UFC fighter Conor McGregor has been informed by prosecutors that he won’t face charges regarding a sexual assault claim during an NBA finals game in Florida last June. The BBC reports that the 35-year-old Irishman was accused of forcibly engaging with a woman in a VIP bathroom at the Kaseya Center in Miami.

The Allegations and Denials

The unnamed accuser claimed McGregor acted violently and alleged that arena security contributed to the incident by trapping her in the restroom. McGregor vehemently denied the accusation, and his lawyer expressed satisfaction that the case has now been dropped.

Official Confirmation of Case Closure

A spokesperson for the state attorney’s office confirmed to the BBC that the case has been officially closed, bringing an end to the legal proceedings. McGregor’s lawyer, Barbara Llanes, stated that after a thorough investigation, including video reviews and eyewitness interviews, authorities concluded that there is no basis for pursuing a case against her client.

The Incident: NBA Finals Game 4

The incident took place during Game 4 of the NBA finals between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets. A letter obtained by the BBC last year, allegedly from the woman’s lawyer, detailed her forced entry into a men’s bathroom by NBA and Miami Heat security guards, leading to the reported sexual assault by McGregor.

McGregor’s Reaction and Legal Standpoint

Barbara Llanes conveyed McGregor and his family’s relief at the case’s closure, emphasizing that the authorities’ decision aligns with McGregor’s account of the evening. The Irishman, who suffered a broken leg in July 2021, is now eyeing a return to the UFC, with a potential bout against Michael Chandler in 2024 after re-entering the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s testing pool.

*Disclaimer: The information presented is based on available details at the time of writing and may be subject to updates.*

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Garry enters the UFC as the former Cage Warriors welterweight champion with an 11-fight win streak, seven of those coming since he turned professional.

Two-and-a-half years after making his pro debut, The Future will step into the octagon in front of fans on one of the most anticipated cards of the year.

“I’ve been saying since I started MMA – I wanted to have fought by 19, made my pro debut by 21 and I wanted to fight in the UFC by the time I’m 23.”

The Irishman will get his wish with 11 days to spare as he turns 24 on November 17 and he is preparing to do so with Sanford MMA after moving to America after getting his UFC contract.

The Florida-based gym has fighters such as Robbie Lawler, Gilbert Burns and Ian Heinisch on the roster.

The latter had a sparring session with Garry that led him to get a cut above his eye previous to the interview after he had grazed the cage.

The unbeaten fighter praised his new gym, describing it as an “absolutely insane” place to get to train at.

“It’s a mat full of elite, world-class talent and it’s a blessing to be able to step onto the mats and learn from coaches and teammates of that calibre.”

Heinisch, along with Impa Kasanganay and Phil Hawes have been training with the 23-year-old ahead of his Stateside debut

The prospect is working under gym founders Henri Hooft and Greg Jones, as well as Jason Strout, all three of whom will corner him for the fight.

He relishes the opportunity to make his UFC debut in front of fans after the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 led to him missing out on that experience in his last four fights.

“268 is going to be the fight that I’m going to enjoy,” Garry exclaimed. “All the hard work that I put in in the last four years to get to where I am, has been an accumulation of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, all for like this moment, all for this fight…

“…Now I’ve got to go in there – fight, have fun, put on a show – and show people why I’m this f**king good, why I’ve got this hype, why people are talking about me being ‘the next Conor McGregor.’ – why people are saying I’m the next big thing in MMA.”

The fight comes less than five months after his friend, now CW featherweight king Paul Hughes was in his corner on short notice for Garry’s win over Jack Grant to earn his belt at 170 lbs.

He was kicked out of his previous gym, Team KF Martial Arts in Swords, a week out from his bout with Grant “after repeated warnings regarding his behaviour to other teammates and his coaches,” according to a statement from his former gym.

Garry’s point-of-view on the split is seen in the Curly Top documentary ‘Ian Garry: The Future’ which follows the mixed-martial artist in the build-up to his title bout.

“I had a lot of people behind me and a lot of people who wanted to be there for me, who supported me, and that’s what matters is that there are people out there that support you and no matter what you do, you’ll always find someone to have your back.”

The victory over Jack Grant proved to be the final fight for the 7-0 fighter in Cage Warriors as the UFC came calling right after he got gold around his waist.

The UFC deal has helped put Irish MMA in the spotlight it was once in – on top of Garry, Peter Queally and Sinead Kavanagh are fighting for titles at Bellator while Hughes and Joe McColgan already hold them at Cage Warriors.

He is aiming to join the likes of Conor McGregor, Michael Bisping and Joanna Jędrzejczyk on the list of fighters from the Irish-owned promotion to become UFC champions, having already joined the long list of those who have made the switch to the American promotion.

“I think it’s pretty obvious how good [Cage Warriors] are and what they do…I mean they’re absolutely sensational at what they do and they deserve all the praise.

“The fact that they got to put on shows during the pandemic and enabled us to continue our careers in fighting and show off our skill sets, while the world was shut down is massive.

“They’re an amazing organisation – Graham [Boylan] and Ian [Dean] work their asses off. It was a pleasure to be part of that organisation and be a part of their lineage and their history and now it’s time to go on and set my legacy in the UFC.”

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Dominique Wooding and Nathan Fletcher will go to battle to crown a new bantamweight champion in the main event.

Wooding comes into the fight in patchy form, with two wins and two losses in his last four fights – both of those losses came by unanimous decision in his final Bellator fights.

However, Wooding has had a bright start to life at Cage Warriors, beating Cameron Hardy at Cage Warriors 124 to earn the opportunity to fight for the belt at 135 lbs.

The card will be held at the York Hall Leisure Centre in London and ‘Black Panther; will hope that the belt remains in the city after the fight.

Nathan Fletcher is the 25-year-old’s unbeaten opponent, with a 6-0 record to his name.

Fletcher is a known submission artist, choking out five of his six opponents on the road to the bantamweight title bout.

His performances as an amateur on the undercard of Cage Warriors events showcased this ability and on Thursday night, he will get to display them in the promotion’s biggest bantamweight fight of the year.

Nathan trains at Next Gen, the gym where UFC stars Molly McCann and Paddy Pimblett hail from, and he will be looking to follow in their footsteps and become a Cage Warriors champion.

In the co-main event, Kurban Khriziev and Josh Reed will meet in a catchweight bout after both men missed the mark of the originally agreed upon 135lbs.

However, they came to a gentleman’s agreement and the fight stays on the card as the third catchweight bout of the event.

Rory Evans and Weslley Maia agreed to a catchweight bout earlier this week and Adam Wilson and Kingsley Crawford will open the main card with one.

Irishman Ryan Shelley will kick-off the action at 8:15 pm when he faces Liam Molloy in his second professional MMA fight.

The main card will begin at 9 pm.

Cage Warriors 127 – Full Card

Odds

Wooding 3/2 vs 1/2 Fletcher

Reed 3/2 vs 1/2 Khizriev

Evans 7/4 vs 4/9 Maia

Elliot 2/5 vs 2/1 McManus

Wilson 3/2 vs 1/2 Crawford

Clarke 2/1 vs 2/5 Oryakhail

Shelley Even vs Even Molloy

Where To Watch 

The full card will be available to watch on UFC Fight Pass which has a cost of €9.99 a month.

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Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz rejuvenated their long-lasting feud after a series of back and forth tweets between the rivals took over MMA Twitter last night. Their two fights in 2016 were some of the greatest in UFC history.

Diaz defeated the two-weight world champion back at UFC 196 via submission in March 2016, with McGregor avenging his loss to Diaz at UFC 202 with a majority decision victory in August 2016.

Both men have lost their last two fights, with McGregor breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July.

Nate Diaz lost to Leon Edwards back in June that saw him outclassed before stunning the British fighter in the closing minutes in what was almost a shock victory for the Stockton native upon his return to the octagon after his loss to Jorge Masvidal back in 2019.

However, last night, the pair were involved in a mouthwatering piece of trash talk after the Irishman reignited the feud after tweeting a photo of the two facing off prior to their second fight, with the caption ”Now add 30lb of muscle on to me and say ‘ding, ding’ in a Dublin accent.

After the post, Diaz responded by questioning McGregors motivation to trash talk after back-to-back losses and a broken leg sustained against Dustin Poirier.

Below is the back-and-forth between the pair. As Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz rejuvenate feud on Twitter

Conor McGregor

Now add 30lbs of muscle on to me and say ding ding in a Dublin accent. pic.twitter.com/ZvWN9vHvri

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 31, 2021

Nate Diaz

Bruh u can’t walk or fight right now why u talkin shit?

we talk later pic.twitter.com/WJXyljjD5s

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 31, 2021

Conor McGregor

Who can’t? Come thru and see you little skinny fool you be smacked up and rolled up you bum. Calis mine.

