Cody Garbrandt is maintaining a positive mindset despite suffering a brutal loss.
Garbrandt suffered a brutal knockout loss at UFC’s final pay-per-view event of 2021, getting stopped in the first round by Kai Kara-France. Despite this, the former UFC bantamweight champion recently talked about the future of his career, proclaiming that he still has a lot to give.
“When it’s over, I say it’s over. Not the fans, not Dana, not anybody but me. When I know and I understand that I don’t have it anymore, I don’t have what it takes to push myself and train to be prepared to go out there and give my best shot to win, then I’ll be done,” said Garbrandt on his latest episode of the Rollin With The Homies podcast.
“I can honestly say that, and I have a good support system around me that’ll be like, ‘Look, let’s look at something else.’ But that’s so far down the road. I’m 30 years old, I still have a lot left in the tank to do. We’ll make the corrections, we’ll figure it out.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
Garbrandt Struggling Since Title Reign
Garbrandt’s recent loss at UFC 269 continued a long streak of unfortunate results. The former UFC bantamweight champion has only won once in his past five appearances. His sole victory since dropping his belt was an emphatic win in 2020, scoring a walk-off knockout against Raphael Assuncao.
Garbrandt was making his debut at the flyweight class just last month. He made weight for his fight and is still open to competing at that weight class again.
His recent success is in great contrast to earlier years in his career. Garbrandt became a UFC champ in 2017, putting together a stellar performance against Dominick Cruz to take the 135-pound belt.
Garbrandt was undefeated at the time, boasting 11 pro wins when heading into his first title fight.
Bellator is currently working to put flashy welterweight Michael “Venom” Page against champion Yaroslav Amosov for a card in London, England.
Bellator President Scott Coker revealed the plans in a recent interview with MMA Junkie. He mentioned he hopes to make the fight for early 2022, although an exact date hasn’t been worked out yet.
“I know MVP was kinda back-and-forth, ‘do I want to fight Lima again, do I want to fight Amosov’ and then we said hey, just go think about it,” Coker said. “Our opinion as a company is you want to take the next step. You want to go fight for the belt now. This is your time. If you don’t do it now, when are you gonna do it? and then you can come back and fight Lima again in the future. So to me, it’s the right fight to put together. I think it’ll happen in the second quarter. It will be in London and it will be a massive fight over there because he’s such a big star.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
Page Getting Title Fight Following Important Win
Page is being put in a title fight position for the first time in his career. He is also coming off arguably the biggest win of his career thus far.
Page is being put in the title fight after avenging the sole pro loss in his career. He recently defeated former champ Lima, beating him via split decision.
The potential fight could be Amosov’s first fight as the Bellator Welterweight Champion. He earned the belt in June, going five rounds against Lima for a decision win. The victory continued his flawless pro career that includes 26 wins as a whole and seven victories in Bellator.
Who would you pick in a fight between Yaroslav Amosov and Michael “Venom” Page?
UFC President Dana White thinks “Fight of the Year” isn’t up for debate this year.
White recently revealed that his favorite fight from 2021 was the back-and-forth brawl between Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje from UFC 268. The stand-up lightweight battle took a Madison Square Garden crowd by storm earlier this year. The bout saw the ranked fighters willfully trade wailing punches on one another for three rounds.
Gaethje walked away with the win against Chandler, earning a unanimous scorecard nod in the end. The fan-friendly fight was a big victory for Gaethje, potentially placing himself as the next contender for UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira to face.
UFC President White didn’t hesitate to call the fight the best that has taken place this year.
“That’s a no brainer. Off the top of my head right here asking me that question, it would have to be Gaethje/Chandler,” said White in an interview with Barstool Sports. “It was insane. The fact that it was at MSG, the fans were absolutely f*cking insane, and just everything with that fight.”
Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler, Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
White later reflected on how the fight was so impactful to the live New York crowd that it tired out the live crowd. This caused the follow-up act, a fast-paced fight between featherweights Shane Burgos and Billy Quarantillo, to not elicit much of a reaction from the audience.
The bout was another example of Gaethje’s tough striking style that often sees him consume damage en route to breaking the will of his opponent. Gaethje was ending an absence from the cage with the fight. He was appearing for the first time since he lost a title fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254.
UFC President Dana White believes his promotion’s product is consistently better than what boxing competitors are offering.
White recently explained why he believes the UFC to be the top combat sports program out there. He mainly discussed how he feels his promotion is putting out the most entertaining events due to high-level fights and unexpected upsets.
His recent appearance on podcast THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas saw him show what he likes about the UFC and what he hates about current boxing events.
“Every week we put on fights with the best versus the best. And many times, the massive underdogs in this sport wins,” said White on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas. “Which makes this sport fun [and] exciting. You get these ‘holy s***’ moments. And more importantly, it makes it very fun to bet on too.”
White Rips Boxing In Recent Rant
Image Credit: The Mega Agency
White ranted about flaws he sees in boxing. He said he is “brutally honest” about the sport, as it is something he enjoys. After all, he found time for the most recent Canelo Alvarez bout while he went head-to-head on TV with UFC 268 in November.
When ranting about boxing, he claimed that promoters aren’t focused on entertaining fans.
