MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo 4 Reportedly Targeted For July

    UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo is reportedly set to face familiar foe Brandon Moreno in the first title defense of his second reign.

    Per Ariel Helwani’s Substack, the promotion have settled on the pair, who have shared the Octagon three times across the past year-and-a-half, as the next championship clash at 125 pounds.

    The tetralogy, which is being targeted for July, will represent the flyweight division’s fourth consecutive championship collision between Moreno and Figueiredo.

    After seeming unstoppable following two brutal victories over the now-retired Joseph Benavidez, as well as first-round opening defense against Alex Perez, Figueiredo hoped to close out 2020 with a fourth comfortable triumph when he met Moreno at UFC 256.

    While he left Las Vegas’ Apex with his reign in tact and the gold still in his possession, it was far from an easy night for the Brazilian, whose win streak was halted thanks to the Mexican’s grit to fight for a majority draw. That, as expected, forced a rematch between the elite flyweight duo six months later.

    At UFC 263 last June, Moreno shocked the word by securing a heart-warming title crowning. He did so by submitting “Deus Da Guerra” in the third frame via rear-naked choke inside Arizona’s Gila River Arena.

    After top contender Alexandre Pantoja couldn’t make the UFC’s desired December date, Figueiredo was given an immediate chance at redemption, which went down one month later than planned on January 22 earlier this year. In a five-round war at UFC 270, the Brazilian chose power over volume, a strategy that paid off in the form of a unanimous decision verdict and the sound of ‘and new’ in front of a Moreno-supporting California crowd.

    Despite the pair’s saga sitting at 1-1-1 across three outings, some in the MMA community will undoubtedly be surprised at the latest revelation, with many previously expecting this weekend’s bout between Askar Askarov and Kai Kara-France at UFC Columbus to determine the next contender.

    It won’t come as a shock, however, to Figueiredo’s manager, who suggested an immediate fourth fight was likely following his client’s January success.

    Usman/Edwards 2 & Figueiredo/Moreno 4 In International Fight Week?

    If the targeted July date comes to fruition, fans may be in store for a blockbuster championship double-header. The UFC 276 pay-per-view appears set to go down from Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena during International Fight Week on July 2.

    If Moreno vs. Figueiredo 4 is added to the card, it may well slot in behind the rematch between reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman and top contender Leon Edwards.

    “The Nigerian Nightmare” is currently recovering from hand surgery, but both Ali Abdelaziz And UFC President Dana White have identified July as the likely return of the 170-pound king.

    Having shared the UFC 270 card with the heavyweight unification clash between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane, Moreno and Figueiredo are certainly used to providing an exciting appetizer for a fellow championship fight.

    If the rumors are to be believed, their tetralogy may well be in as similar spot this summer.

    Who do you think will win if this fight comes to fruition, Deiveson Figueiredo or Brandon Moreno?

  • Darren Till Details Prank Khamzat Chimaev Pulled At The UFC PI

    While we would expect Darren Till and Khamzat Chimaev to be up to no good in the gym, it turns out the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas isn’t safe, either.

    While their interactions on social media and hilarious Instagram Live session had teased a budding ‘bromance’ between the two UFC stars, not many would have been expecting the pair’s link up to have gone as well as it has.

    What started as an offer from Chimaev to help train Till following the Englishman’s devastating loss to Derek Brunson last September has blossomed into an unlikely friendship.

    It has since seen the pair spend weeks together at Stockholm’s Allstar Training Center, travel to the US, and even go to dinner as a fearsome threesome with UFC President Dana White.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbWuMfNO6ky/

    Having spent so much time in each other’s company, it’s unsurprising there are some hilarious tales to be told. One of those was revealed last week, and it perhaps won’t please UFC staff…

    Till Snitches On Chimaev’s PI Prank

    Having traveled to London to support teammate Tom Aspinall’s main event clash with Alexander Volkov this past weekend, Till completed a Q&A session with his home fans during fight week.

    When asked to disclose the craziest thing he’s done alongside “Borz,” the Liverpudlian suggested that would have to stay behind closed doors.

    “I can not say on the mic [LAUGHS]. I’ll be surprised if we make it through this year though,” joked Till. “He told me he wants to come back to Liverpool and train and live.”

    However, there was one moment Till was willing to narrate, and it perhaps demonstrates the kind of shenanigans most would expect from the pair’s ventures.

    “I’ve got a brilliant story that I think is funny. So, we’re training at the UFC PI in Vegas, and obviously, all fighters eat free and stuff like that, but they have a fridge full of like, protein drinks and monsters and like, these nice milk drinks they do,” recalled Till. “So me and Khamzat were getting our food the other day and he looks at me, and he’s got like, his big UFC bag, and he goes—starts just ruffling everything into his UFC bag.

    UFC 267: Khamzat Chimaev has championship talent, says Dana White
    Khamzat Chimaev

    “So the next day, I was coming out to the changing rooms and I heard one fighter say to his friend, ‘F*cking hell, I’ve been coming here everyday for the past week and there’s no drinks [LAUGHS]. So yeah, there’s a good story. He’s probably messaging me right now.”

    I think we can expect the UFC to add some additional cameras around the drinks fridge moving forward…

    Are Darren Till and Khamzat Chimaev the best duo in MMA right now?

  • Sean Strickland Blasts ‘Pathetic’ Colby Covington Over Recent Comments

    It’s safe to say that Sean Strickland is not a fan of Colby Covington.

    After Covington defeated Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272, he was asked in an interview about his thoughts on Strickland, and ‘Chaos’ was dismissive saying he didn’t know who he was and wondered if Strickland was a girl.

    After catching wind of the comments, Strickland took to his Instagram to blast Covington for his comments. (h/t MMAMania)

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYNoO8P3f2/

    “I thought [Donald] Trump’s c—k would of been too deep in your mouth for you to speak …” Strickland’s caption to an Instagram video read. “Just because someone can fight doesn’t mean their not a coward.. @colbycovmma Look what happened when you got called out for being a troll you ran away and pulled out your phone. You’re a f-cking Karen.

    “Covington, you like to run your f—king mouth,” Strickland continued. “You didn’t run your mouth when I seen you now you run your mouth now on the internet. Bro, we all see what [Fabricio] Werdum did to you. Werdum walked up to you, f—king punked you, you ran away and you pulled out your phone and recorded him like a f—king Karen, bro. You’re a f—king embarrassment. Yeah, I’ll be honest with you, you’re a good fighter but like, as far as a man, you’re f—king pathetic.”

    Of course, the Werdum incident he is talking about was when he allegedly threw a boomerang at Covington in Australia and it caused quite a scene. It also shouldn’t be a surprise to see Sean Strickland take a shot at Covington, as he is also vocal about a lot of things.

    Although Strickland is taking a shot at Covington, it seems unlikely they will ever fight. Strickland is at middleweight and seems comfortable there while Covington is a welterweight. However, he has talked about wanting to face Israel Adesanya, so maybe he’ll consider moving up to face Strickland first prior to ideally challenging Adesanya.

    Would you like to see Sean Strickland fight Colby Covington?

  • Tom Aspinall: Tai Tuivasa Will Pop My Cherry

    UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall has offered fellow contender Tai Tuivasa the chance to pop a certain alcohol-related cherry of his.

    If anyone was uncertain of Aspinall’s credentials as a member of the heavyweight elite in the UFC prior to this past weekend, it stands to reason they aren’t anymore.

    In the main event of UFC London, which took place inside the O2 Arena in England’s capital, Aspinall thrilled the home crowd by submitting former Bellator champion and six-time UFC headliner Alexander Volkov. The finish, which came via a straight armbar, represented the Russian’s first submission loss since 2010.

    Having breezed past “Drago” and risen five spots to #6 in the rankings, Aspinall has set his sights on a member of the top five, and a charismatic and entertaining one, at that.

    After calling out the #3-ranked Tuivasa in his Octagon interview, Aspinall channeled his inner “Bam Bam” by chugging some beer on his way to the back. But one thing was missing… a shoe.

    Aspinall: Only Tuivasa Can Take My Shoey Virginity

    In less than a year, Tuivasa’s brand as a fighter has expanded into the shoey business. What started after a victory over Greg Hardy last July at UFC 264 has quickly become a mainstream topic, and even a profitable one for the Australian powerhouse, even if the UFC did keep the most recent shoey celebration at UFC 271 off our screens…

    Given the questions directed towards Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis ahead of their clash last month, it seems inevitable that shoey talk will be an integral part of the 29-year-old’s pre-fight buildups from now on. And while a clash with Aspinall is far from official, the drinking practice is already on the agenda.

    During his appearance at the UFC London post-fight press conference, Aspinall revealed he’s yet to lose his ‘shoey virginity’. The Englishman also praised Tuivasa for developing the shoey into a business in the form of the ‘Shoeyvasa’.

    “I’m a shoey virgin at the moment, but if Tai wants to do one, I will,” confirmed Aspinall. “Big shout out to Tai for doing his thing with the shoey. I started seeing that he’s making money off that as well so, respect man.”

    When MMA journalist Oscar Willis wanted in on the shoey action then and there, Aspinall revealed there’s only one man who can pop his shoey cherry.

    “I’ll only do one with Tai… When Tai comes to the UK, Tai will pop my cherry,” said Aspinall.

    While the prospect of post-fight shoeys is always a bonus for the fans in attendance, the one constant that’s remained alongside Tuivasa’s celebrations is his brutal knockouts that have come prior to them.

    With Aspinall now experiencing a similar rise up the heavyweight ranks and recording a victory over a high-ranked perennial contender, a matchup with Tuivasa is sure to bring fireworks if it comes to fruition.

    UFC London: Aspinall vs. Tuivasa later this year anyone?

    How do you think a fight between Tai Tuivasa and Tom Aspinall would play out? Would we see “Bam Bam” complete another victory shoey?

  • Stephen Thompson: McGregor Will Get ‘Demolished’ If He Faces Usman

    Stephen Thompson is not sold on Conor McGregor moving up to face Kamaru Usman.

    There has been some talk lately about Conor McGregor wanting to move up to welterweight and challenge champion Kamaru Usman for the title, that talk is coming from McGregor himself.

    The former dual champion at 145 and 155 pounds is looking to make another jump when he is cleared to return to the UFC. McGregor has fought at 170 pounds before and although that might not be his natural weight class, he is confident he can hang with the best.

    There are some people who are doubters of McGregor and his skills, however. One man who believes that McGregor would have no shot at beating Usman is Stephen “Wonerboy” Thompson. Thompson spoke about this on his podcast.

    Stephen Thompson
    Stephen Thompson (Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa)

    “[McGregor’s] going to get demolished [by Usman]. Yeah, he’s going to be a big fight, a big payday but you’re going to get demolished,” Thompson said via Sportskeeda. “Dude, I love you Conor but you put on the weight like that and you’re fighting a dude at 170 [pounds]. I mean you got to try and put some weight on to become a real 170 [pounder]. I mean, look at Kamaru, look at the biceps and shoulders on that guy. [And] he’s got both attributes, he’s got cardio for days and he’s one of the top wrestlers in the welterweight division.”

    Thompson has fought some of the best the UFC welterweight division has to offer. He has been in some wars and has fought in two title fights. He knows as well as anyone what it takes to compete in the welterweight division. McGregor’s two fights at 170 pounds were a loss against Nate Diaz and a win against Donald Cerrone.

    Having three losses in a row at lightweight, this move could be a new beginning for McGregor. He is currently out dealing with the recovery of his leg injury he suffered his last time in the Octagon. At this point, a timetable for his return is unconfirmed, but he is expected to be back in action by early fall.

    How do you think Conor McGregor would fare against Kamaru Usman?

  • Volkanovski Admits Regret Over “Silly” Tweet About Holloway’s Injury

    UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has looked back on his response to Max Holloway’s injury and subsequent recovery, describing his remarks as “silly.”

    After securing a decision victory over Yair Rodriguez in a FOTY contender last November, a win that secured his second headlining triumph of 2021, Holloway appeared set for a third crack at adding the opening blemish to Volkanovski’s UFC record, a feat he’d failed to manage in 2019 and 2020.

    In January, it was announced the pair would headline UFC 272 this month. But after agitating a previous injury, “Blessed” was forced to withdraw, paving the way for “The Korean Zombie” to step in for the Australian’s next defense, which was moved to UFC 273 in April.

    But after making a fast recovery, Holloway was reportedly keen to serve as backup for the April 9 pay-per-view main event, something that clearly agitated the 145-pound champ, who took to Twitter to accuse his rival of faking the injury.

    After many came out in support of Holloway, suggesting the former titleholder would never create an excuse to pull out, Volkanovski has now admitted his tweet was out of line.

    Volkanovski Walks Back Holloway Accusations

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Volkanovski was asked whether he’d received any more information about Holloway’s apparent willingness to be the backup fighter for UFC 273.

    In his response, “The Great” took the opportunity to address his previous remark. Volkanovski admitted he let his frustration and confusion get the better of him, something he says he’s been working to avoid moving forward.

    “I didn’t get clarification (on Holloway’s willingness to be backup for UFC 273). Obviously, I heard about it, and obviously, it was frustrating,” said Volkanovski. “At the time, you know, I really wanted that fight. So once he got injured after they’d already announced it early, it was all a little bit confusing and frustrating. So you’ve seen my frustration. I wanted to tweet and get that—have a little shot at Max and his fans. But that was the only reason, which was pretty silly on my behalf, to be honest. That just shows you where my head was at back then. That’s something that I’ve really been working on lately.

    Alexander Volkanovski Max Holloway
    Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway (Image Credit: Louis Grasse/PxImages & Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

    “I bring that up just purely because, as you could see, it obviously, things that I’d say—I don’t know if he (Holloway) even asked for that (backup slot), let’s be real,” added Volkanovski. “That could’ve just been, I think it was Brett Okamoto who put it out there? I was like, ‘What, how is this gonna work? As if we’re gonna have out trilogy on a late-replacement.’ So I was a little frustrated. But for me to even let it get to me, and we don’t even know the real story behind it, it just shows me how much I was diving into the wrong sh*t, if that makes sense? I felt like I had to say something about it when I didn’t even know if it was true.”

    With Holloway seemingly ready to go in April and beyond, it stands to reason the victor of next month’s PPV main event will be standing opposite the Hawaiian in the Octagon soon after.

    If Volkanovski manages to secure his third title defense and 21st consecutive MMA victory in Jacksonville next month, the much-awaited trilogy should be a go.

    Do you agree with Alexander Volkanovski? Were his comments directed to Max Holloway unnecessary?

  • Why Staying In The PFL Was A Smart Move For Kayla Harrison

    It was the moment Kayla Harrison’s dream was shattered. Sitting cageside at UFC 269, the two-time PFL women’s lightweight champ watched in disbelief as monumental underdog Julianna Peña took the back of Amanda Nunes, sunk in a rear-naked choke, and forced the Baddest Woman on the Planet to tap.

    For months, speculation had been rife that Harrison, at the time testing free agency, would soon sign with the UFC, face Nunes, and perhaps become the first to dethrone the seemingly unbeatable Brazilian. But as she watched Peña beat her to it, Harrison knew that the opportunity of her career—to defeat the GOAT and thereby claim the title for herself—had just passed agonizingly by.

    Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo gold medalist with a 12-0 MMA record, has consistently voiced her ambition to become the greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time. And that’s why, earlier this month, the 31-year-old shocked many fans by spurning an offer to fight the very best in the UFC, and instead, re-sign with the PFL.

    Perhaps Nunes’ defeat factored into her decision. The massive spectacle (and payday) that a matchup with the Brazilian promised is now a far less attractive prospect. That aside, it seems there are other compelling reasons why Harrison may have made the right decision—both financially and for her long-term career.

    Why Staying In The PFL Is Good For Harrison’s Career

    Harrison only made her pro MMA debut in the PFL just under four years ago. Despite her claim that she could beat UFC bantamweight champ Peña with one arm, Kayla is still relatively inexperienced in MMA and, it can safely be argued, untested.

    As inexperienced Kayla is, the opponents thrown her way in the PFL are even more so. Her last opponent, Taylor Guardado, had a pro MMA career spanning less than two years and four fights when the duo met in October last year. Her opponent before that, Genah Fabian, had just five fights. And if Harrison’s opponents aren’t inexperienced, they have worryingly checkered records. When she fought Mariana Morais in May last year, the Brazilian was 16-10.

    Kayla Harrison
    PHOTO: ESPN

    Sure, Harrison has looked impressive, having ended seven of her twelve fights in the first round. But whether she can defeat someone like Amanda Nunes, whose 14-year, 26 fight career has mostly taken place in the UFC, is highly debatable. Fighting Nunes or Peña now would certainly be in their favor, and if Kayla were to lose, it would irreparably damage her star power. Fighting them after a few more years growing as a mixed martial artist in the PFL will surely be in Harrison’s.

    And why not stay and work on her game in the PFL, where she’s made $2 million by winning the lightweight tournament in the last two years? And now with her new contract, Harrison is reportedly the highest-paid female mixed martial artist of all time. Despite the UFC offering Harrison a “first-of-its-kind” deal during her free agency, even its president, Dana White, believes the easy, more-than-generous paydays she earns in the PFL are too good to give up.

    “They pay her an obscene amount of money to fight over there,” White said of Harrison’s PFL stint in October. “If I was her, I’d stay right where she is and keep picking off the people over [there]. When you come here [chuckles], Amanda Nunes is no joke; Shevchenko is no joke; Rose Namajunas—these are all the best women in the world, the best female fighters in the world.”

    The Personal Reasons Keeping Kayla Harrison In The PFL

    Part of the reason why Harrison made the decision, it seems, is because she’s motivated by conflicting ambitions. Yes, she wants to prove she’s the best. But having recently acquired legal guardianship of two children, her quest for GOAT status has become complicated by the need for financial security.

    “Three years ago, I would have said legacy,” Harrison said of her ambitions in a February interview with ESPN. “That’s all I give a shit about. My advisers, they care about security. Obviously, I have two kids now, so for me, as hard as it is, security comes first. I have to make sure. There’s no guarantees in this life. There’s no certainties. I could snap my neck tomorrow and never fight again. Security is important. But if I can find a way to have security and continue to build my legacy, I think that’s a winner.”

    The question is: can Harrison have her cake and eat it too?

    Kayla Harrison
    Kayla Harrison (Image Credit: PFL MMA)

    The Less Travelled Road To GOAT Status In The PFL

    Having been given assurances by the PFL, Kayla Harrison earnestly believes that she’ll get the big, legacy-building fights while fighting in the promotion. And one matchup that she feels will help her on the road to GOAT status is with Bellator featherweight champ Cris Cyborg, which PFL founder Donn Davis has promised to aggressively pursue through a cross-promotion. 

    “When I talked to Donn, and one of the things that really sort of put my worries about my legacy to rest, was he was like, ‘Listen, ‘I don’t care if we have to do this on the Moon, I don’t care if we have to cross-promote, co-promote, we’re going to make this fight happen. This is the fight to make happen,’” Harrison told The Underground this month. “I was like, ‘Well, hell yeah, it is. Let’s go.’”

    Unlike the UFC, which is notoriously unwilling to stage a cross-promotion fight, there’s a good chance that Bellator will, having previously done so with Rizin Fighting Federation in 2019. But even if Harrison were to land a big-money fight with Cyborg, defeating her would by no means confer GOAT status in the eyes of fans.

    So, is Harrison sacrificing her prime years in a promotion that many, including Peña, regard as the ‘B-Leagues?’ There’s certainly an argument for that. But by staying in the PFL for a few more years, Harrison will emerge a much more complete fighter. And if she does enter the UFC in the future, she’ll undoubtedly have a much more realistic chance of becoming the greatest of all time.

    What do you think? Was staying in the PFL the right move for Kayla Harrison?

  • Dana White: Paddy Pimblett Could Headline A Fight Night

    Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett could be on to bigger and better fight opportunities ahead.

    UFC London was full of star power and great finishes. Many hometown fighters saw big wins, including Paddy Pimblett.

