurelio-drives-hidenori-ebata-into-moat](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e94bf452-8d19-4478-eedd-1a78f396f800/public?updated_at=2022-12-30T01:52:22.372Z)

![Stephan Bonnar delivers a classic post-fight speech^This was Stephan Bonnar at UFC 116 after he finished Krzysztof Soszynski.^https://twitter.com/mmahistorytoday/status/1606884366097043459?s=46&t=h8ylnV8a8kKNWVjvnAbTzA](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/99d445b1-1305-4982-05b4-96e1d0862400/public?updated_at=2022-12-30T01:52:22.420Z)

![Paulo Costa and Bobby Green spar^A sparring match between a Middleweight and a Lightweight.^https://twitter.com/theUG/status/1607938424538861568?s=20&t=n86UZnRK3N4Zs5iSF_GI1w](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/58c11f0e-ea61-42ba-ff6d-d6cfa019cf00/public?updated_at=2022-12-30T01:52:23.365Z)

What did you think about this edition of OverUnder? Let us know by replying to this email. We answer everyone back. Remember, we're bringing you the best stories in combat sports every Friday at 8 AM ET. Tell a friend. 

The importance of Stephan Bonnar

Keeping up to date with combat sports news can take up a lot of time, so we’re simplifying the process by bringing the most important stories directly to you. We read the internet all week and then summarize what you need to know in 3-4 minutes.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* Paulo Costa refuses to fight Robert Whittaker because of contract issues
* An athlete born without legs wins his professional MMA debut
* Jake Shields gets banned from the UFC Performance Institute for attacking Mike Jackson

# Paulo Costa refuses to fight Robert Whittaker because of contract issues

On October 20th, [the UFC announced that Paulo Costa would fight Robert Whittaker at UFC 284](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj8ycW1hQEH/?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE%3D) in Perth, Australia. The fight excited fans as the matchup was a striker’s delight. However, the excitement quickly turned into confusion as Costa revealed on [Submission Radio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2aAQSOj1gY&t=95s&ab_channel=SubmissionRadio) that the UFC hadn’t sent him a bout agreement for the fight. Costa stated in the interview that he wanted more money if he was going to fight Whittaker in Australia and that the fight wasn’t a done deal. It isn’t uncommon for the UFC to announce fights before bout agreements are signed. [Anthony Smith recently revealed that there have been times when he didn’t sign a bout agreement until the week of the fight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovgdd9UtfdU&t=408s&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN). Costa is known for being a great troll, which made the situation confusing. No one knew if Costa was joking about his contract issues or not.

In the midst of the confusion, Robert Whittaker was in camp training for the fight. [Whittaker spoke with Submission Radio and laughed off Costa’s claims](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=301&v=AhO3eSxrduE&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=SubmissionRadio), thinking it was a big joke. On Monday, Costa tweeted a screenshot of Whittaker’s interview and again said that the fight is not happening. [ESPN confirmed less than 2 hours later that the fight was indeed not happening](https://twitter.com/bokamotoESPN/status/1604925063135842306?s=20&t=etLLRuduBdWbjOrclG8sag).

This is the final fight of Costa’s UFC contract, and it appears he’s refusing to sign an extension. He’s asking to get paid more for a fight against Robert Whittaker and has stated he’ll be ready to compete in March. Costa’s contract situation has become a developing story.


# An athlete born without legs wins his professional MMA debut

On December 17th, Zion Clark made his professional MMA debut by defeating Eugene Murray by unanimous decision. Clark was born without legs due to a rare disorder called Caudal regression syndrome. Though he was born with the disorder, it didn’t stop him from chasing a career in athletics. Clark attended Kent State University in Tuscarawas, Ohio, where he had a successful career as an All-American D1 freestyle wrestler. [A documentary about his life story won 2 Emmy Awards and is currently being streamed on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRvGlB1-Ku8&t=12s&ab_channel=Netflix).

