UFC fighter saves PPV bout with record turnaround, Conor McGregor spotted bringing women back to hotel, Joe Rogan speaks on Lizzo scandal: MMA News Roundup
Welcome to Sportskeeda's daily MMA News Roundup, where we present the biggest UFC news updates and other stories from the world of mixed martial arts.
In today's issue, we will discuss the upcoming UFC 292, Conor McGregor's antics after the Anthony Joshua fight, and more.
#3. Da'Mon Blackshear stepping in at UFC 292 to replace Cody Garbrandt
Cody Garbrandt was supposed to face Mario Bautista at UFC 292 on August 19, 2023. However, 'No Love' was forced out of the fight due to an injury suffered during training.
Da'Mon Blackshear, who recently made headlines for a record submission, will reportedly step in against Bautista. The news was reported by Cole Shelton of BJPenn.com.
Blackshear fought this past weekend at UFC Vegas 78, where he finished Jose Johnson in an incredibly rare twister submission, which has been seen only twice before in the UFC. 'The Korean Zombie' and Bryce Mitchell are the other two to achieve this feat.
#2. Conor McGregor reportedly snuck in an actress, a Love Island star, and other women
Conor McGregor recently attended the boxing match between Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius at London's O2 Arena. The Irishman arrived at the venue flanked by an entourage of his own Forged Irish Stout ring girls. Boxer and OnlyF*ns star Ebanie Bridges was also among the group of women with McGregor, dressed in similar attire.
Their camaraderie sparked yet another series of cheating speculations, where fans chastised 'The Notorious' for his behavior while his long-time fiancee Dee Devlin was pregnant with their fourth child.
A new report by The Sun says that McGregor was later seen heading to the Novikov restaurant in Mayfair, then the Reign nightclub in Picadilly, and finally returning to The Berkeley Hotel, where several women followed him.
As per the article, at least three different women were spotted exiting McGregor's bus at the hotel, including actress and estate agent Jacqueline Pirkle. The UFC star's security team reportedly attempted to shield McGregor's interaction with Pirkle away from the public eye, said an onlooker.
"His security team were doing their best to make sure they didn’t get seen and they definitely didn’t want to get seen together. They ushered them both out of a fire exit and through a loading bay to get on the bus."
Former Love Island star Luca Bish was also present in the group.
#1. Joe Rogan weighs in on the Lizzo controversy
American rapper and musician Lizzo is currently facing severe allegations of sexual harassment, racism, and body-shaming from her own team. She has been sued with a lawsuit from three of her former backup dancers, who have brought the said accusations against her.
However, in a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, comedian Tim Dillon seemed to believe that the dancers were offended because of the physical exertion they had to go through for the performances, which they could not do because of being overweight.
Rogan chipped in, giving his opinion on the matter:
"When you’re a big girl, and you’re not exercising, then all of a sudden someone hires you for a dance show because they want the big girls and then you have to do that kind of sh*t every day. Your body’s not prepared for that, your joints are weak. It’s like asking someone to go into some crazy cardiovascular exercise."
Check out the full discussion between Joe Rogan and Tim Dillon below: