Conor McGregor will make his long-awaited return to UFC on June 29 after nearly three years out.

Dana White confirmed that the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion will fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June.

McGregor – who has 22 wins and six UFC defeats – has not competed in the UFC since July 2021 when he sustained a horrific leg break against Dustin Poirier, who he had previously fought and lost to six months earlier.

Speaking about the fight, White said on Saturday that McGregor’s return had been “all about timing”.

“There’s all kinds of things that go on behind the scenes and it’s all about timing. Chandler’s been ready but Conor hasn’t been ready,” White said.

“We talked about this in one of the press conferences recently, he had a lot of obligations that he had to deal with.

“What you don’t want him doing is accepting a fight when he’s got a ton of obligations and he can’t train 100 per cent for a fight, so here we are tonight.”

UFC Vegas 89 was overshadowed after Igor Severino bit Andre Lima on the arm during their flyweight contest.

Severino was disqualified for biting in the second round of their preliminary card bout at UFC Apex in Nevada between the previously-undefeated fighters.

UFC president Dana White later claimed Severino would be released from UFC for the bite and doubled the bonus money of mixed martial artist Lima.

The disqualification of Severino by referee Chris Tognoni ensured Lima won the contest and claimed the first ‘Bite of the Night’ bonus in UFC history after scenes reminiscent of Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield’s ear at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in 1997.

Lima, who let out a yell after the incident, uploaded pictures of the bite and got a tattoo around the teeth marks on his bicep with the phrase, “I got f****** bit bonus”, hours after his victory.

UFC president White said on his Instagram story: “I was going to give him 25k. Now I’m giving him 50k. This is awesome.”

While Lima wrote on Instagram: “It was so insane I had to make it permanent. A debut to remember. Thanks boss Dana White! Ready for many more.”

Former UFC star Dan Hardy has described Cedric Doumbe’s clash with Baysangur ‘Baki’ Chamsoudinov at PFL Paris as the “biggest prospect fight in all of mixed martial arts.”

The Professional Fighters League returns to the French capital where undefeated duo Doumbe and Baki face off in the welterweight division on Thursday evening.

The event between the two Frenchmen  at the Accor Arena, for which tickets sold out almost instantly, comes after Doumbe’s impressive first-round victory over Jordan Zebo in September.

Hardy, now the PFL head of fighter operations, talked up the encounter, comparing poster boy Doumbe to the likes of Jon Jones and Conor McGregor.

“We’re very fortunate to have Cedric Doumbe and he makes my life very easy,” Hardy told the PA news agency.

“In terms or marketability and technical ability I don’t think there’s anyone who comes close to Cedric. I have to look at the likes of Jon Jones and Conor McGregor to find someone who has the same impact on the fans.

“The crowd in September was 90 per cent Doumbe but Baki (Chamsoudinov) this time will have a lot of support as well. He’s undefeated, he has Khamzat Chimaev in his corner, you know what to expect from both of these guys.

“To me, this is the biggest prospect fight that can be made in all of mixed martial arts right now.

“We’ve had to reorganise the arena to get more fans in.”

The Chechen-born Baki boasts a strong wrestling background which will test Doumbe’s stand-up style.

Hardy believes the fight could prove to be a risky one for 31-year-old Doumbe.

“Because he’s fighting Baki everyone feels that this is a fight in which he could potentially lose,” he said.

“Baki could take him down, control him against the fence and make him look like a beginner in MMA. We haven’t had those questions answered in Doumbe’s game yet.

“It’s a very risky fight for Doumbe. If I was his management then this is not the fight I would of picked for him. Baki’s taken this fight and is probably thinking ‘Doumbe is crazy, he’s a good fighter but he’s not fought anyone like me before’.

“If I was a cautious matchmaker trying to build Doumbe up then this is not a fight I would make. But I’m a former fighter who is an MMA fan and I want to see this fight.”

Hardy also sees the reasons why Doumbe would take on the 22-year-old Baki’s challenge.

