MMA News

Author: Clyde Aidoo

  • Ex-Cop Chris Daukaus Offers Unique Perspective On Velasquez Case

    Former police officer and upcoming UFC Columbus headliner Chris Daukaus has shared his thoughts on the Cain Velasquez case.

    Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was reportedly involved in a car chase in pursuit of alleged child molester Henry Goularte. While Velasquez allegedly fired rounds into the vehicle carrying Goularte, bullets hit Goularte’s stepfather instead. Since the arrest, many fighters have voiced their support for Velasquez, such as Israel Adesanya, Colby Covington, and Alexander Volkanovski among others.

    One man who is in a position to offer some unique insight into the case is Chris Daukaus. Daukaus worked as a law-enforcement officer in Philadelphia for more than 10 years, so he has a firm awareness of the criminal justice system.

    But the #9-ranked UFC heavyweight is also a parent. So while he understands the need to charge Velasquez for breaking the law, he is not personally convicting Velasquez from a morality standpoint.

    “Yeah, so as a father and as a fighter, I’m OK with what he did,” Daukaus began in an interview with Sherdog. “Yes, it sucks that he shot the wrong person. I understand where he’s coming from. I understand the emotions that he must have felt and I couldn’t imagine what was going through his head, and I couldn’t imagine being in that situation. 

    Judge denies 'reckless' ex-UFC champ Cain Velasquez bail in attempted murder case - Bloody Elbow
    Image Credit: Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group

    “As a former law enforcement officer, as a former police officer, dealing with the circumstances of the case and the facts of the case, I knew he was gonna be locked up. And he’s going to be charged, and it’s just (about) what he gets charged with during the trial. It’s a really bad situation, I think. But we’ll see how it plays out as far as the timeline goes.”

    Velasquez was charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, shooting at a motor vehicle, and discharging a firearm from a vehicle with intent. His bail was denied earlier this month, and he remains in Santa Clara County Main Jail until his trial.

    Once the trial begins, Daukaus believes there will be many factors that ultimately determine Velasquez’s fate.

    “So if it was a quote-unquote ‘crime of passion’ with his emotions and if he just reacted, that plays a factor as opposed to him planning a revenge factor against this person. That also plays a factor in it. But as a father and as a father of a young son and a soon-to-be daughter, I can respect what he did; I understand what he did. But as a former law enforcement officer, like I said, he broke the law; he needs to be locked up.”

    Chris Daukaus biography: 13 things about MMA fighter, cop from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – CONAN Daily
    Chris Daukaus

    Daukaus went on to opine that this entire ordeal is a textbook example of faith lost in the criminal justice system.

    “But I guess that goes to show the type of faith or lack of faith that an individual has in the criminal justice system here in America, which you can tell from not only this story but other stories, it seems to be broken at this point in time,” Daukaus said. “I really wish that it was fixed. But there seems to be something really wrong if the guy who did that to Cain Velasquez is now free to go out in society and back to his normal life after what he’s done, allegedly, to someone or other people.”

    Chris Daukaus is scheduled to face Curtis Blaydes in the main event of UFC Columbus this Saturday. Cain Velasquez is due to reappear in court on April 12.

    What do you make of Chris Daukaus’ thoughts on the Cain Velasquez case?

  • Helwani Believes McGregor vs. Paul Is “Inching” Slowly Towards Fruition

    Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani thinks that while we’re still a wide distance from the goal line, the ball for a potential Conor McGregor vs. Jake Paul fight is now in play.

    Jake Paul has wanted a fight against Conor McGregor seemingly ever since he entered the world of professional boxing two years ago. Whenever speaking of his dream opponents, McGregor’s name has never been far from his lips.

    The same can’t be said about the other side, though. Not only has McGregor never expressed interest in fighting Paul, but he’s always ignored him whenever smack talk from the YouTuber was tossed in his direction.

    Part of that equation changed recently when McGregor finally responded to Paul after the 5-0 boxer criticized his boxing technique. Though the Irishman didn’t say much—one word to be exact—that word (“jackass”) along with some interpretable thawing on the Dana White front has Ariel Helwani believing that a McGregor/Paul fight could eventually happen.

    “I maintain that Dana likes Jake Paul. I maintain that Dana would want to do business with Jake Paul,” Helwani began on his program The MMA Hour. “I maintain that we are closer than ever—this is how the Mayweather thing started—to this fight actually happening. Now does it ultimately happen? No, but I believe it is more of a thing than it was six, eight months ago. 

    Jake Paul
    Credit: Complex

    “Conor responding to the tweet, Dana talking about it, not closing the door, talking weight and all this stuff—this would be the biggest fight in combat that can be made right now. It would do well over two million buys. And you can just see the interest building. You can see the wheels turning. You can see people starting to warm up to it, the important people. So again, I’m not saying it’s happening; it’s not happening. I’m just saying we continue to inch closer to it happening—inch closer, inch closer, appearance here, a question there, an answer there, an open door here.”

    Dana White has always maintained that he has no interest in doing business with Jake Paul. However, to Helwani’s point, White recently only questioned if Paul could make it down to 170 to fight McGregor as opposed to outright shutting the door in the YouTuber’s face per usual.

    But what’s most telling to Helwani is the subtle yet noticeable change in behavior from The Notorious One.

    “And then to me, the biggest thing was Conor directly responding. Because in the past, he always ignored, interviews—always deflected. A back-to-back MMA/boxing would be just gigantic. Will the UFC be willing to pay Jake Paul what he’s making in boxing? I mean, they could afford it. Do they want to set that precedent? I don’t know…If everyone puts their ego aside, there’s just a gigantic amount of money to be made.

    Jake Paul Conor McGregor
    Image Credit: Jake Paul’s Instagram

    “Now we do dismiss the size. Jake fights at around 190. Conor just barely makes 170. That’s significant. It’s really significant. But I just feel like we are closer than ever. Now when I say ‘closer than ever,’ do I mean we’re on the goal line? No. We might be on the five-yard line as opposed to being in the end zone just starting off. But I feel like there’s something happening here. That’s all I’ll say. I feel like we are inching, inching, inching, ‘inching—inching’ being the operative word—ever so slowly.”

    The last time the fight was proposed by Paul, it was for a UFC fight against McGregor. If Paul won, White would agree to Paul’s list of terms geared towards improving UFC fighter pay and benefits. If McGregor won, Paul would donate his entire fight purse to UFC fighters making less than $50,000 per fight and never speak of the UFC again.

    It bears noting that Helwani is merely speculating and not reporting any actual talks for a McGregor/Paul bout taking place. However, if this far-fetched pairing actually does materialize, you’ll most certainly get the scoop right here on MMANews.com.

    What do you think are the chances we’ll see Conor McGregor and Jake Paul fight in any capacity? 

  • Masvidal & Covington Reportedly Brawl In Restaurant, Police Called

    Best friends turned sworn enemies Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington reportedly extended their UFC 272 fight to a 6th round inside a Miami restaurant Monday night.

    Following the grudge match between Masvidal and Covington at UFC 272, it instantly became clear that there was still animosity between the two former pals.

    The beef continued with Covington gloating about his unanimous decision victory over Masvidal via relentless trolling and insults towards Masvidal long after the end of their contest. As for Masvidal, he did not mince words when he said that should he ever cross paths with Covington on the streets of Miami, he would still try to break his face.

    Colby Covington
    Colby Covington With Custom-Made “King of Miami” Belt

    Covington issued similar remarks. After once again proclaiming himself to be the “King of Miami,” he banished Masvidal from the city and warned that if Masvidal disobeyed the order to vacate, he would get “sparked” as a penalty.

