MMA News

Author: Harry Kettle

  • Daniel Cormier Explains Why Brock Lesnar was The Easiest Matchup For Him

    Daniel Cormier Explains Why Brock Lesnar was The Easiest Matchup For Him

    UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has explained why he believes Brock Lesnar would’ve been a relatively easy matchup for him if the planned fight had gone ahead many years ago.

    As we know, Daniel Cormier is a legend in the world of mixed martial arts. He’s a two-weight world champion, capturing the second of those two titles by knocking out Stipe Miocic to become UFC heavyweight champ. In the aftermath of that victory, DC was greeted in the cage by Brock Lesnar, with the expectation being that the two would eventually square off for the strap.

    Unfortunately, it never quite came to fruition. Daniel Cormier, who is known to be a fan of professional wrestling, would’ve likely loved playing up to the crowd and building the hype for a fight between himself and Lesnar. Alas, it never happened, and we’ll always have to wonder what could’ve been.

    In a recent interview, however, Daniel Cormier made it pretty clear what he thinks would’ve gone down if these two had collided.

    Daniel Cormier’s view on fighting Brock Lesnar

    “The WWE got him. They took him back. That was my golden goose. It was one of the safest fights I could have had. It’s just the truth. I watch what Cain did to him. I saw Brock recently, and he still has that scar under his eye from when Cain kneed him in the face.”

    Regardless of what would’ve happened, we all know what did happen – Cormier built a legacy for himself that will be remembered for many, many years to come.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Didn’t Even Use Advanced Grappling Techniques to Control Dricus Du Plessis “Only the Basics” – MMA Analyst

    Khamzat Chimaev Didn’t Even Use Advanced Grappling Techniques to Control Dricus Du Plessis “Only the Basics” – MMA Analyst

    MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has provided an interesting perspective on Khamzat Chimaev‘s dominant UFC 319 win over Dricus du Plessis.

    In the main event of UFC 319, Khamzat Chimaev defeated Dricus du Plessis to become the new UFC middleweight champion. He did so by utilizing his superior wrestling skills from start to finish, and by the time the fight was over, it was pretty clear to see that he had comfortably earned the right to call himself the new champ.

    While Khamzat Chimaev was impressive, though, many felt as if Dricus du Plessis produced a disappointing performance. Of course, only DDP himself knows what he was capable of in there, and it’d be intriguing to see what would happen if they ran it back one day.

    In a recent video, Chael Sonnen provided an analysis of how Khamzat Chimaev was able to control Dricus du Plessis in Chicago.

    Chael Sonnen’s view on Khamzat Chimaev’s UFC 319 win

    “It’s very important that you understand how Chimaev controlled Dricus because you’ve never seen this before. I have never seen it and that includes in the practice room. Not to this extent, not with somebody of that level… So picture Dricus, he’s on all fours… Chimaev’s behind him… Dricus would like to stand up at that point, and he tried, but he failed. 

    “When you fail at that, your next best option is to get under attack. And when Chimaev attacked him, Dricus was ready for it. Dricus got reversals at one point, but he looked good. It created a grappling atmosphere, which is what Dricus is used to.”

    “Chimaev didn’t confuse and control Dricus due to his advancements. He controlled Dricus with the basics. Bump him forward. Pull him back. Take him left. Take him right. Make him reset. Make him reset. Make him reset as the time is ticking down. And that was the part that was the most fascinating. 

    “He outgrappled him by demonstrating less grappling than he was capable of. And that really bothered some people. I will just tell you, I’ve never seen it before.”

  • Caio Borralho Not Impressed with Khamzat Chimaev’s Safe Performance Against Dricus Du Plessis

    UFC middleweight Caio Borralho has given his thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev’s win over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319.

    As we know, Khamzat Chimaev is the new king of the middleweight division after taking the championship from Dricus du Plessis in the main event of UFC 319. We also know that Caio Borralho is a rising contender at 185 pounds and in his next fight, he’ll face Nassourdine Imavov in an attempt to move one step closer to receiving a title shot.

    Caio Borralho is certainly an interesting prospect but in the eyes of many, Khamzat Chimaev seems pretty unstoppable right now. One of the reasons for that was the nature of his win over DDP, as ‘Borz’ was able to pretty much dominate him on the ground from the first minute until the last.

    In a recent interview, though, Caio Borralho gave an interesting point of view on how Chimaev was able to perform.

    Caio Borralho’s view on Khamzat Chimaev’s UFC 319 win

    “I’m not impressed about the domination. I think he did what he always does in all his fights. The only difference is that he didn’t finish this time. That’s why people are upset—because people want to see a finish. But he dominated in a dominant fashion. Dricus didn’t have any response to anything. But to be fair, he did a great job defending the chokes and all the attacks Khamzat did. But besides that, he just couldn’t take it. He had no answers for that.”

