RIZIN officials announced the news via press release. The bout, which came under scrutiny almost immediately after being announced, is now in limbo.

“We regret to inform you that the scheduled fight between Ryan Garcia and Rukiya Anpo, originally planned for Part 1 of RIZIN DECADE on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, at Saitama Super Arena, has been postponed. Ryan Garcia suffered a hand injury during training and has been issued a doctor’s stoppage,” a statement from RIZIN read. “The fight is now expected to take place in spring 2025, either in Japan or internationally.”

An additional press release shed more insight into the injury.

“I saw Mr. Ryan Garcia on December 12 for recently aggravated bilateral wrist pain,” Dr. Steven Shin of Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles, cited as a world-renowned specialist, was quoted as saying. “I recommend that he hold off on sparring and boxing matches for several weeks. Treatment options will be discussed with Mr. Garcia after further evaluation.”

Just a few weeks ago, promoter Oscar De La Hoya threw a wrench in the works, claiming he had never signed off on the fight. “Golden Boy Promotions has exclusive rights to Ryan Garcia’s fights,” De La Hoya wrote (h/t MMA Mania). “The organizers of this event have acknowledged as such and have agreed in writing that our sign-off is needed for this event to occur.”

Garcia is currently serving a one-year suspension for use of a banned substance, Ostarine, which saw his match with Devin Haney overturned to a No Contest. Garcia, who had missed weight for the bout, was also fined $1.1 million U.S.

Haney sued Garcia for battery, fraud, and breach of contract over the incident.

The post Ryan Garcia Injures Wrist, Exhibition with Anpo at RIZIN Decade Postponed appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Cocaine’s a hell of a drug. I think he’s on drugs and he’s acting a fool,” O’Malley told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.

“Feel bad for him more than anything.”

Even with all the of high-profile trash talk coming from the boxer, O’Malley doesn’t see a fight between the two actually materializing.

“Cocaine’s a hell of a drug. That will never happen, and if it does I’m here for it. It wouldn’t be my fault that fight doesn’t happen, but yeah. Realistically that will never happen,” he said.

Business at hand for O’Malley is the rematch with Marlon “Chito” Vera. The two squared up in September 2020 where Vera landed a leg kick that damaged O’Malley’s leg and the fight ended shortly after that.

“That fight never necessarily bothered me. Look where I’m at now. That fight plays out a different way, I win that fight, maybe the next fight I fight somebody that I wasn’t ready for and I lose. My career completely plays out different,” said O’Malley.

“Grateful for everything that’s happened, but I am excited to go out there and do what I was about to do in that first fight.

There is a backup fighter for this bout in the form of Merab Dvalishvili who comes off a dominant decision victory over former champion Henry Cejudo. Should Vera not make it to the octagon on Saturday, would the champion be willing to fight Dvalishvili?

“100%,” O’Malley said.

Watch the entire media day scrum with Sean O’Malley above. He takes on Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299 on Saturday night.

The post Sean O’Malley On Ryan Garcia, “Cocaine’s a hell of a drug” appeared first on Cageside Press.

The UFC will be sending some of the most popular stars in the promotion to take on several stars from the world of boxing this summer in Celebrity Family Feud.  No air date is currently set but the show typically airs during the summer as part of ABC’s “Summer of Fun” line-up.  Unlike the normal iteration of the show, “families” on Celebrity Family Feud compete for money for charity.

Awesome time at @familyfeudabc with the @ufc family as we challenged #WBCboxing you guys make sure to tune in this coming summer. #familyfeud #UFC pic.twitter.com/m3zYaxxd4E

— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) February 16, 2020

The UFC is putting their best foot forward with their team including current bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo, former champion Holly Holm, welterweight contender Stephen Thompson, strawweight contender (and Holm teammate) Michelle Waterson, and UFC legend Forrest Griffin.  With the show taping this weekend, it will have no impact on Waterson’s upcoming fight in April nor Cejudo’s rumored fight in May.

Going up against Team UFC will be the boxing team featuring former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, former welterweight champion Shawn Porter, heavyweight legend Riddick Bowe, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, and top prospect Ryan Garcia.  Notably, Garcia is participating on the show less than 24 hours after scoring a first round knockout over Francisco Fonseca at an event in Anaheim on Valentine’s Day.

This is the second time that stars from the world of mixed martial arts have participated on the popular game show.  Last year, several stars from both the UFC and Bellator came up short against a team led by WWE and reality stars Nikki and Brie Bella.

The post UFC Fighters to Take on Boxers This Summer on Celebrity Family Feud appeared first on Cageside Press.