“I can’t underestimate a fighter like Doumbe, he knows himself so well,” Hardy said. “He plays the range and psychological game really well and I just wonder if any of the games he’s playing leading into this fight will have any impact on Baki.

“Cedric has taken this fight because it’s a shortcut to the top. If he gets the win then he can start looking at champions and think ‘I want to fight you’.”

Jamaican-born UFC Welterweight Champion says plans are in motion for his to defend his belt at the UFC’s biggest event of 2024, UFC 300, in Las Vegas in April.

The reigning welterweight champion was in attendance for a match in Birmingham, England, between his club Aston Villa and Burnley on December 30 and he was brought on the field to address the fans at halftime.

During his brief interview, Edwards announced that he plans to fight at UFC 300 and then also defend his title again sometime this summer in Birmingham.

“I will defend my belt in April at UFC 300 in Vegas again, then hopefully in the summertime get a show back in Birmingham at Villa Park,” Edwards said.

“I’m in talks with the UFC, so hopefully we can get it done,” he added.

The UFC has announced several high-profile bouts for its milestone event on April 13, including Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic and Aljamain Sterling vs. Calvin Kattar, but the lineup is still without a title fight.

It appears that an Edwards title defense could be in the works or, at the very least, that the champion is volunteering his services.

Edwards closed out 2023 with a unanimous decision win over Colby Covington at UFC 296 in December. It was Edwards’ second consecutive successful defense of the welterweight title and his 12th straight win (excluding one no-contest).

That one no-contest came against current #2 ranked welterweight, Belal Muhammad, who could very well be Edwards’ next opponent.

Since that fight three years ago, Muhammad has won five fights in a row. Overall, Muhammad’s record stands at 23-3 and he hasn’t lost a fight since 2019.

British fighter Tom Aspinall needed little over a minute to become the UFC interim heavyweight champion, despite having just two weeks to get ready for his bout with Sergei Pavlovich.

The 30-year-old knocked out his Russian opponent in just 69 seconds with a punishing series of blows at UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden.

Aspinall, who becomes just the third Briton to become UFC world champion, only got the call-up for the fight on October 25 after defending champion Jon Jones suffered a serious injury and pulled out of his contest against Stipe Miocic.

The Salford fighter said on TNT Sports: “It has been a crazy two and a half weeks.

“I want to tell everyone at home, If you ever get the chance to do something and you’re scared to do it, you should just do it.

“He’s a scary guy. I’ve never been so scared in my life but I have power too and I believed in myself.

“I’ve worked so hard over the years and no one has worked harder than my father so this belt is dedicated to him.

“I was struggling with the distance a little bit but we got there in the end.”

Tyson Fury has no chance of losing to Francis Ngannou in the pair's exhibition fight this weekend.

That is according to former boxer turned promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who promised to quit his job if Ngannou pulls off a shock victory.

MMA fighter Ngannou, who has won 17 of his 20 professional fights, is making the move into boxing to face WBC heavyweight champion Fury in a lucrative exhibition bout in Saudi Arabia.

De La Hoya, though, is giving Ngannou little hope.

"As a boxing expert, as a fight expert, as a promoter now and as a boxing historian, if Ngannou beats Tyson Fury then I'll quit my job," De La Hoya told Stats Perform.

"And I love boxing, so I don't plan on quitting! 

"I think Tyson, inside a boxing ring, he's been in there with [Wladimir] Klitschko, he's been in there with [Deontay] Wilder, there's nothing that Ngannou can do to even make Tyson flinch. It's not going to be a good night for Ngannou."

Hall of Fame fighter De La Hoya is promoting Ryan Garcia, with whom he has had something of a complicated relationship. 

Garcia is going up against Oscar Duarte, and like his promoter, he does not see Ngannou having a chance against Fury, hitting out at the "crossover" fight.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to be disrespectful, but I don't see any reality where Ngannou wins," Garcia told Stats Perform.

"There's just no way. I'm a big fan of Fury and I think he's just an unbelievable fighter. He's beaten the best in boxing.

