04:58
The decision was an obvious one
04:55
Holland frustrated
MVP plays his game so well and Holland can hardly touch him. He cuts a frustrated, exhausted figure by the end of the third and in the end it was a bit of a clinic from the former Bellator man. He’ll be frustrated at being unable to finish Holland but it was a very impressivee UFC debut nontheless.
04:48
Tough one to call
MVP is taken down and Holland threatens a submission in a big momentum swing but the Brit manages to escape back to his feet where he was able to connect with a massive right hand before tripping the American over. If this stays on the feet for the third it should be MVP’s fight.
04:42
Slick start from MVP
Page is being walked down by Holland but evading him well and handling the clinch situations effectively. He landed some impressive shots, lunging in to close the distance in addition to throwing unorthodox strikes. I’d give the Brit the opener.
04:34
Exclusive:Read our chat with MVP
04:31
MVP comes out to Undertaker's music
Hood up, MVP allows the tension to build before slowly dancing his way to the cage and interacting with fans along the way. Can he back it up with a performance to match?
04:25
Not a care in the world
Michael ‘Venom’ Page is not the typical debutant. He’s 36, has a wealth of top level experience and is about to walk to the octagon for the first time. He’s an elite striker and it will be fascinating to see how he’ll fare against Kevin Holland.
04:18
Ruthless
04:17
A Shavkat call-out
Maddalena: ‘My plan was to come here, grab the cash and dash. There’s some scary people in this division but I’m one of the scariest and how about me against Rakmanhov as a title eliminator?’
04:14
WHAT A FINISH
Burns lands on top and looks like he could burn the clock to victory but Maddalena escapes beautifully before landing an incredibly well placed knee on the break. He then swarms and lands a number of elbows before the ref intervenes. Such an impressive win for him and the welterweight division has a new contender.
04:09
Big moments for Burns
Maddalena connects with some beautiful combinations and is on top for most of the round but the big moments belong to the Brazilian. He landed a big step in elbow and overhand right, also securing another late takedown and ending up on the n’s back before running out of time.
04:02
The Aussie is so composed
Maddalena is calculated and doesn’t load up on any of his shots. He’s the cleaner striker for my money but Burns takes him down twice in the round and ends it on top with one huge ground and pound shot which could have influenced the judges, a tough one to call.
03:59
Trump and the UFC together like hand in glove
03:51
Next up: Gilbert Burns vs Jack Della Maddalena
How far can Maddalena go? The Aussie has been a rising force at welterweight for some time and beat Kevin Holland last time out. Burns, who lives in Florida, will have the crowd on his side against the talented striker from Perth.
03:46
Look who's here
The former president, a Florida resident, is in the building and flashes up on the big screen walking to his seat alongside Dana White. He’s given a strong reception from the locals which is no surprise.
03:40
29-28 unanimously
‘Thank you so much for supporting me,’ Yan says. ‘It was very important win for me tonight, I am back. I want hard fights with tough opponents.’
03:40
Yan surely takes it!
Cracking fight. It looks like Yan has done enough to reverse his fortunes from the first round. He ends the fight on top after a pretty even three minutes and even locks up a submission before the bell sounds. His uppercut was on the money all night and thee Russian has proven he’s still a top contender at bantamweight.
03:33
Yan storms back
The Russian had a rocket from his corner at the end of the first and it worked a treat. He came out for the second willing to engage far more and land first, crucially before Song can lead the combinations. It all comes down to the final five minutes and Song has a nasty cut to his eyelid.
03:27
Song has the power advantage
Song Yadong takes the opening round for my money. It is largely a cagey affair but he lands the more telling blows and doesn’t seem to respect Yan’s power, knowing he can control the centre of the cage. Song also takes his man down and thee 26-year-old is looking solid so far.
03:19
O'Malley is in the building
03:17
Remember Petr Yan?
This guy looked unbeatable for a while but Yan’s career has stalled a bit in recent times. He lost to Sterling, O’Malley and then Dvalishvili and will be desperate not to make it four defeats in succession tonight against the powerful Song Yadong.
