MMA News

Author: Curtis Calhoun

  • Francis Ngannou Cries Foul On Ciryl Gane Sparring Footage

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou thinks footage of his past sparring with Ciryl Gane was made to make his opponent look promising.

    Ngannou will make his first heavyweight title defense against Gane at UFC 270 in the first UFC pay-per-view of 2022. The fight will take place nearly a year after Ngannou earned the belt over Stipe Miocic at UFC 260.

    Ngannou and Gane briefly trained together at MMA Factory in France, as the two were looking to build their respective brands in the UFC heavyweight division. While Ngannou has claimed that he and Gane weren’t exactly close, they had mutual respect for one another during their sessions in the gym.

    After Gane defeated Derrick Lewis for the interim title at UFC 265, sparring footage of him and Ngannou went viral on social media. During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, Ngannou explained his side of the story regarding the clips.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q7T9KqzD7w

    “When I saw that footage, my first reaction was laughing. Because I know exactly what happened at those training sessions,” Ngannou said. “But this is the thing. When they want to like, do some highlight, they always choose the part of the video that they use. And they have a lot of videos like that because, at the time, they were filming our training session to promote him, his fight, and everything. So, there was a lot of footage from those few training sessions. But a lot of them never came out and would never come out. And I know for a fact that they will never come out.

    “It’s about to make him look better and make me look bad, to prove that he’s the man.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)

    Ngannou and Gane have had quite the buildup to their heavyweight clash. Ngannou appeared to snub Gane of a greeting backstage at UFC 268, which Ngannou later claimed was mostly due to his animosity for coach Fernand Lopez.

    Gane has also downplayed Ngannou’s power in recent interviews, saying that he intends to manage his way through the champion’s barrage.

    In the current times of social media becoming more prominent, leaked sparring footage is becoming more plentiful. Regardless, fans will make up their mind on the matchup when Ngannou and Gane go to battle at UFC 270.

    Do you think it was fair for the Francis Ngannou/Ciryl Gane sparring footage to be released?

  • Matt Brown Open To UFC Homecoming In Ohio Vs. Kevin Holland

    UFC veteran Matt Brown wants to fight in front of his hometown fans on the upcoming Columbus, OH card and is open to a matchup with Kevin Holland.

    Brown was originally slated to face Bryan Barberena on one of the final UFC cards of 2021 but pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19. While he didn’t experience any severe symptoms, he was sick enough to the point where fighting wasn’t a realistic option.

    Brown is now fully recovered from the virus and is planning on his return to the Octagon. The 40-year-old Brown is looking to earn a second-straight win after knocking out Dhiego Lima earlier this year.

    Brown wants to check another item off his bucket list by fighting on the upcoming Fight Night card on March 26 in Columbus. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, he tabbed Holland as a potential opponent for his return.

    “[Kevin] Holland is a tough guy with a good name,” Brown said. “That would be a great fight or anybody else. I’m not really too picky. I don’t really pick and choose. I say put a guy in the cage with me and tell me where to be and I’ll be there.

    “If he wants to fight, we’ll fight. If they give me the call, I’m down. Let’s make it happen, Columbus, March 26. Let’s go.”

    Kevin Holland Responds To Matt Brown’s Callout

    After mixed results at middleweight, Holland has turned his attention to a cut down to welterweight for the foreseeable future. He most recently competed against Kyle Daukaus in October in a fight that was controversially ruled a no-contest after a head clash.

    Holland heard about Brown’s comments and conveyed his interest in the possible matchup.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CX8jDtfLez2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “I was thinking February 5th,” Holland said in an Instagram post. “Two big mouths on one card. Definitely a respectful callout, OG.”

    Holland and Brown are both appearing to be chomping at the bit for a return to the Octagon. With the two fan-favorites currently unbooked, there does not seem to be anything standing in the way from this fight becoming a reality.

    What do you think about a possible Matt Brown vs. Kevin Holland fight?

  • Petr Yan Rips ‘Little Whiner’ Aljamain Sterling Ahead Of Planned Rematch

    Petr Yan is ready for his highly anticipated rematch with UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling, and there is still no love lost between them.

    Yan was slated to face Sterling at UFC 267 earlier this year, but Sterling pulled out of the fight on weeks’ notice due to various health issues. Yan went on to fight Cory Sandhagen for the interim title, winning via unanimous decision with an impressive performance on the feet.

    Tensions have risen between Sterling and Yan since their first matchup at UFC 259. After taking control of the later portion of the bout, Yan landed an illegal knee, and Sterling was awarded the belt via disqualification.

    Sterling teased his return in a Christmas Day tweet.

    “There’s a Christmas ass-whopping waiting for Yan,” Sterling tweeted. “Early 2022! See you soon, my Russian nemesis.”

    Yan promptly responded to Sterling’s tweet with a jab of his own.

    “Friendly reminder that [Sterling] is my bitch,” Yan said. This time I will destroy this little whiner even more impressive.”

    Sterling’s prolonged absence from competition has created a bit of a shaky bantamweight title picture. The division as a whole is arguably the best in MMA today, with title-worthy contenders from top to bottom.

    Things are just beginning to heat up ahead of the Yan vs. Sterling rematch, and their animosity doesn’t appear to be fading away anytime soon.

    What is your prediction for the Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling rematch?