  • Sean O’Malley Addresses Retirement Rumors: “Life comes at you fast”

    UFC star Sean O’Malley has opened up on the possibility of him retiring from mixed martial arts sooner rather than later.

    As we know, Sean O’Malley is one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts today – and especially in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is a former UFC bantamweight champion and while he may have lost his last two fights to Merab Dvalishvili, many believe he still has what it takes to climb back to the top of the mountain, either at 135 pounds or 145.

    Recently, though, Sean O’Malley had some fans worried when he teased the idea of retiring at some point in the near future. Some felt as if he was just messing around but either way, it certainly feels like something he’d contemplate given how many other ventures he has outside of the fight game.

    In a recent interview, Sean O’Malley made it clear that he’s grateful for every single time he gets the chance to train and compete.

    Sean O’Malley discusses possible retirement

    “Life comes at you fast, but there’s no plans as of now to stop fighting. But you can never know what’s going to happen. Every time I get on the mats and I’m training, I’m grateful for that session.”

    ‘Suga’ went on to suggest that he could be back in the cage competing for the UFC by the end of the year.

    Sean is a determined guy and it’ll be interesting to see whether or not he continues to push for gold.

  • Zhang Mingyang ‘Respects’ Johnny Walker’s Power But Will Knock Him Out at UFC Shanghai

    Zhang Mingyang ‘Respects’ Johnny Walker’s Power But Will Knock Him Out at UFC Shanghai

    UFC light heavyweight contender Zhang Mingyang is ready to strike with Johnny Walker when the two collide in the main event of UFC Shanghai this weekend.

    For Zhang Mingyang, this is an incredibly important fight at this point in his career. The youngster is ready to prove that he’s ready for even bigger opportunities at 205 pounds and in order to do that, he has to get through Johnny Walker. We all know that the Brazilian is a strange and difficult guy to deal with in the cage, but he’s also someone who has picked up his fair share of losses over the years.

    Zhang Mingyang wants to make a statement and given the current state of the division, a big win here could take him to within just one more victory of a championship opportunity. That may have seemed crazy not so long ago, but it certainly seems to be the case now.

    In a recent interview, Zhang Mingyang made it clear that he’s more than happy to strike with Johnny Walker.

    Zhang Mingyang looks forward to Johnny Walker challenge

    “I am very honored to fight Johnny Walker in this main event. Johnny is a very tough fighter with great skills. I have been preparing very hard for this fight.”

    “I have a lot of respect for Johnny Walker. He’s a powerful and experienced fighter. I will do my best to bring a great fight for the fans.”

    Buckle up, folks, because it looks like we could be in for a fun one.

  • Brian Ortega: “The next chapter is WARTEGA”

    Brian Ortega: “The next chapter is WARTEGA”

    UFC featherweight contender Brian Ortega has said that he’s heading into UFC Shanghai with a ‘WARTEGA’ state of mind.

    This weekend, Brian Ortega will make his return to the cage when he squares off with Aljamain Sterling. The fight looks set to be one of the biggest of the month, especially given the stakes involved at 145 pounds. Both men are hoping to make a push for a title opportunity, and both are known for their work on the ground.

    With that being said, Brian Ortega has certainly used his hands effectively in the past. In addition to picking up some big knockouts, he also managed to drop Alexander Volkanovski in their previous title showdown. Now, he’s hoping to do the same to Sterling.

    In a recent interview, Brian Ortega made it crystal clear that a new version of him will be heading into battle in Shanghai.

    Brian Ortega looks ahead to next chapter in his career

    “The next chapter is WARTEGA. It’s just time that I not care and just go to war. I do good when I just go to war. Sometimes I try to care about the intricacies of the point scoring and this and that and I get too deep into that, and it’s like, bro, let’s just fight, man. Let’s go to war and let’s not do it in a dumb way.”

    “For me where I’m at is just fighting, man, that’s kind of where I’m at. I don’t know if it… yeah. For me it’s just fighting, going to war, and just loving what I do.”

  • Khamzat Chimaev as UFC Champion is a ‘Disaster’ – But Not How you Expect, Former UFC Champ Explains

    UFC legend Michael Bisping has explained why Khamzat Chimaev being UFC middleweight champion is a nightmare for the rest of the division.

    Khamzat Chimaev captured the middleweight title at UFC 319 by dominating Dricus du Plessis. He did so with his incredible wrestling ability and ever since then, people have been wondering the same thing: who on earth is going to stop this guy? He is a force of nature and if he can do that to DDP, he can probably do it to a lot of other middleweights – if not all of them.