03:14
If you fancy a tipple
O’Malley has come a long way since his first loss to Vera so there could well be some value in an early stoppage, especially as Vera is notoriously a slow starter.
03:07
MAIN CARD TIME
Order of play:
Petr Yan vs Song Yadong
Gilbert Burns vs Jack Della Maddalena
Kevin Holland vs Michael Page
Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint Denis
Sean O’Malley vs Marlon Vera
02:59
Does Aspinall fancy it?
02:50
15 fight winning streak OVER
Blaydes has barely been in the fight but wins it in the space of about 10 seconds. Almeida shoots for a takedown but it is stuffed and puts his head in a poor position. Blaydes then lands a number of unanswered hammer fists in succession and it is enough to end the fight. Wow.
02:47
Boos in Miami
Almeida grapples the hell out of Blaydes in the first, exhausting him and not allowing a moment to breathe. The crowd don’t like it and want to see more action but the Brazilian controlled him at close quarters and returned his opponent to the mat seemingly at will.
02:41
Featured pre-lim time
Almeida and Blaydes are part of the young gun generation at heavyweight. Both men will have watched Aspinall beat Pavlovich and feel they aren’t too far away from a shot themselves. Blaydes of course beat Aspinall on a technicality when they met in London and the Brit was injured early on. Almeida is a hugely powerful contender but today will be his biggest test so far. Wonderboy is taking the American.
02:34
Six in a row for Barber
Maybe there’s a main event slot next for Barber, who brushes aside Cerminara at flyweight. The American is likely to be a top five-ranked fighter next week.
02:22
Thoughts on the backflip celebration?
It always looks undeniably cool when pulled off, but with ACL tearing potential when it isn’t. Kyler Phillips managed to execute his perfectly tonight after beating Pedro Munhoz. Gaethje’s backflip off the cage is another level of insanity all together.
02:15
Keep an eye on Despaigne
This man is 6ft 7in and has a reach of 87in, the longest in the UFC. He’s still early on in his MMA career but looks to be a brilliant prospect and freakish athlete. A winning start to his life in the big show tonight.
02:06
Gamrot is a problem
RDA was once upon a time a man who nobody wanted to face but the veteran is no longer in his prime, far from it. That said, Gamrot and his relentless wrestling has caused everyone problems and even though he’s not the most exciting fighter in the world, he’s mightily effective.
01:56
How about this for a cele
01:40
What do the stats reveal?
Will it be revenge or repeat later on? O’Malley’s only career defeat is one he discounts as a fluke, but Vera landed the leg kick that compromised him fair and square, what odds of him repeating the trick tonight? Here’s what the numbers how about both men…
01:32
EARLY PRE-LIM RESULTS
Joanne Wood opened up the early pre-lims with a decision win over Maryna Moroz before Assu Almabayev saw off CJ Vergara by the same means.
Then the highly anticipated debut for the enormous Robelis Despaigne ended in a first round KO victory for the Cuban and Michel Pereira beat Michal Oleksiejczuk.
01:22
How do the fighters see it?
It’s always fascinating to see how fellow UFC fighters see a main event and interestingly, opinion is split despite bookies favouring the champion.
01:14
Hello fight fans!
UFC 299 has arrived! The big, bad UFC 300 card comes next month but for my money tonight’s event isn’t a million miles away from it in terms of depth and quality. Keep it here for all the latest updates from the pre-lims and main card ahead of Sean O’Malley’s title defence against Marlon Vera later on in the headliner.