"I'm not going to think that a UFC guy is going to come in and beat him. It's just fun for the fans, man. 

"It's like these crossover TV shows where you get to watch your favourite cartoon being in another cartoon. That's all."

Tyson Fury has vowed to deliver UFC fighter Francis Ngannou his first knockout blow when they go toe to toe in Riyadh on Saturday night.

Heavyweight champion Fury will contest a 35th career bout this weekend, but his WBC title will not be on the line against Ngannou for the 10-round fight.

Fury is set for a long-anticipated undisputed heavyweight showdown with Oleksandr Usyk on December 23, which is also scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia.

First, though, Fury intends to dispatch boxing novice Ngannou, who left the UFC after the end of his contract, a last fight coming in January 2022, before signing up with the Professional Fighters League from 2024.

Trainer SugarHill Steward admitted preparing Fury to take on the Mixed Martial Arts fighter was one of the hardest camps, given they just do not know what to expect from Ngannou.

Fury, though, is confident of what the final outcome will be.

“I have been working with SugarHill to knock him out cold on Sunday night. I have no doubt in my mind that I will knock him out,” Fury said.

“He is a big strong guy. Obviously he has got a good punch, powerful – but so am I. I’m a big strong guy obviously powerful or else I would not be world heavyweight champion.

“I believe there is levels to the game – and he is going to find out my level on Saturday night.”

Fury added: “I have trained for a 12-round war, and if it is anything less it is going to be an early night.

“I’ve been hit by the biggest punches that have ever graced the face of the earth and I’m still undefeated, still standing and I am still number one.

“We are going to see what Francis has got inside of him, see if he’s got the guts to stand and trade with the heavyweight champion of the world and if he has got the belief in his power.

“I’m not convinced. I have heard all this talk before about power, so I’m looking forward to a challenge – and if it is not a challenge, I’ll be disappointed, put in that way.

“I am going to knock that big stiff spark out – and there is nothing he can do about it, no matter who he trains with, no matter who he brings on the night.

“That right hand is going to detonate right in your face, you big ugly dosser.”

During the pre-fight build-up Fury accused Ngannou of being “embarrassed” of his own body.

Fury again goaded the 37-year-old as a “big fat sausage” in Thursday’s media conference ahead of the ‘Battle of the Baddest’.

Cameroon-born Ngannou, though, is fully intent on showing Fury just what he can deliver in a boxing ring rather than the UFC Octagon.

“It might be a little weird, but I really also want to thank Tyson Fury for taking the fight, for taking the risk because he might go to sleep on Saturday night, so I appreciate his courage,” Ngannou said.

Mike Tyson is part of Ngannou’s camp, and enjoyed a verbal sparing with John Fury which saw the 59-year-old Briton challenge the former heavyweight champion to a showdown, regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s contest for his son.

Tyson admitted he was not sure what to make of Ngannou’s boxing ability, until he saw him in close quarters.

“At first when this came to me, I said ‘there’s no way this is going to happen’,” Tyson said.

“Then I watched him spar and he hit this guy and he broke his leg when he went down – and I said ‘man, there is a possibility something good could happen here’.

“I have never seen anything like that before. If he could do that man, he could possibly be heavyweight champion of the world.”

Conor McGregor took another step towards returning to UFC by re-entering the US Anti-Doping Agency’s (USASA) testing programme.

The 35-year-old has not fought in the Octagon since July 2021 when he was beaten by Dustin Poirier for a second time and suffered a broken leg.

He has been out of the USADA testing pool since, but the agency announced he has re-entered.

It said in a statement: “We can confirm that Conor McGregor has re-entered the USADA testing pool as of Sunday, October 8, 2023.

“We have been clear and firm with the UFC that there should be no exception given by the UFC for McGregor to fight until he has returned two negative tests and been in the pool for at least six months.

“The rules also allow USADA to keep someone in the testing pool longer before competing based on their declarations upon entry in the pool and testing results.”