    Recently, Din Thomas said that he was concerned about Khamzat Chimaev being world champion due to his inactivity. He isn’t someone who tends to fight a great deal inside the cage, raising a few eyebrows about whether or not he would be an active champion.

    Michael Bisping, however, has a different thought process when it comes to the reign of Khamzat Chimaev.

    Michael Bisping’s thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev as UFC champion

    “I don’t mean because of what Din Thomas said. Din Thomas was like, ‘He isn’t going to be able to fight too frequently. He struggles to get visas and stuff like that.’ No, when I say this is a disaster, it’s a disaster for the division because from what I see there, ain’t nobody—ain’t nobody apart from Reinier de Ridder—ain’t nobody beating him. Reinier de Ridder is the only guy that has a shot because of the jiu-jitsu, because of the skills that he has off his back. Okay.”

  • Paulo Costa makes big claim about Khamzat Chimaev’s security at UFC 319

    UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa has told a story about Khamzat Chimaev’s reported security at UFC 319.

    As we know, Paulo Costa isn’t a big fan of Khamzat Chimaev – who is now the middleweight champion after his dominant win over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. It seems unlikely that we’re going to see the two square off anytime soon, mainly because there are plenty of others in the division who are currently ahead of Costa in the pecking order.

    Still, you never know what could happen, especially after Paulo Costa’s impressive win over Roman Kopylov. He has the skills necessary to make a real run in this division but as so often seems to be the case, he may well be his own worst enemy. With that being said, that isn’t going to stop him from going on a verbal tirade against the champ from time to time.

    In a recent interview, Paulo Costa had the following story to tell about ‘Borz’.

    Paulo Costa’s story about Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319

    “We had everything set up to go to Chicago after my fight against Roman Kopylov. We contacted UFC, and they said, ‘Paulo, it’s better you not go there because he might have like 20, many people surround him to protect him from you. So it’s better not to go.’ They said it’s a big fight to protect him from you. 

    “That’s what they said. I can’t believe that. He brought a whole army. He is the kind of guy who always walks with some guys to protect him too. They said, ‘It’s better you not go there because we don’t know where this guy is going to be in the arena and they can attack you or do something against you.’ So that’s crazy.”

  • Khamzat Chimaev’s style: Michael Bisping responds to critics of his dominant wrestling

    Khamzat Chimaev’s style: Michael Bisping responds to critics of his dominant wrestling

    UFC legend Michael Bisping has some thoughts on those who are going after Khamzat Chimaev for what they perceive to be a boring style of fighting.

    As we know, Khamzat Chimaev is the new UFC middleweight champion. He dominated Dricus du Plessis over five rounds in the main event of UFC 319 and in doing so, he firmly established himself as the best 185-pounder on the planet. Of course, because of his wrestle-heavy style, a lot of people weren’t big fans of how he secured the title.

    Despite that, Khamzat Chimaev will still likely be recognized as one of the biggest stars in the sport today – and rightfully so. He has had a great rise to the top, and it’ll be really interesting to see how long he remains champion.

    In a recent video, Michael Bisping had some words for those who have been criticizing Khamzat Chimaev in recent days.

    Michael Bisping’s view on Khamzat Chimaev

    “Some people might not have liked the performance, but those people should watch boxing or kickboxing. This is mixed martial arts. I hated fighting wrestlers. I wanted to stand and trade punches, knees, elbows, kicks. But you have to be able to fight wrestlers and stop takedowns. You can’t blame Khamzat for taking someone down like that. The man had 21 minutes of control time in a 25-minute fight. It’s ridiculous, but that’s the sport.”

    Love him or hate him, Khamzat has found a style that works, and it’s taken him all the way to a championship.

  • Dricus Du Plessis’ Coach Must Make the Hard Decisions About His Future – UFC Veteran

    Dricus Du Plessis’ Coach Must Make the Hard Decisions About His Future – UFC Veteran

    Dricus du Plessis‘ coach Morne Visser needs to make an important decision about his student’s future, says UFC veteran Chael Sonnen.

    As we know, Dricus du Plessis is no longer the UFC middleweight champion. He was beaten and dominated in his UFC 319 main event against Khamzat Chimaev and while he had a brief window of opportunity in the last round, he was ultimately outmatched pretty heavily in the wrestling department.

    As you can imagine, a lot of people have been going after Dricus du Plessis for his inability to stop Khamzat Chimaev. In a recent video, Chael Sonnen weighed in on the issue and had some words of advice.

