Think you can figure out which UFC fighter we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out.
We’re back for another day of the SB Nation UFC in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.
The goal of the game is to guess the correct random UFC fighter player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED FIGHTERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it. It will be a mix of well-known players and some “that guys” that we haven’t thought of in some time. The game will appear in slot #3 of the MMA Fighting layout each morning, with occasional movement later in the day.
After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media.
Tatsuro Taira is back on the winning track, but where does he currently stand in the contender line at 125 pounds?
The 25-year-old super prospect took out Hyun Sung Park in dominant fashion in the UFC Vegas 108 main event, needing a little more than a minute to submit his short-notice opponent. Afterwards, Taira discussed possible matchups with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja and two-time champion Brandon Moreno. No matter what, the future is clearly bright for Taira.
On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what’s the right career move for Taira after bouncing back from his first loss. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Chris Duncan and Esteban Ribovics after both fighters scored thrilling wins and Fight of the Night honors, along with fellow main card winners Karol Rosa, Neil Magny, Kevin Vallejos, and more.
All that and another fine selection of listener picks.
Audio-only versions of the podcast can be found below, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
A highly-touted prospect coming off Contender Series after UFC CEO Dana White told fighters to “be Joe Pyfer,” Pyfer got out to a hot start in the promotion, with three consecutive stoppage wins. A decision loss to Jack Hermansson in Pyfer’s first main event followed, but “Bodybagz” has since rebounded, stopping Marc-Andre Barriault in the first round, before taking a unanimous decision win over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 316 in June.
A former PFL tournament finalist, Magomedov was rushed into a main event in only his second UFC fight, where he lost to Sean Strickland. Another loss to Caio Borralho followed, but Magomedov has since put together a solid run, winning three straight fights. Most recently Magomedov took a unanimous decision over Michel Pereira at UFC Kansas City back in April.
Conor McGregor really wants to become the President of Ireland.
On Monday, the former two-division UFC champion launched an online petition in hopes of gaining enough attention that he could potentially change procedures so he could get on the ballot for the general election. Under the current rules, potential candidates have to get nominated and meet certain criteria before ended up on the ballot for the election.
McGregor, whose bid to become president has been met with a lot of skepticism by local media and politicians, is seeking to change those rules so he can let the public decide whether or not he gets elected.
“I, Conor McGregor hereby declare my intention to seek the esteemed office of President of Ireland,” McGregor wrote for his Change.org campaign. “The current constitutional framework however presents a significant barrier to democratic participation. The existing regulations mandate that a candidate must secure nominations from either twenty members of the Oireachtas or four county councils to be eligible for the ballot. This system, while intended to ensure a degree of political influence among candidates, inadvertently restricts the direct voice of the Irish electorate.
“In light of this, I propose a petition advocating for a modification of the nomination process to allow my name be included on the ballot. I contend that the citizens of Ireland, both at home and abroad, should have the unhindered right to determine the candidates who appear on the presidential ballot. Therefore, I implore you to join me in this endeavor by signing this petition. Your support will be instrumental in championing a more inclusive and democratic electoral process, thereby empowering the people of Ireland to shape their own future.”
Generally speaking, the presidency in Ireland is much different than say the United States.
The President of Ireland is considered the head of state and the supreme commander of the Irish Defense Forces but the role is largely seen as a ceremonial institution without significant political power.
Still, McGregor wants his voice to be heard so he’s trying to run for the role and hoping this latest campaign could potentially get Ireland to change its rules to allow him on the ballot.
The latest move from McGregor comes just days after a court in Ireland shot down his appeal after he was found liable for sexual assault for an incident that allegedly took place back in 2018. McGregor also recently announced plans to restart his UFC career after re-entering the promotion’s anti-doping program with hopes that he could compete at the planned card at the White House in 2026.
McGregor hasn’t fought since 2021 when he suffered a gruesome broken leg during his trilogy with Dustin Poirier.
Artem Lobov is making his return to combat sports with a fight booked against longtime rival Zubaira Tukhogov planned for a PFL event in October, although no official details have been revealed.
Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed the news to MMA Fighting with Lobov touting the matchup on social media following an initial post from MMA Uncensored.
“7 years in the making,” Lobov wrote on Twitter. “Time to get revenge.”
The history between these two fighters dates back several years when Lobov was competing in the UFC and he ended up in a confrontation with members of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team, including Tukhogov, in 2018 ahead of UFC 223. In the aftermath of that encounter, Lobov’s then teammate and friend Conor McGregor came to New York and ended up launching an assault on a bus where Nurmagomedov and other UFC fighters were loaded as passengers following a press conference.
Lobov was among those involved in the incident and he was actually pulled from his fight scheduled that weekend.
The UFC eventually booked Lobov against Tukhogov but the bout never happened after Tukhogov was involved in a post-fight melee at UFC 229 where Nurmagomedov submitted McGregor in the main event before jumping over the cage to go after members of McGregor’s team.
The matchup was never rescheduled with Lobov and Tukhogov both eventually leaving the UFC roster but now they’ll finally attempt to settle their differences in the PFL cage.
Lobov is competing for the first time since 2021 when he retired from competition following several bare-knuckle fights. He’s also no longer aligned with McGregor after filing a lawsuit against his former friend over proceeds from the sale of Proper No. 12 whiskey, which he claims he helped launch.
As for Tukhogov, the Russian is also making his return to action for the first time in over two years with his last fight coming back in 2023 when he lost a decision to Elves Brener in the UFC.
The fight between Lobov and Tukhogov is expected to take place at a catchweight of 165 pounds with the card currently targeted for Dubai.
