An MMA fighter was disqualified during the RIZIN Trigger 1st event this past weekend for an offense that may be surprising, all things considered.
The Japan-based Rizin Fighting Federation is known for having a very lax ruleset. For instance, the 12-6 elbow is allowed, as are any and all strikes to the head of a downed opponent. That includes kicks, stomps, and knees.
That’s right, had Petr Yan’s bout against Aljamain Sterling earlier this year taken place in Rizin, he would have been declared the winner of that contest if Sterling could not continue, and their bantamweight division wouldn’t be in the disarray of the UFC’s today.
Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling. Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
But as loose as Rizin’s rules are inside and outside of the cage, one fighter managed to get disqualified last Sunday. Believe it or not, the fighter, Yusaku Kinoshita, was not disqualified for the stomps, which as mentioned are completely legal. On the contrary, he was disqualified for grabbing the cage while performing said stomps.
Check out a pair of angles below of the bout’s final sequence.
To make matters worse for Kinoshita, this DQ was the first loss of his career, moving him to 4-1. Though Sumimura was clearly the one in the handicapped position, at least he went home with a victory, extending his winning streak to six straight.
Gervanta Davis has expressed a willingness to fight in the UFC—if the price is right.
Undefeated and multiple-time boxing world champion Gervonta Davis says he is open to fighting in the UFC. He wouldn’t necessarily be looking to make a career out of it like Claressa Shields is attempting to do at the moment. However, he wouldn’t be opposed to a quick cash grab if the right offer comes across his table (h/t LowkickMMA).
“I mean, if they pay me — I know they probably wouldn’t pay me like a boxer’s (purse) — like a boxing match, but if they paid me enough to where I’m comfortable with it, I’d fight an MMA fight,” Gervonta Davis said on the Full Send Podcast.
Davis does not see himself suffering this same fate because when it comes to wrestling, he’s got proper hood training.
“I gotta fight somebody like in my weight class,” Gervonta Davis said. “I don’t think somebody could get me, like somebody at my weight, can get me down and pin me, I don’t see that. ‘Cause, like — I’m from the hood, we used to wrestle. That’s what we do. First thing we do, we swing, and then from the swing, we picking you up and slamming you. Like, let’s just say, I’m fighting right now, on the street, I’m not gonna just straight box you, I’m gonna swing and then pick you up — you going in the air.”
Gervonta Davis last competed on June 26, defeating Mario Barrios by knockout. Davis’ next fight takes place this Sunday against Isaac Cruz in Los Angeles.
How do you think Gervonta Davis would fare in the UFC?
At UFC Vegas 44, Brad Riddell will face Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event. Here is a look at his most recent performance against UFC veteran Drew Dober.
Coming into this fight, Dober had won three of his last four fights. He had racked up wins over Polo Reyes, Nasrat Haqparast, and Alexander Hernandez, with all three wins coming by way of KO/TKO. That momentum hit a snag, however, in his last fight prior to UFC 263, when he joined the long list of victims of Islam Makhachev at UFC 259.
Image Credit: Zuffa LLC
Brad Riddell, on the other hand, entered the fight with an undefeated UFC record of 3-0 and a professional record of 9-1. Riddell entered the promotion with a reputation as an experienced kickboxer, with an impressive record of 59-10 in the sport.
With Dober having three KO/TKOs out of his last four fights and Riddell using his striking expertise to outpoint each of his prior UFC opponents, fans were ready for a standup battle in what would be Riddell’s biggest test to date.
You can relive this lightweight contest in its entirety below.
Jon Jones has sent a message loud and clear to his former coach Mike Winkeljohn: tread lightly.
In October, one of Jon Jones’s longtime coaches at JacksonWink MMA, Mike Winkeljohn, made the decision to ban Jones from the gym due to the domestic violence charges he is currently facing.
After a delayed period, Jones went absolutely scorched earth on his former coach, branding the man a “miserable bastard” and implying that he is a hypocrite for allowing a convicted rapist to train in the gym yet take such a strong stance against him.
Winkeljohn has not yet offered any public response to Jones, but just in case he gets any ideas, Jones issued a preemptive warning Thursday in a since-deleted tweet.
“I’m waiting for Wink to make a statement and try to deny any of my allegations, I’ll hit you guys with some more news. Some real juicy shit,” Jones vowed.