‘The Notorious’ has been rumoured to fight Michael Chandler before the end of the year but that will not happen until April 2024 at the earliest due to USADA’s rules.

Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou is "crazy" for agreeing to switch to boxing for October's bout with Tyson Fury, according to unified middleweight champion Claressa Shields.

Ngannou, who relinquished his UFC Heavyweight title as part of his move to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) earlier this year, will make his professional boxing debut against the WBC Heavyweight champion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 28.

Fury's decision to face the unranked Ngannou has been criticised by many boxing fans after the Gypsy King failed to reach an agreement on a unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk earlier this year.

Shields made the opposite switch from boxing to mixed martial arts in 2021 and has a 1-1 PFL record, meaning she is well-versed in the differences between the disciplines. 

Ngannou will be a huge underdog when he steps into the ring for the first time, and while Shields is excited to see him in such a high-profile fight, she knows he is at a major disadvantage.

"It's going to be very interesting fight," Shields told Stats Perform. "Francis left UFC because of low pay. He wasn't being paid properly as a champion, which I felt terrible for – he had a couple of injuries and everything. 

"I think him coming to the PFL, they can offer him a nice cheque and really honour that he was a UFC champion and that he's going to work hard to be PFL champion. 

"I'm happy that Francis is getting his just [reward], fighting against Tyson Fury in boxing. I think he's just so crazy. 

"All the girls in MMA, I think, are very, very smart. If they were to come to box me inside the ring, I would destroy them, truth be told." 

Ngannou is, however, known for his punching power and is being trained for the bout by Mike Tyson, which Shields hopes may help the Cameroon-born fighter keep things interesting. 

"Francis has great hands, but in boxing and in MMA, distancing and everything is completely different," she added.

"I just feel like I just want to see it. I'm excited about it, and Francis is training with Mike Tyson, so we may see some things we weren't expecting to see. 

"I just know that Tyson Fury is a really great boxer. He's strong and I believe Tyson's going to win the fight, but I can't wait to see what Francis does to move from the cage."

Fury has previously discussed the idea of competing in MMA, but Shields is sceptical, adding: "I heard Tyson talking about it, but I don't think he would get inside the cage. 

"Inside the cage, under MMA rules, he gets kicked, [opponents] take you down to the ground and knee you and things like that. I just don't see Fury doing it. But he's crazy, so you never know."

Elsewhere, Anthony Joshua says "positive" talks have taken place over a heavyweight meeting with Deontay Wilder following the Brit's one-punch knockout of Robert Helenius earlier this month.

While Shields is fond of both fighters, she feels compelled to back fellow American Wilder if the bout is made.

"I am a fan of both," she said. "Deontay Wilder's like a big brother to me and Anthony Joshua's the heavyweight I have a crush on because he is so gorgeous! 

"But it has to be the American Deontay. Even though I think Joshua has better skill, I think Deontay Wilder has just got dynamite in both hands and we've seen Joshua get knocked out before. 

"I know I'm going to be cheering for Deontay Wilder, he's like my brother."

Amanda Nunes has retired after defending her world bantamweight belt against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in Vancouver.

The Brazilian, who also held the featherweight title, won on a unanimous points decision at Rogers Arena and after placing her belts on the canvas, announced she was calling time on her career.

She said in her octagon interview:  “Double champion forever, today is a perfect night to retire.

“My mum has been watching me do this for so long, she cannot take it anymore. So I decided, I am still young to enjoy everything I make.

“I never worked out in my mind that I would become a champion and when I did it was unbelievable.”

Nunes, 35, dominated the octagon over a lengthy career, and is the first woman to become a champion in two divisions. She is the only fighter to defend two titles while holding them both.

Saturday’s bout was supposed to be against Julianna Pena but the former champion withdrew due to injury.

Nunes’ victory over Aldana means she walks away with a 23-5 record and is widely regarded as the greatest ever women’s mixed martial artist.

Leon Edwards suspects Colby Covington is jealous of him as the UFC welterweight champion insisted any fight between the pair will only happen on his terms.

