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Catch up with the biggest UFC updates and other stories with Sportskeeda's daily MMA News Roundup.
Today's news will discuss Chris Weidman's rumored return, Alex Pereira's post-breakup snaps, and more.
#3. UFC said no to Afghanistan flag, says Farid Basharat
Dana White recently declared that the umbrella ban on carrying flags inside the octagon was lifted. However, there seem to be exceptions to the policy.
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Farid Basharat told MMA Fighting that he would likely not be allowed to walk out with the flag of his home country. Farid and his older brother Javid hail from Afghanistan, a nation now led by the Taliban.
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The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan introduced a new flag in 2021 for the current regime, which is seemingly not recognized by the UFC.
Basharat said:
"I would love to walk out with the flag, but I don’t think they’re allowing the Afghanistan flag... We tried in Abu Dhabi for Javid, and they said no. Because they don’t recognize the current government flag, and the old one is not an official flag. So what flag are you going to bring out? The Afghanistan flag I still a no-no."
Being children of war themselves and having spent time in refugee camps growing up, the Basharat siblings wanted to carry the flag to give their countrypeople hope.
"We’re a product of this war, as well, but with the correct mindset, the correct attitude, you can make it far."
Basharat grew up in the U.K. and currently lives in the U.S.
#2. Chris Weidman rumored to return in March
Chris Weidman is reportedly returning to the octagon on March 30 in Atlantic City against Bruno Silva. The news was first reported by Laerte Viana and later shared on X by @MMAmelotto.
The only confirmed fight on the UFC card so far is a women's flyweight bout between Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot.
The report claims that the contracts have not yet been signed, but the two fighters have verbally agreed to fight.
Given that Weidman's last two UFC outings ended in not only defeats but with critical leg injuries as well, fans were understandably worried about the American's health. They took to social media to show their concern, with some even mirroring Dana White's words from last year and requesting him to retire.
Read the fan comments here.
#1. Alex Pereira poses with mystery woman after break-up
Alex Pereira recently shared a picture on his Instagram story where he's seen standing on a beach with an unidentified woman. Pereira is wearing a pair of shorts in the picture while the woman is in a leopard-print swimsuit. The photo is captioned 'Amiga de longa data', which translates to 'longtime friend' in English.
Here's a screenshot of the picture shared on X by Ben Davis:
UFC fans took this opportunity to make "post-breakup" jokes, considering his ex-partner Merle Christine recently confirmed their split in a thoughtful statement.
Read the comments here.
