MMA News

Author: Harry Kettle

  • Daniel Cormier questions Donald Trump’s plan for UFC White House event

    UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has given his thoughts on Donald Trump’s recently announced plan to hold a UFC event at the White House.

    As we know, Donald Trump is pretty close with UFC president Dana White – to the point where he gets his own entrance whenever he decides to show up to a big event. More often than not, Daniel Cormier is on commentary, and he’s been known to not hold his tongue over the years.

    Of course, he’s a company man, but Daniel Cormier is also practical. If you don’t believe us, check out his comments regarding the UFC potentially hosting an event at the White House, which was ‘announced’ recently by Donald Trump.

    Daniel Cormier’s view on UFC White House show

    “When he said, ‘We’re gonna do a UFC event at the White House,’ I was like, ‘Oh my god, that’s exciting.’ Then I started to think…

    “For him to just come to a fight, all the hoops that we go through as people that work for the company (UFC), right? The Secret Service is in the arena the day before. We all have to do so many other things — background checks and all these things — because the president’s going to be there.

    “Imagine trying to put 25,000 at the White House. They’re gonna go through all those steps for all those people?” Cormier added. “I think we as a country can do whatever we want…(but) I don’t know that the effort it will take to make that happen is going to be worth the squeeze.

    “And it’s gonna be outside? In July? It gets hot in Washington in July!”

    Quotes via Bloody Elbow

  • Ilia Topuria Reveals: ‘Cutting Weight Was Risking My Life – Now I’m Capturing Gold at Lightweight’

    Ilia Topuria Reveals: ‘Cutting Weight Was Risking My Life – Now I’m Capturing Gold at Lightweight’

    UFC star Ilia Topuria has revealed how much his weight cut to featherweight was impacting him as he prepares to make the move up to 155 pounds.

    On Saturday night, Ilia Topuria will make his way up to the lightweight division in an attempt to become a two-weight world champion. He’ll square off with Charles Oliveira, a man who has already held that title before. While ‘El Matador’ is considered by many to be the favorite, you just never know what you’re going to get when ‘Do Bronx’ is involved.

    While Ilia Topuria is clearly chasing greatness, many noted that it was a pretty big ask for him to get down to 145 pounds. He’s spoken about his struggles with it already in the past and in a recent interview, he went into even more detail.

    Ilia Topuria discusses his weight cut concerns

    “I took that decision because it was very hard for me to keep cutting the weight. My health was in danger, to be honest. I was putting my health at risk every weight cut. I had to cut a lot of weight. So, I took that decision with my family, and I decided to move up to the next weight class, where I have the full confidence that I will become a world champion also.”

    The idea of Topuria being even stronger and even more dangerous at lightweight is pretty terrifying, but it also opens up the door for so many fascinating possibilities. Buckle up, fight fans, because this is going to be fun to watch.

  • Ilia Topuria’s Warning to Charles Oliveira: “He Walks Forward – That’s When I End It”

    Ilia Topuria’s Warning to Charles Oliveira: “He Walks Forward – That’s When I End It”

    UFC star Ilia Topuria has issued a fresh warning to Charles Oliveira if his foe decides to walk forward against him at UFC 317.

    On Saturday night, Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira will battle it out over the UFC lightweight championship. The expectation from many fans and pundits is that Ilia will become a two-weight world champion, but as we’ve come to learn, you simply cannot count Charles Oliveira out at the elite level.

    As we look ahead to fight night, there are so many different ways this one can go. Oliveira has already said that he plans on walking forward, just like he always does. In a recent interview, however, Ilia Topuria warned ‘Do Bronx’ that he may be making a mistake.

    Ilia Topuria is ready for Charles Oliveira

    “You can never count him out because he’s a dangerous guy. He has the most finishes in UFC history. But I don’t know. I have faced those kind of situations many times before, with Volkanovski, with Max Holloway. They were like, ‘No one could beat them, no one could knock them out.’ But they never faced me. They never faced someone that skillful like me. This is what’s going to happen with Charles. 

    “He thinks that he has some opportunities, but the reality is that he has not. The only thing he has to do is show up, and I’m going to do the rest. I’m going to finish him in the first round. I say that to you like I say I’m going to get a coffee. He walks forward, this is all I need. 

    “The time that takes me to knock out my opponents is the time that takes me to close the distance. With Charles, I’m not going to need to close the distance because he walks forward, and this is all I need to take his lights out.”

  • Jon Jones seemingly responds to legal issues in 2 cryptic tweets

    Jon Jones seemingly responds to legal issues in 2 cryptic tweets

    Former UFC fighter Jon Jones appears to have responded to his most recent legal concerns on social media.

