CM Punk’s UFC debut pushed back due to back surgery

By Feb 10, 2016, 2:10 PM EST
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Phil “CM Punk” Brooks’ UFC debut will have to wait.

The former WWE champion told MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani that he needs to have back surgery in order to fix a herniated disc.

His recovery time is 4-6 weeks, which means his fight with Mickey Gall that was rumored to take place at UFC 199 will have to be pushed back.

Punk said his back stopped responding to any treatment and that he had a hard time getting through his training sessions with the New Jersey Devils last month. He attributed the injury to the numerous years he spent in the world of professional wrestling.

This is not the first time the 37-year old has had his MMA debut pushed back due to injuries. Punk was rumored to step into the octagon for the first time last fall, but he injured his shoulder during a training session in August.

Punk said his upcoming procedure is very similar to the one that UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez had recently.

UFC 249 live stream, start time, schedule tonight: How to watch Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje, PPV price, TV channel, more

By May 9, 2020, 7:37 PM EDT
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As live sporting events start to creep back onto the calendar, one will be eagerly awaited by MMA fans: UFC 249.

The event was supposed to be on April 18, but will be in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday. No fans will be in attendance.

The main card — originally a showdown between perhaps the world’s best fighter, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson — has changed from the initial plan. Travel restrictions prevent Nurmagomedov from fighting. So Justin Gaethje will be vying against Ferguson.

Also on the card are Henry Cejudo, who will defend his title against former champion Dominick Cruz. Additionally, some of the top Heavyweight fighters in the world, Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, will face off in the octagon.

How do I watch UFC 249?

It will be air live as a pay-per-view event on ESPN+.

How much is it?

Given you have to subscribe to ESPN+, there are a few options. You can sign up for a free trial, then purcahse the event for $64.99. (A membership is $4.99/month.) Or you can do a bundle for new subscribers. That would be $84.98 and includes UFC 249.

What time is UFC 249 tonight?

Early Prelims (Airing on UFC Fight Pass, starting at 6:30 p.m. ET)

  • Vicente Luque vs Niko Price
  • Bryce Mitchell vs Charles Rosa
  • Ryan Spann vs Sam Alvey

Prelims (Airing on ESPN and ESPN+, starting at 8 p.m. ET)

Main Card (Airing on ESPN+, starting at 10 p.m. ET)

  • Tony Ferguson vs Justin Gaethje
  • Henry Cejudo vs Dominick Cruz
  • Francis Ngannou vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Jeremy Stephens vs Calvin Kattar
  • Greg Hardy vs Yorgan De Castro

Check back here on Saturday night and Sunday morning for more on UFC 249.

Conor McGregor arrested in South Florida

Associated PressMar 11, 2019, 9:11 PM EDT
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MIAMI — Mixed martial artist and boxer Conor McGregor has been arrested in South Florida for stealing the cellphone of someone who was trying to take his photo, authorities said.

According to a Miami Beach police report, the 30-year-old McGregor was arrested Monday afternoon and charged with robbery and criminal mischief. An attorney for McGregor called the altercation “minor” and said the popular fighter would cooperate with authorities.

McGregor was leaving the Fontainebleau Miami Beach shortly after 5 a.m. Monday when a 22-year-old man attempted to take a picture of McGregor, the police report said. Police said McGregor slapped the phone out of the man’s hand and then stomped on it several times. McGregor then grabbed the phone and left the area, the report said. Police later found McGregor at his local address.

McGregor was being held on $12,500 bail.

“Last evening Conor McGregor was involved in a minor altercation involving a cellphone that resulted in a call to law enforcement,” Samuel J. Rabin Jr., a Miami-based attorney representing McGregor, said in a statement. “Mr. McGregor appreciates the response of law enforcement and pledges his full cooperation.”

McGregor, who’s from Ireland, is the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion and one of the biggest draws in MMA. He returned to UFC last fall after a hiatus during which he made his boxing debut, a loss to Floyd Mayweather. He was suspended from UFC for six months and fined $50,000 for a brawl after his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October.