It’s been another action-packed 24 hours in the world of MMA, with lots of headlines ahead of some major upcoming fights. If you have found yourself too busy to catch up with them all, fret not. EssentiallySport’s MMA news roundup has come to your rescue as we give you the biggest headlines in bite-sized chunks.

In today’s edition of the daily roundup, we look at Sean Strickland’s fiery attack on Khamzat Chimaev during UFC 312 fight week, a double setback – including one for a UFC Fight Night twelve years in the making, and Ilia Topuria’s latest comments, which fuel speculation about a future fight with Islam Makhachev. So, without further ado, let’s begin!

Sean Strickland blasts Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 312 press conference

While Sean Strickland is all geared up for his UFC 312 title fight against Dricus du Plessis, he has not completely forgotten about Khamzat Chimaev. During the pre-fight press conference, ‘Tarzan’ went on an explosive rant about ‘Borz,’ criticizing the fighter for his ties to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and his move to the UAE. Strickland did not mince words, stating Chimaev “fled his country” and accused him of being a slave to the leader. He even mocked Chimaev’s Bitcoin controversy, labeling him a “Chechnyan wh**e.”

He said, “This man goes back to Chechnya, s**ks off a dictator. S**ks him off, lets his son beat him up, and the leash got too tight. Too many G-Wagons he was collected on. And when it came down to go a little deeper and s**k a little more, this little f**kin p***y ran. Ran to somewhere in the Middle East. And then he goes and sells a bitcoin scam. Chimaev, Chimaev can fight, but sir, you are not a f***in man. The world knows you as not a man. You will never be a f****n man, you little Chechniyan wh**e.”  

Khamzat Chimaev, who briefly trained with Strickland at Xtreme Couture, has yet to give a response. However, it would be interesting to see if Sean Strickland manages to defeat Dricus Du Plessis and goes one-on-one against ‘Borz’ after all this trash talk. What do you think? Will we get to see the fight?

Brandon Royval & Dominick Cruz pull out of their much-awaited fights

UFC Fight Night on March 1st has taken a significant hit, with both Brandon Royval and Dominick Cruz pulling out due to injury. Royval was scheduled to headline the event against Manel Kape, but the flyweight contender revealed on his Instagram that an unexplained injury forced him to withdraw. He expressed disappointment and uncertainty regarding his return date, promising to provide more information shortly.

The UFC has yet to confirm whether Kape will face a replacement opponent. Sharing the news, Rovyal wrote on his Instagram, “Unfortunately I’m going to have to pull out of my fight. I’m sorry to Manel Kape and my fans. I’m facing an injury that has me questioning when I’lI be able to train again. This is absolutely a fight I think needs to happen for the flyweight division, but as of right now, competing month has been ill advised. Love you all, and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. 1’1 have more details on my YouTube this week”

On the other hand, Dominick Cruz’s highly anticipated return against Rob Font at UFC Seattle on February 22 has also been canceled. The former bantamweight champion, who hasn’t fought since a KO loss to Marlon Vera in 2022, has found himself on the receiving end of another injury, adding to his lengthy list of injuries. Font is expected to remain on the card which is the UFC’s return to Seattle for the first time since 2013, but Cruz’s latest withdrawal casts further doubt on his future in the game.

Ilia Topuria hints at fighting Islam Makhachev

Ilia Topuria hasn’t even defended his featherweight title yet, but he’s already considering a switch to lightweight. So, who is on his radar? None other than the division’s champion himself, Islam Makhachev. In an interview with Fox Sports Australia, Topuria showed confidence in his abilities to become a two-division champion, claiming he could “do whatever he wants” against the Dagestani, who currently leads the UFC pound-for-pound rankings.

‘El Matador’ said, “Me, personally, what I want to do is move up to 155 because I know that I can become a two-weight world champion. Islam, he’s a great fighter; he’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound for the people. For me, it’s me, myself; I’m the best fighter in the world, so I know that I can do with him whatever I want to do, because I know that I am much better than him.”

Makhachev, who recently defeated Renato Moicano via first-round submission at UFC 311, has yet to respond. But Topuria’s callout has piqued fans’ interest. With a title defense scheduled for UFC 314, ‘El Matador’ is focused on sweeping the 145-pound class before pursuing his lightweight goals. What do you think? Will he be able to become the new double champion in the UFC? Let us know in the comments.