“Every time they put on a fight it’s like a ‘going out of business’ sale. ‘How much can we steal from everybody?’ And every time you turn off the TV, you’re pissed you stayed home and watched the fight. You wished you did something else,” said White.
While boxing has its problems, UFC certainly isn’t a flawless product either.
Do you agree with White’s claim that his promotion is currently outdoing major boxing promoters?
Michael Chandler thinks Charles Oliveira’s 2021 run of two title fight wins secured him Fighter of the Year status.
Chandler recently joined The Fighter vs. The Writershow to discuss his personal fighter of the year. He gave the award to UFC Lightweight Champion Oliveira, claiming his two high-profile wins in the division in 2021.
Chandler sees those victories as what puts him ahead of the pack for this year.
Oliveira became a UFC champion in May, stopping Chandler in the second round to claim a vacant belt. He returned seven months later to beat Dustin Poirier, stopping him in the second round with a rear-naked choke.
“Watching what Charles Oliveira has done this year, claiming gold and then defending it against one of the best to ever do it, one of the greatest lightweights of all time [who] will inevitably be a UFC Hall of Famer, Dustin Poirier. So hat’s off to him, he would be my pick for fighter of the year,” said Chandler.
Chandler: Oliveira Takes Award Over Welterweight Champ Usman
Getty Images
When asked about runners-up for this year’s fighter of the year award, Chandler compared Oliveira to dominant UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. While Usman had a highly successful year with three wins, Chandler thought the “unexpected” factor of Oliveira’s success is what earned him the award in the end.
“Unfortunately, it’s almost as if we expected Kamaru [Usman] to be that dominant … When it comes to exceeding expectations and that feeling you get when you say ‘man what that guy did, that makes him fighter of the year,’ that for me is Charles Oliveira because I feel it was unexpected,” said Chandler. “Would we ever have thought Charles Oliveira would be the champion a year [or] a year-and-a-half ago?”
Who is your 2021 Fighter of the Year? Do you agree with what Michael Chandler said?
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya wants fans to know his value.
The champ’s return to the cage was announced by the UFC earlier this month. The promotion said Saturday that Adesanya is currently scheduled to meet Robert Whittaker in a rematch at UFC 271. However, a cryptic tweet of the baseball cap emoji from Adesanya, signaling the phrase “cap,” a slang term for “lying,” made people wonder if the fight will happen after all.
The current champ took to social media Monday to urge fans that they should watch him fight live if they ever have the opportunity.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXbuCUNPUbC/
“I said it years ago, if you had a chance to go watch me fight live locally you should have,” said Adesanya via Instagram. “I’m saying it again, if you have a chance to watch me fight live anywhere on earth…do so!! I’ve had well over a hundred fights and I don’t feel like I’ve lost a step. I’ve gained more understanding for the game at 32 years young as a martial artist.”
Adesanya’s combat sports career has already been thorough thus far, spanning multiple styles and taking place across the globe. Along with his MMA career of over 20 fights, Adesanya has fought as a pro in kickboxing and boxing.
Image Credit: Carmen Mandato/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
While Adesanya highlighted his experience of over 100 appearances between MMA, kickboxing and boxing, he doesn’t see himself leaving combat sports anytime soon. He also hyped up his future fights, claiming his fights will be remembered for decades to come.
“My appearances in the octagon for the next few years will be something you will wanna tell your grandkids about being there live!! Watching me dismantle foe after foe leaving bodies everywhere I go. So yea…I’m “looking for a fight!” as they say.”
Adesanya’s MMA record currently has just one blemish through 22 appearances. He defended his belt for the third time earlier this year, going five rounds against Marvin Vettori for a decision win. As we head into 2022, it’ll be exciting to see what history “The Last Stylebender” has in store for fight fans.
Do you think the best has yet to come for UFC Champion Israel Adesanya?
Ranked light heavyweights Ion Cutelaba and Ryan Spann are expected to meet at UFC’s February 26th event.
MMA Island is reporting that a booking between Cutelaba and Spann is currently in the process of being finalized. Should it be made official, it would join a “Fight Night” card that doesn’t have a confirmed location currently.
Cutelaba and Spann are currently on the edge of the UFC’s 205-pound rankings. Cutelaba has the chance to hop up a few spots with a win, as he currently sits 15th while Spann is placed in 13th.
Spann Coming Off Main Event Loss
Spann lost a high-profile bout last time around, getting submitted by Anthony Smith in September. His loss to the former title challenger was set for five rounds but only went into the fourth minute. Smith was able to finish the bout with ground and pound strikes.
The fight was only Spann’s second loss since joining the UFC roster in 2018. It was also his debut appearance in the main event slot of a UFC card.
He had picked up a statement win earlier in 2021, putting away Misha Cirkunov within one round.
Cutelaba Riding Momentum Of Win
Photo Credit: UFC
Cutelaba scored his first victory in nearly two years recently, going the distance against Devin Clark for a decision win. This came after a bumpy stretch that saw him lose two bouts to Magomed Ankalaev and take a draw against Dustin Jacoby.
Not only did Cutelaba go winless between 2020 and most of 2021, but he also had five different bookings scrapped in that time. The victory last time around put Cutelaba back onto the right track and evened his UFC record at five wins and losses each.
