MMA News

Author: Harry Kettle

  • Artem Lobov Coming Out of Retirement Due to Personal Animosity Against Zubaira Tukhugov

    Former UFC fighter Artem Lobov has explained why he’s opted to come out of retirement for his upcoming PFL fight against Zubaira Tukhugov.

    Throughout the course of his career, Artem Lobov has largely been known for his association with Conor McGregor. Of course, that’s a friendship that has collapsed in the last few years, but that doesn’t stop Artem from remembering what went down between Conor’s team and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team back in the day.

    Between Khabib and his teammates trying to intimidate Artem Lobov to the post-UFC 229 brawl that occured, Artem and Tukhugov have quite a history together – which is probably one of the reasons why this fight was booked in the first place.

    In a recent interview, Artem Lobov spoke candidly about what he’s decided to make his mixed martial arts return at PFL Champions Series 2.

    Artem Lobov talks end of his MMA retirement

    “I said it when I was retiring that look, this I’m retiring, but this fight here has to happen. You know, it’s very personal and I have to I have to take that off, you know, I have to close that chapter otherwise it’s always going to be in the back of my mind, you know, and I’m always going to be thinking about it. So I want to get in and get it done. 

    “So, I’m not sure if you can call this a comeback or what this is, but it’s just something that I knew I was going to do. I said I was going to do it. It was always in the back of my mind.”

  • Andrew Tate Responds to ‘Desperate’ Darren Till: “Fighting me is life changing money”

    Andrew Tate Responds to ‘Desperate’ Darren Till: “Fighting me is life changing money”

    Controversial influencer Andrew Tate has made it clear that he would be interested in a boxing match against Darren Till.

    As we know, Andrew Tate has been a pretty big name in the news cycle over the course of the last few years. His controversial statements and views have landed him in hot water on more than one occasion, and beyond that, he’s currently involved in some legal issues that have led to a great deal of debate regarding his imminent future.

    Darren Till, meanwhile, is enjoying life outside of the UFC as he continues to build a name for himself as something of a juggernaut in the ‘influencer boxing’ scene. Recently, he’s made it known that he wants to throw down with Andrew Tate.

    In a reply posted to social media, Andrew Tate issued a warning to Till whilst also praising him.

    Andrew Tate responds to Darren Till

    “Darren I think you’re hilarious. Always enjoyed your antics and humor. Also seen your career and respect it, you’re well liked in my circles. The fight would be great! I understand fighting me is life changing money for you (not me).

    “But there’s no need for name calling. I really don’t like all that clown s*** and being rude etc. We’re both professionals here. I find it rude and if that’s the way you’re trying to get the fight it won’t happen. I’m the superstar here. Talk nicely and I’ll reply to your team’s desperate messages.”

    Will it happen? We’ll have to wait and see.

  • Alex Pereira Calls In Help from Ex-Rival Sean Strickland For Upcoming Title Match

    Alex Pereira Calls In Help from Ex-Rival Sean Strickland For Upcoming Title Match

    Former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has revealed that he is training with former foe Sean Strickland ahead of his rematch with Magomed Ankalaev.

    As we know, Alex Pereira is set to challenge Magomed Ankalaev for the UFC light heavyweight championship in the main event of UFC 320. It comes after Ankalaev won the belt from ‘Poatan’, with many wondering whether or not the Brazilian had the skills necessary to overcome the new champion in a rematch. Regardless of which side of the fence you fall on, we’re going to find out the answer sooner rather than later.

    Alex Pereira’s big problem, in the eyes of many, is that he simply can’t deal with Ankalaev on the ground. As you can imagine, he’ll be doing everything in his power to rectify that problem ahead of fight night.

    In a recent video released by Alex Pereira, he revealed that he’s been training with former opponent Sean Strickland.

    Alex Pereira calls in Sean Strickland

    It’s certainly going to be interesting to see whether or not this is going to have a big impact on Pereira and how he approaches this fight. Strickland isn’t particularly known for his wrestling prowess, but he’s definitely the right kind of fighter to have around when you’re viewed as an underdog in a world title fight.

    It’s always great to see former rivals putting their differences aside to train with each other, and it’ll be interesting to see how long they keep up this partnership.

  • Ronda Rousey Declines UFC White House Fight Offer: “I got better sh*t to do”

    Ronda Rousey Declines UFC White House Fight Offer: “I got better sh*t to do”

    UFC legend Ronda Rousey has made it clear that she isn’t interested in fighting at the UFC White House event next year.

    As we know, Ronda Rousey is one of the biggest stars in the history of mixed martial arts. She made an incredible impact when she first made her way into the UFC, and while she’s been on a bit of a rollercoaster journey with both the fans and the promotion, her legacy in the sport speaks for itself.

