MMA News

Author: Jack Wannan

  • Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rafael Fiziev Off UFC 272 Due To COVID-19

    The UFC 272 co-main event between Rafael dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev is now off after Fiziev contracted COVID-19.

    MMA journalist Ariel Helwani was the first to report the fight cancellation on The MMA Hour. There is currently no word on if dos Anjos will remain on the UFC 272 card.

    Fiziev is currently on a strong run up the lightweight division. He has attained five consecutive wins in the weight class, including two victories from last year.

    Fiziev earned a stoppage win last December, scoring a highlight-reel wheel kick knockout against Brad Riddell. Four months before then, he fought to a decision victory over veteran Bobby Green.

    Previous victories saw him beat notable names like Marc Diakiese and Renato Moicano.

    Fiziev joined the UFC roster in 2019. While he lost his UFC debut to Magomed Mustafaev, that bout continues to be his sole loss as a pro.

    dos Anjos was looking to return for his first bout since late 2020. He snapped a two-fight skid in his last outing, defeating short-notice opponent Paul Felder via split decision. He was previously scheduled to face Islam Makhachev on that date, but an injury stopped the fight from happening.

    MMA News will keep you updated on the status of Rafael dos Anjos for UFC 272 or if this fight will be re-booked for a third time.

  • Glover Teixeira vs. Jiří Procházka Moved to UFC 275

    Glover Teixeira vs. Jiří Procházka has been pushed back to UFC 275.

    Teixeira was originally lined up to face Procházka at UFC 274 on May 7, but Combate was the first to reveal that the bout will now take place in June. The reason for the change is currently unknown.

    The fight will mark Teixeira’s first time attempting to defend the UFC light heavyweight championship. The veteran fighter first earned the belt in October, securing a second-round rear-naked choke submission over Jan Blachowicz.

    That victory was his sixth consecutive victory. This winning streak dates back to 2019 and includes two previous main event wins.

    Procházka Given Teixeira Fight In Third UFC Appearance

    Jiří Procházka

    Prochazka is getting a title shot after just two fights in the UFC. The former RIZIN light heavyweight champion made his promotional debut in 2020, finishing Volkan Oezdemir in the second round.

    Procházka earned a big win last year, scoring his second victory. He knocked out former title challenger Dominick Reyes in the main event of a “Fight Night” card.

    Procházka is known for his explosive striking skills. He is currently on a 12 fight winning streak, with just one of those fights going the distance.

    Who do you think will win? Do you have Glover Teixeira retaining, or Jiri Prochazka claiming the belt?

  • Strickland Invites Holland To Do “The Man Dance” With Him To Settle Beef

    Feelings seem to be mutual between middleweights Sean Strickland and Kevin Holland.

    Both middleweights have recently stated their issues with each other.

    Holland was recently asked about his pick in the upcoming fight between Strickland and Jack Hermansson. When asked about the fight, Holland went on a rant about why he doesn’t like the rising middleweight.

    “Look, I love Eric [Nicksick] over there at Xtreme Couture. I love that gym, I think they’re awesome. But I absolutely do not like Strickland,” said Holland in an interview with ESPN. “If you like Strickland, if you’re a fan of Strickland, you’re kind of awkward. I don’t see how you can like that kind of guy.” (h/t MiddleEasy)

    Strickland: Holland Is Scared Of Me

    Sean Strickland
    Sean Strickland

    During the recent media day appearance for UFC Vegas 47, Strickland told his side of the story regarding his issues with Holland. During this appearance, he mentioned that they first started beefing on Instagram. Soon after, they met face to face at the UFC Performance Institute.

    “So anyways, I see him at the PI the other day. He’s like popped out his fuckin’ chest trying to fight me. And I’m like, ‘Kevin Holland bro, you have my Instagram, dude. We can’t fight here. Edgar, the fuckin, the UFC guy with the abs, he’s going to break this shit up here,” said Strickland. “You’ve gotta fuckin’ call me, we’ve gotta go to this fuckin’ parking lot and we’ll do the fuckin’ man dance.

    “The thing about Kevin Holland, you know, he doesn’t know how to embrace his feelings. He doesn’t know how to feel. He’s scared of his feelings. So like, Kevin Holland is one of those guys [where] he sees me and he’s scared of me.”

    It’s hard to imagine Holland and Strickland settling their beef in the cage anytime soon. Strickland is quite high up in the division currently, as he is theoretically just a few wins from being in the title picture. 

    Holland, however, is currently winless in his past three fights, resulting in two losses and one no contest. He’s set to return on March 5 against Alex Oliveira.

  • After Six-Fight 2021, Chris Curtis Wants A Seven-Fight 2022

    Chris Curtis wants his 2022 to be even more active than his inhuman 2021.

    Curtis fought his way into the UFC last year and had a strong start in the promotion, although that was only part of his 2021 story.

    Curtis fought six times in the year in total, scoring four wins on the regional scene from January to July before joining the UFC roster. His momentum only continued from there, stopping Phil Hawes at UFC 268 and then defeating Brendan Allen only a month later.

    Most fighters don’t get the chance to fight six times in a year, and many are lucky enough to get three in. But after landing that high number of fights, Curtis says he wants to do even more in 2022.

    “I got six fights in last year, I want to get seven fights in this year,” said Curtis in an interview with The Schmo. “Fighting at 185 [pounds] means I don’t have to cut a lot of weight. Everything’s good. If I can stay healthy, I want to get seven wins this year. That’s the plan.”

    Curtis To Start 2022 Run Against Du Plessis

    Chris Curtis and Dricus Du Plessis
    Chris Curtis and Dricus Du Plessis (Photo Credit: Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC & Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

    Curtis’ plan to potentially fight six times starts on April 9 when he faces Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 273. After being listed as an underdog for his first two UFC appearances, Curtis hopes that won’t be the case this third time.

    “I better not be an underdog [in] this fight. Both of my [UFC] wins are better than both of his wins. I’m gonna be pissed,” he said.

    As referenced by Curtis, Du Plessis has also only fought twice in the UFC. His run has been similarly explosive, stopping Markus Perez in 2020 and defeating Trevin Giles last year. Du Plessis was set to potentially score a big win in December when paired against Andre Muniz. However, that plan fizzled out after Du Plessis reportedly suffered an injury.

    Do you think the momentum of Chris Curtis can keep on going?

  • Aspinall Says Main Event Fight At UFC London Was ‘Meant To Be’

    Ranked heavyweight Tom Aspinall is about to make the biggest jump of his MMA career thus far.

    Aspinall is scheduled to headline a UFC card for the first time in his career in March, facing Alexander Volkov at the O2 Arena in London, England. The fight is a huge opportunity for Aspinall, who has yet to lose through four fights in the UFC.

    Aspinall has said before that he wants his UFC career to be a slow climb to the top. However, recent changes in his personal life have made him want to speed up the process and jump at the big chances he gets.

    The heavyweight prospect recently described why this “180” degree turn to his planning when interviewed on The MMA Hour.

    “On every interview that I’ve ever done basically I say that I want to take it slow and I want to take my time and all that. And I’m just doing a 180 on everybody. And I understand why people might find that a little bit confusing, but you know there’s a lot of stuff going on in my personal life and stuff. A few close people recently have passed away. Not so much close people but people that I’ve grown up with and stuff,” said Aspinall. “And I just kind of realized, you know what, you get to live this life one time. I’ve been a fan of Alexander Volkov since he was in Bellator since he was Bellator champ, and you know, mate you don’t get these opportunities every day.”

    Aspinall joined the UFC roster just as the COVID-19 pandemic started to change how they operate. Because of this, his four-fight run with the promotion has taken place exclusively in studio settings.

    That will change in his upcoming main event fight, as his bout against Volkov will be live in front of thousands in attendance. Aspinall was first set to make his UFC debut in London two years ago against Raphael Pessoa. However, COVID-19 forced that event as a whole to get thrown out. Two years later, Aspinall feels like the stars have aligned for him.

    “I’ve never fought in front of a UFC crowd before. I was supposed to fight in London two years ago when the show got canceled. And I just feel like it’s meant to be. It’s come full circle. They offered it [to] me and I just jumped on it, man.”

  • UFC Targeting Holly Holm vs. Ketlen Vieira For May 21 Main Event

    UFC is targeting a high-level bantamweight bout for their May 21 main event.

    The promotion is in the process of making a fight between Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira, per a report from Ariel Helwani. The fight is being lined up to headline a “Fight Night” card in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

    The fight gives Vieira the chance to make another big move up the bantamweight division. While currently seated at #5 in the official UFC rankings, she is being paired against Holm, who is #2 at the moment.

    Vieira picked up a big win in November, going five rounds to defeat former UFC Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate via unanimous decision. The bout stopped the climb of returning contender Tate, who was appearing for the second time since coming out of retirement.

    The fight put Vieira back into the win column after suffering a loss earlier in the year to Yana Kunitskaya. It was also her debut in the main event spot of a UFC card.

    Six months after Vieira’s last win over a former champ, she will get the opportunity to beat another.

    Holly Holm Returning From Absence

    Holly Holm
    Getty Images

    Holly Holm’s next appearance will mark her return to the cage, as she has been out of competition since October 2020. She was booked for two appearances in 2021, although both fell through due to suffering injuries.

    Holm returns with some momentum, as she previously scored two victories in 2020. She started the year off with a win over Raquel Pennington. She later returned to go five rounds against Irene Aldana for a unanimous decision victory.

    As previously mentioned, Vieira is only making her second headlining appearance. The same cannot be said for Holm, who has appeared in eight previous UFC main events.

    Who do you see winning in a fight between Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira?

  • Figueiredo Manager: I Think Fourth Moreno Fight Is Next

    Deiveson Figueiredo’s team has an interest in a fourth fight against Brandon Moreno.

    At UFC 270, Figueiredo regained the UFC flyweight championship with a decision victory over Moreno. That bout was their third time meeting in the cage since they first got paired up in late 2020.

    After three meetings, a fourth one might be in the future. Figueiredo and his manager, Wallid Ismail, spoke about the possibility of a fourth fight recently. When weighing what would be next for his client, Ismail said whatever matchup makes the most money is their priority.

    When putting those priorities first, Moreno remained as the optimal opponent for Figueiredo.

    “This is what he said. He wants to sell a lot of pay-per-views. He wants to show the world to respect the flyweight division,” said Ismail on The MMA Hour. “He wants somebody who knows how to sell, knows how to talk. This is what he keeps saying all the time: who sells better [is] going to be my opponent … Personally, I think the [next] fight is Moreno because no fight is going to sell more [than] that.”

    Figueiredo’s Manager: He Deserves ‘Historic’ Pay For Next Fight

    Brandon Moreno, Deiveson Figueiredo
    © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

    Ismail believes that a potential fourth fight between Figueiredo and Moreno should give them bigger paydays.

    “If UFC want to do something historic, let’s go pay historic money for [the] flyweight division,” said Ismail.