    As it happens, both men reportedly had an opportunity to back up their words Monday night.

    Masvidal & Covington Reportedly Brawl In Restaurant

    According to the initial report from Andy Slater of FoxSports640, Masvidal and Covington fought inside Papi Steak restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida. Video soon emerged of Covington in the aftermath of the alleged brawl with several police officers nearby. You can view that video below.

    https://twitter.com/wiseguyMMA/status/1506139363046010883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1506139363046010883%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2F2022%2F03%2F21%2Fpolice-colby-covington-jorge-masvidal-fight-restaraunt%2F

    In the above video, Covington could be heard asking how Masvidal found out where he was. The man he was speaking to, identified as social media influencer Bob Menery, responded by informing Covington that he is all over the internet.

    Word of Covington hanging out with the Nelk Boys did, in fact, make its rounds over the web Monday and is what most likely tipped Masvidal off to Covington’s location.

    Team Masvidal React To Alleged Altercation

    There are currently no reports indicating any arrests were made following the alleged altercation; yet, Masvidal still proposed a mug-shot challenge, if you will, in order to settle who was the victor of round 6.

    https://twitter.com/GamebredFighter/status/1506117739139805188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1506117739139805188%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2F2022%2F03%2F21%2Fpolice-colby-covington-jorge-masvidal-fight-restaraunt%2F

    “I’m calling this the ‘Show Your Face Challenge.’ What’s up? I’m from Dade County. You talk that shit, you gotta back it up. That’s how my city rolls, man,” Masvidal said.

    Masvidal’s manager, Malki Kawa, would also hop on social media to imply that Covington’s face was indeed “broken” to the extent of a missing tooth.

    “I’m hearing that a someone not from miami who says he’s the king of it is missing a tooth. Can someone confirm this? I need the video asap.”

    Coincidentally, Masvidal shared a story prior to UFC 272 where he once invited Covington to a sushi restaurant to settle their differences. Judging from all appearances, the former buddies opted to resolve matters over some beefy steak instead.

    MMA News will keep you updated on this developing story and provide any video of the alleged brawl between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington the moment it becomes available.

  • McGregor Has Had Enough With The “Disrespect” For His Title Plans

    Conor McGregor has had enough of what he deems to be “disrespect” placed on his name.

    Conor McGregor has made his plans of returning to a world title shot known since late last year. And since that same time, he and the rest of the MMA world have been hearing complaints about this bold proclamation.

    For Dana White’s part, he has called those who are bothered by the possibility of McGregor landing an immediate title shot upon his return to be “idiots.” As for McGregor himself, he’s simply done being dismissed and ‘disrespected.’

    “Enough is enough with the disrespect that comes my way, you know what I mean?” McGregor told TheMacLife about criticisms of him potentially receiving a title shot in 2022. “People are gonna give me my respect for the many facets of my game—my fighting style and everything else. I’m gonna waltz back into a title shot, make no mistake about it.”

    McGregor had initially targeted Charles Oliveira for a title shot when he billi struts back into the Octagon later this year. However, last week, he redirected his gaze to the direction of UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.

    Kamaru Usman
    Kamaru Usman, Photo Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

    Usman doesn’t appear to be taking McGregor’s ambitions very seriously, however. Thus far, all his attention has been focused on an anticipated bout against Leon Edwards this summer followed by, in a perfect world, a crack at boxing great Canelo Álvarez.

    Conor McGregor has already won world championships in two different weight classes, becoming the first to do so simultaneously after he knocked out Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.

    In the MacLife interview, McGregor voiced his confidence in being able to be the first fighter to win a world title in three divisions by taking out Usman. The Irishman believes this shouldn’t be too difficult an undertaking due to Usman having a “sloppy” and “jab-happy” striking style accompanied by grappling devoid of any dangerous ground-and-pound.

    What do you think? Are those who scoff at Conor McGregor returning to a title shot disrespecting him?

  • Archives: UFC Flyweight Paige VanZant Open to WWE Run (2018)

    Over the years, many UFC stars have teased a move over to professional wrestling. Names like Jon Jones, Colby Covington, Julianna Peña, and Israel Adesanya have all teased a move to the squared circle.

    In the case of Paige VanZant, she has backed up her words from four years ago when she said she’d be open to entering pro wrestling. Recently, it was revealed that VanZant has signed a contract with All Elite Wrestling. On this day four years ago, before the rise of AEW, it was specifically WWE she had her eye on.

    The following article was published on this day four years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 20, 2018, 11:09 AM]

    Headline: UFC Flyweight Paige VanZant Open to WWE Run

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    Paige VanZant isn’t ruling out a trip to the squared circle.

    VanZant is currently an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) flyweight. After going 7-3 at 115 pounds, “12 Gauge” made the move to flyweight due to some brutal weight cuts. Right now she is recovering from an injury in her bout against Jessica-Rose Clark.

    Six days from now, VanZant will turn 24. Time is still on her side to take things to the next level. The question remains, will she keep competing in mixed martial arts? While “12 Gauge” hasn’t given much indication that she will hang up her gloves, many believe her popularity could propel her to other ventures.

    Transition?

    One of those potential ventures is WWE. Speaking to MMAJunkie.com, VanZant said she isn’t opposed to the idea of stepping inside the ring:

    “It’s just another platform for us UFC fighters to make a name for ourselves. I know Ronda is going to do awesome at it, and she’s going to make a name for herself in the WWE. I’m a fighter first and foremost, but if the opportunity ever came knocking, I’m not one to turn opportunities down. I think it’s an amazing organization, and I’d definitely love to work with them.”

    This is hardly the first time VanZant has shown interest in a WWE career after her days as a pro fighter are over. She’s been talking about joining WWE since 2016 and was even rumored for a match at SummerSlam 2016, but that never came to be.

    VanZant wouldn’t be the first fighter to transition from MMA to pro wrestling. Of course, Ronda Rousey is currently signed to a WWE contract and is set to make her in-ring debut at WrestleMania 34. Before her, others such as Josh Barnett competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Many believe Attitude Era star Ken Shamrock made the transition, but he was actually a professional wrestler years before making his MMA debut.

    Do you believe Paige VanZant will eventually go to the WWE?

  • Archives: Paul Craig: A Story For The Times (2018)

    Yesterday at UFC London did it yet again. It was another come-from-behind submission victory for the Scot, as he submitted Nikita Krylov in the very first round. However, on this day four years ago, we ran a column about Craig’s historic finish over Magomed Ankalaev.

    Craig’s victory last night over Kyrlov not to mention his many other submissions wins helps support the argument in the following piece, which is that Craig was not at all lucky to submit Magomed Ankalaev years ago, even if it was on short notice. That’s because when you’re in a fight with Paul Craig, every second matters.

    The following article was published on this day four years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form courses of The MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 20, 2018]

    High school students in Scotland were used to staring at Paul Craig as the clock ticked on slowly. If Paul Craig’s classroom was anything like so many American classrooms around the country, you can be sure that regardless of how much they enjoyed Mr. Craig’s class, they would much rather be home playing video games, Netflix and chilling, or doing whatever it is Scottish teenagers do…STV and chill? In any event, I think it’s a safe bet that these students would count the minutes down to the seconds for when the class would be dismissed, and they would be free to go on about their day…if only that darn clock would just hurry up.

    What was also considered a safe bet was betting on Magomed Ankalaev to defeat Paul Craig…so much so that Ankalev closed as a -700 favorite for the bout. In listening to the many different breakdowns and perspectives about this fight from various experts and analysts, one thing seemed to be unanimous: Not only was Ankalav a justified monster favorite, but Paul Craig stood next to no chance to win. In fact, when it comes to safe bets, Ankalev seemed to be arguably the safest bet of 2018 among both experts and betters, save Cris Cyborg.

