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There is a tonne of potential in the UFC's featherweight division right now, and Brian Ortega is one athlete that is in great demand. Ortega, who was formerly undefeated in 14 straight matches and considered to be among the most lethal submitting fighters in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA), has recently suffered a run of poor luck. He received his first career championship chance in a heavily hyped battle against Max Holloway in December 2018, but ultimately fell victim to a fourth-round technical knockout (TKO) following a doctor's stoppage between rounds. The 32-year-old has made two outings since that day and is now on a two-fight winless run. He has a record of 1-2. The former title challenger lost to Yair Rodriguez by first-round TKO at UFC Long Island in July of last year because of a shoulder injury, plus he continues to not be fully recovered. Emerging rivals such as Ilia Topuria, who is anxious to face Ortega afterward following an amazing submission victory over Bryce Mitchell in December, have been trying to call Ortega. “I see people like Topuria calling me out constantly,” Ortega told The Schmo. “Two things come to mind, right? One, I’ll never back down to any fighter. I’ve fought the best of the best. I fought the people that you wish you could fight. Two is, I’m not even able to fight so let me get back on my s***. Let me get back to training and then that’s it. “I’ll gladly humble someone if I have to and once they earn their way up to where I’m at, you can come join me. But you can’t use your mouth to come up here. This is the fighting world. You can only do so much with your mouth and this time you’re gonna have to fight. I know he has a fight lined up, good for him. If he earns his way up, let’s do it. Anyone that my manager says we gotta do it with then that’s what it is. I’m ready, I’ve never backed out of any fight, and I’m excited to come back.” Although Ortega tends to not step away from competition, he intends to concentrate on returning to camp and recovering from his injury issues before he accepts any further bouts. He thinks that rather than using their mouths to get publicity, opponents must advance until they get to his level. Nonetheless, Ortega is looking forward to making his return and is prepared to face anybody his manager believes he must battle. Throughout his 13 fights, Topuria has never lost, and he is presently rated No. 9 in the official UFC standings. Since that Topuria's planned engagements are yet to be formally disclosed, Ortega may know that the public is unaware of. The featherweight division is already growing big and powerful even though Alexander Volkanovski, the reigning champion, lost to Islam Makhachev in a champion vs champion contest in the lightweight division in February 2023. Ortega has fought top contenders of the division before and is interested in watching the way things are going to work out at the top of the division. Both a replay against Makhachev as well as a defense against Rodriguez, in his opinion, are due for Volkanovski, and he predicts that Volkanovski will win both contests.

The PFL is set to showcase one of its most exciting events this Saturday, as Thiago Santos is set to make his debut against the reigning champion Rob Wilkinson. Santos requested and received his withdrawal from the UFC to join the PFL. Numerous people were shocked by the announcement, but the Brazilian, who is 39 years old, stated he was interested in a new endeavor because he has very little time left. “At this point in my career, I don’t have years and years to do something different,” Santos said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I decided to do it at this moment and do something new, new goals, new projects. PFL gave me this opportunity which is why I’m here.” Santos had no idea who he was going to fight in his premiere when he joined up with PFL to compete in the event. But after being offered the opportunity to compete against Wilkinson, the champion from the last year, he took advantage of the opportunity to show off his skills. “I was open to fighting anyone, but it couldn’t be better. To get the last light heavyweight champion, I’m very excited about that,” Santos said. “A big fight, he’s a tough opponent and he’s making me very excited and working very hard.” Santos, a Brazilian mixed martial artist, is known for his explosive striking ability and dynamic fighting style. He has amassed an impressive record of 22 wins and 11 losses in his professional career, with 15 of those wins coming by way of knockout. Whereas Wilkinson, an Australian fighter, has an impressive record of his own with 17 wins and 2 losses in his career. The stage is set for an epic battle between two of the best fighters in their respective weight classes. Santos will be looking to make a statement in his debut and prove that he is a force to be reckoned with in the PFL. Thiago Santos anticipates Rob Wilkinson primarily striking him during PFL 1, but he won't be shocked if the Australian attempts to wrestle. Santos is certain that his strength will prove to be too great and that he will ultimately defeat the Australian although if Wilkinson does engage in wrestling. “He is a striker, he is aggressive. He moves forward and I like this kind of fight, it’s going to be fireworks,” Santos explained. “I’m going out there to win and I will do my best and I’m ready for that… I think he is going to strike with me, but I believe at some point he will try and take me down. But, no question, 100 percent, I can finish anyone. I can finish anyone, so it’s what I’m going to do.” Santos is aware of finishing Wilkinson will put him in a good position to win the tournament this year. He is also aware of how important it's going to be to his reputation and himself financially if he wins the belt and the $1 million. “Man, it will be good for my family. Become the PFL light heavyweight champion, have my belt, and get $1 million. That’s it,” Santos said. As fight night approaches, anticipation and excitement are building for what promises to be an unforgettable battle between two of the best fighters in the world. Don't miss out on the action – tune in to the PFL this Saturday to witness Thiago Santos and Rob Wilkinson go head-to-head in what is sure to be a classic encounter.