Who do you see winning in a fight between Ion Cutelaba and Ryan Spann?
UFC is currently looking to pair up Irene Aldana and Aspen Ladd for their April 9th event, per reports.
The fight isn’t finalized but is currently in the process of being made, per a report from Carlos Contreras Legaspi of ESPN Deportes. Should the fight be made official, it would join UFC 273.
The matchup places two of the higher-ranked bantamweights up against each other. Aldana currently sits third in the division’s official rankings, with Ladd just trailing behind in fourth place.
A win for either fighter would put them a step closer to being in the title conversation, one that has recently changed amid the crowning of new champion Julianna Peña.
The potential booking could mark Ladd’s return to bantamweight—a division she has not competed in since late 2019.
Ladd’s last fight was a short-notice appearance at featherweight, where she lost a decision to Norma Dumont. She was pulled from a fight earlier in October, as she fell ill while attempting to cut down to the bantamweight limit.
Ladd’s fight in the fall put an end to an unlucky two-year period where she was pulled from four different fights. One of the bouts was thrown out due to her opponent being injured. Another was canceled in 2020 after she tore her ACL and MCL.
Aldana is currently riding the momentum of a finish victory she scored against Yana Kunitskaya in July. That fight put her back into the win column.
Her previous fight was in October 2020, where she lost a five-round decision to the now #2-ranked Holly Holm. Aldana has spent her entire UFC run at bantamweight, attaining six wins and four losses in that time.
Who do you see winning this matchup? And where do you think a win would put either fighter in the title picture?
Nate Diaz has initiated another Twitter exchange with Dustin Poirier as we head into the new year, this time questioning the Louisianan’s worthiness and desire to fight.
Both Diaz and Poirier recently took to Twitter to cryptically hint at there being issues with the fight being made. On Poirier’s side, he claims he told the promotion that he was available to fight at UFC 271 on February 12th, not stating any issues with the fight being made. But on Diaz’s end, he thinks the promotion doesn’t want to pay Poirier for the fight.
Maybe UFC 271 they couldn't make it happen on 270. I said yes
“Maybe UFC 271 they couldn’t make it happen on 270. I said yes,” said Poirier on Twitter recently.
Diaz was quick to respond: “The ufc don’t wanna pay for u dp sorry u suck. Loser.”
Both tweets had a mysterious layer to them, with neither directly addressing any previous comment made on the platform. Of course, the ambiguity of the situation leaves parts of what they said up for interpretation.
Nate Diaz Sends Another Shot At Poirier
Dustin Poirier, Nate Diaz, Image Credit: Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Thursday, Nate Diaz would again address Poirier, this time in a disrespectful tweet that questions his potential opponent on multiple levels.
“Your not worthy If u wanted to fight we would have already. Bring yourself back from the dead you suck Dp,” Diaz wrote.
Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz have both previously expressed interest in the matchup. Coming off a recent loss to UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira, Poirier called out Diaz on The MMA Hour. Diaz was quick to reply with enthusiasm. Dana White has also stated that he is willing to make the fight happen if it’s what everyone wants.
The next Octagon appearance for Diaz will be a chance to snap a two-fight losing streak. He last fought in June 2021, where he went five rounds against Leon Edwards for a decision loss.
A fight between Diaz and Poirier has been attempted before and even publicly promoted by the UFC. However, fans have yet to see the two meet. The UFC first tried to make the fight all the way back in November 2018 at UFC 230. That iteration of the bout never happened, reportedly due to an injury on Poirier’s side.
Should the fighters work out their issues behind the scenes, we may see the clash of fan-favorites after all.
MMA News will keep you updated on any response from Dustin Poirier to Diaz’s latest tweet and keep you apprised of any relevant traction on this fight finally getting made.
Do you think we will eventually see Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz?
Jake Paul has denied the reported number of buys for his latest boxing fight, although he has admitted the fight didn’t do too well.
Earlier this week, DAZN reported that Paul’s rematch fight against Tyron Woodley did a low number on pay-per-view. It reportedly sold approximately 65,000 buys. The figure for online purchases of the event are not known at the moment.
Paul has denied this rough figure but also admitted his disappointment with what he knows about the sales.
The PPV number rumors are bullshit
1st fight w Woodley we sold 500k+
Numbers for this one are still rolling in but still looking positive
Not my best business night
But remember.. Everyone wanted to see me Vs. Fury and that’s what we sold..
“The PPV number rumors are b*******,” said Paul in a Twitter post. “1st fight [with] Woodley we sold 500k+. Numbers for this one are still rolling in but still looking positive. Not my best business night.”
Paul gives credit to Showtime and Woodley for putting on the show, also using the opportunity to take a shot at his opposition.
Shoutout to Showtime for riding with me and all the fighters on the card and Tyron for not being a bitch like most of these “fighters” are..
“Shoutout to Showtime for riding with me and all the fighters on the card and Tyron for not being a b**** like most of these “fighters” are,” said Paul.
Masvidal Mocks Paul over Report
Jorge Masvidal, Jake Paul
UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal has run with the report about the PPV, using the stat to mock the celebrity-turned-boxer.
Masvidal talked about the reported sales and used the statistic to distance himself from a potential fight against Paul.
“Bitch boy can’t afford the big boys. Never again do I want to hear my name associated with the fake,” said Masvidal via Twitter.
