Not only is this weekend the first time Albazi has been thrust into the spotlight since arriving in the UFC, but it’s also the first time that the surging 29-year-old will be standing across the Octagon from a ranked opponent, as well.

While he’s previously been booked to faced divisional stalwarts Tim Elliott, Alex Perez, and Brandon Royval at different points in the past, none of those bouts came to fruition, with each having to withdraw from the scheduled contests for different reasons, leaving Albazi to face a collection of replacement opponents and less established foes.

Conor McGregor Sits Down With Megan Olivi

To his credit, the Las Vegas-based hopeful has constantly lobbied for the opportunity to share the Octagon with the best the division has to offer, and Kara-France is eager to test whether he genuinely means that or not this weekend.

“It’s when I land the first hard shot,” he answered when asked how he will discern whether Albazi truly wants to be in there with him on Saturday. “If he bites down and comes back, then he wants to fight, and if he doesn’t, it will show.

“I’ve landed my right hand on many people before — Cody Garbrandt was a prime example. He overlooked me, I hit him with the first right hand that landed, and it was all downhill from there.”

Not everyone in Kara-France’s position would be keen on facing an ascending, but untested fighter like Albazi, focusing instead of trying to find someone closer to them in the rankings or brandishing a bigger name to face off against, especially coming off a championship fight.

But the New Zealander recognizes that these are the type of fights that come with being stationed near the top of the division, and he relishes the opportunity to steal his opponent’s momentum as he builds towards another run at UFC gold.

De Souza, 20, tested positive for 19-norandrosterone (19-NA) and 19-noretiocholanolone, both metabolites of nandrolone (19-nortestosterone) and other prohibited 19-norsteroids, as the result of a sample collected out-of-competition on March 8, 2023. Nandrolone and other 19-norsteroids are non-Specified Substances in the class of Anabolic Agents and prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and UFC Prohibited List.

Upon being added to the UFC Anti-Doping Program, athletes are required to declare prohibited substances they have used in the previous 12 months. An athlete who makes such declaration will not be deemed to have committed a violation but, depending on the substance, may be required to refrain from competition for a period of at least six months and provide at least two negative samples. De Souza did not declare the use of nandrolone and/or other 19-norsteroids on his onboarding declaration forms.

De Souza’s two-year period of ineligibility began on March 8, 2023, the date his positive sample was collected.

USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping program for all UFC athletes. USADA is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to preserve the integrity of competition, inspire true sport, and protect the rights of clean athletes. In an effort to aid UFC athletes, as well as their support team members, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on the UFC Anti-Doping Program website (https://UFC.USADA.org) regarding the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.

In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, Drug Reference Online (https://UFC.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List and periodic athlete alerts. Many of the resources available to athletes are provided in multiple languages, including Russian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese.

Reat Full Statement Here

“We have a big trip scheduled a month or two after the fight,” Frey said. “Usually after each fight my husband and I would pick a country and we’d travel and go off in the wilderness and disappear for a while. During the pandemic we couldn’t go anywhere, so now that things are easing up, we’re getting back to being able to plan something ahead of time. I work really hard through camp. I get through the camp and then I have something at the end to look forward to and relax and unwind.

“We’re doing a section of the E5, it’s a trek through the Alps. It starts in Germany and ends in Italy so it’s just straight up and down through the mountains.”

So now with the weight of her previous loss completely off her shoulders, Frey returns to the Octagon this Saturday to challenge Elise Reed at UFC Fight Night: Kara-France vs Albazi. Feeling like she never got the chance to show fans what she’d been working on in her last fight, Frey’s eager to showcase all the skills she’s developed over the last seven months.

“I’ve been working hard,” Frey said. “I worked hard this camp, and I didn’t get a chance to show it, but I feel like I’ve made a lot of improvements and I’m super motivated to go in there and get my hand raised. I think it’s a great matchup for me and you never know what’s going to happen.”

Like training camp, Frey hasn’t set any strict guidelines to how she must fight, nor has she set any personal goals that she needs to hit in the fight. As she gets older, Frey believes there’s no reason to add any unnecessary pressure toward something that she just simply enjoys doing.

