MMA News

Author: Harvey Leonard

  • Chandler “Guarantees” He Can Carry His Weight On The Mic vs McGregor

    UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes he’ll be able to match former two-division champion Conor McGregor on the microphone if the pair collide in 2022.

    Despite only stepping into the Octagon for the first time in January this year, Chandler, a former three-time Bellator titleholder, has already faced three top names, come inches away from capturing gold, and thrilled a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd with a Fight of the Year contender.

    After finishing the tough and durable Dan Hooker in his debut at UFC 257, “Iron” fought promotional veteran Charles Oliveira for the vacant belt at UFC 262. Having been on the end of a remarkable second-round comeback, Chandler had to watch “Do Bronx” leave the cage with the title in his possession.

    In his attempt to jump back into contention, Chandler’s stock continued to rise, despite falling to a defeat on the scorecards. Across three rounds against former interim champ Justin Gaethje, the 35-year-old threw everything he had and ate everything “The Highlight” served up in return.

    Looking to continue his trend of big-name fights, Chandler was quick to callout McGregor last month, who is currently recovering from the broken leg he suffered at UFC 264. In a respectful response, the Irishman praised Chandler’s performance, and expressed his desire to share the Octagon with the #5-ranked contender.

    While speaking to Daniel Cormier on a recent episode of DC & RC, Chandler admitted that whilst his ultimate goal remains reaching the 155-pound mountaintop, opportunities like a clash with McGregor is why he got into the sport of MMA.

    “For me, obviously, as an athlete, the number one goal (is) I wanna be the UFC champion, I wanna be the number one guy in the world. But as fighters, we get into the sport because we want big stages (and) big opportunities against big opponents in big arenas, and it doesn’t get any bigger than Conor McGregor.”

    Chandler Backs His “Linguistic Jiu-Jitsu”

    In a challenge unlike most in the UFC, McGregor poses a threat both inside and outside the cage. Not many boast the trash-talking pedigree of “The Notorious” megastar. While Dustin Poirier has admitted his 2014 defeat to McGregor derived from the emotional state his rival’s words pushed him into, many also believe the former double champ’s verbal attacks had a part to play in his 2015 featherweight crowning against José Aldo.

    Despite carrying himself in a more respectful way ahead of his own fights, Chandler is more than ready to challenge McGregor on the mic. “Iron” told Cormier that if the bout gets booked, he’ll be prepared to use his “linguistic jiu-jitsu” to combat the Irishman’s attacks.

    “To me, (the respect’s) genuine. That’s how I like to do things, I’m not a big trash-talk guy, I’m not gonna attack the guy on social media… I guess if the fight happens, I guess we’ll see (what happens if McGregor trash talks). You might see a different side of me… I think I’m pretty good at using my vocabulary and my linguistic jiu-jitsu to wrap guys up in some words that they may not understand without having to really take to base-level assaults or talking about different things that are gonna be, you know, damaging to a guy’s reputation.

    “We’ll see man. I respect Conor for what he’s done, I respect Conor as a fighter, and I even respect his trash-talk game… It is something that I’m looking forward to… If it does (happen), it’s definitely gonna be fireworks inside the Octagon, and I guarantee I can carry my weight outside the Octagon on the microphone.”

    Conor McGregor
    (via John Locher/AP)

    McGregor’s trash talk was certainly on display before and after his latest appearance. After a mostly respectful rematch with Poirier in January, the Dublin native went back to his old ways ahead of their trilogy, attacking “The Diamond” and his family.

    With his recent comments on Chandler, it seems unlikely McGregor would go to the same level against the former title challenger. But given Chandler’s confidence, perhaps the 33-year-old will be tempted to test his skills on the mic.

    Would you like to see Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler square off in 2022?

  • Hooker: I Can’t Be A Contender In The Current Lightweight Landscape

    Dan Hooker has suggested his likely return to featherweight derives from the fact he can no longer be a contender in the current lightweight landscape.

    A month out from his latest defeat in the Octagon, Hooker hinted towards a possible move back down to the weight class in which he began his career in. In a clip posted to Twitter, “The Hangman” can be seen making the 146-pound limit for non-title featherweight fights. He later confirmed the planned move in various interviews.

    https://twitter.com/danthehangman/status/1462956932486946820

    Hooker’s decision to return to the division he went 3-3 in between 2014 and 2016 comes after his initially successful lightweight stint came to a faltering end across the last year. Since victories over the likes of James Vick, Al Iaquinta, Gilbert Burns, and Paul Felder left him 7-1 at 155 pounds, the New Zealander has lost three out of four fights.

    After falling short in a five-round war against top contender Dustin Poirier last June, Hooker was finished by the debuting Michael Chandler in January this year. Following a brief rebound against unranked prospect Nasrat Haqparast in September, the 31-year-old was submitted by surging Dagestani Islam Makhachev in Abu Dhabi a month later.