    For reference, Figueiredo was paid a flat rate of $150,000 for his appearance at UFC 270. Moreno, the champion heading into the fight, was given $200,000. Their previous meeting, which took place at UFC 263, saw Figueiredo reportedly take home $210,000. 

    When asked on The MMA Hour how much he would want for his next fight, Figueiredo suggested $1 million.

    Would you be interested in seeing Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno for the fourth time?

  • Jeremy Stephens Details UFC Exit & Decision To Sign With PFL

    Jeremy Stephens has explained his recent move from the UFC to PFL.

    News broke Monday that Stephens will join the 2022 PFL season, competing in their lightweight division. This comes after an incredibly extensive UFC run that lasted longer than a decade.

    Due to the surprising news of Stephens’ signing, many might have questions as to why the veteran made this move. According to Stephens himself, he claims that the move was due to how he was treated by some in the UFC. While he states his relationship with UFC President Dana White was fine, he vaguely suggested that others didn’t treat him how he wanted.

    Stephens spoke about the change in a recent appearance on The MMA Hour.

    “I just felt like after the certain situation with the push with Drakkar [Klose], a lot of people wanna blame Dana [White], Dana loves me. We have a good relationship. There’s other people in power that I feel like were icing me out, not really trying to fight me? It is what it is, kinda didn’t go that way,” said Stephens.

    “What’d you want me to say, could you have gotten me another fight, I was calling out Donald Cerrone [and] Michael Johnson was calling me out. I was calling for potential matchups in Jim Miller, Clay Guida, I’m like give me one of these guys. I still have legs, longevity the way I go out I’m still here. I’m just in a different organization now and that’s where I wanna go.

    Stephens Hopes For More Fights In PFL

    Jeremy Stephens
    Image Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    Stephens is hopeful about his PFL run, as he sees the promotion as a place where he can get what he wants. Among those wants is having a more active fight schedule.

    “I want to go where I’m respected, where I’m gonna go in, get an opportunity and a chance and pull myself up from these losses. I can’t do that by fighting once a year and getting iced out. It’s like bro, I fight beast after beast. All I’m looking for is an opportunity and that opportunity came to PFL.”

    As for his first PFL opponent, Stephens isn’t sure yet. He said his promotional debut could be in April. That’s the same month that the PFL is set to kick off their 2022 season.

    “You know, I’m thinking end of April. I think there’s something going on. I’d like to say end of April, I don’t have a date or none of that, just stay tuned and thanks for the love.”

    Are you looking forward to Jeremy Stephens fighting in the PFL?

  • Report: Jon Jones’ Advisor To Meet With UFC This Weekend About Return

    The first step towards the return of Jon Jones could be this weekend.

    The former light heavyweight champion’s advisor recently revealed to The Sun that he will meet with the UFC this weekend to discuss his client’s potential return.

    Advisor Richard Schaefer said he will meet with the promotion in the coming days in Los Angeles.

    Schaefer will be discussing the options for Jones’ return. Jones has been out of the cage for nearly two years now, with his last fight dating back to February 2020.

    Schafer has big plans for Jones’ return, hoping to get him in the title picture when he comes back.

    “He is willing, ready, and able to fight whoever we can get for the heavyweight title,” said Schaefer.

    Jones’ advisor is open to many options for his first fight back. While he would prefer to get him a fight against Francis Ngannou, he thinks the current champion’s contractual issues and recent injury could stop that fight from happening.

    “I think Francis Ngannou has some issues. One side is contractual. How’s that going to play out?” said Schaefer. “But then he has, as I understand as well, possibly the need for an operation because of his torn ligaments.”

    Ngannou won last weekend, defending his heavyweight belt against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. Ngannou’s team has since stated that he is set to undergo a knee surgery due to injuries he sustained in training. They estimate he will be out of action for nine months.

    Jones is recognized as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. He has only lost once through 27 pro fights, with that defeat coming through a controversial disqualification in 2009.

    Do you want to see Jon Jones in his return? If so, who would you want to see him face?

  • Uriah Hall vs. André Muniz Booked For April 16 UFC Card

    André Muniz will get his momentum at middleweight tested when he fights Uriah Hall.

    The new matchup has joined UFC’s April 16 event, per Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting. The bout has reportedly been verbally agreed upon and is in the process of being finalized.

    The matchup is joining a “Fight Night” card that doesn’t have a confirmed location yet.

    Muniz has yet to lose through four fights in the UFC. He has gained a reputation for being a submission specialist, stopping his past three opponents all in the first round. His most recent win came just last month, catching Eryk Anders with an armbar at UFC 269.

    Muniz beat a legend earlier in 2021, stopping Jacare Souza with an armbar in May. The fight would end up being Souza’s last fight, as he announced retirement later that year.

    When putting together the victories that Muniz has earned before and after joining the UFC, he is currently on an eight-fight winning streak. 

    A win against Hall could shoot Muniz up the rankings. He is currently placed #13 in the official UFC rankings, while Hall sits up at #9.

    Hall Fighting To Come Back From Strickland Loss

    Uriah Hall
    Uriah Hall (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

    Hall, a UFC veteran of 18 fights, will be attempting to return to the win column. He lost a main event fight in his most recent appearance, dropping a unanimous decision to Sean Strickland in July.

    Hall had some momentum before then, stringing together four wins from 2018 to 2021. The most recent of the victories was a brutal fight, as his bout against Chris Weidman was stopped in just 17 seconds due to Weidman’s leg visibly breaking.

    Earlier in the win streak, Hall had earned victories over Antonio Carlos Junior and former champ Anderson Silva.

