MMA News Roundup: UFC contender tells Khabib not to insult Charles Oliveira, Bo Nickal's bold prediction for Khamzat Chimaev fight, Israel Adesanya praised for using Alex Pereira KO as motivator
Welcome to today's edition of Sportskeeda's daily MMA news roundup, where we present the biggest UFC updates and other stories from the world of mixed martial arts.
In the latest issue, we talk about a top UFC lightweight contender urging Khabib Nurmagomedov to stop insulting Charles Oliveira, Bo Nickal making a bold prediction for a potential clash against Khamzat Chimaev, and MMA fans applauding Israel Adesanya's motivator.
#3. Beneil Dariush urges Khabib Nurmagomedov not to "insult" champion Charles Oliveira
Khabib Nurmagomedov recently took a shot at Charles Oliveira by claiming that the Brazilian won't show up to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 280.
Should that take place, Beneil Dariush will have the opportunity of a lifetime as he's expected to be the backup for the championship bout. Nonetheless, Dariush was unhappy with 'The Eagle's remarks. During an interview with Helen Yee Sports, Dariush urged the former champ to stop disrespecting 'do Bronx':
"Charles goes out there and dies every time he fights. He's like 'kill or be killed.' Why insult the champion? I don't know what that was about, but I think Charles will be there."
Catch the interview below:
#2. "I'm going to drag him down to the ground" - Bo Nickal makes bold prediction for Khamzat Chimaev bout
Bo Nickal, the newest member of the UFC, believes he's ready to take on one of the most feared competitors in the company.
After calling out Khamzat Chimaev after his win in Dana White's Contender Series, Nickal doubled down on his comments and explained why he's confident he can beat 'Borz.' Appearing on the latest episode of The MMA Hour, Nickal said:
"I think I can win [in] a lot of ways. He's [Khamzat Chimaev] at 170. Like, yeah he's a 70 [pounder] that can't make weight. What's he gonna do to me? Is he gonna take me down? No. Is he gonna submit me? No. Does he have a chance to knock me out?"
He added:
"There's a chance to knock me out, but in reality, more than likely what will happen is I'm gonna drag him down to the ground, do exactly what he does to all these strikers, and I'm gonna do it to him because I'm a real grappler. I come from real wrestling."
Watch the interview below:
#1. UFC fans praise Israel Adesanya for using Alex Pereira KO as motivation
Israel Adesanya garnered adoration from fans after boldly reliving his horrific experience at the hands of Alex Pereira.
'The Last Stylebender' recently released the first episode of his fight camp vlogs to his YouTube channel. In it, the UFC middleweight champion can be seen rewatching a clip of his horrific knockout loss against his upcoming opponent.
Many fans seem to have appreciated Adesanya's determination. They hopped on the video's comments section to leave positive messages for the champ.
Watch the vlog below: