2014After being removed from the UFC banner by Dana White, veteran fighter Chris Weidman has signed with GFL. In his latest statement, he addressed the elephant in the room. What did he say? That’s what we will find out in this episode of MMA News Roundup. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

From the Chris Weidman news, we will move on forward to Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov’s drug tests before UFC Saudi Arabia and finally, we will end our montage with a piece of information about Dustin Poirier’s comeback news.

Chris Weidman releases first statement after UFC exit and GFL draft

After being released from the UFC due to his defeat against Eryk Anders at UFC 310, Chris Weidman decided that it was time to conclude his career. The former middleweight champion even announced his retirement, however, he was soon drafted to represent Team New York’s second pick in the GFL. The fans were shocked by such a decision and it appears that Weidman has a proper reason for it.

While having a conversation with the media, the former UFC champ asserted, “The elephant in the room is I just retired from the UFC. A lot of people thought I was done fighting. I didn’t know. I thought maybe I am done fighting. I was kind of open to other opportunities outside of the UFC, but it had to be good. This is a league where there’s a lot of guys that I have a history with. You’ve got Luke Rockhold, you’ve got Gegard Mousasi, you’ve got Uriah Hall.”

Chris Weidman has been having a rough time adjusting to the new age of MMA fighters. In his last 11 fights, the former champ has won only three times. However, he is still looking to fight on the global stage. And he’s not the only middleweight we have on our list today.

Agency releases Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov’s total drug tests report

Israel Adesanya is all set to return to the Octagon for his clash against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia in a few days. The Nigerian-born fighter will be competing in a non-title bout for the first time in nearly six years on February 1. ‘Stylebender’ is riding a two-fight losing streak as his last battle against Dricus Du Plessis ended in a fourth-round submission defeat.

Regardless, as the former two-time middleweight champion is looking for a comeback, Jed I. Goodman has come forward to reveal the number of drug tests both of the fighters underwent since their UFC debut. According to Goodman, Adesanya has been tested a total of 68 times during his UFC career compared to a total of 26 by Nassourdine Imavov.

Both fighters were tested six times last year but have not been tested at all this year. Well, ahead of their fight, both the fighters have been cleared by the DFSI. And that brings us to the final chapter of the day.

Dustin Poirier reveals he has something for  his fans

Dustin Poirier failed to secure the UFC championship title back in June last year, marking his third unsuccessful attempt at the title. After the defeat, ‘Diamond’ briefly hinted at a retirement from the sport, however, he emphasized that he still has at least one more fight left before officially concluding what is expected to be a Hall of Fame career.

Since then, there have been rumors about his clash, but no concrete evidence has been provided by any of the stakeholders. Now, the former interim lightweight champion has come forward to give an update on his comeback. “I’m not fighting in Miami that’s fake news but trust me I have something cooking you’ll know soon,” wrote Dustin Poirier on his X handle.

Who his opponent will be and what Dana White has planned for him is unknown as of now but one thing is certain – Poirier will be fighting soon. Regardless, what’s your take on the hubbub? State your thoughts in the comments below.