In another deleted tweet, Jones accused Winkeljohn of threatening to ban any gym member who trained with Donald Cerrone, another disgruntled ex-Jacksonwink MMA member. Jones stated that such childish and bitter behavior is affecting the livelihood of others, even though how they spend their time away from the gym do not directly concern Winkeljohn.
After exiting JacksonWink MMA, Jones has been spending time over in Arizona at Fight Ready, primarily under the mentorship of Henry Cejudo. Jones also recently announced that he would be training at a JacksonWink affiliate gym led by another longtime coach, Greg Jackson. It is unclear whether those plans have changed in light of this newfound feud with Winkeljohn or Jones’s increased time at Fight Ready.
Jon Jones last competed in February 2020 in the final defense of his light heavyweight championship against Dominick Reyes. Jones is now expected to debut in the heavyweight division in 2022. But first, he’ll have to answer for the aforementioned domestic violence charges, beginning with a court date scheduled for January 31.
What do you make of Jon Jones’s warning to Mike Winkeljohn?
Khamzat Chimaev is questioning the Diaz brothers’ gangster.
Khamzat Chimaev has reacted swiftly to Nate Diaz’s public rejection of a bout between the two. Chimaev is on pace to setting UFC call-out records, if they haven’t already been broken. Among the names Borz has wanted to smesh are both of the Diaz brothers.
Nonetheless, Nate Diaz publicly rejected the fight on Thursday, stating that Chimaev is a rookie with only four fights. Accordingly, the mere suggestion of him fighting Chimaev was disrespectful and that Borz should not speak his name.
Borz Continues To Speak Both Diaz Brothers’ Name
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Immediately after Diaz’s rejection, Chimaev took to his home away from home, Twitterland, to let his thoughts on the matter be known. The common theme to be found in the tweets below: Borz is not a believer of the Diaz brothers’ gangster reputation.
you are the easiest money for me thin @NateDiaz209 ⚰️🤪🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
“you are the easiest money for me thin @NateDiaz209“
say hello to your older brother, tell him not to be afraid of me, I don’t beat old people, he knows what I mean, in Vegas I just wanted to say hello well, poor man ran away 🤣@NateDiaz209
“say hello to your older brother, tell him not to be afraid of me, I don’t beat old people, he knows what I mean, in Vegas I just wanted to say hello well, poor man ran away @NateDiaz209.”
Chimaev would also share the following animation. This could very well be directed at the entire UFC welterweight division, which Dana White himself claims wants no part of Borz.
Khamzat Chimaev’s latest smeshing took place at UFC 267 in a swift, showboating domination of Li Jingliang. Since then, there have been reports of Chimaev being in talks to face the #2-ranked Gilbert Burns.
However, based on Chimaev’s incessant callouts and the shared frustrations between himself and Dana White, there is legitimate doubt on how far such talks have progressed.
Do you think Nate Diaz is showing a lack of ‘gangster’ by turning down Khamzat Chimaev’s challenge?
Shields was the only boxer or mixed martial artist to make the list. The 26-year-old is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and is undefeated as a professional boxer at 11-0. This year, Shields went 2-0 in boxing, with victories over Marie-Eve Dicaire and Ivana Habazin, both via unanimous decision.
Claressa Shields vs. Marie-Eve Dicaire
Shields also made her MMA debut with the Professional Fighters League. She was successful in her debut, pulling out a come-from-behind victory over Brittney Elkin. She would then lose her follow-up bout to Abigail Montes, however.
Heading into her bout against Montes, Shields acknowledged that she’s learning as she goes, but expressed rocksteady confidence once her overall skillset matches her hands.
“I’ve been learning on the job, and I’ve been just getting better and better,” Shields told The Albuquerque Journal. “… I’m being taught armbars and stuff, and I’m being taught how to get out of them. They’re showing me rear naked chokes, and I’m doing really good in wrestling and getting in great positions.
“That’s stuff that used to confuse me. Now I actually feel good doing them, and that’s just giving me more confidence for the future.”
Shields joins the ranks of NBA star Devin Booker, MLB’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott to make this year’s Forbes list, to name a few.
Shields is currently scheduled to box Ema Kozin on January 29 and is expected to make her MMA return next year as well, though a hard date has not been set as of yet.
Is there anybody else from MMA that you think would be a good addition to join Claressa Shields on the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 List?
