Immediately after sleeping Johnny Walker in the UFC Vegas 48 main event, Jamahal Hill is already laying out plans for what would be the biggest fight of his career.
Jamahal Hill once complained that the UFC was not promoting him as well as they are other fighters. With performances like what he turned in last night, he has done a fine job of promoting himself while making it harder for the UFC to not promote him to his liking as well.
Shortly after the halfway point of the first round, Hill showed why he entered the bout as the favorite while putting to sleep any doubters that may have lingered, right alongside Johnny Walker.
Now with back-to-back first-round KO wins and a top-10 ranking likely in his near future, Hill is already plotting his next move, not unlike other stars who masterminded their ascent into superstardom.
The next phase of Hill’s self-rocketing push is facing another flashy KO artist and one who has captured the imaginations of MMA fans worldwide: Jiří Procházka.
“Right now, like other than really the Jiří (Procházka) fight, not really,” Hill responded when asked of ideas for his next opponent during the UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference. “Nobody else is really, like, everybody else is tied up.
“The reason I want Jiří so bad is ’cause I feel like that’s a fight that, like, from both ends, it would be a banger. It would be a banger. I think it would be promoted well, and I think not that many other people have that star ability. Like, I feel like I talk well, I feel like I dress well, I feel like I fight well, you know what I mean? So I feel like I got that swag, and I feel like he’s one of those guys, so, yeah.”
It goes without saying that Hill’s wish is likely only plausible if Procházka were to lose his upcoming title fight against champion Glover Teixeira at UFC 274 in May. Should Procházka win, there would be quite a few potential opponents who are ranked higher than Hill that the promotion would probably select ahead of him.
Still, Hill is climbing the ranks after another big KO, so if he is willing to fight someone not named Jiří Procházka for his next fight and earn yet another KO, then who knows, maybe he will get that dream fight that he’s looking for, whether or not “Denisa” possesses the light heavyweight gold.
Bellator 274 has wrapped up, and we’ve got you covered with the live results and highlights!
In the main event, the #4 Bellator MMA ranked welterweight Neiman Gracie took on the #5-ranked Logan Storley in a five-round main event. In the co-main event, the #9-ranked Andrey Koreshkov took on UFC vet Chance Rencountre. Below, you can find the highlights from both bouts followed by the fast results of Bellator 274!
The card also featured former UFC veteran Chad Mendes making his boxing debut against Joshuah Alvarez, who came into the bout at 1-1. Additionally, Britain Beltran, who holds a BKFC victory over Paige VanZant, took on Christine Ferea for the inaugural women’s flyweight championship. And of course, there was the lightweight championship bout between champion Luis Palomino and challenger Martin Brown.
The event was available on the Bare Knuckle TV app with a $4.99 monthly subscription. You can catch the highlights from Mike Perry’s and Chad Mendes’ victories below followed by the quick results!
Here’s a story about tonight’s BKFC 2 Knucklemania headliner Mike Perry doing Mike Perry things…accidentally.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 3, 2019, 11:49 AM]
Headline: Leave It To Mike Perry To Lose Skateboard In A Sewer
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
One minute Mike Perry was practicing an ollie, the next his skateboard fell down a sewer.
It’s easy to see why Perry is in search of new hobbies. Known for being quite a unique character, Perry isn’t one to sit still. “Platinum” suffered a gnarly broken nose following his split decision loss to Vicente Luque last month. Perry is expected to take it easy to let the nose heal.
Mike Perry’s Skateboard Falls Down A Sewer
Perry’s efforts to start a new hobby in skateboarding didn’t exactly get off to an ideal start. On his Instagram page, “Platinum” posted a video revealing the dreadful fate of his skateboard.
“Watch this sh*t lmao can’t even practice new hobbies.”
When Perry is eventually cleared to return, he’ll look to get back in the win column. Perry hasn’t been able to string together two straight wins since Sept. 2017. Since that time, “Platinum” has gone 2-4. He scored wins over Paul Felder and Alex Oliveira, but fell to Santiago Ponzinibbio, Max Griffin, Donald Cerrone, and Luque.
While Perry has had a bit of a rough go inside the Octagon lately, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Some believe Perry should’ve been awarded the win against Luque. “Platinum” also has an exciting fighting style that is always fan-friendly and he’s not too shabby in the bonus department. It also helps to have a strong personality in the Endeavor era of the UFC.
Tonight, Mike Perry will be competing in a sanctioned bare-knuckle fight. Two years ago, he competed in an unsanctioned one.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 8, 2020, 9:46 PM]
Headline: Video: UFC Fighter Mike Perry Drops Patron In Bar Fight
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
UFC welterweight Mike Perry was involved in a bar fight where he dropped a patron.
Perry is known for having a unique personality. “Platinum” isn’t afraid to get in his opponent’s faces for staredowns as well as make some rather odd statements, such as his battle with taxes and wanting to stick his finger in Darren Till’s eye. Still, many fans brush it off as Perry being a unique character. It’s become apparent, however, that this goes beyond playing things up for marketability.
Mike Perry Drops Patron & The N-Word During Bar Fight
MMA Eejit posted a video showing Perry with a female companion, who looks to be his girlfriend Latory Gonzalez. Perry had Gonzalez as the lone cornerperson for his last outing against Mickey Gall. Here’s the footage but be warned, the language is NSFW.
It’s unclear what caused the argument in the first place but it’s clear Perry was quite heated with the female companion and other patrons. Perry called a man a “fat piece of sh*t” before dropping him after being shoved. After the incident, Perry was yelling at another female who was escorting him out of the bar as he felt she wasn’t on his side during the altercation. Perry also dropped the N-word several times and told people to “back the f*ck up.”
Perry was last seen in action back in late June. He earned a unanimous decision victory over Gall. It was a much-needed win for Perry, who was coming off back-to-back losses. Perry said he’s looking for the right team that he can bond with rather than have instructions shouted at him.