Covington has twice come up short when fighting for the 170lb title after losing on both occasions to Kamaru Usman, who Edwards dethroned as the division’s kingpin last August and then beat again in March.

Despite Covington’s most recent contest being in March last year, the American, who weighed in as the back-up option for Edwards-Usman II, has been installed as the Birmingham fighter’s next opponent.

Covington was indignant a July date in London was a non-starter for Edwards, who believes he has taken some of his rival’s star power and is adamant any future foe will have to dance to his tune.

Edwards told the PA news agency: “They were saying if Kamaru wasn’t champion, it would be Colby. That was the narrative he was trying to push but then when I went out there and did what I did, now I think the jealousy is coming in.

“Within a week (of beating Usman the second time), Colby was like ‘you need to fight me’. I was like ‘chill out’. It goes off my timing, I don’t work off him. He’s the contender, I’m the champion.

“He’s trying to fool everyone, like everything goes off what he says but it doesn’t. We’re still figuring out the next step and I’ll let him know when I’m ready.

“I’ve worked hard to be in this position to be able to call the shots and who I fight and when I fight. Now I’m here I should be able to dictate within reason who goes next and who makes the most sense.”

Covington’s recent inactivity – he has fought just three times since December 2019 and both his wins have come against now-retired fighters – meant Edwards was initially resistant to a showdown.

Edwards now seems to have warmed to the idea following Covington’s trash-talking and has his sights set on the fight taking place at UFC 294, which is set to take place on October 21 in Abu Dhabi.

Edwards said: “He’s definitely at the top of the list as far as who’s next. I just want to fight him because I don’t like him so that will be even more fuel for me in training.

“I think he’s a weirdo. He’s an alright fighter. But look at his resume compared to my resume.

“He hasn’t beaten anyone in the top five, he’s fought people at the back end of their careers and his last five fights are win-lose-win-lose-win, it’s not consistent.”

Edwards is unbeaten in his last 12 fights – with 11 wins and one no-contest against Belal Muhammad, who is also in the frame for a title shot after beating Gilbert Burns earlier this month.

Edwards said: “As far as skill-sets go, I truly don’t believe (Belal) is on my level. He’s a good fighter but I feel there are two different levels between me and him.

“I want to fight them all one day. They’re all similar fights, wrestling-based kind of guys. There’s no trickiness with the opponents.”

The Jamaica-born 31-year-old will be swapping the octagon for the football pitch after signing up for Soccer Aid at Old Trafford on June 11, where he will be in goal for a World XI against England.

The opportunity to be on the same team as Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and play against Paul Scholes is a dream come true for Edwards, who lived in the shadow of Villa Park when he first moved to the UK with his family aged nine.

He added: “To be able to share the pitch with people like that, for a kid like me it’s a dream come true. It’s a bucket list moment for me and my friends and team are excited.”

:: Tickets for Soccer Aid For UNICEF on Sunday 11th June 2023 are now on sale via www.socceraid.org.uk/tickets with a family of four able to attend for just £60 – two adults and two children

Jamaican Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Randy “Rude boy” Brown will open a new five-fight deal with the promotion with a bout against Brazilian Wellington Turman.

This fight will be the first of a new five-fight deal Brown signed with the UFC after his last fight, a submission loss to Australian Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 284 in February.

“Just one of those things where I had one fight left on my contract and the company decided that they need to re-sign me,” Brown told SportsMax.TV.

“The price that they wanted to re-sign me at wasn’t right initially so we did some negotiating back and forth and settled on a deal in the middle that everybody was happy about,” he added.

The 32-year-old will take on Brazil’s Turman at UFC on ABC 5 on June 24^th at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.

Turman, 26, currently has an MMA record of 18-6 and a UFC record of 3-4.

Brown, whose record now stands at 16-5, says he has already started preparation for the bout.

“I started camp probably about three weeks ago. So far, it has been great,” he said.