    Welterweights Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad are currently set to headline UFC’s April 16 show. Here is the updated lineup:

    Welterweight Main Event Bout: Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad

    Middleweight Bout: André Muniz vs. Uriah Hall

    • Welterweight Bout: Miguel Baeza vs. Dhiego Lima
    • Heavyweight Bout: Chris Barnett vs. Martin Buday
    • Lightweight Bout: Drakkar Klose vs. Brandon Jenkins
    • Welterweight Bout: Rafa Garcia vs. Jesse Ronson
    • Middleweight Bout: Caio Borralho vs. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev
    • Bantamweight Bout: Lina Lansberg vs. Pannie Kianzad

    Do you see Uriah Hall stopping the momentum of André Muniz? Or will Muniz be able to keep his streak going?

  • Jake Paul Says He Intends To Create A ‘Fighters Union’

    Jake Paul says he wants to make real change in the combat sports world.

    The boxer and entertainer has previously mentioned how he believes UFC fighters are mistreated by their promotion. He has called out UFC President Dana White and in the past has demanded that White take steps to better accommodate his fighters.

    Paul now says he wants to get a union for fighters in MMA and boxing. This statement came during an interview on ESPN, where he mentioned how fighters deserve better pay and healthcare.

    “I want to create a fighters’ union,” said Paul during a recent appearance on ESPN’s “The First Take.” “This is my goal to really impact the whole entire sport, both MMA and boxing, and leave an everlasting stamp. I just so happen to not be beholden to anybody. A lot of these UFC fighters they are beholden to Dana White. They can’t speak out against him, so I’m using my platform because I’m one of a very few people who actually can.”

    A New Chapter In Jake Paul vs. Dana White?

    Paul has constantly gone after UFC and their brass as of late. In early January, Paul put out an ultimatum to the Dana White, saying he would join the promotion if they met a list of his demands. This list included providing healthcare to fighters and raising the minimum pay for a fighter.

    Paul is now teasing a diss track that will be directed towards White. He recently posted a photo of him inside a spoof MMA cage that looked to be used for a music video shoot. This post was captioned “Tomorrow. Diss track,” and had White tagged in the post. Meanwhile, White recently vowed to never discuss Jake Paul ever again.

    Some have questioned whether Paul is actually campaigning for better fighter pay, or if he is simply going after the UFC for popularity. Many people, including UFC fighter Anthony Smith, have argued that Paul is likely genuine in his message.

    Do you think Jake Paul will make real change for fighter treatment in MMA?

  • Dana White Now Open To Cejudo vs. Volkanovski Superfight

    UFC President Dana White might be interested in a fight between Henry Cejudo and Alexander Volkanovski, that is if it can happen.

    White mentioned the fight during a live Q&A session on Wednesday. This came when he was asked by a viewer about “superfights” he would be open to making in 2022. Along with a fight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, he mentioned a series of matchups that would see retired Cejudo face champions.

    “Well, we just had Henry Cejudo talking about coming back. If he really wants to come back, there’s a process that he has to go through, which includes getting back in the USADA pool. And if that’s really the fight he wants, he wants to come back and fight either Petr Yan, or Aljamain Sterling, whoever is the champion, or something crazy like jumping up a weight class and really taking on Alexander Volkanovski,” said White. “But right here off the top of my head, as far as superfights go, Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, the only other one that comes to mind would be Cejudo (versus) either Yan, Sterling, or Volkanovski.”

    Cejudo Has Proposed Fight Against Volkanovski Before

    Alexander Volkanovski, Henry Cejudo
    Alexander Volkanovski (Image: Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty), Henry Cejudo (Image: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

    Cejudo got the public’s attention earlier this month when he was vocal about wanting to face Volkanovski. This came due to Max Holloway being forced out of a fight against Volkanovski that was set for later this year. He has also called for this fight multiple times in the past. However, UFC eventually landed on The Korean Zombie as the next featherweight title challenger.

    Cejudo has been retired for over a year now. He departed the sport in 2020 after defending his bantamweight belt, stopping Dominick Cruz in the second round of a fight.

    Cejudo has given himself the nickname “Triple C” in recent years. This is because he has a belt at flyweight and bantamweight in the UFC and also earned a gold medal for freestyle wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Should he ever find himself in a featherweight title fight, he might have to change his nickname.

    Would you be interested in a fight between Henry Cejudo and Alexander Volkanovski?

  • Team Ngannou Hopes For “Peaceful Resolution” With UFC Post-Surgery

    Injuries sustained recently by Francis Ngannou could force him out of action for the better part of a year.

    Ngannou’s manager recently spoke with Brett Okamoto of ESPN and unveiled how the heavyweight champ plans to rehabilitate following his fight. Injuries he took to one of his knees will reportedly require surgery, and his team is planning to give him nine months to recover.

    Per the interview, Ngannou is getting the surgery due to tearing his MCL and damaging his ACL in the lead-up to his UFC 270 fight against Ciryl Gane. The decision to get surgery was made after he was evaluated earlier this week.

    Ngannou will receive the surgery after he comes back from a trip to his home country of Cameroon.

    During Ngannou’s recovery process, manager Marquel Martin hopes the team can work to figure out his contractual situation with the UFC.

    “Upon his return, we plan on getting surgery and starting the recovery process so we can get him back to 100 percent as soon as possible,” said Marquel in an interview with ESPN. “In the meantime, we hope we can find a peaceful resolution in these contract talks. We’d like to thank all the fans for their continued support and belief in Francis.”