Paul was originally set to face undefeated boxer Tommy Fury earlier this month. He was given Woodley as an opponent after injury forced Fury out of the matchup.
Talent managers Alex Davis and Samir Nadaf have reportedly filed a lawsuit against ONE Championship fighter Adriano Moraes.
The lawsuit alleges Moraes owes the managers over $100,000 due to a breach of contract.
The issue stems from a claim that Moraes wasn’t paying the managers an agreed-upon amount of his income. News of the filing was first reported by Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting.
Details obtained by MMA Fighting allege that Moraes was giving his management less than what he agreed to give them as part of a deal. The managers claim he agreed to pay them 10 percent of fight purses and 20 percent of his money from sponsorships, but they say he only gave them 5 percent for his last two outings.
Managers Allege They Are Owed $35,000 For Fight Against Johnson
Adriano Moraes, Demetrious Johnson, Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Davis and Nadaf are reportedly seeking $113,000 in total.
Moraes pulled off a big win earlier this year, stopping former UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson with strikes. Documents filed in the lawsuit claim that Moraes was given $50,000 to show for that fight, along with another $50,000 for winning. He was also allegedly given an extra $250,000 as a bonus afterward.
Davis and Nadaf claim they were owed $35,000 for the fight weekend but only received $2,500 from Moraes.
“As a professional rule, I don’t make comments about contracts, money and etc publicly,” said Davis when requested for comment by MMA Fighting. “I seek the justice when I’m in need about any situation, and I’ll wait and humbly agree to its decision.”
Moraes started his third run as the ONE 135-pound Champion in early 2019. In that fight, he avenged a loss he previously took against Geje Eustaquio. Moraes has fought on the ONE Championship roster since 2013.
We could see Jiří Procházka get crowned a new champion over the next year, although some questions give us hesitancy in that stance.
It didn’t take long for Jiří Procházka to fly up the UFC light heavyweight division and become a title contender. And while we don’t know if he is next for a title shot at the moment, all signs indicate that he is on a fast track to getting a championship fight if he keeps producing the results he has made thus far.
Procházka is still somewhat of a new name for UFC viewers. He has only fought twice since joining the promotion in 2020, including one main event bout. That’s certainly not to say he doesn’t have experience.
Viewers of the RIZIN product from Japan have a better understanding of him. Before his UFC run, many witnessed him score wins over notable names Karl Albrektsson and Vadim Nemkov. Only 29 years old, the Czech Republic fighter has competed as a pro for nearly a decade and has over 25 wins.
Procházka’s career started incredibly busy, fighting more than three times a year from 2012 to 2015. He continued to stay active in the following years, fighting two to three times a year in RIZIN from 2016 to 2019.
However, his activity as a pro has slowed down since joining the UFC roster, only fighting once a year since 2020. So when looking at the contender, it might be best to judge him off his two most recent fights instead of observing older tape. When looking at his two fights in the UFC, there is a lot to address. Here’s what we know about Procházka, what we’re concerned about, and what we have yet to learn.
Looking At Procházka’s Two UFC Fights
Jiri Prochazka (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)
Procházka’s first two fights in the UFC showed his undeniable punching power. He displayed his ability to put away opponents with a wild striking style. However, he wasn’t a flawless fighter. In his UFC debut in 2020, Procházka scored a second-round stoppage win against a big name in Volkan Oezdemir. However, he got hit quite a bit along the way. He was visibly stunned by shots at times by Oezdemir but was able to work past those issues for a finish win.
The issue of getting hit continued to show in his main event fight against Dominick Reyes in May. He was notably wobbled halfway through the second round by a left cross, forcing him to shoot for a takedown and fight a guillotine choke submission on the ground. Reyes was able to touch him, but to Procházka’s credit, he powered through and eventually overwhelmed the two-time title challenger.
That fight also showed a side to his game that hasn’t been tested extensively in the UFC cage yet: his ground game. Although the fight was mostly on the feet, Procházka was taken down by Reyes in the first round quite easily. As was mentioned before, he also found himself fighting a choke after taking a desperation shot in the second frame.
This could be a glaring issue if he were to face current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Glover Teixeira, who has a clear talent for getting fighters to the ground and submitting them with ease. With that being said, his ability to defend wrestling and grappling hasn’t been tested more thoroughly by someone yet.
What’s Next For Procházka?
(via Zuffa LLC)
There’s good reason to believe Procházka could claim the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. He’s explosive with his punches and hard to read as a fighter. But should you go all-in on the Procházka hype train? That’s a hard call to make.
Like anyone ranked second in their division should, Procházka certainly believes he has a good case for getting a title fight next. But as it stands currently, we cannot confirm if that is actually what’s next for him, although all signs are currently trending in that direction. Therefore, it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s next in line. Neither would it be a shock if he’s next to have that belt around his waist.
Do you think Jiri Prochazka will become UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in 2022?
Former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez Jr. would retire from boxing and not take his fight purse if he were to lose to Jake Paul.
César Chávez Jr. was recently asked his thoughts on a fight against Paul. This comes after Paul’s management claimed he asked for a bout against the prizefighter.
The experienced boxer set harsh penalties for himself if he were to lose but also mentioned his expectation to defeat the celebrity-turned-boxer.