  • Kamaru Usman Aiming To Help Build MMA Promotions In Nigeria

    UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman wants to leave a legacy outside of the Octagon just as much as he already has inside of it.

    Usman is fresh off his title rematch win over Colby Covington last month at UFC 268. He’s already thought about what’s not only next for his career, but also his life after combat sports.

    Usman, along with fellow UFC champions Israel Adesanya and Francis Ngannou, has visited Africa on separate occasions in an attempt to help impoverished communities and give people role models to look up to. Usman, in particular, shows his Nigerian pride every time he makes his walk to the Octagon with the Nigerian flag draped over his shoulders.

    Kamaru Usman: 'Being born in a place like Nigeria helped mold me into the man I am' - CNN Video
    Credit: Alex Mendez, Getty Images

    “The Nigerian Nightmare” has big plans for the future of MMA in Nigeria, as he explained in a recent interview with Men’s Journal.

    “Nigeria is one of the world’s richest nations in terms of resources, yet many people are living with no hope,” Usman said. “They don’t know what they can do to alter the course of their lives. Meeting many people during a recent visit, including some high-ranking officials, definitely led me to think about how I can help make a positive change there. Recently I partnered with a company called FIVE-FOUR which is working to do MMA promotions in Nigeria. 

    “I’m hoping to give people an opportunity to get into this sport that has changed my life—much like The Ultimate Fighter show was the beginning of my journey,” Usman continued. “We plan on hosting a lot of great events with different regions visiting each other—like Nigeria versus Congo, or South Africa. The goal is to eventually take those fighters out globally as well.”

    Usman, Adesanya, and Ngannou have also publicly made the case to host a massive UFC event in Africa, which would be incredible featuring the three champions.

    Usman has won 19 straight fights and is undefeated in his UFC career. After his most recent dispatching of top contenders such as Covington and Jorge Masvidal, Usman is now entering the discussion as arguably the greatest welterweight in UFC history.

    If and when Usman retires over the next few years, he’ll no doubt be amongst the greatest to ever enter the Octagon. If his plan to change the sport of MMA in Nigeria comes to fruition, he could have an even greater impact in his post-fight chapter.

  • Georges St-Pierre Explains Toughest Fight In UFC Career

    UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre fought some of the baddest men on the planet during his career, but one name stands out above all others.

    St-Pierre last fought Michael Bisping for the UFC middleweight title at UFC 217, submitting him in the third round to become a multi-division champion. Following his win over Bisping, St-Pierre praised the middleweight’s toughness and grit inside the Octagon.

    However, St-Pierre wouldn’t go as far as to say that Bisping provided the toughest fight of his career during a recent interview with Fighters Only. (h/t GiveMeSport)

    St-Pierre named another fellow UFC Hall of Famer as the fight that gave him the most headaches during his welterweight tenure.

    Georges St-Pierre kicks BJ Penn during their welterweight bout at UFC... Nachrichtenfoto - Getty Images
    Credit: Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    “My toughest opponent was Michael Bisping and the guy that give me the toughest fight was BJ Penn in our first fight,” St-Pierre said.

    St-Pierre and Penn went to battle twice in the Octagon, once at UFC 58 and later on at UFC 94. In their first battle, St-Pierre squeaked out a split-decision win in a bout that could’ve been scored either way in the eyes of many fans.

    Following his first win over Penn, he would go on to earn the welterweight title over Matt Hughes via TKO at UFC 65. After briefly losing the belt to Matt Serra, he would go on another title reign and later successfully defend it against Penn via TKO.

    St-Pierre retired following a controversial win over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167. He would return four years later to defeat Bisping and hasn’t competed in MMA since.

    Despite having moved on from MMA, St-Pierre and Penn are both contemplating transitions to boxing. While nothing is in the works for both men as of right now, we could theoretically see them fight once again in the boxing ring.

    Where do you rank Georges St-Pierre amongst the UFC GOATs?

  • Jake Paul Teases Potential NFL Tryout After Boxing Career

    Jake Paul may be still in the infancy of his boxing career, but he’s already thinking about what could be next in another athletic journey.

    Paul is just one week removed from his vicious knockout over Tyron Woodley to remain undefeated in boxing. After he was originally slated to face Tommy Fury, he fought Woodley on short notice after Fury withdrew due to an injury.

    Jake and his brother Logan have always been athletes, dating back to their time competing in high school wrestling in Ohio. But Jake has big ambitions, including a potential attempt at making it in the National Football League at some point.

    During a recent episode of the IMPAULSIVE podcast, Paul explained why a tryout in the NFL may not be far-fetched down the line.

    “I wanna go to NFL after this,” Paul said. “Like legitimately, just to play like safety and just deck people. I swear to God, I’m about to bring hella ratings to whatever team I’m on.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Paul later alluded to a potential tryout with his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns.

    “Would you have ever thought that I would play for the Cleveland Browns? No, right? That would be crazy. I could run a 4.34. I have the size, I have the power, I can knock people out with one punch. So why can’t I play free safety?”

    Jake Paul Has Also Hinted At A Move To MMA

    Paul has garnered quite a high amount of star power in the boxing world but has also teased a transition to MMA in the future. During the lead-up to his rematch with Woodley, he claimed that he’s been in talks to train at the American Kickboxing Academy alongside some of the all-time MMA greats, including Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, the YouTuber may have just been joking in making this claim.