    Dana White believes Paddy 'The Baddy' Pimblett is the real deal following his UFC London win | MMA News | Sky Sports
    A victorious Paddy Pimblett

    Pimblett was coming into UFC London with high expectations. He is a rising star and has gained a huge number of fans since joining the UFC. With all eyes on him, he was able to get the impressive win and could have just sealed a bright future ahead of him in the UFC.

    Along with all the fans who were impressed, the performance also left a lasting impression of Dana White. White can see Pimblett’s star power and can also see him headlining a card in the future when asked at the UFC London post-fight press conference about this.

    “That was quick. I don’t know. I mean, his numbers say yes. His numbers say yes. He could headline a Fight Night,” White said.

    Pimblett made his second walk to the Octagon at UFC London. His first-round submission win over Kazula Vargas was his second win in the UFC and although he is still a newcomer people are calling his name.

    Pimblett was in the Cage Warriors organization before coming to the UFC. He did have the opportunity to headline two events when he was a champion in Cage Warriors, one at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, proving he can rise to the occasion.

    There is no doubt many fans in attendance were there to see Pimblett. The noise was booming when he was walking to the cage and when he won. Pimblett has shown he can handle the spotlight and the pressure of headlining an event, so perhaps the next time the UFC is in the UK, it could be Paddy “The Baddy” at the top of the card.

    Do you think Paddy Pimblett is ready to headline an event?

  • Helwani Believes McGregor vs. Paul Is “Inching” Slowly Towards Fruition

    Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani thinks that while we’re still a wide distance from the goal line, the ball for a potential Conor McGregor vs. Jake Paul fight is now in play.

    Jake Paul has wanted a fight against Conor McGregor seemingly ever since he entered the world of professional boxing two years ago. Whenever speaking of his dream opponents, McGregor’s name has never been far from his lips.

    The same can’t be said about the other side, though. Not only has McGregor never expressed interest in fighting Paul, but he’s always ignored him whenever smack talk from the YouTuber was tossed in his direction.

    Part of that equation changed recently when McGregor finally responded to Paul after the 5-0 boxer criticized his boxing technique. Though the Irishman didn’t say much—one word to be exact—that word (“jackass”) along with some interpretable thawing on the Dana White front has Ariel Helwani believing that a McGregor/Paul fight could eventually happen.

    “I maintain that Dana likes Jake Paul. I maintain that Dana would want to do business with Jake Paul,” Helwani began on his program The MMA Hour. “I maintain that we are closer than ever—this is how the Mayweather thing started—to this fight actually happening. Now does it ultimately happen? No, but I believe it is more of a thing than it was six, eight months ago. 

    Jake Paul
    Credit: Complex

    “Conor responding to the tweet, Dana talking about it, not closing the door, talking weight and all this stuff—this would be the biggest fight in combat that can be made right now. It would do well over two million buys. And you can just see the interest building. You can see the wheels turning. You can see people starting to warm up to it, the important people. So again, I’m not saying it’s happening; it’s not happening. I’m just saying we continue to inch closer to it happening—inch closer, inch closer, appearance here, a question there, an answer there, an open door here.”

    Dana White has always maintained that he has no interest in doing business with Jake Paul. However, to Helwani’s point, White recently only questioned if Paul could make it down to 170 to fight McGregor as opposed to outright shutting the door in the YouTuber’s face per usual.

    But what’s most telling to Helwani is the subtle yet noticeable change in behavior from The Notorious One.

    “And then to me, the biggest thing was Conor directly responding. Because in the past, he always ignored, interviews—always deflected. A back-to-back MMA/boxing would be just gigantic. Will the UFC be willing to pay Jake Paul what he’s making in boxing? I mean, they could afford it. Do they want to set that precedent? I don’t know
If everyone puts their ego aside, there’s just a gigantic amount of money to be made.

    Jake Paul Conor McGregor
    Image Credit: Jake Paul’s Instagram

    “Now we do dismiss the size. Jake fights at around 190. Conor just barely makes 170. That’s significant. It’s really significant. But I just feel like we are closer than ever. Now when I say ‘closer than ever,’ do I mean we’re on the goal line? No. We might be on the five-yard line as opposed to being in the end zone just starting off. But I feel like there’s something happening here. That’s all I’ll say. I feel like we are inching, inching, inching, ‘inching—inching’ being the operative word—ever so slowly.”

    The last time the fight was proposed by Paul, it was for a UFC fight against McGregor. If Paul won, White would agree to Paul’s list of terms geared towards improving UFC fighter pay and benefits. If McGregor won, Paul would donate his entire fight purse to UFC fighters making less than $50,000 per fight and never speak of the UFC again.

    It bears noting that Helwani is merely speculating and not reporting any actual talks for a McGregor/Paul bout taking place. However, if this far-fetched pairing actually does materialize, you’ll most certainly get the scoop right here on MMANews.com.

    What do you think are the chances we’ll see Conor McGregor and Jake Paul fight in any capacity? 

  • Masvidal & Covington Reportedly Brawl In Restaurant, Police Called

    Best friends turned sworn enemies Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington reportedly extended their UFC 272 fight to a 6th round inside a Miami restaurant Monday night.

