UFC Saudi Arabia fights announced, Dana White disagrees with Colby Covington doctor's stoppage, Jake Paul blasted on SNL: MMA News Roundup
Dana White finally announced the much-awaited UFC Saudi Arabia card and revealed the two fights that will be headlining the event. Elsewhere, Jake Paul caught some serious strays during the latest SNL monologue.
Stay updated with the latest combat sports news with Sportskeeda MMA.
Dana White announces UFC Saudi Arabia headliners
In a social media post on Saturday, Dana White announced the main and co-main events of the upcoming UFC Saudi Arabia card, scheduled for Feb. 1 at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Israel Adesanya will fight in his first non-title contest in six years against Frenchman Nassourdine Imavov in the card's main event. After back-to-back championship fight losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis, Adesanya will fight Imavov as a contender for a way back to the title shot.
In the co-main event, Russia's Shara 'Bullet' Magomedov will face Michael 'Venom' Page.
Dana White disagrees with Colby Covington's doctor's stoppage loss
Joaquin Buckley picked up the biggest and most impressive win of his career by stopping Colby Covington in the third round at UFC Tampa. 'Chaos' suffered a ghastly cut to his right eye in the opening round of the main event fight that kept on leaking blood over the next two rounds.
The ringside physician was called upon to check the injury in the third round. After the doctor warned that Covington may lose his eyelid, referee Dan Miragliotta waved the fight off, awarding the TKO victory to Buckley.
Dana White believes the fight would have been allowed to continue elsewhere. During the UFC Tampa post-fight press conference, he told the reporters:
"I was curious to see how it would go if it went five rounds if it went later in the rounds. You know, no doubt that was a bad cut, but the fight doesn't get stopped in Vegas. That fight keeps going in Vegas. 100%."
Watch Dana White's comments below (0:45):
Many fans agree with the UFC CEO. Some have even accused the doctor of being "soft" and "squeamish" and blamed her for an early stoppage to the fight.
Chris Rock blasts Jake Paul on SNL monologue
Jake Paul has received a lot of flak - both before and after the fight - for fighting 58-year-old Mike Tyson despite an age gap of 31 years. While Tyson himself has expressed nothing but joy and gratitude about competing in the contest, fans and professionals alike have blasted 'The Problem Child' for the fight which he ended up winning.
During his recent Saturday Night Live monologue, comic and actor Chris Rock targeted Paul for the same:
"What the hell? Who is this Jake Paul, this 27-year-old punching a 60-year-old man in the face? Is this what the white man has reduced himself to? Stop it! Well, who's he going to fight next? Morgan Freeman? I hate Jake Paul. I got landlord hate for him. I hate him! I hate him like cocaine hates monogamy."
Check out Chris Rock's joke on Jake Paul below (2:10):