What’s the latest buzz in the MMA sphere? In case you missed out, our daily MMA news roundup has got you covered. In today’s edition, we’ll be taking a look at UFC color commentator Joe Rogan and former UFC and PRIDE star, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson’s revelations about PED usage in the UFC. Then, we’ll switch our focus over to the latest twist in the ongoing saga of Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler’s long-awaited clash inside the Octagon and why ‘Iron Mike’ has made waves amongst the fandom with his recent social media post.

Finally, to wrap things up, we’ll be talking about Khamzat Chimaev’s ongoing issues with the promotion of a crypto token on social media that has caused Sean Strickland to come out and blast ‘Borz’ with accusations of ‘scamming’ his fans. So, let’s dive straight in and explore what’s the hottest news in the world of MMA.

Joe Rogan and ‘Rampage’ Jackson talk about PED usage in the UFC and more  

According to Joe Rogan, Alistair Overeem wouldn’t have achieved the heights he did if he didn’t use performance-enhancing substances. The Dutch kickboxer is known for his impressive list of accolades that include a Strikeforce heavyweight title, K-1 World Grand Prix champion, and more, but it’s his unreal physique that made him stand out in a division of giants.

Standing at 6’5, Overeem’s issues with performance-enhancing drugs have been a recurring theme throughout his career. Most recently, after his victory against Badr Hari at Glory: Collision 4 in 2022, Overeem tested positive for a banned substance and the win was later overturned into a no-contest.

As such, during his conversation with ‘Rampage’ on the JRE MMA Show no. 159, Rogan stated, “…but if again, you let him fight enhanced, because the difference between him enhanced and unenhanced, he became an average fighter.” This highlighted the fact that Overeem’s career would have taken a different trajectory depending on the PED usage rules in the organizations he fought in.

In another part of the conversation, ‘Rampage’ also confessed that after his loss to Jon Jones at UFC 135 in 2011, he tried taking performance-enhancing supplements since they were legal under TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemptions). Jackson stated, “I remember the time when it was legal and they f**ked it up coz I tried that sh*t after I got beat by Jon Jones. I was like ‘F**k, I must be getting old and I tried it and it helped out a little bit then they outlawed it, I said f**k, I guess I’m back to the old me.”

In conclusion, the comments highlighted a different era in the sport where performance-enhancing drugs were a part of some athletes’ routines and how some legends like Alistair Overeem may have found themselves in a tough position if they had to compete without extraneous aid. Now, let’s take a look at what Michael Chandler has been up to!

Michael Chandler causes eyebrows to be raised with the latest update on Conor McGregor’s fight 

The MMA fandom has been eagerly awaiting any news of Conor McGregor’s return after the Irish MMA icon pulled out of his UFC 303 bout against Michael Chandler because of a toe injury he sustained in training. Since then, there have been no confirmations about the return timeline of the Irish star, as UFC CEO Dana White stated at the UFC Saudi Arabia post-fight press conference, “What about September? What about October? He’s not ready. So why even talk about that?”

However, according to Michael Chandler, there may be some hope on the horizon for the MMA fandom! In a recent reply to a fan’s claims about the UFC scheduling their fight for the UFC 306 or ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ event on September 14 on X, Chandler responded by stating, “Loading…”

This hint has caused a frenzy in the MMA sphere and with McGregor recently sharing a picture of himself on his yacht with the caption, “Yacht has gym”, something appears to be brewing behind the scenes, but we’ll have to wait to see where this story goes next. While Chandler has been busy dealing with the McGregor fight cancellation’s fall-out, Khamzat Chimaev has found himself embroiled in a controversy that has drawn flak from Sean Strickland.

Khamzat Chimaev gets caught in crypto coin controversy as Sean Strickland fires on ‘Borz’  

UFC star Khamzat Chimaev is embroiled in allegations surrounding his promotion of the ‘Smash’ crypto token. Reports online indicate that ‘Borz’ encouraged his followers to purchase the ‘Smash’ token, boosting its value to $1.35. Less than a day later, the token plummeted over 91%, raising suspicions of a pump-and-dump scheme. Crypto investigator ZachXBT claimed, “Khamzat Chimaev and his team dropped a cryptocoin called Smash… and in under 24 hours, he rugs the coin and steals up to $1,000,000 from his fans.”

In response to the allegations, Chimaev released a statement from a member of the team involved in the token’s creation where they claimed, “We just want to make it clear that we were never in direct contact with Khamzat and Khamzat has no direct involvement with the token whatsoever.”

However, Sean Strickland wasn’t easily appeased with the clarification as he took to X to fire off against Chimaev. ‘Tarzan’ stated, “I’ve been offered a ton of money to do this same exact thing…… Crazy man you’re rich and still try to scam your fans……..” The situation currently remains under investigation and with no definitive conclusions yet it remains to be seen how it will play out in the near future and how it will impact Khamzat Chimaev. 

What are your thoughts about the brewing beef between Strickland and Chimaev? Let us know in the comments below.