Last year, Jamahal Hill stated that he did not feel the UFC was promoting him properly. Tonight, he finds himself in his first main event with the opportunity to sell himself to the world.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 31, 2021, 9:34 PM]
Headline: Jamahal Hill: UFC Not Promoting Me Like They Have Others
UFC light heavyweight Jamahal Hill does not think the UFC is documenting his ascent the way they have done others before him.
Khamzat Chimaev. Sean O’Malley. Maycee Barber. Mike Perry. Johnny Walker. These are just a few names who were considered “hype trains” shortly after their arrival in the UFC. There have been many others who have been given the red-carpet rollout to announce their disruptive arrival, sometimes prematurely, other times right on schedule, but rising UFC lightweight Jamahal Hill is still awaiting the same premium treatment after the hot start to his UFC career.
The Contender Series graduate is 2-0 in the UFC (would be 3-0 if not for a marijuana-related no-contest), with one win being against contentious gatekeeper Ovince Saint Preux in December. Before and after being one of the select few to finish Saint Preux, Hill believes that the UFC has not given him the same love as some others who have shown high promise.
“Here’s how I look at it: I see how the attention of how they shine the spotlight on certain things fighters do,” Hill recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “Things like that and that turn people up and blow them up and get the attention of the whole MMA world, that hasn’t happened to me. Even with the win over ‘OSP,’ that didn’t happen for me.
Jamahal Hill lands a big left on Ovince Saint Preux. Image: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
“And so the ‘OSP’ fight, I didn’t, I wasn’t promoted at all. I’ve seen this video, ‘prospects to watch,’ and I wasn’t even on that, co-main event and undefeated. You know what I mean? Little things like that. The spotlight isn’t shining on me like it is on other people. Which is cool. You know what I mean? ‘Cause at the end of the day, what I can do, my abilities, you can’t ignore it.”
Although Jamahal Hill feels he has been shorted on the hype, he has been given his respect by the UFC rankings committee, with the 29-year-old making the list at #15 following his win over Saint Preux. Hill is now set to face Paul Craig, who is placed one spot above him at #14. Perhaps Hill will be keeping tabs on how he is being promoted in the build-up to the fight, but he will surely look to build on the hype in his next performance with a skill set that makes the job of the UFC marketing team a lot easier.
Do you agree with Jamahal Hill? Has he been underhyped by the UFC?
Three years ago, Johnny Walker was viewed as the biggest threat to Jon Jones’ rule over the UFC’s light heavyweight division. Since the following article was written, he has gone 1-3 in his last four fights. Tonight at UFC Vegas 48, Walker will be headlining against Jamahal Hill with an opportunity to remind the world of his potential.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 19, 2019, 1:41 PM]
Headlines: Michael Bisping: I Think Biggest Threat To Jon Jones Is Johnny Walker
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping feels Johnny Walker may have the best shot at dethroning Jon Jones.
Walker has been making a name for himself in a short amount of time. Walker has only had three fights in the UFC, but there’s already buzz surrounding the 27-year-old Brazilian bruiser. All three of Walker’s UFC wins have come via KO or TKO. None of those bouts made it to the two-minute mark. He’s also riding a nine-fight winning streak and hasn’t lost since June 2016.
“I think the biggest threat right now to Jon Jones is Johnny Walker. I think Johnny Walker gives him a lot of problems, but I understand it from Jones’ perspective. He’s still not well-known enough to the average MMA fan. He’s had a big splash, he’s had a few big wins in very, very quick time. And in fact, he’s injured right now because he injured himself with his post-fight celebration. That’s the most damage he takes in his fights, in his own f*cking celebrations.”
Bisping went on to talk about the benefits of not hot-shotting Walker to a title opportunity.
“But he’s not there yet. He needs another win or two. For one I think it would be rushing Johnny Walker and potentially bringing him on a little too far, too soon. And Jones is right. Another couple more wins, put him in a co-main event, even a Fight Night main event against a big name and then all of a sudden you’ve got a real star on your hands. And then that makes the pay-per-view bigger for everybody involved. So, I agree with Jones.”
Tonight, Mike Perry will compete at BKFC 2: Knucklemania against Julian Lane. If things go his way, he might hit the bars to celebrate after the event. In the following article, we get a glimpse into what it’s like to spend a night drinking with Mike Perry…and Jon Jones.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JUNE 26, 2018, 2:58 PM]
Headline: Mike Perry Details Night Of Drinking With Jon Jones
Author: Jon Fuentes
Mike Perry and Jon Jones aren’t just Jackson Wink teammates now, but it appears they’re drinking buddies as well.
Platinum has since relocated from Florida to the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based mixed martial arts (MMA) gym as he prepares for his UFC 226 pay-per-view (PPV) clash with Yancy Medeiros on July 7th. Jones took the liberty of showing his new teammate around town.
They wound up at a bowling alley where they had “like 100 shots of tequila” (via MMA Junkie):
“He kept buying drinks, man,” Perry said on the “JW Raw” podcast. “I feel like he was buying shots and would look at me, and I would take the shot, and then he’d be like (throwing back the drink).”
Jones and Perry would hit the town again the following night, but Bones declared that “We ain’t gotta go as hard as we did last night.”
“I was like, ‘OK,’” Perry said. “He bought me a shot of something, and I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll take this one. Don’t buy me another one.’
“He was buying drinks for all these people. It was like a big old shot. And I looked at him, and he’s holding his drink, and he’s putting it up to his mouth, and he tilts the cup a little bit. I see him do that, and I’m like, alright, he’s taking it.
“So I took it, and then he goes, ‘Ah, man, I’m not even gonna.’ And I was like, ‘Aw, dang, bro! You’re getting me messed up out here!’”