    Paul appears to just be getting started in this post-YouTube venture, and the next few years could go a long way at determining how his story may ultimately end.

    What are your thoughts on Jake Paul as an athlete?

  • Paul: I Make More Than Every UFC Fighter Combined, Including McGregor

    Jake Paul isn’t afraid to boast about the leaps he’s made in and out of the boxing ring, including when it comes to the amount of money he’s made.

    This week, Paul claimed that he makes more than everyone on the UFC roster, including the promotion’s biggest star in Conor McGregor.

    Paul is fresh off of his sixth-round knockout over Tyron Woodley, which was the fourth overall in his young boxing career. After the fight, he called for fights with some of the UFC’s biggest stars, including Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal.

    During a recent episode of the IMPAULSIVE podcast, Paul went as far as to say that he makes more than all UFC fighters, which gives him leverage in any future negotiations with them.

    “I make more than every UFC fighter f****** combined, including Conor,” Paul said. (h/t The Mirror)

    Paul went on to explain his reasoning behind the claim that he out-sells the UFC roster.

    “Y’all work for f***ing Dana, y’all work for WME, Endeavor, that’s who you work for. I make more than all of you silly mother*******. Why would I go into the UFC? Sign a contract and give away my f***ing rights and s***. I own my content, I own my platform, I own everything.

    “They don’t own s***, they are literally employees. I’m a f****** CEO and every UFC fighter is an employee. Get that straight. I’m not coming over there and doing s*** with y’all. Suck my nuts.”

    Coincidentally, McGregor made a similar claim to Paul’s just months ago when he topped the Forbes highest-paid athletes list and opted to boast about his wealth.

    Paul & Masvidal Are Negotiating On Social Media For A Fight

    Paul has turned his attention to a potential fight with Masvidal, as tensions between the two sides escalate. Paul and Masvidal recently went back-and-forth on social media regarding a potential opportunity to box each other.

    Masvidal also invited Paul to fight on a one-fight deal in the UFC if the promotion doesn’t let him out of his contract.

    It’s unclear if the Paul vs. Masvidal deal will ever get done, either in the Octagon or in the ring. In any event, Paul seems hell-bent on another matchup with a UFC star in the ring as he continues to change the landscape of boxing.

    What are your thoughts on Jake Paul’s comments?

  • MMA Fighter Gets Life Sentence For Attacking Partner & Teenage Girls

    33-year-old MMA fighter Liam Hall has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of eight years before being eligible for parole after assaulting his partner and her two teenage girls.

    It all began in September when Hall entered a drunken and drugged rage over losing his wallet. He then punched, kicked, and choked the three women at their County Durham, UK home in a vicious attack.

    Hall’s 24-year-old partner was found by authorities with serious facial lacerations, and the teenage girls were found bruised and battered. Liam had only dated the woman for a few months leading up to the domestic incident.

    The MMA fighter had recently been released on license from prison just months before the tirade after a prison stint for other violent offenses. He was previously convicted for killing a man in a pub.

    Hall pled guilty to two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, along with one count of attempt to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

    The courts sentenced Hall to life in prison with the opportunity to apply for parole in 2029. A judge also enacted an indefinite restraining order to protect the victims from Hall.

    Hall has had a relatively limited career in MMA, with an 0-1 record. His lone fight came earlier this year in a loss to Cooper Burston via first-round submission.

  • Le Batard: Ngannou Negotiations Prove White Has Become What Hates

    Former ESPN broadcaster Dan Le Batard is re-igniting his feud with UFC president Dana White in light of his recent Francis Ngannou comments.

    When asked about Ngannou’s future with the UFC, White seemed indifferent by some in regards to contract talks with the heavyweight champion. Ngannou is fighting on the last bout of his deal against Ciryl Gane at the upcoming UFC 270 pay-per-view.

    This raised eyebrows around the MMA community, as it would be quite a surprise in the new year if the UFC doesn’t re-sign Ngannou. After getting word of White’s comments, Le Batard took the opportunity to criticize the UFC headman.

    “The courageous are too disposable when you’ve gone this corporate, everyone from the broke to the best,” Le Batard said in a tweet. “Like many of its combatants, this gritty sport rose from nothing as an underdog. But you’ve become what you pretend to abhor, [Dana White]. You are The Establishment now.”

    Dana White And Dan Le Batard Have Went At It In The Past

    This isn’t the first time that Le Batard and White have traded barbs. In a 2020 interview, Le Batard grilled White on a variety of UFC-related topics, including fighter pay and the business model of the promotion as a whole. This led to both sides getting pretty fired up by the end of the conversation, and White agreeing to a charity fight with Le Batard.

    The fight never came to fruition, but White and Le Batard have continued to raise tensions between them.

    It’s unclear if the UFC will ultimately agree to a new deal with Ngannou, but that hasn’t stopped various pundits from aiming at White the UFC brass for how they’ve handled negotiations with the company’s biggest stars.

    Do you agree with Dan Le Batard’s comments about Dana White?

  • Anthony Pettis Becomes Latest Fighter-Promoter With Showtime FC

    Former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis will debut his fight promotion, Showtime Fighting Championship, in the new year.

    Pettis will become the latest current/former MMA star to begin his promotion, which will debut in 2022. The fights will air exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

    Despite back-to-back wins in the UFC Octagon last year, Pettis opted to sign with the PFL for the 2021 league season. Things didn’t go according to plan, as he lost back-to-back fights to Clay Collard and Raush Manfio, eliminating him from the league playoffs.

    But the 34-year-old Pettis is already starting to think about life after fighting, and that begins with his new promotion. During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Pettis introduced his plans for Showtime FC.

    “I built a name on Showtime–the flashy moves, the kicks off the cage, the big knockouts,” Pettis said. “The fans know that when I fight, there is a show going on, and that’s what I’m going to do with my cards. And our deal with Fight Pass is huge for us. Now you can follow someone’s entire career and watch them develop into a champion.”

    Pettis went on to announce that Showtime FC will debut on Feb. 11 in Lakeland, FL. Matchups for the card are in the works.

    “I have one more fight to finalize on the card, and all those matchups will be announced soon. This is going to be all about the next generation of fighters. We have a great team in place, and I need that, especially since I’m still fighting. But the timing is now, and everything is working out just right.”

    Pettis will become the latest MMA fighter to begin life as a promoter after UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal and former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov recently debuted their events. Nurmagomedov’s promotion, Eagle FC, recently signed former UFC standouts Kevin Lee and Rashad Evans to its roster.

    It’s unclear what kind of talent level Pettis will be able to bring to Showtime FC, but he appears intent on making it an entertaining promotion to watch for years to come.

    Are you excited about Anthony Pettis’ new fight promotion?

  • Julianna Peña Speculates Amanda Nunes Is Relieved Without The Belt

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña thinks Amanda Nunes may not be too disappointed to no longer be on the throne of the 135-pound division.

    Peña pulled off arguably the greatest upset in UFC history by submitting Nunes at UFC 269. After throwing a barrage of punches in the second round, she scored a massive takedown before sinking in the rear-naked choke for the championship win.

    Peña has begun to enjoy the fruits of her labor now that she is the new bantamweight queen, but is still processing her historic victory. As she begins her title reign, she feels that Nunes may feel a bit of relief now that she doesn’t have the belt.

    During a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, Peña elaborated on her speculation of what Nunes could be going through after the fight.

    “I think a gigantic weight has been taken off of her shoulders,” Peña said. “She doesn’t have to carry that belt anymore with all that pressure. The machine has been building her for seven years as this unbeatable phenom. And if you don’t beat somebody in 10 seconds, then you look almost less than. So I think that that weight that has been lifted off of her shoulders is a really great feeling for her.”

    A rematch between Peña and Nunes is more than likely to happen next after both publically called for a second bout to take place. Nunes is planning on taking some time off before returning to the Octagon to face Peña.

    Before she lost her bantamweight title, Nunes had arguably been the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world with title wins at 135 and 145 pounds. She had won 12 straight fights, with her last loss coming against Cat Zingano at UFC 178 in 2014.

    What are your thoughts on Julianna Peña’s comments?

  • Aleksandar Rakić Blasts Jiří Procházka For Allegedly Dodging Him

    UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić feels that a battle in the Octagon between him and Jiří Procházka is inevitable.

    Rakić and Procházka seemed as though they were on a collision course for months after the two of them have gone back-and-forth in the media. Rakić, in particular, has made his critical opinions of Procházka perfectly clear.

    Rakic has accused Procházka of ducking him in the past and is doubling down on those claims as he gets ready for his next appearance in the Octagon. During an interview with MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun, Rakić reiterated what’s next for him and is temporarily closing the door on a fight with Procházka.

    “Jiri, I cannot take this clown seriously you know. I don’t care about him. My focus is on Jan Blachowicz and on March 26 and I don’t care about this guy,” Rakić said. “I don’t care about him and this fake samurai sh*t that he’s doing and just focusing on Jan Blachowicz. My goal is to stay active and this was not so possible this year, but finally, I got the opportunity to fight again and that’s for the No. 1 contender to fight next for the belt.”

    As stated above, Rakić will be facing former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz on March 26. Meanwhile, Procházka is widely expected to fight the newly-crowned champion, Glover Teixeira at a later date. He most recently dispatched Dominick Reyes in a UFC main event earlier this year.

    There’s clearly no love lost between Rakić and Procházka, and the two of them could meet sooner rather than later depending on how their next fights play out.

    Who do you think would win in a bout between Aleksandar Rakić and Jiri Procházka?

  • Dana White Non-Committal On Francis Ngannou Contract Talks

    The UFC and Francis Ngannou haven’t moved forward on a new deal, and UFC president Dana White doesn’t sound optimistic.

    Ngannou is slated to face Ciryl Gane for the unified heavyweight title in the upcoming UFC 270 main event. But Ngannou may be fighting for more than just a successful title defense to begin the new year.

    The heavyweight champion is fighting on the last bout on his current contract as negotiations appear to be headed nowhere. White has been at odds with Ngannou’s management, more specifically Marquel Martin, for months.

    Ngannou has blossomed into one of the biggest stars in the promotion after his knockout over Stipe Miocic at UFC 260. But during a recent interview with ESPN, White said Ngannou’s time with the UFC could be numbered.

    “These things happen,” White said of Ngannou. “Sometimes you don’t always come to terms with people. When you’re a fighter, you have to be careful who represents you. I don’t think he’s had the best representation.

