UFC

Ian Machado Garry hasn't forgotten what Sean Strickland and Colby Covington said about his family last year ... and the welterweight star has revenge on his mind!

TMZ Sports caught up with the 26-year-old fighter as he prepares to return to the Octagon against Geoff Neal at UFC 298 for the first time since finding himself in the middle of one of the biggest and most controversial storylines in all MMA last year.

While he's focused on Geoff, Ian isn't trying to hide who he wants next.

"It's Colby Covington. I'm not looking for anyone else. I'm getting him. I'm gonna get him. I'm gonna retire him from the UFC. I'm gonna rid him and his f***ing nonsense from the organization and the whole world will be a better place because of it."

We followed up, asking if Machado wanted Covington even more so than Sean Strickland.

"I'll get both of them eventually, but right now the goal is to go for Colby. Sean Strickland, I'll get in time. God will give me that. I believe God will place that very firmly in my path, 'Off you go kid, enjoy!'"

As for how he handled the drama -- which saw his relationship with his wife put under a microscope -- Ian told us the following.

"I mean the truth is I didn't handle it well at the start. The truth is I didn't, it was very emotional. Very stressful, because I've never had a vicious onslaught of violent attacks on my family or my wife, and it was all based on absolute bulls*** and lies."

Ian went on to explain why he's still upset to this day, saying he doesn't "think that most people know the truth, and that's annoying, that's irritating."

Garry added ... ["Strickland] had no f***ing clue what he was talking about, didn't have any facts or any knowledge on the situation at all. Hears someone's opinion on it which is completely false and then elevates it to a point at which now everyone is attacking my wife, and it's just absolute utter nonsense."

Drama aside, we also talked to Ian about his matchup with Geoff, and his desire to co-main event a Conor McGregor card.

We also talked to UFC star Mackenzie Dern (#7), who is fighting #3 ranked strawweight Amanda Lemos on the UFC 298 card ... as she looks to bounce back from a defeat at the hands of Jéssica Andrade in November.

Dern is getting in the Octagon with another killer ... but if she gets a dub, she believes she could be next in line for a much-coveted title fight!

UFC fighter Sedriques Dumas -- who just recently scored an impressive win at UFC 294 -- was arrested on Tuesday in Florida following a tense confrontation with police.

According to Escambia County jail records, the 28-year-old was booked on a charge of battery at around 6:13 AM.

Further details surrounding his arrest were not made immediately available ... although video posted to Dumas' Facebook page late Monday night/early Tuesday morning appears to show him getting into a verbal argument with several law enforcement officers just hours before he was thrown behind bars.

In the footage, it looks like Dumas was clearly upset with at least one member of the Escambia County Sheriff's Office ... who had told him they had been called out over "a disturbance."

Dumas repeatedly asked the officers questions before he told one, "I'm beyond f***ing pissed ... I'm just walking to blow off steam and she want to come at me and tell me I'm disrupting?"

The mixed martial artist and the police then went back and forth for several minutes ... before one of the officers told Dumas they had received a call regarding a woman who had said "her boyfriend was banging on the door and ringing the doorbell."

Ultimately, the video ended after it appears the officers put Dumas in handcuffs.

Dumas most recently fought on Oct. 21, 2023 in Abu Dhabi ... where he beat Abu Azaitar by unanimous decision.

The Super Bowl may not be the most star-studded sporting event in Vegas these next few days ... 'cause Dana White's Power Slap 6 Friday night in Sin City had some of the biggest stars in the world, including Tom Brady and Travis Scott!

And we've got a bunch of pics and video from the event.

It wasn't just TB 12 and La Flame in the building ... Charles Barkley, Pat McAfee, Johnny Manziel, Taylor Lewan, Bert Kreischer, IShowSpeed, billionaire Michael Rubin, and a bunch of others were also there for the festivities -- and judging by the stars, it slapped.

Friday night marked the first event White held outside of the UFC's own Apex center ... going down at the Durango Resort, marking a big step forward for the young org.

We talked to Dana backstage during the event (while he wasn't rubbing shoulders with Tom and Travis) ... and asked him about the night.

"This is the first time ever selling tickets. We sold VIP packages. It was a good night," White said with a big smile on his face.

As for the action on the mats, the main event, Manny Muniz vs. Christopher Thomas, was a barn burner ... and the scrap DW was most looking forward to.