    Chael Sonnen’s view on Dricus du Plessis’ future

    “Okay. What does Dricus’ coach do now? In a couple of categories. He sends Dricus out. Hey, we don’t have it right here in our gym. We don’t have these answers, but they do exist and I’m going to send you to where they are. University of Iowa comes to mind. University of Iowa has offered to host Dricus for two weeks and let him be part of their room and training. 

    “Okay, there’s one idea. Or the other is bring somebody in, right? And again, we could probably turn right back to Iowa, get him on a plane, have him go and work with Dricus. But you still have, do you send him out? Do you bring somebody in? You must come to the conclusion of we don’t have the answers right now. And this is very normal, by the way. 

    “That’s not an insult. I came through that at Team Quest. We brought in John Lewis and we brought in John Hackleman. We had the work ethic, the bodies, the dream, but we didn’t have the skills that were needed in this sport.”

  • Reinier de Ridder Knows He Can Beat Khamzat Chimaev Anywhere

    Reinier de Ridder Knows He Can Beat Khamzat Chimaev Anywhere

    UFC middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder firmly believes that he will be able to defeat Khamzat Chimaev if the two do fight each other.

    As we know, Khamzat Chimaev is the current king of the middleweight division after knocking off former champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. We also know that Reinier de Ridder is set for a title eliminator at UFC Vancouver when he squares off with Anthony Hernandez, who is also in the midst of his best ever run as a UFC fighter.

    Reinier de Ridder has wasted absolutely no time since arriving in the promotion and he’s showing the kind of drive that is always going to appeal to Dana White and the matchmakers. If he can get through ‘Fluffy’, there will be absolutely no way of denying that he is next in line for a championship opportunity at 185 pounds.

    In a recent interview, Reinier de Ridder opened up on a possible showdown with Khamzat Chimaev and why he feels so confident about it.

    Reinier de Ridder discusses Khamzat Chimaev fight

    “The main thought in my mind is if he takes me down, great. If I take him down, great. If it’s in a clinch, great. If it’s in the stand up, it’s great. I’m not worried about where it goes at all. I think I can hit him with some good knees. I believe I can take him down. I have some cool stuff off my back as well, so yeah, we’ll see.”

  • Khamzat Chimaev’s critics slammed by MMA analyst

    Khamzat Chimaev’s critics slammed by MMA analyst

    MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev‘s critics following his win at UFC 319.

    As we know, Khamzat Chimaev defeated Dricus du Plessis in dominant fashion in the main event of UFC 319. In doing so, he captured the UFC middleweight championship, using his superior wrestling to completely shut down anything that was coming back his way from DDP.

    However, a lot of people weren’t big fans of Khamzat Chimaev’s approach to the fight. Many felt as if his wrestle-heavy style was too boring, and that it led to a disappointing bout when many were hoping for a real war between these elite middleweights.

    In a recent video, Chael Sonnen gave his thoughts on those who didn’t particularly enjoy Khamzat Chimaev’s triumph.

    Chael Sonnen questions Khamzat Chimaev’s critics

    “You’re calling a fight dull and boring based on inactivity that literally set an activity record by almost double. I had 311 – that was the record. 527 is what came in.”

    “There is a segment of our fan base that chose to call that fight boring. Now, you’re not wrong. You can’t be wrong. It’s an opinion… but the discussion has just gone from, ‘Hey, that match wasn’t as fun to watch,’ to, ‘We need a rule change. We need a rule change to bring these guys back up to their feet.’ And that’s where you’re jumping the shark. On that one, I must push back. You are going too far.”

    Do you agree with The Bad Guy?

  • Paulo Costa explains why Khamzat Chimaev is bad for mixed martial arts

    UFC middleweight star Paulo Costa has given his thoughts on why, in his opinion, Khamzat Chimaev is bad for the sport of mixed martial arts.

    Following his win over Roman Kopylov earlier this summer, Paulo Costa seems to have his eyes firmly set on the UFC middleweight championship. Of course, claiming that title is going to be easier said than done, especially when you consider the fact that the champion is Khamzat Chimaev.

    The good news for Paulo Costa is that he has a built-in rivalry with Khamzat. These two men have gone back and forth on social media on many different occasions and also in interviews, and it certainly feels like they’re destined to collide at some point in the future.

    In a recent interview, Paulo Costa gave his thoughts on Chimaev’s UFC 319 performance and his fight style as a whole.

    Paulo Costa’s view on Khamzat Chimaev

    “I’m impressed with how he holds on the ground, but I expected an exciting fight. I wasn’t expecting Dricus to be stuck in the crucifix like that for so long.”

