Update on Israel Adesanya's next UFC fight, Conor McGregor faces another court case, Jake Paul's MVP addresses rigging rumors: MMA News Roundup
A recent comment by a UFC middleweight left a hint about Israel Adesanya's next outing. Elsewhere, another huge court case looms over Conor McGregor's head, days after the legal battle involving Nikita Hand ended.
Here are today's top combat sports updates presented by Sportskeeda MMA.
Caio Borralho sheds light on Israel Adesanya's next UFC fight
In a conversation with Inside Fighting, No. 6-ranked middleweight Caio Borralho revealed what UFC may have in mind for Israel Adesanya next.
'The Last Stylebender' has lost his last two UFC fights to Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. His last win came against lifelong rival Alex Pereira in a title rematch at UFC 287 in April 2023, where he avenged the loss suffered in the first UFC fight.
Borralho said:
"I wanted the Israel Adesanya fight. I think they presented two fighters for him - me and Imavov - and I think he chose Imavov. He actually posted a story on his Instagram studying Imavov's tapes, so I think he already made his choice, and I'm just waiting. Let's see how the division plays out because it's a little bit messy right now.''
Check out Caio Borralho's comments below (10:50):
A recent post by Adesanya's clothing brand Engage hinted at a potential Riyadh outing. The UFC is set to return to Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, 2025.
Conor McGregor faces an $8.3 million court battle
Days after being found liable for assault in the civil case against accuser Nikita Hand, Conor McGregor now faces another High Court battle worth €8 million ($8.3 million).
McGregor's former teammate and close friend Artem Lobov filed a lawsuit against the Irishman a while back. An insider with knowledge of the matter told Dublin Live that although this case will not be before a jury, it could cost the UFC star north of "eight million if he loses." He already has to part with more than $250,000 for the previous case.
About the Lobov lawsuit, the insider said:
"Conor is now facing another courtroom grilling which is the last thing he needs right now. He will be asked to answer a lot of personal and revealing questions when the case goes ahead."
Lobov claimed that the idea of Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey brand was his brainchild and he was promised a 5% stake in the business by McGregor. However, Lobov alleged that he never received his cut when the stakes were sold off to Proximo Spirits in a $600 million deal.
"A federal crime" - Most Valuable Promotions on Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson rigging rumors
Jake Paul has been facing the allegations of his fights being scripted or rigged for a long time. Fans accused his former opponents like Ben Askren or Tyron Woodley of taking a dive in exchange for money. After the accusations reached their heights following the Mike Tyson clash, Paul's representatives, Most Valuable Promotions, released a formal statement on the matter, calling the speculations "incorrect and baseless" in the press release:
"Rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime in the United States of America. Paul vs. Tyson was a professional match sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR). Both fighters in good faith performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight. There were absolutely no restrictions – contractual or otherwise – around either fighter. Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR boxing rules."
The Paul vs. Tyson bout took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Nov. 15, 2024, and aired live on Netflix. The streaming giant has since announced the event to be a massive success.