"Muniz has never been knocked out, and Chris Thomas knocks everybody out," White told us.

Manny ended up beating Chris by knockout in the 5th round.

We also talked to UFC legend Chuck Liddell at the event ... and while it's clear he likes watching, it doesn't sound like he's going to be coming out of retirement to compete at Power Slap 7.

Jax Taylor was also in the house ... and the former "Vanderpump Rules" star told us how he became a slap-fighting fan.

Taylor says he initially saw highlights on Instagram, so he messaged Power Slap ... which led to an invite from Dana.

Kayla Harrison's opening up on all things UFC ... from her practice runs making 135 lbs. in the lead-up to her huge scrap with Holly Holm to whether she still has an interest in meeting Amanda Nunes in an Octagon!

33-year-old Harrison chopped it up with TMZ Sports ... weeks after she rocked the MMA world, moving from PFL to Dana White's promotion.

The 2x Olympic gold medalist and 2x PFL champion will fight 42-year-old Holm on the stacked UFC 300 card on April 13. We asked Kayla about signing with the UFC, and her thoughts on her legendary opponent.

"It's been amazing. Honestly, my life is so good. I really do feel like everything is happening at the right time and the right place with the right people," Harrison said.

"To be going to the Olympics of MMA on UFC 300 against Holly Holm, a legend in the sport. I'm so excited, I'm so amped. This is the s**t that gets me going, and yeah, I'm ready!"

When UFC 300 rolls around, it won't be happening at 145 or 155 lbs. ... no, Harrison is fighting at bantamweight. We asked her if she fears being able to make the weight.

"Listen there's this giant misconception about my weight, and I think people think I walk around at like 180 lbs. or something. The reality is I was fighting at 155 lbs. and I was walking into the cage at maybe 160 lbs. I don't get much bigger than 160."

Kayla continued ... "I was always the smaller fighter and usually the less experienced fighter. I don't believe in weight cutting, but now I'm going to do what everybody does and I'm gonna be in the cage and I'm gonna be the bigger, faster, stronger and more experienced fighter."

"Is it gonna suck? Yeah. I'm not gonna enjoy dieting, but it's a chosen sacrifice."

Harrison has long said she wants to be the G.O.A.T. ... a title Amanda Nunes currently lays claim to. We asked KH if she still has visions of fighting Nunes in the future.

"Listen, Amanda is the greatest of all time. That's a fact. So, of course, I would love for that to happen," Kayla told us.

"I've always said that, and not out of a place of disrespect. To me thats the highest compliment I could give her. you're the best, I want to find out what I'm made of with you.t a lot to prove. I've got a lot to do. I've got my work boots on. I'm in the gym, I'm hungry, I'm staying humble, but of course!"

"I've always said that, and not out of a place of disrespect. To me thats the highest compliment I could give her. you're the best, I want to find out what I'm made of with you."

The Lioness is still technically retired ... though it sounds like she could be gearing up for a comeback.

Retired or not, first things first ... Holly Holm, and Kayla has her hands full.

Former UFC champion Jamahal Hill was offered a plea deal in his domestic violence case, TMZ Sports has learned.

Prosecutors extended the deal to Hill earlier this month, according to court documents. As part of the proposed agreement, Hill would plead guilty to one charge of domestic violence ... in exchange for the dismissal of the aggravated domestic violence charge they had initially hit him with following his arrest in November.

Hill is expected to make a decision on the offer by a court hearing in March.

We reached out to Hill's attorney for comment ... though so far, no word back yet.

We broke the story ... Hill was arrested back on Nov. 27 after his brother, James Hill Jr., told police the MMA fighter roughed him up at his Kent, Michigan home following a series of arguments the two had gotten into over Thanksgiving weekend.

Cops say James told them Jamahal "sucker punched" him with a closed fist -- before hitting him a second time. Police said in court documents James sustained a swollen face during the altercation -- adding that he was also "missing a front tooth that he stated got broke when Jamahal assaulted him."

One of the stars of the original "Road House" is giving his review of the first look at the Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor-led remake ... telling TMZ Sports there's one glaring difference that caught his attention -- the way it sounds when dudes are duking it out.

