MMA News

Author: Nicole Bosco

  • Julianna Peña Is Down For Meisha Tate’s Plan to Both hold UFC Titles

    Julianna Peña likes Miesha Tate’s idea of them both holding UFC titles.

    Julianna Peña and Miesha Tate are good friends so wouldn’t them both holding UFC titles at the same time be great? That is the idea that Tate has for the future. She has decided to make the move down to flyweight in order to pursue a championship without attempting to dethrone her friend and former training partner. Upon hearing this idea, the bantamweight champ has to agree.

    “I think that that’s great,” Peña told MMA Fighting. “If Miesha, (who) I do believe will find a ton of success at 125 and can fight for the belt at 125, I think there would be nothing better, especially for the UFC and for the sport, and particularly for the state of Washington to have two Washington champions at 125 and 135. That’s the plan.”

    Tate decided to return to the UFC following a four-year retirement. As a former champion, Tate was looking to regain her belt in the bantamweight division. However, her path was stalled when she lost to Ketlen Vieira in November. At that time it was Peña who got the title shot. She defeated Amanda Nunes in December and will now be the one to beat at 135 pounds.

    Because of their close relationship, Tate would rather take her shot at cutting weight and fighting at 125 pounds instead of waiting around. She has her first test at flyweight when she takes on Lauren Murphy in May at UFC Fight Night 209.

    If she can get past Murphy, who is sitting in the #3 spot in the rankings, she might be next for champion Valentina Shevchenko. The only two fighters ahead of Murphy on the official rankings are Katlyn Chookagian who is no longer signed with the UFC and Jéssica Andrade, who is making a move back to strawweight.

    Do you think this plan for Tate and Peña to both hold UFC titles at the same time is feasible?

  • Charity MMA Event To Be Held To Help Fight Juvenile Diabetes

    A charity MMA event is being held to raise money to fight juvenile diabetes.

    In Jackson Tennesee, the organization known as Black Ties and Boxing is getting ready to hold its annual charity event to raise money for juvenile diabetes also known as Type 1 Diabetes. This is an MMA event featuring local fighters all putting on a show to raise money for a good cause. The event first ran in 2017 and has been going strong every year except in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Event-goers will have a cage-side seat for some good fights and will be supporting a good cause at the same time.

    “One day in 2016, a few of us sat down at lunch to talk about something we could do to raise money for JDRF, and we wanted to do something different,” Rachel Ryan, coordinator for Black Tie and Boxing told The Jackson Sun. “That’s why we’re doing this, to help fund the research to hopefully find a cure to this awful disease,” Ryan said. “This is a great event that people enjoy and they help raise money for a great cause at the same time.”

    Also part of the event is a group of people called Black Tie Fight Club. They are people who volunteer to learn how to fight. They train for three months at the local gym called The Fightshop. Through their training, they will be raising money for the cause at JDRF-Tennessee. At the end of the three months, they will have the opportunity to fight in the event.

    Each year this event has grown and the organization is looking to make its goal this year of $200,000. This Black Tie and Boxing event is set to take place on Saturday, Jan. 22 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. To donate to this cause, visit the Black Tie and Boxing website.

    Do you want to see more MMA charity events?

  • First-Ever Combat Sports Festival To Be Held In Corpus Christi, Texas

    The first-ever Combat Sports Festival is set to be held in honor of a late MMA fighter.

    In Corpus Christi, Texas there will be a festival held to showcase all different types of combat sports. The event is to honor a local man named Robert Villegas who lost his battle with COVID-19. Villegas was a gym owner in the area and did a lot to help out kids and others who wanted to learn martial arts. This event is being put on by his wife in his memory.

    The event will be a place to showcase all different types of combat sports, from boxing to MMA, and more. The proceeds from the event will go to the charity started by Villegas’s family called the Robert Villegas Foundation, which helps support families affected by COVID-19.

    Villegas was a professional fighter who fought for Xtreme Combat and had one fight in Bellator. He was a fourth-degree black belt in jiu-jitsu and owned his own gym. He would give free training to kids who couldn’t afford to pay.

    “He always felt strongly about keeping kids off the streets. He was always very keen to help kids from disadvantaged families” Valerie Villegas told Kris 6 News.

    This event is a way to honor Villegas and allow people to see the thing he loved most, combat sports. The money raised will go to help kids pay for training when they need it as well as uniform costs and competition fees.

    Included in the demonstrations are showcases of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo, Boxing, Judo, Muay Thai, and Wrestling. The event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 22, and starts at noon and ends at 4 p.m. at CC Boxing Club, located at 6726 Evans Rd. in Corpus Christi.

    Do you like seeing all martial arts displayed in the same place?

  • Ngannou Believes The UFC Is Responsible For Gane Being The Betting Favorite

    Francis Ngannou is blaming the UFC for the betting odds on his upcoming main event against Ciryl Gane.

    UFC 270 is just one day away and it will be headlined by a massive heavyweight title unification fight. Champion Francis Ngannou will be taking on his former training partner, interim champion Ciryl Gane. leading up to this fight the betting odds are swinging in favor of Gane, who is currently a very small betting favorite at around -120.

    Ngannou disagrees with this line and is blaming the UFC’s hard push on Gane as the reason.

    “Well, usually, I don’t look (at) those stuff, and I don’t care about it because the first time that I lost against Stipe, I was the favorite, by far the favorite,” Ngannou said in an interview with Max Kerllerman on ESPN’s This Just In. “And it didn’t go (my way). So those doesn’t matter much.

    “And honestly, I think right here, the reason is just because in the past month, they’ve been doing everything to promote him and technically, I would say dispromote me. And people cannot sleep on my performance and forget about me.”

