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The UFC's social media account reportedly got hacked last week and the post that set off the alarm was simply too obvious. Elsewhere, a fellow attendee said that Conor McGregor was getting mobbed at Donald Trump's inauguration.
Here are the top combat sports rumors from last week that had the MMA community riveted.
UFC's social media allegedly got hacked
On Wednesday afternoon, the UFC's Instagram shared an uncharacteristic cryptocurrency post, which is often a sign that a social media account has been hacked. The post suggested that the MMA promotion was launching a new crypto coin. The post read:
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"UFC fans have been waiting, and the moment is here. Get ready to own the legacy. Precision. Strength. All in one coin. #UFC #UnleashTheFight"
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There was also a crypto wallet address attached to the post. It stayed up on the platform for more than 30 minutes before the account was seemingly recovered and the post was deleted. A link was shared on the account's Instagram Stories that led to a website for fraudulent crypto coins.
Fans had a field day making fun of the situation on the UFC's subsequent posts on the account following recovery. MMA Junkie later confirmed after receiving word from an insider that the post was not legitimate and the account was indeed hacked.
Dana White teases Islam Makhachev's next fight
During last week's Power Slap 11 post-event press conference, a reporter asked Dana White if he could shed some light on Makhachev potentially moving up to middleweight if he won't fight Belal Muhammad at 170 pounds. The CEO refused to offer up any names but said:
"He would move up to middleweight? Yeah, I don’t know about that. If he wants to move up to 170 (pounds), we can talk. But moving up to 185 (pounds) is a whole other level... I know there’s a lot of conspiracy theories out there about this. You’ll just have to watch and see how this plays out."
A majority of the fan opinions leaned towards Ilia Topuria, as Makhachev has expressed his interest in becoming a double champion multiple times.
After White doubled down on a the tease at the UFC Saudi Arabia post-fight media conference, some even suggested it could be Conor McGregor to recreate history. Others thought it could be a rematch with Dustin Poirier or Justin Gaethje.
Another theory floated by some social media users was that Makhachev would fight for the inaugural 165-pound belt against an opponent who fits the bill. The launch of a new division between lightweight and welterweight has also been going around for a while.
Conor McGregor gets mobbed at Donald Trump's inauguration
Bo Nickal recently opened up about his experience of attending Donald Trump's inauguration next month to make his return to the White House as the 47th president of the United States. The UFC middleweight claimed on the Nickals and Dimes podcast that despite there being some "heavy hitters" present, McGregor was the only one actively drawing the crowd's attention:
"I think [Donald] Trump was about to go on or about to speak and all of a sudden, these people start to run into me and I'm like, 'Yo, what the hell' and I turn around and there's this mob of people and they're like all looking at somebody in the center. I'm like, 'Who is that, who is that?' Mob kind of like runs through me, like parts around me. Very center - Conor McGregor."
Nickal added that the two shared a brief exchange of pleasantries where McGregor praised his UFC career and asked him to keep up the good work.
"He was the only guy I saw that was really getting mobbed and there were some heavy hitters in there. Yeah, there were heavy hitters."
Mike Tyson reportedly spent $13 million on mega-mansion
According to Realtor, Mike Tyson is now the owner of a $13 million mansion in the exclusive gated community of Tierra del Rey in Delray Beach, Florida. While initially listed at nearly $17 million, the legendary boxer signed the deeds at a cheaper rate in an off-market deal, as per U.S.-based broker Joseph Jonathan Schneider.
Alongside an expansive residential area featuring five bedrooms and a guesthouse, the home also boasts a one-acre private bass pond, an 80-foot swimming pool, a spa, a home theater, a gym, a wine storage, and an extra-deep garage designed to fit four vehicles.
News.com.au reports that Tyson also purchased a $1.69 million-worth small 2.26-acre cottage attached to a private airplane hangar only 10 minutes away from the mansion. All these expenses come after bagging a reported $20 million paycheck for fighting and losing to Jake Paul, who is three decades younger than him.
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria 2 next
Bo Nickal claimed to know something no one else did about Alexander Volkanovski's next fight. The former NCAA champion said on the Nickals and Dimes podcast that he has heard the UFC featherweight champion will defend his belt in a rematch against Volkanovski at UFC 314 in Miami, Florida:
"It’s official. I know for a fact. I don’t know that it was announced for a fact, but I know it’s happening for a fact. I’m announcing it."
He added that he wants to fight on the card as well, which will take place on April 12, 2025.
Nickal later issued a tweet stating the fight is not official yet. However, the report of Volkanovski cornering Colby Thicknesse against Ilia's brother Aleksandre Topuria at UFC 312 has got fans thinking the same thing.