The weigh-ins for UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill have wrapped up, and we’ve got the results for you below.
UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill takes place tomorrow night from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the main event, #10-ranked Johnny Walker will look to get back on track by defeating #10-ranked Jamahal Hill.
This main event features two of the best KO artists in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. 7 and Hill’s 9 career victories have come by KO as well as 15 of Walker’s 18 wins. Combined, these two highlight reels have a combined 81% finish rate.
Known for his unorthodox movement and unpredictability, Johnny Walker has been considered to be one of the wildest and most entertaining fighters in the UFC. However, in his last fight, we saw a much more conservative approach in his fight against Thiago Santos. Walker lost that bout and has now promised to return to the “explosive” and “unpredictable” Johnny Walker of old.
Jamahal Hill has stated that he is more than ready for either side of Walker, whether it’s the “wild” version or the “calculated” version. Hill is 9-1 as a pro and his only loss came against Paul Craig at UFC 263, with Hill suffering a dislocated arm towards the end of the contest. Hill was able to bounce back from that loss with a first-round KO of Jimmy Crute last December.
You can view the face-off of tomorrow night’s headliners below.
All but one fighter made weight today. The lone fighter to miss was Gabriel Benitez, who came in two pounds over the featherweight limit ahead of his fight against David Onama. Benitez is being fined 30% of his fight purse and the bout will proceed as scheduled.
UFC Vegas 48 kicks off at 4 PM ET, with the main card beginning at 7 PM. The entire card will be available exclusively on ESPN+. You can view the full card and weigh-in results below, courtesy of UFC.com. You can also catch the UFC’s fight-by-fight preview for the card right here.
UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill Weigh-In Results
MAIN CARD (7PM ET, 4PM PT, ESPN+)
Main Event – Light Heavyweight Bout: Johnny Walker (206) vs Jamahal Hill (205)
India Arie has provided an explanation for why she no longer accepts Joe Rogan’s apology for past race-related remarks.
Joe Rogan has dominated headlines across the mainstream media arguably as much as any public figure in 2022 thus far. First, he was the focal point of a COVID-19 controversy where he was accused of spreading and facilitating “deadly misinformation” related to the pandemic. And more recently, he had to answer for past race-related comments made on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience.
The individual who many are crediting for making these past remarks widely known is multi-platinum and Grammy-Award winning artist India Arie.
India Arie, Credit: Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
On her Instagram page, Arie shared a pair of videos that played back Rogan’s past remarks. The first video is a compilation of Rogan saying “the N-Word” multiple times. In the second video, he compares an all-black neighborhood to “Planet of the Apes.”
Arie has expressed that her reason for sharing those videos was not to “cancel” Rogan but rather to protest Spotify choosing to pay him $100 million (now reportedly $200 million), while herself and working musicians worldwide are paid scraps.
Arie Believes Rogan’s Behavior Was “Consciously Racist”
Earlier this week, India Arie appeared on The Daily Show With Trevor Noahto discuss, among other topics, the Joe Rogan situation. The conversation began with Arie defining the difference between “conscious racism” and “unconscious racism.”
“I think there are two things that we consider when we talk about racism,” Arie began. “And one is conscious racism, and the other is unconscious racism. And so I have learned in my life to make room and forgiveness for people who are unconsciously racist. Because our whole society is built on racist concepts. So if you’re born into it, if you’re not actively working to not be racist, then you have some of it in you…
“And then there’s conscious racism, when you know you’re doing it…and if a person keeps doing it, is that when we call them a racist? So if you know you’re doing it and you keep doing it, I would say that is a racist. And so for me, when I think about Joe Rogan, I think that he is being consciously racist.”
Arie went on to argue that it was unrealistic to think Rogan did not already know there was no appropriate context for him to use “the N word” and that he said it anyway to get “a rise out of people.” Arie would go on to say that she takes no pleasure in making this categorization of Rogan, but she feels the evidence cannot be denied.
“And I don’t even like saying that because I’m a sensitive old soul, and I want to believe the best in people. So when I first heard his apology, my instinct is to go, ‘He tried.’ But when I go deeper and ask myself what I really think from my commitment to truth that I made this last year, what I really think is that he was being consciously racist, and it makes me wonder what he talks like behind closed doors. If you have even a consciousness where you can call black people apes, that’s something there.”
Arie Presents Path For Rogan To Prove Apology Was Sincere
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Arie would then turn her attention to Rogan’s supporters. Ever since Arie shared the videos of Rogan and this story went viral, she claims she has been met with racist and abusive comments and messages on social media. Thus, Arie says that if Rogan wants to prove that he really cares about making change, he can use his platform to help guide his followers down a better path.
“And so I want to tell you: My DMs and my comments are wild right now of people just—all kinds of racial slurs and misogynistic ones, too. All kinds. And so that says to me that these people who want to defend Joe Rogan think that this is the right language to do it.
“So Joe Rogan needs to do more than go, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m sorry.’ He needs to—if you really want to lead your listeners down a new path—then lead them to the point where they don’t feel that its the right language to come into my DMs and call me an N-word in defense of him. He needs to teach them that they shouldn’t feel that way. They’re not making him look good.”
Arie and Noah would then point out the irony of Rogan’s supporters defending Rogan against accusations of racism while themselves being openly racist. For Noah’s part, he stressed the importance of people being allowed to reform and grow from past mistakes, otherwise no one will ever admit to doing anything “racist,” let alone being one.
Rogan has not addressed this controversy again after his initial apology. Beyond his allegedly abusive supporters on social media, some black fighters who have stood up for him include UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, Terrence McKinney, and Mike “Biggie” Rhodes. However, Hollywood megastar and UFC superfan Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is among those who have disavowed him.
You can view Trevor Noah’s full interview with India Arie below.
Charges of DUI and reckless driving against UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn have been dropped by the state after a summons to appear in court went unserved.