Zion secured multiple takedowns against Murray which led him to his win. His first takedown was an aggressive single leg that [Conor McGregor complimented on Twitter](https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1605364378911444992?s=20&t=etLLRuduBdWbjOrclG8sag). Zion responded to McGregor’s tweet and said that he’ll [continue to compete as a fighter](https://twitter.com/bigz97/status/1605366078426619904?s=20&t=etLLRuduBdWbjOrclG8sag). You can expect a lot more eyes on Zion headed into his second fight.


# Jake Shields gets banned from the UFC Performance Institute for attacking Mike Jackson

Things got messy at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas last Friday when Jake Shields got into a physical altercation with Mike Jackson. [Shields posted the video on his Twitter account along with a thread where he attempts to justify what happened](https://twitter.com/jakeshieldsajj/status/1603834472540934144?s=20&t=etLLRuduBdWbjOrclG8sag). Shields mounted Jackson and threw elbows at him while Jackson yelled for help.

Jake Shields has become somewhat of a political commentator on Twitter as of late as most of what he says is centered around his political ideologies. On the other end of the spectrum, Mike Jackson has been attacking Shields on Twitter and has [referred to him as a “Nazi” on several occasions](https://twitter.com/TheTruthJackson/status/1603822823570432000?s=20&t=etLLRuduBdWbjOrclG8sag). This upset Shields, who told Jackson that it was gonna be on sight as soon as they were near each other. Shields stayed true to his word as he allegedly spit on Jackson multiple times, then physically attacked him.

[In an interview with Mike Bohn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GgL0vALQ0g&t=1s&ab_channel=MMAJunkie), Jackson revealed that the UFC had banned Shields from entering the UFC Performance Institute moving forward. He also revealed that he intends to press charges against Shields in the coming days. The back and forth between Shields and Jackson didn’t end at the UFC PI. Since the altercation, the two have continued to take shots at each other on Twitter.


# Quick Hits

[The UFC](https://verdictmma.com/news/UFC-Pay-Per-View-Price-Set-to-Rise-Once-Again-Next-Year/361) increased their PPV price by $5 in the US to $79.99.

[Douglas Crosby](https://twitter.com/ChaelSonnen/status/1605608108104900608?s=20&t=m6JX8bgjYX2QJ_valJV-5w) appeared on Chael Sonnen’s podcast after his judging criticism.

[Sean O'Malley](https://www.mmamania.com/2022/12/18/23515840/sean-omalley-turned-down-invite-to-chechnya-from-ramzan-kadyrov-the-guy-is-a-murderer-basically) rejects an invitation from Ramzan Kadyrov.

[Jon Anik](https://twitter.com/Jon_Anik/status/1604841836824100865?s=20&t=m6JX8bgjYX2QJ_valJV-5w) believes MMA judging has never been in a worse state.

[Rafa Garcia](https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/12/18/23514845/rafa-garcia-reveals-he-lost-20-percent-of-his-blood-after-gruesome-cut-on-his-head-opened-an-artery) lost 20% of his blood in his fight last week.

[Taila Santos](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/35292689/ufc-sets-taila-santos-erin-blanchfield-feb-18-las-vegas) vs. Erin Blanchfield is in the works for February 18th for a possible title contender fight.


# Videos of the Week

![Anderson Silva's son makes his professional boxing debut^Kalyl Silva looks to continue his family's legacy as he made his successful professional boxing debut winning by knockout.^https://www.instagram.com/kalylsilva/?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE%3D](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/44977bba-9731-4515-e45f-7f0e80a44800/public?updated_at=2022-12-22T18:36:13.205Z)

![Bryce Mitchell is thinking about retirement^Mitchell was emotional after his loss to Ilia Topuria and spoke about walking away from the sport.^https://www.instagram.com/kalylsilva/?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE%3D](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6e7d65f0-0eba-4a4b-677c-392a4245d300/public?updated_at=2022-12-22T18:36:13.582Z)

![Zion Clark secures a single-leg takedown^Zion had a lightening fast entry when taking down his opponent.^https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1604986286670069760?s=20&t=G05-Iwg8LBTmR6V6vpGXvw](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/724eb131-b7d1-44ba-fd56-800179000e00/public?updated_at=2022-12-22T18:38:01.601Z)

What did you think about this edition of OverUnder? Let us know by sending us a message. We answer everyone back. Remember, we're bringing you the best stories in combat sports every Friday at 8 AM ET. Tell a friend. 