    “People don’t want to watch guys hugging for 25 minutes. This is not good for the sport. They need to put me in there against him.”

    Chimaev will obviously be the favorite for a fight like this, but we may have to wait a bit longer before we see it. After all, Costa is behind a few others in the pecking order, and it feels like Khamzat’s focus right now is on Reinier de Ridder.

  • Chael Sonnen’s bleak view on trying to submit Khamzat Chimaev

    Chael Sonnen’s bleak view on trying to submit Khamzat Chimaev

    MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has an interesting view on those who are looking to submit Khamzat Chimaev in future fights.

    Khamzat Chimaev is an incredibly intense wrestler and he’s someone who is willing to get in your face from the very first seconds of the fight. Someone who used to have a similar style back in the day was Chael Sonnen, who had great wrestling success against a lot of fighters.

    Like Chael Sonnen, Khamzat Chimaev is a divisive figure within the mixed martial arts community – but after his title win over Dricus du Plessis, it definitely feels like the tide is slowly beginning to turn with more and more fans understanding the brilliance of ‘Borz’.

    In a recent video, Chael Sonnen gave his thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev and what kind of strategy his opponents should have.

    Chael Sonnen’s view on Khamzat Chimaev

    “If you ever want a wrestler to stop taking you down, get up off the bottom. I don’t care if you’re fighting three rounds or five rounds. You get off the bottom three times, that wrestler will stop trying to take you down. There is nothing that will mentally get in a wrestler’s head more than him succeeding and not being able to be rewarded for it. The takedown is the single largest amount of energy exertion that is done in the sport of MMA and you must be able to keep a guy there.”

    “Anybody that plans to go to their back and triangle choke Chimaev, you’re not doing yourself a service. Anybody that’s going to come out and tell the world, ‘I will submit you,’ not only won’t you, you will look like a fool. You got to get back to your feet.”

  • Reinier de Ridder Welcomes Being Taken down by Khamzat Chimaev: “Perfect”

    Reinier de Ridder Welcomes Being Taken down by Khamzat Chimaev: “Perfect”

    UFC star Reinier de Ridder is perfectly fine with being taken down by Khamzat Chimaev if the two end up fighting one another.

    As we know, Reinier de Ridder is one of the most exciting middleweight contenders on the roster – and in all of mixed martial arts. He hasn’t wasted any time whatsoever in making his presence known in the division, and after beating Robert Whittaker, he has set himself up fora championship opportunity.

    That fight will likely come against Khamzat Chimaev, who is the new UFC middleweight champion after he was able to dethrone Dricus du Plessis. He absolutely dominateed DDP from start to finish, and in doing so, gave other 185-pounders including Reinier de Ridder an idea of how not to approach a fight against ‘Borz’.

    In a recent interview, Reinier de Ridder opened up on the idea of fighting Khamzat, and he seems pretty comfortable with every possible scenario.

    Reinier de Ridder welcomes wrestling with Khamzat Chimaev

    “I think I’m a very good, a very big challenge for him. I’m interested to see what happens in the fight, of course. But if I get taken down, perfect. If I take him down, perfect. If we’re still standing, also great. I think I have a good chance of doing well in this fight, and I really hope we can get it done.”

    de Ridder is a very relaxed guy and it’ll be interesting to see what he’s like in the build-up to a fight against someone as intense as Chimaev.

  • Khamzat Chimaev Calls Out Reinier de Ridder To Challenge for The UFC Middleweight Title Next

    Khamzat Chimaev Calls Out Reinier de Ridder To Challenge for The UFC Middleweight Title Next

    UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has made it crystal clear that he’s interested in fighting Reinier de Ridder in his next fight.

    As we know, Khamzat Chimaev is the new king of the middleweight division. He earned that title by defeating and dominating Dricus du Plessis in the main event of UFC 319, and when we say dominate, we mean it. Now, all fans are focused on seeing what the UFC is going to do next with ‘Borz’ as he continues to cement himself as one of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts.

    There are plenty of exciting middleweight contenders out there for Khamzat Chimaev to face, and one of the leaders of the pack right now is Reinier de Ridder. He is fresh off of a huge win over Robert Whittaker, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see the UFC book this kind of fight next.

    In a recent exchange on X, Khamzat Chimaev and Reinier de Ridder certainly set the stage for their seemingly inevitable clash.

    Khamzat Chimaev wants Reinier de Ridder fight

    Chimaev: “RDR [skull and bones emoji]”

    RDR: “Send location”

    Chimaev: “I’m gonna make you look like white belt habibi [laughing faces]”

    Khamzat is an absolute monster and you just know that he’s going to want to showcase his grappling prowess against de Ridder if given the opportunity to do so. Either way, though, the middleweight division is starting to look more exciting now than it has done in years. Buckle up, folks.

