THE UFC celebrates yet another historic milestone this weekend.
Mixed martial arts’ premier promotion – which celebrated its 30th anniversary at Madison Square Garden last November – hosts its 300th pay-per-view card in Las Vegas early on Sunday morning.
The UFC hosts its 300th pay-per-view event in Las Vegas this weekend
GETTYThe historic card takes place at the T-Mobile Arena[/caption]
GETTYAlex Pereira tops the bill in his first defence of the light-heavyweight title[/caption]
Topping the bill of the stacked UFC 300 card is an eagerly-anticipated light-heavyweight title fight between champion Alex Pereira and former titleholder Jamahal Hill.
Fight fans, casual and hardcore alike, are currently reminiscing about the stacked UFC 100 and UFC 200 cards ahead of this weekend’s action.
So SunSport thought it’d only be right to find out where the big-name stars of each event’s main cards are now.
UFC 100
Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir
The UFC’s Centenary event was headlined by a massive heavyweight grudge match between former champions Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir.
Lesnar won their eagerly-anticipated rematch via brutal second-round TKO, trapping Mir against the fence and hammering his face into oblivion.
Lesnar retired from MMA in 2017 after being popped for performance-enhancing drugs in the summer of 2016 and is now back plying his trade in the WWE.
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UFC 300 – Alex Pereira vs Jamahal Hill: How to watch landmark Las Vegas event
Mir, meanwhile, is still an active mixed martial artist – despite not having fought in nearly five years.
The 44-year-old is currently on the United Fighter League’s roster and plans to have two more fights before hanging up his gloves.
GettyBosk Lesnar’s eagerly-anticipated rematch with Frank Mir headlined UFC 100[/caption]
GettyLesna retired from MMA in 2017 and is now back plying his trade in the WWE[/caption]
Georges St-Pierre vs Thiago Alves
UFC 100’s co-main event saw MMA icon Georges St-Pierre retain his welterweight title with a shutout of the dangerous Thiago Alves.
St-Pierre retired from MMA in February 2019, a little less than two years after becoming a two-weight world champion at UFC 217.
The Canadian is currently enjoying the fruits of his labour and hasn’t picked up a full-time gig since hanging up his gloves.
Alves, on the other hand, is still an active fighter – competing in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships.
UFCGeorges St-Pierre defeated a surging Thiago Alves in the co-main event of UFC 100[/caption]
GettyThe Canadian is now enjoying the retired life having managed his finances well[/caption]
Michael Bisping vs Dan Henderson
Britain’s first UFC champion Michael Bisping suffered a brutal knockout loss to rival Dan Henderson on the historic card.
Bisping retired from MMA in May 2018 over fears he’d lose his sight in his good eye.
‘The Count’ has one of the more successful post-octagon careers, serving as a commentator for the UFC and running a successful YouTube channel.
Former Pride middleweight king Henderson, meanwhile, runs a successful gym in California.
GettyBrit Michael Bisping was brutally knocked out by Dan Hendeson at UFC 100[/caption]
Getty‘The Count’ eventually became middleweight champ and has since become a commentator after retiring[/caption]
Jon Fitch vs Paulo Thiago
Former welterweight title challenger Jon Fitch got the better of Brazilian special forces officer Paulo Thaigo via unanimous decision.
He would fight seven more times in the octagon before eventually calling time on his career in September 2020.
Fitch, along with several other fighters, was at the forefront of a class action lawsuit against the UFC – in which they alleged the promotion used “anti-competitive practices” to hinder their careers.
The fighters accusing the promotion of monopolising the sport reached a $335million (£265m) settlement with their former employers last month
Thiago, 45, is back in his native Brazil training military and counter-terrorist police officers in Rio de Janeiro.
Paulo Thiago suffered a decision defeat to grizled veteran Jon Fitch on the main card
Instagram @paulothiagocaveiraThiago is now training counter insurgent police in his native Brazil[/caption]
Yoshiro Akiyama vs Alan Belcher
The opening fight of the main card was won by South Korean and Japanese star Yoshiro Akiyama, who scored a decision win over UFC veteran Alan Belcher.
Akiyama is still an active mixed martial artist in ONE Championship, where he recently fought kickboxing sensation Nieky Holzken in a special rules match.