Paulo Costa refuses to fight Robert Whittaker because of contract issues.

Keeping up to date with combat sports news can take up a lot of time, so we’re simplifying the process by bringing the most important stories directly to you. We read the internet all week and then summarize what you need to know in 3-4 minutes.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* The judging controversy this past weekend
* Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill gets made out of nowhere
* Shogun Rua will retire after UFC 283

# The judging controversy this past weekend

There was a lot that happened in the combat sports world this past weekend, but judging in MMA was the biggest topic of conversation. It started with last Friday’s Bellator main event, which was headlined by a Bantamweight bout between Raufeon Stots and Danny Sabatello. The fight resulted in a split decision win for Stots where judge Douglas Crosby scored the fight 50-45 for Sabatello. This marked [the first and only 50-45 scorecard in favor of a losing fighter ever recorded on MMADecision.com’s database](https://twitter.com/MMADecisions/status/1601562295682727937?s=20&t=8gBJPJ66q7IiEzMixo9-WA). Less than 24 hours later, Crosby got on a plane and flew from Uncasville, Connecticut to Las Vegas, Nevada to judge fights at UFC 282. That’s when things got messy.

Paddy Pimblett defeated Jared Gordon in a controversial unanimous decision where one of the judges was Douglas Crosby. There was a huge uproar after the fight, as many referred to it as one of the biggest robberies in MMA history. Pimblett himself believed he won all 3 rounds and was shocked that people believed he lost the fight. [A formal complaint has since been lodged to the Nevada State Athletic Commission](https://www.mmamania.com/2022/12/15/23510756/formal-complaint-lodged-against-doug-crosby-in-nevada-after-ufc-282-judging-controversies) regarding Crosby being able to judge two events on opposite ends of the United States in a 24-hour span. [The Mohegan Tribe Athletic Department has also informed Douglas Crosby that they will review his scorecards for the Raufeon Stots/Danny Sabatello fight and that this is a ‘very serious situation’](https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1602709071408267265?s=20&t=8gBJPJ66q7IiEzMixo9-WA). It remains to be seen what action either athletic commission takes.

Judging was such a hot topic of conversation that even Chechen dictator and warlord [Ramzan Kadyrov sent Dana White a message on Telegram about the scoring of Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev that resulted in a draw](https://twitter.com/ZidanSports/status/1602001590738898944?s=20&t=m3oxK00SdU_iiHLRC87cGQ). Kadyrov questioned Dana White about his principles which is ironic given Kadyrov is responsible for hundreds of murders in Chechnya.


# Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill gets made out of nowhere

After Jiri Prochazka relinquished his Light Heavyweight title due to injury, the UFC announced that Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev would compete for the vacant title. The fight resulted in a split draw where no Champion was crowned. [Before Ankalaev had even left the Octagon, Jamahal Hill received a call from the UFC brass informing him that he would be fighting Glover Teixeira for the vacant title](https://twitter.com/MMAFighting/status/1602408138183184384?s=20&t=m3oxK00SdU_iiHLRC87cGQ) next month in Brazil at UFC 283.

Teixeira now gets his wish of fighting for the title in Brazil. UFC 283 marks the UFC’s first event in Brazil in nearly 3 years. This fight gives a huge boost to the card now that it has two two title fights. The UFC has been trying to stack this card up for a long time, even offering Charles Oliveira a rematch against Islam Makhachev for the Lightweight title on the card. Oliveira turned down the fight citing emotional stress. The fight between Teixeira and Hill will now headline the card over the 4th fight between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo. Hill opened up as -130 betting favorite against Teixeira.

Jamahal Hill was originally scheduled to fight Anthony Smith on March 11th. [Smith found out that his fight against Hill was canceled live on air while he was working the desk](https://twitter.com/SpinninBackfist/status/1602014762195456002?s=20&t=m3oxK00SdU_iiHLRC87cGQ).


