Now, Bjornsson is back in strongman while Hall is preparing for his full MMA debut against Mariusz Pudzianowski at KSW 105 Gliwice, Poland. And the Brit has little interest in going back to the well of a feud that is still ongoing between the pair.

Eddie Hall uninterested in ‘doing business’ again with Hafthor Bjornsson

A major issue surrounding the initial Eddie Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson fight was the payment for the event. They attracted enough viewers to crash the broadcaster at times, and were due to earn a seven-figure payout each.

They were never paid, which Hall reckons was in part to do with Bjornsson. Speaking exclusively with Bloody Elbow ahead of his fight with Pudzianowski, Hall explained: “I think it’s done, we had our discrepancies, he had a sore loser moment where he couldn’t take a loss and we had a fight about it.

“Unfortunately the wrong man won in that circumstance but I got to punch the man in the face which for me was a delight. He’s gone back to strongman because he’s got nothing going for him so let him crack on.

“I don’t think he’ll ever come back to do the rematch so let him crack on. I’m done with that f—ing d—head… I think doing business or doing sport with a man that you hate that much is a bad idea and I just feel there were such bad omens.

“We didn’t get paid for that fight! It was meant to be $1million each and it all just fell through. I think a lot of that was people just being f—-ies and wanting guaranteed money and not relying on pay-per-views and I think he was a big brunt of that problem.

“Just doing business with that man? I don’t want to do it. There was just too much hatred there and there still is and it’s not a good idea to do business, which is what the fight game is, with someone you hate that much.”

Eddie Hall suffered horror injury in lead-up to Hafthor Bjornsson fight

The fight, for all of its faults, delivered on being a fascinating hard-hitting clash which saw both men sent to the canvas. They weighed almost 650lb collectively, with Bjornsson cutting a massive amount of weight while Hall stayed massive for his frame.

They had an initial September 2021 date which had to be cancelled due to Hall suffering a bad injury, which he had barely recovered from in time for the new fight. “I tore my left bicep going into that fight,” he noted.

“I literally had to go in and fight that guy with one arm. That fight was a compete f— up for me. But had that not have happened I’m 100 per cent certain that power would have just been too much. I think I was 8 kilos lighter than him but with the size difference it was about seven inches difference. I was strong.”

After the opening round, the fight was all Pimblett’s with ‘The Baddy’ cutting up Chandler with a brutal knee and ground and pound for a third-round TKO. A straight-up mauling of the former Bellator champion.

Chandler, 38, has heard many in the MMA community rip his performance and call for his retirement— none of which came from Pimblett.

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Paddy Pimblett, Michael Chandler have wholesome post-fight interaction

We didn’t see a ton of Chandler following his TKO loss to Pimblett, rushed out of the Octagon and covered in towels before Bruce Buffer read the official decision.

In the aftermath of UFC 314, Pimblett went to Chandler’s locker room thank him face-to-face for the opportunity. Chandler was ranked #7 when he accepted the rather risky fight with Pimblett, who was outside the top 10.

“Thank you very much lad for sharing that Octagon with me,” Pimblett told Chandler in a video posted to his YouTube channel.

Battered and bruised, Chandler gave Pimblett a hug: “Congrats, man.”

Pimblett shook hands with Chandler’s corner and his opponent’s young son

“Hope you’re good, little man,” Pimblett said.

“Again, Mike thanks for stepping up and sharing that Octagon with me. I appreciate it,” Pimblett added.

What’s next for Paddy Pimblett?

A top contender and three-time Bellator Champion on his resume, the sky’s the limit for Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314.

In his post-fight interview, Pimblett called out three names: Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje – all quality names Pimblett could face next after beating the brakes off of Chandler.

Ranked #8 in the world, coach of UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev Javier Mendez says a title shot wouldn’t be out of the question for Pimblett.

“Paddy is ready to face anybody,” Mendez said on the Javier & Mo Show.

