MMA
Kamaru Usman: ‘It’s either Sean Strickland or Islam’ Makhachev next with UFC Oklahoma City upset win
Published
1 month agoon
Kamaru Usman says his next fight has to be for a UFC title next should he pull off a massive upset this Saturday.
The former welterweight champ faces recent middleweight champ Dricus du Plessis in the 185-pound main event of UFC Oklahoma City, which takes place at the Paycom Center and streams on Paramount+.
When asked what would be next with a win this weekend, Usman says it's a no-brainer.
“Sean Strickland,†Usman said at media day. I mean, that makes sense. That's pretty easy. It's either Sean Strickland or Islam [Makhachev], if Islam is still the champion, which I assume he will be.â€
Usman picked up his first win in nearly four years 13 months ago with a lopsided decision victory over Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Atlanta. Following the victory, Usman called for a shot at Makhachev and the welterweight title. However, the UFC didn't grant him that opportunity to regain the belt with so many contenders ahead of him in the queue.
Now he jumps back up to middleweight, where he faced Khamzat Chimaev on short notice at UFC 294 in October 2023, dropping a close majority decision. Du Plessis returns for the first time since losing the middleweight title to Chimaev at UFC 319 this past August.
Usman was asked if the path to a title is easier at middleweight than welterweight right now.
“I wouldn't say easier,†Usman said. “I think it just fit. It just made sense. I obviously wanted the Islam fight. We talked about that and I thought that was what was going to be next, but unfortunately, in these things like this, the company kind of has a say – a big say – in this and they felt this was an opportunity.
“Obviously, I've been up here before and fought the former champion, and so this one just made sense at this time, but it's definitely not easy. I wouldn't say easier, with respect to some of these guys right now at the top. I mean, guys like Jared Cannonier, guys like Nassourdine Imavov, Caio Borralho, all these guys, Robocop. All of these guys are extremely tough, just like Prates and Morales, and all these guys [at 170]. Hey, it is what it is.â€
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MMA
Guilherme Uriel corrects his DWCS ‘sin’ with 50-second submission
Published
12 minutes agoon
August 26, 2026
Uriel believes he made a mistake by not using his jiu-jitsu in
his first
Dana White's Contender Series appearance last year.
Uriel (8-2) made his second DWCS appearance on Aug. 25 in a
heavyweight matchup against Mario
Piazzon in
Week 3 of Season 10. Uriel made Piazzon tap to a standing
guillotine in 50 seconds to earn an
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract.
Guilherme Uriel explains the jiu-jitsu adjustment that helped
earn his UFC contract
Uriel had previously suffered a knockout loss against Josh Hokit
in his first DWCS opportunity last year. He believes he shouldn't
have abandoned his jiu-jitsu against Hokit. Uriel knew that
Piazzon, being a product of the
Galpao Da Luta gym, would inevitably grapple and hence worked
on his takedown defense and fence work ahead of their DWCS
bout.
“One of the things from last time, it was my sin not to use my
jiu-jitsu,†Uriel said in his post-fight interview. “And with all
due respect to Galpao Da Luta, that’s a great gym. We know they’re
tough people, but we trained all that, all the time. We knew that
jiu-jitsu was going to happen, and we, all the takedown defenses,
just make sure that everything was against the fence. And when that
neck was there, I said, ‘I’m taking that home. I’m not going to let
that go.'â€
Uriel has finished all eight of his career wins in the first
round.
TAP TAP TAP 👋
Guilherme
Uriel takes home the submission win via the gilly![ #DWCS
| LIVE on @ParamountPlus
] pic.twitter.com/hdIOcUw2iH— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount)
August 26, 2026
MMA
Nina Drama says Dana White helped get stalker put on no-fly list
Published
2 hours agoon
August 26, 2026
graces.
Content creator Nina Marie-Daniele, who covers several TKO events,
recently revealed how White helped her deal with a stalker.
Daniele's phone number was once leaked on the internet, leading to
numerous calls from unknown numbers. However, one stalker got
really persistent and wouldn't stop bothering Daniele until White
intervened.
Dana White got Nina Drama's stalker added to no-fly list
Daniele claims the stalker used to send her videos of cartel
beheadings. She then approached the
Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO for help. Daniele says she
got a call from counter terrorism within a couple of minutes after
calling White.
Counter terrorism found the stalker's details within a day and put
him on a no-fly list so that he couldn't come to Las Vegas.
“I got a stalker,†Daniele said on her Kick stream. “The stalker
was crazy, he was out of his f*cking mind and he wouldn't stop
harassing me. He was sending me cartel beheadings and all these
kind of stuff. So, I told Dana. And Dana was like, ‘Hold on, babe,
one minute.' And then two seconds later, I had counter terrorism
call me and they showed up at my house. And they took all my
information and by the next morning they found my stalker. And they
put him on a no-fly list so that he could never come to Vegas.â€
A couple of years ago I had a crazy stalker
and I called Dana White for help and he sent the counter terrorism
team to my home and the next day they found the stalker and put him
on a no fly list. Freaking love Dana… he don't mess around pic.twitter.com/qAtplsqDBN— Nina-Marie Daniele (@Ninadrama)
August 25, 2026
MMA
Bella Mir makes weight for DWCS headliner as 5-fight card becomes official
Published
5 hours agoon
August 26, 2026
Guilherme Uriel corrects his DWCS ‘sin’ with 50-second submission
Nina Drama says Dana White helped get stalker put on no-fly list
Bella Mir makes weight for DWCS headliner as 5-fight card becomes official
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