MMA News

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Eddie Alvarez Says Everything Tells Him Conor McGregor Can’t Beat Max Holloway — Except One Thing

    Eddie Alvarez says everything he believes about ring rust tells him Conor McGregor has no business beating Max Holloway at UFC 329, but left the door open based on one quality McGregor possesses that most fighters do not.

    Alvarez spoke to MMA Junkie ahead of the July 11 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where McGregor returns from a five-year absence. Alvarez compared stepping away from MMA to dropping out of a movie role mid-production.

    “I don’t like people taking off this sport. I think it’s dangerous when you put this sport down. It’s not something you can put down and pick up. It’s too dangerous, and when you’re fighting, I often compare it to someone who is getting ready for a movie role. You have to become the character. And once you’re in character then you go put on a good performance. But it takes a while to become that ruthless dog that you need to be in order to go in there and fight viciously the way we do. And you can’t just put it down and pick it up whenever you want. It takes a while to get into it.”

    Alvarez framed the inactivity gap as the central concern heading into the fight.

    “That comeback needs to be built in with a large amount of training, warm-up fights and things like that in order to build into a massive fight, especially coming back with a guy like Max Holloway. Max has been active. Max is younger. Max has been a lot more active and in the game and didn’t put the game down. You’re going against a guy that has been well fed, and he put the game down. He said, ‘I don’t want to do it right now anymore,’ and now he’s coming back. There’s a lot of guessing about Conor and the Conor we’re going to get to see. We’ll see.”

    Alvarez lost to McGregor by second-round TKO at UFC 205 in November 2016, the last meaningful win of McGregor’s MMA career and the fight that made him a two-division champion. Despite his concerns about the layoff, Alvarez said McGregor has one intangible that could change the equation entirely.

    “Conor has an obsessiveness about him that he can make up for years of not training in a short period of time that other guys don’t have. If anybody is able to come do this, it’ll be him. But it definitely to me would be one of the best comeback stories we’ve ever seen in the sport.”

    Holloway has competed eight times since McGregor last fought, all in main events or title fights.

  • Georges St-Pierre Reveals What Conor McGregor Must Do In Training Camp To Prepare For Max Holloway

    Georges St-Pierre says it would “break his heart” to see Conor McGregor return at UFC 329 and not be the fighter he once was, while stressing the importance of McGregor putting himself in uncomfortable situations during training camp.

    McGregor faces Max Holloway on July 11 in Las Vegas after more than five years away from MMA. St-Pierre, who ended his own four-year layoff to submit Michael Bisping for the middleweight title in 2017, told MMA Junkie what he believes is essential for a successful return.

    “You need to make sure when you prepare yourself that you recreate that environment and that level of discomfort that you will face. If you stay in your comfort zone during your training camp, it’s not good. You need to make sure you bring guys that make you uncomfortable. I’m not only talking about skills and sparring. Sometimes it’s good to bring guys that you’ve never trained with, and you have the butterflies, and you don’t know how they move. ‘They’re dirty, and they’re going to try to hurt me.’ It’s important.”

    St-Pierre said he was not surprised McGregor chose a fight of this difficulty for his comeback.

    “He comes back for big things, and he doesn’t come back for small things. It’s appropriate. Of course, if I was in Conor’s camp I would say, ‘Strap in because it’s a hell of a fight.’ But he can do it. It’s going to be interesting.”

    Holloway has competed eight times since McGregor last fought, all in main events or title fights.

  • Brendan Allen Shares Opinion On Khamzat Chimaev Rematch Debate That Makes A Lot Of Sense

    Brendan Allen Shares Opinion On Khamzat Chimaev Rematch Debate That Makes A Lot Of Sense

    Brendan Allen says the UFC middleweight division is in an uncertain position following Sean Strickland’s upset title win over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, with the rematch vs. contender question still unresolved.

    Allen, who trained alongside Chimaev during part of his camp, believes Chimaev deserves a rematch but acknowledged Nassourdine Imavov has also earned his shot. Speaking to MMA Junkie Radio ahead of his own fight against Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC Fight Night 278 on June 6, Allen laid out how he sees it.

    “I think we’re in a crazy position and everyone’s just waiting for the bosses to say what avenue they’re going to go. I’m kind of caught. I think Khamzat deserves a rematch. It was a super close fight based on statistics. I had him winning, but I could also be biased. It was obviously still a close fight because it was a split decision. I would say he should get a rematch, but I also think Nassourdine has earned No. 1 contender. It’s a super tough spot. If it was me, and it’s way above my pay grade, but I think you give Khamzat the rematch, depending on timeline. I think Khamzat is already ready. It’s just up to Sean at this point. Then you make Nassourdine me vs. if I win.”

    Allen made clear that none of it matters unless he handles his own business first.

