Can soccer stars find success in the MMA world? That question has been on fans’ minds ever since former Manchester United legend Patrice Evra announced his MMA debut under the PFL banner. But here’s where it gets even juicier—UFC veteran Alexander Gustafsson has stepped in to make a bold case for none other than Zlatan Ibrahimović. Want to hear what the Swede, known as ‘The Mauler’, had to say about the football icon stepping into the cage? Stick around—this is your latest dose of MMA Roundup!

From the Ibrahimović news, we will move on to Ilia Topuria, who has a bombshell announcement to make for his MMA return. Finally, we will conclude our segment with a piece of information about Belal Muhammad. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.

Alexander Gustafsson makes a case for Zlatan Ibrahimović in MMA

Former light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson is eager to make his return to the fight world, eyeing a comeback through GFL. But before that, he has an intriguing thought. In a conversation with Fight Book MMA, the Swedish fighter shared his belief that soccer legend Zlatan Ibrahimović could thrive in the MMA Octagon, much like he dominates the soccer field.

Drawing a comparison to former Manchester United player Patrice Evra, who is making his transition to MMA, Gustafsson confidently stated that Zlatan could follow in those footsteps and excel in the cage just as he has on the pitch.

“Zlatan Ibrahimovic would be an amazing MMA fighter—I’d love to see him fight Cristiano Ronaldo. Patrice Evra has gone into MMA and I think Zlatan Ibrahimovic would be an amazing fighter. I already know he’s an incredible fighter. He has good kicks, long range arms and legs. I think he would be great if he gave MMA a chance.”, the former UFC light heavyweight said.

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He further added, “Could he be a champion? Who knows. Imagine Zlatan vs Cristiano Ronaldo. It would be a great fight to watch and these days it seems like anything is possible, you never know who is going to fight who.” For the unversed, Patrice Evra, who was the former Manchester United and the French national team’s defender, is expected to make in MMA debut on May 23 at the upcoming PFL Europe fight card in Paris, France. From the Soccer-MMA crossover news, we will move forward to Ilia Topuria.

Ilia Topuria confirms his return to the MMA world

After Ilia Topuria made the bid to compete in the lightweight division, Islam Makhachev has grown wary of him. Team Khabib outright denied him a title shot, stating that he must first prove his mettle inside the Octagon against a top lightweight contender before earning a chance at the belt. Topuria’s response? He directly called out Khabib Nurmagomedov, claiming they all know he can dethrone Islam Makhachev.

Islam Makhachev is in no mood to entertain Ilia Topuria for an immediate title shot, so does that mean that their clash will have to wait? Enter Dana White, who might be playing a very deadly game in the background to secure International Fight Week by booking a fight between Topuria and Makhachev. Speaking in a video shared by Chisanga Malata via Telemadrid, the former featherweight champion officially confirmed that he would return to the Octagon, “On June 28, something big is coming—something that will mark a before and after in the history of Spanish sport.”

Ilia Topuria has only one demand for Dana White—a shot at the lightweight title. Does this confirmation mean we’ll witness a clash between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria? Time will tell. For now, let’s shift our focus to Belal Muhammad.

Jack Della Maddalena’s team reveals their game plan for Belal Muhammad

Within a week, Belal Muhammad will be embracing the Octagon to defend his title at UFC 315 against Australian contender Jack Della Maddalena at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. The welterweight division’s future is at stake as a victory for Della Maddalena would for sure alter the timeline by pulling Islam Makhachev into the equation. The Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena fight will be a classic battle between a grappler and a striker. So, how is Team Della Maddalena planning to take down Muhammad?

While having a conversation with the media, Della Maddalena’s coach Ben Vickers laid down their plan to defeat Belal Muhammad, “Is to render people unconscious. That is the objective of the fight, and that is what we want to do as a team. ‘Beautiful violence’ as a mantra. Like, we want to be technical — and that’s what fighting is. It’s not—it shouldn’t be—a sport where you’re just there trying to take your opponent out. That’s why it frustrates me when these guys are happy they get to the end, whether they win or lose.”

Jack Della Maddalena is known for his striking, and it appears that the Australian is looking to knock out his opponent, but will he be able to do it? Well, we will have to wait for that. Regardless, what are your thoughts about the fight? State your opinion in the comments below.