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 31, 2021

Nate Diaz

Nah bitch u should’ve learned how to not break ur leg when I checked ur shit and u crutched outta the fight with me
And how u gonna fight me when u can’t run for your life this time wit ur broken ass you lost the last fight and ran for the hills just like kabob ur a pussy too

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 31, 2021

Nate Diaz

That means I’m the double triple champ of this whole shit fuck all you pussies ..

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 31, 2021

Nate Diaz

Ps you jumped ship on your country bitch go home don’t you got any friends

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 31, 2021

Conor McGregor

Into the belly when I get ya

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 31, 2021

Conor McGregor

Little cockroach Diaz brother.
It’s 3 on the street grab the heat. pic.twitter.com/Cvbp2PEJBt

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 31, 2021

He fled the cage and I boxed his whole family around. And nobody finished me mate. I broke MY leg. No one or nothing else done anything to me. And anyway. Don’t worry bout them. I’m here in Cali months doing what I want. It’s 3 on the street now mate fuck your little sport.

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 31, 2021

It’s just business remember your the sports man I showed Uguys this street shit I fought both your teams out the cage before any of Uguys realized the real fight game sporty lil bitches

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 31, 2021

Nate Diaz

I ended this guys career lol what happened to him get him back here u need some help and why u just throw ur friends away shithead pic.twitter.com/wepc2qc7ph

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 31, 2021

Fuck you

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 31, 2021

Conor McGregor

It’s none of that hitting arms and commentary screaming with me.
It’s silence and holes in the head. pic.twitter.com/QFB9OghB8Q

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 31, 2021

Nate Diaz

I’ll fight you in 4 years when your healed up

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 31, 2021

Conor McGregor

Bones heal. Blunt force trauma to the brain? Not so much. #seeyouwheneveriwant pic.twitter.com/rlDbWUFmQ4

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 31, 2021

Conor McGregor

“You taking everything I worked for motherfucker” hahahaja well then work harder you little cockroach #foreverrich #bye pic.twitter.com/6aLHJQWVH6

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 31, 2021

Nate Diaz

And you dead pic.twitter.com/qnfBG5VfyD

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) September 1, 2021

For more news and stories on all things MMA, click here.

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What is coming up in Sports this week? The upcoming week of sports has a lot of action to get through, with competitive games and PPV combat sports on the weekend agenda. Starting from Monday, there is a lot on show for sports fans.

GAA

Saturday 28 August

All-Ireland SFC semi-final
Kerry v Tyrone, Croke Park, 3.30 pm – RTE

All-Ireland Football Championship final set for 5pm start time; Kerry vs Tyrone throw-in fixed for 3:30pmhttps://t.co/zPaQbr1p1F

— Munster GAA (@MunsterGAA) August 20, 2021

All-Ireland MFC final
Meath or Sligo v Cork or Tyrone, TBC, TBC

What is coming up in Sports this week?

Football

Premier League

Monday, 23 August

West Ham United vs Leicester City, the London Stadium, 8:00 pm – Sky Sports PL

Saturday, 28 August

Manchester City vs Arsenal, Ethiad Stadium, 12:30 pm – BT Sport 1

Aston Villa vs Bretford, Villa Park, 3:00 pm

Brighton and Hove Albion vs Everton, American Express Community Stadium 3:00 pm

Newcastle United vs Southampton, St. James’s Park, 3:00 pm

Norwich City vs Leicester City, Carrow Road Stadium, 3:00 pm

West Ham United vs Crystal Palace, the London Stadium, 3:00 pm

Liverpool vs Chelsea, Anfield, 5:30 pm – Sky Sports PL

Sunday 29th August

Burnley vs Leeds United, Turf Moor, 2:00 pm – Sky Sports PL

Tottenham Hotspur vs Watford, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 2:00 pm –

Wolverhampton Wanderers, Molineux Stadium, 4:30 pm – Sky Sports PL

Rugby

Sunday, 29 August

Boroughmuir Bears vs Stirling County, FOSROC Super6, 1:30 pm – FreeSports

MMA

Saturday, 28 August

UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Chikadze, UFC Apex, 1: 1:00 pm – ESPN+

Boxing

Saturday, 28 August

Ennis Brown vs Maxwell, Arena Birmingham, 7:30 pm – BT Sport 1

Sunday, 29 August

Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley, Rocket Mortgage Field House, 12:30 am – BT Sport Box Office

ANNOUNCED

Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley will be streamed live on BT Sports Box Office in the UK for £16.95. pic.twitter.com/ZIMivBAV3z

— YouTube Boxing (@Youtube_Boxing_) August 21, 2021

For more news and stories on all things sports, visit SportsNewsIreland.