  • Dana White explains why Khamzat Chimaev is a star after UFC 319

    Dana White explains why Khamzat Chimaev is a star after UFC 319

    UFC boss Dana White has explained why Khamzat Chimaev has been able to become a big star in the wake of his win at UFC 319.

    We all know that Dana White enjoys when he has big names doing big numbers on the UFC roster. Of course, it’s not quite as important as it was prior to the ESPN deal which made the company lots of money regardless, but it’s still important. Khamzat Chimaev certainly feels like the next fighter who has reached that position after he dominated Dricus du Plessis on Saturday night to become the new UFC middleweight champion.

    Moving forward, it’ll be interesting to see how Dana White and the matchmakers decide to book Khamzat. There are plenty of options out there for him in multiple weight classes, but given his tendency to be inactive, you’d have to wonder whether or not they’ll push for him to get back in there a bit more frequently.

    In his post-fight press conference, Dana White spoke openly about the star power that Khamzat Chimaev now has in mixed martial arts.

    Dana White praises Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 319

    “Yeah. I mean, he’s a big star now. When you’re asking me, you’re saying how much bigger can he be? I don’t know. We’ll see. But he’s already a big star. Everything about this fight was big—from pay-per-view to all the numbers that we were looking at and just being here in Chicago… The last three days here felt big. He—tonight in the arena—the arena was insane. Yeah, he’s a star.”

  • Michael Page Proud to Prove YOU Wrong “Criticized my whole career”

    Michael Page Proud to Prove YOU Wrong “Criticized my whole career”

    UFC star Michael Page, aka MVP, is happy to have proven many of his doubters wrong in the wake of critics thinking that he’d fail when getting to the promotion.

    On Saturday night at UFC 319, Michael Page defeated Jared Cannonier to take his middleweight run in the company to 2-0 – and his overall record to 3-1. In summary, at the age of 38, MVP has gone above any beyond what many expected of him. You could even make the argument that he’s just one big win away from a title shot in either division, which is a testament to the longevity that he’s had in combat sports.

    Of course, Michael Page himself has acknowledged that he’s a bit confused at where he stands right now, but he certainly has the style necessary to cause a lot of people problems – in a similar manner to how Stephen Thompson did during his prime. For now, all we can do is sit back and wait to see what he does next as he continues to try and be as active as possible.

    In his post-fight press conference, Michael Page was more than happy to talk about how he feels to have proven people wrong at this point in his career.

    Michael Page is happy to prove critics wrong

    “I’ve been criticized my whole career from my first fight, my whole time through Bellator, and the question mark and the criticism was he can’t do that in the UFC. And I’ve come and I’ve proved everybody wrong.”

  • Khamzat Chimaev Laughs at Sean Strickland’s Callout after UFC 319 Win “He’s a funny guy”

    UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has laughed off Sean Strickland in the wake of his title win at UFC 319.

    As we know, Khamzat Chimaev is an absolute monster – and he’s also the new king of the middleweight division. He was able to achieve that goal by dominating Dricus du Plessis from beginning to end in the main event of UFC 319, and now, he’s ready to become one of the biggest stars in the entire sport of mixed martial arts.

    Sean Strickland, meanwhile, is a former champion in his own right. He’s also been an outspoken critic of Khamzat Chimaev for a while now, to the point where he even predicted that Dricus du Plessis would win at UFC 319. Of course, he was proven wrong.

    In a recent interview, Khamzat Chimaev gave his thoughts on Sean Strickland’s criticism.

    Khamzat Chimaev laughs off Sean Strickland

    “We could take him down many times, but how can he take me down? Come on. This guy, I beat him everywhere – in striking. But this guy just talks too much. So, he’s a funny guy.”

    Chimaev has always been the kind of guy who is willing to take on any challenger, so who knows – maybe Strickland will be able to earn a title shot with another victory.

    Even if he doesn’t, we can’t imagine that he’ll stop throwing shots in the direction of Khamzat anytime soon in the midst of what is quickly becoming one of the most exciting divisions in the sport.

  • Aaron Pico’s KO loss: UFC Hall of Famer Horrified by Knockout at UFC 319

    Aaron Pico’s KO loss: UFC Hall of Famer Horrified by Knockout at UFC 319

    UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has given his thoughts on Aaron Pico‘s nasty knockout defeat in the co-main event of UFC 319 last weekend.

    On Saturday night, Aaron Pico walked right into trouble against Lerone Murphy. While he may have had a positive start to the first round of their encounter in Chicago, things fell apart pretty quickly. He was being quite aggressive in pursuit of his shots and his takedowns, and ultimately, that cost him the fight as a spinning elbow knocked him out cold.