    “I think I can get him out of there. He’s a good fighter. He’s a young, talented guy and I’ve just got to go in there and do what I need to do and get him out of there. He’s getting a crack at the top five. He’s not even in the top 15, and he’s getting a crack at the top five. That’s super motivating. I never personally had that, but I know it’s got to be super motivating. So I know he’s coming to kill. I’m ready for that. I think I’m the best in the world and I need to go prove it.”

  • Gina Carano’s Coach Has Surprising Take On What Comes Next After Ronda Rousey Loss

    Gina Carano’s Coach Has Surprising Take On What Comes Next After Ronda Rousey Loss

    Gina Carano’s coach, John Wood, believes his fighter’s competitive fire has not been satisfied by her 17-second loss to Ronda Rousey at MVP MMA 1, and says he leans toward her returning to the cage.

    Carano returned to MMA competition for the first time since 2009 on Saturday and was submitted by Rousey’s armbar in the opening seconds of the main event at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Wood told Home of Fight that the quick ending may have left Carano wanting more.

    “I do not believe that that itch has been scratched yet for Gina, but we’ll see. There’s a lot of things already coming at her. I could tell you, behind the scenes, there’s a lot of activity already, so ultimately the decision is hers. It was never a need for money. This was a personal thing for her to come back and do this. Truthfully for me, she found the love of fighting again. And as a coach, I see somebody in the room who, she can still fight. And there’s a lot of people that she can still beat, I guarantee you. I think with the right matchups and the right, fair matchups, that we can have some fun out there. So we’ll see what she decides to do.”

    Wood expressed his hope to see Carano fight again and explained why a second camp would be entirely different.

    “I personally would like to see her do it again. I personally would like to see her take the work that we did and actually have another camp that would be focused on just fighting because all the hard work, the bullsh*t, the weight cut has been done. I would love to see her have another camp and do a fun fight. Do I think she’s going to do it? I would lean more to yes than no.”

    Carano lost 100 pounds to make the fight happen and came in at 141.4 pounds at the official weigh-in before rehydrating to 152 on fight night.

  • Ben Askren Identified Problem Holding Francis Ngannou Back And It Has Nothing To Do With His Fighting

    Ben Askren Identified Problem Holding Francis Ngannou Back And It Has Nothing To Do With His Fighting

    Ben Askren says Francis Ngannou’s biggest problem since leaving the UFC is the same one Askren faced when he left Bellator for ONE Championship — a lack of credible dance partners.

    Ngannou returned to MMA last Saturday with a first-round knockout of Philipe Lins at MVP MMA 1 on Netflix. Speaking on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel, Askren drew a parallel to his own career.

    “Actually, you know, that was one of my big issues is when Dana wouldn’t sign me in 2013, and then I went to ONE Championship. So, I was thinking of this of Francis, and this has been Francis’ problem ever since he left the UFC. Maybe it’s been like three or four years now? It feels like a little while, but you need dance partners. And when I left Bellator and went to ONE Championship, I just didn’t have anyone who could really fight with me. So it was hard to build it, you know? And Francis is in the exact same situation where he’s got no one that can really fight with him, and you need that to build a star.”

    Ngannou parted ways with the UFC as heavyweight champion. Potential opponents of the caliber of Tom Aspinall, Alex Pereira, and Jon Jones are unavailable to him given their UFC contracts and the promotion’s strained relationship with Ngannou.

  • Alex Pereira Has Very Simple Response To People Questioning Three-Division Title Pursuit

    Alex Pereira Has Very Simple Response To People Questioning Three-Division Title Pursuit

    Alex Pereira says he has felt no physical drop-off since moving up to heavyweight and is not concerned with whether a win over Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 would be considered a true three-division championship.

    Pereira faces Gane for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship on June 14 at the White House. A win would make him the first fighter in UFC history to claim a version of the title in three separate weight classes, having previously held the middleweight and light heavyweight titles.

    Speaking to MMA Junkie through an interpreter, Pereira said the move up has gone smoothly.

    “In terms of going for heavyweight, it’s nice because no restrictions. I’ve been eating clean and eating good. It’s been fun. In terms of performance, I feel the exact same. Obviously it’s not possible to bulk up to a much higher weight class, bigger, and not lose maybe a little bit of speed. We’ll see in the fight. But I feel the exact same. I just added, but didn’t lose anything.”

    On the debate over whether an interim title counts toward the historic achievement, Pereira was dismissive.

    “If it’s lineal, if it’s interim — for me, it doesn’t matter. Obviously I’ve heard people talking about that, that it’s not the lineal belt and this and that. What is the point of me trying to defend myself? I just want to keep fighting and making my money and let people talk, and whatever they decide for me is good.”

  • Dustin Poirier Has Very Specific Game Plan For How Justin Gaethje Can Upset Ilia Topuria

    Dustin Poirier says Justin Gaethje’s best chance against Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 is to force chaos rather than trying to match the champion’s technical precision.

    Gaethje holds the interim UFC Lightweight Championship and faces Topuria in a unification bout on June 14 at the White House. Poirier, who has fought both men, told UFC on Paramount+ that the stylistic matchup favors Topuria if the fight stays clean.

    “It’s not that I’m rooting against him or anything, I just think it’s a tough stylistic matchup for him. If he’s loose with the big punches he throws, Ilia is so tight, combinations are short and clean. Gaethje just has to clean it up a little bit and like I said in the past, Gaethje has said this leading up to fights, ‘I have to be perfect.’ This fight he has to be perfect because Topuria is so dangerous.”

    Poirier identified Gaethje’s leg kicks as a key weapon but warned they need to be set up properly.

    “He tore my legs up. He tore Chandler’s. He’s done it to a lot of people. Everything he throws is 100 percent. He can knock him out if he can get Ilia to brawl. But he has to set up those leg kicks. He can’t throw them dry, like empty leg kicks like that. He has to throw punches and finish combinations with leg kicks. Ilia’s too sharp to just throw single legs. He’s going to get counterpunched.”

    Poirier concluded that Gaethje needs disorder to land his shot.

    “There’s not enough time technically for him to sharpen up and outbox, outpoint Ilia on the feet. He needs it to be chaos, he needs it to be a brawl, and he needs to land that shot. I don’t know if he wins, but that’s his best chance.”

  • Michael Bisping Noticed Something About The MVP MMA 1 Crowd That Is Not A Good Look For The Event

    Michael Bisping Noticed Something About The MVP MMA 1 Crowd That Is Not A Good Look For The Event

    Michael Bisping says the atmosphere at the UFC’s small Apex facility felt more electric than the Intuit Dome during MVP MMA 1 on Saturday night, despite the Netflix card featuring far bigger names.

    Speaking on his Believe You Me podcast, Bisping described switching between the two broadcasts.

    “I was bouncing back and forth, now, I don’t know, maybe I’m biased. The UFC was at the Apex. It sounded louder than the Intuit Dome. There definitely seemed like there was more vibe coming from the small Apex. Maybe it was because it was the prelims. It didn’t seem like there were many people there.”

    MVP MMA 1 drew an attendance of 15,795 at Intuit Dome and peaked at 17 million global viewers on Netflix. UFC Fight Night 276, headlined by Arnold Allen’s unanimous decision win over Melquizael Costa, took place at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

  • Ronda Rousey Reflects on MMA Retirement in Instagram Post

    Ronda Rousey Reflects on MMA Retirement in Instagram Post

    Ronda Rousey has confirmed her retirement from MMA is permanent, releasing a lengthy Instagram statement after submitting Gina Carano in 17 seconds at MVP MMA 1 on Netflix that detailed why she came back, what the camp meant to her, and why she is now ready to walk away for good.

    Rousey opened by admitting the weight of the moment had delayed her writing.

    “I’ve been putting off this post-fight post because I think I’ve been procrastinating admitting that it’s really over.”

    She explained that Carano herself was the reason she returned, tying the comeback directly to watching her opponent go through a difficult period in her own life.

    “This fight, the year and a half of training that went into it, and even the promotion was more fulfilling than I ever could have imagined. At nine months pregnant, when I saw Gina experiencing a low similar to what I endured — I KNEW she had it in her to pull herself out of it. And just like when I saw her fight for the first time I thought, ‘Well, if she can do it, I can, too.’ Pro wrestling helped me move on from my past in MMA, but Gina is the one who gave me a reason to confront it.”

    Rousey said the fight meant more than just a result.

    “The story we could tell together was one I desperately needed to believe. That you’re never too low to rise again, that your body is never too far gone to reclaim, and that it’s never too late to be better than you’ve ever been.”

    She revealed a behind-the-scenes moment where she and Carano worked out contract issues themselves.

    “When there were a few hiccups at the finish line getting her contract done I just said, ‘F*ck it, let’s meet up’ and we hammered out all the issues together over a bottle of wine — well, actually, she had martinis, I smoked a blunt and had the wine — and got the deal done ourselves.”

    Rousey also made clear she has no apologies for how she views her own legacy.

    “I am before anything else a martial artist. I’m better at MMA than I ever was at anything else — and f*ck who this may offend, but I am the best to have ever done it and nothing can compare to the experience of creating within my craft.”

    She described the camp itself as a healing process.

    “The joy of being in this camp and falling back into my skill again and seeing the shock on the faces of my coaches and training partners watching me create sh*t no one’s ever seen on the spot, watching me tap out some of the best in the world up to five times a round during sparring — it healed my soul.”

    Rousey closed the statement with gratitude for Carano and finality about what comes next.

    “The fight is over, it’s bittersweet because for the first time the experience of preparing for the fight eclipsed the joy any victory could have brought. But I’m finally ready to move on, this time with my head held high. Thank you, Gina.”

    Rousey vs. Carano reportedly peaked at 17 million global viewers, with the final three fights on the card averaging 12.4 million. She finishes her MMA career at 13-2.