    For many years, Ronda Rousey has been tipped to make a return to MMA in some form. Given that her last two fights ended in devastating losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, you’d think that she may want the chance to come back and compete at least one more time.

    In a recent interview, however, Ronda Rousey made it known that if she does come back, it won’t be at the White House.

    Ronda Rousey turns down possible UFC White House fight

    “I’m not fighting at the White House. I mean, you know, after Mike Tyson being in the biggest fight of the year, you never say never. But I ain’t fighting at the f***ing White House.”

    “Even if offered? I got better s*** to do. My kid needs pasta.”

    There would be a great deal of interest in Rousey making her return, if only because nobody really knows what she’d look like given the amount of time she’s had off. Alas, the White House isn’t where isn’t going to happen.

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Has a Loss and is not Undefeated – UFC Commentator Explains

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Has a Loss and is not Undefeated – UFC Commentator Explains

    UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes that there’s one fight in the career of Khabib Nurmagomedov that he should’ve lost.

    As we know, Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. He retired from the sport with an incredible 29-0 record, and he was able to defeat some big names throughout the course of his career – including Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier.

    While he’s been retired for five years now, Khabib Nurmagomedov is still very highly thought of and is constantly featured in the GOAT debate. However, there have been a few instances over the years in which he was in trouble during his fights.

    Some even believe that Khabib Nurmagomedov should’ve lost via decision in a fight with Gleison Tibau many years ago. As it turns out, Joe Rogan falls into that category.

    Joe Rogan believes Khabib Nurmagomedov should have lost one fight

    “I think that’s the one guy that should have beat him,” Rogan said during the most recent episode of “JRE Fight Companion.” “If you look at the record, Khabib’s got an undefeated record, (but) there’s an asterisk. That asterisk is Gleison Tibau. That was a very f*cking close fight that I thought Khabib lost, but it was early in Khabib’s career. You know, it was before he won the title.”

    Quotes via MMA Junkie

    Khabib won’t care all too much about this opinion, especially considering the likes of Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre have been involved in similarly questionable decisions over the years.

  • Marvin Vettori comes under heavy fire for controversial tweet

    Marvin Vettori comes under heavy fire for controversial tweet

    UFC fighter Marvin Vettori has come under fire for an antisemitic tweet that he posted to social media platform X.

    One thing we know to be true about Marvin Vettori is that he’s never afraid to speak his mind. While he’s best known for his accomplishments inside the cage, the Italian also has a tendency to voice his thoughts on social media, in interviews, and in back and forth exchanges with his rivals.

    Of course, for a lot of fans and media members, there are lines that you simply don’t cross. Marvin Vettori tends to get quite close to the line, but in the eyes of many, he stepped over it with the following statement.

    Marvin Vettori lashes out

    “F*** all these people, this s*** is getting out of hand, they control everything, f*** these ashkenazi Jews that wants control over the world. Here I said it.”

    At this point, we shouldn’t be surprised by any kind of statement made by a UFC fighter – especially in the “free speech” age that we appear to be living through. Dana White isn’t the kind of boss who is going to punish his fighters for what they say, and as such, we can’t imagine there are going to be many repercussions for Vettori with respect to these comments.

    Whether it be Vettori, Bryce Mitchell, Sean Strickland or any number of other fighters, tweets like this are going to continue happening.

    Will things change in the future? It certainly doesn’t seem overly likely.

  • Islam Makhachev or Jack Della Maddalena: Who Is The Better Striker? Who Cares, Says UFC Insider

    Islam Makhachev or Jack Della Maddalena: Who Is The Better Striker? Who Cares, Says UFC Insider

    MMA analyst Chael Sonnen isn’t interested in the debate regarding who the better striker is between Islam Makhachev and Jack Della Maddalena.

    At UFC 322 later this year, Jack Della Maddalena will defend his UFC welterweight championship against Islam Makhachev. One of the key components of the fight, in the eyes of many, is the striking game. While we all know Islam has a significant advantage on the ground, JDM is an incredibly precise striker – and that could easily come into play in this fight.

    However, in a recent video, Chael Sonnen laid out an interesting argument regarding why the striking isn’t likely to decide the title clash between Islam Makhachev and Jack Della Maddalena.

    Chael Sonnen’s view on Islam Makhachev vs Jack Della Maddalena debate

    “So, what difference does it make who’s better in the standup?… Would you rather hit harder or be able to be hit harder? With four-ounce gloves on, this whole expression about who’s better is really nothing more than an expression. And it’s not the inability of the takedown, it’s the threat of the takedown that changes your standup. 

    “We have seen some of the best and most decorated kickboxers in the world not only lose in the first round, we’ve seen them knocked out on their feet in the first round. And it’s not because the guy was better at the standup. It’s because the kickboxer was scared about the takedown. And it changed his demeanor. It changed his offense. It changed his defense. It changed his posture.”