    There has been a rough relationship between Ngannou and the UFC ever since he won the title. Just months after he was crowned that champion, the UFC set up an interim title fight.

    Following that, there have been some contract negotiation issues that have placed Ngannou’s post-UFC 270 status in question. Although Dana White has been doing his best to downplay the severity of the disagreement, Ngannou still seems unhappy and could possibly leave the UFC with a loss on Saturday night. If he were to win, however, the ball would be in his court and perhaps he could get what he wants.

    You can catch Ngannou’s full ESPN interview below.

    Do you think the UFC has been promoting Ciryl Gane more than Francis Ngannou?

  • Brandon Moreno: It’ll Be Nice To Send Figueiredo To The 135lb Division

    Brandon Moreno is looking to send Deiveson Figueiredo packing.

    A flyweight title fight is set for the co-main event of UFC 270 this Saturday night. Champion Brandon Moreno will be looking to defeat former champion Deiveson Figueiredo and hopefully put this feud behind him. This fight will be the third time these two have fought consecutively, and Moreno is hoping the third time is a charm and he can finally move past this opponent and continue defending his title against the rest of the 125 pound division.

    The first time these two fought each other the bout ended in a majority draw in which Figueiredo kept the title. The second time Moreno won decisively with a third-round submission. The UFC surprisingly decided to run this back for a third time immediately.

    The fight could have never been made at all because there were rumblings of Figueiredo moving to bantamweight after the loss and brutal weight cut prior to UFC 263. Moreno was surprised to learn this but remains willing to help Figueiredo with the move this Saturday.

    “Yes, at first I was a little bit surprised, but at the end of the day, the first fight was incredible, second fight was total domination, but maybe the trilogy can be nice to finish the job in the third fight and put Deiveson in the 135-pound division,” Moreno told MMA Fighting.

    Figueiredo has been teasing a move to bantamweight. He has historically had a difficult time making the 125-pound limit in his time at flyweight. For his first title fight against Joeseph Benavidez, Figueiredo missed weight and although he was victorious, he was unable to win the belt due to missing weight.

    If he loses to Moreno once again, he might have an easier time gaining another title shot if he does make the jump up ten pounds, at least as long as Moreno is on top.

    Do you think Deiveson Figueiredo will leave the flyweight division with a loss at UFC 270?

  • Miesha Tate Plots FW/BW Takeover Along With Julianna Peña

    Miesha Tate wants to hold a UFC belt right next to her friend Julianna Peña.

    Miesha Tate is the former bantamweight champion. She is now looking to add another championship to her résumé but this time at flyweight. She recently decided to make the move down to 125 pounds mainly so she would not have to face her friend, newly crowned bantamweight champion Julianna Peña.

    Tate and Peña go way back to before Peña was in the UFC. They trained together and then Tate had the chance to coach Peña on The Ultimate Fighter. Now that Peña is holding the strap at 135 pounds, Tate doesn’t want to be the one to take it away.

    “Another reason, although I know I’m a little bit away from getting a potential title shot, but with Julie being crowned the champion at 135 also, I would just prefer if we could be champions at the same time together and Pacific Northwest Takeover,” she said on The MMA Hour.

    Not wanting to dethrone her friend was not the only reason Tate gave for this move. After suffering her first loss since returning from retirement, Tate feels she will be able to perform better at flyweight. After five years away from the UFC, Tate made her comeback last year. Physically, she seemed to be in better shape than ever. She appeared leaner and perhaps this led to the decision to drop down the additional ten pounds.

    Tate already has her flyweight debut all set. She will be taking on Lauren Murphy at the UFC Fight Night event on May 14. Murphy is a longtime contender at 125 pounds. She is coming off a title shot loss to champion Valentina Shevchenko, which was her first loss in three years. Murphy is currently ranked third in the division. If Tate can get past her, she might find herself pretty close to a title shot.

    Do you think Miesha Tate and Julianna Peña will reign as UFC champions simultaneously?

  • Woodley To Haters & Online Trolls: Jake Paul Would Knock You Out, Too

    Tyron Woodley is firing back at the people hating on his loss to Jake Paul.

    It’s been just over a month since Tyron Woodley was knocked out by Jake Paul in their second fight against each other. Woodley has been catching some heat from haters and people online since the loss. Woodley has some words for those who are criticizing his loss and, in turn, is giving some credit to Paul.

    “And a lot of people are saying that, ‘Aw, you lost to him again! Aw, you got knocked out!’ He would literally fuck a lot of y’all up, like MMA fighters and other people that are just bumping at the gums, he’s an athletic kid that don’t have no job beyond this,” Woodley told MMA Fighting. “He don’t have no kids. He don’t have no business running. He can have the best trainer, the best coaches, the best nutrition, the most focus. He can separate himself.”

    Woodley was a last-minute replacement this time around when Paul’s original opponent, Tommy Fury, dropped out. Woodley first faced Paul in August and lost that fight by decision. In his second attempt, Woodley was vocally more confident that he could defeat Paul, however, he was mistaken. Woodley is now giving Paul the credit he deserves.

    Now that Woodley and Paul have run their course fighting each other, “The Chosen One” is not ready to just sit down and retired from boxing. One rumored possibility for his next opponent is fellow UFC alum Dan Hardy.

    As for Paul, he is still moving forward with his boxing career after winning an award for “Breakout Boxer of the Year”. He was recently rumored to be fighting with Mike Tyson, but Tyson shot those rumblings down instantly. Paul has also been hinting at a move to MMA. If he does follow through with that plan perhaps he might consider giving Woodley another shot.

    Do you think you personally could beat Jake Paul in a boxing match?

  • Gane Believes A Fight With ‘Inspiration’ Jones Could Happen Win Or Lose

    Ciryl Gane is looking towards a heavyweight legend next, win or lose at UFC 270.