    Following the grudge match between Masvidal and Covington at UFC 272, it instantly became clear that there was still animosity between the two former pals.

    The beef continued with Covington gloating about his unanimous decision victory over Masvidal via relentless trolling and insults towards Masvidal long after the end of their contest. As for Masvidal, he did not mince words when he said that should he ever cross paths with Covington on the streets of Miami, he would still try to break his face.

    Colby Covington
    Colby Covington With Custom-Made “King of Miami” Belt

    Covington issued similar remarks. After once again proclaiming himself to be the “King of Miami,” he banished Masvidal from the city and warned that if Masvidal disobeyed the order to vacate, he would get “sparked” as a penalty.

    As it happens, both men reportedly had an opportunity to back up their words Monday night.

    Masvidal & Covington Reportedly Brawl In Restaurant

    According to the initial report from Andy Slater of FoxSports640, Masvidal and Covington fought inside Papi Steak restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida. Video soon emerged of Covington in the aftermath of the alleged brawl with several police officers nearby. You can view that video below.

    https://twitter.com/wiseguyMMA/status/1506139363046010883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1506139363046010883%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2F2022%2F03%2F21%2Fpolice-colby-covington-jorge-masvidal-fight-restaraunt%2F

    In the above video, Covington could be heard asking how Masvidal found out where he was. The man he was speaking to, identified as social media influencer Bob Menery, responded by informing Covington that he is all over the internet.

    Word of Covington hanging out with the Nelk Boys did, in fact, make its rounds over the web Monday and is what most likely tipped Masvidal off to Covington’s location.

    Team Masvidal React To Alleged Altercation

    There are currently no reports indicating any arrests were made following the alleged altercation; yet, Masvidal still proposed a mug-shot challenge, if you will, in order to settle who was the victor of round 6.

    https://twitter.com/GamebredFighter/status/1506117739139805188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1506117739139805188%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2F2022%2F03%2F21%2Fpolice-colby-covington-jorge-masvidal-fight-restaraunt%2F

    “I’m calling this the ‘Show Your Face Challenge.’ What’s up? I’m from Dade County. You talk that shit, you gotta back it up. That’s how my city rolls, man,” Masvidal said.

    Masvidal’s manager, Malki Kawa, would also hop on social media to imply that Covington’s face was indeed “broken” to the extent of a missing tooth.

    “I’m hearing that a someone not from miami who says he’s the king of it is missing a tooth. Can someone confirm this? I need the video asap.”

    Coincidentally, Masvidal shared a story prior to UFC 272 where he once invited Covington to a sushi restaurant to settle their differences. Judging from all appearances, the former buddies opted to resolve matters over some beefy steak instead.

    MMA News will keep you updated on this developing story and provide any video of the alleged brawl between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington the moment it becomes available.

  • Sonnen Thinks Charles Oliveira Should Thank Tony Ferguson

    Chael Sonnen believes Charles Oliveira should thank Tony Ferguson because without him, he wouldn’t have gotten the title shot.

    At UFC 256 in December of 2020, Ferguson stepped up to face Oliveira on just a few weeks’ notice. It was an intriguing matchup as ‘El Cucuy’ was linked to Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler before that. However, because he wanted to fight, Ferguson took the fight against Oliveira who was ranked below him. With that, Sonnen says Oliveira should be thanking Ferguson for the opportunity.

    “One real cool move that Tony did, he did it for Charles Oliveira and I’ve never heard Charles thank Tony, he may have thanked him but I didn’t hear it,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel (via Sportskeeda). “Oliveira was a really good fighter but he couldn’t get on a docket with one of the stars of the division. Tony was a star of the division, got up in the loft, threw the ladder down behind him so Charles could climb up.

    Ferguson Oliveira UFC
    Tony Ferguson vs. Charles Oliveira, UFC 256

    “Charles gets done with Tony, Tony has gotta figure out what he’s gonna do, Charles goes into a world title fight, the rest is history – but Charles does not have a world title fight let alone a world championship if it’s not for Tony Ferguson,” Sonnen added.

    After Charles Oliveira dominated Tony Ferguson for three rounds, he got the title shot against Chandler in May, on the same card Ferguson lost to Beneil Dariush. Oliveira ended up scoring a second-round KO to win the vacant belt and has since defended it with a submission win over Poirier.

    Although Oliveira has cemented his status as the current best lightweight in the world, Sonnen hopes the Brazilian thanks Ferguson. He will have the chance to do so again as they will once again be on the same card as Oliveira will headline UFC 274 on May 7 against Justin Gaethje while Ferguson will take on Chandler in the co-main event.

    Do you agree with Chael Sonnen that Charles Oliveira should thank Tony Ferguson?

  • White Names One Major Thing That Could’ve Improved UFC London

    UFC President Dana White has named the one thing missing from the promotion’s return to the UK this past weekend.

    For the first time since 2019, MMA’s premier promotion crossed the Atlantic to put on a stellar card. In England’s capital, the renowned O2 Arena played host to a card stacked with British talent and well-known international names.

    From Tom Aspinall’s memorable main event triumph over veteran contender Alexander Volkov to Paddy Pimblett’s sophomore outing to “Meatball” Molly McCann’s knockout of the year contender, UFC London certainly delivered, and it did so in droves.

