Chael Sonnen praises Conor McGregor, Donald Trump surprised nobody has died while fighting in the UFC, and Dana White reacts to Francis Ngannou’s upcoming PFL debut.
Find out more details in today’s (Oct. 16) Sportskeeda daily news roundup.
#3. Chael Sonnen says Conor McGregor is potentially MMA’s “best fighter ever”
Chael Sonnen has caught the attention of MMA fans this week after he claimed that Conor McGregor is perhaps the greatest fighter in MMA history.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, ‘The American Gangster’ noted that McGregor fought in two of the toughest divisions during his peak, and his holding of both the featherweight and lightweight titles simultaneously is one of the greatest achievements in the sport.
Sonnen said:
“I don’t believe I’m going to get a debate by any reasonable fan that 145 [pounds] and 155 [pounds] are the most difficult weight classes in the sport. Not just the company, but the entire industry… Conor was the champion of both divisions simultaneously. That’s insane! … Conor McGregor has won so many world championships that he forgot one. Did you know he had a trademark on champ-champ?”
#2. Donald Trump surprised “nobody has died” while fighting in the UFC
Former U.S. president Donald Trump recently revealed his surprise at the safety record of the UFC after recollecting how far the sport has come since it began.
Trump is a longtime supporter of the promotion and even helped Dana White with hosting an event back in 2001. Since then, Trump has continued to be both a fan and a supporter of the UFC and has regularly attended some of the biggest fight cards over recent years.
Having witnesed some of the most brutal bouts in the sport, Trump recently expressed his surprise that it hasn’t led to more serious injuries or deaths.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast, the 78-year-old said:
“Nobody died in the UFC, which is shocking because when you look at some of it, right? When you look at it, you’d say they’d have to, like one a night should, you know, probably, will no longer be with us, right?”
#1. Dana White reacts to Francis Ngannou’s upcoming PFL debut
It appears as though there is still no love lost between Dana White and Francis Ngannou. That’s after the UFC CEO was recently asked his thoughts on ‘The Predator’s’ upcoming bout.
Ngannou is set to return to MMA action for the first time in over two years when he faces Renan Ferreira on the upcoming PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants card this weekend. The Cameroonian’s last MMA bout came in the UFC when he defended the heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane in January 2022.
At the latest Contender Series presser, White was asked for his thoughts on Ngannou’s next fight, to which he bluntly said:
“What do I care?”
