“A dream come true. We worked so hard for so long, so many years, for this to happen,” Barbosa told Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum through a translator.

“Thank God it happened that way. It’s just amazing.”

Barbosa (18-2) credited his preparation and the guidance of his longtime coach for keeping him composed under the bright lights of his UFC debut. Even with the stakes at their highest, he approached the fight with a calm mindset that allowed him to execute when it mattered most, and he was able to avoid the infamous ‘UFC jitters’.

“I have a coach, he’s not just a teacher or a coach, father, a mentor, a psychologist. He always says, ‘listen we’re going to go out there to do one more. Just one more fight. It’s just a different kind of sparring’,” Barbosa said.

“So I wasn’t shook, I wasn’t rattled by the moment. I was able to actually keep my cool and just go out there and get the win.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Marcio Barbosa above.

The post Marcio Barbosa Scores Knockout in UFC Debut, Calls It a “Dream Come True” appeared first on Cageside Press.

“A bit of a mad fight, 2 minutes I think, maddest two minutes I’ve ever had,” Herbert told Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“To be fair, I enjoyed it, but you know, it was crazy. Think he knocked me down about three times or something. Then I got back up and then I still had the wits about me to think he’s going to overreach.”

Herbert (14-6-1) trusted his instincts in the chaos, recognizing the exact moment his opponent believed the fight was over and using it to his advantage. With his back near the cage and under pressure, he found a counter opportunity that ultimately turned the fight in his favor.

“I knew he thought I was finished in it. So I thought it’s going to be an opportunity for me to counter. You see it a lot of times in MMA fights when people are backed up against the cage. There’s a chance you can counter him when they think they’re home and dry with the knockout,” he said.

Herbert is already mapping out an active schedule for the remainder of the year, targeting multiple appearances to build momentum. With international cards in mind, he also pointed to Paris as an ideal destination, citing the energy of the fanbase as a major draw.

“What can we do in May. Maybe like July, August, and then get back out at the end of the year would be great as well,” he said.

“(Paris) of course it would be great. The fans are properly there as well.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Jai Herbert above. 

The post Jai Herbert Rallies from Chaos to Finish Mandel Nallo in “Maddest Two Minutes” appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Listen, Eddie says a lot of dumb sh*t,” White told Cageside Press among other media at his post-fight scrum.

“I’m getting used to it. Eddie said that me and him are the biggest fight in boxing. There in lies the problem with boxing, and the fact that a fight promoter who’s actually put on big fights and have a stable of good fighters would say something that f*cking stupid is starting to not be as shocking as it was in the beginning.”

White didn’t mince words when addressing Hearn and other criticisms surrounding his latest ventures outside the UFC, particularly with Zuffa Boxing. The promoter pushed back against detractors questioning recent deals and the direction of his involvement in the sport. Framing the criticism as noise, White doubled down on letting results speak for themselves moving forward.

“You’re a f*cking bum, I’m old, and we don’t even deserve to be on a card with a bunch of real fighters, number one. Number two, everybody’s talking sh*t about Conor Benn and the deal that we made,” he said.

“I will say this like I said a few months ago; sit back, watch what we do this year, and then judge us by our body of work at the end of the year. I said that a few months ago and look where we are now and what we’re doing.”

White continued his critique of the boxing industry, expanding his frustration beyond promoters to include what he sees as a growing chorus of self-proclaimed experts online.

Speaking candidly, White took aim at both the structure of the sport and the voices that frequently weigh in on it, arguing that his firsthand experience has only reinforced his long-held beliefs. He’s clearly grown weary of the criticism specially when it comes to the deals Zuffa Boxing has made with up-and-coming star Conor Benn.

“It’s funny because I knew how f*cked up boxing was, but I never really realized how bad it was and how bad these guys that run the sport are at what they did until I got into it,” he said.

“Then all these guys on the internet that are so smart and such f*cking experts in the fight business man. Just because you have $35 and can start a f*cking website, and do a podcast means you’re some type of expert…you guys should be running f*cking Bellator and PFL and ONE FC. Go help these guys out man!”

As far as Benn is concerned, the long-time UFC president made it clear that he’s a fan.

“He’s been incredible. He’s a great kid, hilarious, very positive person. I like him,” said White.

