Ahead of UFC 310, Dana White has made some exciting announcements for UFC 311, with two massive matchups being revealed. While one of the fights was expected, the other came as a surprise to many, and it has left fans wondering who will be stepping into the octagon against Merab Dvalishvili for his first title defense. As we eagerly wait for the answer, let’s take a look at all the latest happenings in the world of MMA in this edition of MMA Roundup.
The first big news that caught everyone’s attention was the announcement of a fight between featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski, and title challenger, Brian Ortega, for UFC 311. This fight was expected, as both fighters have been on a collision course ever since Ortega’s impressive win over Chan Sung Jung in October last year. However, the second fight that was announced has left fans buzzing with curiosity.
Dana White has confirmed that Merab Dvalishvili’s first title defense at UFC 311 will be against a mystery opponent. This announcement came as a surprise, as many expected Dvalishvili to defend his title against the number one contender, Marlon Moraes. However, with this sudden change, fans are left wondering who will be the lucky fighter to get a shot at the bantamweight title.
Speculations have been running wild, with some suggesting that it could be a rematch against former champion, Petr Yan, who Dvalishvili defeated in a dominant performance at UFC 310. Others believe it could be a new challenger, such as Cody Garbrandt or Cory Sandhagen, who are both coming off impressive wins. One thing is for sure; whoever steps up to face Dvalishvili will have their work cut out for them.
In other news, UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, has received a reality check before his highly anticipated fight against Tom Aspinall at UFC 311. Jones recently made the move up to heavyweight and has been vocal about his plans to challenge for the title. However, his close friend and former training partner, Andrei Arlovski, believes that a fight against the likes of Francis Ngannou or Derrick Lewis would be a huge risk for Jones. Arlovski has advised Jones to take his time and build his way up in the division before facing the top contenders.
In the welterweight division, Shavkat Rakhmonov has taken shots at rising star Ian Garry, ahead of his UFC 310 fight against Mickey Gall. Rakhmonov believes that Garry is not ready for the UFC and has said that he would be happy to welcome him to the big leagues after he dispatches Gall. This has sparked a war of words between the two fighters, and it will be interesting to see if Garry can back up his hype and prove Rakhmonov wrong.
Moving on to the women’s flyweight division, Joanne Calderwood has been forced to withdraw from her UFC 310 bout against Alexa Grasso due to injury. Calderwood was looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Lauren Murphy last year, and this injury has dealt a blow to her comeback plans. However, Grasso will now face a new opponent in the form of Jessica Andrade, who is making her flyweight debut after a successful run in the strawweight division.
In more injury news, lightweight contender, Islam Makhachev, has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 310 fight against Rafael dos Anjos due to an undisclosed injury. This has been a recurring issue for Makhachev, who has had multiple fights cancelled due to injuries. Dos Anjos will now face a new opponent, and the UFC is currently searching for a replacement.
In the middleweight division, Sean Strickland has made a bold statement ahead of his fight against former champion, Chris Weidman, at UFC 310. Strickland has said that he will finish Weidman in the first round, and he is confident that he has the skills to back up his words. Weidman, on the other hand, is determined to prove his doubters wrong and get back on the winning track after a string of losses in recent years.
To conclude, UFC 311 is shaping up to be an exciting event with big fights and unexpected matchups. The mystery opponent for Merab Dvalishvili and the reality check for Jon