    As we know, Jon Jones has decided to walk away from mixed martial arts and retire from the sport. Alongside that, he’s also been dealing with fresh legal problems in the midst of allegations that he fled the scene of an accident. As you can imagine, his attorney has dismissed this, but a lot of fans aren’t quite as convinced.

    Jon Jones has always been pretty active on social media and we can’t really picture a world in which that changes. He likes to wind up the fans, and he also likes to voice his opinions. That’s just part of who he is, and we wouldn’t even be shocked to see him tease a return to the UFC at some point in the near future.

    In the following tweets, however, Jon Jones seemed to make it clear that he isn’t happy with “lies” that he believes are being told right now.

    Jon Jones reflects on recent controversies

    “One thing we all know about snakes, you let them hang around long enough, it’s only a matter of time before you get bit. It’s good to be real with the people that’s known you for a long time, but sometimes it’s OK to outgrow people. These are reasons why.”

    “Thank you, so far it’s going really amazing. Outside of the silly lies and distractions. Just became owner of another company. I would say first year in retirements going pretty good. Two new businesses in the books.”

  • Ilia Topuria’s Dream Booking: “Paddy Smokes Gaethje, Then Fights Me for the Belt”

    Ilia Topuria’s Dream Booking: “Paddy Smokes Gaethje, Then Fights Me for the Belt”

    UFC star Ilia Topuria has once again reiterated his desire to square off with rival Paddy Pimblett at some point in the future.

    On Saturday night, Ilia Topuria will battle Charles Oliveira for the right to become UFC lightweight champion. While there’s a good chance that Oliveira can surprise many and win the gold, a lot of fans and pundits believe that ‘El Matador’ will get the job done. The man himself is so confident, in fact, that he’s already starting to plan for the future.

    One man who we know he doesn’t particularly like is Paddy Pimblett. The two have gone back and forth at one another for years now and if the stars align, Ilia Topuria vs ‘The Baddy’ could quickly become one of the biggest fights in UFC history – and no, that’s not an exaggeration.

    In a recent interview, Ilia Topuria doubled down on wanting to battle Pimblett, suggesting that he needs to face Justin Gaethje next.

    Ilia Topuria wants Paddy Pimblett fight

    ”He’s one fight away from a title shot. He needs actually that fight because it’s going to be even better for our fight if he gets one more win. Then we’re going to have, I think, the biggest fight in the UFC right now at the moment.

    ”Yeah, him versus Justin Gaethje. I think he’s going to beat him easily. Because of the style, it’s not like I don’t like Justin, I’m actually a huge fan of all of his fights. I enjoy a lot watching him fight. He’s those guys that takes a lot of punches and throws a lot of punches, I love to watch him fight, but I think that Paddy could get that win easily because of the style.”

  • Paddy Pimblett’s Future: Michael Chandler Says He Could Be a UFC Champ: “Not Excellent Anywhere – But Good Everywhere”

    Paddy Pimblett’s Future: Michael Chandler Says He Could Be a UFC Champ: “Not Excellent Anywhere – But Good Everywhere”

    UFC star Michael Chandler believes that former rival Paddy Pimblett has the potential to become a UFC world champion one day.

    As we know, back at UFC 314, Paddy Pimblett was able to dominate and finish Michael Chandler in their lightweight encounter. While Chandler has had some great moments inside the cage since joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship, this certainly wasn’t one of them.

    Paddy Pimblett announced to the world that he had arrived and he did so in style. There are still many doubters out there who want to try and put him down, but ‘The Baddy’ refuses to go quietly into the night.

    In a recent interview, Michael Chandler gave his thoughts on Paddy Pimblett’s abilities and his future.

    Michael Chandler backs Paddy Pimblett for big things

    ”Definitely, possibly. I mean, I think he’s better than a lot of us gave him credit for, you know, being in there with him. I wouldn’t say that he’s got this crazy amount of skills or this crazy amount of power. He’s crazy good in any direction, but he’s not excellent anywhere, but he’s good pretty much everywhere. 

    “He’s got a long body, he uses that range, he uses his kicks really well. You know, whether it was me having a bad night or him having a great night, or that is just who he is, it was tough to kind of get the distance, and by the time I got the distance, took the knee, and then that’s fighting for you. You know, we go out there, we lay it on the line, and sometimes bad things happen.”

  • Kai Kara-France on UFC 317: “I Don’t Come Here to Holiday – Vegas Is a War Zone”

    Kai Kara-France on UFC 317: “I Don’t Come Here to Holiday – Vegas Is a War Zone”

    UFC 317 co-main event star Kai Kara-France appears to be ready for war as he prepares to lock horns with Alexandre Pantoja this weekend.