    “Look, if you want to be with us, we’d love to have you. If you don’t want to be with us, no problem. It’s all good.

    “I think his contract, and this is off the top of my head, if he wins he still has time with us after this fight. He’d probably have one more fight.”

    Dana White, Francis Ngannou Have Had A Complicated Relationship

    This isn’t the first time that White and Ngannou’s sides haven’t seen eye-to-eye. Ngannou has been critical of the promotion’s treatment of its fighters, and more specifically the controversial fighter pay issue.

    It was a surprise to many around the sport when the UFC opted to make an interim heavyweight title bout between Gane and Derrick Lewis. This happened at UFC 265, just months after Ngannou became the new heavyweight champion.

    It would be surprising if White and the UFC decide to move on from Ngannou, especially if he loses to Gane and enters free agency. This would eliminate potential high-stakes fights with Jon Jones, a trilogy bout against Miocic, and other big potential fights in the heavyweight division.

    Do you think the UFC will sign Francis Ngannou to a long-term deal?

  • Cormier Criticizes Woodley For KO Meme Contest, Blames Jake Paul

    Daniel Cormier isn’t a fan of how Tyron Woodley has handled himself following his sixth-round knockout loss to Jake Paul.

    Woodley has rolled with the punches since the devastating defeat, even going as far as hosting a fan contest on his Instagram for the best knockout meme. He ended up paying one fan $5,000 for a meme that went viral earlier this week.

    Woodley appears to be optimistic about his fighting future and is handling the loss on his terms. However, Cormier doesn’t like the optics of Woodley making fun of himself in light of the vicious knockout.

    Cormier explained his position during a recent episode of ESPN’s DC & RC.

    “It’s a bad look. And you know what’s worse? [What happened] after,” Cormier said of Woodley. “I don’t know what T-Wood was doing on social media. He pulls the knockout. He made a contest about [making memes of himself], it’s like Jake Paul is beating these dudes so bad, that they start to make fun of themselves.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Tyron Woodley Looks To Get Back To His Old Winning Ways

    Woodley took the fight on just days’ notice after Tommy Fury pulled out due to an injury. He was allegedly getting ready for a fight in January when the call came for a rematch with Paul.

    Woodley has appeared forward-thinking after the loss to Paul, hinting at a busy 2022. He’s planning on potential boxing and MMA fights as he approaches his 40th birthday.

    Woodley has had his fair share of struggles as of late. Before his back-to-back losses to Paul in the boxing ring, he lost four-straight bouts in the UFC before ultimately parting ways with the promotion.

    What are your thoughts on how Tyron Woodley has handled the KO loss to Jake Paul?

  • Rakić Wants To Become The Light Heavyweight Georges St-Pierre

    UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić may be best known for his striking, but he wants his grappling to resemble an all-time great.

    Rakić is slated to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in a potential No. 1 contender fight on March 26. He’s long called for the title shot but will get the next best thing in facing the recently dethroned champion.

    Rakić is mainly known to have elite kickboxing skills inside the Octagon, as evidenced by knockouts over Jimi Manuwa and Devin Clark.

    During an exclusive interview with MMA News’ James Lynch, Rakić revealed that fans shouldn’t sleep on his grappling ahead of the biggest fight of his career.

    Aleksandar Rakić Prepared For Everything With Jan Blachowicz

    “I’m gonna be ready to wrestle 25 minutes, I’m gonna be ready to grapple or to strike against him,” Rakić said. “It depends what Jan is gonna give me. This I’m gonna see in the first minutes or the first round or the second round. I’m gonna be prepared for everything, and I know for myself, I’m improving all of the aspects of the fight.

    “I want to be the next Georges St-Pierre, to be the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC roster in the light heavyweight division, and I’m in a good way for doing that.”

    Rakić is coming off of back-to-back wins over Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith. The 29-year-old light heavyweight contender has burst into title contention since making his UFC debut back in 2017.

    Living up to the wrestling prowess of Georges St-Pierre will not be an easy task for Rakić. St-Pierre is widely regarded as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time and one of the best grapplers in the sport’s history.

    However, one thing is clear when it comes to evaluating Rakić’s potential: he’s aiming to be one of the best light heavyweights in the sport. If he’s able to put on another impressive performance against Blachowicz, fans will start taking more notice of his wide-ranging skill set.

    What is your prediction for Aleksandar Rakić vs. Jan Blachowicz?

  • Katie Taylor Open To Crossover Boxing Fights With Cyborg, Holm

    Katie Taylor has been on a roll in her career in the boxing ring so far, and she has her eyes on superfights with Cris “Cyborg” Justino and Holly Holm.

    Taylor is 20-0 in her professional career with six knockouts, having most recently defeated Firuza Sharipova to defend her five lightweight titles. She’s also been in talks to potentially fight fellow boxing star Amanda Serrano in 2022.

    But Taylor has big plans for her future in the ring, which includes potential crossovers against the likes of Justino and Holm. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Taylor addressed the prospects of MMA-Boxing crossover fights and continuing to make history.

    “I know there was mention of those fights,” Taylor said. “But I don’t think we ever seriously talked about it. Obviously, their names came up over the last few years and there’s still huge possibilities that those fights can happen.

    “If they’re the fights that people want to see, I’d absolutely love to be involved.”