The charges stem from a 2021 incident in Honokaa, Hawaii, where the police officers arrested Penn for driving under the influence and in a “reckless manner.” The arrest was made after Penn was allegedly behaving belligerently at a Honokaa business. The charges were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the state could elect to refile them at a later date.
BJ Penn has had other run-ins with the law in recent years. He was also investigated for a DUI in 2020 after being hospitalized following a car accident. No charges were filed at the conclusion of the investigation.
Penn has also been involved in his share of public fights, including a 2015 brawl outside of a bar that led to an arrest. He was later involved in another bar fight in 2019 that led to his UFC release.
BJ Penn is a former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion. He holds victories over names like Matt Hughes, Renzo Gracie, Sean Sherk, among others. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2015.
Gilbert Burns intends to find out just what exactly rising star Khamzat Chimaev is really made of.
Khamzat Chimaev is widely considered to be arguably the top rising prospect on the entire UFC roster. He has earned this reputation by looking more dominant than anyone has looked in the UFC across four fights both statistically and visibly speaking. However, the fact remains that he is still very much untested in terms of Octagon time and level of competition.
“Borz” Manhandles Li Jingliang Just Because
At UFC 267, Chimaev proved that he can impose his will and manhandle a proven and ranked opponent in Li Jingliang. But even still, as the MMA saying goes, ‘There’s levels to this.’ And there are still many levels for Chimaev to climb yet.
Burns Requests Five-Round Bout Against Chimaev
Gilbert Burns says he is ready and willing to introduce Chimaev to the difference between what “Borz” has seen thus far in his 10-fight MMA career and the level that awaits him in the top-5 of the UFC’s welterweight division.
In a recent interview, Chimaev revealed that he has no idea what the delay is from making his targeted fight with Burns official. Now, Burns has addressed where things stand in the contract negotiations, which include his alleged request for the fight to be a five-rounder.
“Just waiting on the UFC with the confirmation and the contract,” Burns told The Schmo in his update on where things stand. “But I’m already in camp. I’m already getting ready for April 9 in Jacksonville against Chimaev. That’s what I see.
“And I asked for five rounds. I don’t see no contract yet. I hope they do five rounds. And (I’m) just getting ready.”
Burns went on to state that he does not know whether the UFC will grant his request or not, but he expects to gain clarification once he is presented with the official contract.
One thing we did learn from this latest interview from Burns is that all signs are a go for Chimaev vs. Burns on April 9. Now, all that’s left to do is send out the contracts to both fighters, which may or may not include the words “five-round bout” in the documentation.
Do you think Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns being a five-round fight would make a difference in how the fight would play out?
Israel Adesanya has issued a response/non-response to the ever-querulous Khamzat Chimaev.
At UFC 271, Israel Adesanya turned in another successful middleweight title defense when he defeated Robert Whittaker for the second time. His performance was met with mixed reviews, but there was nothing complimentary at all coming from rising star Khamzat Chimaev.
Chimaev began his UFC career with an eye on both the welterweight and middleweight championships. When he returned to action in October 2021, he had committed to focusing solely on the welterweight division.
But Borz just cannot help himself. He is always hungry when looking at gold on other warriors’ plates, especially when the owner has competed in a division that is familiar to him.
Chimaev Says Adesanya Would Be “Easy” Work, Adesanya Responds
Israel Adesanya
After Adesanya’s UFC 271 victory, in a since-removed tweet due to violating Twitter rules, Chimaev posted:
“I mean, he’s not really relevant right now,” Adesanya explained. “I don’t have to take him seriously till I have to take him seriously. Like, his last fight, I was impressed with. I was like, ‘Yo, that guy’s good.’ But there’s levels. So we’ll see how he does with Gilbert [Burns]. And he’s only fought like one middleweight fight that I’ve seen. And I’m just like, ‘Who has he fought?’”
Khamzat Chimaev is currently 10-0 as a professional and 4-0 in the UFC. He is also 4-0 in career middleweight bouts. His lone middleweight victory in the UFC came against Gerald Meerschaert via one single punch. His only win over a ranked opponent was in a welterweight contest against Li Jingliang at UFC 267.
Still, Adesanya acknowledges that Chimaev has talent. Even with the relatively small sample size, that would be hard for anyone to deny. But at the same time, the reigning middleweight king feels “Borz” has a lot more to prove until he is worthy of his attention.
“And he can beat a lot of middleweights, I’ll tell you that much—a lot of top-level middleweights,” Adesanya said. “But I don’t have to take him seriously until I have to take him seriously.”
As Adesanya alluded, Chimaev is currently expected to fight Gilbert Burns next, but that bout has not yet been announced. Adesanya is expected to fight next this summer against Jared Cannonier.
What are your thoughts on Israel Adesanya’s comments about Khamzat Chimaev?
Bobby Green will be replacing Beneil Dariush to face Islam Makhachev in the new UFC Fight Night main event on February 26.
Ariel Helwani was the first to break the news of Dariush pulling out of the fight. Dariush is citing an ankle injury as the reason for his withdrawal. Hours later, ESPN confirmed that Bobby Green will serve as Dariush’s replacement in what will now be a catchweight bout at 160 lbs.
The Feb. 26 headliner between Makhachev and Dariush was expected by many to serve as a lightweight title eliminator to determine who would challenge champion Charles Oliveira next.
Beneil Dariush has won seven consecutive fights and was considered to be a very challenging stylistic matchup for Makhachev. Dariush has proven that he is more than willing to stand and bang with bonus-worthy performances, but what made this pairing most intriguing is the fact that Dariush is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is considered one of the best grapplers in the UFC. Given Makhachev’s grappling-heavy style, this match was considered a strong example of “something’s gotta give.”