“So far, so good.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Dana White above.

The post Dana White Goes Off On Eddie Hearn, Boxing, Internet Criticism appeared first on Cageside Press.

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“I first started training at The Academy, popping in and out in college was like 2011 through 2014,” Castaneda recalled. “During that time, I think it was kind of like the end of another era like that. There was a lot of guys like Nik Lentz, Jacob Volkmann, Sean Sherk were leaving – Rose Namajunas. They were kind of on their tail end of their career or moving locations.”

While it was cool to see the names that he saw there, it did create a tough time for Castaneda. After some of the larger names departed the gym, he was left with a bit of a void when it came to high-level sparring partners. Although that was rough at first, the gym is coming out the other side of that now.

“I almost like to think like, okay, everybody kind of graduated from that. I was like the lower classmen, and I was able to kind of climb the ranks with a lot of bodies for sure, but not a lot of high level people around me,” he said. “Not quite yet, but over the last few years – that’s evolved. Everybody’s getting better. The team is growing. People are coming to join up.”

Now he has a slew of guys who are high-level and much younger than him – all of which are keeping him on his toes. As a result, he’s enjoying the process and growing as much as ever.

“I got a roster full of guys who are anywhere from 135lbs to 155lbs that are at the highest levels,” he explained. “Those are the names that you mentioned, the Noah Gasho’s, the Cannon Swanson’s, the Tyree [Overton]s – there’s a lot of guys that are that I’m in the trenches with every single day. It’s awesome to go from like the young up-and-comer to now the old established vet and seeing these guys kind of work up those ranks now as well.”

He looks to use all that hard work with the up and comers to make a statement at UFC Winnipeg. He faces newcomer and Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Mark Vologdin in a matchup he believe favors him heavily.

“I’m going to be in his face. I’m going to push the pace. I’m going to break him,” he said. “I see either a TKO or a sub. I’m trying to get the job done inside the first three rounds.”

You can catch that bout with Vologdin on the prelims of UFC Winnipeg. That fight card begins at 5pm EST this Saturday and airs on Paramount+.

The post UFC Winnipeg’s John Castaneda Talks Next Wave at The Academy MN appeared first on Cageside Press.

“That was a trip. It was it was a really cool memory like a big life moment that I’ll never forget walking out in a huge arena like that. I’ve never been in an arena that big before and I didn’t really expect to to really make a difference in in the experience and everything,” Croden said. “It was funny like before I walked out, I was like my stoic self – really focused, really concentrated. Then as I’m walking people are giving me high-fives and cheering me on and stuff – it’s hard not to smile in moments like that. I just really enjoyed it and immerse myself in the entire present moment of it.”

Following that fight and a subsequent short notice fight inside of the Apex, Croden wasn’t necessarily expecting a return to her home country. As you can imagine, with the reception she got last time, she was pumped to get that call again.

“I was really excited. I wasn’t expecting to get on the the game. The next Canadian card, honestly, because I know there’s lots of other Canadian fighters that are chomping at the bit to perform in the homeland,” she said. “So when my manager called me and was like, okay, we got it. We got you on the Canadian card. Here’s your opponent. Here’s the date. I was quite excited.”

Now she’ll look to feed off the crowd yet again as she faces Darya Zheleznyakova this Saturday. She expects a fight that the crowd is going to love and one that should help her move forward in this division.

“I think it’s going to be a really exciting fight because her and I both like to stand and throw hands. So I think it’s going to be like a crowd favorite fight. I think I think it’ll be yeah one to appease the gods,” Croden said. “I think I’m going to have to go with a good old-fashioned Croden TKO, third round.”

You can catch her bout with Zheleznyakova as part of the UFC Winnipeg prelims this Saturday. The card begins at 5pm EST and airs on Paramount+.

The post UFC Winnipeg’s Melissa Croden Looks to Feed Off Crowd Again appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I’ve been trying to get on contenders for two, three years now – and it didn’t happen. I was actually cut from the Ultimate Fighter, the season that Robert [Valentin] was on it, and he went in final. I was like in the one of the last, I was not in the last alternate, but I was like waiting,” LeBlanc explained. “I had signed the contract waiting to know if I was flying out to Vegas to go and unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance.”