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Since the very first show, many good fighters have come and gone, leaving a lasting legacy in the process. The question has been raised, who is MMA’s GOAT (Greatest of All-Time).

MMA is a relatively young sport in today’s day and age. Back in November of 1993, the UFC opened its doors on Friday the 12^th of November at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver Colorado.

Who made the biggest impact on the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, who was the best skilled? Which fighter brought eyes to the sport? Who faced the best opposition amongst other criteria?

Here is a look at a select few fighters who can be considered in the conversation for GOAT status. They can still fight in the present day or were considered the out and out GOAT at some point.

Who is the MMA GOAT?

The Contenders

Royce Gracie

GOAT run: 1993-1995

The Case: When you think of the sport of MMA, hardcore fans will immediately mention the Gracie family. The name is royalty in the sport, known for their revolutionary methods of Brazilian Jujitsu, without the Gracie’s, the sport would never have got off the ground the way it did, and the UFC would certainly not be in the place it is today without them.

Its most popular family member, is to no one’s surprise, Royce Gracie. He was the first to introduce his family’s fighting style and roots to a worldwide platform. His UFC record is an interesting one. With him going unbeaten in 11 consecutive bouts from UFC 1 to UFC 4, fighting up to 4 times in one night on each event while wearing his iconic white karate uniform.

Gracie was the original GOAT, in terms of style, presence, aura, and for being the standard for MMA. No one can question him being the pioneer of the sport, bringing Brazilian Jujitsu to the masses and is by far the most influential man in the sport in terms of its beginnings.

GOAT pros

Again, Gracie was the UFC’s main star at the time, he began the GOAT conversation merely by being the first one to stand out in an era filled with meatheads and brawlers. His UFC record stands at 11-1-1 in the UFC made him the original GOAT.

GOAT cons

Gracie fought numerous fighters often and easily submitting so-called tomato cans to boost his professional record. His only two losses being by TKO, with his most famous loss being to Hall of Famer Matt Hughes at UFC 60 back in 2006. Only fighting 20 times in total, taking years away from the sport on more than one occasion detracts from other competitors on this list. In terms of ability, his boxing took a back seat to his main weapon of jujitsu, which was very noticeable throughout his career.

Is he the GOAT GOAT?

Quite simply, no. Gracie was the pioneer of the sport, but nowhere near GOAT status.

Who is the MMA GOAT?

Fedor Emelianenko

GOAT run: 2001-2010

The Case: When it comes to the heavyweight scene in MMA, one particular fighter stands out above all else, that man is Fedor ‘’the last emperor’’ Emelianenko. One of a handful of Heavyweights who can contend for GOAT status, the Russian was a silent killer in the sport, rarely speaking English or barely speaking at all, he would barely emote any emotion which only made him even more intimidating than he already was.

His legendary career from 2001 to 2010 while signed to promotions Rings, PRIDE Affliction and Strikeforce at the time was bizarre.  In that time period he went 28-0-1, matching up with many top UFC heavyweights of that era, he withstood them all, showing a superhero villain sense of immortality with each fight. His fight with head-kick assassin Mirko Cro Cop was the fight of the decade, and for a time he was unstoppable.

In June 2010 he lost his unbeaten run, being submitted by a Fabrício Werdum triangle armbar while signed to Strikeforce. This was the beginning of the end for the Russian, losing his next three fights, two by TKO, never being the same fighter again or having the same aura. His losing streak and not signing with the UFC cooled any talk of GOAT talk for many fans, never competing on the biggest stage was the main reason from Fedor detractors.

GOAT pros

He was the greatest Heavyweight in MMA history, for a decade he slew opponents with relative ease. Defeating the likes of Frank Mir, Andrei Arlovski, Mark Hunt, Mark Coleman(twice), Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), Kevin Randleman and Tim Sylvia. Pretty impressive.

GOAT cons

He never really hit worldwide recognition by not signing with the UFC, missing out on the lucrative fight with then UFC champion Randy Couture. Fighting in promotions like PRIDE also takes away from GOAT talk, often blurring the line between fact and fiction with some of the bouts made. He took some visibly hard beating after his decade long run was over.

Is he the GOAT GOAT?

No. Fedor was a great competitor, fought good competition, but compared to other high-profile names in the Heavyweight division through the years, he falls flat.

Who is the MMA GOAT?