    “When’s the last time a fight got decided in the standup? And what difference does it make with four-ounce gloves on? It doesn’t matter who’s got the better feints, it doesn’t matter who’s got the better combinations. You don’t want to have to hit a guy five or six times like you do in the sport of boxing. 

    “You want to be able to hit him one time. And if he can’t take a punch correctly, you’re only going to need to hit him one time. But it’s going to look sloppy. It’s going to look like two bums fighting because the things that work in MMA are completely illegal in the sweet science. And that’s just the truth.”

    “It’s the same as it’s been since ‘93 until now. It’s the guy that decides, are we on our feet or are we on the ground. That is your champion. That is your winner of every fight, every time. He’s better in the stand up—what a dork. What’s that even mean?”

  • Ilia Topuria believes that he’d knock Terence Crawford out in a crossover boxing match

    Ilia Topuria believes that he’d knock Terence Crawford out in a crossover boxing match

    UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria has suggested that he would be able to knock Terence Crawford out if the two ever faced each other in a crossover boxing match.

    If there’s one thing that Ilia Topuria isn’t lacking, it’s confidence – and understandably so. In his last three fights, he has been able to knock out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira. Of course, this is mixed martial arts we’re talking about here, and it’s a pretty different sport to professional boxing.

    We all know that crossover boxing involving MMA fighters has become a pretty big deal in recent years, starting off with Conor McGregor’s superfight against Floyd Mayweather. In the present day, Ilia Topuria is seen as the potential successor to Conor in terms of star power, and there are plenty of similarities.

    One of the similarities is that Ilia Topuria believes he can beat one of the all-time boxing greats, as he noted in the following tweet.

    Ilia Topuria backs himself to knock out Terence Crawford

    “I won’t talk about what would happen between me and Crawford in an octagon I’ll talk about what would happen in a ring. I put him to sleep in the first contact !!”

    Yes, this sounds outrageous, but Topuria has the kind of power that can help people believe just about anything that he says. Who knows, maybe at some point in the future we get the chance to see it – but first, Crawford has a meeting with Canelo Alvarez to focus on.

  • Jon Jones is NOT Retired – Looking to Fight at the White House: “Actively training”

    Jon Jones is NOT Retired – Looking to Fight at the White House: “Actively training”

    Jon Jones continues to troll the mixed martial arts world after recently claiming in an interview that he is no longer retired from the sport.

    As we know, wherever Jon Jones goes, controversy seems to follow. He thrives in chaotic environments and after retiring earlier this year, many felt as if it wasn’t going to last. Alas, that hasn’t proven to be the case, with Jon claiming that he wants to fight on next year’s proposed UFC White House card.

    Dana White, meanwhile, isn’t quite as convinced. He’s made it clear that he’s not sure he can trust Jon Jones in a position like that, but given the stakes involved if we do get the chance to see Jon vs Tom Aspinall, you’d have to think that Dana would at least be open to the idea from a business standpoint.

    In a recent interview, Jon Jones was asked about his future, and he had the following to say.

    Jon Jones claims he is no longer retired from MMA

    “I am not retired. I am actively training five days a week, and I’m in the UFC’s drug testing pool.”

    “I don’t really know [about UFC White House], it’s kind of out of my control right now. I’m training for the event, I’ll be ready for the event. That’s my goal, that’s my intention, but ultimately, it’s up to the boss.”

    At this point, it’s hard to know whether he’s coming or going – and that’ll likely continue to be the case.

  • Conor McGregor Running for President is a Decent Gimmick, According to Former Politician and UFC Fighter

    Conor McGregor Running for President is a Decent Gimmick, According to Former Politician and UFC Fighter

    MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on Conor McGregor continuing to make a push to come President of Ireland.

    As we know, Conor McGregor has been involved in plenty of controversies in the last few years – and that’s us putting it lightly. Now, in the present day, it seems he was one main focus above all others: becoming president back in his home country of Ireland.

    Alas, while Conor McGregor is an ambitious person, pretty much anyone with any knowledge of Ireland’s politicial system has said that it’d be pretty much impossible for him to achieve this goal.

    In a recent video, Chael Sonnen had some interesting views on Conor McGregor’s latest stunt.

    Chael Sonnen discusses Conor McGregor’s presidency ‘character’

    “There’s no politician that you’ve ever seen on TV that is that politician. It’s a performance. There’s nobody on TV that is being themself. Not one single person you’ve ever seen, all the way down to your local weatherman. They’re all playing a character to some degree.”

    “And he says, ‘I will not pass any bill through without sending it back to the people.’ … And there is always a mistake made in business to let people have it their way and to let people have options. There’s a book called The Paradox of Choice and one of the worst things that you can do is ask the consumer what they want… it’s a big mistake in politics. 