  • Jorge Masvidal Did Not Hold Back When Asked About Conor McGregor’s Chances At UFC 329

    Jorge Masvidal says Max Holloway will “smoke Conor McGregor like a brisket” when the two meet at UFC 329 on July 11, pointing to the contrasting lifestyles of the two fighters as the deciding factor.

    McGregor returns from a five-year layoff at UFC 329 in Las Vegas during International Fight Week. Masvidal, speaking alongside Dustin Poirier on the Deep Waters podcast, was not interested in giving McGregor any chance.

    “I think Max smokes him like a brisket.”

    Masvidal elaborated on why he believes McGregor’s time away from discipline will cost him.

    “I think Conor lives a certain lifestyle we’ve all seen. You can kind of tell it’s not for show, and it’s really his lifestyle. Max lives a completely different lifestyle. I’ve never seen Max at the club drunk. You never see him in the headlines for anything bad. That guy lives a different life where he is in the gym, family, gym family. I think that’s gonna pay the biggest dividends. You can be away from the sport for five years and come back like nothing happened if you live that life.”

    McGregor last fought at UFC 264 in July 2021, suffering a broken leg in the first round against Poirier. Holloway is coming off a stretch in which he became a multiple-time featherweight champion and recently moved up to lightweight.

  • Daniel Cormier Has A Take On The Ronda Rousey Win That Hunter Campbell Is Going To Love

    Daniel Cormier says Ronda Rousey’s 17-second submission of Gina Carano at MVP MMA 1 actually vindicated UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell, who had been publicly criticized for blocking the fight from happening in the UFC.

    Cormier addressed the result on his YouTube channel, pushing back on the narrative that Campbell made the wrong call.

    “If I’m Hunter Campbell, who has been getting beat up in the media because he didn’t want to make this fight, I don’t know that last night did anything to say that he made the wrong decision because of the way that it ended, and that’s just me being 1,000 percent truthful. Had you had a great fight, maybe people may have questioned Hunter’s decision. But again, Hunter has made good decisions time and time again, and I believe that last night showed that he made another one by not paying a boat load of money to make that event.”

    Rousey had publicly blamed Campbell for preventing the fight from taking place in the UFC, claiming Dana White was interested in making it happen. The fight ultimately landed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions on Netflix, where Rousey submitted Carano at 17 seconds of the first round.

  • Dana White Has A New Problem With UFC Freedom 250 That Nobody Saw Coming

    Dana White Has A New Problem With UFC Freedom 250 That Nobody Saw Coming

    Dana White says an unexpected bug problem at the White House could create real issues for fighters competing at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, and he is already working on solutions.

    White visited the White House recently when President Trump invited him to dinner at the newly opened Rose Garden, and the gnat situation he encountered immediately triggered concern about the outdoor event.

    Speaking to Boardroom, White described what he saw.

    “Another problem that I always think about, especially on the East coast: bugs. So President Trump just opened The Rose Garden two nights ago. He invited me to dinner there. The amount of gnats that are flying around, I’m like, ‘Holy sh*t.’ As soon as I got on the plane, I got on the phone with my head of production and said, ‘Yeah, let me tell you about the gnat situation tonight.’ When you’re a fighter, think about that lighting grid and the claw we’re going to have and the amount of power in the lights. Moths, gnats, and God knows what else, fighters trying to deal with that.”

    White reached out to UFC executive producer Craig Borsari immediately and has already begun brainstorming possible fixes.

    “In your mouth, in your nose while you’re trying to fight. I was telling Craig, my head of production, I’m like, ‘Maybe we put fans in, because gnats have a bad time in the wind.’ I don’t know. These are all the little details we have to think about. That’s why I don’t like fighting outside ever.”

    UFC Freedom 250 takes place on the South Lawn of the White House with approximately 4,000 attendees expected. The card is headlined by Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout.

  • Herb Dean Has Very Specific Explanation For Most Controversial Moment At MVP MMA 1

    Herb Dean Has Very Specific Explanation For Most Controversial Moment At MVP MMA 1

    Herb Dean says he is certain he made the right call in stopping the Adriano Moraes vs. Phumi Nkuta bout at MVP MMA 1, despite the controversy surrounding the finish.

    Moraes sank in a rear-naked choke in the final seconds of Round 3, with Nkuta going unconscious just before the bell rang. Moraes was awarded the win at 4:59 of the third round, but the timing of the stoppage immediately drew debate. Dean addressed the decision on The Ariel Helwani Show.

    “I’m certain that the right decision was made. Definitely sure that he went unconscious before the bell — like, a fraction of a second before the bell — and then I went and stopped the fight. He held on for a fraction of a second past the bell. I don’t think it was egregious enough for me to disqualify him.”

    Dean also addressed why Moraes may have continued holding the choke past the bell.

    “Each fight is the most important fight of your career, and you have seconds to lock something in. Who knows where his mind was at? He’s fighting for everything, for his whole career, and giving it everything he’s got. Sometimes it takes a second for someone to realize it’s over.”

    Nkuta’s manager has filed a formal appeal of the result with the California State Athletic Commission. The outcome of that appeal remains uncertain.