“I hope I can get a few million with Jake Paul. If he beats me, I’ll retire, I don’t get paid. I don’t want money if I don’t beat him,” said César Chávez Jr. in an interview with TV Boxeo. “Retirement – not interested in his money if I do not win.” (h/t DAZN).
César Chávez Jr. And Paul Riding Momentum
Jake Paul, Tyron Woodley, Credit: AP Photo
César Chávez Jr. sees a fight against Paul as something that could be lucrative and successful for him. While acknowledging the viral success that Jake and his brother Logan have generated, he doesn’t see Paul’s fighting style as a problem for him.
“[The Pauls] generate a lot of expectations and money, a match with me would be good. They haven’t learned how to fight well and I can take advantage of that. Jake Paul can punch, but he’s not a boxer,” he said.
César Chávez Jr. was a successful boxer for nearly an entire decade, although he has struggled in recent years. The 35-year-old has lost three of his last five fights, including a bout against former UFC Champion Anderson Silva in June.
César Chávez Jr. returned to the win column earlier this month, scoring a unanimous decision win over David Zegarra in Mexico.
Paul, still undefeated, is also coming off a win. He scored a highlight-reel knockout earlier this month, knocking out former UFC fighter Tyron Woodley over a week ago.
Would you like Jake Paul to face Julio César Chávez Jr. next?
Cory Sandhagen believes that one singular mistake in his fight against Petr Yan turned the tides and stopped him from becoming an interim UFC bantamweight champion.
When looking back on his title fight from October, Sandhagen feels that being knocked down in the third round is what caused him to lose the fight. The ranked bantamweight says he was doing well before that moment and that the knockdown caused him to fight differently for the championship rounds.
“I thought I fought really well. I’m not one to make excuses. I really would’ve liked some more time because Yan is one of the best guys in the world, so I would’ve definitely preferred to have some more time,” said Sandhagen on last week’s episode of The MMA Hour. “But no, man, I thought that the fight went really good for me. I think that [in round] one, I was doing well. Two, I was doing well, even though the judges gave it to him.
“I still think that probably in Colorado, I would’ve taken [round] two. Round three, I was doing good all the way up until that last minute when I got dropped in that one, and then kind of had to fight the rest of the fight on wobbly legs a little bit. So I think I was just one mistake away from taking that fight. And all the credit to Yan for knocking me down and hurting me, and making it so that I couldn’t fight the same for the rest of the fight.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Sandhagen Gives Yan Credit For Fighting Style
Photo via Instagram @espnmma
Sandhagen acknowledges that part of the equation is Yan’s fighting style. He is aware of Yan’s notorious slow-starting yet strong-finishing approach to five-round fights. However, he stands by his belief that he would have won the fight if not for the knockdown.
“That’s kind of his style, right? We anticipated that. He doesn’t start the fastest. He started a little bit quicker than I think he normally does, with me. But yeah, in [rounds] two and three, he just picked up the pace a little bit, and that’s kind of how he fights. And in four, he kicked my ass in Round four. But like I said, man, I was kind of on stilts from getting dropped. I have a really good chin, so if you drop me, you must’ve hit me really hard, and that’s not going to be something that isn’t going to play a factor into the rest of the fight. So I made that mistake, man, and I paid for it. So that’s how the sport works.”
Do you believe the third-round knockdown in the Sandhagen/Yan bout is what determined the outcome of the fight?
UFC flyweight Manel Kape claims foot pedicures have caused big improvements in how he fights recently.
The former RIZIN Bantamweight Champion had a rough start to his UFC run, dropping two bouts in early 2021. However, he has since made a name for himself and become ranked at flyweight with two finish wins.
Kape claims getting pedicures has helped him get a grip on the UFC Octagon canvas, giving him a “good base” to land punches.
“The problem is the skin [on my feet] is dead. The skin is very dead. They take all the skin [that’s] dead from my feet so my feet can stay fixed very well on the floor and don’t slide,” said Kape on Episode 352 of The MMA Road Show With John Morgan. “If you see other fights, even in Japan … I’m like in an [ice] rink.”
After Rough Start, Kape Finished 2021 Strong
Manel Kape (Photo: RIZIN FF)
It’s clear that Kape’s improvements, which he partly attributes to pedicures, have been evident in the cage. Kape had initially struggled in the UFC, losing two consecutive bouts to start the year.
Kape made his UFC debut in February, losing a unanimous decision to Alexandre Pantoja. He returned just a month later, dropping a razor-thin split decision to Matheus Nicolau.
The Kape that many recognized from his RIZIN days has come out more recently. He has picked up two consecutive first-round finish wins since August. His first was a highlight-reel flying knee win over Ode Osbourne at UFC 265.
Manel Kape Flying Knee
Kape most recently appeared earlier this month, putting away Zhalgas Zhumagulov with punches on December 4.
The #14-ranked flyweight hopes he can earn a title fight after scoring two more wins in the promotion. Now training in Las Vegas, Nevada, the “Starboy” hopes the future will be bright.
Do you think Manel Kape’s recent improvements will lead him to a title shot someday?
