MMA

Gable Steveson expresses interest in training with Daniel Cormier despite loyalty to Jon Jones: "I would love that"

Published

3 weeks ago

July 10, 2026

Gable Steveson plans to be mentored by Jon Jones for the long haul, but that won't stop him from wanting some training sessions with Daniel Cormier.

When Steveson revealed he would be making the jump from freestyle wrestling to MMA, Jones offered his guidance to the Olympic gold medalist. Steveson gladly accepted, and he has gotten off to a strong 3-0 start. The number of wins grows to four if you including his 15-second knockout win over Billy Swanson, which was promoted by Dirty Boxing Championship.

Steveson appeared on MMA Junkie Radio, and he said that while he sees himself as a Jones lifer, he still wishes to train with Cormier at some point.

â€œI've always been with Jon,â€ Steveson said. â€œI would love to get some one-one-one training with DC. I mean, I've always told Jon that DC is a fantastic fighter, and he's one of my top two fighters of all time. I would enjoy a few classes with DC to learn how he processed fighting, how he managed from wrestling to come to fighting.

â€œI would love that. It would be an honor to be a part of a team with DC and have DC kind of guide me in the right direction, but I've been with Jon my whole short career right now, and I plan on keeping Jon forever. But I would love to have DC give me a few lessons.â€

Jones and Cormier had a heated rivalry during their fighting careers. Both men even brawled during a UFC 178 press event. The two ultimately had their first encounter at UFC 182 with Jones winning via unanimous decision. Their July 2017 rematch at UFC 214 saw â€œBonesâ€ initially score a third-round head kick knockout, but the result was overturned due to a failed drug test.

â€œBonesâ€ will be in full support of Steveson this Saturday at UFC 329. The former Olympian will be facing Elisha Ellison in his promotional debut. Steveson is a massive betting favorite over Ellison, who is coming off a first-round loss to Brando Pericic.

Is it a good idea for Gable Steveson to branch out for guidance outside of Jon Jones? Sound off in the comments below.

MMA

Jake Paul calls out Dana White over Zuffa Boxing’s sanctioning shift

Published

2 hours ago

July 30, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Jake Paul calls out Dana White over Zuffa Boxing’s sanctioning shift

Jake
Paul has called out Dana
White over his softened stance on boxing's traditional
organizations.

Ahead of Zuffa Boxing’s launch in 2025, White repeatedly stated
that the promotion had no interest in doing business with the WBA,
WBC, IBF or WBO. However, following Zuffa Boxing 9, the promotion's
founder acknowledged that they would work with the aforementioned
organizations depending on the circumstances, prompting a reaction
from Paul on social media.

Jake Paul criticizes Dana White's changing stance on WBA, WBC,
IBF and WBO partnerships

When asked about working with the major sanctioning bodies at the
recent Zuffa Boxing presser, White claimed that he's willing to do
so for certain boxers.

â€œOn a case-by-case basis, trying to figure out what the fighters
want and what their goals are, we will try to figure out whatever
we can do to make those fights happen,â€ the
Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO said.

This drew an immediate response from Paul, who highlighted the
apparent shift in White’s position.

â€œThey went from shi*ting on all of the boxing sanctioning bodies
and how they need to get rid of them for the good of boxing to now
this,â€ Paul wrote on X. â€œTruth is we need to further align
promoters and the sanctioning bodies to create the biggest
opportunities for boxers. That should be the goal. More
transparency, more collaboration and more big fights.â€

The change comes as Zuffa Boxing continues to expand its roster
with signings such as Jai Opetaia, Conor Benn and Shakur Stevenson,
while also co-promoting the welterweight title bout between Ryan
Garcia and Benn on Sept. 19 in Las Vegas.

They went from shitting on all of the boxing
sanctioning bodies and how they need to get rid of them for the
good of boxing to now this.

Truth is we need to further align promoters and the sanctioning
bodies to create the biggest opportunities for boxers. That should
be theâ€¦ https://t.co/Ln1joFYqBx

â€” Jake
Paul (@jakepaul)
July 27, 2026

MMA

Dan Hooker vows to ruin Salahdine Parnasse’s UFC debut at UFC Paris

Published

5 hours ago

July 30, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Dan Hooker vows to ruin Salahdine Parnasse’s UFC debut at UFC Paris

Dan
Hooker is eager to â€œruinâ€ Salahdine
Parnasse's
Ultimate Fighting Championship debut.

