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Open Scoring MMA: White House Stool, Grappling Returns, and Beefs Aplenty

From White House stools to grappling returns and ongoing feuds, the MMA world is buzzing with action and drama.

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It’s been a wild week in MMA, with a mix of high-stakes fights, surprising returns, and plenty of drama outside the cage. Let’s dive into what’s been making headlines.

The Infamous White House Stool Goes Up For Auction

Remember that red stool Ilia Topuria famously quit on at UFC Freedom 250? Well, it’s now a piece of White House history, and UFC Collectibles is auctioning it off. This comes amidst a renewed feud between Ronda Rousey and Hunter Campbell, with Rousey taking aim at Campbell over the UFC Freedom 250 viewership numbers. She’s been quite vocal, even mocking Dana White’s “sidekick” in a cheeky reaction to the figures, reigniting their long-standing beef.

Grappling Returns and Bare-Knuckle Brawls

Fans of grappling will be excited to hear that Zabit Magomedsharipov is making a return to the mats, booking a grappling match against a top 15 UFC bantamweight. It’s always great to see elite fighters test their skills in different disciplines. Meanwhile, in the world of bare-knuckle boxing, Grayson Wells is looking to regain his historic bare-knuckle crown at Havoc FC 22, promising another thrilling fight for fans of the sport.

Feuds, Filming, and Fighting Words

The drama continues with Sean O’Malley claiming Ilia Topuria’s team filmed him after a hostile encounter where Topuria “wouldn’t look at me.” Alex Pereira also weighed in on a recent confrontation, stating he could have “slapped” Josh Hokit if he wanted to, but he knows “how to keep my cool.” Even Herb Dean got a surprise defense from Dan Hardy amidst the tensions surrounding Alex Pereira, showing how quickly things can escalate in and out of the octagon.

McGregor’s Influence and UFC Vegas 119

Conor McGregor is once again in the spotlight, backing an ambitious plan to end the bitter feud between Dana White and Eddie Hearn. However, not everyone views McGregor’s influence positively; an ex-teammate described him as the reason for Ireland’s negative association with MMA. On the fight front, UFC Vegas 119 is set, with the main event featuring Kape vs. Horiguchi 2, though one fighter did come in heavy at the weigh-ins, adding a bit of pre-fight tension.

From the community

Over on r/MMA, fans are talking about this: [Official] UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi 2 - Live Discussion Thread.

Sources

Every source behind today's roundup (14)

We summarize the day’s news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work:

Open Scoring MMA is a daily AI-produced MMA and UFC news podcast. Listen to today’s episode, read the full Feed, or get every episode by email.

Episode transcript

Read the full episode transcript

Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. This is episode 1, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC.

First up, let’s talk about the buzz around the White House. Yes, the White House. The UFC Freedom 250 card from the White House South Lawn is still generating headlines, and not just for the fights. MMA Mania reports that the UFC is actually auctioning off the red corner stool that lightweight champion Ilia Topuria quit on during his TKO loss at that event. A piece of history, indeed, for those who want to own a tangible reminder of that moment. Speaking of Topuria, Sean O’Malley claims Topuria’s team filmed him at a White House event, with O’Malley noting Topuria wouldn’t even look at him. Sounds like the seeds of a future confrontation are being sown.

And the White House event continues to echo in other ways. Ronda Rousey has reignited her feud with Hunter Campbell, the UFC Chief Business Officer, following the viewership numbers for UFC Freedom 250. Bloody Elbow and BJPenn.com both report Rousey taking swipes at Campbell, mocking Dana White’s “sidekick” and sending a pointed message. It seems Rousey is not inclined to squash that beef anytime soon.

Moving on to fighter status and injuries, we have some interesting news. Zabit Magomedsharipov, the retired MMA prospect, is finally set to return to competition on July 5th. However, it won’t be in MMA. He’s booked for a 155-pound no-gi grappling match against a top 15 UFC bantamweight, Raul Rosas Jr., headlining an ACBJJ event in Moscow, Russia. The co-main event features UFC welterweight Rinat Fakhretdinov against Armen Petrosyan. It’s great to see Magomedsharipov back in action, even if it’s not in the cage.

In other news, Alex Pereira has weighed in on his interaction with Josh Hokit, stating he could have “slapped” Hokit if he wanted to, but he knows how to keep his cool. It seems Hokit was fortunate Pereira maintained his composure. And speaking of Pereira, Herb Dean surprisingly came to his defense amidst tensions with Pereira, according to BJPenn.com. Details are scarce, but it’s an unexpected turn in that narrative.

Now, let’s get into the callouts and beefs that are always simmering in the MMA world. Beyond the O’Malley-Topuria and Rousey-Campbell situations, we have Conor McGregor making headlines. Bloody Elbow reports that McGregor has thrown his support behind Turki Alalshikh’s ambitious project, which aims to end the bitter feud between Dana White and Eddie Hearn. This is a significant development, given the history between White and Hearn, and McGregor’s involvement could certainly add a new dynamic. However, not all news surrounding McGregor is positive. An ex-teammate, Will Fleury, shared his honest thoughts on how McGregor has changed people’s opinion of the sport, describing him as the reason for Ireland’s negative association with MMA. Strong words there, highlighting the complex legacy McGregor has.

Looking at card changes and roster moves, we have a key flyweight rematch with Ultimate Fighting Championship title implications officially set for UFC Vegas 119. The weigh-ins are complete, and the main event is good to go, though one fighter did come in heavy. Sherdog confirms this, setting the stage for a big fight.

Let’s turn our attention to the upcoming action. We have two cards on the immediate horizon. First up, tonight, June 19th, we have Havoc FC 22. Grayson Wells is set to battle Tyler Tremblett for the heavyweight bare-knuckle boxing crown. This is a chance for Wells to regain a historic title, and bare-knuckle boxing always delivers intense action.

Then, tomorrow, Saturday, June 20th, we have UFC Vegas 119, also known as UFC Fight Night 279. Sherdog’s live coverage begins at 5 p.m. ET. The main event is a highly anticipated flyweight rematch between Kape and Horiguchi. As mentioned, this fight has significant title implications, making it a must-watch for fans of the lighter divisions. Given the weigh-in results, with one fighter heavy, it adds another layer of intrigue to the card. Also, on Friday, there’s a ONE World Title fight where Stella Hemetsberger has made a “certain” prediction for her teammate. We’ll have to see if that bold call pays off.

That’s all for today’s Open Scoring MMA. We’ve covered the White House stool, grappling returns, and a whole lot of beef. Make sure you tune in to Havoc FC 22 tonight and UFC Vegas 119 tomorrow. I’ll be back tomorrow with more forward-looking analysis and all the latest news. Until then, keep your guard up.