# Shogun Rua will retire after UFC 283

This past Monday, the legendary Mauricio “Shogun” Rua informed [Combate](https://ge.globo.com/combate/noticia/2022/12/12/ufc-283-shogun-confirma-luta-de-despedida-sou-realizado.ghtml) that he’ll be retiring from the sport after his fight against Ihor Potieria at UFC 283 in front of his home country of Brazil. This will mark the end of a nearly 21-year professional career for Shogun. This is also the final fight of Shogun’s UFC contract. Unlike fellow pioneers that have gone on to compete in other martial arts after fighting in the UFC, Shogun says that he won’t be competing in any form of combat after UFC 283.

Shogun rose to prominence during his time at PRIDE FC, where he was widely considered the best Light Heavyweight in the world, even though he didn’t hold the title. During the majority of his career at PRIDE, his teammate Wanderlei Silva was the reigning 205 lbs. Champion. Shogun and Wanderlei refused to fight each other, given their bond. Shogun was a highlight reel machine in PRIDE, finishing 11 of his 12 wins with the promotion, including stoppage wins against Alistair Overeem, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Kevin Randleman, and more.

When 26-year-old Shogun made his UFC debut in 2007, many publications, including Sherdog had Shogun ranked as the #1 Light Heavyweight in the world. [Rampage Jackson, who Shogun finished with soccer kicks 2 years prior](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nD172M85cE&t=304s&ab_channel=UFCFIGHTPASS), was the Light Heavyweight Champion when Shogun made his UFC debut. Had Shogun defeated Forrest Griffin in his debut, he would have challenged Rampage for the Light Heavyweight title next. Shogun lost his UFC debut but eventually climbed the ranks to become the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. The MMA community will bid farewell to the legend next month.


# Quick Hits

[James Krause](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/35252129/nsac-extends-james-krause-darrick-minner-bans-amid-probes) and Darrick Minner have been suspended in Nevada.

[Billy Quarantillo](https://twitter.com/MMAFighting/status/1603148904799031296?s=20&t=1vLO5ABTW6pp586k4HZBew) wants to fight Edson Barboza next.

[Conor McGregor](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/12/ufc-news-conor-mcgregor-falls-outs-official-rankings-after-more-than-eight-years) falls out of the UFC's rankings for the first time in 8+ years.

[Cody Garbrandt](https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-breaking-cody-garbrandt-set-take-julio-arce-ufc-285-march-2023) vs. Julio Arce is set for UFC 285.

[Eugene Bareman](https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2022/12/14/23508796/ufc-news-israel-adesanya-coach-khamzat-chimaev-done-literally-nothing-at-middleweight-title-shot-mma) believes Khamzat Chimaev hasn’t done enough to fight for a Middleweight title.

# Videos of the Week

![Dana White on fight fixing in MMA^Dana White tells ESPN that fight fixing has now become a huge concern for him.^https://twitter.com/jedigoodman/status/1602711976571916289?s=46&t=qvwiq44giPDNC5Qyrw05vA](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ebb701c8-c499-47f4-6a37-e9c10c22a400/public?updated_at=2022-12-15T21:06:41.319Z)

![Paddy Pimblett showers himself with perfume^How many perfume sprays can you count in this video?^https://twitter.com/jedigoodman/status/1602711976571916289?s=46&t=qvwiq44giPDNC5Qyrw05vA](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/c6102709-e0fb-44ef-9c72-dbd60ce4ff00/public?updated_at=2022-12-15T21:06:41.351Z)

![Israel Adesanya reacts to the controversial scoring of UFC 282^Adesanya reacts to the scoring of Pimblett/Gordon and Blachowicz/Ankalaev.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X14m1UhXfSs&ab_channel=FREESTYLEBENDER](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/056d0b22-0538-4cda-59ef-099a8a10ea00/public?updated_at=2022-12-15T21:06:41.707Z)

What did you think about this edition of OverUnder? Let us know by sending us a message. We answer everyone back. Remember, we're bringing you the best stories in combat sports every Friday at 8 AM ET. Tell a friend. 