    Aaron Pico was out like a light for quite some time, causing a great deal of concern from mixed martial arts fans and pundits alike. Thankfully, he eventually got back to his feet, as Murphy prepares to move on to a UFC featherweight championship fight against Alexander Volkanovski at the end of the year.

    In the immediate aftermath of the event, Daniel Cormier weighed in on what it was like to see Pico go through that kind of loss.

    Daniel Cormier’s view on Aaron Pico

    “I’m a wrestler, I’ve known Aaron Pico since he was a little boy. That was a bad knockout. His teeth were clenched together, they couldn’t get the mouthguard out. That’s very concerning for Aaron Pico. He’s been knocked out now multiple times, and when he’s gotten knocked out, he’s gotten knocked out really bad.

    “So, a little concerned on the Pico side. But, hats off to Lerone Murphy for coming through in his biggest spot ever.”

    Get well soon, Aaron.

  • “The Khamzat Chimaev era begins” UFC Insider Declares The Age of ‘Borz’

    “The Khamzat Chimaev era begins” UFC Insider Declares The Age of ‘Borz’

    UFC commentator Michael Bisping has declared that the age of Khamzat Chimaev has officially begun following UFC 319.

    Last Saturday night, Khamzat Chimaev finally reached the top of the mountain. He was able to dominate and defeat Dricus du Plessis to capture the UFC middleweight championship. In doing so, he won UFC gold for the first time, which is something that many have expected of him ever since he first debuted in the promotion.

    Chimaev becoming a UFC champion isn’t exactly surprising to those who have seen his rise to prominence. He’s been able to defeat a plethora of top stars en route to winning the big one, and as we look ahead to the future, it’s hard to picture a world in which someone beats him for the title.

    In a review of the event, Michael Bisping had the following to say about Khamzat Chimaev’s victory.

    Michael Bisping believes the era of Khamzat Chimaev has begun

    “If you ask me, because DDP is just so crazy and so unorthodox, I was on the edge of my seat because I was just wondering if he’d be able to turn it around. And in the fifth, it looked for a brief second like he might, but no – it was never to be. How do you not respect that kind of brilliance? How do you not respect that kind of dominance? How do you not respect that kind of power? Khamzat Chimaev has it all. And now, officially, the Khamzat Chimaev era begins.”

  • Aaron Pico recalls entertaining story regarding his son ahead of UFC debut

    Aaron Pico recalls entertaining story regarding his son ahead of UFC debut

    UFC newcomer Aaron Pico has recalled an amusing conversation with his son as he prepares for his first appearance with the promotion this weekend.

    On Saturday night, Aaron Pico will compete in the co-main event of UFC 319 in Chicago. He’ll do so against Lerone Murphy, who is currently undefeated and could be just one win away from a shot at the UFC featherweight championship.

    For Aaron Pico, this is all about proving he belongs in the big dance. He was more than willing to square off with Movsar Evloev but now that it isn’t going to happen, beating Murphy is still a pretty good sign that he’s ready to mix it up with the very best at 145 pounds.

    In his media day interview earlier this week, Aaron Pico spoke about his son’s point of view on him competing in the UFC.

    Aaron Pico reflects on amusing conversation with his son

    “It’s always funny to explain to somebody that just doesn’t get it,” Pico said. “I have a funny story, my son is four years old and we watch the fights all the time and when I told him, ‘Dad’s going to fight in the UFC on TV,’ he said, ‘Wow, Dad, you’re finally a professional.’

    “I said, ‘Yeah, dad’s finally a professional.’ It’s funny, but now it’s going to be-I don’t really tell people when I’m out in public, they always ask me, ‘What do you do for a living?’ I just say, ‘I’m an artist’ and I don’t go into detail. Then if they pry, I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m a fighter.’ 

    “Then you tell them back then I fought for this organization, they’re like, ‘OK, so one day you’ll be in the UFC.’ I said, ‘Yeah, one day I’ll be in the UFC.’ Now if I get that question, it’s just, ‘Yeah, I’m a UFC fighter.’ The conversation is, like, ‘Wow, you’re big time and blah blah blah,’ but it feels good.”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Khamzat Chimaev’s kryptonite potentially exposed by UFC legend

    Khamzat Chimaev’s kryptonite potentially exposed by UFC legend

    UFC legend Max Holloway has given his thoughts on an area of Khamzat Chimaev‘s game that Dricus du Plessis could expose.