    UFC 270 goes down in Las Vegas on Saturday night and the main event will crown the undisputed heavyweight champion. While interim champion Ciryl Gane has his hands full taking on Francis Ngannou, he can’t help but look to another fight. Gane believes that with former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones targeting a move to heavyweight, the two will eventually meet.

    Jones could be next for a title shot following UFC 270, but a win for Gane is not the only scenario where he sees the two of them opposite the Octagon from each other. Gane believes he will see Jones one way or another.

    “Even if I lose, I think this fight can happen because a lot of fans and media talk about this fight because you have a really good matchup,” Gane told GIVEMESPORT.com. “Jon Jones was an inspiration to me when I started my career. Not a hero per se, but a model, and an inspiration as a fighter. Jon Jones is very well-rounded, I want to be this kind of fighter, so yeah I’m very interested in this fight.”

    Although Jones is new to heavyweight, he has been a vet of the light heavyweight division for a long time. He has ruled the 205-pound division since 2011. Gane, on the other hand, only burst onto the UFC scene in 2019 and has quickly made a name for himself. He represents a “new guard” in the organization and he thinks his generation will do great things.

    “I love my generation. I think just behind me there are a lot of future stars. Like, I like to say his name, but Tom Aspinall is a really good fighter.”We have a lot of names when we talk about the new generation just behind me and I think they are the future of the division.”

    Gane is undefeated as a professional and, at only 31 years old, could have a decent amount of time ahead of him at the top. If he becomes the heavyweight champion on Saturday night, he might get the chance he has been waiting for: a fight against Jon Jones. With a long enough run as champ, he could get a chance to face a few vets of the division as well as some up-and-comers.

    Would you rather see Jon Jones face Gane or Ngannou in his divisional debut?

  • Bisping: Michael Chandler Has A Right To Call Nate Diaz Out

    Michael Bisping is coming to the defense of Michael Chandler.

    Michael Chandler is in a strange place inside his division. He is a big name that many fans like to see compete. However, now he is on a two-fight losing streak and his next step is uncertain. Chandler has been asking for some big names to fight next, such as Tony Ferguson, Conor McGregor, and Nate Diaz. While some people might not think these are suitable options, Michael Bisping thinks Chandler should shoot his shot.

    “You know whаt I meаn when I sаy Michаel Chаndler deserves credit? Lаst yeаr, he hаd а fаntаstic yeаr; he didn’t win the belt, but he wаs involved in three incredible fight,” Bisping said on his Believe You Me podcast. “Agаinst Dаn Hooker, he got Debut of the Yeаr. He won Fight of the Yeаr аgаinst Justin Gаethje аnd then fought for the belt аgаinst Chаrles Oliveirа. In 2021, he pumped up the UFC with а lot of energy. When you mаke thаt kind of noise, live up to the hype, аnd put on those kinds of shows, f*k it. He hаs the right to cаll Nаte Diаz out.”

    Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor are two of the most called-out fighters on the UFC roster. A fight with either one of them means big money with a lot of eyes watching. Chandler is now sitting in the #5 spot of the lightweight rankings and just outside being able to get another title shot.

    Chandler has the idea of searching for a big-money fight while working his way back to a title shot. Bisping can’t blame him. It is not as if he is outside the top ten looking for Diaz or another money fight, which is a thing some fighters will try to make happen. He is top five.

    Now, Diaz has been fighting at welterweight recently. Chandler is willing to make the jump for a shot at Diaz. If this is his plan, it might not help his chances of getting closer to a lightweight title, but it will be a great opportunity.

    Bisping feels that just because Chandler has lost two now doesn’t mean he should be written off. He is still elite and has only lost to elite fighters. His last outing against Justin Gaethje shows that he can go through an all-out war and still come back for more. That is the type of fighter Nate Diaz looks to compete against, so maybe Chandler vs. Diaz could happen after all.

    Would you be interested in seeing Michael Chandler fight Nate Diaz?

  • Ngannou Felt As If He Was Fighting Miocic In His Mind During UFC 226

    The fight with Stipe Miocic took a toll on Francis Ngannou’s mind.

    Francis Ngannou is the UFC heavyweight champion and is a force to be reckoned with. He is lined up for his first title defense against interim champion Ciryl Gane, but in the leadup, Ngannou can’t help but think back to his first shot at the title, his 2018 loss to Stipe Miocic. Ngannou reminisced about this while speaking with Daniel Cormier.

    “The whole Derrick Lewis fight, I was [thinking] like, ‘OK, don’t rush. I mean, I remember in the Octagon in front of Derrick Lewis, was telling myself, ‘Don’t rush. Calm down,” Ngannou said. “Don’t rush. Don’t rush. You have all the time. You have all the time. Until three rounds.”

    The loss against Miocic at UFC 220 was the first of Ngannou’s UFC career. The loss put a halt to the hype train that Ngannou had been riding up until that point. The knockout machine was put through five tough rounds against Miocic, unlike any fight he had been in up to that point. It seemed that the mental toll it took on him continued through his next fight.

    Derrick Lewis believes Francis Ngannou
    Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

     “I swear to God, at the end of the fight, I thought it was like maybe the second round or something,” He explained. “I wasn’t even there. Because I was still fighting Stipe in my mind. I was just like, “Calm down, you’re gonna cut him. You’re gonna have time. Take your time.’ So time was going by, and I wasn’t realizing how fast time was going. I was like, ‘I’m good’ until like, ‘Oh, this is the end?’ I was even surprised.”

    The loss to Miocic and Lewis are the only two stains of Ngannou’s UFC resume to this point. Ngannou got back on track against Curtis Blaydes and racked up four more wins. He found his way back up to Miocic, and this time would not be denied. Ngannou is the champ now and plans to stay there for quite some time. He will have his first test as champ on Jan. 22 at UFC 270.