    On Saturday night, Kai Kara-France will challenge for the undisputed UFC flyweight championship. He will attempt to prove that he’s the very best at 125 pounds, and while many are picking against him, being the underdog has never been a problem for KKF. He’s ready and willing to showcase himself for the world to see in what promises to be an electric title fight.

    As we know, Kai Kara-France is part of the City Kickboxing team. He’ll hope that he can join the ranks of Israel Adesanya by earning gold under their umbrella, but it certainly won’t be easy. In a recent interview, he spoke candidly about how he’s feeling heading into fight night.

    Kai Kara-France is ready for UFC 317

    “Landing down, two to ten toes down in Las Vegas—fought here many times before, so it’s a place of business for me. I don’t come here to holiday; I come here to win and to win belts. It’s been a great camp. I feel like I’m coming into my career best, 32 years young, just ready for this—ready to represent my people, my culture, being from Auckland, New Zealand, and being of Māori heritage. I’m expecting a firefight, a dogfight, and yeah, I can’t wait to do what I do best.”

    Buckle up everyone – because this has the potential to be an incredibly fun showdown.

  • UFC 317 Star Ilia Topuria Says Islam’s Move Is About Surviving the Cut: “It’s Not Ducking – It’s Burnout”

    UFC 317 Star Ilia Topuria Says Islam’s Move Is About Surviving the Cut: “It’s Not Ducking – It’s Burnout”

    Ilia Topuria has said that he doesn’t believe Islam Makhachev is ducking him by moving up to the welterweight division.

    This weekend, Ilia Topuria will attempt to become a two-weight world champion when he takes on Charles Oliveira for the UFC lightweight championship. Islam Makhachev, meanwhile, will try and do the same thing later this year when challenging Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight strap.

    The hope from many was that Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev would be a fight that happens for the UFC lightweight championship. Unfortunately, for now, that hasn’t quite come to fruition.

    In a recent interview, Ilia Topuria responded honestly when discussing whether or not he thinks Islam ducked him.

    Ilia Topuria doesn’t think Islam Makhachev is ducking him

    “I don’t think he’s ducking me, to be honest. I would be lying to you if I told you that he’s ducking me. I think he’s tired of the weight cut. He wants a new challenge. He moved to the welterweight division, failed, and thinks that he has a chance to become a double champion. I think this is all he’s trying to do. 

    ”I think that not a lot of people understand how hard the weight cut is. When you get tired of the weight cut, there’s no name in the world that motivates you to fight. There’s no money in the world—you just want to take care of your health. This is the reason why I switched weight classes, and I think he’s doing the same thing.”

  • Jon Jones’ Legal Issues: Body Camera Video Released, Public Can Now See Alleged Crash and Police Encounter

    Jon Jones’ Legal Issues: Body Camera Video Released, Public Can Now See Alleged Crash and Police Encounter

    Former UFC star Jon Jones is embroiled in yet another controversy – and now, body cam footage has been released in the wake of a recent criminal summons.

    As we know, Jon Jones has opted to retire from mixed martial arts. This means that Tom Aspinall is now the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, which is a move that many had seen coming for quite some time. Jon never seemed particularly interested in squaring off with the Englishman and now, instead of doing so, he’s decided to ride off into the sunset.

    Well, sunset may be a stretch. It was soon revealed hours later that Jon Jones has been caught up with the law once again, this time accused of fleeing the scene of an accident. He is scheduled for a bond arraignment on July 24.

    Now, there has been body cam footage released, in which a man that sounds like Jon Jones can be heard talking with an officer.

    Jon Jones’ latest issues

    The individual on the other end can be heard threatening the officer, without ever refusing to confirm whether or not it’s actually Jon Jones on the line. The man himself released a cryptic statement shortly after the story broke, but aside from that, we haven’t heard a whole lot from him.

    We all know that ‘Bones’ has been involved in multiple incidents over the years and if this is the way that he’s going to depart mixed martial arts, it certainly isn’t all that surprising given what we know about his past.

  • Daniel Cormier gets real when discussing Jon Jones’ legacy after UFC retirement

    Daniel Cormier gets real when discussing Jon Jones’ legacy after UFC retirement

    UFC legend Daniel Cormier has given his updated thoughts on Jon Jones following the latter’s retirement from mixed martial arts.

    If there’s anyone in the MMA sphere that knows Jon Jones, it’s Daniel Cormier. He fought him on two separate occasions, and the pair had an incredible rivalry that lasted for years. Now, both men have officially hung up their gloves, with Jones following on from DC who made the decision many years ago now.

    Between Jones retiring without fighting Tom Aspinall and his latest legal trouble, there are far more questions than answers right now. In a recent video, Daniel Cormier didn’t hold back when providing his perspective on the matter.