    The fact that Ngannou suffered his knee injuries during his training camp means he competed in his title fight while hurt. Many assumed that something was up with Ngannou when he entered the cage on Saturday night and was wearing padding on both of his knees.

    Do you believe we will see Francis Ngannou compete in the UFC again after his surgery?

  • Chris Curtis To Face Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 273

    The “Action Man” is set to return in April.

    Veteran Chris Curtis is expected to return at UFC’s April 9th pay-per-view event, facing Dricus Du Plessis in a middleweight matchup. The fight has joined the UFC 273 card, per a report from Shaun Al-Shatti and Mike Heck of MMA Fighting.

    The fight joins a growing PPV card that doesn’t have a confirmed location at the moment.

    Curtis will be attempting to build upon a strong run that started on the regional scene in 2020 and has brought him to the UFC.

    Chris Curtis attained a strong five-fight winning streak from early 2020 to July 2021, with four of those wins coming via stoppage. This earned him the UFC call, as he stepped in on short notice to face Phil Hawes.

    Curtis prevailed in that matchup, stopping Hawes late in the first round of a fight at UFC 268. He wrapped up the year by earning another paycheck, scoring a finish win against Brendan Allen in December.

    A win in April would move the middleweight veteran’s win streak to eight consecutive fights.

    Du Plessis Searching For Third Win

    Dricus Du Plessis to Face Andre Muniz at UFC 269
    Dricus Du Plessis

    Like Curtis, Du Plessis has yet to lose since joining the UFC roster. The former KSW welterweight champion made his promotional debut in October 2020, stopping Markus Perez in the first round with strikes.

    Du Plessis’ last appearance was a big win, stopping the three-fight winning streak of Trevin Giles with strikes.

    Du Plessis was at one point matched against André Muniz for a UFC card in December, although that matchup didn’t come to fruition.

    UFC 273 currently has two title fights set for the top of the lineup. In the main event, UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski is scheduled to face The Korean Zombie.

    Here’s the updated lineup:

    Featherweight Title Bout: Alexander Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie

    Bantamweight Title Bout: Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan

    Bantamweight Bout: Irene Aldana vs. Aspen Ladd

    Middleweight Bout: Chris Curtis vs. Dricus Du Plessis

    Featherweight Bout: Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker

    Welterweight Bout: Mickey Gall vs. Mike Malott

    Heavyweight Bout: Jairzinho Rozenstruick vs. Marcin Tybura

    Strawweight Bout: Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres

    Middleweight Bout: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nassourdine Imavov

    Lightweight Bout: Vinc Pichel vs. Mark O. Madsen

    Who do you have in this middleweight clash?

  • Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad To Headline April 16 UFC Card

    Ranked welterweights Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad are set to meet in the main event of UFC’s April 16th card.

    The five-round matchup between top welterweights was first reported by Brett Okamoto of ESPN on Tuesday. It’s expected to headline a Fight Night card that doesn’t have a confirmed location at the moment.

    The matchup allows the welterweight division to come one step closer to finding the next challenger for current champ Kamaru Usman. Luque is currently ranked at #4 in the division, with Muhammad listed just behind him.

    While Leon Edwards has been unofficially targeted to be Usman’s next opponent, a standout performance from Luque or Muhammad in April could line themselves up for being next for the winner.

    Luque, Muhammad To Test Win Streaks

    Vicente Luque
    Image Credit: Getty Images / Michael Reaves

    Luque is currently on a four-fight winning streak that has been in development over the past two years. His most recent appearance was in August, where he secured a first-round submission victory over Michael Chiesa.

    Prior victories from Luque include wins over notable names like former champ Tyron Woodley and divisional vet Randy Brown. His UFC career has been highly successful since joining in 2015, attaining 14 wins through 17 fights.

    Muhammad has also maintained a lengthy win streak in recent years. He has gone undefeated since April 2019, attaining six victories in that time. He overcame two veterans in 2021, first going through Demian Maia before beating Stephen Thompson in December.

    The new booking is a chance for Muhammad to get a proper re-appearance into the main event picture. He made his first UFC main event appearance in March 2021, although that fight didn’t produce a satisfying result. His bout against Leon Edwards was ruled a no-contest finish, as Muhammad suffered a brutal eye poke just moments into the second round.

    Who do you favor in a fight between Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad?

  • Gaethje: Journalists Should Do Everything To Prevent McGregor Title Shot

    Justin Gaethje has strong words regarding Conor McGregor’s current status in the lightweight division.

    After Charles Oliveira’s successful title defense in late 2021, it’s unknown who he will face next at lightweight. Gaethje believes he is next in line for a title shot, and he hopes McGregor won’t get a fight before him.

    When appearing at UFC 270 last weekend, Gaethje was asked how he would feel about McGregor getting a title shot next. He reacted strongly to this scenario, mentioning how he disagrees with that potential situation.

    “I don’t know, I don’t wanna talk about it. The only reason it’s even almost (a thing) is because you guys keep asking me about it, you guys keep talking about it. You’re really just doing your job, and it’s just to create a story,” said Gaethje in an interview with BT Sport. “He’s irrelevant right now, he’s got a broken leg.

    “With that question, you have to question the integrity, and you, as a journalist, have to stand behind it, and you know that it should never happen and you should do everything from keeping it from happening.”

    McGregor On Two Fight Skid, Gaethje Coming Off Recent Win

    Justin Gaethje
    Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC

    A title shot for McGregor would certainly be odd circumstances. The former two-division champion is currently on a two-fight skid at lightweight. Both of those losses came last year in main event fights against Dustin Poirier.