Demetrious Johnson

GOAT run: 2012-2018

The Case: DJ was the king of UFC’s Flyweight division since the weight’s inclusion in the company. After moving down from the Bantamweight division in a unanimous decision loss to Dominick Cruz in 2011, ‘’Mighty Mouse’’ took over the newly introduced division with ease. Starting his 6 years of dominance with a victory over rival Ian McCall.

Johnson got so good that he eventually broke Anderson Silva’s incredible record of 11 title defensives by defeating contender Ray Borg, before winning 13 consecutive fights. With an incredible movie like finish versus Borg being a standout.

However, for a fighter who dominated one division for so long, he never truly became a star like Conor McGregor or even Ronda Rousey. Lacking in star power and pay-per-view pull.

GOAT pros

Breaking Silva’s title defence record is a clear standout, easily beating opponents in his division and was the last one standing, age caught up with him after his defeat to Cejudo in their second fight. Beating the likes of Joseph Benavidez (twice), John Dodson (twice), Henry Cejudo, Tim Elliott, and Ray Borg.

GOAT cons

As a result of a poor and thin era in his division, Johnson fought in a weight class that was only getting started, the Flyweight division was so paper-thin that DJ had to fight some of the competitors he already dominated twice just to keep the division afloat. One wonders if he was in his prime in today’s era, with great fighters such as Brandon Moreno, Deiveson Figueiredo and Adriano Moraes. They would have been worthy competitors and much-needed competition.

Is he the GOAT GOAT?

No. Some fans will make a case for the former champion, but all in all, his division and era let him down so much that he cannot be considered for GOAT GOAT.

Who is the MMA GOAT?

Khabib Nurmagomedov

GOAT run: 2017-2020

The Case: The latest fighter to enter the GOAT conversation, Nurmagomedov has had many fans labelling him the true GOAT of the sport after his last fight with Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in 2020. His UFC career has been nothing short of immaculate.

Going 13-0 in the Lightweight division is ridiculous, especially in this era, with many great fighters. The Dagestan wrestler only lost two rounds in his entire career, one to Conor McGregor at UFC 229 and one to Justin Gaethje in his latest bout. Although he submitted both fighters to retain his title.

No one can argue he was the most dominant and soul-crushing fighter in the history of the sport, boasting great cardio and a wrestling style that sucked the life out of his competitors, no one really knows how good Khabib is until they are locked in the cage with him. His last three fights all ended in submission victories, mauling McGregor, making Dustin Poirier gas out and putting a pace on Gaethje not seen before.

Retiring after his UFC 254 victory, leaving his gloves in the middle of the octagon after the death of his father.

GOAT pros

Remaining unbeaten throughout his career, losing two rounds in total, holding the record for most takedowns in a fight (21) in a three-round fight against Abel Trujillo, beating the likes of McGregor, Poirier, Gaethje, Dos Anjos and Barboza on his way to claiming the belt is impressive.

GOAT cons

Pulling out of fights with Cowboy and Cerrone and never facing off against Tony Ferguson, not being able to make weight on numerous occasions, only defending his title three times, retiring in his prime and fighting unknowns before his last three fights.

Is he the GOAT GOAT?

No, but he could have been. Retiring so young and in his prime due to his father’s death is commendable in its own right. He still has so much more to prove in order to be the ultimate GOAT.

Who is the MMA GOAT?

Daniel Cormier

GOAT run: 2013-2020

The Case: Daniel ”DC” Cormier, will go down as one of the greatest of his era in his respective division, competing as a Heavyweight in his earlier career, before dropping down to Light-Heavyweight to dominate. Staying unbeaten before meeting his match in Jon Jones, his great rival defeating him twice in the greatest rivalry in UFC history.

After Jones was suspended and stripped of his UFC title due to PED usage, Cormier won the vacant title against Rumble Johnson, defending it three times where he overcame Alexander Gustafsson, Anderson Silva and Johnson for a second time before meeting Jones once again at UFC 214. Ultimately losing via TKO.

Cormier was in Jones’s era, but his overall quality cannot be looked down on. He may have put on ”boring” wrestling clinics to ground out victories but with a record of 22-3 and a UFC record of 11-3-1, his legacy is forever.

He eventually moved up to Heavyweight at the end of his career, defeating Stipe Miocic to become double-weight world champion, before losing twice to Stipe in their trilogy.

GOAT pros

Becoming the fifth multi-divisional champion in UFC history (Light-Heavyweight & Heavyweight), defeating Stipe in such brutal fashion, three consecutive title defensives at LHW and beating the likes of Frank Mir, Dan Henderson, Anthony Johnson (twice), Alexander Gustafsson, Anderson Silva and Stipe Miocic.