    Holm on paper would likely provide a tougher test for Taylor than Justino, as she accumulated a 33-2 record before transitioning to MMA. While Justino has elite striking, she has yet to fight in the boxing ring despite Bellator CEO Scott Coker confirming that boxing promoters have been interested in her.

    For now, Taylor awaits her next fight in the ring, which likely could come against Serrano, who won this weekend on the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 card.

    How do you think Katie Taylor would match up with the biggest names in women’s MMA?

  • Australian Fight Club Member Diego Carbone Pleads Guilty To Murder

    A Sydney, AU. court found Diego Carbone guilty of the 2014 murder of Bradley Dillon after an investigation into a local fight club.

    Carbone and Dillon were once members of the Saint Michael Christian Brothers Fight Club, an organization centered around a love for Muay Thai and Catholicism. Despite its relatively peaceful roots, things turned violent as the club allegedly turned into a group of outlaws.

    It all started when Dillon met with Carbone to deal with a recent debt he owed to another member of the fight club. Just days before the meetup, Carbone had been kicked out of the club with a reputation of being a “hothead”.

    Diego Carbone Arrested After Deadly Fight Club Meetup

    Carbone had been accompanied by former kickboxer Antonio Bagnato, who was considered the club’s ‘enforcer’. After the meetup turned heated, Dillon was found shot and stabbed multiple times.

    Carbone attempted to flee on a flight to Thailand before being encountered by local police.

    He is expected to be sentenced on February 25th pending an appeal by his legal team.

    What is your reaction to this story?

  • Mike Perry’s Manager Calls For Jake Paul Boxing Match Next

    MMA manager Ibrahim Kawa thinks former UFC fighter Mike Perry should be Jake Paul’s next foe in the boxing ring.

    Perry is just weeks removed from his win over Michael Seals on the Triller Triad Combat card, which featured MMA fighters paired up against boxers. He won the fight via split decision.

    Perry and Paul have a bit of history, stemming from the two of them training together earlier this year. The two sparred against one another in the ring, before things turned hostile and the two of them sparred on social media.

    Paul most recently knocked out Tyron Woodley to remain undefeated in the boxing ring. It’s unclear who he’ll fight next, but Kawa believes Perry should get serious consideration.

    Mike Perry’s Manager Thinks Perry Is Jake Paul’s Fight To Make

    “Would like to remind the world that [Jake Paul] hasn’t fought a boxer yet but [Mike Perry] has and won,” Kawa tweeted. “I’m just saying, Perry vs. Jake might be the fight.”

    After losses in four of his last five UFC fights, Perry signed with Bare Knuckle FC and is expected to make his promotional debut sometime next year. It’s unclear who his first opponent in BKFC will be.

    Perry has conveyed interest in both MMA and boxing in recent months. At 30 years old, he’s still arguably in the physical prime of his career and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down his activity.

    As for Paul, he’s most recently called out Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal for fights. However, with those two currently under UFC contract, he may opt to fight Tommy Fury who was supposed to be his original opponent before Woodley stepped up on short notice.

    What do you think about a possible Mike Perry vs. Jake Paul boxing match?

  • Alex Pereira To Make UFC Return Against Bruno Silva On March 12

    A potential barnburner between UFC middleweights Alex Pereira and Bruno Silva is in the works for an upcoming March 12 Fight Night event.

    MMA Junkie was among the first to report news of the booking.

    Pereira, a former Glory kickboxing world champion who signed with the UFC this year, is coming off of his promotional debut win over Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268. He landed a vicious flying knee followed up by a barrage of punches to secure the second-round finish.

    Pereira will face a step up in competition against Silva, who has been on a tear with seven-straight wins in M-1 and the UFC. He has won all seven bouts by knockout, including most recently against Jordan Wright at UFC 269.

    The two sides have verbally agreed to the bout ahead of an anticipated formal announcement by the promotion.

    Alex Pereira Looks To Continue His Rise In MMA

    Pereira is well known for being the only man to ever knock out Israel Adesanya in either kickboxing or MMA. During his time in Glory, he earned the light heavyweight and middleweight world titles before making the move to the UFC and MMA.

    Along with his kickboxing accolades, Pereira had put on impressive performances in smaller MMA promotions such as Legacy and Jungle Fight. He registered quick knockouts over the likes of Marcelo Cruz and Thomas Powell.

    The card will be headlined by a light heavyweight showdown between top contenders Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankalaev. The venue and location have yet to be determined for the event.

    What are your thoughts on this UFC middleweight matchup?

  • John Kavanagh Responds To Firing Calls After McGregor’s Losses

    SBG Ireland headman John Kavanagh isn’t losing sleep over calls for him to be terminated following UFC star Conor McGregor’s recent struggles.

    Kavanagh has most recently been the target of UFC commentator and former fighter Michael Bisping, who called for Kavanagh to be let go by McGregor’s inner circle.

    It all started when Kavanagh seemed more jovial than many believed he should’ve been after McGregor suffered a TKO loss via doctor’s stoppage to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Bisping went as far as to say that Kavanagh should be “fired immediately” after his reaction.

    During a recent interview with The Mirror, Kavanagh responded to Bisping’s comments along with overall calls for him to step aside as McGregor’s coach.