Lewis returned to the win column on Saturday with his win over Daukaus. Before then, he was finished in an interim UFC heavyweight championship bout against Gane at UFC 265. The fight over the summer was a hard loss for Lewis, as he was nearly shut out by Gane before getting stopped in the third round.
Lewis was asked if his recent win “erased” his title-fight loss during Saturday’s post-fight press conference. In response, Lewis mentioned the location of the fight as an important factor.
“I think it really didn’t erase anything because I prefer to get the win in Houston than get the win in the APEX. So it didn’t erase anything. I’m still [gonna] be thinking about it at night.”
What’s Next For Lewis?
Derrick Lewis, Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
If Lewis wants to pick up a win in front of his home state of Texas, he might be able to do so early next year. UFC is currently planning on hosting an event (UFC 271) on February 12th from Houston. When asked if he would want to get on that card, he said he would take a fight if it is only three rounds.
The win on Saturday night put Lewis back on the right track. The win showed his ability to stop the fast-rising momentum of Daukaus, becoming the first man to beat him in a UFC fight through five bouts.
Lewis has now won four of his last five bouts. This includes a notable upset victory over Curtis Blaydes from the start of this year.
Nate Diaz is happy to do some light trolling with the Paul brothers.
Diaz recently addressed Jake Paul in a social media post, claiming that he isn’t concerned about the celebrity-turned-boxer. He claimed that Paul and his brother Logan recently hired security to follow him around at a boxing event.
Diaz was in attendance last weekend for an event that was headlined by Jake Paul. The main event saw Paul score a knockout win, stopping former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley in the sixth round.
Diaz was there to support Chris Avila, a former Bellator fighter who picked up a decision victory against Anthony Taylor.
Thursday, Diaz posted a photo of him posing with two security guards at the event along with his accusation against the Paul brothers in the captions.
“The Paul sisters hired this security team to make sure I wouldn’t get to them, like I was actually trying too, but it’s alll good with u guys I don’t take this fight thang with u2 serious.you guys playing boxing with wrestlers who can’t box or lil a** Floyd and that’s not cool bruh but it’s good,” said Diaz via Instagram. “I’m a real fighter from the real fight game so don’t trip so hard when you see me fellas let’s just be friends it’s good.”
It’s unknown whether the Pauls truly hired security to follow around Diaz, or if it’s another lighthearted jab being thrown by the witty UFC legend. Either way, it doesn’t seem like the MMA talent plans to cross over and face Jake Paul anytime soon.
All recent activity from Diaz indicates that he wants to continue his MMA career. Earlier this month, Dustin Poirier and Diaz mutually expressed interest in fighting. However, public comment from Diaz has led people to believe negotiations on that fight might have stalled.
Diaz last competed over the summer, going five rounds against welterweight prospect Leon Edwards in a unanimous decision loss.
Teddy Atlas sees superstar potential in UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis but has identified some room for growth in his already dangerous striking style.
The legendary boxing trainer recently praised and critiqued the ranked UFC fighter on his podcast. Atlas spoke about Lewis after watching him dispose of heavyweight contender Chris Daukaus at last weekend’s UFC “Fight Night” card. The first-round finish put Lewis back into the win column after losing an interim title fight to Ciryl Gane in August.
Atlas liked what he saw from Lewis but also mentioned one thing he thinks can elevate his striking even more: a solid jab.
“One thing I would start with him [is] just give him a good reliable jab,” said Atlas on a recent episode of his podcast The Fight. “Just give him that phone-pole jab that George Foreman had that destroyed the late, great Joe Frazier […] Lewis can have something like that. That alone could improve him significantly.”
Outside of the cage, Atlas was complimentary of the way Lewis presents himself. He mentioned his gift of gab has already amassed him a following and could carry him up to an even more popular spot someday.
“Lewis is a smart guy. Forget about his power, that guy has a great personality. He can be a superstar […] He’s got a following already, it can get bigger,” said Atlas.
Lewis is known for being a funny and laidback fighter. Along with his meme-heavy personality online, “The Black Beast” is witty on the mic during interviews. His most viral moment came after a fight against Alexander Volkov. After a brutal knockout win, Lewis took off the outer layer of his fighting shorts, stating, “My balls were hot.”
Do you agree with Teddy Atlas? Would a jab change how Derrick Lewis fights for the better?
Raquel Pennington thinks her recent momentum in the UFC will ultimately lead her to a title fight.
The rising bantamweight contender mentioned Saturday that she thinks her recent campaign will continue with a successful 2022 that could include a title shot. This statement comes after her recent victory over Macy Chiasson at UFC Vegas 45.
“I feel like this is my time. This year coming up is my year. I was born to be a world champion. This isn’t an easy sport and I’m truly talented in it,” said Pennington during her post-fight media scrum. “And it’s just about making shifts lately. And here I am. And I’m not injured.”
Pennington Targets Bantamweight Champ Peña
Image Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Pennington wants to fight UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña next. Peña earned her belt just last week, scoring an upset win over Amanda Nunes.
Pennington did take a brief trip up to featherweight for this week’s fight, but that was only due to the short-notice nature of the booking. Pennington has expressed interest in fight at both 135 and 145-pounds, but she still has her sights set on bantamweight first and foremost.
When discussing a potential fight against Peña, Pennington brought up the history between them, reflecting on how they both fought on the same season of The Ultimate Fighter.