    “It’s a big mistake to think that people are paying attention and it’s a big mistake to think that we live in a democracy. … Democracy is a tremendously bad problem because that means if you have 51% of the people, they can control the other 49%. We do not live in a democracy. That is something that you’ve put in your heads. We live in a republic and there’s a massive difference.”

  • Sean Strickland Explains Why Caio Borralho is “An Idiot” Over Weight Cutting

    Sean Strickland Explains Why Caio Borralho is “An Idiot” Over Weight Cutting

    UFC star Sean Strickland has questioned Caio Borralho for opting to cut weight twice ahead of UFC Paris – once to serve as back-up for the UFC 319 main event.

    If there’s one thing we know to be true about Sean Strickland, it’s that he doesn’t hold back when giving his opinion. He is someone who has a lot of interesting views both in and outside of mixed martial arts, and he isn’t afraid to voice them.

    Last weekend, Caio Borralho attempted to earn himself a UFC middleweight title shot – but fell short. He lost to Nassourdine Imavov in what proved to be a fairly one-sided fight at UFC Paris, and Sean Strickland was one of many who was left surprised by the performance that the Brazilian produced.

    In a recent tweet, Sean Strickland had the following to say about Borralho’s outing in the French capital.

    Sean Strickland’s view on Caio Borralho at UFC Paris

    “Caio is my buddy but hes an idiot. He trained with us and was useless.  

    “Me “whats wrong with you”

    “Caio “Im cutting, im an alternate”

    “So you’re giving up 4 weeks of your camp cutting weight twice while having a fight coming up? 

    “Whoever told you to do that, please hit him.”

    “It was so frustrating I wanted to hit him.. I didnt say anything because I wanted to keep his spirits up but he really took some bad advice from someone. That fight wasnt him. It was missing 4 weeks of training cutting weight twice.”

  • Caio Borralho is okay with fighting friend Khamzat Chimaev for UFC title

    Caio Borralho is okay with fighting friend Khamzat Chimaev for UFC title

    UFC star Caio Borralho has made it clear that he’s okay with fighting his friend Khamzat Chimaev if the fight ends up happening.

    Tomorrow night, Caio Borralho takes on Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Paris. If he’s able to pick up the win, and do so impressively, he could easily get a shot at Khamzat Chimaev and the UFC middleweight championship.

    There’s no guarantee, but for Caio Borralho, it’s all about going out there and proving himself. If he does get the crack at Chimaev, he’ll be facing his friend who he’s trained with extensively in the past.

    In a recent interview, Caio Borralho made it known that he’s fine with fighting ‘Borz’.

    Caio Borralho is fine with fighting his friend Khamzat Chimaev

    “It’s business,” Borralho said on the Pound-4-Pound podcast. “It’s for feeding our families. He’s my friend. We talk about it, we speak, we chat in Instagram and all that. When I had my child, he was one of the first guys to come to me and congratulate me and all that. We kind of got into each other.

    “And actually, I was the only one in his training camp that became friends with him, because I knew how to train with him. I knew how to help him and I made him realize that. So he knew I was there to help him, not just to compete against him and try to show that I’m better than him or something like that. 

    “There’s no ego in me. There’s no problem for me to go there, if I’m helping the guy, to get my ass beat for five rounds. I don’t care, because I’m there to help him.

    “But at the same time, I’m seeing everything, I’m studying everything, I’m taking notes. I’m paying attention to everything, and this is something that I did a lot in Sweden.”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Benoit Saint Denis is fine dealing with pressure heading into UFC Paris fight

    Benoit Saint Denis is fine dealing with pressure heading into UFC Paris fight

    UFC star Benoit Saint Denis has said that he’s fine with the feeling of pressure as he prepares to face Mauricio Ruffy.

    Tomorrow night, Benoit Saint Denis returns to action when he goes head to head with Mauricio Ruffy at UFC Paris. This is a pretty important fight for both men in the lightweight division as it’ll give us a clear idea of which man is best suited to push on and go after a title shot.

    Benoit Saint Denis has lost two of his last three and while he won his last fight, it wasn’t the most convincing performance in the world. Now, against Ruffy, he’ll be tested in a way that will let us all know whether or not he is able to really step up to that next level.

    In a recent interview, Benoit Saint Denis made it clear that pressure is a privilege, even against someone as dangerous as Ruffy.

    Benoit Saint Denis thrives on pressure

    “I have learned over time that it is unnecessary to put yourself under too much pressure,” Saint Denis told MMA Junkie Radio. “Also, pressure is not a bad thing. It’s a privilege. If you have pressure, it’s because there’s stuff on the line when you are fighting. I enjoy the process. 

