MMA Knockout’s Zain Bando is back with another weekly combat sports update, a deep dive into the world of combat sports and a recap of the biggest news stories.
Whether it was Sean O’Malley’s dominant five-round striking display against Marlon Vera in his first successful title defense at UFC 299, or Anthony Joshua’s thunderous knockout of Francis Ngannou, the combat sports world had something for everyone.
Without further ado, let’s get to the news.
Dana White credits UFC fanbase for appearing in Miami
When the dust finally settled in Miami, Fla., Saturday night, Dana White quickly gave props where it was due.
For the last three years, White and the UFC prioritized Florida when hosting events, as there were fewer COVID restrictions. With the pandemic in the past, White recognizes the city of Miami as a key destination to put on yearly events.
UFC 299's $14.14 million-dollar gate was the highest in Kaseya Center history, breaking a record previously set by UFC 287 in April 2023.
“Miami is on fire,” White told reporters. “It is such a great destination.”
White put Miami in the same category as Las Vegas, MSG, and Anaheim as staple destinations for future pay-per-views. It remains to be seen if another return is plausible later in the calender.
Sean O’Malley has options regarding his next title defense
O’Malley’s victory over Vera marked the beginning of a promising title run at 135 lbs. Despite Merab Dvalishvili‘s status as the clear No. 1 contender, O’Malley is seeking an even greater challenge in newly minted featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria.
Topuria became just the second fighter in UFC history to dethrone former kingpin Alexander Volkanovski, ushering in a new era in the division.
O’Malley wants to face Topuria at UFC 305 or UFC 306. “Dana, get me a jet to Spain,” O’Malley said in the Octagon after defeating Vera.
Anthony Joshua re-defines fighting logic with KO against Francis Ngannou
Joshua sent a message to Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk that the heavyweight championship will have to go through him.
A second-round KO against former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou was all Joshua needed to make his statement crystal clear.
Regardless, Joshua will have to wait for Fury and Usyk to fight, and possibly rematch, in order to see who is the greatest heavyweight boxer in the world. Only time will tell.
UFC 300’s bout order and promo finalized
During the UFC 299 pay-per-view broadcast, the first official promo package for UFC 300 aired.
Anticipation continues to mount as the UFC is less than a month away from the milestone event taking place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Check out the promo below, featuring the likes of Jamahal Hill, Alex Pereira, Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, and other notable names.
Besides the trailer reveal, they announced the official bout order, which included moving Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage to the pay-per-view portion, along with the final fight announcement between Renato Moicano and Jalin Turner.
At press time, there is no word on whether UFC 300 will have any abnormal broadcast elements given its stature in MMA.
The PFL was also back in the fold, as it began its European season Thursday. With March moving quickly, expect April to add even more action-packed activity, especially with the No. 2 promotion.
To conclude, the calendar now shifts back to Las Vegas for UFC Vegas 88 from the UFC APEX, kicking off Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
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