    “I wouldn’t say I was hurt, I wasn’t going, ‘Oh, no, Bisping said something’, that’s his opinion and everybody is welcome to their opinion,” Kavanagh said. “I’m always self-critical but if I’m being 100 percent honest, it’ll be the people closest to me saying something – I have a lot of very honest people around me – that’ll be what makes me really stand up and think.

    “So look, things are looking up and to Bisping I’d say ‘thanks very much for the constructive criticism’, keep it coming and we’ll keep trying to improve.”

    Kavanagh also feels that Bisping’s remarks are an example of a larger pattern of SBG Ireland being held to a different standard because of McGregor’s fame.

    “So we’re judged under a different set of rules to everybody else, and that’s fine because we also get a lot of benefits from the 2,000lb gorilla that is Conor,” Kavanagh said.

    “We get a lot of attention here, lots of great opportunities, my fight team gets to be involved with big shows.

    Conor McGregor, John Kavanagh Have Worked Together For Years

    McGregor has been at SBG Ireland with Kavanagh since before he became one of the UFC’s biggest superstars. His time with the gym stems from his title wins in Cage Warriors before ultimately making the move to the UFC.

    McGregor hasn’t won in the Octagon since his first-round finish over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246. He has lost three of his last four fights overall, with defeats to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Poirier(2).

    As of now, it seems like McGregor doesn’t have any plans to move away from his roots with Kavanagh and SBG Ireland. As he gets ready to make his UFC return in 2022, he’ll look to get back in the win column with Kavanagh in his corner.

    What are your thoughts on John Kavanagh’s response to Michael Bisping?

  • Junior dos Santos To Return Against Kubrat Pulev On Triad Combat Card

    Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos will fight Kubrat Pulev in early 2022 at an upcoming Triller Triad Combat event.

    TMZ Sports was the first to report dos Santos’ return.

    This will be dos Santos’ first MMA competition of any kind since being released by the UFC earlier this year. Before parting ways with the promotion, he had lost four-straight fights against the likes of Ciryl Gane and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

    The Triad Combat format puts MMA fighters up against boxers under a special ruleset. Former UFC fighters such as Mike Perry and Frank Mir competed on the format’s inaugural card last month.

    dos Santos will face a tough task in Pulev, who most recently knocked out Mir in a quick fashion. Before that, the Bulgarian boxer had lost to heavyweight star Anthony Joshua late last year.

    Junior dos Santos Returns To Fighting After Long Layoff

    dos Santos has teased a return to the fight game for months and was interested in being the opponent for Fedor Emelianenko’s Bellator return. The promotion ended up pairing Emelianenko with Tim Johnson, whom he defeated by a vicious knockout.

    In addition to his contributions inside the Octagon this year, dos Santos was part of the special commentary team for the Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort Triller Fight Club event. He sat alongside former U.S. President Donald Trump and UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal.

    dos Santos is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history. He earned the heavyweight belt over Cain Velasquez in 2011 before trading wins and losses inside the Octagon.

    dos Santos also earned wins over the likes of Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis during his time with the promotion.

    What do you think about Junior dos Santos’ return to fighting?

  • Brendan Schaub Alleges Chael Sonnen Protected Wife In Vegas Incident

    Podcaster and former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub claims Chael Sonnen’s recent Las Vegas incident stemmed from his wife being harassed.

    Sonnen was detained by Las Vegas Police over the weekend and cited for allegedly assaulting five different victims at a hotel. According to eyewitnesses, he was escorted in handcuffs after getting into a brawl with a man outside of a hotel room.

    Schaub allegedly spoke with Sonnen directly following the incident and revealed his side of the story during a recent segment on his Below the Belt podcast.

    “Here’s what happened. Is Chael was obviously working and he was with his wife and his wife is a f*cking saint and also a dime piece,” Schaub said. “And some drunk guy with his girl kept making comments about his wife, saying about her t**s, her a**, right in front of him. Well, play stupid games, win stupid prizes, cause you are talking and disrespecting one of the toughest guys on the planet and definitely one of the toughest ever to compete in the UFC or Bellator for that matter. And you’re doing it in front of his face, then there’s gonna be repercussions. And any guy that wanted to do that for their girl/ladies you got a girlfriend.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Brendan Schaub Blasted Jon Jones For Attacking Chael Sonnen

    Brendan Schaub Jon Jones
    Photos via Instagram @brendanschaub @jonnnybones

    After news broke of Sonnen’s battery detainment, former UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones wrote a message on his Twitter page aimed at his old rival. Sonnen has criticized Jones on a variety of topics for years, most recently after his Las Vegas arrest for allegedly battering his fiancée in a hotel room.

    Schaub took the time to address Jones’ criticism and compare the two incidents.

    “So I think by Chael doing this, it just adds to the legend of Chael Sonnen,” Schaub continued. “He was protecting his girl. And for that dumbass who got absolutely annihilated by the great Chael Sonnen, you deserved it, man. And that’s what you get. So you play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

    “This is not a case of Chael hitting his wife like Jon [Jones] did. I think they dropped the charges. This is not a case of Chael Sonnen being high and wrecking his Bentley with strippers in the car. This is not the case of Chael/domestic violence in any facet. And I think everyone should hold their judgment to get more details.”

    Sonnen is widely regarded as one of the best ambassadors in MMA today. After retiring from fighting following an up-and-down tenure in Bellator, he has transitioned to the media business with multiple ESPN shows and his own YouTube podcast.