    “Of course, it was difficult through the last couple of years. I felt a lot of pressure, and I was not used to it. Now I feel back to doing what I love, and that’s fighting and winning.”

    Quotes via MMA Junkie

  • Why Did Paul Craig Move To Light Heavyweight Again? In His Own Words

    UFC star Paul Craig has explained his decision to move back to the light heavyweight division from middleweight.

    As we know, Paul Craig is a pretty popular character in the world of mixed martial arts. While he may not always get his hand raised, he’s unpredictable – and he’s got the kind of personality that makes it easy to root for him whenever he gets into the cage.

    On Saturday night, Paul Craig will make his way back to 205 pounds after a stint in the middleweight division. He’s set to face off against Modestas Bukauskas and if he’s able to pick up a comprehensive win, his previous victory over Magomed Ankalaev means that he may only be one or two more wins away from a title shot.

    In a recent interview, Paul Craig opened up about his light heavyweight switch.

    Paul Craig discusses return to light heavyweight

    “We made the decision to move to middleweight. We thought we would have had an upper hand on the middleweight division being a good grappler, being that little bit bigger. But unfortunately, it didn’t actually work out that way for me. So, it makes sense to move back up to light heavyweight, enjoy food, enjoy life because I’m getting a little bit older, but also have the fuel in my muscles to continue to work hard. 

    “That was one of the things we missed out is being a middleweight. We weren’t able to push to 100% of your ability because once the energy and the muscles are away, then it’s much harder for you as a fighter to continue. Now we’re fully equipped with carbohydrates. Our muscles are full of glycogen and we’re ready to put on a performance.”

  • Math and Chemistry Teacher: Caio Borralho Explains His Start In Education – Fighting Nerd

    Fighting Nerds sensation Caio Borralho has spoken about his journey to mixed martial arts and how it all started off with his education.

    Tomorrow night, Caio Borralho will take on Nassourdine Imavov in a highly anticipated middleweight showdown. The two will fight in the main event of UFC Paris, and if the winner gets a spectacular knockout, they could well be the next in line to face Khamzat Chimaev for the UFC middleweight championship.

    Of course, there’s no guarantee behind that, but Caio Borralho is feeling pretty confident either way. He knows that he has the skills necessary to defeat Imavov, and he’s ready to prove that he deserves a crack at Chimaev at the championship.

    Alas, MMA wasn’t always the main focus for Caio Borralho. In a recent interview, he opened up about his days as a teacher.

    Caio Borralho looks back at his journey to MMA

    “I was a mathematics and chemistry teacher before I started MMA. I started teaching when I was 15 years old. My grandpa was a math teacher, and one day he had an emergency and left the class. 

    “He came to me and said, ‘You know this subject, you know how to teach this?’ And I said, ‘I think I know.’ So I started teaching my neighbors, eventually teaching people at school who came to my house to learn. So yeah, that’s my background before fighting. Some of the kids I taught are engineers now, which is crazy to see how things change.”

  • Tom Aspinall reveals he “doesn’t really care” about belts ahead of UFC 321

    Tom Aspinall reveals he “doesn’t really care” about belts ahead of UFC 321

    UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has said that he doesn’t really care about titles or interim/undisputed as he prepares for his next fight.

    In the main event of UFC 321, Tom Aspinall will defend his undisputed title for the very first time. He’ll do so against Ciryl Gane, and it’ll serve as the Englishman’s first fight since successfully defending his interim strap against Curtis Blaydes.

    As we look ahead to the fight, it certainly feels like Tom Aspinall is shaping up to be the clear favorite in this one. With that being said, these two have styles that should match up together pretty nicely, which could make for a fascinating showdown.

    In the UFC 321 press conference in Paris earlier today, Tom Aspinall was asked whether or not this feels like the second time he’ll be defending the title.

    Tom Aspinall reveals he “doesn’t really care” about belts ahead of UFC 321

    “To be honest, I don’t really care about belts and stuff. I only care about my next fight. Ciryl is my next fight, he’s the guy I’m focused on. This fight has been simmering for a long time, do you know what I mean? We both got in the UFC around the same time, we’ve been talking about this fight for a long time.

    “So, I’m just ready to fight this guy already and take him out.”

    Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of Aspinall, there’s no denying that it’s exciting to see him get back in there after all he’s been through.

  • Deontay Wilder Calls Out Francis Ngannou for a Boxing Match: “Let’s get it on”

    Former heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder has once again called for a showdown with Francis Ngannou.

    As we know, Deontay Wilder is one of the hardest hitters in the history of professional boxing. He has done some incredible things throughout the course of his career and while a lot of people believe that he’s done at the elite level, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ seems to be interested in at least one more fight.

    One name that comes to mind for Deontay Wilder to face is none other than Francis Ngannou. The former UFC heavyweight champion has already faced Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the middle of the ring, and it only makes sense for him to complete the hat-trick.