    What was peculiar to me was the extent to which every expert seemed to be overlooking Paul Craig’s submission game. It’s one thing to be going against a striker like Khalil Roundtree or even pounded out in less than a minute on the mat to Tyson Pedro after already taking many shots on the feet…but when you look at Craig’s body of work juxtaposed to Ankalev’s fighting style, a submission victory for Craig seemed like a very realistic possibility. That body of work, by the way, consists of eight of his nine victories coming into the fight being by submission. That’s right. Coming into this fight, all but one of Paul Craig’s victories were by submission, including one in his UFC debut against Henrique da Silva via armbar.

    How is it even possible to overlook an incredible statistic like that, knowing that Ankalav more than likely was going to take this fight to the mat and try to pound out a victory? And although that incredible submission victory/ratio of 8/9 should be impossible to ignore on its own merit, just go back and watch Craig’s mat work on the regional scene, and an expert should have known that this fight coming in was much, much more competitive than the odds suggested, especially when we consider that Ankalav, though a prospect coming into the fight (and still a hot prospect in my opinion), was making his UFC debut! What evidence was there that Ankalav would be able to avoid a Paul Craig submission for an entire fight?

    And let’s address one thing right now before I go any further. Paul Craig’s victory was not a fluke. The reasons for this are twofold:

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 202, 2018, 3:05 PM]

    1) All but one of the man’s victories are by submission. It’s what he does. It’s not like he landed a Hail Mary punch or did something out of his nature. On the contrary, he did something that his record and film should have made obvious to any expert that he was capable of doing, especially in what was predicted to be a mat war.

    2) The biggest argument that it was a fluke will no doubt come from the fact that the submission came in the last second of the fight. How could that not prove it was a fluke when Craig was being dominated, right? This would make sense, but there’s just one problem: a submission only takes seconds to pull off. If we can agree that a submission such as an armbar or a triangle choke only takes seconds to be successful, then the time gap between 4:50 and 5:00, which is the approximate time frame the submission was locked in, is not at all out of the ordinary.

    “To put this in perspective, imagine if, in the closing seconds of UFC 220’s main event, Francis Ngannou was able to knock out Stipe Miocic in the closing seconds after losing all four rounds. Would that be a fluke? Of course, some would say so, but they, too, would be illogical because Ngannou’s knockout style is that in which it only takes one punch. If it only takes one punch that means it only takes one second. If it only takes one second, then it makes no difference whether that second was at 2:25 in the first round or at 4:59 in the fifth. If someone achieves a victory in the final seconds by a skill they specialize in that takes seconds to pull off, it cannot be a fluke.

    “So I hope the experts who let down their listeners with this overconfidence will not use this cop-out and instead accept the fact that they underestimated a submission expert in a mat war against a fighter making his UFC debut and, like Ankalav, just take the L.

    Once again, Paul Craig’s former high school students were staring at Mr. Craig this past Saturday, and once again, time was not on their side. Only this time as they were staring at him, they weren’t hoping that time would hurry up. Instead, they were hoping that he could have just one more round…just a few more minutes…a few more seconds more than the final ticks he was provided as Ankalev laid on top of him. But as these students would soon find out, Craig didn’t need it. Like any good teacher, Mr. Craig made use of the time allotted to him, and he schooled Ankalev and every MMA expert within earshot of the MMA community of what a top-level jiu-jitsu practitioner looks like and, more to the point, just who in the hell they were disrespecting.

    Although it was not fluky, it was certainly inspirational. It gave not only his former students a lesson, but anybody watching around the world: never give up. When the clock is ticking on a battle that could shift the outlook on your entire life, do not ever give up. As cliché as that may sound, if Paul Craig’s come-from-behind final second victory does not put a spark to those overused words, I’m not sure what could. As far as come-from-behind victories go, this has to rank in the top five, if not at the top of the list, of what I have ever seen…not just because of the final seconds but because of how many people did not give Craig a chance to win.

    “Well, right when it looked like his UFC career was going to be thrown out like old lesson plans, Craig added a second Performance of the Night bonus to his resume to complement his 2-2 UFC record. In doing so, he didn’t just, in all likelihood, buy his UFC career more time…but much to the delight of his former high school students, whenever they turn on the TV on fight night with this Scottish hero on the bill, they will get what they took for granted in those dragging minutes in the classroom: more time to watch Mr. Craig do what he loves.

    Be sure to stick with MMANews.com daily for the latest breaking news in the MMA world and also follow MMA Logic on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MMALogic/

    Where do you think Paul Craig’s comeback victory ranks?

  • Aspinall Shares Why He Laughed In Volkov’s Face Before Finishing Him

    Tom Aspinall was literally the complete opposite of intimidated prior to the start of his UFC London main event against Alexander Volkov.

    At UFC London, Tom Aspinall extended his UFC record to 5-0, with all five victories being finishes and four of the five winning Performance of the Night honors. The latest victory came at the expense of the man deemed to be his toughest test to date, top-10 heavyweight veteran Alexander Volkov.

    If Volkov was Aspinall’s stiffest challenge, you would have never guessed it in watching the outcome of the UFC London main event. Aspinall made short work of Volkov and outclassed him on the feet and on the mat before scoring the straight-armbar submission finish in the first round.

    But before the fight kicked off, Aspinall felt that he had already won. This came after Volkov’s alleged attempt to intimidate him with a pre-fight staredown only backfired and swelled the Brit’s confidence to levels that made him virtually unbeatable.

    “Volkov would not take his eyes off me. And I think he thought he was gonna intimidate me…I actually laughed at it,” Aspinall said at the UFC London post-fight press conference. “Like, you can ask (my corner), [Volkov] was looking over and I just went like, ‘Ha!’ And I think it was all downhill from there for him.”

    UFC: Tom Aspinall relishing 'fear' of headlining in London - BBC Sport

    One thing that isn’t a laughing matter is Aspinall’s current career trajectory. Although, if he has it his way, that trajectory will lead him onto the path of notorious heavyweight joker Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa.

    Aspinall called Tuivasa out after the fight, and this pairing could make sense for both parties. Tuivasa is currently ranked #3, and this victory over Volkov will potentially send Aspinall into the top 5.

    Meanwhile, Alexander Volkov is not laughing one bit after coming up on the losing end of two of his last three fights. However, despite his many years of experience, Volkov is still only 33 years old. Therefore, he still has more than enough time to pick up some wins and do whatever is necessary to potentially land a rematch with Aspinall down the line, where the Russian would have an opportunity to wipe the smile off of Aspinall’s face.

    What are your thoughts on these comments from Tom Aspinall?

  • Paddy Pimblett Preemptively Responds To Critics After UFC London

    Paddy Pimblett can already hear his critics after his latest victory at UFC London; thus, “The Baddy” has preemptively issued a response.

    At UFC London, Paddy Pimblett continued to add steam to his hype train with a submission victory over Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas. Not unlike his UFC debut, Pimblett experienced some early turbulence, but he and his star power rode out the wave until his heralded words rang true with “The Baddy” having his hand raised after another first-round finish.

    However, given the fact that some believe Pimblett was thrown a gimme fight in Vargas, who entered the bout with a 1-2 UFC record, the struggles endured in the opening moments of the fight may be glaring to some of his critics.

    Pimblett, well aware of this sect even before they’ve had a chance to congregate, addressed and mocked the argument he anticipates from them during the UFC London post-fight press conference.

    “The funny thing is, lad, the haters are gonna hate still, lad,” Pimblett said when asked about silencing his critics. “(MOCKING CRITICS) ‘Oh, you couldn’t even take him down? You got hit with a big punch. [DROOLING NOISE] Your defense is shit.’