    In an interview with It’s Time For Sports, Hooker discussed his decision to set his sights on another divisional roster after his second loss of 2021. Having been beaten by three of the top five, “The Hangman” suggested he can’t be a contender at lightweight until the landscape of the weight class changes.

    “It’s just not exciting, what are you gonna go back (and fight the same guys)? you know what I mean? I’m just being real. I know where my skillset lies with those guys and I know the circumstances of the fights and the circumstances that those fights were taken under, I understand that, and I understand that if everything was a perfect world, the results of those fights definitely wouldn’t be what they were. We all know that.

    “But that’s not the fact of the situation. The fact of the situation is that I’ve lost to three of the top-five guys. Under that landscape, this is just fact, under that landscape, you’re not gonna be able to make a run at the top couple of guys in the division or towards the belt until the landscape of that division changes. You would have to stay busy and fight until the landscape of the division changes, or move down to a division which I feel comfortable competing in and I feel like I have a lot of advantages in that division.”

    Hooker Has Options At Featherweight

    The featherweight division is about as exciting and stacked as any other in the UFC right now. Below Hooker’s teammate Alexander Volkanovski, who’s ruled the weight class since 2019, are a host of elite contenders, including Max Holloway, Yair Rodriguez, Giga Chikadze, and Arnold Allen. There are very few matchups for Hooker that won’t get fans’ imaginations running wild.

    But for Hooker, there’s one man head and shoulders above the rest. In a fight just as mouth-watering as any that could be put together in the promotion, the New Zealander wants to throw down with “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.

    Despite having a preference, Hooker isn’t fussy. He’s willing to challenge anyone the fans want to see him up against, and recently expressed a willingness to enter the Octagon with fellow brawler Calvin Katter. Replying to a tweet from Chael Sonnen that suggested a clash with “The Boston Finisher” could mark his arrival back at featherweight, Hooker simply said, “Count me in.”

    Who would you like to see Dan Hooker enter the Octagon with at featherweight?

  • Khamzat Chimaev: The Gilbert Burns Fight Comes Down To His Manager

    UFC welterweight Khamzat Chimaev has addressed rumors he could fight Gilbert Burns next, suggesting whether or not the matchup comes together is down to the Brazilian’s manager Ali Abdelaziz.

    The fact that we’re already in a position to discuss Chimaev and Burns in the same breath is remarkable. It’s a testament to the 27-year-old’s rapid and brutal rise up the UFC ranks, something he’s achieved in just over a year in the promotion.

    Last summer, “Borz” arrived in style, picking up two wins over John Phillips and Rhys McKee in the space of just 10 days on Fight Island. A couple of months later, he boosted his UFC record to 3-0 with a 17-second knockout of middleweight veteran Gerald Meerschaert.

    After being sidelined for over a year due to COVID-19 complications, something which led to a booking against top-three contender Leon Edwards collapsing, many wondered whether Chimaev could pick up where he left off in his return. Against Li Jingliang at UFC 267, he did that and more.

    The Chechen-born Swede jumped into the rankings with a memorable first-round submission victory in which he rendered “The Leech” unconscious with a rear-naked choke.

    Since his successful comeback, Khamzat Chimaev’s future has been one of the most talked about topics in the UFC. While some even called for “Borz” to be immediately accelerated to the top to challenge Kamaru Usman, UFC President Dana White suggested he needed “one or two” more wins against high-ranked contenders to earn a title shot.

    It appears Chimaev could have his chance to stake his claim for a championship opportunity in January. Recent reports suggested the promotion was targeting a matchup between the newly-arrived contender and former title challenger Gilbert Burns.

    Chimaev Believes Burns Would Accept The Fight

    During a recent appearance on the MMA Hustle podcast, Chimaev was asked about the rumored clash, which would likely serve as a title eliminator. After expressing interest in facing “Durinho,” the 27-year-old suggested it’s down to Burns’ manager Ali Abdelaziz, who Chimaev parted ways with earlier this year.

    “I don’t really know, but I’d love to fight (Burns) and we’ll see. If (his) manager Ali (Abdelaziz) says. The fighter himself, I don’t think he will refuse. The manager decides. Ali understands who I am and who he is… It seems that’s what Ali is trying to tell him, that it’s not advantageous for him. I’m number 10 and he’s number three or two. And whether (it’s) advantageous or not, I’ll get to him and to everyone anyway.” (Via translation)

    If the Dominance MMA CEO does give the green light for his man to enter the Octagon with one of his former fighters, Chimaev doesn’t believe he’ll have an issue dispatching the Brazilian. In fact, the #11-ranked contender went as far as to agree with one of the podcast hosts who claimed the matchup would be easy for him.