    The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

    What are your thoughts on Brendan Schaub’s take on the recent Chael Sonnen incident?

  • Kamaru Usman Invites Anthony Joshua To Train Grappling Together

    UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman wants boxing star Anthony Joshua to come train with him to iron out his clinch work.

    Usman’s stock has skyrocketed over the past few years, and most notably in 2021, as arguably one of the most dominant UFC champions ever. He’s most recently earned knockouts over Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal along with a unanimous decision win over Colby Covington.

    Usman has become a major fixture in the world of combat sports, as further evidenced by his recent invitation to Joshua to work on his wrestling. After watching a clip of Joshua getting some wrestling training in, Usman offered his services to the heavyweight boxing star.

    “Ah ah my brother, you for call me nah,” Usman commented in ‘Pidgin English’. “Dis is my specialty.”

    Usman has most recently teased a potential money fight against boxing champion Canelo Alvarez in due time. Once thought of as a grappling specialist, Usman’s striking has vastly improved over his past few wins in the Octagon.

    Joshua is set for a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk in 2022. He had been on track to face Tyson Fury before losing his heavyweight titles to Usyk earlier this year and activating his rematch clause.

    This isn’t the first time Joshua has been seen training in MMA during his boxing camps. He most recently trained with former UFC middleweight Luke Barnatt and has enhanced his knowledge of the sport as a whole.

    Usman and Joshua could learn a lot from one another, and it’ll be interesting to see if these two stars work together in the gym.

    What are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman offering to train boxers in grappling?

  • Lewis Takes Pleasure In Legally Assaulting Ex-Police Officer Daukaus

    UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis took pleasure in getting the opportunity to legally knock out a former police officer inside the Octagon.

    Lewis put on arguably the best performance of his 2021 run in knocking out Chris Daukaus in the UFC Vegas 45 main event. Lewis looked patient on the feet before eventually overwhelming Daukaus with a barrage of right hooks to secure the finish.

    Leading up to the fight, Lewis had spoken about how he wanted to avoid getting Rodney King’d by Daukaus. King is well known as a victim of police brutality in the 1990s. During his post-fight press conference, Lewis spoke about his performance and what it was like to assault a former police officer without penalty.

    “That was for Rodney King,” Lewis said. “I’m fighting a police officer, man. Come on, man. That’s the only time you get a chance to punch a police officer in the mouth and get away with it, and then he gets up and shakes your head? Sh*t, that was a great feeling, man.”

    With the knockout over Daukaus, Lewis passed Vitor Belfort and Matt Brown to claim the top spot on the UFC’s all-time knockout list with 13 finishes. Earlier this year, he had knocked out Curtis Blaydes in a Knockout of the Year candidate.

    What stands out about Lewis isn’t just the performances he puts in the Octagon, but also his microphone work before and after events. As Lewis looks ahead to possible title contention in 2022, his following is more than likely to grow with each additional comedic gesture.

    What do you think should be next for Derrick Lewis?

  • Tyron Woodley After Jake Paul Loss: “I’m Not Done”

    Former UFC champion Tyron Woodley remains optimistic about his combat-sports future after back-to-back losses to Jake Paul in the boxing ring.

    Woodley fell short of revenge against the always-polarizing Paul, getting hit by a powerful right hook that sent him collapsing to the canvas in round 6. It was a relatively uneventful fight to that point, with both fighters appearing hesitant to push the action and seeming hell-bent on working in the clinch.

    Many fans in the combat sports community quickly wrote Woodley off following the knockout loss, but he remains forward-thinking ahead of the new year. During his post-fight press conference, Woodley encouraged fans not to forget his name just yet.

    “I’m not done. Please don’t look at me with [sad] eyes,” Woodley said. “Please don’t look at me shaking your head. I done fucked a lot of people up. And a lot of people had to have that talk in the locker room, a lot of coaches had to go back to the drawing board, a lot of people in their mind, they knew that they knew that they knew. And I saw it in their face and it broke their heart when I took that from them.”

    While Woodley was upset with the result in the rematch against Paul, he feels he’s in a great position to bounce back.

    “I can’t cry over spilled milk,” Woodley continued. “I’m blessed to be here, and I’m blessed for an opportunity to fight again and show you guys that I’m fuckin’ still here. And I told my coaches in the back: I said, ‘He back. The young, hungry bull that started and went on this crazy run in the UFC, and Strikeforce, and all these different organizations: he was back. And I can actually say that I was back.”

    Tyron Woodley Has Teased An Active Year In 2022

    Tyron Woodley
    Tyron Woodley, Image Credit: UFC.com

    Woodley’s comments come after he’s spoken about his plans in moderation for 2022. He’s hinted at a potential return to MMA, as well as boxing, as he approaches his 40th birthday.

    Woodley was released by the UFC following four-straight losses in the Octagon. Beginning with losing his welterweight title to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235, he arguably looked like a shell of his former self in additional bouts against Gilbert Burns and Colby Covington.

    Before taking the Paul rematch on short notice, Woodley had allegedly been working towards a boxing return in January. Former UFC welterweight Dan Hardy had reportedly been on a small list of potential opponents for his next fight.

    It’s unclear what exactly is next for the former UFC champion, but Woodley seems hell-bent on continuing to compete in multiple aspects of fighting moving forward.

    What do you think should be next for Tyron Woodley?