Winkeljohn made this announcement publicly appearing on The MMA Hour, saying he had no other choice because he is the father of three daughters, has other loved females in his life, and he teaches a women’s self-defense class.
“Had a heartbreaking conversation over the phone with one of my longtime coaches last night, really hurts to lose the support of someone I respect so much. Sincere thank you to the rest of the coaches for staying in the fight with me. Our journey continues..” the since-deleted tweet read.
Jones would have much more to say Wednesday night and with much less of a filter.
Jon Jones Unloads On “Miserable Bastard” Mike Winkeljohn
Jon Jones, Mike Winkeljohn
Wednesday evening, Jon Jones released the following tweets addressing his ban from JacksonWink MMA in October.
“Coach Wink gets on national TV and tells the world he wants the best for me, and then behind the scenes harassing the other coaches for continuing to work with me. What a miserable bastard.”
“This dude somehow has found a way to run away every single one of Gregs original fighters. I can’t think of a Jackson’s veteran that still talks with this ass whole”
“I didn’t leave the team because I couldn’t handle a punishment, I left the gym because I wasn’t training with Wink anymore anyways. This man hasn’t taught the students a new technique since I met him.”
“What type of friend gets on national TV and airs his “brothers” dirty laundry. That was his opportunity to take a moral high ground over someone who trust in him. He didn’t give two shits about what actually happened that night. Anything anything for some publicity.”
“If I was such a monster, he wouldn’t be still trying to monetize off of me being a former student there. There’s a John (sic) Jones poster in almost every wall in that building.”
“Wink suspending me from the team changed absolutely nothing for me. I’m still working with the same exact coaches on the same exact schedule we have been on over the last two years.”
“Just don’t go on TV and pretend to give a shit about someone who has made you so much money over the years, giving you so many world championships, and then behind closed doors secretly try to crush them. Real douche bag move Mike.”
“We literally had a convicted rapist training on the team for years and now all of a sudden he has morals. Get out of here.”
As of this writing, that is where Jones’ Twitter onslaught against his former coach ends. It’s also worth noting that the above tweets may soon be deleted based on Jones’s prior Twitter habits.
An emotional Kevin Lee has opened up and shared his thoughts following his UFC release.
Yesterday, news of Kevin Lee’s UFC release was made public. This marked the end of a seven-year UFC run for the 29-year-old, which included six main events. Lee’s promotional record was 11-7.
Lee revealed that he learned about his release through an e-mail from an office clerk, which he described to be the worst part of finding out the news. The former UFC vet stated he would have liked to have received “proper notice” or a simple phone call.
After seven years in the promotion, several main events, and the willingness to face all comers, Lee felt he was deserving of a little more respect.
“Again, that’s the main thing that pisses me off about this. When you’re in the UFC, that’s really all you fighting for is your respect,” Lee said on The MMA Hour. “People respect you for being a UFC fighter. When they hear the name, they automatically give you some respect.
Kevin Lee
“We’re not doing it (for) the money, it ain’t a whole lot of fame in this shit, so it’s like, OK, I’ve done all this shit for y’all and put my body on the line, just to end up with an alcohol problem and some tax problems. And at the end of the day, you take my respect away from me, too?”
The lone conversation Lee had with a UFC official after his release was with Executive Vice President Hunter Campbell. Even then, it was Lee who reached out to Campbell. In the end, Lee exited the conversation with no more answers than he entered with.
“He fed me some shit, like, ‘You go beat a champion in another organization’ and I could make a whole lot more money outside the UFC. I think that they understand that, too. That’s definitely the truth. I could make a whole lot more money being a free agent. So he kinda told me what I already knew…I kinda cut him because he wasn’t really telling me what was the real reason, what’s really going on. So yeah, I kinda cut him off.”
Kevin Lee Doubtful Of UFC Return, Optimistic About The Future
Image Credit: Patrick Smith/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
With the emotions still fresh, Kevin Lee expressed doubt that he would ever return to the UFC again. Not because he wouldn’t necessarily be welcomed back, but because he may not be willing to return after the way his release was handled.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m not gonna lie. I’m a little still emotional right now. So obviously, I’m pissed,” Lee said. “A lot of people telling me not to bash ’em and keep the bridge open, right? ‘OK, yeah, you can come back at some point.’
