MMA
Islam Makhachev 'feels bad' for Conor McGregor over knee injury that spoiled UFC 329 return
Published
3 weeks agoon
Zuffa LLCIslam Makhachev took no pleasure seeing Conor McGregor's short-lived return end with a knee injury.
McGregor was expecting to defy the odds in his first bout in five years against Max Holloway. The “Notorious†one made his grand entrance, but the fight barely made it past the one-minute mark. The Irishman threw a jumping kick, but his right knee buckled. It became apparent that McGregor couldn't continue, and the fight with “Blessed†was called off.
Complex recently spoke to Makhachev, who said he was lookin forward to seeing how McGregor would've looked if the injury never occurred.
Islam Makhachev says he felt bad for Conor McGregor after watching him get injured in his return fight
“Honestly I feel bad. I know Max is gonna beat him, but not fast like this.
I wanted to see how he fights after five years.â€
(via @Complex) pic.twitter.com/UXcmLviRNC
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 29, 2026
“Honestly, I feel bad,†Makhachev said. “I knew Max was gonna beat him, but not fast like this in the first minute. I want to see how he fight after five years, and honestly, feel bad when this happens.â€
Despite McGregor's heated rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team, “Mystic Mac†and Makhachev have been complimentary of one another. McGregor recently urged Makhachev to avoid retiring anytime soon because his best has yet to come.
In the caption of an Instagram video, McGregor said he is working on a 2027 return. He labeled his next fight as “the last dance.†McGregor has said he needs to face Holloway in a trilogy bout given how their rematch played out. UFC CEO Dana White told reporters that McGregor has a long road to recovery from his ACL and meniscus injuries.
Makhachev will be looking to make his first successful welterweight title defense at UFC 330 on Aug. 15. Ian Machado Garry will be challenging Makhachev for the 170-pound gold in Philadelphia. Garry recently compared the build to his clash with Makhachev to McGregor's historic 13-second knockout win over Jose Aldo back in 2015.
What do you make of Islam Makahachev's reaction to Conor McGregor's knee injury? Drop a comment below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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MMA
Anthony Smith pleads not guilty to four felony charges in Nebraska
Published
7 hours agoon
August 18, 2026
Smith has pleaded not guilty to four felony charges stemming
from a July domestic incident in Nebraska.
Court records confirmed
Smith’s plea, resulting in the cancellation of an arraignment
scheduled for Aug. 17. The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title
challenger is now due back in court for a status hearing Sept. 21
in Sarpy County.
Former UFC title challenger Anthony Smith faces four felony
charges stemming from an alleged July domestic incident in Gretna,
Nebraska
Smith faces one Class 2 felony count involving an attempted Class 1
offense, a terroristic-threats charge and two counts of
first-degree false imprisonment, all classified as Class 3A
felonies. A Class 2 felony in Nebraska can carry a prison term of
one to 50 years, while Class 3A felonies carry up to three years of
imprisonment and 18 months of post-release supervision.
Prosecutors allege that Smith became involved in an altercation
with his wife at a Gretna, Nebraska, bar on July 26. They claim
Smith threatened to kill his wife, forced her into his vehicle and
later attempted to strike her with the vehicle after she exited it.
His wife was not physically injured, according to prosecutors’
account.
Smith has not publicly addressed the allegations. His wife, Mikhala
Renee Newman, previously offered a different characterization of
the incident, saying Smith was experiencing a mental health crisis
and that she had sought help to protect him from himself.
MMA
Glover Teixeira likes the idea of Alex Pereira facing Josh Hokit to earn another heavyweight title shot: 'Knock his ass out'
Published
8 hours agoon
August 18, 2026

Former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira plans to stay at heavyweight.
Pereira moved up to heavyweight at UFC White House as he took on Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. However, Pereira suffered a knockout loss, as the size and power of Gane proved to be the difference.
After the loss, whether Pereira would stay at heavyweight was unclear, but his coach, Glover Teixeira, said that is the plan.
“He's going to stay at heavyweight; that's the plan,†Teixeira said to Ariel Helwani. … “He wants to fight all the time, but it's good to take time, he fought back-to-back for so long. He wants to fight. Alex always wants to fight.â€
Alex Pereira could face Josh Hokit next
Once Pereira is ready to return, Teixeira isn't sure who will be next for him. The goal is to get back to a heavyweight title shot, so Teixeira believes Josh Hokit could be a logical opponent.
“The plan with them, because Alex is a huge name and an exciting fighter to watch, and he sells. Some fight they will put him right back into the title. For him, pretty much any fight. Maybe we get this fight (Josh Hokit). He's talking a lot of shit. Go over there and knock his ass out and get back to the top, and then get the rematch,†Teixeira said.
Whether or not the UFC has any interest in that fight is unclear. But, on paper, it does make sense, as the winner would likely get a title shot, which is what this fight would do. And, Hokit has been talking trash about Pereira, so the storyline is there to be a co-main event of a numbered card.
Pereira is 13-4 as a pro and is coming off a TKO loss to Gane. He's 10-3 in the UFC and the former middleweight & light heavyweight champion.
Would you like to see Alex Pereira face Josh Hokit next?
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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