    Gaethje is currently the top-ranked contender at lightweight. He secured this place in the rankings after defeating former Bellator Champion Michael Chandler last year. This victory didn’t come easy, as he brawled to a “Fight of the Year” contender decision win after three rounds.

    Gaethje has been in the title picture before. He challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020, getting submitted in the second round of that fight. Nurmagomedov would later retire from competition after that victory.

    Do you agree with Justin Gaethje’s assessment of Conor McGregor?

  • Moreno On UFC 270 Loss: I Felt Like I Won, But It Is What It Is

    Brandon Moreno admits he was surprised when Deiveson Figueiredo was declared the winner in their trilogy fight.

    In the co-main event for UFC 270, Moreno fought a five-round war against Figueiredo. The fight, which was the third consecutive meeting between the fighters, was Moreno’s chance to defend his UFC Flyweight Championship for the first time.

    After a battle that saw both fighters have strong moments, Moreno believed he was about to get his arm raised. When reflecting on the fight, Moreno felt that performance didn’t feel like previous losses he took in his career.

    “It’s a weird feeling because it’s the first time in my life when I lost a decision but I felt like I won, you know?” said Moreno during the UFC 270 post-fight press conference. “I remember my last two losses, against Alexandre Pantoja or against Sergio Pettis, I mean, I knew in that moment I lost. I was like ‘Okay, this feels like sh*t,’ but I knew I lost. But this time I felt like I won.”

    Moreno Isn’t Upset By Result

    Brandon Moreno, Deiveson Figueiredo
    © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

    While Moreno thought he was the winner, he isn’t mad about the outcome of the fight. He knows the performance was a back-and-forth fight between him and Figueiredo, and that it was a close fight in the end.

    “It is what it is because I was in a really hard fight. He had his own moments too and I have to recognize that,” Moreno said. “I don’t want to be that kind of guy who starts to put excuses. Because I felt like Deiveson did an amazing job, put a better game plan. I just want to go to the gym, spend time with my family, and watch the fight again and be back stronger.”

    Were you surprised when Deiveson Figueiredo was announced as the winner?

  • Figueiredo Explains Coaching Advice That Helped Him In UFC 270 Win

    Deiveson Figueiredo believes a big piece of advice that his team was stressing helped him pull off a win over Brandon Moreno at UFC 270.

    Figueiredo reclaimed the UFC Flyweight Championship on Saturday night, defeating Moreno in their trilogy bout. The win kicked off his second reign as champ and avenged one of the two losses he has taken as a pro.

    Figueiredo credits this success to a certain piece of advice he was given: be calm. Figueiredo mentions a more relaxed game plan for his fight helped him against Moreno on Saturday night.

    “We focused a lot on being calm because I used to come into the Octagon so full of energy trying to finish people off right in the first minutes,” said Figueiredo during the UFC 270 post-fight press conference. “And it was very important to us to keep calm and become even more dangerous, because then my strikes would come as a surprise to him. He would not know because I had that power kind of bottling up. And I became more dangerous because my strikes surprised him.”

    Figueiredo’s Change In Fighting Style

    Brandon Moreno, Deiveson Figueiredo
    © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

    Figueiredo certainly showed a more patient game plan on Saturday night, working at a more methodical pace than before. He certainly had more of a reputation to be a finisher earlier in his title run, stopping fighters like Joseph Benavidez and Alex Perez within a round each.

    Figueiredo’s explosive style butted heads with Moreno in their first and second appearances. He struggled in their first fight, working towards a majority draw in late 2020. Then in 2021, Moreno was able to stop him in the third round via submission.

    What’s next for Figueiredo now is unknown. On Saturday night he teased a fourth fight against Moreno, throwing out the idea of hosting it in Mexico.

    Did you notice a change at UFC 270 in how Deiveson Figueiredo fights?

  • Francis Ngannou Following UFC 270: “I Don’t Feel Like A Free Man”

    Francis Ngannou feels like he deserves better treatment from the UFC.

    The UFC Heavyweight Champion voiced his displeasure with the promotion on Saturday night after defeating Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC 270.

    Amid chatter of Ngannou possibly leaving the UFC following his recent win, the champ was asked what his main problems with the promotion are. While not going through the nitty-gritty details of things, he mentioned that his qualms certainly go further than just being paid more.

    “It’s not simply money. Obviously, money is a part of it. But also the terms of the contract, I don’t agree with it,” said Ngannou during his UFC 270 post-fight press conference. “I don’t feel like it’s fair. I don’t feel like a free man. I don’t feel like I have [been] treated good. It’s unfortunate that I have to be in this position to be able to say that, but I think […] that everybody should have the right to claim what’s best for them. Because at the end of the day, we put a lot of work in this job. We take a lot in our body to make it happen, so at least we can have a fair and square deal.”

    Ngannou Has Been Outspoken In The Past

    Francis Ngannou
    Francis Ngannou (Image Credit: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

    Ngannou has been outspoken for a long time about how he wants better treatment from the UFC.

    The champion recently said he would only continue fighting for the UFC if they can pay him more. The California State Athletic Commission reported that Ngannou was paid a flat fee of $600,000 for his fight on Saturday night at UFC 270.

    Ngannou has entertained doing things outside of the promotion before as well. In recent months, he started to discuss a hypothetical fight against boxing prizefighter Tyson Fury. The boxing champ responded to the call out, mentioning that he would take the challenge.

    Do you agree with Francis Ngannou’s opinion on how he is treated?