Marshall Teague -- who played Patrick Swayze's arch nemesis, Jimmy, in the '80s cult classic -- was one of the millions of movie buffs who tuned into the trailer for the Prime Video project this week ... and while he's really pulling for the new take to do well, he found the audio effects in the fight scenes "humorous."

Teague -- who's experienced in martial arts and kickboxing -- said he and Swayze actually hit each other HARD during their on-screen scraps ... so naturally, it sounded like the real deal.

But, considering Conor is one of the greatest fighters on the planet and Gyllenhaal, despite training like a madman for his Elwood Dalton role, is not nearly as experienced in combat ... it's safe to say the two couldn't go toe-to-toe like Swayze and Teague did back in the day -- but Marshall hopes they were still able to build a similar bond on set.

"I love [Patrick] to death and I miss him every day," Teague said. "He's a great guy. I feel very honored to have had the opportunity to do that film with him and I hope the two of them have the same relationship. I really do."

Teague praises both Jake and Conor for being amazing in their respective fields ... and he wants nothing but the best for the upcoming flick.

No matter how great the reimagined version turns out, Teague said it will be tough to top the OG ... but he's truthfully got his fingers crossed that it can live up to the expectations.

As for whether he's got a cameo in the 2024 edition, Teague revealed he's received thousands of messages from fans asking if he makes an appearance ... but he pointed out it would be kinda hard to do, as his character died in the original.

Una de las estrellas de la original "Road House" está dando su opinión acerca del remake protagonizado por Jake Gyllenhaal y Conor McGregor, diciéndole a TMZ Sports que hay una diferencia evidente que le llamó la atención... la forma en que suenan los golpes.

Marshall Teague -que interpretó al archienemigo de Patrick Swayze, Jimmy, en el clásico de culto de los 80- fue uno de los millones de aficionados al cine que sintonizaron Prime Video para ver la película y, a pesar de que está deseando realmente que tenga éxito, no puede evitar pensar que los efectos de audio en las escenas de lucha "graciosos".

Teague -que tiene experiencia en artes marciales y kickboxing- dijo que él y Swayze realmente se golpearon DURO durante sus peleas en la pantalla, así que, naturalmente, todo sonaba bastante real.

Teniendo en cuenta que Conor es uno de los mejores luchadores del planeta y que Gyllenhaal, a pesar de haber entrenado como un loco para su papel de Elwood Dalton, no tiene tanta experiencia en el combate... es seguro decir que los dos no pudieron enfrentarse como lo hicieron Swayze y Teague, pero Marshall espera que hayan sido capaces de construir un vínculo similar en el set.

"Lo quiero mucho y lo echo de menos todos los días", dice Teague. "Es un gran tipo. Me siento muy honrado de haber tenido la oportunidad de hacer esa película con él y espero que los dos tengan la misma relación. De verdad que sí".

Teague elogia tanto a Jake como a Conor por ser increíbles en sus respectivos campos y no quiere nada más que lo mejor para la próxima película.

No importa lo grande que sea la nueva versión, Teague dijo que será difícil superar a la original, pero él realmente tiene los dedos cruzados para que pueda estar a la altura de las expectativas.

En cuanto a si tiene un cameo en la edición de 2024, Teague reveló que ha recibido miles de mensajes de los fans preguntando si hace una aparición, pero señaló que sería un poco difícil de hacer, ya que su personaje murió en el original.

And, the Oscar goes to ... Conor McGregor?!?!

The UFC superstar showed off his impressive acting chops in the latest trailer for the upcoming "Road House" flick starring Jake Gyllenhaal ... perfectly embracing the antagonist role in his first major Hollywood gig.

Gyllenhaal is playing a UFC fighter-turned-bouncer in the reimagining of the '80s classic with Patrick Swayze ... and judging by the first look of the project, McGregor is gonna have a ton of screen time.

At one point in the trailer, Conor -- who's playing a badass named Knox -- enters a bar and immediately raises hell ... smashing a bunch of tables with a golf club and beating the crap out of Gyllenhaal's Elwood Dalton character.

The teaser also shares multiple flashes of different scenes involving the former champ-champ ... so it's fair to say McGregor's role ain't just a quick cameo.

Conor praised his own performance while sharing the snippet on social media Wednesday ... saying, "Fighting, acting, there’s nothing this Mac can’t do! Here’s the trailer featuring my brother, Jake Gyllenhaal, and me going toe-to-toe in the wildest action movie ever – Road House!"