    “Who won? You know what I mean? Who won, lad? It was me in the first round.”

    Indeed it was Pimblett, not Vargas, who had his hand raised yesterday. Pimblett now moves to 2-0 in the UFC and the 27-year-old “Baddy” will be continuing his races onto the next challenge. Who and when that will be? Only time will tell.

    But if you ask Paddy while hushing the noise of his critics, there is one sure-fire answer that will ring loud and clear: Pimblett will blast deafeningly loud as the A-side regardless.

    What did you think of Paddy Pimblett’s UFC London performance?

  • Archives: Paddy Pimblett Returns In Style At Cage Warriors 113 (2020)

    Last night at UFC London, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett earned the submission finish over Kazula Vargas in front of the raucous crowd filling the O2 arena. Coincidentally, on this day two years ago, “The Baddy” made his triumphant return to competition after a two-year layoff following his loss to Soren Bak in 2018. Below, you can find our coverage of the significant occasion immediately after it happened.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 20, 2020 5:34 PM]

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    Paddy Pimblett finally returned to the cage today (March 20) and he made the most of it.

    Opening the main card of Cage Warriors 113 was a lightweight clash between Pimblett and Decky Dalton. After Donovan Desmae and Davide Martinez were pulled from the card, Dalton stepped up as a late replacement opponent. Dalton ended up being no match for Pimblett.

    Early in the fight, Dalton slipped off a high kick attempt and Pimblett took full advantage. Pimblett’s top control was too much for Dalton and he rained down punches for the quick ground-and-pound finish.

    The official Twitter account of Cage Warriors posted the finish, which you can see below.

    MMA News has you covered with live results for Cage Warriors 113. You can catch the results here.

  • Dana White Celebrates, Rewards, & Basks In The History Of UFC London

    It’s safe to say that UFC London lived up to UFC President Dana White’s expectations.

    Prior to last night’s UFC London extravaganza, Dana White proclaimed the talent-rich roster on the lineup to be the best in the history of UK-based UFC cards. Given the fact that there were a total of nine bonuses handed out for every finish on the card, truly, the O2 Arena bore witness to that talent shining through.

    During the UFC London post-fight press conference, White revealed that the event wasn’t just madly entertaining but it was also historic.

    According to White, the total gate for the event was $4.5 million, which is the biggest in the history of the O2 Arena. Not only that, White also revealed that the event was the “biggest” UFC Fight Night of all time.

    If you missed any of the action-packed fights from UFC London, you can catch up all the results and highlights right here.

    The first finish saw 21-year-old upstart Muhammad Mokaev defeat Cody Durden via submission in the very first round. Mokaev had asked for a bout against Durden following controversial post-fight comments Durden made after his first UFC win, and Mokaev made the most of the wish that was granted to him.

    Next up, Paul Craig defeated Nikita Krylov in yet another comeback finish in his career 3:57 minutes into the first round.

    In the first heavyweight bout of the night, Sergei Pavlovich earned the TKO finish over Shamil Abdurakhimov in the first round, followed by Mike Grundy being submitted by Makwan Amirkhani.

    The main card kept the finishes rolling when Ilia Topuria pulled off a come-from-behind win over Jai Herbert in the only second-round finish of the night. Then, Molly McCann made mincemeat out of Luana Carolina with a vicious spinning elbow.

    Paddy “The Baddy” then delivered on his vow of a first-round finish when he submitted Kazula Vargas in the first round.

    In the co-main event, Arnold Allen earned his first TKO finish in the UFC at the expense of Dan Hooker with the performance of his career.

    Finally, in the main event, Tom Aspinall passed his toughest test with flying colors when he ace Alexander Volkov by way of first-round submission.

    Also during the press conference, the giddy Dana White assured that the UFC will be returning to London as soon as possible. When that event takes place, the roster booked will have its work cut out if they intend on matching, let alone topping the UFC London classic that took place on March the 19th of 2022.

    Where does UFC London rank on all-time UFC Fight Nights in YOUR opinion?

  • Archives: Francis Ngannou Wants Brock Lesnar Back In UFC (2018)

    What do Jon Jones, Tyson Fury, and Brock Lesnar all have in common? All three superstars, at one point or another, have been in the sights of “The Predator.”

    What’s that? You didn’t know current UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou once wanted to fight Brock Lesnar? No worries, the MMA News Archives is here to remind you.

    The following story was published on this day four years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 19, 2018, 3:21 PM]

    Title: Francis Ngannou Wants Brock Lesnar Back In UFC

    Author: Andrew Ravens

    Former title contender Francis Ngannou is in an interesting spot right now in his pro-MMA career.

    Ngannou has a few fight options in his future after his latest bout. As seen at the UFC 220 event at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on pay-per-view, UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic successfully retained his title in the main event by scoring a dominant decision win over the title contender.

    During an appearance on The MMA Hour on Monday, Ngannou addressed a potential fight with former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

    UFC President Dana White has teased the return of Lesnar to the promotion in the past. The speculation going around is that with Jon Jones being on the sidelines, Lesnar would only return to the UFC for big fights and one of those fights could be against Miocic.

    The current WWE Universal Champion’s contract is up with the WWE in April after WrestleMania 34.

    Lesnar has competed just once inside of the cage since 2011. The former UFC champion holds notable wins over fighters such as Shane Carwin, Randy Couture, and Frank Mir.

    Hard-hitting heavyweight star Mark Hunt is the last man to have fought Lesnar in the Octagon at UFC 200 in 2016. This marked Lesnar’s return to MMA after an almost five-year retirement.

    As seen in the fight, Lesnar won a unanimous decision that night which was subsequently overturned when it was revealed he failed two USADA issued drug tests before the bout. This led to Hunt filing a civil suit against Lesnar and the UFC to settle his grievances.

    “Please Brock, come back, come back my friend. We need you here,” Ngannou said. “We need you to put the fun in this division. I need you to give me that f*cking fight I’ve been waiting for for a long time, I’ve been dreaming for.”

    “It’s up to what (the UFC) want to give me,” Ngannou said. “There are a lot of people out there who want to fight me. I saw Mark Hunt, he would be a great one. By myself, I want Brock. Brock Lesnar.”

    Ngannou was gassed after the first round and lost in a lopsided fashion. Following the fight, Ngannou made it known that this fight was a major learning experience for him. Ngannou had moments of success in the opening two rounds but was unable to counter Miocic’s wrestling-heavy game plan.

    “I like the fight,” Ngannou said. “He look like — I don’t know if you ever seen this guy, he looks very, very big and strong. And I really want to try that. Listen, there are the three ones who want me and me, I want Brock,” Ngannou said.

    What are your thoughts on Lesnar potentially fighting Ngannou?

  • UFC London: Volkov vs. Aspinall Preview, Betting Odds, & Final Faceoffs

    The UFC London ceremonial weigh-in has wrapped up, and the event is now less than 24 hours away!

    All fighters made weight earlier today, so every bout will proceed as scheduled. Below, you can find the betting odds and final faceoffs of each competitor on the main card.

    Jai Herbert (+350) vs. Ilia Topuria (-475)

    Jai Herbert is 1-2 in the UFC but is coming off an impressive TKO victory over Kharma Worthy last October. His opponent, Ilia Topuria, is undefeated in the UFC at 11-0, most recently stopping grappling ace Ryan Hall via KO at UFC 264. Earlier this week, he was almost involved in another fight with none other than Paddy Pimblett, but now that he’s released some of that aggression, he can focus solely on Herbert tomorrow.