  • Report: Tom Aspinall vs. Alexander Volkov To Headline UFC London

    Rising heavyweight Tom Aspinall and divisional veteran Alexander Volkov are expected to headline UFC’s return to London, England later this year, per a report.

    Volkov and Aspinall are set to serve as the main event for a March 19th UFC “Fight Night” event from the O2 Arena, per a report from Brett Okamoto of ESPN.

    The matchup gives Aspinall a chance to compete in his first UFC main event fight. His short run with the promotion has been explosive thus far, stopping all four of his opponents in the cage. This includes two wins from last year, which came against Andrei Arlovski and Serghei Spivac.

    Aspinall was first initially booked to face Shamil Abdurakhimov in a non-headlining fight on this card. It is not known what the plan is for Abdurakhimov now that this matchup has been booked.

    Volkov Returns To Familiar Headlining Position

    Alexander Volkov, Alistair Overeem
    Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    Volkov has fought some of the top names at heavyweight for most of his 11-fight UFC career. He is no stranger to headlining cards, as the new booking is scheduled to be his sixth time in the main event spot.

    Volkov is coming off a win, as his last fight was a unanimous decision victory over Marcin Tybura in October at UFC 267. His last main event fight was in June 2021, when he lost to now-interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane.

    Aspinall is just one of the many England-based fighters that are expected for the show. Earlier today, it was reported that Paddy Pimblett will also return on the card against Kazula Vargas.

    The event marks UFC’s first time in London in over three years, as the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the number of locations they can travel to.

    With this main event announced, here is the updated lineup for UFC London:

    Heavyweight Bout: Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall

    Lightweight Bout: Paddy Pimblett vs. Kazula Vargas

    Featherweight Bout: Mike Grundy vs. Makwan Amirkhani

    Bantamweight Bout: Jack Shore vs. Timur Valiev

    Flyweight Bout: Molly McCann vs. Luana Carolina

    Flyweight Bout: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Cody Durden

    Strawweight Bout: Elise Reed vs. Cory McKenna

    Flyweight Bout: Jake Hadley vs. Allan Nascimento

    How do you think Tom Aspinall will do in his very first UFC main event fight?

  • Report: Paddy Pimblett Booked For UFC London Against Kazula Vargas

    Paddy Pimblett’s return to the UFC cage is set.

    “The Baddy” Pimblett is scheduled to make his second UFC appearance on March 19, facing Kazula Vargas in a lightweight bout. The fight is expected to take place at UFC’s return to the O2 Arena in London England. News of the fight was first reported by MMA Fight Club and later confirmed by multiple sources.

    It was previously mentioned by UFC President Dana White that Pimblett would make his return this year against Jared Gordon. However, that matchup was later denied by the management team of both Pimblett and Gordon.

    Pimblett Coming Off Strong UFC Debut

    Paddy Pimblett
    Credit: Dolly Clew, Cage Warriors

    Pimblett will be attempting to follow up his hectic UFC debut. He won his UFC debut in September 2021, stopping Luigi Vendramini late in the first round of a quick back-and-forth battle.

    Pimblett is known for his entertaining fighting style and his charisma as a person. He had a long run in Cage Warriors before his UFC run, resulting in numerous title fights between 2016 to 2018.

    Vargas is also coming off his first UFC victory. The former Combate Americas fighter snapped a two-fight skid in April, returning to the cage against Rongzhu for a unanimous decision win.

    Pimblett is joining a card that already has a strong lineup of fighters that train out of England. The event is reportedly also expected to include names like Tom Aspinall and Molly McCann, along with the UFC debuts of Muhammad Mokaev and Jake Hadley.

    Here’s the updated lineup for UFC’s March 19th show:

    Heavyweight Bout: Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall

    Lightweight Bout: Paddy Pimblett vs. Kazula Vargas

    Featherweight Bout: Mike Grundy vs. Makwan Amirkhani

    Bantamweight Bout: Jack Shore vs. Timur Valiev

    Flyweight Bout: Molly McCann vs. Luana Carolina

    Flyweight Bout: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Cody Durden

    Strawweight Bout: Elise Reed vs. Cory McKenna

    Flyweight Bout: Jake Hadley vs. Allan Nascimento

    What do you think about Paddy Pimblett’s matchup at UFC London?

  • Gane Breaks Down Ngannou Fight: ‘It’s Not Exactly Power vs. Technique’

    Ciryl Gane thinks his fight against Francis Ngannou isn’t as easy as two styles colliding.

    Many have billed the upcoming heavyweight title fight as a clash of two different types of a fighter. On Gane’s side, many see his technical skills and his variety of abilities as his main strength. But on Ngannou’s end, people say his one-punch knockout power is what could earn him the win on Saturday.

    Gane doesn’t see the fight that way. Instead, he sees both power and technique in both him and Ngannou. When the idea of the different styles was proposed to Gane, this is what he said:

    “This is not just only the power versus the technique. He’s not only the power, he [has] a fight IQ. So he’s technical. I’m more than him [too], and I have power also, you see?” said Gane at the UFC 270 media day on Wednesday. “So, this is not exactly the power against the technique. But we will see.”

    Does Ngannou vs. Gane = Power vs. Technique?

    Francis Ngannou, Ciryl Gane
    Getty Images and MMA Junkie

    While Gane says the fighters aren’t incredibly different in their strengths, it is worth noting how explosive Ngannou is as a fighter.

    Ngannou is a frequent finisher to his fights, as only three of his 19 pro appearances have gone the distance. The majority of his wins have come in the first round, with others coming only a round later.