Jake Paul has lined up former UFC man Nate Diaz as his next opponent following his split-decision loss to Tommy Fury.

The former social media personality will face the MMA veteran in an eight-round cruiserweight bout at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on August 5.

Paul, who lost his previously unbeaten status against Fury in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, stands at a 6-1 record with four knockouts.

Diaz, who famously inflicted Conor McGregor to a first loss during his UFC days, is a 21-time winner in MMA but will make his professional boxing debut in Texas.

The pair's fight comes amid an escalating war of words between the two over recent months, and will see Paul sidestep a potential bout with fellow media personality-turned-boxer KSI.

The Briton previously defeated the American's brother Logan in his only professional fight in 2019, but Paul says he desires to test himself further after defeat to Fury.

"My last fight didn't end the way I wanted, but the result was the best thing that could have happened to my professional boxing aspirations," Paul said in a statement.

"Now, the world thinks I am vulnerable, when all I am is more focused than ever. My team wanted me to take an easy fight like KSI next, but that's not how I am built.

"Nate Diaz is considered one of the most bad-ass fighters of all time, but he and his team have been running their mouths for too long."

Diaz likewise threw down the gauntlet, adding: "I'm the king of combat sports. I f***** up Conor for acting out and now here I am again, like a superhero."

Israel Adesanya exacted some revenge on Alex Pereira with a brutal second-round knockout victory in Saturday's UFC 287 main event in Miami.

Adesanya floored the Brazilian at 4:21 in the second round in their middleweight fight, having come into the contest 0-3 against Pereira in their previous kickboxing and MMA bouts. Among those losses was a fifth-round TKO at UFC 281.

Pereira started well with Adesanya up against the cage, but the Nigerian responded emphatically, countering with some massive right-hand hits.

The Brazilian was hurt but finally put down by Adesanya with a left hook, before pummelling him with a hammer fist leading to referee Dan Miragliotta's intervention with Pereira unconscious.

"They say revenge is sweet," Adesanya said. "If you know me I've got a sweet tooth... you already know, this is f***ing sweet."

Adesanya, who said he was "playing possum" with Pereira early, was delighted to re-claim the middleweight belt.

"Alex is a great champion no matter what," Adesanya said. "He lost the belt tonight, but he’ll always be the champion. In his story I’m the antagonist, in his story I’m the bad guy but tonight it’s my story. History.

"I told you the hunter is now the hunted. Thank you for beating me. Beating me made me a better fighter, a better person. In this camp I didn’t f*** around. I stayed in the grind and put myself through it."

In the co-main event, Gilbert Burns beat Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) in the welterweight division.

Burns, who trains in Florida, was the clear winner, with Masvidal declaring after the bout that he would retire.

UFC and WWE will merge under one name after the former's parent group Endeavor confirmed they would combine with the latter in a deal worth $21 billion.

The two promotion companies will form a new, publicly listed organisation which will unite them beneath one banner, with Endeavor set for a 51 per cent controlling interest and existing WWE shareholders at 49 per cent.

The news comes in the wake of WWE's latest edition of its flagship event, Wrestlemania, and will see a significant shake-up among key personnel at the top.

Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, who will expand his position while WWE majority owner Vince McMahon becomes executive chairman, believes both organisations can grow from their unification.

"This is a rare opportunity to create a global live sports and entertainment pureplay built for where the industry is headed," he said in a statement.

"For decades, Vince and his team have demonstrated an incredible track record of innovation and shareholder value creation.

"We are confident that Endeavor can deliver significant additional value for shareholders by bringing UFC and WWE together."

McMahon, who stepped down as WWE CEO last year, echoed his colleague's sentiments, adding that he thinks the merger is "without a doubt the best outcome for our shareholders and other stakeholders".

"Together, we will be a $21-plus billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity," he added.

"I, along with the current WWE management team, look forward to working closely with Ari and the Endeavor and UFC teams to take the businesses to the next level."

Nick Khan will be president of the WWE brand, while Dana White will continue in his role as UFC president.