    Tomorrow night, Dricus du Plessis will defend his UFC middleweight championship against Khamzat Chimaev. The two men have been circling one another for a long time, and this has always felt like the natural next step in their rivalry.

    Nobody really knows how it’s going to go, but one thing is for sure – if Khamzat Chimaev can get his wrestling game going early, he’s got an excellent chance of walking out of Chicago with the belt around his waist.

    Max Holloway, however, believes that there’s a way in which Dricus du Plessis could use Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling advantage against him.

    Max Holloway’s view on Khamzat Chimaev

    “I like both guys,” Holloway said on his YouTube channel. “Both guys are awesome. This is crazy. I understand why, but this is crazy. The champion — especially with who the champion beat — is an underdog. It’s kinda crazy. The reason why he is, I understand who Chimaev is.

    “The one biggest thing that I can point out that I hope this fight du Plessis watched was the fight that Chimaev fought Kamaru Usman. If you watch that fight — not many people are going to pick up on this, but here’s a little spoiler for you guys — every time Kamaru Usman decided to anti-wrestle and not wrestle back with Chimaev, he actually defended a takedown. 

    “Go watch. Go watch all the takedowns that Kamaru Usman defended. It was takedowns that he didn’t try to counter-wrestle with him, he just anti-wrestled, meaning he was just trying to go for full breaks and that’s it. He had great success when he wasn’t trying to counter back. …

    “Any time Usman did try to wrestle back with him, guess who won the exchange? You guessed it right, Chimaev. if du Plessis took anything — I saw his coach saying they want to take the wrestling to him, that’s not the way you’re going to beat him. This guy is just going to wrestle back with you. You need to anti-wrestle. Then, maybe later on, you wrestle back.”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Khamzat Chimaev Does Not Care About Dricus Du Plessis: “Beat him up and take my money and go home”

    Khamzat Chimaev Does Not Care About Dricus Du Plessis: “Beat him up and take my money and go home”

    UFC star Khamzat Chimaev has made it clear that he doesn’t really care too much about Dricus du Plessis’ comments and that he’s focused on claiming the title.

    On Saturday night, Khamzat Chimaev will challenge Dricus du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship. It’s been a long time coming for Khamzat who, for years now, has been seen as the next big thing in mixed martial arts. If he’s able to win the title convincingly, and go on to have a solid title reign, his star power will go through the roof – which we’ve been expecting to happen ever since he first debued.

    Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t seem to take things too personally when it comes to back and forth spats with his foes, whereas Dricus du Plessis thrives on getting under the skin of his opponents. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, and this time around, Chimaev certainly seems to be keeping his cool.

    Outside of a heated face-off, Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis seem to be showing one another a lot of mutual respect. In a recent interview, ‘Borz’ made it known that he isn’t that bothered about anything DDP says at this point.

  • Dricus Du Plessis is a Better Striker than Khamzat Chimaev – But It Won’t Matter Explains UFC Legend

    Dricus Du Plessis is a Better Striker than Khamzat Chimaev – But It Won’t Matter Explains UFC Legend

    MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on the striking differences between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev.

    Tomorrow night, Dricus du Plessis will defend his UFC middleweight championship against Khamzat Chimaev. He’ll do so in the main event of UFC 319, and he’ll do so with a lot of people doubting his ability to get the job done. Of course, that’s nothing new for DDP in his UFC career.

    He has constantly been able to flip the script and spring an upset – or at least, what would be seen as an upset in the eyes of the fans. Alas, Dricus du Plessis is far more talented than a lot of people give him credit for, especially in the striking department.

    Speaking of which, Chael Sonnen recently weighed in on how the striking exchanges could go between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev on Saturday.

    Chael Sonnen’s view on Dricus du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev

    “In the history of Chimaev’s striking, there was one moment — one shot — landed by Gilbert Burns. It got through, and Chimaev went down to a knee. He popped right back up. He won the standup battle in that fight, which was an instant classic, colossally hard and close. And against Kamaru Usman — who can handle himself everywhere, who was even in talks to box Canelo — Chimaev still won the standup portion. That one Gilbert shot has made people think he can’t strike, but that’s not what the record shows.”

    “Dricus is much better in understanding and experience if you were to put him in pure boxing or kickboxing. Which one would do better in that environment? Dricus. But does that mean he can beat Chimaev in an MMA striking exchange? Very different. Chimaev is ugly, street-fighter-esque. He’s punching you just to get in and clinch — which would be a foul in boxing — but in MMA, it works. He still lands punches, he still throws a lot, there’s still power on them, and they’re still aimed right at your face.”

    “I’m not asking if they just stand and box. I’m asking if they’re on their feet in an MMA fight — are you sure Dricus is better? That’s the question.”