  • Stitch Duran Breaks Down Every Reason He Stopped The Nate Diaz Fight And The List Is Longer Than You Think

    Nate Diaz’s cutman, Jacob “Stitch” Duran, says he has no regrets about stopping the Diaz vs. Mike Perry fight between rounds, revealing Diaz suffered 15 staples and 20 stitches combined and had broken a finger during the bout.

    Duran spoke to MMA Junkie Radio on Monday, explaining the sequence of events that led to his decision to call off the fight before the third round at MVP MMA 1.

    “He ended up with 15 staples, 20 stitches all together. He was beat up. He was too strong for him. I always look at it as a judge, and at that point, he was getting his ass whooped. Mike was just too strong, too aggressive and he was working him. Then, Nate broke his finger right about here. He said, ‘I couldn’t do nothing.’ The cuts were so big here, it kept pulsating. It kept going and then his nose kept bleeding. It was the sign of maybe a broken nose. I told Nate, ‘I’m going to have the doctor stop the fight, man.’ I said, ‘It’s too much blood and you keep bleeding.’ The referee said, ‘Come on, let’s go.’ I said, ‘No, no, no. He’s not going out.’”

    The crowd at Intuit Dome booed the stoppage. Duran said what mattered most was that Diaz himself understood and expressed his gratitude.

    “Nate thanked me. He said, ‘Thanks.’ I said, ‘Of course.’ I was there to take care of him. That was a proper move. The thing about it is he said he couldn’t see. That’s always No. 1. It wasn’t a hard decision to make. He had blood everywhere. My job is to protect the fighter. That’s exactly what I did with Nate. At the end, when we were saying goodbye, he gives me a hug, ‘I love you.’ His dad was there. He thanked me. So of course I did the right thing. No question about it.”

    Duran also revealed he received a message of support from boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera.

    “You know what’s cool? I got a message from Marco Antonio Barrera from Guadalajara. He thanked me. He said great job. I got a lot of compliments from guys within the industry. They understand. My only job is to give that guy one more round and if he can’t go one more round, to take care of him. So I’m glad I was there for Nate.”

  • Jon Jones And Rampage Jackson Appear To Squash Beef In Hilarious Backstage Reunion At MVP MMA 1

    Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson appeared to squash their long-running beef backstage at Saturday’s MVP MMA 1 event, sharing a lighthearted reunion that was captured on video.

    The two former rivals headlined UFC 135 in 2011, with Jones submitting Jackson in the fourth round. The buildup was contentious, with Jackson accusing Jones of planting a spy in his training camp, and the bad blood lingered after the fight when Jackson repeatedly accused Jones of being a lifelong cheater.

    Despite that history, the two ran into each other backstage at the Rousey vs. Carano card at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and the interaction was notably warm. Jones posted a video on Instagram described as him “apologizing” to Jackson in a humorous exchange.

    Jones remains at odds with the UFC following a contract dispute that prevented a fight with Tom Aspinall from happening. He has been publicly critical of UFC CEO Dana White’s decision to exclude him from the UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House on June 14.

    Jackson retired from MMA in 2019 following a loss to Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 237 and has since built a career as host of the JAXXON Podcast.

  • Dustin Poirier Raises Serious Question About Max Holloway Before Conor McGregor Fight

    Dustin Poirier says Conor McGregor will have a puncher’s chance against Max Holloway at UFC 329 and warned that Holloway’s chin may finally be showing signs of wear.

    Poirier, who has fought both men three times each, going 2-1 in both trilogies, spoke about the July 11 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on his Deep Waters podcast.

    “Conor has the power. No matter the injury that’s going to be there still, the timing — other things matter. But the power is going to be here. This is going to be a firefight. Oliveira was able to smother Holloway, which I was surprised by, because Max is hard to hold down. Conor is going to kickbox with him for 25 minutes. He has a puncher’s chance. Max for sure is a volume puncher, but at 155 when I fought him last, he has power behind his shots, and I’ve got to think at 170 he’s got to have even more power, because Max can punch now. He’s not just a volume puncher. He can finish fights.”

    While favoring Holloway overall, Poirier raised a concern about the Hawaiian’s durability heading into the fight.

    “The thing that I keep thinking about is in Max’s last three fights, he’s touched the canvas more times than he’s touched his whole career. Gaethje and Topuria dropped him, I dropped him. That’s his last few fights. If Max’s chin is finally catching up to the style of fighting he does, Conor could put him down.”

    McGregor, who turns 38 three days after UFC 329, last competed at UFC 264 in July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in the first round of his trilogy fight with Poirier.

  • Matt Brown Rips Ronda Rousey’s Netflix Comeback: ‘There Are No Redeeming Qualities’

    Matt Brown Rips Ronda Rousey’s Netflix Comeback: ‘There Are No Redeeming Qualities’

    Matt Brown says Ronda Rousey’s comeback felt hollow from start to finish and that she missed a major opportunity to repair her relationship with combat sports fans.