TOP STORIES
- England 23-22 Ireland: Marcus Smith kicks last-gasp drop goal to claim famous Twickenham victory…. after James Lowe's second try had put Irish on verge of retaining Six Nations title
- Rio Ferdinand enjoys emotional reunion with Sir Alex Ferguson ahead of Man United's win over Everton… as legendary Red Devils manager jokes his former defender is the reason why he has 'white hair'
- Arsenal 2-1 Brentford: Kai Havertz's late header spares Aaron Ramsdale's blushes after his earlier HOWLER and hands the Gunners a victory that sends them top of the Premier League
- The five most iconic heavyweight knockouts of all time: George Foreman's right hand devastated opponents… but can anyone outdo Muhammed Ali? JEFF POWELL gives his verdict
- Aaron Ramsdale's HOWLER hands Brentford an equaliser against Arsenal at the Emirates, as the England international squanders chance to impress after coming in for the ineligible David Raya
- SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX WINNERS AND LOSERS: Oliver Bearman, 18, shows a maturity beyond his years with stunning debut drive, Max Verstappen remains a class apart and Lance Stroll has a night to forget
- SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Late England heroics can be lift-off for the Steve Borthwick era… it was their best performance of the Six Nations by a country mile and is a massive step in the right direction
- Ex-Premier League referee Mike Dean SLAMS debutant Sunny Singh Gill's decision to sign autographs at half time…insisting the history-making official is 'on a hiding to nothing'
- Katherine Taylor, the escort who went viral at an NBA game, raises her rates to $1,500-an-hour and claims sports stars have been messaging her since Steph Curry photobomb picture
- Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are NOT getting married anytime soon, source claims – after Chiefs' tight-end's loutish behavior saw Swifties urge singer to heed 'red flags'
- Patrick Mahomes shows off his 'dad-bod' in Mexico with wife Brittany – who recently revealed she has a fractured back – and their kids as the Chiefs Super Bowl hero enjoys well earned downtime with his family
- Anthony Joshua demolishes Francis Ngannou in stunning Saudi KO – sending ex-UFC champion crashing to the canvas three times in two rounds – and now he wants Tyson Fury
- Tyson Fury gives his immediate reaction to Anthony Joshua's stunning KO win over Francis Ngannou… insisting he was 's***' when he fought the former UFC champion before explaining why fans will have to WAIT for AJ showdown
- Max Verstappen threatens to QUIT Red Bull's F1 team if his mentor Helmut Marko, who is at risk of suspension or even the sack, is forced out 'for leaking evidence against Christian Horner'
- Conor McGregor issues three-word response to Anthony Joshua's brutal second round knockout against Francis Ngannou
- Travis Kelce returns for another Taylor Swift show in Singapore – her final Eras Tour date before a two-month break – as the Kansas City Chiefs star enjoys his offseason
- Inside the lavish wedding of WWE superstar Dominik Mysterio and his childhood sweetheart Marie – with father Rey and on-screen partner Rhea Ripley in attendance (…but he can't escape the boos even on his big day!)
- REVEALED: Woman who photobombed Steph Curry's iconic golf celebration is a $900-an-hour ESCORT – and jokes she needs to go to NBA games 'fully clothed' in future after going viral on social media
- Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy threatens to 'clean out' the company's New York office, as he rages at employees for 'f*****g my s**t up'
- Christian Horner 'believes he can win WITHOUT Max Verstappen', Red Bull insiders claim 'after the F1 champion threatened to quit' if his mentor Helmut Marko is suspended for 'leaking evidence'
- Anthony Joshua mocks fallen Francis Ngannou on social media following brutal knockout victory in Saudi Arabia… branding the MMA star his 'prey' as he shares clip of the fight
- Christian Horner embraces Max Verstappen after his dominant Saudi GP win – before telling reporters his driver can LEAVE Red Bull if he wants to in wake of sex text scandal
- Ferrari Formula One wonderkid Oliver Bearman's dad shows the strain as he watches his son, 18, race in qualifying for the first time… and immediately face a steward's investigation!
- Geri Halliwell arrives in Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as the former Spice Girl continues to show support to husband and under-fire Red Bull team principal Christian Horner
- ANTHONY GORDON on being labelled a 'Scouse scally', why he was hated by his Newcastle team-mates, and the truth behind his A-sign celebration
- Oliver Bearman had to convince his mum to let him leave his grammar school to pursue his F1 dream… the teenager was just one when Lewis Hamilton made his bow but is already adjusting to life in the fast lane – including a TikTok superstar girlfriend
- Thierry Henry reveals his theory on why Real Madrid sold Raphael Varane and Casemiro to Manchester United at their peak after Spanish giants look to secure Kylian Mbappe
- Wayne Rooney insists he doesn't have much sympathy for Marcus Rashford after his struggles this season… and suggests he should LEAVE Man United despite being the 'one player' that can beat his scoring record
- Back soon, Mum… I'm just off to drive a 230mph Grand Prix car! Essex boy Oliver Bearman, 18, becomes the youngest British F1 racer ever
- The Rock and Roman Reigns' WrestleMania clash vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins is CONFIRMED… as Rhodes SLAPS the WWE legend in the face!
- Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Joleon Lescott name their England XI for this summer's Euros – as former Man United team-mates argue over one key area for the Three Lions
- Erik ten Hag fumes at Man United's medical team over injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia after being 'assured' out-of-action full-backs would 'both be fit in January'… and now both of their seasons look to be OVER!
- Olivia Dunne ties career-high 9.900 on leadoff floor exercise as LSU gymnastics team set a new school record with 198.125 NQS
- The definitive top 25 heavyweight boxers of all-time: How high does Tyson Fury rank, who was tougher than Mike Tyson and is Muhammad Ali really the greatest? JEFF POWELL gives his ultimate verdict
- Max Verstappen cruises to victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in second straight Red Bull 1-2 but it is British teenager Oliver Bearman, 18, who steals the limelight after finishing SEVENTH on his F1 debut for Ferrari
- Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift pack on the PDA as the popstar flings her arms around the NFL star, who welcomes her off the stage with a passionate kiss after her latest Eras Tour show in Singapore
- Carlos Sainz confirms he has had a 'smooth operation' after undergoing surgery for appendicitis… with British teenager Oliver Bearman, 18, making his debut for Ferrari in the Saudi Arabian GP as his replacement
- Anthony Joshua delivers ANOTHER 'weird' microphone monologue – with accents and call-outs with no response from 'soulless' Saudi crowd – after knocking out Francis Ngannou to line up Tyson Fury
- Man United back Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plan to BULLDOZE Old Trafford and build new state-of-the-art stadium on the site… as club sets up new taskforce headed by Lord Coe and including Gary Neville
- Slow motion footage of Anthony Joshua's brutal knockout on Francis Ngannou emerges as fans claim that Tyson Fury 'doesn't stand a chance'
- Travis and Jason Kelce are taking New Heights on tour! April 11 date in Cincinnati announced amid claims they could strike $100MILLION deal to keep producing the show
- Sports royalty in Saudi! Tyson Fury shares photo with Ronaldo Nazario as sports stars and celebrities descend on Saudi Arabia for the boxing and F1, with Patrice Evra, Jose Mourinho, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic among the crowd!
- England head coach Steve Borthwick clashes with Ireland's Andy Farrell as they exchange heated words at half-time of their Six Nations match at Twickenham
- Tyson Fury looks shell-shocked as he watches Anthony Joshua's devastating second-round knockout of Francis Ngannou from ringside… making his struggle against the ex-MMA fighter look embarrassing
- Rangers fan, 25, dies in 'tragic incident' in Lisbon after club's Europa League match with Benfica as club say tragedy 'has hit everyone extremely hard'
- Joseph Parker defeats Zhilei Zhang via majority decision and WINS the WBO interim heavyweight title – despite being knocked down twice in 'Knockout Chaos' co-main event
- Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou fight DELAYED as boxing fans around the world demand 'just get on with it!' after Saudi Arabia clash pushed back
- Jake Paul shares candid video of the moment he told his Mike Tyson-obsessed father that he'll be boxing the heavyweight legend in July: 'Are you f***ing kidding me?'
- Red Bull publicly BACKS under-fire team principal Christian Horner as they insist they are 'happy' with their management… after uncertainty over the future of Geri Halliwell's husband amid 'sex texts' scandal
- Drake loses eye-watering SIX-FIGURE bet on Anthony Joshua's knockout victory against Francis Ngannou as punters mock the celebrity's high-stake 'curse' has struck again!
- A brand new Old Trafford could cement Manchester as the football capital of the world, claims mayor Andy Burnham… with Man United board backing Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans for state-of-the-art arena
- Quincy Promes was sentenced to SIX YEARS in a Dutch prison for smuggling cocaine and faces 18 months for stabbing his cousin… but sheltered by pariah state Russia as he flaunts his wealth, is he truly 'untouchable'?