But the 48-year-old also recently starred in the hit Netflix show ‘The Physical 100’, in which one hundred of the fittest men and women in South Korea competed for a cash prize.
Yoshiro Akiyama got the better of Alan Belcher on the UFC 100 main card
He recently appeared on hit Netflix show ‘The Physical 100’
UFC 200
Amanda Nunes vs Miesha Tate
Tate’s reign as women’s bantamweight queen came to a brutal end at the hand of Nunes, who stopped her in a mere three minutes and 16 seconds.
Former two-division champion Nunes is currently enjoying the fruits of her labour having retired from the sport last August.
Tate, 37, retired in 2016 but returned to the cage nearly five years later.
‘Cupcake’ was linked with a return to action at UFC 300 against long-time rival Ronda Rousey.
But the prospect of a trilogy fight between the pair was emphatically shot down by Dana White.
APAmanda Nunes battered Miesha Tate to claim the women’s bantamweight title[/caption]
Getty‘The Lioness’ announced her retirement from MMA last August[/caption]
Brock Lesnar vs Mark Hunt
Fan-favourite Hunt suffered a decision defeat to Lesnar, although the result of the fight was overturned to a No Contest after it emerged that the WWE star had failed a drug test.
Hunt, 50, who would fight five more times before leaving the promotion, sensationally claimed he knew Lesnar was on PEDS for their fight.
‘The Super Samoan’ was last in action in a boxing match in November 2022, in which he knocked out former All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams.
Beloved heavyweight Mark Hunt suffered a decision defeat to Brock Lesnar at UFC 200
GettyHunt hasn’t fought in several years but recently knocked out former All Black Sony Bill Williams in a boxing match[/caption]
Daniel Cormier vs Anderson Silva
Then-light-heavyweight champion Cormier was forced to face fan-favourite Silva on a few days’ notice following rival Jon Jones‘ positive drugs test.
DC survived a late scare – which came in the form of a brutal body kick – to win the non-title fight via decision.
Beloved former double champ Cormier is now enjoying retirement having hung up his gloves shortly after losing his trilogy fight with Stipe Miocic in August 2020.
But he’s a regular on the screens of UFC fans as he’s bagged himself a commentary gig with the promotion. DC calls all the pay-per-view cards as well as big Fight Night events.
Former dominant middleweight champion Silva, meanwhile, is still an active fighter – albeit in boxing.
‘The Spider’ has had three forays into the squared circle since leaving the UFC in November 2020, successfully beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Tito Ortiz.
But he suffered a decision defeat to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul last summer. It’s unclear if he wants to continue boxing.
Anderson Silva and Daniel Cormier went to war at UFC 200
DC is now one of the UFC’s main commentators along with Joe Rogan and Jon AnikGETTY
Jose Aldo vs Frankie Edgar
Former long-reigning featherweight champ Jose Aldo was enjoying retirement before the UFC brass called him up for a shock showdown with Jonathan Martinez in his home town next month.
The King of Rio dipped his toes into the boxing world twice during his retirement from MMA, which was announced in September 2022.
Retirement is something currently being enjoyed by former fan-favourite and lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, who spends his days hosting a successful podcast with former Jersey Shore star Roger Matthews.
GETTYFormer lightweight champ Frankie Edgar suffered a decision defeat to Jose Aldo[/caption]
INSTAGRAM@FRANKIEEDGAREdgar is enjoying retirement and hosts a podcast with former Jersey Shore star Roger Matthews[/caption]
Cain Velasquez vs Travis Browne
Former heavyweight king Cain Velasquez beat the brakes off Travis Browne, whom he stopped in the closing moments of the first round.
Velasquez retired in 2019, the same year in which he made his debut in the WWE.
The 41-year-old is currently in legal hot water as he’s facing an attempted murder charge for allegedly shooting at a man and hitting an unintended victim during a car chase.
A date for the trial for the alleged 2022 incident has yet to be set.
Browne, meanwhile, has stayed out of the limelight since his retirement from the sport and is now spending his days running a meat farm with his wife Ronda Rousey.
Cain Velasquez brutalised Travis Browe at UFC 200
The former heavyweight champ is currently in a fight for his freedom”}]]