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

    Nevertheless, while the event was unbelievably successful for the UFC, both in terms of fights and performances, and gate and revenue, Dana White believes there’s one thing that could have made it even better.

    Speaking in a post-event interview with BT Sport’s Caroline Pearce, the UFC president suggested a welterweight title shot for hometown favorite Leon Edwards was the only thing missing from Saturday’s memorable card.

    “The only thing that kills me tonight is that it would have been awesome for the main event to be Leon and (Kamaru) Usman,” said White. “That would have been incredible here. That was the only thing tonight that’s missing, if tonight is missing anything.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    White Reiterated Edwards’ #1 Contender Status

    After a 10-fight unbeaten run, Edwards has firmly secured a rematch with Usman and a shot at 170-pound gold in the eyes of many. While White confirmed as much earlier this year, he reiterated it during UFC London fight week while in the #3-ranked welterweight’s home country.

    During BT Sport’s Fight Week Live, White and Edwards were in attendance to answer questions from analysts and fans. When the topic of the Englishman’s potential championship opportunity came up, the UFC kingpin once again confirmed Edwards’ place as the number one contender.

    “He absolutely deserves the next title shot, and yes, I’m wishing for nothing but good luck for Edwards this year, he’s had a rough run,” said White. “Usman, we’re waiting for his hand to get cleared. His hand gets cleared and he’s got the fight.”

    With July’s UFC 276 event reportedly the target for Usman vs. Edwards 2, it appears UK fans won’t have to wait long for their man to finally fight for gold. If “Rocky” succeeds, he’ll join Michael Bisping as the second member of the UK’s UFC champions’ club.

    How do you think the expected fight between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman will play out?

  • Stefan Struve, Former UFC Fighter, Transitions To Broadcasting Career

    Former UFC heavyweight Stefan Struve has become the latest current or former fighter to make the transition to broadcasting.

    Struve hasn’t fought in the UFC Octagon since his first-round loss to Tai Tuivasa at UFC 254. He had lost five of his last six fights, including defeats to the likes of former champion Andrei Arlovski and Alexander Volkov.

    But despite Struve’s recent struggles outside of the cage, he’s making great strides outside of it as his MMA career comes to a close.

    In a recent tweet, Struve shared photos of him covering UFC London and introduced his social media following to his next career venture.

    “I’m happy to announce that at the beginning of this year the opportunity came up to start working for [EuroSport Netherlands] and [Discovery Plus Netherlands] as an analyst, commentator, and reporter,” Struve shared. “Great way for me to stay involved in the sport I love.”

    This piece of news is exciting for Struve, who announced his retirement from MMA last year following a stem of recent health issues. He later revealed that he had been dealing with an inner ear issue for the better part of a year and that training camps only made the injury worse.

    Struve made his UFC debut back at UFC 95 following brief stints in M-1 and a series of regional promotions in the Netherlands. During his UFC tenure, he earned massive wins over the likes of former champion Stipe Miocic and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

    Struve will look to join the ranks of Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen, and others who have made the transition to the broadcasting world. He is the latest example of a former UFC fighter who has achieved success in other areas after fighting.

    Which former UFC fighter, like Stefan Struve, is your favorite broadcaster?

  • White Shares Pick If He Could Only Give One UFC London POTN Bonus

    UFC President Dana White gave out nine post-fight bonus checks following UFC London, but UFC featherweight Arnold Allen stood out most to him.

    White had a lot to choose from when it came to deciding who would get the post-fight bonus checks, so he opted to give out bonuses to the nine fighters who picked up finishes. This included Allen, who blitzed Dan Hooker in the opening seconds of the fight en route to a first-round TKO victory.

    Arnold Allen beat Dan Hooker at half-time to propel himself into the title fray, leaving Kiwi in limbo - DailyNationToday
    Arnold Allen vs. Dan Hooker, UFC London

    Allen seized his opportunity in the UFC London co-main event slot and has now won 11 in a row in his MMA career. His TKO of Hooker was his first stoppage victory since 2018 when he submitted Mads Burnell.

    During his UFC London post-fight press conference, White tabbed Allen as his choice if he was forced to give out just one Performance of the Night bonus check.

    “I’d have to go with Arnold,” White said. “He just beat the s**t out of f**ing Hooker, who just moved down a weight class to fight in a lower weight class, and he did it within seconds of the first round, it’s crazy.”

    Allen wasn’t the only UK fighter who shocked the masses at UFC London. Tom Aspinall, Paddy Pimblett, and Molly McCann all picked up massive wins on the main card.

    Allen picked up four straight unanimous decision wins over Sodiq Yusuff, Nik Lentz, Gilbert Melendez, and Jordan Rinaldi before his stunning performance at UFC London. He used his post-fight interview to call out Calvin Kattar for a fight later this year.

    Allen’s performance puts him right in the thick of things in the featherweight title picture. After drawing quite the reaction from his fellow UFC colleagues, he could face a top featherweight contender for his next UFC outing.

    Who do you want to see Arnold Allen fight next?