Islam Makhachev is currently enjoying an incredible nine-fight winning streak. A win here would have not only made for a 10th straight victory but would have finally included that elusive win over a top-5 opponent that many have demanded of him. During this winning streak, Makhachev has defeated names like Thiago Moisés, Drew Dober, and most recently Dan Hooker.
Bobby Green
Enter Bobby Green. Green is currently unranked but he has just turned in two exceptional back-to-back performances, including TKOing Al Iaquinta in the first round at UFC 268 and then putting on a striking showcase at the expense of Nasrat Hasparast last weekend at UFC 271.
Coincidentally, the UFC 271 commentating team had lobbied for Bobby Green to be booked in his first UFC main event. Perhaps the MMA gods listened as this idea gained public backing before they granted their own official approval.
While it is unclear if a win for Makhachev would be enough for a title shot, it is certain that a win for Bobby Green here would be career-changing and earn him a strong presence in the lightweight rankings.
Who do you think will win between Islam Makhachev and Bobby Green on February 26?
Kayla Harrison has clarified recently publicized remarks about her interest in moving down to 135 for a fight against UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña.
As Kayla Harrison’s free agency drags on, there continues to be an abundance of time for imaginations to run rampant about what may be next for the Olympian judoka.
Not long ago, it appeared as though the answer to that question would be a fourth year with the Professional Fighters League and an attempt at winning the women’s lightweight season for the third consecutive time. However, last week it was revealed that those talks hit a snag, and we are right back where we started with nothing but speculation, scuttlebutt, and…sarcasm?
“I mean, you know, Marc [Raimondi] wrote an article that kinda oversold it a little. [LAUGHS] I was kinda talkin’ shit, like, being goofy. But my goal is obviously not to fight 135 pounds,” Harrison said in a recent interview with MMA Junkie. “Man, you can’t say anything without it—I gotta watch what I say from now on.
“Obviously, I wanna fight the best in the world. Julianna is now considered the top dog, but I also heard that she would fight me at 145 for the right amount of money. So I probably won’t have to fight 135. I just wanna challenge myself and continue to get better. Do I want to fight (at) 135? Fuck no. Like, no, of course not. But I was kinda joking around in there. My sarcasm went over his head.”
A Kayla Harrison Bantamweight Fight Still Possible If…
MMA Junkie
Sarcasm aside, there is a scenario where Harrison would be more open to fighting at 135 in the distant future against a hypothetical future beast who calls to be slain. Until then, it would take an obscene amount of money to shift her any lower than 145 lbs.
“Yeah, unless I get offered a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of money,” Harrison said about featherweight being the only option for a fight against Peña. “Or if there’s like some undefeated, young, hungry absolute killer who’s at 135 and she starts talkin’ a little smack, maybe then I’d have to come down. But other than that, no.”
Harrison currently competes at 155 lbs., but she has competed at 145 before. She has never fought at 135, however, and amidst the trash talk between the two champions, Peña doubted that she ever could. But if Harrison were able to prove her wrong and make the weight, “The Venezuelan Vixen” stated she’d be more than happy to welcome her to bantamweight.
As Harrison alluded to, Peña also said she’d fight Harrison or anyone else for that matter at any weight as long as she is paid the right amount of money. So while Harrison may be walking back her sarcastic words from an earlier interview, she seems keen to hold Peña to hers if the two ever turn trash talk into blockbuster action.
Who do you think would win a fight between Kayla Harrison and Julianna Peña?
Khamzat Chimaev’s 2022 road map has been laid out after “Borz” shared his next two desired fights.
It is no secret that Khamzat Chimaev is always hungry for a fight. In 2020, he devoured three opponents in two months, thus having his name constantly regurgitated by the MMA community as the breakout star of the year.
Since then, aside from his lone bout against Li Jingliang at UFC 267, Chimaev has had trouble booking fights due to health-related issues and, according to UFC President Dana White and himself, nearly just as much because of the collective reluctance among welterweights to step into the cage with this animal.
Khamzat Chimaev (Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)
For Chimaev’s part, other people’s tardiness to the party hasn’t stopped him from creating a guest list for his 2022 schedule. All roads lead to Kamaru Usman, as Chimaev has made no secret that he would like to fight the Nigerian-American for the welterweight title sooner rather than later.
But what about before then? For weeks now, Chimaev has been linked with Gilbert Burns for a potential fight, with the latest reports citing UFC 273 in April as the targeted date. But not unlike the first time there was chatter of the two men fighting one another, things have gone quiet as fans eagerly await an official fight announcement.
So what exactly is the holdup? Borz is just as much in the dark as the general public.
“He is number two in the welterweight rankings. All those numbers mean nothing. To be honest, I don’t see a real challenge in him,” Chimaev said of Burns in a recent interview with RT Sport. “We’ll see, everything can happen in a fight. But I am confident as usual… I don’t understand why I still don’t have a fight scheduled and the contract is not signed yet. The dude says something about April 9 on the internet, like, do you have your visa? I have my visa.”
If Chimaev gets his man and is locked in the Octagon with Burns, he already is leering beyond his current prey onto the winner of next month’s UFC 272 main event.
“I think they will give us a great fight,” Chimaev said of the upcoming bout between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. “Masvidal is a slight favorite for me. But Colby is also a tough guy. He fights well. We’ll see. I think it’s 50/50. I don’t care which of them wins. I am fighting Burns now, then, after beating Burns, hopefully, I will fight the winner of Masvidal/Covington… I think the winner of our fight with Gilbert will fight the winner of Masvidal/Covington for the interim title or just for the number one contender spot.”
Chimaev’s 2022 Road Map Routed Towards Gold
Dana White Wraps UFC Welterweight Belt Around Kamaru Usman. Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
With his next two targeted opponents laid out, the only question for Chimaev’s 2022 plans is whether or not he’ll have time to squeeze in UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. But make no mistake, “The Nigerian Nightmare” holds the ultimate prize that Borz is after, which makes him not only the top dog at welterweight but also Borz’s top prey.