"My acting debut is gonna leave a mark! Long live Knox!"

While Conor is pumped, the project is at the center of a bit of drama at the moment ... as director Doug Liman said he's boycotting its showing at the SXSW festival over the decision to not put his movie in theaters.

10:26 AM PT -- Kayla Harrison's opening up about her move to the UFC.

"When I started competing, my goal was to be the best…the Olympic champion of #MMA. The @UFC presents me with the opportunity to be just that. It’s been an amazing journey to reach this point, and I’m grateful for every step along the path," Harrison wrote on social media.

"The highs and lows have all shaped me and made me an even better version of myself. God’s timing is perfect, and I am sure of one thing: My time is now. Let’s goooooo! 🦄"

Kayla Harrison is on the move ... one of the most accomplished women in combat sports history is signing with Dana White's promotion, and will fight fellow legend Holly Holm at UFC 300!

White made the big announcement late Tuesday night, explaining 33-year-old Harrison, a 2x Olympic gold medalist and 2x PFL champion, to an exclusive deal ... ending 16-1 KH's tenure with Professional Fighters League -- where she was one of the promotions faces since her signing in 2018.

As for the details of the fight with 42-year-old Holm -- a former UFC and boxing champ -- it'll go down on the highly anticipated April 13 card in Las Vegas.

FYI, UFC 300, a milestone event for the promotion, will also feature Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway ... with more big fights surely on the way.

Holly's no stranger to big fights ... she was the first to beat Ronda Rousey (KO, 2015), and has faced everyone from Amanda Nunes to Valentina Shevchenko.

The Harrison-Holm fight will be contested at 135 lbs. ... significantly lighter than the 155 lb. division where Kayla has primarily fought.

The winner of the Harrison-Holm fight will almost certainly thrust themselves into the title picture. Holm is already the 5th-ranked bantamweight, and she's beaten the (newly crowned) champ Raquel Pennington twice, in 2015 and 2020.

Harrison's signing could also set up the long-talked-about super fight with Nunes ... who seems open to the possibility of returning to the Octagon after retiring last year.

But, first things first ... "The Preacher's Daughter" at UFC 300!

Definitivamente, podemos asegurar que La Roca estaba tramando algo, pues ahora está en la nueva junta de la WWE y tiene los derechos exclusivos de su nombre artístico.

Dwayne Johnson fue anunciado como el nuevo miembro de la junta directiva de TKO, que ahora posee la WWE y la UFC. Como uno de los directivos de la organización, no solo obtendrá algún poder ejecutivo en la toma de decisiones, sino otros beneficios también.

Para empezar, él está recibiendo algunas opciones sobre acciones, que están valoradas en $30 millones, y que se devengan con el tiempo. Y lo que es más importante, se le concederá la marca registrada "The Rock", que ha utilizado durante toda su carrera, desde que estaba en el ring.

Como parte de este nuevo movimiento, Dwayne podrá capitalizar su apodo, en concreto, en lo que respecta a merchandising y regalías de la WWE con el uso de 'The Rock'.

THR informa que parte del acuerdo entre Dwayne y TKO con respecto a los derechos de 'The Rock' implican que TKO obtendrá un acuerdo de licencia exclusiva durante 10 años para utilizar la marca para ciertos productos, y durante ese tiempo, Dwayne no puede licenciarlo a otras empresas que sean competencia de ellos. En otras palabras, recibe la marca, pero la WWE obtendrá una década para llevarse los beneficios.

En la noticia, La Roca dijo: "Mi abuelo, el Alto Jefe Peter Maivia, y mi padre, Rocky 'Soulman' Johnson, nunca habrían pensado que llegaría este día".

We can definitely smell what The Rock is cooking now -- dude's whipped up a mogul souffle ... 'cause he's now on the new WWE board, and he's got exclusive rights to his stage name.

Dwayne Johnson was announced as the newest board of directors member for TKO -- which now owns WWE and UFC as a new one-stop shop entity. As one of the shot-callers of the org, DJ will not only get some executive decision-making power ... but other perks too.

For starters, he's getting some stock options -- which are valued at $30 million, and which will vest over time. More importantly, he's being granted the full trademark to 'The Rock' ... which he has pretty much gone by his entire career, dating back to when he was in the ring.