    What do you think of Ngannou’s mindset and the toll the fight with Stipe Miocic took on him?

  • Blaydes: Miocic’s Win Over Ngannou More Impressive Than UFC 260 KO

    Curtis Blaydes is not giving Francis Ngannou heavyweight GOAT status just yet.

    With a very exciting heavyweight title fight coming up on Jan. 22, featuring champ Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane, another heavyweight is giving his thoughts on the division. Curtis Blaydes sat down with MMA News to discuss what he makes of the champion and the rest of his possible competition.

    Blaydes spoke a bit about the differences between Ngannou and former champion Stipe Miocic. Blaydes isn’t ready to give the title of GOAT to Ngannou just yet and even feels that Miocic’s win over Ngannou was more impressive to him than Ngannou’s win over Miocic.

    “No, no. That still goes to Stipe… Ngannou has not done enough, in my opinion, to be the greatest ever,” Blaydes said. “He’s very, very good, but when we’re talking the GOAT, you have to start to nitpick, and I’m gonna nitpick,” said Blaydes. “He’s lost rounds. Like, he got owned when he fought Stipe the first time. That wasn’t a good look. He got owned. I’ve never seen, even when Stipe lost, he never got owned. Like, he got knocked out by Ngannou; at heavyweight, anybody can get knocked out.

    “I’m a lot more impressed by decisions. I know that’s weird to say, that a unanimous decision is more impressive than a knockout, but at heavyweight, anybody can get knocked out,” added Blaydes. “That’s just what heavyweights do. But for you to skillfully beat a guy for five rounds, that’s very impressive. I’ve yet to see a Ngannou do that. He hasn’t had to do that yet, but I don’t think he has that ability. I don’t think he wants to be in the Octagon for five rounds. He knows that’s not how he wins.”

    Blaydes is currently ranked fourth in the heavyweight division. He has only lost one fight in his last six and holds wins over Alexander Volkov and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Blaydes could find himself next in line for a title shot if Ngannou wins.

    Of course, there are other people in the mix, as Jon Jones’ heavyweight debut is looming and Stipe Miocic is still in the picture as well. Perhaps Blades could be matched up with Miocic sometime soon.

    What do you think about Blaydes’ perception of Miocic and Ngannou?

  • Francis Ngannou Says Therapist Warned Him About Fernand Lopez Years Ago

    Francis Ngannou has known that his ex-coach would be a problem for years.

    Francis Ngannou is getting ready to defend his heavyweight belt for the very first time this Saturday at UFC 270. He will be facing off against interim champion Ciryl Gane. Ngannou and Gane have a common bond. They used to be training partners, and Gane is still coached by Ngannou’s former head coach Fernand Lopez.

    In the leadup to this fight, Lopez has been trying everything he can think of to get in the head of Ngannou. There has been some drama between Lopez and his former student. Ngannou isn’t all that surprised by this tactic taken by Lopez and says he knew that it would be a problem back a few years ago.

    “I won’t say I’m surprised knowing the person (Lopez). I always knew that something like this could come from him,” Ngannou said in an interview with UFC’s Megan Olivi. “I was in Paris two years ago after the Derrick Lewis fight, and I was dealing with some personal stuff on my end.

    Francis Ngannou Fernand Lopez
    (via Francis Ngannou’s social media)

    “I was so in the bad place that I decided to see a psychiatrist. If you look at the psychiatrist’s notes, it’s funny because even two years ago she pointed out Fernand as a problem and to watch out. I thought she was like, crazy. She started to break it down and put it on the note. Now I think she was all right.”

    Ngannou has had to deal with a lot leading up to this fight. He has been having some negotiation problems with the UFC and could be getting ready to leave the organization. Add in all the trouble he has had to deal with from Lopez, including threatening to leak a sparring video of him and Gane sparring.

    Ngannou might not only be fighting for his UFC belt on Jan. 22 but also perhaps his peace of mind. He will be looking to put Gane, Lopez, and possibly the UFC behind him.

    What do you think of a therapist warning Ngannou to watch out for Lopez?

  • Pimblett Credits Former UFC Women’s FW For Early MMA Development

    Paddy Pimblett is giving credit to his early training partner.

    Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett is the new kid in the UFC block. He made his promotional debut last year in a big way. The former Cage Warrior champion had a warm reception when he came to the UFC and won his first fight. Pimblett is now giving some props to the people who helped him get his start in MMA.

    “Something I think that helped me a lot, and Paul (Reed) always says it helped her as well, was Rosi Sexton. When I first started training, she had not long been signed by the UFC. She might had not even been signed by the UFC yet. And I became her sparring partner,” Pimblett explained to ESPN.

    “So at the age of 15, I was sparring with Rosi, who was a brown belt in jiu-jitsu, and she’d fought all sorts. She’d fought a who’s who of women’s MMA. She just hadn’t fought in the UFC yet. I think she’d just beat Roxanne Modafferi. I was sparring with her for that fight. So when I was like 15, before I’d even fought, I was sparring with Rosi, just before she was going into the UFC and for her UFC fights. I was sparring with her until I eventually got too big for her. That’s something that I always say, that helped me a lot.”

    Sexton fought in the UFC for two fights back in 2012-2013. In her time there she lost both fights to Jéssica Andrade and Alexis Davis. She also faced Joanna Jędrzejczyk before she came to the UFC. She also faced Gina Carano back in 2006. Pimblett gives credit to one other female training partner for helping fighters such as himself get started in MMA.