    In a recent interview, Deontay Wilder reiterated his desire to throw down with ‘The Predator’, potentially in Africa.

    Deontay Wilder wants Francis Ngannou fight

    “Hey baby, Francis, let’s get it on baby. If you serious about what you saying, for I am serious about what I’m saying. Let’s get it on once and for all. Your power against my power. Let’s test it out baby. Hey, if you down, I’m down. We can go to the motherland too, baby. AFRICA!”

    Wilder will be aware of the power that will come back his way when facing Ngannou, but Deontay has taken on heavy hitters before. So long as he can ease his way into the fight and take things at his own pace, he stands a great chance of picking up the win.

  • Paulo Costa believes Khamzat Chimaev is afraid to fight him

    UFC middleweight Paulo Costa believes that Khamzat Chimaev is afraid to fight him.

    As we know, Paulo Costa is a pretty interesting fighter in the world of mixed martial arts. While he’s clearly very talented, he’s also been responsible for some pretty outlandish remarks on social media. In addition to that, he hasn’t always lived up to his potential inside the cage, leaving many to wonder whether or not he’ll ever get back to the championship level.

    The good news for Paulo Costa, though, is that his rival Khamzat Chimaev is the new UFC middleweight champion. While that isn’t necessarily a guarantee of securing him a title fight, one or two more wins could well be enough given the demand there is out there to see this fight happen.

    In a recent interview, Paulo Costa doubled down on the idea that Khamzat is scared of making the fight happen.

    Paulo Costa believes Khamzat Chimaev is afraid of him

    “I’m looking always for the highest place, you know. Fight to go Chen, he’s holding the belt right now. And even before I called him in my last fight, my more fight, but let’s see. If it was just about me, I would fight him right now. But I’m going to follow what the matchmakers think would be better and I’ll be ready. But he’s afraid. 

    “He’s afraid always. He just hold the guys, you know, he’s marrying his balls for 25 minutes. Everybody one more fight, everybody going to be enough of that guy. That fight was horrible. I think one more and you know then they’re going to call me to cut his off.”

  • Alex Pereira Breaks Down Miscommunication with the UFC: “I regret that”

    Alex Pereira Breaks Down Miscommunication with the UFC: “I regret that”

    UFC legend Alex Pereira has spoken about the miscommunication he had with the promotion that led to an angry tweet he sent out a few months ago.

    As we know, Alex Pereira is one of the best fighters of his generation. He is a two-weight UFC champion, and he has proven himself to be one of the most exciting, must-see athletes on the planet. In his last outing, however, he lost his UFC light heavyweight championship in a defeat to Magomed Ankalaev.

    As we look ahead to the future, it certainly seems as if Magomed Ankalaev vs Alex Pereira 2 is the right move. Prior to their first meeting, though, ‘Poatan’ landed himself in hot water – or so it seemed – after tweeting out his frustrations with the UFC.

    In a recent interview, Alex Pereira decided to clarify the situation.

    Alex Pereira reveals dispute with UFC

    “Before the first fight, I don’t know the reason, but the UFC didn’t want to put me with him. Everyone saw no one was interested to see him fight. Then his team talked saying I was scared, that I didn’t want to accept the fight or the rematch. 

    “But I already had conversations with the UFC and knew the date—it was October. I had to recover from multiple fights in a short period. I waited for the best date for me, and October works well. If he was ready in June, July or August, that’s before our agreed date, so he doesn’t have the moral of the champion ready and waiting for the challenger.”

    “I was a bit upset and tweeted out of moment because of some promises about the fight. Later I realized it was a miscommunication with the UFC. I didn’t inform my manager before tweeting and I regret that. If I’d called Hunter, I think it would have been solved without any exposure.”

  • Anderson Silva Is Awarded a Whopping $10.3 Million From UFC Antitrust Lawsuit

    Anderson Silva Is Awarded a Whopping $10.3 Million From UFC Antitrust Lawsuit

    MMA legend Anderson Silva is set to receive $10.3 million from the UFC antitrust lawsuit, reports indicate.

    As we know, Anderson Silva is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. He has achieved some truly unbelievable things throughout the course of his career and he has cemented his legacy as one of the best to ever do it – especially in the UFC.

    As it turns out, though, Anderson Silva will also be receiving a pretty notable payday off the back of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s antitrust lawsuit. This allegation was that the promotion underpaid athletes between 2010 and 2017, with around 1,200 fighters being automatically included in the case.

    This includes the aforementioned Anderson Silva, who is going to be doing pretty well off the back of this news.

    Anderson Silva set for big payout

    “In Le v Zuffa news, the Claims Administrator, Angeion Group, has filed a report on the status of processing Class Member claim submissions. Settlement fund will be distributed no later than September 19 “after permitting Angeion time to complete several administrative tasks.