“What he’s done already—his credentials, his winning record in the UFC, and his hype…

“If they give him the next title shot, he deserves it,” Mendez said of Pimblett.

Paddy Pimblett is currently 7-0 in the UFC with wins over Michael Chandler, King Green and Tony Ferguson.

Throughout his time in the sport, the renowned trash-talker has always exuded confidence. After all, Sonnen is a man who just threatened Francis Ngannou and Alex Pereira.

However, he felt even more confident than usual ahead of his showdown with one of the greatest to ever do it.

WOW: Chael Sonnen reveals only MMA fighter he thinks can become a three-weight UFC champion

Jon Jones barely trained before Chael Sonnen fight

Going into their super fight, Chael Sonnen was convinced he had the beating of Jon Jones.

While the underdog knew his rival was extraordinarily gifted, in the months leading up to their clash, he’d noticed that the New Yorker didn’t seem to be training anywhere near as hard as he was.

In an episode of the Fight Back podcast, Sonnen claimed: “It is hard to explain how talented he is at that game. We did The Ultimate Fighter together, and my confidence was growing each day.

“First off, we were offered an opportunity to fight, and he turned it down. That was kind of a badge of honor for me, ‘What did he see, why did he turn that down’? It kind of boosted me.

“Then, we did The Ultimate Fighter, and I was doing two workouts a day, every day, six days a week, and he never broke a sweat. Some days, he didn’t even come in. He’d been at the club.

“So, I’m watching that, and I’m saying, ‘Ok, he’s really good, but I can for sure outpace him, I’m doing it right, I’m doing it every day, and it just wasn’t like that. That dude can just play this game.”

Jones finished Sonnen with vicious elbows inside the very first round.

Chael Sonnen recalls being trolled by 50 Cent after Jon Jones caused an ’embarrassing’ moment

Being beaten up by Jones isn’t the only pain the icon has inflicted on Sonnen.

On a night he’ll never forget, the former title challenger and his rival bumped into 50 Cent.

And while the rapper is a big UFC fan, he seemingly had little interest in the charismatic brawler.

Now, Sonnen has revealed how Jones got him trolled by 50 Cent.

Volkanovski’s title win comes at the age of 36, making him the first fighter to win a UFC title over the age of 35 between the flyweight and lightweight divisions. This the ’35 and over curse’, the Australian also overcame the ‘Drake Curse’ after the rapper bet half a million on him to win.

The feat’s impressive, especially coming off back-to-back KO losses to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, but former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson says it’s been before.

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Demetrious Johnson: the ’35 and over curse’ has been broken outside the UFC

One of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in MMA history for his record-setting 11 title defenses, Johnson weighs-in on Volkanovski’s latest accomplishment.

“Alexander Volkanovski, the first fighter thirty five years older to become champion in between 125lb-155lb division in the UFC…” Johnson read on his YouTube channel.

“This is so… it’s not frustrating, but there’s been other athletes outside of the UFC who’ve done it.”

“That just shows you how big the UFC is. Nobody recognizes any other organization,” Johnson explained.

Demetrious Johnson won a world title at 36 years old

In 2018, the UFC-signed Demetrious Johnson was traded off to ONE Championship for Ben Askren where the MMA legend continued his legacy overseas.

Johnson moved up a weight class and won the ONE Grand Prix before being knocked out by champion Adriano Moraes in a title fight. This was Johnson’s first-ever KO loss. He was 34 years old at the time.

More than a year later and a week after his 36th birthday, Johnson stopped Moraes in their rematch to win his second world title in Aug. 2022.

“That is a big feat, being over 35,” Johnson said.

“I think I’ve done it against Adriano when I did the flying knee…

“I was 36 years old and then I defended it at 37, I think.

“But any who, absolutely amazing,” Johnson said of Volkanovski being able to win the title at 36.

After back-to-back knockout losses, Volkanovski reclaimed the featherweight title by beating Diego Lopes and proving that he’s still one of the best in the world.