    Brown, speaking on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast, offered a sweeping critique of Rousey’s approach to the fight, the promotion, and her public persona surrounding the Netflix return.

    “For me personally and I think I speak for a lot of people, there was no redeeming qualities for this card, in terms of making us bigger fans of Ronda. I don’t like how she carried herself. I don’t like how she spoke. I think she’s a narcissist, and I think she’s got a lot of mental issues, and I think she maybe needs to go to therapy or something. If she said she’s coming back for money, I get it. You’re prize fighting. Come back get a bag. There’s no redeeming quality about winning this fight. You fought someone that hasn’t fought in 17 years. What are you proud of? There’s nothing to be proud of there.”

    Brown took particular issue with how Rousey promoted the event, including her public targeting of UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell and her shots at current bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison.

    “I think she’s just kind of a narcissistic person and nothing about this really felt good, in my opinion. The whole thing with this fight card, I don’t think anybody would disagree that this whole fight card from beginning to end was kind of cringe as f*ck. Ronda was just the cringiest person ever with her mean mugging the whole time and looking so angry and all the buildup, all the shit she said leading up to it. Talking so much shit to Hunter Campbell and this kind of vengeful personality that she has and all this anger and frustration. You really just need to go to therapy.”

    Brown said he viewed the comeback as a missed opportunity for genuine redemption.

    “That’s what sucks. This was kind of an opportunity for her to redeem herself for the fans and for the community in general. She certainly did not do that at all. At least I felt that way. To me, it’s not interesting. It’s not interesting, and it’s not fun. She had it written down in her pocket. It’s not exciting. It does not feel authentic.”

    He closed with a direct message about her approach to publicity.

    “We want to love Ronda. This was her opportunity — another of her thousand opportunities — but this was a huge opportunity for her to create a lot of love for her. She could have gotten even more views if she came out all humble and just speaking properly and not making it about Hunter Campbell and the UFC. Not making it about trying to go out on a win. Who the fck is doing her public relations? She’s got the fame and the money, she’s got to have a PR person in her ear saying ‘look, just speak like this.’ Even if you fake it. Just fcking say half-right things. She just can’t do it.”

    Rousey submitted Carano in 17 seconds with an armbar and announced her retirement from fighting again following the win. She has expressed interest in remaining involved with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions in an executive capacity.

  • Dustin Poirier Unloads On Nate Diaz After MVP MMA Loss: ‘He Looked Like Dog S**t’

    Dustin Poirier Unloads On Nate Diaz After MVP MMA Loss: ‘He Looked Like Dog S**t’

    Dustin Poirier says Nate Diaz looked like “dog shit” against Mike Perry at MVP MMA 1 and offered a blunt assessment of where Diaz is at in his career, while reiterating his desire to fight his longtime rival.

    Diaz lost to Perry by corner stoppage after the second round on Saturday’s Netflix card. In his post-fight media, Diaz said he has no interest in fighting anyone who is retired — a shot at Poirier, who retired last year. Poirier responded on his show Deep Waters.

    “We’ve been circling each other for years and years and years. We could have fought. He knows that. I wish he would be honest with the fans and say he pulled out, or didn’t come to terms with the UFC, whatever it was, for the couple of times we were supposed to fight, that it never happened. But dude, after the way he looked on Saturday night, he can’t talk right now. He needs to take a break. He needs to go get some sleep and rest. Not me, you know. He looked like dog shit. He looked horrible. He looked like he didn’t want to be in there, looked like a punching bag, looked off balance, his timing was horrible. I mean, when somebody loses, I don’t like to shit on them too hard, but he knows. He looked horrible.”

    Poirier said his offer to fight Diaz still stands, even if it means coming out of retirement.

    “My invitation is still out there. At 170, I’ll go back in the drug testing protocol, whatever. I will knock Nate Diaz complete out. It’s crazy that he’s bringing me up in a post-fight. Apparently, he wants to fight, or he’s thinking about it. And it’s just like, after a performance like that, it’s like, what am I doing? It’s like I’m picking on somebody if I’m chasing Nate Diaz, the way he’s looking. It’s like I’m picking on the easy fight, easy win. But Nate Diaz, I will knock you clean out if we fight.”

    Despite the harsh words, Poirier made clear his criticism comes from a place of genuine concern.

    “Listen, bro, even though I talk about Nate, and I want to beat his ass, I’m a fan. I’ve been a fan of him and his brother for a long time. But that was the worst I’ve ever seen him. He’s just 41 years old and has a million miles. You can’t keep that fighting style, the way he fights, forever. It’s coming to the end.”

    Poirier would need to be released from his UFC contract to pursue a fight with Diaz outside the promotion.

  • Colby Covington Officially Listed As Retired By UFC

    Colby Covington Officially Listed As Retired By UFC

    Colby Covington has retired from UFC competition, with the promotion quietly changing his status from “active” to “retired” on its official website Monday. The update was first flagged by the algorithm-based X account UFC Roster Tracker.