    “You see it nowadays with Molly (McCann). Molly spars with the young lads who are like 15, 16, 17,” Pimblett said. “It brought me on tenfold, lad. That’s one thing that I don’t ever really mention, but I need to thank Rosi for that. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be as good as I am.”

    Pimblett is now on a three-fight winning streak including his UFC debut win over Luigi Vendramini. Pimblett’s look and fighting skills have made him a UFC star overnight. He is being called out by several fighters. Although his next matchup is not set yet, Pimblett is hoping to make it into the Octagon three times this year.

    What do you think of Paddy Pimblett’s introduction to MMA training?

  • Cormier: Like It Or Not, There Are Different Rules For Conor McGregor

    Daniel Cormier knows that the regular UFC rules do not apply to Conor McGregor.

    Daniel Cormier spent seven years in the UFC. During his time there, he was both light heavyweight champion and heavyweight champion. He was one of the biggest names at the time, but even he could see that it was nothing compared to Conor McGregor.

    Now that he is retired from fighting, Cormier is asked quite often what he thinks about current events in the UFC, and he has no problem speaking his mind.

    Cormier was recently interviewed by The Schmo and was asked about Conor McGregor possibly getting a title shot in his return. Now, most people might agree that that is not something that should be happening next for the slumping McGregor, but Cormier is a realist. He knows the rules do not apply to McGregor.

    “Honestly, I really do believe that there are different rules in regards to Conor,” Cormier told The Schmo. “And people might not like it, people may hate it but if he is healthy and he starts to chirp and Oliveira is chirping back at him and there is fan interest, I can see a world where it happens. But again, it would make so many people upset – ultimately a lot of times it comes down to dollars and cents.”

    McGregor is the most popular fighter on the roster and is by far the biggest earner for the company. If anyone can receive a title shot coming off two consecutive losses and a broken leg, it would be him. Cormier is right that money talks and not just from a UFC brass point of view but to his potential opponents as well.

    McGregor is probably the most called out fighter in the UFC. Anyone close to his weight class has been asking for him. Champion Charles Oliveira has already welcomed the idea of McGregor getting his shot, no doubt because of the money the fight would earn him.

    McGregor is still healing up from his broken leg. Only time will tell if he gets his wish and fights for a title upon his return to the lightweight division.

    Would you like to see McGregor get an immediate lightweight title shot?

  • Peña Would Love To Bring Ronda Rousey Out Of Retirement For Grudge Match

    Julianna Peña is already sorting out opponents for her championship reign.

    It has been just one month since Julianna Peña became UFC bantamweight champion, but she is already making a list of possible opponents. The top name on her dream list is a well-known name, but no longer in the UFC. Peña has a desire to lure Ronda Rousey back from retirement to settle an old score between them.

    Peña got her start in the UFC as a member of The Ultimate Fighter Season 18. That season was coached by Rousey and Miesha Tate. Peña was a member of Tate’s team and also a friend of hers. Throughout the season, there was a lot of hatred between the coaches and Peña. Being friendly with Tate, Peña took some of that hate from Rousey as well.

    “She really had a tough time getting along with me on The Ultimate Fighter,” Peña told The NY Post. “She didn’t like me at all because I was friends with Miesha Tate. She wasn’t the nicest.”

    Rousey has a very successful run as the champion of the bantamweight division but hung up her gloves back in 2016. After a short time with the WWE, Rousey is now out of combat sports and raising a family. That doesn’t stop Peña from calling her out though. She would welcome a shot at that former champ if she ever got the itch to return.

    “It would be amazing to pull Ronda Rousey back out of retirement,” She said. “It would be great to have her come back to UFC and fight again.”

    Peña is just beginning her run as the 135-pound champion and has already done something Rousey could not, beat Amanda Nunes. Peña is not holding out for Rousey at this time but she is still holding a grudge.

    “I don’t know that she’ll recall this because she ended up getting taken out by her entire team,” Peña said. “But when we won ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and got out of the house, she told me that, ‘You’re gonna give me a tougher fight than Miesha Tate, but when that day comes I’m still gonna kick your ass….’ I kind of said to her, ‘We’ll see.”

    Would you like to see Ronda Rousey return to the UFC and face Julianna Peña?

  • Two Major Changes To UFC 270 Card Announced

    UFC 270 is just a week away, but there have been a few changes to the card.

    The UFC 270 card will be the first UFC Pay-Per-View in 2022 and it is stacked. The headliner is a heavyweight title matchup between Francis Ngannou and interim champion Ciryl Gane.

    The interesting circumstances between these two fighters and the fact that they used to train together have made this bout the standout on the card. The rest of the main card and prelims are filled with top talent as well. However, there have been two important changes to the event recently.

    The first change is Greg Hardy is off of the UFC 270 lineup. Aleksei Oleinik was originally booked to face Hardy but had to withdraw from the bout. Hardy was then paired against Sergey Spivak. Hardy made the announcement himself on Instagram.

    The other shake-up to the UFC 270 fight card is Charles Jourdain has stepped in to face Ilia Topuria after his original opponent Movsar Evloev fell ill. This news was first reported by Álvaro Gª Colmenero on Twitter. Topuria is currently undefeated as a professional and is now on a three-win streak in the UFC. Jourdain is coming off a win over Andre Ewell just a few weeks ago.