“So your trying to change weight before I come for you?. Don’t go anywhere I am coming! I smash you and Burns in 2 mins believe me! I’m THE KING here,” Chimaev recently tweeted at Usman upon hearing rumors of Usman moving up to light heavyweight.
Chimaev should be happy to know that Usman has since reconsidered moving up to light heavyweight since Jan Blachowicz is no longer the division’s titleholder. So if Usman is able to retain the title over Leon Edwards in a bout expected to take place this summer and Chimaev is able to clean out Burns and the Masvidal/Covington winner, we may just be in line for a Usman/Chimaev showdown at year’s end.
How do you think Khamzat Chimaev’s 2022 will play out?
Never let it be said that Brian Ortega is not a romantic.
Love was in the air worldwide yesterday during Valentine’s Day. And for UFC featherweight Brian Ortega, it was also on his inner lip.
The two-time UFC title challenger went the extra mile on V-Day to show his fiancée, UFC flyweight Tracy Cortez, just how committed to her he really is.
On his Instagram page, Ortega posted a video of him getting “Tracy” tattooed on his inner lip, thus giving whole new meaning to his nickname of “T-City.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-4pQ7l9Eo/
“All I can say is…I LOVE HER” Ortega wrote in the captions along with a heart-eyes emoji.
Over on the other side of this lovely MMA couple, Tracy Cortez posted the following on her Instagram page to commemorate this special day with her amor.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-8xINgOGb/
“Another V’day with my best friend, who would have thought ❤️?❤️?❤️?❤️? TE AMO CON TODO MI AMOR ??✨ al fin del día nomas somos TU Y YO ??? POR VIDA!!! Feliz día del amor ?✨??? HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!” Cortez wrote in the captions.
Brian Ortega is currently ranked #2 in the UFC’s featherweight division. Most recently, he loss to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 266 in his bid to become world champion. Of course, his love, Tracy Cortez, was there to console him after the heartbreaking defeat.
Tracy Cortez is 3-0 in the UFC with an overall record of 9-1. She last defeated Justin Kish via split decision in April 2021.
More MMA Stars Celebrate Valentine’s Day
Below, you can check out how some other fighters celebrated their Valentine’s Day via The Gram.
Kevin Holland is at it again, right back on the troll-stomping trail with the release of a second sparring video featuring him disposing of a troll.
Kevin Holland is preparing to fight UFC veteran Alex Oliveira at UFC 272 in a bout that will mark Holland’s return to the welterweight division. In his preparation for his 2022 debut, Holland has found some rather unusual sparring partners.
“Honestly, I liked this troll way more ? non other then @brawlerimages So this guy at the meet and greet called me Brunson….. later he got a autograph ✍️ next day he got the pleasure of being troll number #2 2 down way to many to go im gonna start needing help full video will go up on my #onlyfans Dude ended up being respectful so yes I respect him for showing up ??18h”
Holland also shared the DMs between himself and the troll, which, to Holland’s point, came across as a respectful exchange. The young lad even politely referred to his future abuser as “Mr. Kevin.”
After the two worked out the logistics, the training began, which consisted of a barrage of body kicks from Holland. Peep the video below. (h/t MMA Trends)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGbu_C5p2zM
Holland may have struck creative gold here. His troll-beating adventures has all the makings of a hit mini-series or web series.
What would you name a mini-series documenting “Big Mouth” Kevin Holland’s troll-beating adventures?
The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC 271, and we’ve got the full report for you below!
Men’s Pound for Pound: After defeating Robert Whittaker via unanimous decision at UFC 271, Israel Adesanya moves ahead of Alexander Volkanovski to the #2 spot, sending Volkanovski down to #3. Additionally, Max Holloway (#6) moves ahead of Jon Jones (#7), and Glover Teixeira is no longer tied with Stipe Miocic at #10, with Miocic now ranked at #11.
Women’s Pound for Pound: No Changes
Strawweight: No Changes
Women’s Flyweight: “King” Casey O’Neill moves up to #12 after defeating Roxanne Modafferi at UFC 271. Additionally, Manon Fiorot (#13) and Maycee Barber (#14) swap positions this week, and Erin Blanchfield appears in the rankings down at #15.
Women’s Bantamweight: No Changes
Women’s Featherweight: N/A
Flyweight: Sumudaerji (#12) and Tim Elliot (#13) swap places.
Bantamweight: No Changes
Featherweight: No Changes
Lightweight: Gregor Gillespie moves up one spot to be tied with Conor McGregor at #9.
Welterweight: No Changes
Middleweight: Following his big win over Derek Brunson at UFC 271, Jared Cannonier moves up one spot to #3, sending Marvin Vettori down to #4. Another change in the top 5 this week sees Sean Strickland move up one spot to #5 to be tied with Paulo Costa. Brunson remains at #4.
Light Heavyweight: No Changes
Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa’s fifth consecutive KO shook up the heavyweight rankings. After knocking out Derrick Lewis at UFC 271, “Bam Bam” Tuivasa now finds himself ranked at #3, and Lewis drops two spots down to #5. This shakeup has caused the following fighters to drop in this week’s rankings: Alexander Volkov (#6), Jairzinho Rozenstruik (#7), Chris Daukaus (#8), Shamil Abdurakhimov (#10), and Tom Aspinall (#11).
Following his heartbreaking loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269, Dustin Poirier immediately began his soul-searching journey. He wasn’t sure what the future held for him or if there even is a future as far as MMA is concerned, but he did know one thing: If he were to have one more fight, it would need to be against Nate Diaz.
Poirier and Diaz have unfinished business dating back four years ago to their collapsed UFC 230 booking. Neither man has forgotten that unfulfilled date, and they have sporadically trash-talked one another on social media over the years.