    Covington, 38, went 12-5 across 17 UFC fights and held the interim welterweight championship, but never captured the undisputed title. He went 0-3 in championship bouts, falling to Kamaru Usman twice and Leon Edwards once. Notable wins during his career included victories over Rafael dos Anjos, Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley, and Jorge Masvidal.

    Covington had been largely inactive in recent years, competing just once since December 2023. He has since transitioned to professional wrestling for RAF and is currently scheduled to face Chris Weidman on May 30 at RAF 9 in Arlington, Texas.

    A polarizing figure known for his outspoken political alignment with President Donald Trump, Covington had voiced frustration with fight offers in recent months and publicly expressed disappointment at being left off the UFC Freedom 250 card on June 14 at the White House.

    Covington has not commented publicly on his retirement.

  • Gina Carano Weighed Heavier Than Ronda Rousey On Fight Night Despite Being Lighter At Weigh-Ins

    Gina Carano Weighed Heavier Than Ronda Rousey On Fight Night Despite Being Lighter At Weigh-Ins

    Gina Carano weighed 10 pounds more on fight night than she did at the official weigh-ins, coming in at 152 pounds after tipping the scale at 141.4 the day before Saturday’s MVP MMA 1 main event.

    Ronda Rousey, by contrast, gained just one pound overnight, going from 142 to 143. The California State Athletic Commission provided the full fight night weights to MMA Junkie, with CSAC executive director Andy Foster supplying the list.

    The size difference proved irrelevant as Rousey submitted Carano with her signature armbar in 17 seconds to win the Netflix headliner at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    The largest rehydration on the card came from Namo Fazil, who went from 170.8 pounds at the weigh-ins to 198 on fight night — a 27-pound swing.

    Full MVP MMA 1 fight night weights:

    • Ronda Rousey: 142 to 143 pounds
    • Gina Carano: 141.4 to 152 pounds
    • Nate Diaz: 168.6 to 184.6 pounds
    • Mike Perry: 169.6 to 181.4 pounds
    • Francis Ngannou: 257 to 258.6 pounds
    • Philipe Lins: 220.6 to 221 pounds
    • Salahdine Parnasse: 154.8 to 169 pounds
    • Kenneth Cross: 155.4 to 168.4 pounds
    • Junior Dos Santos: 245.4 to 249.8 pounds
    • Robelis Despaigne: 258.8 to 263.2 pounds
    • Namo Fazil: 170.8 to 198 pounds
    • Jake Babian: 171 to 186.8 pounds
    • Adriano Moraes: 129 to 138.4 pounds
    • Phumi Nkuta: 130 to 143.4 pounds
    • Jason Jackson: 170.8 to 182.6 pounds
    • Jefferson Creighton: 168.2 to 184.6 pounds
    • David Mgoyan: 145.2 to 158.8 pounds
    • Albert Morales: 143.8 to 158.6 pounds
    • Aline Pereira: 128 to 142.4 pounds
    • Jade Masson-Wong: 129.2 to 141.6 pounds
    • Chris Avila: 164 to 175.6 pounds
    • Brandon Jenkins: 164.2 to 179.2 pounds
  • Jon Jones Says MVP MMA Was ‘Actually Better Than The UFC’ After Rousey vs. Carano

    Jon Jones Says MVP MMA Was ‘Actually Better Than The UFC’ After Rousey vs. Carano

    Jon Jones says MVP MMA’s debut event on Netflix was better produced than anything he has experienced in the UFC, and expressed optimism about eventually getting out of his contract to fight Francis Ngannou.

    Jones served as an analyst for Saturday’s Rousey vs. Carano card at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and was effusive in his praise for what MVP put together.

    “I thought the MVP promotion was absolutely unbelievable. I think it was actually better than the UFC. I’ve never been at such a promotion where they had the fog machines and the TVs absolutely everywhere, great fighters. Half the audience came out to see Diaz win. Both guys are my close personal friends, so it was bittersweet.”

    Jones also weighed in on the main event, saying Rousey did exactly what he predicted.

    “Ronda did absolutely unbelievable. She did exactly what I thought she would do and won in less than a minute. It was 17 seconds, and I predicted it. Her judo and her jiu-jitsu, I mean she’s put so many years into it. The other girls to this day are still so far behind.”

    Jones was called out by Ngannou following his first-round knockout of Philipe Lins during the event. He expressed interest in fighting Ngannou under the MVP banner and said he remains hopeful about finding a path out of his UFC contract, noting it is “very, very possible” with the right people and effort. The UFC is unlikely to facilitate a Ngannou fight given the fractured relationship between the two sides.

  • Junior Dos Santos Broke His Silence After His MVP MMA 1 Knockout And Had A Revealing Message

    Junior Dos Santos Broke His Silence After His MVP MMA 1 Knockout And Had A Revealing Message

    Junior dos Santos has confirmed he was hospitalized following his brutal knockout loss to Robelis Despaigne at MVP MMA 1 on Saturday night, the first-ever MMA fight to air on Netflix.