    Daniel Cormier’s latest view on Jon Jones

    “I said ‘If Jon Jones does not fight Tom Aspinall, he quit,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “… He quit. He did not want to fight Tom Aspinall. It’s so surprising. Is he scared? No. But by not fighting Aspinall, he opens the conversation. He lets you – every one of you – question why he doesn’t fight him.

    “… To walk away right now opens the door for people to have the conversation about, ‘Does this affect the legacy?’”

    “I honestly feel like if Tom loses, (Jones) would come back – and that’s crazy to me, because that’s only going to make it worse,” Cormier said.

    Cormier went on to address Jon’s recent legal issues.

    “The saddest thing about this to me is that it’s not surprising,” Cormier said. “I’ve seen him do things over the course of his career that have been very dangerous, and it’s just not smart. I hope that as he goes into the next phase of his career, if it’s over forever, that he fills the void with something positive.”

    “I will go to my grave believing he quit instead of fighting (Aspinall),” Cormier said. “… Jon Jones has got to get this sh*t together, man. … They gave him the money. They agreed to everything. And he still just would not do it.”

    Quotes via MMA Junkie

  • Jon Jones ‘changed his mind’ about fighting Tom Aspinall, says Dana White

    UFC president Dana White has confirmed that Jon Jones changed his mind about fighting Tom Aspinall as fans come to terms with his retirement.

    As we know, Jon Jones has decided to retire from mixed martial arts. While he’s had an incredible career, his heavyweight run certainly left a lot to be desired. The majority of fight fans are of the belief that he should’ve squared off with Aspinall, especially given that the Englishman is the interim champion in the division.

    Either way, though, it doesn’t seem as if we’re going to see Jon Jones in action anytime soon, especially now that Aspinall has been promoted to undisputed champion status. There were plenty of rumors going around regarding how this came about and in a recent interview, Dana White opted to shed a bit of light on the subject.

    Dana White confirms Jon Jones changed his mind about Tom Aspinall fight

    “I saw (Jones’ legal news Sunday). When I saw it today, I thought, ‘Every one is going to think that’s why he retired,’” White told the Mac Life and other reporters Sunday at the Canelo vs. Crawford news conference in New York. “Maybe that is why he retired. Who the hell knows, man. I don’t know. These are all questions you have to ask him. We had the fight done. You saw me talking about it very confidently, that this fight was going to happen, and then he changed his mind.”

    “No, (he’s not ducking Tom Aspinall),” White said. “Jon Jones, I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll say it again: He’s never ducked anybody other than that one goofy time with the Chael Sonnen thing (at UFC 151). He’s never ducked anybody and I think the reality of it is, whatever changed his mind with this fight, you’d have to ask him that. He’s 38 years old, and I don’t know.”

    Quotes via MMA Junkie

  • Rafael Fiziev calls for showdown with Dan Hooker after UFC Baku win

    Rafael Fiziev calls for showdown with Dan Hooker after UFC Baku win

    UFC lightweight star Rafael Fiziev has called for a collision with fellow contender Dan Hooker following his win at UFC Baku.

    After a three-fight losing streak, Rafael Fiziev was in need of a big win at UFC Baku – and he got it. He was able to defeat Ignacio Bahamondes in the co-main event of the evening and in doing so, the 32-year-old proved that he’s still got a lot left in the tank at 155 pounds. He may not be a top title prospect right now but if he can pick up a couple more big wins, then who knows what could be possible.

    Someone who is also hoping to make a charge for the title is none other than Dan Hooker. The veteran has been out of action for quite some time due to injury, and yet despite that, Rafael Fiziev is still pretty interested in meeting him in the middle of the Octagon.

    Rafael Fiziev shows interest in Dan Hooker fight

    “In my mind, first one after this tall guy is Dan Hooker,” Fiziev said at the UFC on ABC 8 post-fight press conference. “He’s another tall guy, and I like fighting against tall guys.”

    “He’s a man. He’s a man. How many crazy fights does he have in there?” Fiziev said. “He deserves one more crazy fight. He has a place now (in the rankings). I don’t believe this place. When I lost to (Mateusz) Gamrot, I didn’t lose that place, really. It was an injury. So this place he now holds, I want to take it back if that’s OK.”

    Quotes via MMA Junkie

  • Javier Mendez: Islam Makhachev Was Never in Khabib’s Shadow He’s the Next All-Time Great

    Javier Mendez: Islam Makhachev Was Never in Khabib’s Shadow He’s the Next All-Time Great

    Islam Makhachev‘s coach Javier Mendez does not believe that he was ever in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s shadow, despite what some may say.

    As we know, Islam Makhachev has carved out a pretty remarkable run for himself as UFC lightweight champion. Now, however, he’s going in pursuit of a second world title, which would truly cement him as one of the all-time greats. For the longest time, he’s been compared to his close friend and training partner Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is a legend in his own right.