The 36-year-old is already putting plans in place to get some more title defenses under his belt with Volkanovski looking to continue his track record for being an incredibly active champion.

It’s clear to see from the support that he received from his fellow fighters that the Aussie isn’t just a great champion inside the Octagon, he’s a great human being outside of the cage too.

Tim Tszyu thanks Alexander Volkanovski for supporting him during a difficult moment in his career

Alexander Volkanovski had some huge questions to answer after being knocked out in his previous two outings with many believing that a third consecutive loss could lead to his retirement.

It’s an incredibly difficult place for a fighter to find themselves in but ‘The Great’ was able to turn things around when his back was against the wall.

Australian boxer Tim Tszyu was in a similar position in recent times having lost his undefeated record due to a split decision defeat against Sebastian Fundora in March last year.

After falling to 24-1, losing his WBO light middleweight title in the process, Tszyu looked to bounce back later on in the year but he ended up suffering back-to-back defeats.

A second loss in a bout with Bakhram Murtazaliev for the IBF light middleweight title had derailed his career but he bounced back earlier this month by stopping Joseph Spencer inside four rounds.

In a recent Instagram post, Tszyu congratulated Volkanovski for the win whilst revealing that when he came up against adversity in his career, ‘The Great’ reached out to provide some extra motivation.

“Glad to see @alexvolkanovski back on top. When I lost my last fight he gave me nothing but support. He’s a true ambassador for never giving up and getting back up after being knocked down.”

Alongside a photo of them together, Tszyu shared a screenshot of the private message that the UFC’s featherweight champion sent him with words of encouragement to help lift the fighter up.

“Hey brother, I’m sure you’re disappointed right now but you still a beast and still got plenty of time. I know you’ll be back. You never shy away from a challenge and that mindset is why I know you’ll bounce back better than ever. We wouldn’t be half the men we are if we didn’t challenge ourselves everyday. Like I said, you still got plenty of time in this sport to work on what is needed. Enjoy some rest brother and get back at it.”

Alexander Volkanovski has already set his sights on a new goal

After reclaiming the featherweight title in style at UFC 314, Alexander Volkanovski already has a new target in his sights.

‘The Great’ is looking to face the undefeated Movsar Evloev in his next outing with the hopes of potentially fighting two more times in 2025.

After arriving back in Australia with the 145-pound gold over his shoulder, Volkanovski told Fox News Australia that being the first person to beat the 19-0 Russian is something that motivates him at this stage in his career.

“Movsar is undefeated. I like the fact that he’s undefeated. He’s from the younger generation again. For the legacy, that would still mean so much.”

‘Bones’ hasn’t been bested inside the Octagon and you can see truly how competitive he is in the way that Jones responds to Reyes to this very day.

Despite this, some question whether Jones is more vulnerable than ever before amidst talks of a potential clash with Tom Aspinall that would see the heavyweight titles finally get unified.

A man that trained with the consensus greatest of all time throughout his career believes that what separates him from the rest is his ability to show up on the night, stating that he wasn’t always dominant in the gym.

Keith Jardine says Rashad Evans would beat Jon Jones up in the gym but it was a different story when they fought

When it comes to both natural talent and championship experience, there are very few that can hold a candle to Jon Jones with what he has achieved in his career.

‘Bones’ became the youngest champion of all time after he replaced his injured teammate Rashad Evans to face Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua for the light heavyweight title at UFC 128.

After this, a rivalry between Jones and his former training partner at Jackson’s started to develop with the new champion’s first title defense lined up to be against Evans.

The fight didn’t happen for over a year for several reasons with Jones submitting both Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida in the meantime before it was time to settle the feud with Evans at UFC 135.

Jones did just that after emerging victorious in a one-sided fight but Keith Jardine, who regularly spent time in the same training room as both men, recently revealed that it didn’t always go this way.

Jardine spoke on the JAXXON Podcast about how Jones was very inexperienced when he first started training with them but by the time the fight with Evans had come around, it was clear that he was a different fighter when competing under the bright lights.

