Rise Combat

“Whoever they give us, we’ll fight him.”

Khabib says Umar wanted a top-five opponent next, but everyone was booked or busy. Umar’s 2-0 since the Merab title-fight loss — now it’s take-anyone mode.

Who should UFC give him next? 👀

CALM ANESTHESIA 😭

Ilia Topuria says Justin Gaethje sounds like the past rivals who wanted to humble him — and says he’s bringing “calm anesthesia” to UFC Freedom 250.

Is Ilia’s talk too sharp, or is Gaethje the wrong guy to poke?

“18-0 PAPA.” 😭

Gaethje’s dad called Topuria “another little short guy”… Ilia fired back with: “Fathers hope. Champions know.”

That comeback hit harder than expected — who gets the last laugh at UFC Freedom 250?

Conor moved people.

GSP says nobody in the UFC made fans feel something like McGregor did — love him or hate him, the man had the whole room reacting.

Is Conor the biggest emotion merchant MMA’s ever seen? 😭

“Take away” Holloway and Oliveira.

Justin Gaethje says beating Ilia Topuria would help him move past those losses — but admits he’s gotta be perfect on the night.

Can The Highlight pull it off? 👀

Deathbed to comeback.

Ben Askren says his RAF 11 wrestling return vs Belal Muhammad is bigger than just competing — “Part of my purpose is to inspire people going through hard things.”

You rooting for Askren here? 💪

“If I make this weight, I might lose.”

Arman Tsarukyan says Khamzat Chimaev told him the UFC 328 cut had him worried before Sean Strickland — and even said at one point he couldn’t make it. He did make weight, but that quote is wild 😳

How much do brutal cuts change a fight?

DC isn’t sold 👀

Cormier says he doesn’t know if even a “more motivated than ever” Conor McGregor is enough to beat Max Holloway at UFC 329.

Does Conor’s motivation close the gap, or is Max just too much now?

Back to the mat.

Ben Askren says he’s set to wrestle Belal Muhammad at RAF 11 — just over a year after receiving a double lung transplant following a severe pneumonia ordeal.

Crazy comeback or crazy matchup? 👀

“Good for our sport.”

Islam Makhachev is welcoming Conor McGregor’s UFC return — and he’s also giving Max Holloway his respect, calling him tough and picking him in the rematch.

Agree with Islam’s read? 👀