    You can catch the final faceoff between Herbert and Topuria below.

    Molly McCann (-130) vs. Luana Carolina (+110)

    Molly McCann took home Fight of the Night in her last bout against Ji Yeon Kim last September in a winning effort. Now, she will be returning home to England to face Luano Carolina, who is coming off of two consecutive victories.

    Check out the final faceoff of these two flyweights below.

    Gunnar Nelson (-450) vs. Takashi Sato (+340)

    Gunnar Nelson recently signed a new deal with the UFC, and first up for the veteran is Takashi Sato, who has lost two of his last three fights, including to Miguel Baeza last November via submission. Overall, Sato has a UFC record of 2-2. The veteran Nelson has also lost two of his last three fights, most recently defeating Alex Oliveira via submission at UFC 231.

    Peep the faceoff between these two welterweight competitors below.

    Paddy Pimblett (-490) vs. Kazula Vargas (+360)

    Is Paddy Pimblett the next big star for the UFC? Or, as Kazula Vargas argues, is he overrated? We’ll get more answers about “The Baddy” in this bout after his scintillating UFC debut last year.

    Check out the final faceoff of these two lightweights below.

    Arnold Allen (-115) vs. Dan Hooker (-105)

    In the co-main event, we have a fight pegged as nearly a pick-em when Arnold Allen faces Dan Hooker in Hooker’s return to featherweight. Allen is on an incredible 10-fight winning streak, with eight of those fights coming in the UFC. However, as far as Hooker is concerned, with a win here, he will have successfully snatched Allen’s win streak, thus having a nine-fight UFC winning streak of his own.

    You can view the final faceoff of tomorrow night’s co-headliners below.

    Alexander Volkov (EVEN) vs. Tom Aspinall (-120)

    In the main event, Alexander Volkov embraces his role as the “heel” against England’s Tom Aspinall. This bout will be the biggest test of Aspinall’s career, which has yet to witness a stumble inside the UFC Octagon. Instead, it’s just been one finish after another. Will that trend continue tomorrow night in Aspinall’s first UFC main event?

    Before we find out tomorrow night, you can catch the final faceoff of the two heavyweights below.

    You can view the full card and weigh-in results for UFC London right here.

    UFC London comes to you from the O2 Arena Saturday, March 19, 2022. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ for US viewers and on UFC Fight Pass for viewers outside the United States. The preliminary card will begin at 1:00 PM ET, with the main card kicking off at 4:00 PM ET.

    Be sure to keep it locked right here on MMANews.com for all the UFC London coverage tomorrow!

  • McGregor Doesn’t See Himself Fighting At LW Again, Wants Usman Next

    Conor McGregor maintains that he is still expecting a title shot upon his return to the UFC Octagon, but he says it won’t be in the lightweight division.

    In fact, the former UFC lightweight champion says that he doesn’t expect to ever compete at 155 lbs. again. Those who have been keeping track of McGregor’s bulking-up efforts in recent months may not be surprised by this bombshell, but others, such as reigning champion Charles Oliveira, were expecting the Irishman to pursue a title shot at lightweight when he returns from his leg injury later this year.

    In an interview with TheMacLife, McGregor revealed that isn’t the case and that he doesn’t expect to compete at lightweight ever again.

    “I just don’t really see myself coming back to 155 again,” McGregor said. I’m eating, I’m lifting, I’m training, and I’m not cutting calories. So this is my natural state. I can go even bigger.”

    McGregor pointed to a pair of past performances at 170 as further support for his comfort level in making the welterweight division his new home.

    Conor McGregor vs Donald Cerrone LIVE reaction, post-fight press conference updates and more after Notorious defeats Cowboy at UFC 246 - Irish Mirror Online
    Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone, UFC 246

    “I like myself at 170. I’ve always had a great time when I’ve had a full camp at 170—with correct preparation: the Diaz 2 rematch and the [Donald Cerrone] fight in particular…They were probably some of my best performances inside the UFC Octagon and without any calorie deficiency whatsoever,” McGregor said.

    McGregor is 2-1 in the welterweight division, with the aforementioned victories over Diaz at UFC 202 and Cerrone at UFC 246 being his last two outings at 170. To McGregor’s point, his bout against Diaz won Fight of the Night and his demolition of Cerrone earned him Performance of the Night.

    For his next welterweight walk to the Octagon, McGregor has set his sights on the very top of the division.

    McGregor: Me vs. Usman Is The Fight To Make

    Kamaru Usman Conor McGregor
    Kamaru Usman, Conor McGregor (Image Credits: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC & Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

    One thing McGregor has not walked back on at all is his insistence on returning to a title shot. Though it was originally believed to be Charles Oliveira who the Irishman preferred as his comeback opponent, as it turns out, it’s actually current UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.

    McGregor and Usman have exchanged words over social media in the past, with McGregor accusing Usman of habitually stealing his material. “The Notorious” would again reference the Nigerian-American’s alleged creative infringement while also saying in no uncertain terms that he is who the former champ-champ wants next.

    “It is what it is. What do they say? Imitation and flattery and all this type of thing,” McGregor said of Usman’s verbal repertoire. “I don’t know. But I believe that’s the fight to make.

    “I believe myself vs. Usman for the 170-pound title for my comeback fight is the one I’m eyeballing at the minute.”

    Kamaru Usman is expected to defend his title against Leon Edwards this summer after he has finished healing from recent hand surgery. He has also been pounding the pavement lobbying for a boxing match against superstar Canelo Álvarez.

    That said, Usman has also expressed interest in a fight against McGregor multiple times in the past. And it goes without saying that a fight against McGregor would be more than lucrative enough to steer Usman’s gaze away from the boxing ring and into the Irishman’s direction once he becomes privy to these latest comments from The Notorious One.

    Do you want to see Conor McGregor return to face Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight championship?

  • Costa Challenges “Rat” Sean Strickland, Strickland Says UFC Declined

    UFC middleweight Sean Strickland claims the UFC has rejected a fight between him and Paulo Costa.

    A fight between Strickland and Costa has some logic on paper. They are currently deadlocked at the #4 spot in the UFC rankings, and neither man is expected to receive a title shot at Israel Adesanya next, due to Jared Cannonier being most likely to fill that role.

    Additionally, Robert Whittaker (#1) and Marvin Vettori (#3) are unavailable after being targeted to fight one another. So with Strickland and Costa both available, what’s stopping the two of them from being paired together?

    According to Sean Strickland, the UFC itself is stopping it.

    This claim comes after Costa called out Strickland in a re-tweet of an article from last November where Strickland requested the same fight.

    “Let’s do it rat. Veremos se é valentão mesmo,” Costa wrote.

    “I asked for Costa and the UFC didn’t seem so confident in his future.. Also i dont think they liked me punching down to get a title shot lol.. but worst case for you Costa there is always bellator.. Maybe 205? Idk…” Strickland responded.

    “@BorrachinhaMMA heres the thing man. The UFC said no. I asked multiple times….. But after your forced to move to light heavyweight I’ll catch you in Vegas and if you wanna run your mouth I’ll give it to you for free…” he wrote in a follow-up tweet directed at Costa himself.

    Although Paulo Costa insists that he will remain in the middleweight division, as Strickland alludes to, this is still unconfirmed after Dana White publicly stated the Brazilian will need to move up to light heavyweight following the weight-related debacle ahead of his fight against Marvin Vettori last October.

    Additionally, even though both fighters are tied at #4, Strickland’s “punching down” comment is likely in reference to the American being on a six-fight winning streak while Costa has lost two straight.

    In any event, Costa clearly isn’t buying what Strickland is pushing out based on the following response to Strickland’s revelation.

