Terence “Bud†Crawford has addressed Conor
McGregor's anticlimactic return to action in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

McGregor's return to the Octagon ended in just 69 seconds at

UFC 329. The former two-division champion seemingly injured his
right knee in the opening sequence of the fight, leading to a
stoppage from the referee as he was unable to continue.

UFC CEO Dana
White subsequently speculated that it could be an ACL-related
issue, an unfortunate occurrence considering McGregor's last bout
before UFC 329 also ended in a leg injury.

Terence Crawford says Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 injury was ‘God
punish them’ after the former champion’s 69-second loss.

Crawford, who has gone back and forth with McGregor previously,
believes the Irishman got what was coming his way. The unbeaten
boxer and the MMA superstar were once rumored to be squaring off in
a two-fight crossover series across both combat sports, and
McGregor claimed Crawford turned down a $200 million deal, which
the latter has since dismissed.

“It's crazy when they talk sh*t to me God punish them,†Crawford
wrote on X.

This isn't the first time Crawford has addressed an MMA result.
After Ilia
Topuria suffered the first defeat of his professional career at

UFC Freedom 250 to Justin
Gaethje, “Bud†questioned the hype behind “El Matador†going
into the historic White House event. Notably, Topuria had
previously claimed he could beat Crawford in boxing.

“This the guy that said he would knock me out and whoop me and
Shakur at the same time?†Crawford posted after UFC Freedom
250.

Gable Steveson said he would welcome a fight with Josh Hokit. |
📷: Getty/UFC

After a dominant win in his
Ultimate Fighting Championship debut, Gable
Steveson has responded to Josh Hokit's
trash talk.

Steveson defeated Elisha
Ellison at
UFC 329, extending his professional record to 4-0 and recording
his fourth straight first-round finish. Hokit, who's emerged as one
of the most polarizing figures in the UFC, has issued threats to
Steveson and his mentor, Jon Jones,
drawing a reaction from the Olympian.

Gable Steveson responds to Josh Hokit after dominant UFC 329
victory

Hokit took to X to share a clip from one of Steveson's pre-fight
interviews wherein the latter questioned the former's skills. “The
Incredible Hok†listed his many athletic achievements before
suggesting that both Steveson and Jones steer clear of him.

“Remember, this ain't wrestling,†Hokit wrote on X. “If anyone
signs up to face me in a fist fight, better have a good insurance
policy. It will take your doctor time to put your face back
together, unless you quit like the last guy I fought. This includes
the guy [Jon Jones]
that trains you. I'm the baddest man on the planet.â€

Steveson responded at the UFC 329 post-fight presser, claiming that
he and Hokit have contrasting priorities.

“Like I said, I like Josh as a fighter,†Steveson said. “Josh is a
character. Josh wants to make sure people follow him on Instagram
or follow him on Twitter. I go out there and dominate. I go out
there and win. So, if the time comes with Josh, if he doesn't move
down before that, so be it, will make it happen.â€

Former UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will get a crack at getting his former title back, reportedly at UFC 331.

After UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van defeated Tatsuro Taira in one of the wildest fights of the year at UFC 328, the current champ seemed destined to run it back with former titleholder Alexander Pantoja. Pantoja lost the UFC flyweight title to Van after suffering an arm injury just minutes into their fight at UFC 317.

Many questioned when Pantoja would return to the Octagon after suffering the injury. Luckily, Pantoja's injury wasn't as severe as first thought, and the future UFC Hall of Famer has been chomping at the bit to get another shot at the current flyweight titleholder.

According to recent reporting, the UFC is planning on booking Van vs. Pantoja 2 for the promotion's rumored return to the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

Alexandre Pantoja set to run it back with Joshua Van after injury in first fight

As first reported by MMA content creator Kevin K on X, Van vs. Pantoja 2 is in the works for UFC 331 on September 19th. As of this writing, the fight hasn't been confirmed by the promotion, and UFC 331 remains without an official main event booked.

If the reporting rings true, Van and Pantoja will clash in one of the biggest fights in UFC flyweight history. Van's stock has risen during Pantoja's hiatus after his instant classic against Taira earlier this year.

Before suffering the arm injury against Van, Pantoja won eight consecutive fights, including a split decision win over Brandon Moreno to win the title at UFC 290. He went on to defend the belt against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, Kai Asakura, and Kai Kara-France before the Van fight.

UFC 331 features a heavyweight matchup between Curtis Blaydes and Waldo Cortes-Acosta, along with a bantamweight bout between Marlon Vera and Charles Jourdain.

What is your early prediction for Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!