After nearly being on the season with Valentin, it was a wild moment when his manager got a hold of him and told him his debut would be against the TUF 32 finalist.

“It was like a full life circle. It was crazy. My manager just told me like you got a fight and I’m okay with the opponent. I didn’t really know and then he sent me his topology,” he said. “I was like, wow, that’s crazy. Some things are like they look like coincidence, but I believe it’s not a coincidence. I believe like I said, sometimes life is doing weird things. I was laughing in my head.”

While he recognizes the skill that Valentin brings to the game, he’s been waiting too long to squander this moment. He’s ready for all the heat early and ready to go in there to get the ‘W’.

“I respect him a lot… I do believe that he’s going to come out really hard in the first round. So I’m going to be ready for the fire,” LeBlanc said. “The only way I see it and ending is with my hand raised. So that’s the ultimate goal regardless how it is – that’s really the ultimate goal and that’s what’s going to happen.”

You can catch Julien Leblanc’s fight with Robert Valentin as part of the UFC Winnipeg prelims. The fight card begins at 5pm EST this Saturday and airs on Paramount+.

The post Julien Leblanc Talks Full Circle Moment at UFC Winnipeg appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I think she’s a tough fighter. We do see some opportunities to explore, some holes in her game, and we’ve worked together to get prepared exactly explore those holes,” Silva told reporters through a translator on Wednesday.

“To come out with the win on Saturday.”

Silva (19-6) enters the bout following a decision loss to Maycee Barber at UFC 323. She has taken the setback in stride, viewing it as a learning experience she can carry into her matchup with Jasudavicius and future bouts.

“Losses always teach you a lesson so that was an opportunity for me to kind of look inside myself and see who Karine really is. I wanted to understand myself, and see all the things that I’ve been able to do in training that I can do in a fight as well,” she said.

“Now is my moment and I think that everything that we’ve trained can be applied to this fight.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Karine Silva above. She faces Jasmine Jasudavicius at UFC Winnipeg on Saturday night.

The post Karine Silva Eyes Bounce-Back Win at UFC Winnipeg vs Jasudavicius appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Dude, it better have sunk in, I’m here ready to fight in a few days,” Boser told reporters on Wednesday.

“Yeah it’s sunk in. I got dialed in immediately. It probably took a day or two where it was still very surreal. Quite an incredulous feeling, but yeah it’s sunk in and I’m ready to rock and roll.”

Boser (22-10-1) was not sure he’d be back in the UFC after the promotion declined to give him a new deal following his victory over Aleksa Camur in 2023. He definitely wanted to return, but there was a time where he wasn’t sure it’d actually happen.

“It didn’t look good at the moment, but I never fully gave up hope on it or anything. I had a fight last year, went well, went my way, beat a UFC vet, so that kind of thing always helps,” he said.

“I was planning on fighting I just had several things that fell through. So I wasn’t active very much in the last three years, but I was planning to have fights that just didn’t quite happen. I’m just happy to be back.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Tanner Boser above. He faces Gokhan Saricam at UFC Winnipeg on Saturday night.

The post Tanner Boser Returns at UFC Winnipeg, “Ready to Rock and Roll” in Homecoming Fight appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Not particular reason. I’ve been ready to fight for a while now. Just a couple of things in the background that didn’t happen,” Herbert told reporters on Wednesday.

“I’m here now. That’s all that matters. Going to go out there, get the victory, and bigger fights to come this year.”

Herbert (13-6-1) understands the challenge ahead in facing a dangerous newcomer looking to make an immediate impact on the roster. The veteran has done his homework on Nallo, pointing to his striking ability and recent success as clear indicators of the threat he brings. Still, Herbert made it clear his focus remains on delivering a decisive performance in his return to action.

“He’s a good guy, you know, it’s his debut. He had a good win on the Contender Series. He’s had a few good wins before that. He looks like to be more of a striker, but I’m going to go out there and get the stoppage, get the victory man. That’s all I’ve come here for,” he said.

“Come here not to mess about, man.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Jai Herbert above. He faces Mandel Nallo at UFC Winnipeg on Saturday night.

The post Jai Herbert Eyes Statement Return at UFC Winnipeg After 13-Month Layoff appeared first on Cageside Press.