    “I knew you were a fuc*king pus*y but this show of insecurity surprised even me. just another fake macho,” Costa responded.

    When Strickland and Costa have their next fight booked, against one another or otherwise, or if the two simply decide to ramp up this new Twitter beef instead, MMA News will be here to keep you covered with all the latest.

    Do you think Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa is the fight to make right now?

  • Dana White On Jake Paul: “Why Isn’t He Calling Out Israel Adesanya?”

    UFC President Dana White is still wondering why Jake Paul is only challenging smaller fighters.

    Dana White’s vow to never speak about Jake Paul ever again lasted all of two months. But even that time span is perhaps longer than what most would have anticipated. In 2021, hardly a week went by without some jab thrown by Paul toward White or vice versa.

    According to White, however, that all ended after he felt Paul dodged his challenge of getting randomly steroid tested for two years with White agreeing to get cocaine tested for 10 years in return.

    During White’s period of silence, Paul has continued to chirp away, including on a Dana White Diss Track and with continuous challenges to fighters on the UFC roster. Only now, Paul claims he isn’t just open to boxing them, but he has begun to lay down challenges for MMA fights.

    The two specific names that Paul has challenged for a fight are Jorge Masvidal and Conor McGregor. In both cases, Paul made proposals directly to White to make the fights happen with high stakes at play, mostly connected to improving fighter pay and benefits.

    But even when Paul’s challenges were restricted to the boxing ring, White wondered why Paul was only challenging—and fighting—smaller opponents. And now that Paul has extended his challenges to MMA fights, White is still wondering the same thing.

    White: Call Out Somebody Your Own Size

    UFC 271: Israel Adesanya's 'lucrative' deal adds intrigue
    Israel Adesanya

    After White responded to Paul’s latest challenge to McGregor by pointing out the size difference between the two, he threw out a big name who is closer to the YouTuber’s weight that Paul has yet to mention.

    “Why isn’t he calling out Israel Adesanya? I know. I know, and you know, and everybody else knows, and he knows, too,” White said in an interview with ESPN.

    Jake Paul last competed in December in a viral KO win over former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. He currently does not have a fight booked but has continued teasing a potential move to MMA.

    Once Paul catches wind of these comments from White, perhaps he’ll extend his list of potential opponents for his potential MMA debut to “The Last Stylebender.” And if White’s rhetorical question also functions as a dare, perhaps White will decide to call Paul’s bluff.

    Do you think Jake Paul would be willing to fight Israel Adesanya in an MMA fight?

  • UFC London: Volkov vs. Aspinall Weigh-In Results, All Fighters On Target

    The UFC London weigh-ins are complete, and all fighters successfully made weight.

    The UFC returns to London tomorrow (March 19) for a full slate of exciting matchups. In the main event, Tom Aspinall will face the stiffest test of his UFC career when he takes on the #6-ranked Alexander Volkov. A win for Aspinall (#11) could see him storm into the division’s top 5.

    In the co-main event, Dan Hooker will return to featherweight when he faces the #7-ranked Arnold Allen, who is currently riding a 10-fight winning streak. Also on the main card, Paddy Pimblett will face Kazula Vargas, Gunnar Nelson takes on Takashi Sato, and Jai Herbert faces Ilia Topuria.

    UFC London comes to you from the O2 Arena Saturday, March 19, 2022. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ for US viewers and on UFC Fight Pass for viewers outside the United States. The preliminary card will begin at 1PM ET, with the main card kicking off at 4 PM ET.

    You can view the full lineup and weigh-in results for UFC London below and the live weigh-in show here.

    UFC LONDON MAIN CARD

    Main Event – Heavyweight Bout: Alexander Volkov (253) vs Tom Aspinall (252)

    Co-Main Event – Featherweight Bout: Arnold Allen (146) vs Dan Hooker (145)

    Lightweight Bout: Paddy Pimblett (155) vs Kazula Vargas (155)

    Welterweight Bout: Gunnar Nelson (171) vs Takashi Sato (170)

    Women’s Flyweight Bout: Molly McCann (125) vs Luana Carolina (125)    

    Lightweight Bout: Jai Herbert (155) vs Ilia Topuria (156)

    UFC LONDON PRELIMINARY CARD

    Featherweight Bout: Mike Grundy (145) vs Makwan Amirkhani (146)

    Heavyweight Bout: Shamil Abdurakhimov (258) vs Sergei Pavlovich (254)

    Light Heavyweight Bout: Nikita Krylov (205) vs Paul Craig (206)

    Bantamweight Bout: Jack Shore (135) vs Timur Valiev (136)

    Women’s Strawweight: Cory McKenna (115) vs Elise Reed (115)

    Flyweight Bout: Muhammad Mokaev (125) vs Cody Durden (126)

    Be sure to keep it locked right here on MMANews.com for all the UFC London coverage tomorrow!

  • Colby Covington Banishes Jorge Masvidal From The City Of Miami

    Colby Covington has ordered Jorge Masvidal to leave the city of Miami immediately.

    When a fight has two years’ worth of trash talk leading in, you can expect there to be some post-fight gloating to match it, especially if the winner’s name is Colby Covington.

    Covington hasn’t exactly earned a reputation for being the most humble of competitors on the UFC roster. Prior to his UFC 272 bout against former roommate and teammate Jorge Masvidal, Covington was already making bold predictions for how the fight would play out.

    Now that the fight has come and gone and Covington is satisfied with the unanimous decision victory, he’s not being coy about reminding the world of the fight’s outcome.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca2s6lCOYmq/

    One of the claims made by Covington prior to the fight was that he was putting four titles on the line. One of those titles was the “Miami title,” with Covington proclaiming himself to be the “King of Miami.”

    Now that he has turned in a successful title defense, if you will, his next act as “king” is to banish Masvidal from the city he has called home for his entire life.

    This means no more luscious Miami beaches, no more home games for the #1-ranked Miami Heat, no more intoxicating nightlife down at South Beach, etc. And should Masvidal not obey Covington’s order, the self-proclaimed king warns of a harsh penalty.

    “I’m the king of Miami now. Jorge needs to leave the city,” Covington ordered at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference.

    “It’s not big enough for the two of us. So he needs to leave or he’s gonna get sparked again.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5DUZHuArW/

    Although Drizzy Drake coughed up $275,000 in a losing bet on Masvidal to defeat Covington, it’s a lock bet that Masvidal will not obey the self-proclaimed “king.”

    In fact, Masvidal has already said that he would still love nothing more than to finish this rivalry on the streets once and for all by doing what he failed to do at UFC 272: break Covington’s face.

    Do you believe we’ve seen the end of the Colby Covington/Jorge Masvidal rivalry?

  • Archives: Sanchez Goes On Rant After Kevin Lee Misses Weight (2020)

    Two days ago, Kevin Lee successfully made weight and defeated Diego Sanchez at Eagle FC 46 in a 165 lbs. catchweight bout. Two years ago, Sanchez blasted Lee for missing weight ahead of his bout against Charles Oliveira. Oliveira would go on to get the victory anyway, but not before Sanchez gave Lee a piece of his mind.

    The following article was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 13, 2020, 7:33 PM]

    Headline: Diego Sanchez Goes On Rant After Kevin Lee Misses Weight For UFC Brasilia

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    Diego Sanchez is not happy that IV use is banned for weight cuts under USADA.

    Ever since the UFC introduced USADA for its anti-doping measures, it has made an impact. Whether you like it or hate it, USADA is here to stay and has been since 2015. While some have praised USADA for keeping fighters clean, others have bashed the agency for being inconsistent with punishments as it pertains to victims of tainted supplements.