“Jon’s a weird cat man. He came into Jackson’s only watching YouTube videos, no real coaching and all that and he was dusting up (Stephan) Bonnar and people like that and then shortly after, Hall of Famers. His grappling’s just okay, his wrestling’s pretty good and his kickboxing is just like natural right. Rashad used to beat him up in the ring, every time I saw it, but you saw what happened when they fought.

“He just turns a switch on man. Like I spar with him all the time, I win some, he wins some, whatever, but in the fight, this sounds weird but I really think when he gets in the zone, he experiences time different than us. I think everything’s moving a little bit slower for him.”

Keith Jardine says Jon Jones’ focus is why he looked vulnerable at light heavyweight

Whilst Keith Jardine believes that Jon Jones has an incredibly ability to be completely in the moment when he’s inside the Octagon, he believes that not having that is what made him look vulnerable during his final fights at light heavyweight.

Before Jones vacated the title, his last defense was against Dominick Reyes in the fight that people still point to when looking at the champion’s weaknesses.

Jardine said that because ‘Bones’ wasn’t motivated during his last few title defenses where he was facing opponents that everyone expected him to beat, he wasn’t able to enter that zone of focus like he did earlier in his career.

“I think that’s why he started to lose it a little bit there at light heavyweight when he’s fighting these people and he has no idea who they are and they’re just people that are fighting him like, ‘I’m going to be the one that beats Jon Jones,’ and he’s just like (shrugs). I don’t think he’s getting in the zone as much because he’s not afraid. So, when he goes to heavyweight, he’s got that again.”

Less than a month after that event, UFC 315 is promoting multiple title fights in both the men’s and women’s division’s, as well as bouts that could decide those champion’s next opponents.

The card is being headlined by Belal Muhammad’s first UFC Welterweight title defense, but his reign could come to an abrupt end at the hands of Jack Della Maddalena in Canada.

Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena

The main event of UFC 315 will see Belal Muhammad defend his UFC Welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena. The champion was supposed to defend against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, but after pulling out, his first title defense was made for the event in Quebec on May 10.

Muhammad is a strong fighter who likes to wear down his opponent and outlast him on the mat. He has received criticism for this approach, which included Maddalena calling Muhammad boring, but it’s hard to argue against a man who hasn’t lost a fight for six years.

His style is in stark contrast with his Australian opponent. Maddalena is an exciting knockout artist, with 12 of his 17 wins in MMA coming via KO or TKO.

He won’t want to be drawn into a grappling match with Muhammad and will want to end the fight as quickly as possible at UFC 315.

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot

The co-main event of UFC 315 sees the best pound-for-pound female fighter in the UFC defending her Women’s Flyweight title against Manon Fiorot. Valentina Shevchenko is a two-time champion, having lost and regained her championship in a trilogy of fights against Alexa Grasso in 2022 and 2023.

That loss was Shevchenko’s first in 7 years, so she will be confident in building on her win from UFC 306 to retain her title and solidify her status as the top female fighter in the UFC.

However, Fiorot will be no pushover for the champion. The French fighter hasn’t tasted defeat since debuting in the UFC, handily winning all 7 of her fights so far.

Both women are capable of going all five rounds or putting their opponents to sleep, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this fight.

Alexa Grasso vs. Natalia Silva

Grasso will be pleased to be fighting somebody other than Shevchenko when she steps into the octagon with Natalia Silva.

The former UFC Women’s Flyweight champion fights for the first time since her trilogy against Shevchenko, although Grasso faces a tough opponent in Silva.

The Brazilian won her first 6 fights in the UFC, climbing to 13th in the rankings. A win over a former champion in Grasso will go a long way toward earning her a title shot in the near future.

Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Joel Alvarez

After Michael Morales vs Gilbert Burns was moved to the main event of UFC Vegas 106, Benoit Saint-Denis vs Joel Alvarez has been moved to UFC 315 instead.