    Of course, the two are very different in the way they approach the sport of mixed martial arts, but it’s certainly an interesting debate to have. In a recent interview with Genting Casino – who offer the best Live Casinos, the aforementioned Javier Mendez gave his thoughts on the idea that Islam was ever in Khabib’s shadow.

    Javier Mendez discusses Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov

    “I think he’s already done that [stepped out of Khabib’s shadow] but I had never looked at him as in Khabib’s shadows. I just looked at him as the next great one under his father’s tutelage.

    “I never looked at him [as a protege] following Khabib. He’s just following his father’s game plan of what he wanted from these boys. His father stated on many occasions he wanted Islam to be champion after Khabib was retired.”

    You may or may not be a fan of Islam Makhachev, but one thing is for sure – he’ll go down as one of the greatest lightweights to ever do it when it’s all said and done.

  • Khalil Rountree Jr.: ‘Catch Me If You Can!’ On the Hunt for Chuck Liddell’s Huge Knockdown Crown

    Khalil Rountree Jr.: ‘Catch Me If You Can!’ On the Hunt for Chuck Liddell’s Huge Knockdown Crown

    UFC star Khalil Rountree Jr is eager to break the record for most knockdowns in the history of the light heavyweight division after tying the current record of fourteen.

    In the main event of UFC Baku, Khalil Rountree Jr was able to defeat Jamahal Hill – and for long stretches of the contest, he was actually looking pretty dominant. In the process of picking up the win, he managed to tie the record for most knockdowns in light heavyweight history. That total stands at 14, and he is tied with the greats Shogun Rua and Chuck Liddell, both of whom are former champions.

    As you can probably imagine, Khalil Rountree Jr has big plans for his future after such a triumphant victory. After the fight, he made it crystal clear that he’s looking to make even more history by breaking the record and standing at the top of the mountain on his own.

  • Khalil Rountree Jr: Why Waiting for Jamahal Hill Could Be His Biggest Advantage Yet

    Khalil Rountree Jr: Why Waiting for Jamahal Hill Could Be His Biggest Advantage Yet

    Khalil Rountree Jr has made it crystal clear that he is as ready as he can be for the challenge of facing Jamahal Hill tomorrow night.

    On Saturday, Khalil Rountree Jr will stand across the cage from Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC Baku. It will serve as the first time that the promotion has visited Azerbaijan, and they’ve certainly put on a fascinating main event for the occasion. Both of these fighters know what it’s like to compete for the title, and that’s where they want to be all over again.

    For Khalil Rountree Jr, this is a chance to prove that while his performance against Alex Pereira was impressive, it wasn’t a one off. In a recent interview, he spoke openly on the matter.

    Khalil Rountree Jr previews Jamahal Hill fight

    “A win over Jamahal Hill just kind of solidifies that I belong, that I still belong up here. There wasn’t too much thought into it. It was just like, ‘Hey, let’s keep things as they are.’ I don’t mind waiting a little bit more. We’ve already prepared for this guy, so let’s just give it a little bit more time and everything will work out. This is one of those rare circumstances where waiting might have actually paid off for me.”

    “He thinks he’s more skilled. I’ve heard it before. I just try not to pay too much attention to it. For me, the priority is making sure that I’m at my best when that cage closes and the ref asks me if I’m ready. I would say with conviction, ‘Yes.’ Everything else after that is the way it’s supposed to be. I’m prepared for the best version of Jamahal Hill.”

  • Joaquin Buckley Unleashes Explosive Rant on Israel Adesanya: “You Ain’t a Real Fighter”

    Joaquin Buckley Unleashes Explosive Rant on Israel Adesanya: “You Ain’t a Real Fighter”

    UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley has unleashed a rant on Israel Adesanya after some recent disparaging remarks from ‘Stylebender’.

    As we know, Joaquin Buckley is one of the top welterweights in the world right now. Unfortunately for him, last weekend, that reputation took a bit of a knock. That’s because he fell short in his attempt to defeat Kamaru Usman, largely getting dominated on the ground. As we look ahead to the future, it’ll be interesting to see how he builds himself back up from this after what was clearly a big loss for him to take.

    In a reaction video posted to his YouTube channel, Israel Adesanya made it known that he isn’t a big fan of Joaquin Buckley – in fact, he went a bit further than that. As you can imagine, Buckley wasn’t too pleased to hear this, and he’s decided to respond. These two men are obviously in different weight classes and in different phases of their respective careers, but it’s interesting to see that a feud has developed out of it.

    In his own video, Joaquin Buckley had this to say on the matter.

    Joaquin Buckley shows frustration towards Israel Adesanya

    “I don’t know why you on my d*ck anyway… You ain’t a real fighter, you wanna be a lil pretty boy. I would give you a sample but I don’t like boy p*ssy.”

