JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Islam Makhachev isn’t convinced by Conor McGregor’s analysis of his UFC 302 title defense vs. Dustin Poirier. Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC), who has fought Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) three times in his career, said he thinks “The Diamond” can…

Michael Page has some unflattering thoughts on Ian Machado Garry. In June, Page fights Garry at UFC 303. When the fight was announced, many fans were surprised by the timing, as just one month later, UFC returns to Manchester for UFC 304, and many expected…

Carlos Ulberg knows how high the stakes are at UFC 303. With Khalil Rountree forced out of his June 29 co-main event vs. Jamahal Hill(12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas due to a failed drug test, Ulberg (9-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC)…

Frank Martin might share a trainer with Ryan Garcia as both train with Derrick James in Dallas, Texas, but it is clear there is no brotherly bond. Martin is preparing for a career-defining pay-per-view fight against Gervonta Davis on June 15 at the MGM Grand…

Kris Moutinho walked out of the cage. Sean O'Malley and Joe Rogan stood in the winner’s circle and faded into the background behind him. Blood was smeared all over his face from a half-executed attempt by his cornermen to tidy him up before the official…

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Patrick Stumberg is a freelance writer for SB Nation, first joining the network in 2011 before linking up with Bad Left Hook in 2015. Salvador Rodriguez, confirming an earlier report from Viva Promotions, brings word that former…

One of the few fighters to have stood across from both Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya will get one more crack at making it to the UFC. Yousri Belgaroui, a former kickboxer who twice lost to UFC light heavyweight and former middleweight champ Pereira and…

Sports – and especially boxing – are where nuance goes to die. Got takes? The hotter, the better. Pick a lane and die on a hill, complexity be damned. Athletes are either GOATs (yes, somehow there are many) or “trash.” Any attempt at subtlety necessarily…

Michael Bisping sees big implications for Conor McGregor if he wins at UFC 303. McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) returns in a 170-pound bout against Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) on June 29 in Las Vegas (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). If McGregor gets past Chandler,…