    Diego Sanchez Blasts USADA’s IV Ban

    Another result of USADA being put in place by the UFC is the ban on IV’s for weight cutting. After Kevin Lee missed weight once again for UFC Brasilia, Sanchez posted a rant on Instagram on how the IV ban has negatively affected fighters.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rux5gJfse/

    “Another main event misses weight and he will win.. I have been saying it for years weight cutting is bullsh*t it’s bad for the fighters health! Why no change? Why no hydration tests? If your going to allow weight cutting then you should definitely allow IV’s it’s impossible to rehydrate adequately! Therefore creating a unfair place for competition where some guys don’t give a f*ck and use IV’s anyway.”

    Weight cutting has been an issue in the world of combat sports for years and it’s unlikely that a universal solution will come anytime soon. Promotions such as ONE Championship have tried to mitigate the issue by ensuring that drastic weight fluctuations are banned and will result in an automatic bout cancelation. There are still measures in place to negotiate a catchweight if a fighter is hydrated but has failed to make the limit by half a pound. UFC color commentator Joe Rogan has praised the system put in place by ONE Championship.

    Whether or not the UFC ever utilizes such a system remains to be seen. While ONE’s main goal when it comes to weigh-cutting has been to eliminate dehydration, it’s still an issue for most other MMA promotions.

  • Jake Paul Taunts McGregor In Spoof-Like Response To “Jackass” Diss

    Jake Paul has issued a spoof-like response to Conor McGregor calling him a “jackass.”

    Jake Paul finally got Conor McGregor to respond to him and he is soaking it all up with sand wrestling, another MMA tease, and playful taunting.

    After countless callouts, a mention in a rap diss track, and even a custom-made “Sleepy McGregor” necklace, all it really took for Jake Paul to get Conor McGregor’s attention was to criticize his boxing technique.

    After Paul insisted that McGregor’s form in a training video was “embarrassing,” McGregor responded with a lighthearted jab at Paul, dubbing the YouTuber a “jackass.”

    Paul acted McGregor FAST after getting the Irishman’s attention. First, he swiftly proposed to Dana White a fight with the former champ-champ in the UFC with very high stakes connected to fighter pay. Hours later, he posted the following spoof-like video in response to McGregor’s “jackass” insult.

    “While I’m training MMA, the @TheNotoriousMMA is drinking Jack daniels in Dubai putting up sloppy boxing videos. Jackass,” the tweet reads.

    The video includes Paul securing a takedown in the sand, bear crawling on the street, doing clap push-ups in the rain, taking a cool golf swing, and going for a jog on a bridge, with the YouTuber yelling “Jackass” at the end of every clip in a pronunciation that mocks McGregor’s.

    MMA News will keep you posted if McGregor responds to Paul again or if the unthinkable happens and Dana White actually takes Paul up on his proposal for a McGregor/Paul UFC showdown.

    Were you entertained by Jake Paul’s response to Conor McGregor?

  • Archives: Ben Askren Says Colby Covington Is A Real-Life Dipsh*t (2020)

    The following article was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Two Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 13, 2020, 9:17 PM]

    AUTHOR: FERNANDO QUILES JR.

    HEADLINE: Ben Askren Says Colby Covington Is A Real-Life Dipsh*t

    Ben Askren says shtick or not, Colby Covington is a “dipsh*t.”

    Askren and Covington have traded barbs in the past. Askren may be retired but he still isn’t done firing verbal shots towards “Chaos.” While “Funky” doesn’t deny Covington’s abilities inside the Octagon, he does think the former interim UFC welterweight champion has alienated himself from many.

    Askren Calls Covington A ‘Dipsh*t’ & ‘Terrible Person’

    Jordan Ellis of LowKickMMA.com spoke to Askren, who made it clear that he has no respect for Covington as a person.

    “Well, I think he’s a terrible person. I think that’s pretty well established, kinda anywhere he’s been people can’t stand him. I think that’s now being established at American Top Team and as a fighter. Well he’s pretty good. He almost won a world title. He does a pretty good job at promoting himself. Although, you know, some people think its an act, but it’s not an act. He’s really that much of a dipshit in real life.”

    It’s no secret that Covington’s MAGA shtick has drawn the ire of many. While some believe it’s nothing more than a gimmick, clearly Askren isn’t of that belief. What’s interesting is that Askren also leans right when it comes to politics but he just doesn’t like Covington.

    Covington was last seen in action back in Dec. 2019. He challenged Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight championship. The bout was highly contested and earned MMA News’ 2019 Fight of the Year award. Usman ended up winning the fight via fifth-round TKO.

    As for Askren, he retired from the sport of MMA following a submission loss to Demian Maia. Askren wrapped up his pro MMA career having held Bellator and ONE Championship gold. He went 1-2 under the UFC banner.

    Do you think Colby Covington is just playing up his shtick or is he being authentic?

  • (Archives) Masvidal Blasts “Weasel” Ben Askren: Have Some Pride (2019)

    Before one of the most iconic knockouts in UFC history at UFC 239, Jorge Masvidal was already talking trash to Ben Askren. In fact, the following article was published before Masvidal and Askren were even booked to fight one another. As alluded to, we know how this story ends. But here is a walk back to one of the first chapters of how the Masvidal/Askren feud began.

    The following article was published on this day three years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Three Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 13, 2019, 4:30 PM]

    Jorge Masvidal sent a harsh message to Ben Askren following Askren’s controversial victory at UFC 235.

    Jorge Masvidal will be headlining UFC London in three days when he takes on Darren Till from the 02 Arena in London, England. Ben Askren is already on record in saying he would like the winner of that bout after picking up a victory over Robbie Lawler at UFC 235, but Jorge Masvidal feels that Askren’s fleet of foot and fleet of mouth after the controversial victory calls into question Askren’s manhood, confidence, and respect:

    “He’s a little groupie, man,” Masvidal told MMAjunkie of Askren. “He’s calling my name. Who are you? Herb Dean gifted you a win, and you’re calling people out? Give Robbie Lawler the respect you owe.

    “As a man, as a fighter, having pride in what I do, I choke somebody out, or I think choke them out, but when I see the replay and see the guy put the thumbs up, in my head, I would say, ‘Man, I didn’t choke this guy out,’” Masvidal said. “And as a man, having pride, I would say, ‘Let’s do it again,’ especially after he (expletive) decapitated me on the slam, busted up my face. ‘Let’s do it again,’ because I definitely didn’t choke you out. Because I’ve never seen nobody go to sleep like this. That’s the first.

    “But that’s how much of a weasel and coward he is. No, no, I’m gone already. I wouldn’t dare repeat that route again. That just shows you his character. He’s a (expletive).”

    Robbie Lawler and Dana White have both called for a rematch of the Askren/Lawler bout, while Askren has been quite clear about where he stands as well, a stance that has generated repulsion and contempt from the man who may end up being Ben Askren’s next opponent, Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal.

    Do you agree with Jorge Masvidal’s harsh assessment of Ben Askren’s character?

  • Bellator 276 Results & Highlights: Borics & Davis Victorious

    Bellator 276 took place live tonight from The Family Arena in St. Louis Missouri, and we’ve got you covered with all the results and highlights!

    In tonight’s Bellator 276 main event, Adam Borics (17-1) and Mads Burnell (16-3) looked to break the tie for the #2-ranked featherweight in the promotion. The winner of this fight is almost surely next in line to face the winner of the upcoming McKee/Pitbull rematch slated for April 15.

    The co-main event featured top-5 light heavyweights Phil Davis (#2) and Julius Anglickas (#4) doing battle. Davis is a former champion who has won four of his last five bouts. In his most recent outing, Davis defeated Yoel Romero via split decision at Bellator 266. As for Julius Anglickas, he most recently headlined Bellator 268 against champion Vadim Nemkov, with Nemkov picking up the fourth-round submission victory.

