Fans got a sneak peak at TUF 31 this week, a Misfits Boxing card ended in controversy, and Francis Ngannou teased an announcement for his next move. It’s Sunday, it’s Mother’s Day, so be good to your mom and spend less time reading about MMA (just this once!).
The Ultimate Fighter 31 Trailer Is Here
What else is there to say? You’ve either given up on The Ultimate Fighter or you haven’t at this point. Or, maybe if you have, Conor McGregor returning to coach for a second time is enough to bring you back.
McGregor takes on opposing coach Michael Chandler on the show, and presumably in a coach’s fight at the end of the season. When that happens, well, no one knows just yet. As of yesterday (that’s Saturday, May 13), Dana White still couldn’t provide a date for the fight.
The show launches at the end of the month, however. And this past week, the first trailer went live. Check it out below.
Brutal Call Mars Bellator 296, Commission Immediately Overturns Result
If you were watching Bellator 296 on Friday, you got to witness another instance of that notorious Bellator bad luck. Weird finishes have seemed to dog the promotion for years, and that was the case again in Paris, with local fave Davy Gallon ruled as having gone out while defending a Saul Rogers D’arce choke.
The problem? Gallon was still conscious and actively defending, with a very puzzled look on his face after the ref pulled Rogers off.
To be fair to the ref, he may have had a hard time seeing what was going on, as wrapped up as Gallon was. Luckily, the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation, who oversee Bellator’s events overseas, in conjunction with the French Mixed Martial Arts Federation almost immediately ruled the bout a No Contest upon review. The event hadn’t even come to a close when the decision was overturned — a bummer for Rogers, who thought he had the win (and win bonus). Hopefully, this one gets run back.
Francis Ngannou Teases Announcement on May 16
Could we learn where Francis Ngannou lands next in just a few days? On Saturday, with UFC Charlotte underway, the former UFC heavyweight champion dropped a teaser video on social media, revealing that an announcement would be forthcoming from “The Predator” on May 16. That’s this Tuesday.
The clip shows Ngannou surround by quotes questioning his decision to part ways with the UFC, overdubbed with criticism of the move, and closes out with the ominous Predator sound made famous by the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger film.
05.16.23 🤫 pic.twitter.com/pmy6toLkgR
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) May 13, 2023
Let’s just say that blue background feels awfully familiar.
So this happened between KSI and Joe Fournier
The celebrity boxing sideshow rumbles on, with Misfits Boxing 7 pitting Youtuber KSI against Joe Fournier. And when you allow the circus to come to town, well, finishes like this are going to happen.
Is it an elbow, forearm, or punch? You decide. But KSI came away with a KO win, while Fournier is calling for the result to be overturned.
For some reason, freakshow fights in MMA feel a lot more palatable. Maybe because, with more disciplines involved and more ways to win, they can actually be fun. But when your only job is to box, and you can’t do it well…
— . (@aowclip) May 13, 2023