Joe Joyce, the Olympic silver medalist, is eager to step in and face WBC world champion Tyson Fury, following the collapse of negotiations for Fury's unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk. Joyce believes that the fight would be an easy one to make, as both he and Fury are promoted by Frank Warren. While Fury was deep in negotiations for the unification bout with Usyk, the fight fell apart after both sides failed to agree on the monetary split for the rematch. Joyce is currently scheduled to defend his WBO interim-title against fellow Olympian Zhilei Zhang on April 15. However, Joyce is ready to take on Fury in the ring after his upcoming fight with Zhang. "Yeah, I'm ready to step in. Fury said he wanted to face me if he didn't fight Usyk. Of course, I've got to beat up big Zhilei first," Joyce said. "It would be very easy to set up. We're both with Frank Warren. He's already said he wants to fight me, it's a great fight. People are interested in seeing that fight." Daniel Dubois is currently the mandatory challenger to Usyk. The World Boxing Association has ordered the two of them to collide. Joyce previously picked up a knockout win over Dubois in 2020. Joyce is currently the mandatory challenger, under the WBO, but his former foe Dubois will get a mandatory title shot first. "I'm not surprised by anything in boxing. I just get on with what I need to do and progress in my career and get the best out of it. I'm looking to be in some great fights this year and next year," Joyce said. Joyce is hopeful that the fight with Fury will come to fruition, saying "Let's make the [Fury] fight happen. Please!"

Charles Oliveira has a plan for his next chapter in the UFC, and he pledges that nothing and no one will stand in his way. "Do Bronx" is set to face Beneil Dariush at UFC 288, which takes place May 6 in New Jersey, and feels he is one win away from a rematch with Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title. Yet, while he claims he will not change anything from his last fight, Oliveira is changing his method to project how he will perform in the cage. “I’ve said [how I’ll win] it before, I’ve been wrong before — and I won’t be wrong again,” Oliveira said recently on MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca. “I’ll tell you the truth, being real here, I’ll hunt in this fight. I’ll walk forward the entire time. I don’t care if it’s a knockout, a submission, or a decision, I’ll hunt in this fight. “I can’t say I’ll do a strategic fight, that I’ll be waiting. No, that’s not Charles fighting. Charles walks forward, he hunts the entire time. So if you want to watch a boring fight, don’t come to watch my fight. You’ll see me get knocked down, dropped, and get back up. As you said, [Dariush] has been knocked out before, he’s been submitted. He has holes, just like I do. That’s what matters the most, wanting to win no matter what.” Over the course of their MMA careers, both Oliveira and Dariush have demonstrated various fighting styles, winning via knockouts and submissions. It will be interesting to see who will come out on top when they face each other in the cage.

Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is set to face Jermaine Franklin on April 1 at the O2 Arena in London. The upcoming fight will see Joshua aiming to rebound after back-to-back losses against Oleksandr Usyk, while Franklin will be seeking redemption after a close points loss to Dillian Whyte. In the lead up to the fight, Franklin has revealed his plans to verbally abuse Joshua during the bout. While he is usually quiet in the pre-fight build-up, Franklin intends to make things rough once he faces Joshua in the ring. “I talk trash in the ring but not before the fight. In the ring I might call him soft, or a p-ssy, I start my talk in the ring. Outside the ring I might not say much, but inside you might hear me tell him: ‘Your momma hits harder than you’. "Trash talk outside the ring is not my persona, I do it in the ring, during the fight, in the clinches," Franklin said to The Sun. He believes that trash talking in the ring will help him frustrate Joshua and gain an advantage in the fight. “I want to frustrate my opponent in the ring. I’m probably too silly to trash talk outside of it, I will make myself laugh and not be able to stop giggling. But my switch flicks in the ring and I get more ruthless. In my Dillian Whyte fight in November I called him weak. One time he hit me and I told him: ‘You’re too soft’.” Franklin also expects to face the best version of Joshua possible and believes that the London star is far from a finished product. He recognizes Joshua's achievements in the sport and will not turn on him despite his recent losses to Usyk. “I love the sport so — until someone can show me that AJ is finished — I will not question him, he has done too much. As a fighter, I cannot just turn on him when he is an Olympic gold medal winner who reigned as a world champion for a long time," Franklin said. Franklin acknowledges that Joshua's stock has taken a hit due to his losses to Usyk, but believes that it will increase if Usyk remains unbeaten. He hopes to be greater than Joshua in the future and is looking forward to their upcoming fight. The upcoming fight between Anthony Joshua and Jermaine Franklin promises to be an intense affair, with Franklin planning to use verbal abuse to gain an advantage in the ring. Fans will be eagerly anticipating the outcome of this highly anticipated bout.

Step right up, fight fans! Brace yourselves for a nail-biting tale of grit and determination in the UFC octagon. It seemed like Muhammad Mokaev's dreams of glory might come crashing down when he found himself trapped in a brutal leg lock during UFC 286. But this young warrior refused to tap out, no matter how much agony wracked his body. With fierce determination, Mokaev fought through the pain and managed to break free from his opponent's deadly hold. In a stunning turn of events, he secured a rear naked choke in the final seconds of the fight, winning by submission. However, even in victory, Mokaev was visibly favoring his left leg, which had suffered a serious injury in the match. In a recent social media post, the undefeated prospect revealed the true extent of his injury. Mokaev disclosed that he had suffered a Grade 2 "partial tear" of his MCL, which would sideline him for six to eight weeks. Despite this setback, he remained determined to come back stronger than ever, thanking his supporters and declaring his intention to be a champion someday. “6-8 weeks I will be back training,” Mokaev stated. “Thank you for all your messages, I received crazy amount of the support about my knee! It’s a strap season for me and my people! I will be champion one day Insha’Allah.” The 21-year-old also mentioned that the MCL rupture will not require surgery; nonetheless, he hopes for yet another inspection when the swelling diminishes. Mokaev explained his injuries and said that by refusing to tap, he just gained more identity. "Much more confidence added to my game because I didn’t tap! Pain is temporary, I’m still on the crutches but my heart feels very good right now." This young fighter's story is a testament to the incredible resilience and spirit of the human body and mind. With three submission finishes in his four UFC victories, it's clear that Muhammad Mokaev has a bright future ahead of him. So, keep your eyes peeled, fight fans, because the Punisher is just getting started!

Lawrence Okolie Believes More Fighters Could Leave Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Lawrence Okolie, the WBO cruiserweight champion, has spoken out against his former promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom. Okolie is one of several well-known British fighters to leave Matchroom for Boxxer, the promotional company that provides boxing content for Sky, a major UK broadcaster. Other fighters who have left Matchroom include veteran junior middleweight contender Liam Smith, who recently scored a major upset against Chris Eubank Jr., and light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi. Okolie has been involved in a legal dispute with Hearn but he did not hold back when he spoke about his former promoter's behavior. He believes that Hearn is hypocritical and that he treats fighters poorly. Okolie said on a radio program on talkSPORT that Hearn is "very malicious, bitter, jealous as well." He added that Hearn's behavior is "quite shocking," but that he still rates him as a promoter. Okolie believes that more fighters could leave Matchroom for Boxxer if Hearn continues to behave this way. He pointed out that other fighters who have left Matchroom have gone on to achieve great things, such as Liam Smith, whose career has gone "through the roof" since he left Matchroom. Okolie also mentioned Chris Billam-Smith, another former stablemate, whom Hearn did not seem to care about when he headlined a fight in Bournemouth. Okolie said that Hearn's behavior towards him was relatively easy to deal with, but that the departure of other fighters like Joshua Buatsi is much harder for Hearn to handle. Okolie believes that Hearn is starting to unravel as more fighters leave his stable. He said that boxers talk to each other and that they are all aware of Hearn's behavior. Okolie believes that Hearn will have a harder time justifying his talent drain as more fighters leave. Lawrence Okolie believes that Eddie Hearn's behavior towards fighters is hypocritical and that he treats fighters poorly. Okolie believes that more fighters could leave Matchroom for Boxxer if Hearn continues to behave this way. He thinks that Hearn's behavior is starting to unravel and that it will be harder for him to justify his talent drain as more fighters leave.