    With these last-minute changes, the current UFC 270 fight card is as follows:

    Main Card (ESPN+ PPV, 10:00 PM ET)

    • Heavyweight Francis Ngannou (c) vs. Ciryl Gane (ic)
    • Flyweight Brandon Moreno (c) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
    • Bantamweight Cody Stamann vs. Said Nurmagomedov
    • Featherweight: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Jourdain

    Preliminary Card (ESPN2, ESPN+, 8:00 PM ET)

    • Middleweight Rodolfo Vieira vs. Wellington Turman
    • Bantamweight Tony Gravely vs. Saimon Oliveira
    • Welterweight Bout: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Pete Rodriguez
    • Welterweight Bout: Michel Pereira vs. Andre Fialho

    Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass, 6:00 PM ET)

    • Bantamweight Raoni Barcelos vs. Victor Henry
    • Welterweight Trevin Giles vs. Michael Morales
    • Lightweight Matt Frevola vs. Genaro Valdez
    • Women’s Flyweight Kay Hansen vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
    • Strawweight Bout: Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez

    What is your pick for UFC 270 Fight of the Night?

  • Dana White Explains Why Cejudo Was Not Selected To Replace Holloway

    Henry Cejudo will have to wait if he wants a title shot upon return.

    Dana White hears pleas from fighters all the time. Many times fighters think they deserve a title shot, but White has to be the person to set them straight. This is the case recently with former two-division champion Henry Cejudo.

    Cejudo wanted to return from retirement and step in to face Alexander Volkanovski when Max Holloway pulled out. Instead, the UFC went with Chan Sung Jung as the replacement. White has now explained why that was the road taken.

    “I can tell you this: The ‘Korean Zombie’ has been here fighting,” White told BT Sport. “This guy’s retired. He’s been off for how many years now, and he wants to come in and fight Alexander Volkanovski? You’ve got guys like the Zombie, Josh Emmett, Giga who’s fighting this weekend. You’ve got these guys that are in here doing it three times a year and working their way up. For Cejudo to retire and then just think he should be able to come in and jump into any weight division and take on the champion, it’s not how it works.”

    Cejudo retired from MMA following his last win back in May of 2020. However, since he walked away he has still continued to tease a return. His desire to fight again has been a bit more prevalent recently. Cejudo was interested in a return to bantamweight but has been calling out featherweight champion Volkanovski as well. Cejudo was interested in jumping into the title fight with Volkanovski but has never competed in the UFC featherweight division.

    Unlike Cejudo, Jung has been active in the featherweight division and has won three of his last four against top opponents. If Cejudo is serious about a return, the UFC would most likely accept it. However, he might need one fight at 145 pounds against someone in the top five if he is looking for a title shot.

    Do you think Cejudo’s résumé could allow for an immediate title shot?

  • Ciryl Gane Likens Francis Ngannou To Video Game “Final Boss”

    Ciryl Gane is looking to beat the “game” of the UFC.

    Recently, we had a UFC champion in Charles Oliveira crowned after a long, hard-fought road in the UFC. Ciryl Gane is not like that. He has only seven fights in the UFC, but he has made them all count.

    Now, he is getting ready to fight for his first undisputed UFC title against a familiar foe, his former training partner and the reigning heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Gane is aware that this fight with Ngannou is the most important of his career, and the way he is looking at it could win him the “game” of the UFC in a way.

    “For me, yes it’s (Ngannou fight) different than Derrick Lewis (at UFC 265), not because it’s Francis, but because it’s the champion, you see,” Gane explained on The MMA Hour. “And the champion is a really great fighter, with a lot of strength. I like to say that this is the ‘final boss’ (like in my) video games [LAUGHS]. It looks a little bit like that. So yes, this time, like every time, if I make a mistake, it’s gonna be okay, if I will make a mistake. If I lose, I’m really okay with that. Like every fight in my career it was like that, but this time I want to do the last step, you see, that’s why it’s a little bit different.”

    If Gane is feeling pressure heading into UFC 270, he is hiding it well. He has already proven that he is one of the best heavyweights in the sport as he is now holding the interim belt. He and his coach Fernand Lopez are very familiar with Ngannou and his fighting style. They all trained together for some time before Ngannou left. Lopez has spoken numerously about how they know Ngannou’s tendencies and are ready for his fighting style.

    Gane has yet to lose in his career. He burst onto the UFC scene just three years ago and has been turning heads ever since. If he can beat Ngannou and claim the heavyweight strap, that will not be the end of this “game.” In fact, Gane could find himself in a “murderers row” of fighters waiting to try their hand at the new boss. Waiting in the wings for the champion come Jan. 23 are former champion Stipe Miocic and former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

    Who do you think will win and become the UFC’s “final boss” at heavyweight on Jan. 22, Francis Ngannou or Ciryl Gane?

  • Daniel Cormier Has No Interest In Training Jake Paul At AKA

    Daniel Cormier is not keen on the idea of Jake Paul joining his gym.

    Jake Paul has taken the world of boxing by storm. He might be one of the most talked-about fighters on the planet. Now, he is teasing a transition to MMA and wants to train at one of the best gyms in the country, American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). That gym is home to some of the best the UFC has ever seen, including Khabib Nurmagomeodv, Cain Velasquez, and Daniel Cormier.

    Recently, AKA Head Coach Javier Mendez spoke about Paul possibly joining the gym. He expressed admiration for what Paul has done to get his fight career off the ground but also mentioned that the team needs to vote on him joining and if anyone is against it he would not be welcome. One man is already speaking out against the move. That man is Daniel Cormier.

    “No, I have no interest in that,” Cormier told The Schmo on his Youtube channel. “It seems like a lot of ploys, right? It’s always ploys. I don’t know how true much of it is, but it seems like a ploy to me, so I’m not going to play that game.”

    Paul and Cormier have had their share of public trash talking. Cormier was critical of Paul and his boxing skills, so Paul offered to fight Cormier. Cormier responded that he would face Paul but only in an MMA fight. Now that Paul is actually planning a go at MMA, perhaps training with a man you want to fight is not a good idea.

    Cormier is retired from MMA and is likely not going to fight Paul at all. However, retired fighters are exactly who Paul targets. And with the amount of money offered in Paul’s bouts, Cormier, who has a huge weight advantage, might just be persuaded to take one more fight.