    Ngannou added another explosive knockout to his résumé last year, beating Stipe Miocic to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion. On Saturday, he will attempt to defend his belt for the first time since then.

    On the other hand, Gane is more experienced with going deeper into fights. He has already fought five rounds twice as a pro, defeating both Jairzinho Rozenstruick and Alexander Volkov in headlining bouts last year.

    But as Gane stressed, he has striking power as well. He became the interim UFC heavyweight champion in August of last year, finishing former title challenger Derrick Lewis in the third round.

    Do you agree with Gane’s assessment of the matchup?

  • Dustin Poirier & Nate Diaz Ramp Up Demands For Matchup

    The online chatter between Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz hasn’t slowed down one bit.

    The fan favorites took to Twitter again Wednesday to stress their interest in a matchup against one another.

    Things kicked off in the afternoon with a cryptic Tweet from Poirier that could have been directed towards anybody.

    The former lightweight title challenger put out “I’m gonna fight your ass,” kicking off what would be a numerous post discussion between the two.

    Diaz responded hours later with a message to the UFC.

    “Stop playing wit me consider this my signature to fight this ,” said Diaz in a Tweet that had an image of him and Poirier attached. “I been trying to fight for a minute quit slowing down the real fight game it’s time.”

    Shortly after, Poirier followed up with another vague post, simply saying “The real fight game.” Later in the night, he would share a mock poster for a fight between him and Diaz, potentially hoping to stir up excitement for the hypothetical fight.

    Poirier would wrap up his day of calling for the fight by replying to reporter Ariel Helwani. After Helwani pointed out how long Poirier has been calling for the fight, Poirier responded with “Let’s go bic boi.”

    Poirier and Diaz publicly shared interest in a fight last month, posting on Twitter about how they wanted to fight. This came after Poirier lost a title fight to UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. However, those negotiations stalled shortly thereafter, with Diaz then hinting at a streetfight instead.

    The fighters had been previously booked to meet in 2018, but that booking fell through after Poirier suffered an injury.

    It is not known at the moment what is the roadblock to a fight between Poirier and Diaz happening, as the fight has yet to be officially set for a date. As a result, it is unknown if this fan-friendly matchup will ever actually come to fruition.

    Do you think Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz will ever happen?

  • Glover Teixeira Offers Prediction For Ngannou vs. Gane

    UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Glover Teixeira sees Francis Ngannou standing as the sole heavyweight champ later this year.

    The current 205-pound champ was recently asked his opinion on an upcoming title unification bout between UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou and interim champ Ciryl Gane. The fight is set to headline UFC 270, which will take place this Saturday.

    Teixeira put value in Ngannou’s power over Gane’s fast, technical ability. Here’s what he said about the matchup:

    “Wow, I’m excited for this fight. I want to watch this fight. And it’s gonna be like power vs. Muhammad Ali, right? But I would say George Foreman/Muhammad Ali [stylistically]. One is pure power; the other one [has] the technique. He flow; he jump around; he hits fast; he moves. So I see [Gane] like Muhammad Ali,” said Teixeira, in an interview with Sherdog. “But I [believe] the result is gonna be the same. In my opinion, Francis Ngannou is too powerful right now. He’s on a mission. And man, he’s getting better and better every time we see him. And in my opinion, he’s gonna win.”

    Teixeira: Ngannou Has Power

    Francis Ngannou
    PHOTO: MMA JUNKIE

    Teixeira raises an important point about Ngannou. The current champion’s power has certainly been his key to success in the UFC.

    Ngannou has fought 13 times since joining the UFC roster with 11 of those being victories. All of his wins have come via finish thus far. His last five fights have resulted in four first-round finishes, with the other just going another minute more than a round.

    On the other hand, Gane is more familiar with going the distance. While he certainly has his fair share of quick wins, including his 2019 UFC debut win against Raphael Pessoa, he has already gone five rounds twice in his career. His last fight saw him take Derrick Lewis into the 15th minute of action before finishing him with strikes.

    Do you agree with Glover Teixeira’s prediction?

  • Report: Chris Weidman Hopes To Return To Action This Summer

    Chris Weidman’s first appearance since a gruesome leg injury could come later this year.

    The former UFC Middleweight Champion wants to return to action in the summer, per a recent Substack article by Ariel Helwani. The return would mark his first appearance in over a year and would end his time dealing with one of the more graphic injuries in recent history.

    Weidman suffered a brutal leg injury in April 2021, causing his fight against Uriah Hall to end in just 17 seconds. The broken leg injury forced him to be stretchered out of the arena at UFC 261 and caused him to undergo two different surgeries later in the year.

    After his second surgery, which he says was three hours in total, Weidman told MMA Fighting that he was optimistic about the next steps.

    “I’m just happy. I feel like this is going to be a way quicker recovery and way less painful,” said Weidman in August. “I feel like I made the right decision.”

    The History Of Weidman In The UFC

    Chris Weidman Anderson Silva
    Image Credit: Donald Miralle/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    Weidman, 37, has now been on the UFC roster for over a decade. He first joined the promotion in 2011 as an undefeated fighter. His most notable fight was a knockout victory over Anderson Silva in 2013, which made him the UFC middleweight champion.

    In a rematch, Silva lost to Weidman due to a leg injury that was quite similar to the one Weidman suffered against Hall. He would defend the belt three times in total before losing it to Luke Rockhold in 2015.

    Weidman has struggled since losing his championship. In his last five fights, he has come up successful in two bouts. His last win was a unanimous decision victory over Omari Akhmedov in 2020.

    Are you surprised that Chris Weidman is already eyeing a return?