    Dos Santos posted a video on Instagram in Portuguese addressing his condition and the knockout itself.

    “Yesterday, I went to the hospital after that strike I took right to the face. The boy hits hard. I didn’t see anything. People are asking, ‘Did it hurt?’ Did it hurt? What are you talking about? I didn’t feel a thing, man. You just fall asleep.”

    The 42-year-old former UFC heavyweight champion was cleared by doctors before flying home from California on Sunday. He said he planned to reflect more on the fight once he returned home.

    “Tomorrow I’ll be back at home, and then I’ll talk a little bit about how it went and the fight itself because I was feeling good, you know? Good, but somehow I wasn’t quite there. Very strange, very strange.”

    He also touched on the subject of age with a degree of uncertainty.

    “I think I’m getting old. No, I’m not, but anyway, let’s see.”

    The knockout was the ninth of Dos Santos’ career. He entered the fight with a 21-10 record and had spoken earlier in the week about wanting to build a long-term future with Most Valuable Promotions. Despaigne called out Francis Ngannou immediately after the finish, setting up what appears to be the most logical next step for MVP MMA’s heavyweight division.

  • Alex Pereira Says Ilia Topuria ‘Stepped Up As A Brother’ When Josh Hokit Targeted Him At UFC Press Conference

    Alex Pereira Says Ilia Topuria ‘Stepped Up As A Brother’ When Josh Hokit Targeted Him At UFC Press Conference

    Alex Pereira says he had no idea what Josh Hokit was saying when the rising heavyweight took aim at him during the UFC Freedom 250 pre-fight press conference, and credited Ilia Topuria for stepping in on his behalf.

    Hokit directed trash talk at Pereira, who does not speak English, prompting Topuria to throw an object at Hokit. The incident ended the press conference early and resulted in Hokit being escorted out.

    Speaking to MMA Junkie through an interpreter, Pereira explained what he witnessed.

    “You guys saw it there. I don’t understand English, and I think Topuria felt that he saw that, and he stepped up as a brother. Threw the bottle or whatever the case was on Hokit’s face. You saw that he was going too far. To Hokit, how am I going to even talk about that guy? Maybe he’s one of those that doesn’t even get along with his family. You see how that guy has attitude. Maybe he doesn’t get along with his brother, stuff like that.”

    Pereira said he expects tighter security when the two cross paths during fight week and plans to stay composed.

    “Fight week, after this, we’re probably going to have a lot of people around not letting anything happen. Just going to stay cool and composed like I always am. If on fight week this guy is able to get to me to try and do anything, it’s just messed up by the organization. I’m going to stay the same.”

    Pereira and Topuria traveled together on a private plane to visit the White House ahead of their respective UFC Freedom 250 bouts. Pereira faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event on June 14, while Topuria headlines against interim champion Justin Gaethje in a title unification bout. Hokit meets former title challenger Derrick Lewis on the same card.

  • Francis Ngannou’s Response To Being Overshadowed By Dana White’s Announcement Is Very Francis Ngannou

    Francis Ngannou’s Response To Being Overshadowed By Dana White’s Announcement Is Very Francis Ngannou

    Francis Ngannou was unbothered by Dana White’s decision to announce Conor McGregor’s return during the MVP MMA 1 broadcast, saying it had nothing to do with him.

    White announced McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 at UFC 329 during the Netflix event on Saturday night, with the timing widely seen as a deliberate attempt to overshadow MVP MMA’s debut. The announcement coincided with Ngannou’s walkout, leading to both men trending on social media simultaneously.

    Asked about the timing by the media after the event, Ngannou was dismissive.

    “And what the f— do I have to do with that? So I should stop my walkout and look at what’s going on with Dana? I don’t care, bro. Let’s move on, life goes on, I’m doing my stuff here, I’m doing good, I have no problem. Everybody can do whatever they want.”

    Despite the newsworthiness of McGregor’s return announcement, Ngannou’s name trended on social media at a similar level to McGregor’s during the evening.

  • Nate Diaz Had Surprising Reaction To Conor McGregor’s UFC Return Announcement

    Nate Diaz reacted calmly to the news of Conor McGregor’s return, saying the rematch with Max Holloway should have happened a long time ago.

    Diaz spoke to the media after MVP MMA 1 on Saturday night, where he lost to Mike Perry. He was asked about Dana White’s announcement of McGregor vs. Holloway 2 at UFC 329, made during the Netflix event.

    “That’s going to be a good fight, it’s about time. It’s a rematch, right? Because Conor was taking him down the last time, so that’s going to be a good fight.”

    Diaz then asked the media what they thought, before adding his own take.

    “It should have happened a long time ago, right?”

    McGregor and Holloway first fought at UFC 194 in December 2015, with Holloway winning by unanimous decision. McGregor has not competed since July 2021.