    Do you think Daniel Cormier would ever fight Jake Paul in MMA or boxing?

  • ONE Championship Will Award Fight Bonuses Of $50,000 For “Gameness”

    ONE Championship will be awarding fighters who give it their all.

    ONE Championship is hoping to have a very successful 2022, and they will be making it more lucrative for fighters. According to The South China Morning Post, the organization will be handing out fight bonuses of $50,000. Much like the UFC, these fight bonuses will be given to fighters who put on exceptional performances.

    ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong spoke a bit about why they are giving out these bonuses.

    “We have always given out $50,000 bonuses but it was not every event. It was if there were spectacular performances we have given out for the last several years,” CEO Chatri Sityodtong explained on The MMA Hour. “This year is the first year that we will give out every single show, several of these $50,000 bonuses. Our main criteria is performance of course, but gameness. Gameness we define as fighting every second of the fight to finish.”

    The UFC has been giving out performance bonuses for a long time. While they typically give out “Fight of the Night” and “Performance of the Night” bonuses, ONE Championship will be using a different type of scale to award these prizes.

    “Even someone who loses can win,” Sityodtong said. “We gave this bonus to Timofey Nastyukhin who knocked out Eddie Alvarez, he fought Dagi Arslanaliev just a few weeks ago, and man, you have to watch this fight, I don’t know if you saw, no one expected it to be this crazy. I decided that both of them get $50,000 because it was crazy gameness.”

    ONE Championship will now move forward with giving these bonuses out every event. They hold events roughly twice a month and have a very big show coming up on March 26. That event will be called ONE Championship: ONE X event and is set to feature big names such as Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Shinya Aoki, and Sage Northcutt.

    Do you like the criteria that ONE Championship will use to give out bonuses?

  • Sean O’Malley: “I Feel Bad” For Cody Garbrandt

    Sean O’Malley went from trash-talking Cody Garbrandt to now feeling sympathy towards him.

    Sean O’Malley is coming off a great win at UFC 269. At that same event, former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt lost his flyweight fight against Kai Kara-France. Leading up to that UFC 269 event, Garbrandt and O’Malley were trash-talking towards each other, and it seemed like they would like to fight in the future. However, O’Malley’s feelings towards Garbrandt have changed.

    “After Cody got knocked out, I got asked at the press conference, ‘What do you wanna say?’ And I just, I feel bad for him,” O’Malley told Michael Bisping on his podcast. “He’s lost a lot of fights in a row, and I don’t really have anything negative to say about him.”

    O’Malley has found himself in the top fifteen on that bantamweight rankings for the first time in his UFC career. He has caught heat in the past for not facing ranked opponents, and when he was targeting a former champion in Garbrandt that, might have been his way of proving the haters wrong. Now, Garbrandt is no longer ranked in any division and O’Malley is looking towards other opponent options.

    “It’s just tough. I go out there and beat him, I do not see it doing much for me right now… He’s 1-6 or something in his last seven,” O’Malley said. “I think he’s won one fight since 2017. I go out there and beat him, it doesn’t really do what it would’ve three or four fights ago. I go out there and lose to Cody, who’s 1-7 and got knocked out, that does a lot of negative damage towards me. I just don’t think that’s realistically the next fight.”

    O’Malley is right about Garbrandt having only won a single fight in his last six. Since losing the bantamweight belt, he has had a hard time inside the Octagon. It is unclear at this time if he will remain at flyweight or revert back to 135 pounds. Either way, it is highly unlikely he will face off against O’Malley next based on these latest comments.

    What do you think Cody Garbrandt should do going forward?

  • Ex-Coach: Ngannou Lacks The Dedication, Sacrifice, & Skill To Be A Boxer

    Francis Ngannou’s dreams of becoming a boxer might be over before they began.

    Francis Ngannou is just one of the UFC fighters who are looking to make some extra money by trying their hand at boxing. The road paved by Jake Paul has given former UFC fighters a chance to make a huge paycheck in a “celebrity” style boxing match. Ngannou has been toying with this idea himself and has been asking for a shot at Tyson Fury.

    One man who is not so sure of Ngannou’s chances against “The Gypsy King” is his former coach Fernand Lopez.

    “I think the fight makes sense for Francis because he thinks he can cash out. There’s also something there for Tyson Fury, he doesn’t care that it’s not a competitive fight, he just wants to make money and make some news,” Lopez told The Mac Life. “It would take at least three years for Francis Ngannou to be competitive from a boxing standpoint with Tyson Fury, and I mean three years only dedicated to boxing. Realistically, he would have to stop everything else and probably do nothing else for three years, only boxing. No grappling, nothing else. The way that his body and muscles are built, it will not allow him to keep throwing punches after the third round.”

    Ngannou is known for his power in the UFC heavyweight division. Who can forget when he sent Alistair Overeem into the shadow realm at UFC 218, but can his power translate over to the squared circle? Lopez thinks not.

    “I’m not sure Francis can ever challenge the stamina or endurance of Tyson Fury,” Lopez said. “All he can do is have a high defense; be elusive, close footwork, change direction. But eventually, Tyson will wear him down, get him tired, work the body and then go up with the uppercut, and sooner or later Francis will give up because of the volume, because of the pressure shots and he will just go down.

    From Homeless to UFC's Next Big Thing: Francis Ngannou's Amazing Journey | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights
    Francis Ngannou

    “I don’t see how he can win the match. This is an opportunity for him to cash out. I’m not sure if you’re a UFC fighter it’s worth letting it all go and have three years boxing training–how would you live your life, what would be your income? And after three years, you may be competitive enough to stand there and keep throwing punches.”