Over the weekend, Nate Diaz would take a different approach towards getting the fight against Poirier booked. He would appeal to the UFC to set this up as his retirement fight before he rides off into the Stockton sunset.
While it is unknown what White and the UFC made of Diaz’s retirement claim, the other invested party, Dustin Poirier, isn’t convinced.
“I don’t believe that,” Poirier said of Diaz’s retirement claim during a recent media scrum. “Nate, he’s got that dog in him. He’s gonna fight forever. We’ll see what happens, but I believe he has a lot of fight left in him—but no telling what his plans are and his exit game and whatever’s going on. But I want the fight, and I think he wants it as well.”
One possibility is that Diaz is using a faux retirement as a way to persuade the UFC to book this fight as the last fight on his current UFC deal while avoiding any re-signing negotiations. That would allow Diaz to not only get the fight he wants but also hit the free-agent market, where he would have increased negotiation leverage, whether or not he opts to re-sign with the UFC.
Poirier has maintained that a fight with Diaz is the only bout he’s interested in, and the feeling seems to be mutual on the Diaz side.
As we tread deeper into 2022, we’ll find out if this year will play host to one or both of these two legends’ final career fight and if it will be against one another.
Do you believe Nate Diaz would really retire after a fight against Dustin Poirier?
It happened, you guys: Dana White did a Shoeyvasa.
Now, before you get too excited, there is one important distinction to be made. Dana White did not do a traditional shoey. Meaning, he did not chug beer out of a worn shoe. But he did successfully complete a Shoeyvasa, a makeshift container specifically designed to fill your beer-chugging needs.
At the UFC 271 pre-fight press conference, Tuivasa gifted White, Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and his slated opponent Derrick Lewis their own Shoeyvasas. Upon being gifted this treasure, White publicly stated that he’d be willing to complete a Shoeyvasa.
Despite the fans in attendance egging White on to do it right then and there, the UFC bossman was hoping that the matter would drop.
Tai Tuivasa Doesn’t Let Dana White Off The Hook
During the UFC 271 post-fight press conference, the topic of his agreed Shoeyvasa was raised again when Tuivasa refused to let his boss off the hook. No, there was only one acceptable conclusion here. Dana White would have to take off his figurative (and literal) suit in order to be a man of his word and complete his mandated Shoeyvasa.
Peep out White’s Shoeyvasa below along with Tuivasa guiding his pupil through the process.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ8BGTEui6A/
Unfortunately, the video ends rather abruptly. Perhaps the UFC boss decided to use his veto powers to block Tuivasa or any witness from sharing an embarrassing uncut version. Whatever the reason, viewers will have to use their imaginations for how well White did.
Tuivasa is currently riding a five-fight win streak after knocking out Derrick Lewis in what was the biggest victory of his career at UFC 271. Indeed, when “Bam Bam” Tuivasa isn’t chugging beer, he’s winning fights. Then, he reverts to drinking beer again.
Should an extended version of White’s Shoeyvasa become available, you can be sure that MMA News will be hot on the case to bring you the scoop. So keep it locked right here on MMANews.com for the latest on this breaking, monumental story.
And don’t forget to purchase your very own Shoeyvasa right here!
The following article was published on this day one year ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day One Year Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 13, 2021, 12:00 PM]
Headline: Usman: UFC Africa Is Inevitable & Needs Support From The UFC Brass
Kamaru Usman is looking forward to the day when he can finally have the UFC welterweight belt wrapped around his waist in an arena full of his countrymen.
The UFC kicked off 2021 with the first network TV event since December of 2018. In the main event, Max Holloway put on a show that harked back to the days of Ali on ABC and put the world on notice that the UFC is continuing to advance further into the mainstream zeitgeist. But what better way is there to convey that same message than to have a presence in as many continents as possible, including unventured territory, such as the homeland of UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, #1 heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou, and UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman?
How Far Away Is A UFC Africa Megacard?
Kamaru Usman and his compatriots have been pushing for a UFC Africa show, and though it still yet to happen even in the light of two African-born champions, Usman believes it’s only a matter of time.
“Honestly, I don’t think we’re far at all,” Usman said in a UFC 258 media scrum about UFC Africa. “I think the tough thing is just the higher-ups and the execs just are able to say, ‘OK, we’re going to do whatever it takes to make it happen. Because obviously, there’s intricate details that a lot of people don’t know that goes into bringing events to certain places, just financial-wise. And not just financial, but also logistics and making sure everything works out.
“The Nigerian Nightmare” Kamaru Usman. Credit: Associated Press
“There’s a couple of countries down in the continent of Africa who are definitely capable of being able to host and make this thing come to fruition. And it’s just kind of up to the company to basically decide if, hey, we’re going to make this happen.”
The same way Max Holloway’s performance on UFC on ABC 1 reminded combat sports fans of the days of Ali’s greatness on a national display, Usman, Adesanya, Ngannou and others can issue the same reminder of what an international mega event like “The Rumble in the Jungle” feels like.
Kamaru Usman Believes UFC Africa Is Inevitable
To Usman’s point, there are, in fact, several countries, and more specifically venues, that are more than capable of hosting a massive UFC event, such as the FNB Stadium in South Africa, the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt, Abuja Stadium in Nigeria, and of course the home of “The Rumble in the Jungle,” the Stade Tata Raphaël. The possibilities are endless with names like Ngannou, Adesanya, and Usman in any of these arenas, and they are also inevitable, says Usman.
“…Sooner than later, we’re about to have three African-born champions all holding belts,” Usman declared. “So I mean, we’re going to have to make something happen sooner or later. And I envision that being just one of the most memorable and massive events that this company has ever seen.”
