Tom Aspinall spreads UFC injury rumors, Ronda Rousey apologizes for Sandy Hook tweet, and more: MMA News Roundup
Tom Aspinall talks about a UFC heavyweight suffering an injury that could alter his future in the sport. Elsewhere, Ronda Rousey finally apologized for sharing a Sandy Hook conspiracy video 11 years ago.
Sportskeeda MMA is back with today's top combat sports updates.
Tom Aspinall claims Stipe Miocic is injured
Tom Aspinall has heard rumors that Stipe Miocic is injured. The UFC interim heavyweight champion recently shared the same on his YouTube channel. If his claims hold, he may not be the opponent for Jon Jones' much-anticipated UFC return, which opens up the opportunity for Aspinall.
He said:
"I’m hearing rumors that Stipe is potentially injured, this is stuff that I’m hearing from (my) inner circle, Stipe I believe his birthday was yesterday actually. He’s 42-years-old the guy is gonna be injury-prone."
Miocic took to X to deny the rumors but fans seemingly want him to pull out either way.
Ronda Rousey apologizes for Sandy Hook tweet
Ronda Rousey finally issued an apology for sharing a conspiracy video on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting tragedy. The incident, which took place on Dec. 14, 2012, saw 20-year-old Adam Lanza open fire and kill 26 people, 20 of which were children between the ages of six and seven.
Rousey shared a video at the time that claimed that the shooting was staged and things did not go down as it was being reported. It caused severe backlash and Rousey eventually took the post down, but never openly addressed the matter.
The former UFC champion was recently grilled on a Reddit 'Ask Me Anything' about it, which seemingly forced her to draft a lengthy apology:
"Eleven years ago I made the single most regrettable decision of my life. I watched a Sandy Hook conspiracy video and reposted it on Twitter. I didn't even believe it, but was so horrified at the truth that I was grasping for an alternative fiction to cling to instead. I quickly realized my mistake and took it down, but the damage was done."
She added:
"I deserve to be hated, labeled, detested, resented, and worse for it. I deserve to lose out on every opportunity, I should have been canceled, I would have deserved it. I still do. I apologize that this came 11 years too late, but to those affected by the Sandy Hook massacre, from the bottom of my heart and depth of my soul I am so so sorry for the hurt I caused."
She also said that she included an apology in her memoir but her publisher begged her to take it out.
Read the full statement below:
Ex-UFC star Muhammad Mokaev provides post-accident update
Muhammad Mokaev provided an update on his condition after suffering a violent car accident in Russia.
The former UFC star crashed his Mercedes-AMG A35 near the Khasavyurt-Kizlyar highway in Dagestan on Thursday, Aug. 22, and was rescued by the locals. The car's left wing, wheel, and windshield were totaled, but the rear part was more or less undamaged.
Mokaev later took to X to assure his fans that he was alive and well:
"Alhamdulillah. I'm well, out from hospital. Thank u for the support. I have been tested on high level at this stage of my career and I will be back stronger InshaAllah!"
Francis Ngannou gets emotional about son Kobe
Francis Ngannou will return to MMA for the first time since his UFC exit on Oct. 19 against Renan Ferreira at PFL's Super Fights: Battle of the Giants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During the press conference of the event held on Thursday, the former UFC heavyweight champion broke down over his recently deceased son, Kobe.
"Lately, things (have) been a little tough. I even questioned if I have to continue or if I should just hang up the gloves and stuff, but then I realized that there should be a purpose for me. I didn't have a chance to fight for my son, man, so I think this is it."
Kobe passed away in April 2024. He was only 15 months old at the time.