    “Angeion mailed to 1,121 Class Members individualized claim forms and Angeion received a total of 1,088 claims submissions, of which 37 contented their info.

    “For the class the average payment will be $231,022.29;  median $86,034.65; high is $10,334,240.72; & a low of $16,138.45. Based on the final settlement fund each fighter should get 32.7% of their total bout compensation earned during the class period plus $14,179.33 each bout.”

    Good for ‘The Spider’.

  • Rampage Jackson Is Not Speaking to His Son Raja Jackson Since Wrestling Incident: “Dishonored My Name”

    Rampage Jackson Is Not Speaking to His Son Raja Jackson Since Wrestling Incident: “Dishonored My Name”

    MMA legend Rampage Jackson has revealed that he isn’t speaking to his son Raja after he assaulted Syko Stu during a pro wrestling show recently.

    As we know, Rampage Jackson has always been a popular figure throughout the course of his time in mixed martial arts. Now, however, he’s been embroiled in a whole new kind of controversy in the wake of his son attacking a wrestler at an independent show. Initially, it seemed as if it may be part of the entertainment, but it quickly became clear that this wasn’t the case.

    Ever since then, Rampage Jackson has been fielding questions across podcasts, interviews and social media. The response has been pretty much the same throughout, with Rampage noting his disappointment in the actions of his son Raja.

    In a recent interview, Rampage Jackson had the following to say about his current relationship with Raja.

    Rampage Jackson slams his son Raja’s actions

    “I got death threats. People driving by my house slow. I don’t know these people. I don’t trust them. Raja dishonored my name and put my whole family in harm’s way. I’m from Memphis. I don’t put nothing past racist people. They got a lot of hatred and they used this as a reason to be hateful.”

    “I don’t talk to Raja no more. I talked to him. I heard his story. I learned a lot about it. I’m mad at him. He’s my son, but ever since he became an adult, he don’t listen to what I say.”

  • Alexander Volkanovski gets honest about Ilia Topuria KO loss

    Alexander Volkanovski has admitted that the turnaround between his knockout loss to Islam Makhachev and his fight with Ilia Topuria may have been too quick.

    We all know that Alexander Volkanovski is the people’s champion. He’s also, as of this writing, the UFC featherweight champion. However, his first reign with the title came to an end in devastating fashion after he was knocked out cold by Ilia Topuria.

    That defeat came just a matter of months after the suffered the same fate at the hands of Islam Makhachev. In a recent podcast appearance, Alexander Volkanovski opened up about the circumstances surrounding those two defeats.

    Alexander Volkanovski’s take on Ilia Topuria defeat

    “I go in too early and I get knocked out, I lose my belt,” Volkanovski said on The Unscripted Show, pointing out the difference between injuries in combat sports and in team sports. “That’s the fact and that’s what happened. I’m not taking anything away from Ilia. I’m just saying that that’s what can happen. So I got a crazy shin to the noggin and obviously Ilia can hit hard, we’ve seen that, but I mean, I’ve never been just completely lights out like that. I was lights out for a couple of minutes.

    “He got me in the cheek. But as soon there was one good connection: snoring.”

    “So am I saying that wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t have the Islam [knockout loss]? I don’t know,” Volkanovski said. “Again, [Topuria’s] very capable of knocking me out. Like I said, if I’m ever going to lose, it’s someone catching me and he’s a guy that can definitely do it. A lot of people were like, ‘You were winning until you got caught.’ Yeah, that was the case, but I still wasn’t fighting my fight.”

    “I was worried about getting hit and I was freaking out in there and I remember sitting there, I was in two minds. Try not to get hit but then telling myself, ‘You’re alright. You’ll come back to it. Relax.’ If I was that worried, then why didn’t I just shoot and be more defensive and just take him down and just hold him there, but then I would tell myself, ‘You don’t need to do that. You’re alright.’ … It was a tricky one. It was a tough one for me.

    “You’ve seen this footage of me sort of breaking down and not knowing what I’m—If I’m like this now, how am I going to be after the sport’s done?” Volkanovski said. “That’s what I was worried about. Then I was like I need to keep busy. Told the UFC I want to fight. I end up fighting just after three months later with a bad concussion. Most people have six months, no head contact, and then start camp. I started training, when you’re training you’re starting head contact pretty quickly.”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Caio Borralho believes UFC Paris main event could be #1 contender fight

    Caio Borralho believes UFC Paris main event could be #1 contender fight

    UFC middleweight contender Caio Borralho believes that his fight against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Paris could determine the next number one contender at 185 pounds.

    This weekend, Caio Borralho and Nassourdine Imavov will meet in the main event of UFC Paris. While it’s not guaranteed, many expect the winner to be the next in line to challenge Khamzat Chimaev for the UFC middleweight championship.