“I remember years ago Dana [White] always thought that me and Julianna [Peña] would be the ones to meet up in the finale for The Ultimate Fighter. My fight with Jessamyn Duke, I took a lot of injuries in there and we won Fight of the Season. It was a great fight, but in that short period of time, I had no time to heal. I went into my semi-finals fight with a broken hand. My journey has been different. But hey, maybe we’ll align for a world title now.”
We don’t know currently what’s next for the new champ Peña. The champ recently cited her interest in facing Germaine de Randamie and Valentina Shevchenko, or possibly facing Nunes in a rematch.
Do you think we’ll see Raquel Pennington challenge for a title in 2022?
Nina Nunes has weighed in on the “mom champ” controversy that involves her wife Amanda Nunes and Julianna Peña.
A comment made via social media by Nina Nunes this week supports Amanda’s claim that not giving birth to her child shouldn’t take away her status as the first “mom champ” of the UFC.
The issue stems from a comment Peña made after capturing the UFC bantamweight championship earlier this month. She said at the UFC 269 post-fight press conference that she gave birth to her child, claiming that makes her the first actual “mom champ” instead of Amanda Nunes.
In a recent comment from Nina Nunes, she wanted the world to know that Amanda not giving birth to her child doesn’t take away her status as a mother. She also shared an anecdote about how Amanda helped her during the childbirth process when they welcomed their first child in 2020.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXrk2YmOflm/
“Not many know this, but I had a HORRIBLE delivery. I lost a lot of blood and went into shock. Amanda [Nunes] took care of Raegan and I for the first week of her life and everyday after,” she said in a recent Instagram post. “She is her MOM and a Champion. Any [woman] out there who play the role of a mother, in any form, is a MOM. Thank you for being the best MOM Raegan could have.”
“I may not have birthed my Daughter. If I wanted to I could have,” Nunes said. “I chose to watch from the outside. After going through the IVF procedure with Nina. It was truly heartbreaking to see many women break down in the waiting room knowing they would never be able to carry their own and have to take another direction. This doesn’t not make these women any less of a MOM than Nina or I. As a MOM champion as well, I feel this needed to be said, [Julianna Peña].”
Soon after the UFC 269 press conference, Peña clarified her remarks in an interview. Peña emphasized that she wanted to shine a light on how pregnancy caused “massive changes” to her body and that she didn’t mean to take anything away from Nunes when stating this.
What are your thoughts on the “mom champ” controversy between Julianna Peña and the Nunes family?
Ranked UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley thinks the legacy of Tyron Woodley took a massive hit this weekend.
Like most of the combat sports world, O’Malley tuned in on Saturday night to see Woodley box Jake Paul for the second time. The active UFC fighter witnessed Paul pull off a sixth-round knockout, flooring Woodley with a wailing overhand right.
Image Credit: AP
O’Malley described his viewing experience, mentioning how the knockout caught him off guard after a fairly slow-paced fight before then.
“I was watching them on my laptop with my eyes kind of shutting. It was the sixth round getting closer to the end of the fight. It looked like it was probably gonna go all eight [rounds] and it was a close fight,” said O’Malley on Episode 168 of the TimboSugarShow. “I didn’t really know who I had necessarily winning each round. But, out of f*cking nowhere, [Paul] slept him… bad!”
O’Malley Says Woodley’s Legacy Has Been Damaged
Jake Paul, Tyron Woodley, Credit: AP Photo
Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champion, has now lost two boxing bouts to Paul. O’Malley sees the outcome as something that has damaged his reputation greatly. However, he also mentioned its important how Woodley feels about the loss.
“Dude, it completely destroyed his f*cking legacy,” said O’Malley, who just pulled off a win two weekends ago at UFC 269.
O’Malley compared the outcome to Ben Askren’s loss to Paul. He mentioned how Askren seemed comfortable with losing, even after it happened. However, he also said that not just anybody can feel that way about a loss.
“That could affect Tyron Woodley big time, or he could just be completely unattached to that and still be happy. That’s a f*cking skill that you have to require.”
Did Tyron Woodley’s loss to Jake Paul damage his legacy?
A beef between Mariya Agapova and Maryna Moroz will be settled in the UFC Octagon.
The flyweights have reportedly been booked to meet at UFC 272 on March 5th, per Raphael Marinho of Combate. The fight is expected to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
After a win two months back, Agapova had strong words for Moroz and her allegations.
“Yeah, she’s just jealous. She’s jealous. Second, she’s sneaky. She’s trying to destroy my career. I lost sponsorship because of her interview and got [into a] really big trouble situation,” said Agapova during her post-fight press conference. “And I would like to punish this b**** because she’s trying to destroy my career. I want to smash her.”
Beef Aside, Looking At Agapova vs. Moroz
PHOTO: MMA JUNKIE
Setting the beef aside, the matchup is an intriguing pairing at flyweight. The bout gives both competitors a chance to build on their short winning streaks.
The reported matchup will be Moroz’s first fight in nearly two years. This is because numerous planned bouts for her have fallen off of cards due to various reasons.
Moroz will be returning with a two-fight winning streak, having beaten Sabina Mazo and Mayra Bueno Silva in her last appearances.
