The UFC is hoping that the third time’s a charm by booking Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev to headline a UFC Fight Night on March 13.

MMAWeekly.com confirmed the rebooking of the bout, which was first reported by MMA Junkie citing UFC president Dana White.

It marks the third time that UFC officials have attempted to make the fight happen.

Edwards vs. Chimaev was first scheduled to headline a UFC Fight Night on Dec. 19, the promotion’s final event of 2020. As much of 2020 was clouded by COVID-19, so has been this bout.

The Dec. 12 date was nixed after both fighters tested positive for COVID-19. It was then rescheduled to headline a UFC Fight Night on Jan. 20 in Abu Dhabi.

That date was then cast aside because Chimaev was still suffering lingering effects from having COVID-19.

UFC officials are hopeful that the bout can now take place on March 13, as White confirmed Edwards vs. Chimaev would headline the unannounced UFC Fight Night fight.

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Edwards is trying to get back in action after spending all of 2020 and half of 2019 on the sidelines. If the March 13 bout comes to fruition, it will have been just a few months shy of two years since Edwards last fought.

Chimaev, however, emerged as one of the UFC’s brightest new stars in 2020. He won all of his first three UFC bouts by way of knockout or submission.

Had the bout with Edwards happened and he won, Chimaev may have taken honors as the top Breakout Fighter of 2020, but fell just shy.

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/leon-edwards-vs-khamzat-chimaev-rebooked-for-ufc-fight-night-in-march

Manny Pacquiao has hinted at a plan for this year, which might be the last of his career.

The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer wants to fight MMA star Conor McGregor and possibly Errol Spence Jr. or Terence Crawford, according to a report published by the Filipino outlet BusinessMirror.

Pacquiao, 42, hasn’t fought since he outpointed Keith Thurman to win a welterweight title in August 2019.

“They’re my options, but right now I want to experience fighting an MMA (mixed martial artist),” said Pacquiao, referring to McGregor. “I will also donate a big portion of my income to Filipino COVID-19 victims.”

Pacquiao would be an underdog against Spence, a fellow 147-pound titleholder. However, he evidently saw at least one vulnerability in the Dallas fighter’s victory over Danny Garcia last month, his first fight since a horrific car accident in 2019.

“Spence is slower than Thurman but it’s going to be a good fight,” Pacquiao said.

Said Sean Gibbons, MP Promotions President: “I think Spence lost a step from the accident. It’s a difficult fight but I think, yes [Pacquiao would defeat Spence].”

McGregor, scheduled to face Dustin Poirier in UFC 257 on Jan. 23, has fought once as a boxer. He was stopped by Floyd Mayweather in the 10th round in 2017.

Article source: https://boxingjunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/manny-pacquiao-wants-to-fight-conor-mcgregor-possibly-errol-spence-jr

The rankings take into account a fighter’s wins/losses, quality of competition, finishing rate/dominance and frequency of fights.

Fighters are no longer eligible to be ranked after they’ve been inactive for 24 months, either due to injuries, drug/conduct suspensions, contract disputes or self-imposed hiatuses.

Fighters serving drug/conduct suspensions are eligible to be ranked, so long as they’re not inactive for more than 24 months.

To the best of our ability, fighters will be ranked in their primary weight class. Catchweight fights and bouts outside the fighter’s primary weight class can have a positive or negative impact on the ranking. However, non-titleholders can be ranked in only one weight class at a given time, and in most cases, they won’t be ranked in a new weight class until they’ve had their first fight at that weight.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/usa-today-sports-mma-junkie-rankings-jan-12-business-about-to-pick-up

Conor McGregor has been key to a lot of big UFC moments in his time with the promotion.

But perhaps none was bigger than when he became the first fighter in UFC history to hold two titles at the same time.

McGregor was featherweight champion following a 12-second knockout of longtime champion Jose Aldo in December 2015. In November 2016, he returned at UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden, arguably the most famous fight venue in the world, and took the lightweight crown, too.

McGregor dominated Eddie Alvarez and eventually put him away with a second-round TKO to become a dual champ in front of a packed house, many of whom were there in support of the Irish superstar.

McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) returns later this month to headline UFC 257 in a rematch with Dustin Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC), whom he beat with a first-round knockout at UFC 178 in September 2014. UFC 257 takes place Jan. 23 at Etihad Arena at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

But before that event, which will be the UFC’s first pay-per-view of 2021 and McGregor’s first fight since January 2020, check out his historic finish of Alvarez in the video above.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-free-fight-video-conor-mcgregor-knockout-eddie-alvarez-ufc-205

Max Holloway won the interim UFC featherweight championship in December of 2016 with an impressive performance against Anthony Pettis. Following an impressive run as champion, Holloway is now without a championship belt, but looking to return to the title.

Holloway next faces Calvin Kattar in the main event of UFC Fight Island 7 live on ABC on Saturday, January 16.

Kattar has been rising up the featherweight ranks. He is coming off of back-to-back wins over Jeremy Stephens and Dan Ige. A win over the former champion would certainly put him in prime position to lay claim to a title bid.

UFC commentator Dan Hardy breaks down the Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar UFC Fight Island 7 main event in The War Room.

(Video courtesy of Full Reptile)