As part of this new move, Dwayne will get to capitalize on his moniker -- specifically, as it pertains to merchandising/royalties the WWE might make by using 'The Rock' in business.

THR reports that part of the deal between DJ and TKO regarding 'The Rock' rights sees that TKO gets an exclusive licensing deal for 10 years to use the brand for certain products ... and during that time, Dwayne can't go and license it to other companies competitive with them. In other words, he receives the trademark ... but WWE gets a decade to milk it.

The Rock said of the news ... "My grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, would’ve never thought this day would come."

Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone is living up to his nickname ... explaining how and why he's the one to conquer Dana White's 1,400 lb. bull, Twisted Steel!

The retired MMA fighter joined the TMZ Sports TV show (airs nightly on FS1) this week where he revealed his insane training regimen ... as he preps for the UFC honcho's 5-year-old beast, which he'll attempt to ride at an upcoming show.

"Next Monday, I'm getting on eight bulls," the 40-year-old said. "We're just gonna go, go, go, go."

"It's gonna be wild and crazy!"

Of course, Dana and Donald recently made a bet ... with a total of $100k on the line, if Cerrone can stay right side up on Twisted Steel for 8 seconds.

Sounds easy? Not so fast ... just three riders have managed the feat in a total of 34 runs -- and those guys were pros.

Here's hoping Cerrone is the fourth 'cause the money will go to charity.

"All the money donations will go straight to kid's camp," Cerrone said. "We're riding for a cause, if you will."

Junior dos Santos and Francis Ngannou once shared the Octagon (albeit for not very long), but that doesn't mean the MMA legend isn't impressed with The Predator's success in the boxing ring!

Cigano's thrilled for his former opponent ... and as a matter of fact, he wouldn't mind a rematch in the squared circle sometime down the road.

TMZ Sports talked to 39-year-old dos Santos earlier this week ahead of his fight with Alan Belcher (more on that soon) ... when we asked Junior about Francis' move to the boxing ring.

"I'm so happy for [Ngannou]," Junior told us, explaining ... "All the boxing guys are always talking, saying on the striking side we are not able to go there and put on a good performance against them."

Junior believes Francis proved the opposite against Tyson Fury ... MMA fighters can hang with the very best when it comes to striking with just hands.

"Francis Ngannou was fighting probably the biggest heavyweight in the history who never lost a fight," JDS explained, adding, "and he did what he did. I was there. That was so amazing to see that. And, it showed what kind of work we [MMA fighters] do."

Now, Francis has another massive challenge in front of him in the form of Anthony Joshua next month ... and Junior is clearly cautioning folks not to count him out.

FYI, JDS is well aware of what Francis can do. The two stars fought back in June 2019 ... but after a flurry of punches, the fight was stopped just 1:11 seconds into the first round, with Ngannou winning by TKO.

Junior wouldn't mind running things back!

"That would be amazing, too! I think actually that would be something very good, not just for me, but for him, as well."

For dos Santos, any fight with Ngannou would be down the line. First, he's got a big-time matchup with 39-year-old Belcher, who is coming off a decision win over Roy Nelson at Gamebred Fighting Championship 6, Jorge Masvidal's bare-knuckle MMA promotion.

Israel Adesanya was just punished for his DUI in New Zealand ... but he left the courtroom apparently in a good mood -- 'cause things could've been a whole lot worse for the UFC star.

The 34-year-old fighter appeared in Auckland District Court on Wednesday morning regarding allegations that he had driven drunk in the city back on Aug. 19.

Police said that after stopping Adesanya, he told them he had two cocktails before getting behind the wheel. Cops added he had a blood alcohol reading of 87 milligrams per 100 millilitres -- well over the legal limit of 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres.

He was facing a punishment of up to three months behind bars for it. But, he and his attorney asked for a lighter sentence.

Adesanya's lawyer claimed a conviction in the case would affect his sponsorship deals -- potentially costing him six figures. He also argued that a conviction could prevent Adesanya from traveling to Canada for UFC 297 later this month.

Fortunately for Adesanya, the judge did appear to go easy on him -- as according to Stuff.co.nz, he opted not to convict the former champ. But, he did hit The Stylebender with a six-month driving ban and a $1,500 fine.