    Buckley has always been a guy who likes to talk trash to people, and we’re intrigued to see how this develops, if at all.

  • Alexandre Pantoja Ready to Move Up and Face ‘Suga’: “I Would Fight Sean O’Malley for Free”

    Alexandre Pantoja Ready to Move Up and Face ‘Suga’: “I Would Fight Sean O’Malley for Free”

    UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is ready to make the move up and face Sean O’Malley in the bantamweight division, suggesting that he’d even do it for free.

    Over the course of the last few years, Alexandre Pantoja has really come into his own as the champion at 125 pounds. He’s been able to turn back a parade of challengers and now, we’re at the point where he’s one of the best pound for pound fighters in the entire UFC. As we look ahead to the future, his next test will see him defend the strap against Kai Kara-France at UFC 317.

    Beyond that, though, nobody really knows what’s next for him. In a recent interview with Stake, Alexandre Pantoja made it known that bantamweight is a real possibility – and that he has an opponent in mind.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYBhYG1ncwc

    Alexandre Pantoja is open to Sean O’Malley fight

    “If it makes sense to the UFC, I think it’s going to happen. I would need to gain 10lbs of muscle, which takes time. For bigger guys, it’s easier to change weight classes, but I would need time. If I had the chance to fight for the belt, or fight someone like O’Malley, I would do it. 

    “O’Malley has stopped the weed, has more connection to his family, and maybe Merab made him humble, which is good for the world. O’Malley is super good, but Merab has something O’Malley never had. Merab had to fight to eat. I am very proud to have given my kids a good life, but I say to them, that they never had to struggle like me, and that’s the same with Merab and O’Malley. I would fight O’Malley for free.”

    Quotes via Stake

  • Khalil Rountree Jr: How Facing Alex Pereira Forged Unbreakable Grit ‘It helped me have some pride’

    Khalil Rountree Jr: How Facing Alex Pereira Forged Unbreakable Grit ‘It helped me have some pride’

    UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr has spoken candidly about his title showdown with Alex Pereira.

    On Saturday night, Khalil Rountree Jr will return to the cage when he goes head to head with Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC Baku. There’s a lot of excitement in the air regarding how this fight may look, and for the most part, that’s because both men are strikers, and they’re both more than happy to stand and bang.

    The story of Khalil Rountree Jr has been a pretty inspirational one ever since he first entered the promotion. If he can pick up a decisive win here, there’s a solid chance he could vault back into championship contention.

    In a recent interview, Khalil Rountree Jr spoke about what he took away from the Alex Pereira fight.

    Khalil Rountree Jr discusses Alex Pereira defeat

    “I think that I proved to myself how far I was willing to go. You know, before it was over, had he not put me down with that shot, I would have just kept going. My entire face would have probably been even more mangled than it was. I just wasn’t going to give up. And, you know, obviously it hurt after—emotionally and physically—but I rose up from it because I was able to go through the fire. 

    “I think going through the fire really builds character, especially when you know that you gave your best and not one moment in that fight was I ever discouraged or wanted to quit. It just helped me have some pride, some inner grit. I got this like rock of gold, and I was like, ‘Ah, okay, cool.’ I can store that and hold on to that for myself, for no one else but myself.”

  • Kevin Lee: Why Facing Fear and a Dangerous Opponent Brings Out His Best

    Kevin Lee: Why Facing Fear and a Dangerous Opponent Brings Out His Best

    Former UFC star Kevin Lee has said that facing a dangerous opponent is what brings out the best in him.

    As we know, Kevin Lee was once considered to be the next big thing at 155 pounds in mixed martial arts. Unfortunately, he was never quite able to live up to his potential in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Even after re-signing, he lost pretty quickly in his return fight, and he even retired at one point.

    Now, at the age of 32, Kevin Lee is hoping that he can finally prove himself – this time under the PFL umbrella. He’s set to face Gadzhi Rabadanov tonight and ahead of the fight, he spoke candidly about his excitement for this contest.

    Kevin Lee looks ahead to MMA return

    “This is exactly what I’m talking about. I’m not saying give me a warm-up fight, give me an alternate fight—I’m jumping in there against one of the most dangerous lightweights on planet Earth. That’s the thing that excites me. The fights where I’m most scared, those are the fights where I really turn up and I really show my best. I like fights where I’m a little bit scared, a little bit nervous getting in there. 

    “I don’t know how fast this guy is, I don’t know how hard he hits. He obviously has a tremendous left hook that he’s hit a lot of people with. But the good thing is, I’ve got a lot of years left on my body and in this game, so there’s still a big future ahead, and I’m excited to go out there and show that.”