This fight on the main card pits the Frenchman, on a two-fight losing streak and 13th in the rankings, against a Spaniard just two spots behind him and with a serious record in MMA.

Alvarez has 22 wins and 3 losses in MMA. Of those 22 wins, 17 are by submission. Saint-Denis has never lost by submission before, but there is a good chance that ends at UFC 315 at the hands of El Fenomeno.

The prelim fights

Before the main card, four fights are taking place on the prelims at UFC 315.

On May 10, legendary fighter Jose Aldo takes on Aiemann Zahabi. Despite just one year between them, Aldo has twice the fights as Zahabi and will hope his experience can lead him to victory.

In the light heavyweight division, Modestas Bukauskas faces Ion Cutelaba. Both men are on win streaks in the UFC and will hope to carry that momentum with them to victory in Toronto.

Meanwhile, two unranked fighters in the Welterweight division will be looking to climb up into the rankings at UFC 315 in Mike Mallot and Charles Radtke. Both suffered their only loss in the UFC last year and have good records to carry them up the rankings, whichever wins the fight.

The final prelim fight is a women’s flyweight contest between Jessica Andrade and Jasmine Jasudavicius. The Canadian will be the favorite in her home country and sports a much stronger record than her Brazilian opponent.

Early prelims

There are three fights to enjoy on the early prelims to get yourself ready for the main card. Navajo Stirling looks to build on his debut win in UFC from December, with Ivan Erslan facing him off the back of a submission loss in his first fight in September last year.

Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Bruno Silva is the second fight of the early prelims. The Canadian Barriault has suffered three losses in a row and will hope that he can come out on top against a fellow striker in Bruno Silva at UFC 315.

Finally, Brad Katona faces a clash of styles as he meets karate expert Bekzat Almakhan. With 9 knockouts in just 13 MMA fights, Almakhan will worry Katona when they step into the octagon on May 10.

Paddy Pimblett went on to pick up the biggest win of his career thus far when he brutally stopped Chandler with ground-and-pound in the third round.

McGregor reacted to the loss after placing a huge $50,000 bet on Michael Chandler to win the fight by KO, admitting that his history with ‘Iron’ influenced his pick, even though he thought Pimblett would win.

Michael Chandler cryptically answers retirement calls

With the loss, Chandler is now on a three-fight losing streak and is 1-5 in his last six UFC fights, and despite him being a fan favorite because of his fight style, there have been calls for him to retire.

Despite the several calls for him to rethink his career in the UFC, the former UFC title challenger has cryptically given his thoughts on retirement in a post on his social media just days removed from his brutal loss.

“There are really no words to describe the pain and disappointment you feel… You just live in it… Let it take its lot and leave you with what is left. From there, you rebuild,” Chandler began his statement.

“The best you can do is move forward with confident expectancy and pride in the attempt. One thing is certain, I can rest knowing that I prepared the best I could and I alone was responsible for my shortcomings in that Octagon.

“My team prepared me. The UFC gave me the opportunity. I stepped into the ultimate proving grounds, ready. Bested, but never beaten. Never out of the fight. Still in pursuit.

“Bruised, bloodied, and heartbroken, yet I have my soulmate by my side and three little hands to hold. Future is still bright. Walk on. See you at the top!” Chandler continued.

What’s next for Michael Chandler following statement?

With the 38-year-old seemingly not considering the calls for retirement, that begs the question as to what is next for ‘Iron’ Chandler.

It is unlikely that the UFC will feed Chandler to another young and hungry lightweight, despite Chandler likely welcoming that potential challenge again.

The route that is more likely for Chandler at this point in his career is that he will fight against another legend in what could potentially be a double retirement fight.

Former UFC star Donald Cerrone is plotting his comeback to the promotion, and that is a fight that could make a lot of sense for both fighters.

In the moments after, the two-time 145-pound King was in high spirits. Volkanovski shared a heartwarming moment with Israel Adesanya, and was quick to discuss future fights.