In order for Usman’s vision to come off exactly as he imagines it, he will need to maintain his status as the undisputed UFC welterweight champion. Standing in the way of this requirement is former teammate Gilbert Burns, who will be looking to be making UFC history for his own country tonight by becoming the first Brazilian welterweight champion in UFC history. In a matter of hours, we’ll learn which of these patriots will exit with their dream intact, and which one will have their UFC 258 experience warp into a nightmare.
Who do you think will represent their country with a win tonight: Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman or Brazil’s Gilbert Burns?
Don’t expect to ever see a sanctioned MMA fight between former teammates Dustin Poirier and Colby Covington.
When Colby Covington parted ways with American Top Team two years ago, it was not a graceful exit. Instead, he made quite a few enemies on his way out.
While most of the attention has been placed on Covington’s rivalry with former close friend Jorge Masvidal, he has also consistently targeted another ex-teammate in Dustin Poirier.
Colby Covington, Dustin Poirier (Image Credit: @colbycovmma on Instagram)
Years ago, Poirier had already stated that if he sees Covington on the streets, it’s “on sight”. The two briefly made amends while Covington was still a member of ATT, only for Covington to later ramp up his trash talk to new levels after splitting with the team.
“No, I would never fight Colby in an Octagon where there’s finances on the line,” Poirier assured. “If I fight Colby, we’re both going to jail. I’m going to jail. I’m not gonna fight him in the Octagon.
“He’s not making money off of my career, what I’ve done. This is something different. You will never see me fight Colby Covington in the UFC.”
In the meantime, Colby Covington’s next sanctioned fight is against the aforementioned Jorge Masvidal. It should come as no surprise that Poirier is strongly supporting his teammate and friend Masvidal, as he voiced during this media scrum.
As for himself, if Poirier had it his way, his next fight would be against Nate Diaz at welterweight. Talks had begun for the bout to get made, but they have since stalled.
Do you want to see Dustin Poirier fight Colby Covington in the UFC?
Fortunately for “Bam Bam,” there is nothing more fun for him than knocking a man unconscious. Well, except for maybe the celebratory shoeys that come afterward.
At UFC 271, Tuivasa had a blast yet again when he registered his fifth consecutive knockout win. This time, it came over the most prolific knockout artist the UFC has ever seen: Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis.
Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
In executing this knockout, Tuivasa made good on the prediction of the entire MMA community leading up to the co-main event that somebody was going to be knocked unconscious. That man would turn out to be Derrick Lewis.
As for Tuivasa, the entire co-main event was a typical Tuivasa party: old school bangers for the tunes, smash hits delivered by the host for the action, and lots and lots of beer flowing to ensure everyone goes home happy.
And if it’s all the same for Tuivasa, this party is worth repeating, even if others think it’s about time he grows up and starts setting more adult goals for himself.
“I don’t mind being the guy who drinks piss out of shoes and this and that,” Tuivasa responded when asked about his reputation as only being a KO artist and beer chugger instead of a title contender. “I suppose everyone focuses on all that, but at the end of the day, I’m knocking the best in the world out. So it’s up to yous to take it however it is.
“Like I said, I’ve got a great team behind me now. I’ve got guys who have just the best interest for me, and fuck we’re doing alright, you know what I mean? We’re knocking out the best in the world, brah. We’re here.”
Still, even if Tuivasa doesn’t care about the rankings, the UFC rankings panel must. And this coming week you can expect Tuivasa, who currently sits at #11, to make a massive leap up the ranks. So who does Tuivasa want next? Is there anyone he would like to call out in the top 5?
Tuivasa decided to pass on that opportunity because he hasn’t the slightest clue who occupies the UFC’s heavyweight top 5—even when sober.
“Brah, to be honest I don’t even know who the fuck’s in the top five,” Tuivasa confessed. “I don’t even watch fighting, brah. Like I said, I heard there’s the Stipe’s, the Cyril Gane’s and all of that and everyone up there. But this is my job. I rock up, I prepare with my team, and we fuckin’ punch on.”
How long do you think Tai Tuivasa KO and shoey party will continue until someone crashes it?
UFC President Dana White has denied any company involvement in Joe Rogan’s absence at UFC 271.
UFC 271 is in the books, and by and large, the event delivered. It was a solid night of action that saw Israel Adesanya retain the middleweight championship, Tai Tuivasa snatch the KO torch from Houston’s hometown hero Derrick Lewis, and other great performances from Jared Cannonier, Douglas Silva de Andrade, and Renato Moicano to name a few.
One man who was conspicuously absent throughout it all was longtime UFC PPV color man Joe Rogan.
Joe Rogan
Rogan had been originally scheduled to take part in the event, but he was suddenly replaced by Michael Bisping during Fight Week.
There was later word from UFC officials that Rogan did not serve as a color commentator for UFC 271 due to a scheduling conflict. At the post-fight presser, reporters asked White about Rogan’s absence, and the boss implied that the decision for Rogan not to work this event came down to only one man: Rogan himself.
“There was no conflict of schedule,” White said. “Joe Rogan didn’t work tonight. Joe Rogan could’ve worked tonight.”
When directly asked if Rogan elected not to work the event, White was firm about there being nothing from the UFC’s side that kept him from commentating the PPV.
“Yeah…I don’t know what Joe Rogan had to do, you guys will have to ask Joe Rogan, but there was no ‘Joe couldn’t work’ or anything like that. I know that came out—it’s total bullshit.”
White was unable to confirm when it is Rogan might return to the broadcast booth, but he continued to suggest that Rogan could return to work whenever he wants to.
Rogan has missed pay-per-views from time to time as of late, so it is not too strange that he was absent last night. Ever since this latest controversy spread, he has been hit with a deluge of support from the MMA community, both fans and fighters alike.
Even India Arie, who possibly is mainly responsible for the racial videos going viral, came forward recently to applaud Rogan’s apology for using “the N-word.”
It is currently unclear if Rogan will be back to call UFC 272, but it appears that when he does return, he can expect a very warm welcome from the majority of the MMA community.
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