Similarly, Agapova defeated Mazo in her October outing. That fight, which earned her a “Performance of the Night” bonus, also put her back into the win column after being on the losing side of a massive upset to Shana Dobson in 2020.
Do you want to see Mariya Agapova vs. Maryna Moroz?
Charles Jourdain’s call-outs of Cub Swanson aren’t falling on deaf ears.
Jourdain asked for a fight against Swanson on Saturday, and the veteran featherweight responded positively to the motion.
Both fighters are coming off a win from this past weekend. Jourdain won on the prelims, dominating Andre Ewell for a scorecard victory. Swanson won later in the evening, stopping Darren Elkins for a victory worthy of a “Performance of the Night” award.
“I want to f*ck [Cub Swanson] up. I want to put my hands on him … I don’t mean any disrespect to the man, he’s fighting tonight,” said Jourdain, speaking before Swanson took to the Octagon and won later in the evening. “Win or lose I want to fight him.”
Swanson responded kindly to Jourdain’s call-out during his own post-fight press conference, mentioning how he likes the idea of them fighting. He said that he previously requested the fight for the promotion, although he wasn’t able to get it before.
“I actually appreciate him … I like him because he calls me out respectfully…I can’t hate on that,” said Swanson.
Swanson Celebrates Emotional Weekend Performance
Cub Swanson
Swanson was coming off an emotional victory over the weekend. His finish win meant a lot to him, as he was able to have his children in attendance for the bout.
Following his win, he explained why he feels it is important that they get to see him while he’s still fighting:
“They’re at the exact age that I have all my memories right now [from]. There’s been plenty of times in my life where people talked to me about things that happened when I was younger and it doesn’t really mean as much to me because they’re just stories that people have that I don’t really relate with because I don’t remember. So, I just wanted them to be able to have the experience and not just hear stories about me.”
Do you like the idea of Cub Swanson vs. Charles Jourdain?
Gregor Gillespie wants former UFC interim title champion Tony Ferguson as his next opponent.
Hot off a successful performance in his return, Gillespie wants to continue his climb up the lightweight ranks. In an attempt to do so, he has targeted the division’s seventh-ranked fighter in Ferguson.
Gillespie took to social media earlier this week to call for the matchup. He noted the importance of his message, stating that it is rare for him to ever call for a specific fight.
“For the last 15 fights, people have been pressuring me and annoying me to call someone out. I never wanted to, but I think it’s time to play the game,” said Gillespie in a Twitter clip. “I want my second callout to count, so Tony Ferguson, I think it’s time for me to ankle pick you in that Octagon. What do you say?” (h/t Sportskeeda)
What Gillespie vs. Ferguson Would Mean To Both Fighters
Image Credit: John Locher/AP
The theoretical fight offers Ferguson a chance to break a losing streak, putting him in the win column for the first time since his campaign towards a title shot in 2020. On the other hand, it gives Gillespie the opportunity to potentially climb numerous spots in the rankings, pushing him one step closer to the ultimate goal of becoming a champion.
The recent win for Gillespie was his first appearance in over a year. His prior fight was a loss against Kevin Lee in November 2019.
Ferguson is currently on a three-fight skid, although the losses have come against some of the best at lightweight. In 2020, Ferguson lost to Justin Gaethje and now-UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira. His last appearance saw him unfavored on the scorecards against Beneil Dariush.
Do you want to see Gregor Gillespie against Tony Ferguson? Who do you think would win?
Jake Paul is looking to pair up previous opponent Tyron Woodley and former NFL player Le’Veon Bell for a boxing match.
Paul scored a highlight-reel knockout over Woodley this weekend, marking his fifth pro win as a boxer. This win drew the attention of many who thought they could take him in the ring.
Of the many challengers is former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell, who issued a challenge via Twitter. Paul expressed disinterest in this fight, passing the challenge to former UFC Welterweight Champion Woodley.
@jakepaul fight me, stop tryna fight ppl who can’t box
“[Paul,] fight me, stop tryna fight ppl who can’t box,” said Bell via Twitter on Saturday night.
“Aye [Woodley] this clown saying you can’t box. How about you show him as part of the next MVP event? Tyron would drop you faster than the Ravens,” said Paul, referring to Bell’s short run with the Baltimore Ravens this year which concluded after the team cut him in November.
Tyron Woodley Reacts To Le’Veon Bell’s Tweet
Tyron Woodley, Image Credit: UFC.com
Woodley would respond to Bell’s challenge directly, warning the former NFL pro not to underestimate him based on one knockout loss.
Cause i made one mistake you think it's sweet? Don't get it fucked up homeboy https://t.co/kaRtVzn4Xy
“Cause i made one mistake you think it’s sweet? Don’t get it f*cked up homeboy,” said Woodley.
Woodley may well be interested in taking on Bell, having retweeted Paul’s comment on the situation and posting his own status.
Paul’s promoter, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), is no stranger to letting footballers lace up boxing gloves. Long-time San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore fought just this weekend in an exhibition against former NBA player Deron Williams.
While Woodley hopes to fight in MMA again someday, he recently noted that he is open to doing more boxing as well. A fight against Bell would give him the opportunity to score his first win in the sport.
Do you want to see Tyron Woodley vs. Le’Veon Bell?
