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Navajo Stirling reveals he accepted Jan Blachowicz fight coming off a 'massive bender'

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Navajo Stirling reveals he accepted Jan Blachowicz fight coming off a 'massive bender'

Navajo Stirling is set to return to the Octagon on Saturday at UFC Belgrade against former champion Jan Blachowicz.

Stirling took the fight on short notice after Blachowicz's original opponent, Bogdan Guskov, took the UFC Abu Dhabi main event against Magomed Ankalaev on short notice. With Blachowicz without an opponent, the UFC offered the bout to Stirling, who took it while he was in the midst of a bender in Japan.

“I'd just come off holiday mode in Japan,†Stirling said to Home Of Fight. “I'm always training in the gym despite whatever I'm doing, that's my routine. But yeah, just come off a massive bender and just rolled into the weeks and got offered a fight. I just said ‘yeah bro I'm keen, I'm training everyday' so just gotta utilize my youth. I just came off the best camp of my life, so why wouldn't I take it?â€

Although Stirling is coming off a bender, he is a huge betting favorite over the former champ, which is a major surprise to him.

Navajo Stirling surprised he's the favorite

“Damn, I thought I was going to be the underdog,†Stirling said. “Maybe I got to post my clips from Japan getting on the bender (laughs). Maybe the lines will shoot the other way.â€

Stirling is set for the toughest test of his career against Blachowicz, who's the former champ, and is taking the fight on short notice. Yet, he has full confidence he will be able to get his hand raised and prove he's a legit title contender at 205lbs.

Navajo Stirling is coming off a TKO win over Ion Cutelaba to improve to 10-0 as a pro and 5-0 in the UFC. In the UFC, he also has a TKO win over Bruno Lopes and decision wins over Rodolfo Bellato, Ivan Erslan, and Tuco Tokkos.

Do you think Navajo Stirling will beat Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade?

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MMA

Dana White has a Conor McGregor return update fans won’t like

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Dana White has a Conor McGregor return update fans won’t like

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White has shared a
timeline for Conor
McGregor's recovery following the Irish star's anticlimactic
return at
UFC 329.

McGregor's long-awaited comeback lasted just 69 seconds as the
former two-division champion suffered a knee injury in his rematch
against Max
Holloway with the first kick he threw. With one fight remaining
in his contract, “Notorious†has begun his rehabilitation and has
his sights set on his Octagon return. White has now weighed in on
when McGregor will be back.

Dana White updates Conor McGregor's UFC return after ACL and
meniscus injury

Days after losing to Holloway, McGregor revealed that he suffered
an ACL and meniscus injury. The Irishman later claimed that he's
targeting a return for the summer of 2027. Speaking to reporters
following Zuffa Boxing 9, White revealed that McGregor is expected
to be sidelined for a year.

McGregor recently shared a video on Instagram of his
rehabilitation, prompting speculation about his recovery. White has
now confirmed and reiterated the return timeline.

“I have no idea,†White said when asked about McGregor's Instagram
post. “We had him on FaceTime tonight, ringside, but you know,
Conor McGregor's out for a year.â€

McGregor is eyeing International Fight Week in 2027 for the final
bout of his UFC contract.


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Islam Makhachev claims he knows Ian Garry’s UFC 330 game plan

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Islam Makhachev claims he knows Ian Garry’s UFC 330 game plan
Islam
Makhachev believes he already knows Ian Garry's
strategy for their upcoming
Ultimate Fighting Championship title clash.

The reigning welterweight champion's first title defense will be
against Garry at UFC
330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia and the
Russian says he has spent his entire training camp preparing for
his Irish counterpart's evasive, movement-heavy fighting style.

Islam Makhachev prepares for Ian Garry's movement-heavy style
ahead of UFC 330 welterweight title fight

Ahead of his title defense, Makhachev broke down the matchup and
Garry's skill set. The former lightweight champ claims he's
prepared to chase “The Future†in their upcoming bout, given how
the latter has mostly fought on the back foot.

“His skills: I just have to run in this camp too much because I
have to follow him,†Makhachev told MMA Fighting. “He runs too
much. I know his game plan. We always see his fights. He has the
same style always. I will try to catch him, take him down, just
what I did with my old opponents.â€

Garry has trained alongside former UFC lightweight champion
Charles
“Do Bronxs†Oliveira, who fought Makhachev for the 155-pound
title in 2022. However, Makhachev doesn’t believe his former
opponent has much advice to offer, especially considering he made
light work of the Brazilian, submitting him in the second round of
their clash.

“Charles is going to teach him how to tap fast. That’s it,â€
Makhachev added.

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Fans finally got a clear look at Ilia Topuria following brutal UFC loss

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Fans finally got a clear look at Ilia Topuria following brutal UFC loss
Ilia
Topuria and his brother Aleksandre
were in attendance for Guram
Kutateladze's engagement party.

Kutateladze recently got engaged to his partner, Erika Nielsen.
Ilia and Aleksandre were seen rejoicing and congratulating their
longtime friend and teammate. This is one of the few occasions the
former two-division
Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder has been spotted
without sunglasses since his title loss to Justin
Gaethje at
UFC Freedom 250.

Ilia Topuria’s latest public appearance comes at Guram
Kutateladze’s celebration

Kutateladze was a highly touted prospect going into his UFC debut
in 2020 and lived up to the hype with a split decision win over
Mateusz
Gamrot. However, “Georgian Viking†endured an inconsistent UFC
stint thereafter, going 3-3 in the promotion. He was released from
the UFC following a loss to Kaue
Fernandes last year and has since scored a first-round knockout
win over fellow UFC veteran Victor
Hugo on the regional circuit.

The friendship between Kutateladze and the Topuria brothers goes
all the way back to their Georgian roots. Ilia's initial beef with
Paddy
Pimblett had started when the Liverpool native insulted Georgia
during an online spat with Kutateladze in 2021.

Kutateladze's engagement party marks one of the handful of
occasions Topuria has been seen publicly since losing his
lightweight belt in a bout wherein he suffered extensive facial
damage. “El Matador†was also seen celebrating Spain's World Cup
victory and was recently spotted in Ibiza.

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