    Lopez was Ngannou’s first MMA coach in France. He led him to the UFC and saw him rise up the ranks. However, the two have since had a falling out and Lopez is now the head coach of Ngannou’s upcoming opponent Ciryl Gane. Having trained Ngannou for years, Lopez thinks he knows what to expect in the main event of UFC 270. He and Gane are preparing for Ngannou and all of his strengths and weaknesses.

    “We are not expecting anything brilliant, Francis is not a boxer,” Lopez said. “You train a lot to be a boxer. Boxing needs dedication, boxing needs sacrifice, you need years and years to train. So we know the outcome of that fight. The question is how much Francis Ngannou can cash out, because he only has one shot. Because objectively speaking, he cannot think about having a boxing career because his boxing skill will not be enough for him to become a boxer.”

    Do you think Francis Ngannou would have what it takes to succeed at boxing?

  • Daniel Cormier Believes Jon Jones Should Dictate HW Title Picture

    Daniel Cormier thinks Jon Jones could be next for the heavyweight title.

    Daniel Cormier knows what it is like to be the UFC heavyweight champion. Now as a retired fighter and UFC analyst, Cormier is on the outside looking in. With a heavyweight championship bout happening in just a few weeks, the future of the division is now a topic of conversation. Cormier believes that the winner between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 will find themselves matched up with Jon Jones next.

    “Honestly, it’s just a matter of when Jones gets there,” Cormier told The Schmo. “And rightfully so.

    “For all that he’s done at 205, when he goes to heavyweight, it is his matchup to turn down. It has to be for Jon Jones and what he decides to do.”

    Jon Jones was the longtime king at light heavyweight. He decided to make the move to heavyweight back in May of 2020 but has yet to do so. He is working on his physique and putting on weight to get ready for his heavyweight debut.

    Last year, there was some UFC negotiation trouble and legal trouble that made Jones’ return to the cage unclear. However, with all this Jones drama, Cormier still thinks it will be him next in line anyway, not former two-time champion Stipe Miocic.

    “As much as Stipe is probably deserving, are we talking deserving, or what is going to happen?” Cormier explained. “Because even though Stipe is deserving, Jones makes it known that he is at heavyweight and ready to fight he’s going to be the guy who gets the title fight.”

    Stipe Miocic is itching at another chance at Ngannou or whoever is holding the belt come Jan. 23. Miocic was the longest-running UFC heavyweight champion and has been waiting for a shot to show that he is still champion material. Miocic was overlooked when the UFC decided to make the interim title and now might be waiting even longer if Jones jumps the line.

    Do you agree with Cormier that Jones will get a title shot before Stipe Miocic?

  • Leon Edwards Reacts To Covington/Masvidal UFC 272 Booking

    Leon Edwards had to add his two cents in when Covington vs. Masvidal was announced.

    Some big news was announced on Tuesday afternoon as UFC 272 had a new headliner. In a surprising twist, the event will now have a non-title fight featuring Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal as the main event. Fight fans all over the world began to express either their interest or disappointment in this match-up. Leon Edwards was the latter group.

    “2 bums coming off losses,” Edwards wrote on Twitter.

    Edwards, Masvidal, and Covington have all been circling the top of the welterweight division. There may have been a time in the past year that they were all rumored to be fighting one another.

    Edwards has been vocal about wanting a title shot, especially once Masvidal was forced out of their fight with an injury. Now with Masvidal and Covington locked up, that could mean Edwards finally gets the shot at Usman he has been wanting.

    Another reason this matchup is abnormal is, as Edwards pointed out, both men are coming off losses. This type of bout is not usually considered for a PPV main event, but the background between the two fighters and their growing animosity makes it a very compelling fight for most fans.

    Usman is coming off a win over Covington in November. Following that win, he stated that he would like to take some time off to spend with family. A return date has not been mentioned, but perhaps he could be ready to face Edwards in the summer.

    Do you like Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal as the non-title fight main event of UFC 272 in March?

  • Chikadze Shares How White Boosted His Motivation Ahead Of Kattar Fight

    Giga Chikadze is using some words from the boss as motivation.

    This Saturday night, Giga Chikadze will be facing arguably the toughest test yet of his UFC career when he fights Calvin Kattar in the main event of UFC Vegas 46. Coming into this match-up, Chikadze feels he is close to a title shot and, with a win, will surely be campaigning for one. And he will be walking into the Octagon with some motivation he received from UFC President Dana White.

    “I even had a quick chat with Dana since I was at the P.I.,” Chikadze told MMA Junkie. “We had some interactions there. He said, ‘You’re right there. Handle your business and then we’ll talk after.’ (I have) even more motivation from that, I guess.”

    Chikadze is coming into this bout with Kattar having won every fight he has had in the UFC. He made his promotional debut in Sept. 2019 and has been working his way up to the top. His last three wins were all TKO victories, and each earned him a performance bonus. He is now ranked eighth in the division. And with a victory over Kattar this Saturday, he should find himself ranked in the top five.

    “I just want to warn everybody that I have a fight this weekend,” Chikadze said. “I’ll be knocking out people that no one would believe I was going to knock them out – in a minute, in a striking way, in this, in that. I just want them to open their eyes and watch this weekend very well, and after this make a decision. I’m just concentrating to perform the best I’ve ever been.”

    Kattar is not an easy opponent for anyone. He is coming off a loss against former champion Max Holloway in a Fight of the Night performance. Prior to that, he had two straight wins over top opponents and is currently sitting in the number five spot in the rankings. This bout between Kattar and Chikadze could hold title implications now that Holloway is out of his title shot against Alexader Volkanovski.

    Do you think Giga Chikadze has what it takes to beat Calvin Kattar and fight for a title?