Jake Paul, the former Disney star and YouTuber, has become one of the most extraordinary figures to rise to prominence in combat sports in recent years. Paul has established himself as a renowned character in both boxing and mixed martial arts due to his successes in the ring and his criticism of Dana White and the UFC's treatment of athletes. While he has only competed in Boxing, earning a 6-1 professional record while defeating Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva, that is expected to change this year. Before to his February loss to British pro pugilist Tommy Fury, Paul announced a multi-year contract with the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Paul said that, in addition to co-owning the MMA promotion's new Super Fight division, he will also make his MMA debut as part of the creation. The question of who "The Trouble Child" will face in the new sport rapidly arose, and one of the PFL's biggest personalities has now chimed in. Brendan Loughnane, the 2022 PFL Featherweight Champion, recently spoke with ESPN MMA's Marc Raimondi about Paul's role in the organization, which has drawn attention for its unique season and playoff format. "I like Jake. Me and Jake have been conversating since he took PFL stakes. He must have realized who I was then," Loughnane said. "He added me on Instagram, we've been talking back and forth. Jake's a cool guy. I'm glad he's bringing more eyes to the PFL... Keep them all coming. Nate (Diaz), and if they sign Francis (Ngannou), that's a power move." When asked who Paul should meet with in his first professional MMA fight, Loughnane had just one name in mind. "Nate Diaz," Loughnane asserted. "Here's what I want. I want (them) to fight in boxing, and then I want them to rematch in PFL... Exciting times. Let's put it that way."

UFC 287 has taken a hit due to a back injury to Li Jingliang. The upcoming UFC 287 event in Miami, Florida, has suffered a setback as fighter Li Jingliang has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled matchup against Michael Chiesa due to a back injury. Fans were eagerly anticipating the matchup, but videos surfaced over the past weekend of Jingliang announcing his withdrawal on the Chinese social media app Douyin. Jingliang's injury may require surgery, which could keep him out of the octagon for at least six months, depending on the severity of the issue. The 35-year-old fighter lost a close and controversial split decision to Daniel Rodriguez in his last outing at UFC 279. He was initially slated to battle Tony Ferguson; however, the matchup was changed as a result of Khamzat Chimaev's failure to make scale. He has flip-flopped wins and losses over his past six octagon appearances. Contrarily, Chiesa won 4 consecutive fights between December 2018 and January 2021, however, he has since lost two consecutive matches to Vicente Luque and Sean Brady. At UFC 287, which is going to be his first fight since November 2021, he currently requires an entirely fresh challenger. Despite the fact that many believe Jingliang and Chiesa don't have a great chance of making it to the UFC welterweight championship, their matchup was eagerly awaited by fans. Nonetheless, the rest of the division is still excited about the co-main event spot, where Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal will face off. The winner of that matchup is not expected to get a chance at the belt, but Leon Edwards will be waiting in the wings for his next challenger.

Josh Taylor wants to demonstrate that Jack Catterall's achievement was an outlier. On June 10 in New York City, Teofimo Lopez and the former fully unified 140-pound champion from Scotland will face off at either Madison Square Garden or the Garden's smaller sibling venue, the Hulu Theater. Originally, Taylor was scheduled to face England's Catterall in a rematch of their contentious undisputed title battle from the previous year, which Taylor won on points. The rematch, however, was repeatedly postponed, with the most recent one occurring last month after Taylor allegedly sustained a foot injury. (torn plantar fascia). The Scotsman will now try to make a statement against Brooklyn's Lopez, the former unified lightweight champion, rather than continue his pursuit of a matchup with Catterall. Taylor broke off his relationship with trainer Ben Davison and joined forces with Joe McNally following his erratic display against Catterall. The southpaw Taylor recently promised to go back to his "old ways" and the manner in which he won all four major 140-pound championships. Taylor, who is renowned for his dynamism and aggression, thought his style was being compromised under Davison. “Yeah, just getting back to my old self,” Taylor told iD Boxing. “You know I just felt like before I … sort of felt my style was trying to get changed a little bit. I kind of got caught between two styles and stuff and I just felt like I was getting taken away from what my best attributes are a little bit too much. I just felt like at the end I needed to change something, I needed to change. “That’s nothing to do anything with Ben or anything like that, I’ve learned a lot from Ben as well, and he improved me in a lot of ways as well. I improved a lot under Ben too and learned new things from Benn too, it’s just that I was getting steered away from what my style is and what my attributes are, getting changed instead of adding, that sort of thing. And I just felt like I had to change, I had to change my whole surroundings.”