The longtime UFC lightweight will square off against the former
two-division
KSW champion in the
UFC Paris main event on Sept. 5 at Accor Arena. While the
French standout looks to announce himself on the sport’s biggest
stage, Hooker plans to silence the home crowd.

Dan Hooker targets Salahdine Parnasse's UFC arrival in UFC
Paris main event

Hooker has revealed that the bout announcement was quickly followed
by a barrage of hostile messages from Parnasse’s supporters,
including death threats.

â€œThe death threats have been outrageous,â€ Hooker told Submission
Radio. â€œI didn't get it when I fought [Benoit St.
Denis]. French people have been speaking French and telling me
I'm going to die and telling me they're going to kill meâ€¦ Whoever
this c*nt's fans are, they're outrageous. It's going to feel pretty
sweet to shut this kid's lights out and making these guys eat their
words.â€

The Kiwi added that he's excited at the opportunity to upset the
French crowd by derailing Parnasse’s hype train.

â€œI'm here to ruin hopes and dreams,â€ Hooker said. â€œThis kid wants
to come in, make a name for himself, crack the Top 10; he wants to
be a superstar. Well, I'm going to fly to France, and I'm going to
f*ck everyone's night up. That is my plan.â€

Parnasse (23-2) previously turned down the UFC and fought on the
first-ever MMA event on Netflix under the
Most Valuable Promotions banner. The UFC then returned with a
far better offer, hence the main event slot and ranked opponent in
Hooker (24-14).

MMA

Colby Covington vs. Belal Muhammad back on for RAF Crossover title fight

Published

7 hours ago

July 30, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Colby Covington vs. Belal Muhammad back on for RAF Crossover title fight

Two
Ultimate Fighting Championship-inspired crossover title bouts
are officially headed to Real American Freestyle.

Rivalries involving Colby
Covington, Belal
Muhammad, Merab
Dvalishvili and Henry
Cejudo are set to headline the promotion’s next two events. RAF
recently announced that Dvalishvili will meet Cejudo in the main
event of RAF 12 on Aug. 22 in Cleveland, while Covington will
defend his cruiserweight crossover championship against Muhammad at
RAF 13 on Sept. 19 in Miami.

Colby Covington and Belal Muhammad bring UFC rivalry to Real
American Freestyle RAF 13

Both Dvalishvili vs. Cejudo and Muhammad vs. Covington will be
contested for crossover championships, a division created to allow
active and former UFC fighters to compete on the wrestling
mats.

Covington became the inaugural cruiserweight crossover champion
with a victory over UFC lightweight Arman
Tsarukyan at RAF 11 in July. Muhammad confronted Covington
during the post-event press conference, igniting a brawl that
immediately fueled talk of a showdown between the longtime rivals.
While the matchup was initially targeted for RAF 12, promotion
officials have now pushed it back to the September event.

Dvalishvili and Cejudo will instead headline RAF 12. Their rematch
will crown the inaugural lightweight crossover champion. RAF 12
will also feature a stacked undercard, including Jordan Burroughs
vs. Sean
Brady, Bo Nickal vs.
Max McEnelly and Tyron
Woodley vs. Joaquin
Buckley.

A catchweight matchup between social media personalities Larry
Wheels and Mike Holston, better known as “The Real Tarzann,” has
also been added to the RAF 13 lineup.

Championship bouts include Evan Wick vs. Jason Nolf for the RAF
middleweight title, David Carr vs. Tajmuraz Salkazanov for the
welterweight crown and Kennedy Blades vs. Diana
Avsaragova for the women’s middleweight belt. Elsewhere,
Gable
Steveson faces Anthony Cassioppi, while Vladimer
Khinchegashvili, Jesse Mendez, Johnni DiJulius, Asu
Almabayev, Masanosuke Ono, Ben Davino and Will Lewan are also
scheduled to compete.