“Honestly, I don’t really want to. Why would I wanna work for somebody who is gonna disrespect me like that? It’s crazy. That’s the only thing we fight for in this game. So my only goal and objective right now is to show that they just made one of the worst mistakes that they did. And I’ll be a millionaire within a year, so that’s pretty fun.”
As Kevin Lee prepares to embark on free agency, he does not exit the promotion he’s called home for seven years with only these fresh scars. He is also grateful for his time in the promotion and the growth his brand has experienced under the UFC umbrella.
“I’ve had top-billing spots with the UFC, about eight main events, so that’s a lot of millions put towards marketing. So I’m gonna leverage that now. So there is a part of me that does want to thank the UFC for all that, you know? They made me famous in the game, at least. Anybody who understands even a little bit of MMA knows who I am, so it’s now time for me to leverage that and really make money with these other promotions.”
What do you think the future holds for “The Motown Phenom” Kevin Lee?
Colby Covington’s words to Kamaru Usman immediately after their UFC 268 rematch have been revealed.
At the close of the second fight between UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, Covington could be seen whispering something to his rival after the fight. Though the cameras were unable to pick it up during the pay-per-view broadcast, a video released on the UFC on BT Sport Twitter page gave the audience an up-close listen of the exchange.
"It's all love."
The UFC cameras reveal what was said between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington after their rematch at UFC 268.
The video above may be blacked out in certain areas. You can view the video here.
Here is what appeared to be said in the exchange:
Covington: “You know I’m just trying to sell it for you.”
Usman: “What?”
Covington: “You know I’m just trying to sell it for you.”
Usman: “I know. I know.”
Covington: “It’s all love.”
There was more to the exchange, but the audio was unable to pick it up. Whatever was said, it was enough for referee Dan Miragliotta, who was standing point-blank range between them, to say the two athletes could “kiss later” as he was splitting them up.
In an interview with Submission Radio after the fight, Covington claimed he offered Usman a promo code for the online betting website he is sponsored by. And in the UFC 268 post-fight press conference, Usman declined to share the particulars of what was said between them.
In the same post-fight press conference, Covington shut down any suggestions that he respects Usman. On the contrary, he would pick up where he left off before the fight in trashing his greatest rival.
“He’s a cheating coward. I have no respect for that guy,” Covington said when asked about the post-fight exchange between him and Usman. “He’s obviously a cheater. He’s cheated in multiple fights. I mean, he was holding my glove tonight against the cage. In the first round, I shot a takedown and he went bom-bom twice to the back of the head.”
Covington has also repeated steroid accusations made against Usman in later interviews, without a trace of any thaw in his feud with Usman.
For Usman’s part, he can’t help but admire Covington’s commitment to his “character,” which the welterweight champion likened to the dedication displayed for three decades by WWE legend, The Undertaker.
You can watch more exclusive, intimate footage from UFC 268 on the full episode of UFC 268: The Thrill and the Agony available on UFC Fight Pass.
What are your thoughts on this video revealing the exchange between Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman after their UFC 268 bout?
Kamaru Usman has recounted a story from years ago about an airport encounter with Colby Covington that later left him dumbstruck and resentful.
By now, it’s difficult to remember a time when Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington were not rivals. The animosity between the two welterweights has contributed to two of the best title fights the division has ever seen.
In an appearance on the FULL SEND PODCAST recently, Usman discussed the origins of his long-running feud with Covington. According to a tale from the reigning champion, the tension between the two didn’t really take off until after a strange episode in an airport following a UFC event.
“Funny story: Colby, started doing this whole—because of course, he wasn’t getting any love. I mean, he was winning but he’s just a little boring, beady-eyed little mug. No one really cared about this guy. And so I’m winning, and I’m just kinda moving up more than he is. And so he started oing the shtick. He started talking shit online. He started tweeting and stuff. And then I seen it. I’m like, ‘Damn, we just got in the UFC, maybe two fights deep each. And I’m like, ‘Goddamn, why does this guy have a problem with me?’ And so we went to a fight. I forget where that was at. But we went somewhere, so we were flying back.
“So we seen him at the airport, and he’s by himself. He’s got that stupid little neck pillow on, and I seen him across. I’m like, ‘Alright, I’m gonna run up on him. If he talk crazy, I’mma steal on him right here. We about to fight him right here.’ But then, at the same time, I’m thinking, ‘Damn, I don’t wanna be on the no-fly list. Because if you mess around in the airport, you get put on that list. I don’t wanna do that.”