    You can check out the highlights for both bouts below followed by the quick results!

    Phil Davis def. Julius Anglickas

    Adam Borics def. Mads Burnell

    Bellator 276 Quick Results

    MAIN CARD

    Adam Borics def. Mads Burnell via unanimous decision (49-46×2, 50-45)

    Phil Davis def. Julius Anglickas via unanimous decision (30-27×3)

    Johnny Eblen def. John Salter via unanimous decision (30-27×3)

    Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Jay Jay Wilson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28×2)

    PRELIMINARY CARD

    Alex Polizzi def. Jose Augusto via submission (rear-naked choke): R3, 0:49

    Romero Cotton def. Freddy Sandoval via TKO (ground-and-pound): R1, 1:39

    Diana Avsaragova def. Kyra Batara via unanimous decision (30-27×3)

    Cody Law def. James Adcock via knockout (punches): R1, 1:17

    Roman Faraldo def. Kelvin Rayford via TKO (punches): R1, 0:44

    Jordan Howard def. Trevor Ward via TKO (ground-and-pound): R2, 3:24

  • Jake Paul Proposes Deal To White For UFC Fight Against McGregor

    Jake Paul has laid out a proposal for Dana White to book him in a UFC fight against Conor McGregor with game-changing stakes.

    Dana White has held true to his word. Just as he vowed two months ago, White has not mentioned Jake Paul in any meaningful way after their latest exchange.

    In that exchange, White proposed that Paul randomly drug test him for cocaine over the next 10 years if White could, in turn, randomly drug test Paul for steroids for two years. This proposal was inspired by Paul constantly claiming that White is a cocaine addict.

    Paul then responded to White with the following counterproposal:

    Paul expressed a willingness to fight Jorge Masvidal in the UFC if White agrees to a list of terms that help improve fighter pay and benefits. After both parties accused one another of dodging the other’s challenge, White decided to wash his hands of Paul and vowed to never speak of him again.

    In one of his last comments about Paul, White was surprisingly respectful of the YouTuber, stating that he “doesn’t fault” Paul for the way he makes his money.

    Weeks later, after finally receiving a response from Conor McGregor and with White’s animosity towards him now at somewhat of a thaw, Paul decided to strike while the mitten’s hot and pitch a UFC fight against McGregor with some very big stakes.

    “Dana – Since you like me now, how about a 1 fight UFC deal to fight Conor. If I win, you agree to my UFC fighter pay and healthcare proposal. If I lose I donate my entire purse to all UFC fighters who make less than $50K a fight and never mention UFC again.

    Deal?”

    As usual, the odds of Dana White agreeing to Jake Paul’s terms are slim to none. Then again, moments like these are where the phrase “never say never” becomes very applicable.

    Paul has already expressed his confidence that he’d be able to KO the former champ-champ inside the Octagon. If Dana White stuns the world by agreeing to Paul’s terms, the YouTuber turned boxer will have the chance to go in for the finish and send the world into a shock-induced coma if he were to successfully knock out Conor McGregor in a UFC fight.

    How interested would you be to watch Jake Paul fight Conor McGregor in a UFC fight?

  • McGregor Finally Responds To Jake Paul & Claps Back At Malignaggi

    Conor McGregor fired back at one new target and one from years past after both took aim at the Irishman’s boxing skills.

    Conor McGregor has remained active after breaking his leg at UFC 264 against Dustin Poirier. He has spent much of his time bulking up and active resting. And now, he has begun to hit the pads as he inches closer to his targeted summer return.

    When footage of McGregor engaging in an outdoor training session was released, the Irishman left himself wide open to criticism from peers and haters alike, or in this case both.

    Notorious troll Jake Paul shared his thoughts on McGregor’s handiwork, calling it “embarrassing” and telling McGregor “Your chin (is) wide open with no head movement for the PRBLM CHILD right hand of god.”

    This is far from the first time Paul has jabbed McGregor. The former champ-champ was even one of Paul’s targets in his Dana White Diss Track.

    Additionally, Paul has been angling for a fight with McGregor for roughly a year now, roasting him at every turn. In fact, the YouTuber even went so far as to create a “Sleepy McGregor chain,” which depicted McGregor’s posture on the mat immediately after getting TKOd by Dustin Poirier at UFC 257.

    But through all the jokes and challenges, McGregor has never issued a direct response to Paul. That is until Friday.

    After Paul’s critique of McGregor’s boxing technique, “The Notorious” posted the following video on his Twitter page:

    After shadowboxing in bed for a few seconds, McGregor would shout, “Jackass!” before belting out a hearty laugh.

    McGregor & Malignaggi Back At It Again

    Soon after McGregor’s exchange with Paul, a name from McGregor’s past, Paulie Malignaggi, also weighed in on McGregor’s training video. Unsurprisingly, the “Magic Man” was not complimentary.

    “I agree with Jake. Connor is light work,” Malignaggi wrote.

    “He ain’t s**t” Malignaggi further assessed when a Twitter user spoke up in defense of McGregor.

    Never being one in need of someone to defend him, McGregor would counter Malignaggi himself.

    “I left you like a little seesaw,” McGregor said with an image from their infamous sparring session prior to the MayMac event.

    Malignaggi has always argued that him hitting the canvas during this session was actually a result of a push and that he wasn’t actually dropped by a McGregor punch. He also repeatedly called on McGregor to release the full sparring footage instead of cherry-picked clips.

    The full sparring session was never released, and Malignaggi has continued to take shots at McGregor ever since their falling out, even five years later.

    Though Malignaggi and McGregor never had the opportunity to compete in a full boxing match, Malignaggi did have the opportunity to fight McGregor’s close friend Artem Lobov in a bare-knuckle boxing match in 2019.

    Prior to the bout, Malignaggi admitted to not taking Lobov seriously and laughed about MMA fans being dumb enough to believe Lobov stood a chance.

    Lobov would go on to win the contest via split decision.

    What are your thoughts on McGregor’s clap-backs to Jake Paul and Paulie Malignaggi?

  • (Flashback) Gracie: Everyone’s Taking Steroids Except Weidman & Edgar

    Seven years ago, MMA legend Renzo Gracie weighed in on the controversial topic of performance-enhancing drugs in MMA.

    Fresh after Anderson Silva failed a drug test in connection to his 183 bout against Nick Diaz, Gracie took the time to weigh in on the topic.

    According to Gracie, Silva was not the exception when it comes to steroid usage in the sport but was rather the rule. In fact, only two fighters came to mind when Gracie thought of who would serve as “exceptions.”

    “Everybody is taking (steroids),” said Gracie to Brazilian media outlet Tatame. “The difference is that Anderson probably lost control of when the substance would be out of his body. Fighters who don’t use (PEDs) can’t compete in this sport. There are some exceptional guys, like Frankie Edgar and Chris Weidman. Those two never took anything. I watch them closely. Everybody takes (steroids), except them. But they are rare cases.”

    “I don’t understand much about steroids, but I heard that substance is hard to catch,” Gracie continued. “For whatever reason, [Silva] was caught. I don’t know if he took it longer than he should. The problem with those things is that you develop an addiction, both physically and psychologically.”

    Of course, the “Everyone is on steroids” take was later made famous by Nate Diaz. But these comments from years past illustrate that there are others who share Diaz’s cynical take on how their peers approach the sport.

    H/T: Guilherme Cruz of MMAFighting.com for translating.

    What percentage of MMA fighters do you believe are on steroids? And do you think USADA has made a significant different on PED usage in the sport?