GOAT cons

Never winning a rivalry. Losing twice to Jon Jones, and twice to Stipe (albeit defeating Miocic the first time around) takes away from his legacy when discussing the best of his era.

Is he the GOAT GOAT?

Boasting an incredible resume, beating some of the best the Light Heavyweight division had to offer before moving up to Heavyweight. Defeating Stipe before losing to him twice in the Heavyweight GOAT decider, his two losses to Jones also are a blemish on his record. He comes close but not quite GOAT GOAT material.

 Who is the MMA GOAT?

Anderson Silva

GOAT run: 2006-2013

The Case: Silva was a massive star for the UFC and showcased his greatness, with Steven Seagal taking credit for his infamous knockout win over Vitor Belfort. He hit the mainstream in more ways than one.

Some of his performances in the octagon are some of the greatest to ever grace the sport, fights against Dan Henderson and Vitor Belfort dropped many of the jaws of MMA fans all around the world. But it was his performance against Forrest Griffin which saw him channel his inner Matrix, showcasing incredible movement and reflexes to then knockout Griffin.

A fighter can dominate all they want, but it’s how they overcame trouble when faced. Silva has done this in his amazing comeback victory over Chael Sonnen, getting pounded for four and a half rounds before making a movie-style comeback to submit his American rival.

GOAT pros

During his time on top, Silva was the GOAT. Going 16-0 in that time frame and defending his title 10 times (a record at the time). Cleaning out the Middleweight division with wins over Rich Franklin (twice), Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin, Demian Maia, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen (twice) and Stephan Bonnar.

GOAT cons

Silva can be excused as the true GOAT just for his use of anabolic steroids in 2015, two years after his GOAT run ended by the hands of (and legs) of Chris Weidman, getting knocked out for showboating and breaking his leg in their rematch. Losing nearly every fight since his leg break, bar his controversial victory over Derek Brunson at UFC 208.

Is he the GOAT GOAT?

At one time he was considered the GOAT, even more so than GSP. But after his run ended, his career has gone downhill quickly. Falling short compared to others on this list.

Who is the MMA GOAT?

Jon Jones

GOAT run: 2011-Present

The Case: Easily the most complicated fighter in MMA history, Jonny Bones Jones has an acute record, winning all of his fights bar his DQ to Matt Hamill for 12 to 6 elbows, which in today’s MMA landscape is nothing short of a ridiculous decision by the judges. Testing positive for anabolic steroid use in his rematch with Daniel Cormier along with his numerous DUIs, his hit-and-run of a pregnant woman, being stripped of his titles on more than one occasion.

All that being said, Jones went on a legend killer run at the start of his career, making great fighters look average compared to him, defeating Cormier twice was massive, along with his two victories over Gustafsson, it is a very easy argument to place him as the one true GOAT of MMA, and if he is successful in Heavyweight, he may just snatch the crown.

GOAT pros

Arguably having the best resume of any fighter in MMA, beating the likes of Daniel Cormier (twice), Alexander Gustafsson (twice), Chael Sonnen, Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, Glover Teixeira and Dominick Reyes

Jones has fought 22 times in the UFC, dominating most of his competitors with relative ease and skill. Becoming the youngest champion in the company at the age of 23 defeating Shogun Rua via TKO at UFC 128 capturing the LHW strap. His only blemish being a ridiculous DQ loss to Matt Hamill.

GOAT cons

Where do you begin? The numerous PED offences (the UFC 200 debacle stands out), multiple arrests, substance abuse outside of the octagon. It got so embarrassing for Jones that he literally hid under the ring to avoid USADA testing and in his rematch against Gustafsson, the UFC had to move location just to accommodate his positive drug test.

Is he the GOAT GOAT?

It depends on where you stand.  You can make a strong case to place him as the GOAT, and before his career is over, he may be the top dog. But given his PED issues, outside troubles with the law and how close his recent fights have been, he just falls short.

Who is the MMA GOAT?

George St-Pierre

GOAT run: 2007-2017

The Case: When you think of class and professionalism in MMA, St-Pierre comes to mind. He was the first real fighter to add a level of grandeur to the sport that badly needed it. Wearing high-profile suits, speaking with respect, and always showing up on time for press conferences, he was never one to dabble in ‘’trash talk’’ and when he did, he admitted to being embarrassed by it.

His loss to Matt Hughes was the making of him, losing to his long time ideal before coming back after winning five consecutive fights, claiming the Welterweight title in the process. Before being embarrassed by underdog Matt Serra in his first title defence.