What happened next threw Usman for a swerve. The mean-spirited character displayed by Covington over the Internet seemed to have vanished, leaving Usman feeling like the only bad guy in the conversation.
“So I’m thinking, ‘OK, how do I approach it? Let’s approach him here, give him the look. Let him know, ‘Hey, is is not cool.’ So I go up to him and my teammate is recording it like a jackass. He’s recording it and he’s instigating it. You know how it is. He’s like, ‘You won’t do nothin’. I bet you won’t do nothin’.’ So I walk up to him, and I’m like, ‘Alright, let me not come too aggressive, but at the same time, let him know that I’m serious.’
Kamaru Usman (Photo: Mike Roach/Zuffa)
“So I go and I sit in front of him and I’m like, ‘What’s going on, man?’ And I give him the look, like the tough look. ‘What’s going on, man?’ And he was so nice that I felt like a jackass right after the break. I was like, ‘Ugh! Damn, I was trying to be mean, and he’s trying to be nice.’ He’s like, <polite voice> ‘What’s up, man? How you doing?’ I was like, <awkardly> ‘Uh, I’m cool. I’m cool. What’s up?’
“So I was all ready for action, but he was so nice. I was like, ‘Damn, I’m like, I’m kind of a jackass here….and so now I felt like a jerk and I’m like, <meekly> ‘Aight, um, yeah, aight, see you later.’ So I get up and I’m like, ‘Damn, I felt like a jerk for that.”
The story doesn’t end there, however. What happened next would inspire an epiphany from Usman, which is that there would inevitably come a day when he would punch Colby Covington in the face.
“Then the next week, this motherfucker gets online, he’s like, ‘Next time you see me at the airport, I’mma smack the shit out of you if I see you!’ I’m like, ‘Bro! You were just a nice guy!’ And that’s really at that point I was like, ‘OK, at some point, me and him are gonna be locked in that Octagon and we’re gonna scrap.”
Usman was victorious in both of these eventual scraps. Their bout at UFC 245 in 2019 was the MMA News Fight of the Year. And earlier this month, the premier UFC welterweights ran it back in another nail-biter. Once again, Usman would emerge victorious, keeping his undefeated UFC record intact.
Covington appeared to be friendly in the Octagon immediately after the bout concluded. However, similar to Usman’s account in the story above, Covington would then revert to trashing him from afar after their face-to-face confrontation.
Tony Ferguson has blasted Khamzat Chimaev seemingly out of the blue, even going so far as threatening to make the surging UFC star his “bitch.”
Khamzat Chimaev is swiftly becoming one of the most active social media users on the UFC roster. Just yesterday alone, Borz called out not one, not two, but three retired former UFC champions: Georges St-Pierre, Brock Lesnar, and Daniel Cormier. He also laid into Colby Covington for the second time in recent weeks.
After one of Chimaev’s tweets directed at Covington, there was one unexpected retweet from none other than former UFC interim lightweight champion, “El Cucuy” Tony Ferguson. Ferguson joined the list of those who have drawn comparisons to Chimaev and Khabib Nurmagomedov and then made an explicit threat to the undefeated phenom.
The Fuck You Do. Ya Can’t Even Make Weight Like Fathead @TeamKhabib 💯 Sit Down Shut Up Before I Make You My Bitch 🎩 Where Were You During The Start Of The Pandemic? # Merica’MF 🖕😎 -CSO- 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/VVDgmRm1yE
“you do not represent USA i represent USA you represent cowardice,” Chimaev posted in a tweet directed at Covington.
“The Fuck You Do. Ya Can’t Even Make Weight Like Fathead @TeamKhabib Sit Down Shut Up Before I Make You My Bitch Where Were You During The Start Of The Pandemic? # Merica’MF” Ferguson said in his re-tweet.
Tony Ferguson is currently on a three-fight losing streak and has not competed at welterweight since winning The Ultimate Fighter in 2011. Therefore, the chances of him being paired with undefeated welterweight Khamzat Chimaev in the near future are likely slim to none.
Chimaev is reportedly in talks to fight Gilbert Burns next, yet there has not been any movement or further reports on those negotiations since the initial report two weeks ago.
Do you have any interest in seeing a bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Tony Ferguson?