The judging controversy this past weekend

Keeping up to date with combat sports news can take up a lot of time, so we’re simplifying the process by bringing the most important stories directly to you. We read the internet all week and then summarize what you need to know in 3-4 minutes.


# What we're going to discuss today.

* TJ Dillashaw leaves the USADA pool and retires
* James Krause has been blacklisted by the UFC
* The Paddy Pimblettt and Ariel Helwani story

# TJ Dillashaw leaves the USADA pool and retires

On Monday, the Twitter account [@UFCRosterWatch tweeted that TJ Dillashaw had been removed from the UFC rankings](https://twitter.com/UFCRosterWatch/status/1599898434076549153?s=20&t=Pux7r296cViXxra7nP4e3A). This surprised many, as Dillashaw recently competed against Aljamain Sterling for the UFC Bantamweight title. Dillashaw came into the fight compromised, as he was dealing with a separated shoulder injury. When the news broke, there was a lot of confusion online as Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie initially tweeted that Dillashaw was removed from the roster but would not be retiring. [Ariel Helwani later cleared the air and confirmed that Dillashaw had notified the UFC of his retirement](https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/1599919999581245440?s=20&t=eHnSNPR6lQ7Rr_WCeV4h6w), and that’s why he was removed from the rankings.

After losing to Sterling, [Dillashaw appeared on Ariel Helwani’s the MMA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzvXHxCXGt4&t=741s&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN) Hour and said, “_I’m gonna come back. You can bet that. You know who I am competitive-wise. I will be coming, and I’m not going to let my story end that way_”. Dillashaw spoke to his surgeon weeks after this interview, who informed him that it would be a long road to recovery and that he might require 2 surgeries to fix his shoulder. The surgeon also informed Dillashaw that it was one of the worst shoulder injuries he had ever seen. Given everything he’s dealt with over the past few years, Dillashaw felt he had enough and decided to retire.

Many online have speculated whether the retirement is legitimate or if Dillashaw left the USADA testing pool for the loophole that Conor McGregor recently exposed. McGregor hinted on Twitter that he left the USADA testing pool to heal his ankle injury, in a tweet that has since been deleted. [McGregor plans on re-entering the USADA testing pool so he can compete in 2023](https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1595584073971470338?s=20&t=0I4y3HGqeAaHnS-zmRNhjQ). Given Dillashaw’s history with PED’s and the recently exposed USADA loophole, many wonder if Dillashaw is doing what McGregor did. Should fighters be allowed to use PED’s to recover from a significant injury? It’s something that’s going to be talked about a lot in the coming year.


# James Krause has been blacklisted by the UFC

We’ve been discussing this situation since the [10th edition of OverUnder](https://verdictmma.com/newsletter/overunder/Cain-Velasquez-is-out-on-bail/10), and it seems like this story is not close to being finished. Last week, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario informed Sportsbooks that they were no longer allowed to let customers bet on the UFC. The following day, [Alberta announced that they were also not allowing the wagering of UFC bets in the province](https://sportshandle.com/canadian-regulators-tko-ufc-betting/#:~:text=Nearly%20four%20weeks%20after%20%E2%80%9Csuspicious,all%20betting%20on%20UFC%20events.). These are major consequences, as millions of Canadians are no longer able to bet on the UFC. In recent years, betting has become a big part of the UFC’s presentation. The UFC was the first major sports organization to display odds on broadcasts, they hired professional gamblers like Gianni the Greek, and they [catered Dana White’s Contender Series to be viewed by ‘degenerate gamblers.’](https://twitter.com/mmajunkie/status/1555000529411051520) Losing the sports betting audience would be a huge blow to the UFC, so they decided to act fast.

Last Friday, UFC’s Chief Business Officer [Hunter Campbell informed all fighters that effective immediately, fighters who choose to continue to be coached by James Krause or who continue to train in his gym will not be permitted to participate in UFC events](https://www.si.com/mma/2022/12/03/ufc-will-ban-fighters-associated-with-krause-amid-gambling-investigation). He also informed the roster that the UFC had released Darrick Minner, who is coached by James Krause and who competed in the fight that’s under investigation.