Adesanya had previously apologized for his role in the case ... saying in a statement, "I am disappointed with my decision to drive. It was wrong. I know that people might follow me and I want them to know I do not think this behaviour is acceptable."

¡Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury II puede estar en camino!

El Predator se unió a Babcock en el programa de televisión TMZ Sports (transmitido de lunes a viernes en FS1) el lunes, donde hablamos con la superestrella del boxeo y MMA sobre su ENORME y próximo choque con Anthony Joshua, de 34 años, el 8 de marzo, así como sus planes a futuro.

Por supuesto, Ngannou, de 37 años, tiene las manos ocupadas con AJ, uno de los atletas más físicamente imponentes en el mundo (al igual que Ngannou)… pero eso no significa que no sepa lo que quiere después de enfrentarse a Joshua.

Por el contrario, sí lo sabe… y no necesariamente es el ganador entre Tyson Fury y Oleksandr Usyk, quienes pelearán por los cinturones de peso pesado en febrero, semanas antes de que lo hagan Francis y Anthony.

“No estoy buscando al ganador de Tyson Fury. Estoy buscando a Tyson”, comentó el ex campeón de peso pesado de la UFC.

"Tyson me debe una pelea. Me importa una m*** el ganador de Usyk y Tyson. Voy tras Tyson. Voy por Tyson. Gane o pierda, quiero a Tyson".

Fury tiene un récord de 34-0 con 24 KO, y una de esas victorias fue contra Ngannou. Sin embargo, muchos en el mundo del boxeo creen que Tyson realmente perdió la pelea de octubre, que ganó oficialmente por decisión dividida.

Pero, primero lo primero, Ngannou-Joshua.

A pesar del éxito contra Tyson, Francis es un underdog bastante sustancial (arriesgar $100 para ganar $500), una línea de apuestas que afirma entender.

“Me enfrento a un ex campeón y a tipos que han estado en el juego durante mucho tiempo, ganando y demás”, dijo Ngannou.

“Creo que él tiene 30 y algo, yo soy cero y uno. Vamos, hombre. ¿Cómo me hacen favorito?” Vamos hombre. ¿Cómo me haces el favorito?”

“Él ya me ha visto boxear, así que sabe lo que le espera, a diferencia de Tyson Fury, que fue sorpresa, no sabía qué esperar”, dijo Ngannou.

Incluso con su inexperiencia en el boxeo, Ngannou espera que Joshua estudie su pelea con Fury y haga ajustes. Francis está decidido a demostrar que la pelea con Tyson no fue una casualidad.

“Esta vez necesito esforzarme aún más para hacer el trabajo.

Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury II could be on deck!

The Predator joined Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) on Monday ... where we talked to the boxing and MMA superstar about his HUGE upcoming clash with 34-year-old Anthony Joshua on March 8, as well as his plans for the future.

Of course, 37-year-old Ngannou has his hands full with AJ, one of the most physically imposing athletes in the world (as is Ngannou) ... but that's not to say he doesn't know what he wants after he scraps with Joshua.

To the contrary, he does ... and it's not necessarily the victor of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, who are fighting for the heavyweight belts in February, weeks before Francis and Anthony.

"I'm not looking for the winner of Tyson Fury. I'm looking for Tyson!" the former UFC heavyweight champ told us.

"Tyson owes me a fight. I don't give a s*** about the winner of Usyk and Tyson. I'm coming after Tyson. Win or lose, I want Tyson!"

FYI, Fury is 34-0 with 24 KOs ... with one of those wins coming against Ngannou. However, many people around boxing believe Tyson actually lost their October fight, which he officially won by split decision.

But, first things first, Ngannou-Joshua.

Despite the success against Tyson, Francis is a fairly substantial underdog (risk $100 to win $500) ... a betting line he says he understands.

"I'm going in against a former champion and getting guys that have been in the game for so long, winning, and all this stuff," Ngannou said.

"I think he's 30-something and I'm zero and one. C'mon man. How do you make me a favorite?"

"He's seen me box already so he knows a little bit what he's coming after unlike Tyson Fury that was out of the blue, didn't know what to expect," Ngannou said.

Even with his inexperience in the boxing ring, Ngannou says he still expects Joshua to study his fight with Fury, and make adjustments. Francis is intent on showing the Tyson fight was no fluke.

"I think this time I need to put it up even more to get the job done."