However, one former world title challenger isn’t overly keen on seeing him return to the octagon.

WOW: Alexander Volkanovski reveals frightening moment he was blinded during UFC 314 win

Chael Sonnen explains why he’s worried for Alexander Volkanovski

Chael Sonnen was left deeply concerned after watching Alexander Volkanovski reclaim his throne at the weekend.

While the Australian won in dominant fashion, ‘The American Gangster’ thinks the warrior looks a shadow of the man he once was.

In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen said: “I saw moments from Volk, where Volk looked old. I saw moments from Volk, where he was getting hit and hurt from shots that, at one point, never would have touched him.

“I wanna make sure I’m giving a fair account to Volk, who’s the greatest to have ever done it. But did he take on the rightful opponent? We know the number one guy (Ilia Topuria) wasn’t there; he left, so who was the right guy?

“I don’t get through that fight, clamoring to see Volk fight anybody. You hear that and think, ‘Chael, you’re being very rude’. So, let me turn the gun back on you, leave me a comment, who are you dying to see him fight?

“That’s where I do happen to like the idea of matching him up with Yair Rodriguez.”

Alexander Volkanovski receives call out from 19-0 fighter

While Sonnen is somewhat intrigued by the idea of Volkanovski running it back with Rodriguez, the Mexican isn’t the only potential next challenger.

In the aftermath of UFC 314, there was another competitor eying up a potential shot at the all-time great.

Spotting his opportunity to throw his name in the mix, the MMA star quickly took to social media.

Generating hype for a future showdown, the undefeated fighter called out Volkanovski.

Whilst Pimblett is focused on earning a shot at the lightweight title after entering the division’s top 10, another one of the most talked about fighters in the sport over the past few weeks earned comparisons to ‘The Baddy’ following a star-making performance.

Frédéric Vosgröne went viral after he dived across the cage to get a hold of his opponent in European promotion OKTAGON.

After his name was mentioned alongside Pimblett’s, both the promotion and the fighter have now chosen to strike whilst the iron is hot by booking the German sensation a new matchup that will take place in a soccer stadium that can hold over 19,000 fans.

Viral sensation Frédéric Vosgröne books return fight at OKTAGON 72 in an open-air soccer stadium

At OKTAGON 69 in Dortmund, Germany on April 5, Frédéric Vosgröne made his debut for the promotion where he climbed to 4-0 as a pro.

The physical specimen is a highly credentialed grappler with his sheer size and power leading fans to compare him to Brock Lesnar after he submitted Jorick Montagnac in style.

After his bonus-winning performance, Vosgröne saw his social media numbers skyrocket with the promotion’s newest star now having 155k followers on Instagram when he previously had under 10,000.

The win instantly saw the light heavyweight contender get a number next to his name and now, the #6-ranked competitor in the division is set to be back in action on June 14.

At OKTAGON 72, the promotion returns to the open-air Eden Stadium in Prague for their biggest event of 2025 having held a remarkable show their last year for OKTAGON 58.

Vosgröne is now set to take on the 13-5 Argentinian Lucas ‘La Cobra’ Alsina who will be returning to OKTAGON having previously competed for the promotion once back in July of 2023 where he faced Karlos Vémola.

A win at Eden will likely set the German up for a title shot against the reigning two-weight world champion Will Fleury who recently claimed the heavyweight title.

Frédéric Vosgröne could be a new major star for the promotion if he keeps winning

With established names like Karlos Vémola, who is in action on the same night, on their way out of the promotion in the near future, OKTAGON is always looking for new European stars.

They certainly don’t have an issue attracting the interest of fans with the promotion continuing to put on huge shows but with Frédéric Vosgröne, they might have found someone new that can captivate the audience.

He’s clearly a fun fighter to watch due to his remarkable physicality but if the German can keep winning, he could become a household name for OKTAGON based on the impact of his debut.

OKTAGON 72 was always going to be a big event but Vosgröne being added to the card makes it even more interesting.