  • Joaquin Buckley Admits “There’s Levels to This Game” After Devastating Defeat to Kamaru Usman

    Joaquin Buckley Admits “There’s Levels to This Game” After Devastating Defeat to Kamaru Usman

    UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley has opened up regarding his devastating loss at the hands of Kamaru Usman last weekend.

    In the main event of UFC Atlanta, Joaquin Buckley fell short in his attempt to defeat Kamaru Usman. Despite having a positive fifth round, he was wrestled and dominated for the first four, eventually losing convincingly on the scorecards. Now, he needs to go back to the drawing board and figure out how he can reach that next level.

    Ever since the loss, Joaquin Buckley has been pretty open in discussing what happened. He isn’t one to shy away and make excuses and instead, he’s been giving Usman his flowers. In a recent video on his YouTube channel, he went into more detail about how it felt to be beaten in that way.

    Joaquin Buckley gets honest after Kamaru Usman defeat

    “You talking about every round, he took me down and kept me there. I couldn’t get back up to my feet. I’m looking at Mike Beltran like ‘bro, come on, stand us up, at least one time, let me get back up to my feet’. I’m not gonna lie to you, I feel so embarrassed man because of that loss. I feel so humiliated man because of that loss.

    “But at the same time, I gotta bow my head. Usman showed me who he was. That night, it really showed, there’s levels to this game.”

    This may be a step backwards, but it’ll be interesting to see how Joaquin Buckley recovers and begins to rebuild.

  • Charles Oliveira: “Ilia Topuria Is the Best Fight for Me Right Now – He’s Fresh, Undefeated, and Full of Hype”

    Charles Oliveira: “Ilia Topuria Is the Best Fight for Me Right Now – He’s Fresh, Undefeated, and Full of Hype”

    UFC legend Charles Oliveira has explained why battling at Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 is the right fight for him.

    In the main event of UFC 317, Charles Oliveira will face Ilia Topuria for the UFC lightweight championship. It serves as Charles’ opportunity to become a two-time world champion after originally winning it by beating Michael Chandler. He eventually lost the strap at the hands of Islam Makhachev, but now that Islam has opted to move up to welterweight, the path has cleared for him to pursue gold once again.

    As for Ilia Topuria, he’s trying to join the very exclusive group of fighters who have been able to win world titles in two weight classes. Whether or not he’ll be able to do it, of course, depends entirely on what kind of performance Charles Oliveira brings to the cage.

    In a recent interview, Charles Oliveira opened up on this matchup and his thoughts about Ilia Topuria.

    Charles Oliveira is excited for Ilia Topuria challenge

    “This is the best fight they could give me right now. Everyone else in the top five would be a rematch. Ilia is a fresh opponent, and he’s coming in with a lot of hype, undefeated. That makes the preparation more exciting and interesting for me.”

    “The first time I was asked about Ilia, I was very respectful. I said, ‘Someone who talks the talk and walks the walk, he’ll have a lot of challenges at lightweight and he’ll be a tough fight.’ But has he shown me the same respect in the lead-up? Not really. Everyone knows who I am and what I’ve done. On June 28, everyone will see who the real champion is.”

  • Jiri Prochazka Slams Ankalaev: “That’s Not How a Champ Speaks” Explains Title Rejection

    Jiri Prochazka Slams Ankalaev: “That’s Not How a Champ Speaks” Explains Title Rejection

    UFC fan favorite Jiri Prochazka has slammed Magomed Ankalev when discussing why he decided to turn down a UFC light heavyweight championship opportunity.

    Recently, it was reported that Jiri Prochazka turned down the chance to challenge Magomed Ankalaev for the aforementioned 205-pound belt. He did so in order to focus on his studies, earning a great deal of praise from the mixed martial arts community. Of course, at some point in the future, this is exactly the kind of fight that fans would want to see, especially given how much quality both men possess in the cage.

    As we look ahead to the rest of the year, it’s hard to say what’s next for Ankalaev as talks continue to circulate regarding a possible rematch against Alex Pereira. As for Jiri Prochazka, once he’s done with his studies, he’ll be free to return as he bids to win back the belt that he gave up due to injury.

    In a recent interview, Jiri Prochazka wasn’t shy when giving his thoughts on the champion.

    Jiri Prochazka talks about Magomed Ankalaev

    “What is right now, what is most important – the priority is school. So, whatever can happen, fights or whatever, this is on my first place, to win the title fight. But right now, this is, it’s open. I’m already preparing for that, so that’s why. He’s a big mouth. He’s a big mouth guy.”

    Regardless of whether or not you love Prochazka and what he brings to the table, there’s no denying that this would be an incredible title fight.

