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23+ min ago (1155+ words) Maycee Barber sat on the bar-height chair, microphone in hand, and apologized as the lump in her throat choked out the answer she was trying to deliver. Her eyes welled up, and the tears eventually began to work their way over freely. Provided with tissues and caringly reminded to breathe by McKenzie Pavacich, Barber smiled and joked, "I think I've been holding my breath this whole 21 months." Watch UFC 323 Embedded It wouldn't be the only time during the interview that the returning 27-year-old would let her emotions out, but when you've been through what she's been through and kept away from the thing you love for as long as she has, it's not only understandable, but necessary. Usually, reaching Fight Week brings about a sense of relief for an athlete that has been sidelined for a considerable amount of time,…...

1+ hour, 3+ min ago (540+ words) Henry Cejudo steps into UFC 323 on Saturday night not just chasing another victory, but closing the book on one of the most decorated careers in combat sports history. The former Olympic gold medalist and two-division UFC champion will make his final walk to the Octagon against rising bantamweight Payton Talbott, aiming to leave the sport the same way he entered it, defying expectations and demanding respect. The combat sports legend reflected on the meaning of this fight week for his career, choosing to look beyond the matchup itself and focus instead on the journey, everything it takes to reach the octagon, and the people who have supported and worked alongside him throughout it. Even MMA media. "I guess it's more of what I talked about yesterday, just more of that gratitude. More of the people that fly out. Even you…...

1+ hour, 23+ min ago (694+ words) Shawne Merriman explains the risks that fighters take when they compete while injured and why so many do it Shawne Merriman knows better than most what it means to play through pain. The ex-NFL All-Pro, who spent eight seasons in the league between San Diego and Buffalo, rarely set foot on the field without some kind of nagging injury. From pulled and strained muscles all the way to broken bones, Merriman gutted his way through a lot of games playing at far less than 100 percent health so he understands why so many fighters take similar risks in MMA. "You take that to the fight business, it's the same exact thing. I've done plenty of times in sparring where I've jumped in and sparred guys who are not 100 percent, and they'll tell me right before we start sparring "hey, watch out…...

1+ hour, 49+ min ago (346+ words) Bantamweight champion faces former titleholder Petr Yan in Las Vegas rematch; Whittaker analyzes strengths and weaknesses. Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is set to defend his 135-pound title for the fourth time in 2025, facing former champion Petr Yan in a rematch at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. Dvalishvili first claimed the belt by defeating Sean O'Malley in September 2024 and has successfully defended it three times since. The first encounter between Dvalishvili and Yan occurred at UFC Fight Night 221 in March 2023, with Dvalishvili winning via unanimous decision. Since then, Yan has not suffered a defeat. Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker believes the champion will secure a second victory over the Russian striker. "Obviously, he's (Dvalishvili) a wrestler. His wrestling game is just so strong and he uses that to such devastating effect. He's only getting better in my eyes," Whittaker…...

2+ hour, 12+ min ago (383+ words) Paige VanZant, widely known for her UFC career, has landed the cover of Playboy Sweden's December issue, marking another milestone in her post-fight career. VanZant, 31, has spent the past five years exploring opportunities outside the cage, building a multifaceted career in sports and entertainment. During her time with the UFC, VanZant demonstrated mainstream appeal, appearing on Dancing with the Stars and Food Network's Chopped. Since leaving the promotion in 2020, she has competed twice in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, debuted in professional wrestling for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), fought a professional boxing match, and participated three times in Power Slap. VanZant shared her thoughts on the Playboy cover, reflecting on personal growth and embracing multiple aspects of her identity. "Right now, I feel like the most me I've ever been. I'm in a chapter where I get to choose myself,…...

2+ hour, 23+ min ago (931+ words) Far's Ziam was 22 years old when he stepped into the Octagon for the first time; a tall, gangly kid with a 10-2 record and a ton of potential, but one lacking the foundational pieces to thrive on this level that only come with time, experience, and a little additional seasoning. It showed through his first four fights, where wins over Jamie Mullarkey and Luigi Vendramini came in between a loss to Don Madge in that debut effort and a first-round submission finish at the hands of Terrance McKinney at the outset of his 2022 campaign. As often as you saw the flashes of upside, there were equal flickers of self-doubt and skill gaps that needed to be filled in. Order UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2 | How To Watch And Stream UFC 323 Since that loss to McKinney, Ziam has been on a steady climb,…...

2+ hour, 23+ min ago (185+ words) Topics include UFC 323, and the negative reaction to Dana White's Thanksgiving announcements Join MMA fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they answer your questions all show long. Watch the show live at a special start time of 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT in the video above. If you missed the show live, you can still watch above, or listen to the podcast version, which can be found below and on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your pods. Natalia Silva replaces Alexa Grasso at UFC 324. The UFC 323 media day live stream will feature the top UFC fighters for Saturday's UFC event. Sean Strickland is aiming for a matchup against Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez in 2026 Tom Aspinall is in disbelief that there are critics of his UFC 321 eye injury. Real American Freestyle's first event of 2026 features a battle of former UFC…...

2+ hour, 53+ min ago (320+ words) Get ready for Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua fight week The countdown to Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua is on, and the fight week schedule " along with the fight card itself " has been finalized. Promotional officials confirmed to MMA Fighting that a super featherweight matchup between U.S. Olympian Jahmal Harvey and the 5-0 Kevin Cervantes is the latest addition to the Jake vs. Joshua card that takes place Dec. 19 at Kaseya Center in Miami, with the main card streaming exclusively on Netflix. Additionally, the Jake vs. Joshua fight week activities have been revealed for fans that are planning to attend the event in Miami. On Thursday, Dec. 18, the Jake vs. Joshua ceremonial weigh-ins begin at 6 p.m. ET at The Fillmore Miami Beach. Paul and Joshua go face-to-face one last time before they make the walk to the ring for their heavyweight matchup on…...

3+ hour, 23+ min ago (238+ words) LAS VEGAS" Ahead of UFC 323, fast-rising UFC bantamweight Payton Talbott joins MMA Fighting's Jos" Youngs to look ahead to the new Zelda movie, react to the new Chainsaw Man movie, reflect on his high school football career, what video games he wants to see adapted into shows, the new Death Grips album, holiday plans, and more. Talbott (10-1) was last getting back into the win column with a hard-fought decision win over Felipe Lima at UFC 317 in June. Before this, the Reno native suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of veteran Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311 in January. This Saturday on the main card portion of UFC 322, Talbott looks to send former UFC champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo off into retirement. The UFC 323 media day live stream will feature the top UFC fighters for Saturday's UFC event. Henry…...

3+ hour, 23+ min ago (932+ words) Few competitors entered this year with more buzz and greater expectations being placed on their shoulders than Payton Talbott, the bantamweight prospect who is heading into 2025 with a perfect 9-0 record, consecutive highlight reel finishes, and most everyone projecting big things for him, both this year and long term. Now, he's set to make his third appearance of the year, squaring off with Henry Cejudo this weekend at UFC 323 in the former two-weight world champion's combat sports swan song, with a chance to close out the year further up the rankings than most likely anticipated in January when he was an undefeated star on the rise. "I just think that it taught me that it's always good to take chances," Talbott said, reflecting on the ebb and flow of things so far in 2025 and the opportunity to still wrap up the…...