What was his worst loss, turned out to be the best thing to happen to him in his career, coming back and defeating Serra to become a two-time Welterweight champion. Since then, he won every fight he competed in, never really showing a real urge to get his opponent out of the cage in style, instead, he wore down his rivals, before finishing them. Some applauded this, some hated it.

His level of competition is truly elite, beating Matt Serra, Matt Hughes (twice), Nick Diaz, Johny Hendricks, Carlos Condit, Jake Shields, Josh Koscheck (twice), Dan Hardy, B.J. Penn (twice) and Jon Fitch all in their prime.

GSP is a rare champion in many ways, he retired from the sport on top, defeating Michael Bisping to capture Middleweight gold, nailing down his legacy as the true GOAT in style, in reality, GSP did not need to come back and win another title, he merely came back to show the world that he could.

GOAT pros

The Greatest Welterweight of All Time, no debate to be had. Two-time welterweight champion. Ten consecutive title defences against killers. Fourth Multi-Divisional Champion in UFC history (Welterweight and Middleweight). Came back from a four-year hiatus, moved up a division and won the Middleweight strap.

Most Welterweight title fights (14), most wins in UFC Welterweight division (19), Most wins in UFC Welterweight title fights (12).

Need I go on?

GOAT cons

GSP was a squeaky-clean champion and mixed martial artist, the only cracks in his glorified career are the Johnny Hendricks win. The greasing scandal where his coach illegally rubbed his body with Vaseline in between rounds. Taking long hiatus’s and when he did come back, he left immediately after.

Is he the GOAT GOAT?

Yes, as of today, GSP is the GOAT GOAT, faced great Welterweights in their prime, two divisional world champion, numerous title defences and he knew how to come back from a loss in style. Besides Khabib, no one has been able to manhandle and dominate their division or opponents as GSP did.

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Just weeks following Conor McGregor’s defeat at the hands of Dustin Poirier, the Irishman took to Instagram with a caption that raised more than a few eyebrows: “No more mr nice guy.”

McGregor was unusually respectful in the build up to previous two fights, but it now appears that he’s now reverted back to his old ways having engaged in several mind games leading up to the upcoming trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier. Everyone knows that an online casino list is very important and so will the betting on this fight, early betting suggests that Mcgregor will be 2/1.

“Dustin’s going out on a stretcher, that’s my prediction,” McGregor responded when asked how he sees the fight going by BT Sport’s Ariel Helwani.

That’s just one example of McGregor’s mind games leading up to the fight this weekend against Poirier who has been relatively quiet in comparison.

As we’ve seen in the past, McGregor has no problem with bringing up his opponent’s family members.

His controversial comments about Khabib Nurmagomedov’s wife leading up to their fight left many wondering if he overstepped the mark, but that hasn’t stopped him from bringing Dustin Poirier’s wife into the equation. McGregor took to social media on Tuesday and posted a screenshot of an alleged message request from Poirier’s wife, Jolie. Naturally, there was mixed reaction to this.

pic.twitter.com/kdI3GStMeL

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) JULY 6, 2021

Despite the fight taking place in just two days, the trash talking/mind games is likely just starting. The pre-fight press conference is set to take place tonight at 1:00am Irish time, so we can expect to see verbal exchanges between the two fighters given their soured relationship since the last fight.

The press conference can be watched live on the UFC’s official YouTube channel for those interested in viewing.

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Sonnen has come to the defence of White over fighters complaining about a lack of sufficient pay after a recent dispute with heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

In a recent video taken from his Youtube channel, Sonnen expressed how White was the first to champion for bigger purses for fighters.

He added; “The person who believes fighters were exploited and fighters weren’t paid enough is Dana. And they’re now trying to use the same argument that he brought forward and act as though he is doing something wrong.

“When I first fought in the UFC, the year was 2005. I was paid $2,000 to show and $2,000 to win. I could not believe how much money I had in my pocket when I got that check. $2,000 in 2005.”

Sonnen went on to say that the overall pay for fighters in today’s landscape has significantly risen since then. With payouts rising from $2000 to $12,000

With the ”bad guy” offering anyone a reward who can name one or more companies besides the UFC who has done the same thing.

”The minimum pay right now is $12,000. The minimum now is six times as much. I will give two tickets to anybody who shows me any company in the world that is paying six times (more) right now than what it paid 15 years ago.”

Is… is Jake Paul the good guyhttps://t.co/XWMpIwPOCR

— Pundit Arena (@PunditArena) July 1, 2021

The topic of fighter pay has been long discussed in MMA, and especially in the UFC. With former Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones in the spotlight.