  • Khalil Rountree Jr on UFC Baku Main Event: “I Won’t Bleed This Fight – Jamahal Hill Can’t Say the Same”

    Khalil Rountree Jr on UFC Baku Main Event: “I Won’t Bleed This Fight – Jamahal Hill Can’t Say the Same”

    UFC light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr has issued a chilling statement ahead of his main event collision with Jamahal Hill at UFC Baku.

    As we know, Khalil Rountree Jr is one of the best light heavyweight fighters on the planet. He’s coming off the back of a tremendous performance against Alex Pereira, and while he didn’t pick up the win, he certainly impressed. This time around, he’s coming up against Jamahal Hill – a man who is also in desperate need of a victory after two disappointing losses to Pereira and Jiri Prochazka.

    In order to get the job done, he’ll have to walk through fire in what is bound to be a massive striking affair. It’s an unbelievably risky fight for both men to contend with, but one thing we’re pretty sure is going to happen is that we’re going to see fireworks.

    Ahead of fight night, Khalil Rountree Jr issued a pretty chilling warning to his 205 pound foe.

    Khalil Rountree Jr issues chilling message

    “I won’t bleed this fight—can’t say the same for Jamahal Hill.”

    Rountree Jr has worked hard to improve over the course of the last few years and you can really tell. He seems to be moving in an upward trajectory and in a division that seems to be wide open, you’d have to think that a big finish could really vault him back into title contention. It’s not for sure, but you’d have to bet that it’s on the table at least.

  • “Strip Him”: Curtis Blaydes Calls for Jon Jones to Lose the UFC Heavyweight Belt

    “Strip Him”: Curtis Blaydes Calls for Jon Jones to Lose the UFC Heavyweight Belt

    UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes is of the belief that Jon Jones, the reigning heavyweight champion of the promotion, should be stripped of his championship belt.

    As we know, Curtis Blaydes has been a top contender in the heavyweight division for a long time now. Alas, whenever he seems to be getting close to earning a title, he falls just short. He’s still able to beat a string of contenders but he’s not quite been able to get over the final hurdle. In his next outing on Saturday night, he’ll face Rizvan Kuniev, and he’ll hope to once again prove that he belongs within the elite.

    Jon Jones is the current champ, but he seems to be doing everything in his power to avoid battling interim champion Tom Aspinall in a unification fight. For the likes of Curtis Blaydes, that’s pretty frustrating, because it likely means that he’ll have to wait even longer for a title shot – should he be able to earn it, that is.

    In a recent scrum, Curtis Blaydes didn’t hold back when giving his thoughts on what should happen regarding the Jones situation.

    Curtis Blaydes wants UFC to strip Jon Jones of title

    “Jon Jones holding the belt and refusing to fight Tom Aspinall just halts the division. It makes it impossible for any of us to have future projections. Who knows who’s got the real belt? We need to get to the bottom of that. My answer is: strip him. It’s not that hard—it’s happened before. If that pisses him off, maybe it’ll get him to fight. If not, he just retires, which is all right. He’s a GOAT, he doesn’t have to fight, but if he wants to hold on to that belt, he needs to fight.”

  • Francis Ngannou’s Trainer: ‘Absolutely’ Open to UFC Partnership for Jon Jones Superfight

    Francis Ngannou’s Trainer: ‘Absolutely’ Open to UFC Partnership for Jon Jones Superfight

    Francis Ngannou‘s trainer Dewey Cooper has said that ‘The Predator’ would absolutely be open to the idea of a superfight against Jon Jones.

    For the longest time now, Francis Ngannou has been seen as one of the best heavyweights in mixed martial arts – and the same is true for Jon Jones. At one point, it seemed inevitable that the two would collide in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Unfortunately for everyone involved, that never quite came to fruition. Instead, Jones defeated Ciryl Gane and Stipe Miocic, whereas Francis made his way over to PFL.

    Now, they find themselves in two different promotions, with Francis Ngannou making it known that he would be happy to cross-promote with PFL and UFC in order to get this fight over the finish line. Jones, meanwhile, has also hinted at the same thing during a recent series of tweets.

    During a recent interview with Slingo Online Slots, the aforementioned Dewey Cooper had his say on the proposed showdown.

    Dewey Cooper’s view on Francis Ngannou vs Jon Jones

    “Francis Ngannou versus Jon Jones, that’s the MMA fight that the world wants to see. That’s the Mayweather versus Pacquiao fight that the world wants to see in mixed martial arts. “I truly feel if you asked me if he’s willing to go to the table with a co-promotion, absolutely he would, because he wants that fight with Jon Jones as bad as anyone wants it. 

    “I’m sure he’s willing to negotiate some kind of partnership to do it. And if the business truly made sense, I think even if Dana would too – if it really made good business. “I don’t think Dana would be pig-headed to say no, but it has to be done a certain way, or there’s no way it could happen.”