    Of course, there are a few other names out there, especially with Anthony Hernandez and Reinier de Ridder preparing to collide later this year. Caio Borralho knows that, too, and he knows that he needs to put in a big performance if he wants to really get on the radar of the champ.

    In a recent interview, Caio Borralho opened up on the stakes in this fight and what it could mean for his career.

    Caio Borralho’s view on Nassourdine Imavov fight

    “I think that’s the fight that makes sense (as No. 1 contender),” Borralho told MMA Junkie Radio. “Me and Imavov, we just need to go in there and don’t do a boring fight. That’s all. I think it doesn’t matter how the fight ends, if it’s a finish or it’s a decision by a dominant or great fight, I think whoever wins is going to be the next one in line.”

    “Yeah, that’s how I’m preparing for this fight. I’m preparing to fight the best guy in the world,” Borralho said. “If he doesn’t show up like that, it’s just profit for me. But I’m taking this fight as I take all my last fights – all the fights that I have right now are the biggest fights of my life, the most important fight of my life, and the hardest fight of my life. So I need to prepare properly for this fight. I’m taking him very seriously, I know that he’s a phenomenal athlete, and I’m preparing for that.”

    Quotes via MMA Junkie

  • Islam Makhachev’s Coach on The Odds for JDM Fight: “Who Cares”

    Islam Makhachev’s Coach on The Odds for JDM Fight: “Who Cares”

    Islam Makhachev‘s head coach Javier Mendez doesn’t agree with the odds for his UFC 322 title fight against Jack Della Maddalena.

    In the main event of UFC 322, Islam Makhachev will challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the UFC welterweight championship. If he’s able to pick up the win, he will join an elite group of fighters who have been able to win UFC world titles in two different weight classes.

    Of course, it’s going to be easier said than done. Islam Makhachev has been a dominant world champion at 155 pounds for a good few years now, but even with that being the case, going up 15 pounds in weight is an entirely different ball game. That’s especially true when coming up against someone like JDM who is riding a huge wave of momentum after his title triumph over Belal Muhammad.

    In the eyes of the bookmakers, Islam Makhachev is a solid favorite to defeat Jack Della Maddalena. Javier Mendez, though, doesn’t agree with the odds – and he doesn’t particularly care about them either.

    Islam Makhachev’s coach isn’t bothered about UFC 322 odds

    “I saw the odds and we’re favored by a little bit more than I think we should be, but regardless, that’s the odds. Who cares? Bottom line is we as coaches know, we have a super, super tough fight in front of us with a fighter that can do it all. And it’s just going to be a matter of how we can make him break and how we can stop him from utilizing any of the mistakes we may make, you know. So, let’s see. But, uh, we have a very tough opponent in front of us.”

  • Mackenzie Dern Explains How Ronda Rousey Somewhat Inspired Her to Get into MMA

    Mackenzie Dern Explains How Ronda Rousey Somewhat Inspired Her to Get into MMA

    UFC star Mackenzie Dern has revealed how Ronda Rousey was one of her influences when it comes to breaking into mixed martial arts.

    As we know, Mackenzie Dern has been one of the most notable names in women’s MMA for many years now. At UFC 321, she’ll get the opportunity to finally claim UFC gold when she goes head to head with Virna Jandiroba for the vacant UFC strawweight championship.

    While some believe she doesn’t deserve such an opportunity, others have noted how much Mackenzie Dern has been through in order to get to this point. If she can claim the gold, it’ll serve as quite the rise to prominence that started many years ago when she was first signed to the promotion.

    In a recent interview, Mackenzie Dern opened up on the process of getting started in the sport.

    Mackenzie Dern notes Ronda Rousey’s influence

    “No, I wasn’t even thinking about the title when I went into MMA. I just went like—like I said, the UFC, they signed me before I had even done any fight in MMA at all, you know, before LFA, before Legacy. So they signed me like with the developmental plan and they said try it out, see if you like it, if you do want to stay in it, you know, I’m signed already with them. If not, no problem. 

    “Well, you can stop and then go back to jiu-jitsu, whatever you want to do. So I went into it like, ‘Oh, Ronda Rousey, everyone’s just like, yeah, you should do it. You’re really good at jiu-jitsu and you can go into like movies and this and that.’… I started growing. 

    “I think actually my fight with Bina was one of the first fights when I like kind of realized and I thought like, ‘Okay, I think I have it in me,’ you know, ’cause I broke my nose and it was kind of just like we stayed all three rounds striking, and, you know, she was way more experienced than me… That’s kind of when I was like, ‘Okay, I think I really want to get better at striking and I want to like take this serious.’… That mindset of a champion started growing in me.”