After vacating his Lightweight strap and moving up to Heavyweight, Jones expressed he should be compensated more if he were to challenge UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou.

Jones was immediately shot down by White, who claimed Jones wanted Deontay Wilder money for moving up a weight class.

White’s Response to Jones

During a media scrum in May, White responded to Jones’s claims, claiming he wanted over £30 million, and that £8-10 million was simply too low.

 “We have text messages from Jon Jones. It’s not like I can’t prove what I’m saying is true. We have text messages from him but I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to put his text messages out in the press”.

“If Jon Jones wants to sit down and take a lie detector test about who’s lying and who’s not, we can do that, too”.

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IMMAF’s 2021 Youth MMA Championships for 12 to 18-year-old’s will take place in Bulgaria at the EFE Marinela from July 29th to August 1st.

The former UFC Featherweight and Lightweight champion’s coach and Irish Mixed-Martial Arts Association president John Kavanagh broke the news to the kids.

The moment the Elite Irish Cadet MMA Team found out from IMMAA President @coach_kavanagh that @thenotoriousmma has offered to pay the full price of each Cadet athlete and their coaches trip to the @immafed Youth World Championships #IMMAA #MMAIreland #IrishMMA #IMMAF pic.twitter.com/3yBxzisi2b

— IMMAA (@IMMAAOnline) June 26, 2021

McGregor will cover the entry fees ad pay for the flights and accommodation of the 27 youths and 20 coaches that are travelling so that they can take part in the tournament.

‘The Notorious’ sent the kids a message after the announcement: “Wishing the Irish squad the very best of luck in their quest at the world championships this year! From the fighters to the coaches, I know the future of our fighting nation is in excellent hands! Fight with the pride of the Emerald Isle, team! We are all with you! Good luck!”

The group cannot qualify for any funding to represent Ireland as MMA is not yet officially recognised as a sport in this country.

Families had already started fundraising to ease the financial cost of the trip for the competitors and their coaches.

McGregor’s pledge eases the worries of those involved and allows those that deserve to go to the World Championships to travel.

IMMAF President Kerrith Brown said to the IMMAF website that “it’s fantastic news for all the athletes, coaches and the Irish MMA community that Conor has shown his passion for the sport in this way and is helping pave the way for the next ‘Conor’.

We at IMMAF are appreciative of Conor’s support of grassroots athlete development and his demonstration of support for John Kavanagh’s work in the MMA community, as President of the Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association.

The value of this endorsement extends beyond the money in terms of the focus and sense of purpose it gives to the team. This is what IMMAF is all about, working in communities to deliver value from MMA for social good.”

The full list of youth athletes travelling to Bulgaria can be seen here.

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Newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira had stern words for Conor McGregor during a post-fight press conference last night.

The Brazilian claimed the vacant UFC lightweight championship last night after a two round war with Michael Chandler which seen Oliveira overcome adversity and TKO his opponent at the start of the second round. Many UFC fans love to play online casinos australia that provides lots of entertainment.

Conor McGregor took to Twitter to congratulate – and taunt Oliveira simultaneously – shortly after the fight ended, tweeting: “Congrats to Olivera on becoming the 11th UFC lightweight champion. Wonder who Twelve is…”

Oliveira didn’t take kindly to McGregor’s input and responded to the Irishman, saying through an interpreter: “Conor, worry about Dustin. Afterwards, we’ll talk about it.

“Conor, since you’re so tough: First of all, you beat Dustin and then come over to Brazil and I’ll put you on your ass.

“First, he has to pass Dustin. He’s just one of these guys that talks a lot. He’s gotta beat Dustin first.”

McGregor is scheduled to face Dustin Poirier in a trilogy fight on on July 10th. The winner of which will likely face Oliveira for the UFC lightweight title. Which should be as entertaining as best online casinos ca where you can play for hours.

McGregor has won the lightweight championship previously, defeating Eddie Alvarez in one of his most polished performances in 2016, becoming the ‘champ champ’ in the process.

He was later stripped of the title due to inactivity but he did challenge (now retired) Khabib Nurmagomedov for the championship in 2018, a bout which he lost in the fourth round.

Will McGregor be next in line to challenge for Charles Oliveira’s title? Or will that privilege go to Dustin Poirier?

Let’s settle it in the Octagon… #UFC264: @DustinPoirier vs @TheNotoriousMMA 3

Pre-register for tickets: https://t.co/Hy57WJ5MQ3 pic.twitter.com/6VwrQbmqRx

— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2021

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