    “Yeah, of course. He’s small, not big. I’ll out-box him… No way he could go low on me. A jiu-jitsu fighter, there’s no way. I don’t think he will get me on the mat. When was the last time he managed that? Fighting is different. Jiu-jitsu is on the floor and you still have to get there.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CWRuxxDpkk-/

    Having fallen short of the gold at UFC 258 earlier this year, Burns would be looking to secure a second crack at dethroning Usman by halting the surge of Chimaev if the booking comes together.

    After rebounding against Stephen Thompson at UFC 264, “Durinho” has made it clear he’s ready to face anyone who can get him back to the title, expect for teammate Vicente Luque, that is.

    How do you think a fight between Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev would play out?

  • Rob Font Considers Petr Yan To Be The True Bantamweight Champion

    UFC bantamweight contender Rob Font has admitted that he sees interim titleholder Petr Yan as the division’s champion over Aljamain Sterling.

    Up until the fourth round of his first title defense, Yan looked set for a long reign of dominance atop the 135-pound mountain. Having earned a shot at gold with a 6-0 UFC record that included wins against Jimmie Rivera and Urijah Faber, “No Mercy” faced legendary former featherweight champion José Aldo for the vacant strap last July. With a brutal fifth-round TKO, the Russian left Abu Dhabi with the title.

    At UFC 259 in March this year, Yan faced the first challenge to his throne in the form of Sterling. After three-and-a-half rounds, the 28-year-old appeared comfortably on his way to a successful retention. But after landing an illegal knee, Yan was disqualified and saw the bantamweight belt leave the Apex in the possession of “Funkmaster.”

    After his chance for redemption was called off after Sterling withdrew from UFC 267, Yan had to settle for an interim title shot. Against Cory Sandhagen, “No Mercy” looked at his best, and secured a unification fight with a five-round victory on Fight Island.

    Despite only getting his hands on interim gold on October 30, many see Yan as the true champion of the bantamweight division, even with that official title remaining at the feet of Sterling. Font, the #4-ranked contender, shares the same sentiment.

    In a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, the 34-year-old said Sterling was having very little success against Yan at UFC 259. Judging by their performances in that fight, and the Russian’s interim crowning since, Font considers Yan to be the champion at 135 pounds.

    “It sucks man. You’ve gotta look at Yan and his performance and consider him, obviously, the champion. ‘Cos it wasn’t like, it wasn’t like Sterling was putting together clean combinations and hitting him with anything clean. He was busier but it wasn’t much, it wasn’t gonna do much. It was never gonna stop Yan from coming forward. And then the shots were kind of like, they weren’t set up.

    “He was never really in that fight. So it’s tough. And then obviously, he gets hit with the knee, so it sucks man. I guess to answer your question, I guess, technically, I would consider Yan the champion right now.”

    Font Looks To Jump Closer To Gold With Win Over Aldo

    Rob Font will be looking to move a step closer to challenging either Yan or Sterling when he returns to action this weekend at UFC Vegas 44.

    In his second main event of the year, the Massachusetts native will enter the cage with #5-ranked contender Aldo, who has built a two-fight winning streak after an initial unsuccessful drop to bantamweight. Wins against Marlon Vera and Pedro Munhoz have seen the Brazilian begin another charge to a UFC title, something which Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn’t believe will be possible.

    Font will aim to prove “The Eagle” right in Saturday’s headliner as he puts his four-fight winning streak on the line. After securing victories over Sergio Pettis, Ricky Simon, and Marlon Moraes, Font cemented his top-five position with a decision triumph over former champ Cody Garbrandt at UFC Vegas 27 in May.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CUdjK7DpasY/

    Despite admitting he’ll likely have to defeat Aldo and one other top name in order to secure a title shot, Font will no doubt be keeping a close eye on Yan vs. Sterling 2, which is expected to take place in February or March 2022.

    Do you agree with Rob Font? Do you see interim titleholder Petr Yan as the true bantamweight champion?

  • Bisping Slams “Suspect” Jake Paul For Refusing Drug Tests For Fury Fight

    Former UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping has questioned Jake Paul’s decision not to allow drug testing to take place for his upcoming fight against Tommy Fury.

    Having maintained his unbeaten record in the squared circle, much to the dismay of many in the combat sports community, Paul looks set to continue his boxing venture for some time to come. The next man looking to stop that from happening will be the younger half-brother of world champion Tyson Fury.

    After defeating fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib, retired basketball player Nate Robinson, retired former Bellator and ONE welterweight titleholder Ben Askren, and former 170-pound UFC champion Tyron Woodley, Paul is finally set to face his first professional pugilist. He’ll challenge “TNT” on December 18, with both men’s unblemished records on the line.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CW1CmlCt2aR/

    Bisping Criticizes Paul’s “Bizarre” Stance

    According to Fury’s camp, Paul has refused the implementation of drug testing ahead of their eight-round boxing match in Tampa. Despite it being unclear whether the YouTube sensation was tested against AnEsonGib or Askren, it was confirmed that he had been for his August victory over Woodley.