This news affects several fighters, including the interim UFC Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno, who will be competing for the undisputed UFC Flyweight Championship next month, with Krause no longer in his corner. The UFC had to make a statement if they wanted to get betting on their fights back in Ontario and Alberta. Blacklisting James Krause and anyone he’s associated with was the first step.


# The Paddy Pimblett and Ariel Helwani story

Normally when it’s the Wednesday before the final UFC PPV event of the year, it’s all eyes on the card. This past Wednesday was different, as the biggest topic of the day was Paddy Pimblett and Ariel Helwani. [Pimblett had UFC President Dana White as a guest on his podcast ‘Chattin with Pony.’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmpCjYLlPug&t=982s) Pimblett had Dana on his podcast to discuss the card, but the conversation took a turn when Pimblett brought up Ariel Helwani and started talking smack about him with Dana. It stemmed from an issue last November when Pimblett’s manager Graham Boylan asked Ariel Helwani to pay for an interview with Pimblett. Helwani refused and Pimblett got upset because he believed that Helwani ‘Is making money off of the fighters through YouTube views.’

[Helwani brought out the receipts on his show](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-dC8ulPXDE&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN) and cleared up the air on the matter. He played the conversation between Pimblett and Dana White, paused the audio, and rebutted every point. Helwani even played a voice note from Pimblett where he was letting Helwani know that he was coming to New York, insinuating that Helwani should interview him. It was an hour-long response from Helwani.

Pimblett has been a star in the UK for a long time. [He was introduced to many American fans by Helwani who had him on his show years before entering the UFC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCqq00l6fPk&t=16s&ab_channel=MMAFightingonSBN) and has been [tweeting about Pimblett since 2016](https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/778932321366007808?s=20&t=cWLu9q-92ZptWFD-rXEDOA). After the interview, Pimblett posted a picture on Instagram with Dana White. [All of the top comments are fans defending and supporting Helwani](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl4qA-isscX/?igshid=YTY2NzY3YTc%3D).


# Quick Hits

[UFC 286](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/35209422/ufc-286-announced-london-march-2023) is announced for March 18th in London, England.

[Dustin Poirier](https://twitter.com/DustinPoirier/status/1600172899759013889?s=20&t=KEW0YCNG_Fesz4An-2BWLg) suffers a gruesome staph infection.

[Dan Hardy](https://twitter.com/danhardymma/status/1600578522396901445?s=20&t=erVTWxl_A3O6ccZAgWaqyQ) joins the Verdict Community.

[Demetrious Johnson](https://verdictmma.com/news/Demetrius-Johnson-vs-Adriano-Moraes-lll-Set-For-ONE-U-S-Live-Event-Debut/341) vs. Adriano Moraes 3 to headline ONE Championship U.S. debut on May 5.

[Sean Strickland](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/12/ufc-news-sean-strickland-interview-video-alex-pereira-rematch-strategy-same-thing) wants a rematch against Alex Pereira.

# Videos of the Week

![Nate Diaz gets the key to the city^Diaz was awarded a key to the city by Mayor Kevin J. Lincoln at a Stockton Kings game last Saturday.^https://www.youtube.com/shorts/e6p6GL65q4I](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/094fa3dd-2e60-4316-c0e2-64c9f0796200/public?updated_at=2022-12-09T00:37:04.676Z)

![Dan Hardy makes his picks for UFC 282^Dan Hardy and his guest co-host Veronica Macedo make their picks for UFC 282 on the Outlawed Picks Podcast.^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1-YescdhjQ&ab_channel=DanHardy%7CFullReptile](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b990340e-15cc-404b-0ef0-e74450d5fe00/public?updated_at=2022-12-09T00:37:04.280Z)

![Ilia Topuria viciously KO's Jai Herbert^Throwback to Ilia Topuria's knockout against Jai Herbert from March of 2022.^https://youtu.be/VWixtUTgsJU?t=137](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/de60fb9e-5246-489d-d5ef-4c5bc62be100/public?updated_at=2022-12-09T00:37:04.194Z)

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