If he loses this Saturday night at the O2 Arena against challenger Jermaine Franklin, former two-time heavyweight king Anthony Joshua will retire from the sport. Joshua is already attempting to recover from suffering back-to-back defeats at the hands of unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk. A close points decision loss to Dillian Whyte, in which some observers thought Franklin had done enough to win, is what Franklin himself is coming off of. Joshua has not won in a fight since 2020, and a third straight defeat would be the last straw. "I will [retire]. I will retire if I lose. I'm not here to battle people. If people want me to retire I will retire," Joshua told MailOnline. "I'm not going to fight if people don't want me too. It's not even about the money. It's about the competitor in you. That's what's important. "It [pressure] comes with the business and it comes with the territory, I know that. I know when I am retired, I am gonna be chilling. I'm gonna be thinking f---- everyone. I am done. You lot put so much pressure on me so when I am done, the chains are going to be gone. I am going to be laughing and loving life." Joshua's former manager Lawrence Okolie thinks the British fighter won't have any problems managing the pressure of the upcoming fight. Okolie is the current WBO cruiserweight champion. "He's been in high-pressure situations for a long, long time," Okolie told Sky Sports News. "That's 10 plus years now [since his Olympic Games]. We spoke this weekend, he's in good spirits. He's feeling strong, fit and he's done a lot of sparring. So I don't want to speak for him but I expect to go in there and put on a great show. This is world-class boxing so I don't expect him to necessarily go and get it done in one round. But I expect him to win in impressive fashion."

Boxing fan Excitement is in the air because Robeisy Ramirez takes on Isaac Dogboe for the vacant WBO featherweight title on Saturday. This is a match that promises to be electrifying and one that has generated a lot of buzz among boxing enthusiasts. Here's everything you need to know about Ramirez vs. Dogboe. WHEN IS RAMIREZ VS. DOGBOE? DATE, START TIME Date: Saturday, April 1 Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. BST Main event ringwalks (approx): 11:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 a.m. BST WHERE IS RAMIREZ VS. DOGBOE? The fight will take place at the Hard Rock Casino in Tusla, Oklahoma, United States. ROBEISY RAMIREZ VS. ISAAC DOGBOE Ramirez, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has been making waves in the boxing world. He has an impressive record of 11 wins and 1 loss, with 7 of his victories coming by way of knockout. He is known for his speed, agility, and precision in the ring, and he is sure to put on a show for the fans come fight night. On the other hand, Dogboe is a former WBO super bantamweight champion who is looking to get back to winning ways. He has a record of 24 wins, 2 losses, and 15 knockouts. He is known for his aggressive style of boxing and his ability to deliver powerful punches. In the end, the upcoming bout between Robeisy Ramirez and Isaac Dogboe is one that promises to be a thrilling encounter. Both fighters are highly skilled and have a lot to prove in the ring. However, we believe that Ramirez has what it takes to emerge victorious. we are sure that it will be a fight to remember. RAMIREZ VS. DOGBOE CARD Robeisy Ramirez vs. Isaac Dogboe, For the vacant WBO featherweight title Joet Gonzalez vs. Jose Enrique Vivas; Featherweight Jahi Tucker vs. Nikoloz Sekhniashvili; Light middleweight Tiger Johnson vs. Alfonso Olvera; Super lightweight Emiliano Vargas vs. Edgar Uvalle; Lightweight Abdullah Mason vs. Erick Garcia Benitez; Lightweight Dante Benjamin Jr. vs. Jasper McCargo; Light heavyweight Rohan Polanco vs. Ricardo Quiroz; Super lightweight **Fight card subject to change.