    In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Michael Bisping addressed the news that testing won’t be in place for Paul’s fifth outing in the ring. As a big advocate for clean fighting and stringent testing, “The Count” branded Paul’s reluctance to allow it as “bizarre” and “suspect.”

    “Just recently, we’ve seen the rise of Jake Paul. Jake Paul is doing great things in combat sports and he’s young in his career, but I just saw, just a moment ago, MMA Junkie just did an article, and they said that, MMA Junkie said that he’s refused a drug test for his latest fight. Well, not refused a drug test, he hasn’t allowed drug testing to happen for his latest fight against Tommy Fury, which is bizarre. He’s put in all kinds of stipulations about, ‘You gotta change your name to Tommy Fumbles’ and this and that.

    “There’s all kinds of things in there, all kinds of stipulations, lots of rules, lots of work for the lawyers to put in. But he refused, or said he didn’t want, to have VADA testing in there, which is, I don’t know, that’s a little suspect. If you’ve got nothing to hide, test the shit out of me, test the shit outta whoever.”

    While Paul has certainly been facing tougher opposition every time he enters the squared circle, and has gone some way to legitimizing himself thanks to wins over two MMA pros, a triumph over a boxer would certainly force everyone to take him seriously.

    However, should he find a path to victory having prevented drug testing from taking place, it’s arguable there’ll be a cloud hanging over the result.

    What do you make of Jake Paul’s desire to avoid drug testing for his fight against Tommy Fury?

  • Mickey Gall: I’m A “Bigger Killer” Than Alex Morono

    UFC welterweight Mickey Gall is confident he can take a step closer towards the 170-pound rankings when he faces Alex Morono this weekend.

    Since victories over Mike Jackson, CM Punk, and Sage Northcutt got him off to a 3-0 start in the UFC and established himself as one of the most promising prospects in the promotion, Gall has been unable to carry forward any momentum, trading wins and losses since 2017.

    In-between victories over George Sullivan and Salim Touahri, the 29-year-old fell to setbacks against Randy Brown, Diego Sanchez, and Mike Perry. Having rebounded from his defeat to “Platinum” with an impressive submission win against Jordan Williams at UFC Vegas 32 in July, Gall will be looking to close 2021 out with a second consecutive triumph, something he hasn’t managed in five years.

    If he’s to succeed in doing so, he’ll have to get past welterweight mainstay Morono at UFC Vegas 44 this Saturday. Ahead of their prelim clash, Gall spoke exclusively to MMA News’ James Lynch.

    Discussing his 10th opponent in the UFC, Gall admitted that Morono, who’s fought 14 times since 2016 and boasts wins over Donald Cerrone and Max Griffin, is an unassuming threat, but a dangerous foe nonetheless. Despite that, Gall believes he boasts the superior killer instinct.

    “He’s a tough dude, man. He’s very, he’s scrappy, he’s tough. I knew I had to come correct to this fight, and I did that… He’s one of those guys like, he doesn’t look like a killer, but he’s definitely a killer. So am I. I believe I’m a badder killer and a bigger killer. I feel real good about the fight.”

    When asked for his prediction, Gall told MMA News he’s capable of having his hand raised through multiple routes, be it knockout or submission. Either way, he expects to deal damage come December 4.

    “I see me bashing my bones into his skull; cracking him with big, heavy shots, concussive blows. I could submit him, I could knock him out. Wherever the fight goes, I’m just gonna go in there and be me; just do what I do.”

    Gall Claims He’s Had His “Best Fight Camp” Ahead Of Morono Clash

    Despite coming up against an experienced veteran who’s riding a two-fight winning streak, Mickey Gall is clearly confident he’ll get the job done on fight night. The 29-year-old’s self-belief derives from a positive fight camp, which he described as the “best” he’s had in the UFC.

    “Fight camp went well. Even if it didn’t, I’d probably tell you the same thing. But it really was, I think, my best one. I think I was able to peak, and like, do everything right. It’s just been great. My team around me; it’s been a homegrown like, good camp… We’ve been putting in some good, hard work, and I’m really proud of what we did as a team. The way I feel now is beautiful, everything’s great.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CWMOMG_vzcp/

    Gall vs. Morono will be the second fight on the UFC Vegas 44 card, following a bantamweight contest between Louis Smolka and Vince Morales.

    Having missed out on a bonus for his first-round stoppage win last time out, Gall will be hoping to leave the Apex with an extra $50,000. But with the likes of Rob Font, Jose Aldo, Rafael Fiziev, Alonzo Menifield, Manel Kape, Brendan Allen, and Jimmy Crute all in action, he’ll have to deliver a special performance versus Morono to make the bonus list.

    Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC Vegas 44, Mickey Gall or Alex Morono?