“We’re both strikers, and if she wants to go toe to toe, I’m more than happy to do that,” Reed said. “I think I’ve showcased in my previous (fights) that if we want to go striking, I’ll go striking, but I think I’m excited to see where this one rolls out, whether it’s standing up or on the ground or against the cage. I think you’re going to see the changes that we’ve implemented over the last eight weeks come to fruition.”

After building her 4-0 record, Reed has alternated between wins and losses since joining the UFC. Keeping with that trend, she should get her hand raised this weekend, but that’s not how things work.

Even so, Reed is hopeful that she has made the necessary adjustments to find consistency in the Octagon and stop the roller coaster of results.

“To put it frankly, it sucks,” she said. “It’s not what fighters want to do. It’s not something that you expect, but in all those losses, I’ve learned a lot. Every loss has been a huge lesson, and as much as it’s been back and forth in the UFC, I think this fight I’m coming out with a lot of experience because of those. I’m excited to go on from here and put a streak together.”

A lot will be on the line the next time we see Khamzat Chimaev step in the Octagon.

Chimaev is 6-0 in the UFC, with stunning wins over Gerald Meerschaert, Li Jingliang, and Kevin Holland. His win over Gilbert Burns might be most impressive, though, as the two welterweights turned in a Fight of the Year contender in 2022.

Chimaev’s next fight could be at welterweight or middleweight, and that’s one of the things that is most interesting and terrifying about “Borz,” as he brings so much mystery and skill to the table that fight fans are on the edge of their seats when he competes.

27 – Belal Muhammad

This season of The Ultimate Fighter could be the biggest in the show’s history, as former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor and No. 5-ranked lightweight contender Michael Chandler go head-to-head as coaches. 

AIR NATIONAL GUARD / TUF 31 BRANDED INTEGRATIONS AND ENTITLEMENTS 

Under the expanded partnership, Air National Guard will become the first-ever Official Fight Kit Partner of The Ultimate Fighter, entitling Air National Guard to place their branding on the TUF fight kits as worn by the athletes in competition, as well as on fight kit apparel worn by the athletes and their corner coaches. In addition, Air National Guard will have prominent branding in and around the TUF Octagon®, including featured displays on the state-of-the-art outer LED decking and on the UFC Fight Clocks, UFC’s innovative LED time-keeping system. 

The new agreement builds upon the relationship UFC and the Air National Guard originally formed in 2022. 

“We’re looking forward to continuing our partnership with the Air National Guard and highlighting their branding across our most valuable assets, our live events and must-see programming like The Ultimate Fighter,” said Grant Norris-Jones, UFC Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships. “UFC is a long-time supporter of the men and women of the U.S. military and reserve forces, and we’re proud to lend our platforms to help raise awareness for the incredible work they perform and the career opportunities they offer.” 

„We are thrilled to expand our partnership with UFC to bring awareness to the Air National Guard and the share the opportunities we have available to serve our country,” said Maj. Gen. Konata Crumbly, Air National Guard advisor to the Air Force Recruiting Service commander. “We share a mutual respect and commitment to excellence, and this partnership allows us to reach a broader audience and showcase the skills and abilities of our ANG Airmen.“ 

ADDITIONAL BRANDED INTEGRATIONS AND ENTITLEMENTS 

In addition to its significant branded exposure on TUF 31, Air National Guard will receive enhanced broadcast features and commercial inventory within all UFC Pay-Per-Views, including the Presenting Sponsorship of one Keys to Victory segment during the main card of each Pay Per View. Air National Guard will also receive prominent placement on the canvass of UFC’s world-famous Octagon during all U.S.-based Pay Per Views and Fight Nights. Air National Guard will also activate during International Fight Week in July, the annual celebration of all things UFC, with a special presentation at UFC X, the popular Fan Expo. 

UFC and Air National Guard will also collaborate on a variety of custom and original content that will be distributed across UFC’s popular social media channels and digital platforms, showcasing UFC athletes participating in official visits to U.S. Air Force bases and interacting with members of the Air National Guard. 

In addition, the agreement provides for an annual Brand Ambassador fund that will offer significant paid marketing opportunities to participating UFC athletes. 

Episodes of TUF 31 will be available to stream on demand on ESPN+ every Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET, following the conclusion of their ESPN network debut at 10 p.m. ET.