  • Vicente Luque Reveals He Was Offered London Fight Against Chimaev

    UFC welterweight Vicente Luque has revealed he accepted a matchup with rising star Khamzat Chimaev for UFC London.

    Since arriving in the UFC, Chimaev has quickly grown from prospect to a contender and future champion in the eyes of many pundits and fans. In his four victories in the Octagon to date, “Borz” has knocked out Gerald Meerschaert and choked ranked 170lber Li Jingliang unconscious.

    With his 10-0 record and fast ascension up the UFC ladder, the anticipation for Chimaev’s fifth walk to the Octagon is high. And while fans are now looking forward to that appearance next month, it turns out if alternate plans had come to fruition, we’d be discussing another concluded Chimaev fight this week.

    This past weekend, MMA’s premier promotion returned to the UK for the first time since 2019. Thanks to memorable victories for Tom Aspinall, Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Ilia Topuria, and Paul Craig, the event will undoubtedly go down as one of the best of 2022.

    But according to the #4-ranked Vicente Luque, fans could have seen a crucial welterweight bout go down towards the top of the card.

    During a recent interview with The AllStar, the Brazilian claimed to have accepted an offer from the UFC to share the Octagon with Chimaev in London. While he’s unsure the reasoning for the matchup ultimately not coming together, Luque assured that he was more than willing to scrap with the Chechen-born Swede inside the O2.

    “I did get offered to fight Chimaev in London,” Luque revealed. “And I told the UFC that I was ready for that. I think Belal (Muhammad) was also offered that fight as well. But it didn’t work out… I don’t really know why it didn’t. They offered me the fight and I said I would take it. I don’t know if there was some sort of issue with Chimaev or if they wanted to wait and make the fight at another moment.”

    While White believes a title clash between English contender Leon Edwards and reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman is the only thing that could have made UFC London any better, it’s hard to deny that a Luque vs. Chimaev fight would have also added something to the memorable event.

    Crucial April Outings On The Horizon For Vicente Luque & Khamzat Chimaev

    With a collision in England’s capital this month not happening for either man, Luque and Muhammad will come together for the second time in a five-round headliner on April 17.

    With both sitting inside the welterweight top five and riding impressive win streaks, their UFC Fight Night main event will be crucial in determining a future challenger for the champion.

    Meanwhile, after missing out on the chance to fight in his home continent for whatever reason, Chimaev’s attention will now solely be on the toughest test of his career to date.

    A week prior to Luque vs. Muhammad, “Borz” will look to join them at the top of the division when he faces former title challenger and #2-ranked contender Gilbert Burns. The pair will meet on a stacked UFC 273 pay-per-view card set for Jacksonville, Florida on April 9.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cav4XoOszBO/

    With Edwards likely next in line for a championship opportunity, it stands to reason we’ll have a much clearer look at the queue for a shot behind “Rocky” at the conclusion of next month’s key welterweight fights.

    How do you think a fight between Vicente Luque and Khamzat Chimaev would have played out?

  • Nevada Supreme Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against Dana White

    The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in favor to dismiss the lawsuit Ernesto Joshua Ramos filed against Dana White.

    In 2020, White was named in a lawsuit for allegedly going back on a deal in which White’s name would not be revealed in the involvement of a sex tape. The lawsuit came after Ernesto Ramos, personal trainer and real estate agent, served 366 days in federal prison for extortion.

    Ernesto Joshua Ramos, Photo Credit: Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review

    The FBI arrested Ramos in early 2015 for extortion attempts. He pleaded guilty to threatening to publicize tapes of White and a woman having sex in a hotel room during a UFC event in 2014.

    Reportedly, the woman in the tapes was a Las Vegas stripper and Ramos’ girlfriend, who inconspicuously recorded her and White together with her cellphone. Her name was not revealed in the suit and there were no charges filed against her.

    In 2016, the district court judge dismissed the lawsuit against White after his lawyers debated there was no agreement made between White and Ramos. Ramos hired a new team of lawyers and sought to appeal the decision.

    And now, three Nevada Supreme Court judges decided to uphold the prior court’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit. The judges claim Ramos did not present any information to prove the court was wrong in their decision.

    In addition, they disagree with the validity of the contract made to keep White’s name a secret in exchange for $450k. However, Ramos denies demanding money from White to buy his silence but that it was for him to plead guilty.

    For now, White can relax and continue to focus on UFC matters. However, Ramos’ attorney Ian Christopherson is appalled by the Nevada Supreme Court’s decision and is seeking a second opinion of the case from the whole court.

    What are your thoughts on the lawsuit against Dana White being dismissed by the Nevada Supreme Court?

  • Israel Adesanya Jabs Till For UFC London Cage Jump, Till Fires Back

    UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya and middleweight contender Darren Till appear to not be as cordial as once previously thought.

    Till was in attendance to corner his friend, heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall, in the main event of UFC London. Following Aspinall’s first-round submission of Alexander Volkov, Till jumped on top of the cage with Aspinall to bask in the energy of the raucous London crowd.

    After watching the fight and the celebration, Adesanya wasn’t happy watching Till join in the post-fight pleasantries. He blasted Till during a UFC London live reaction posted to his YouTube channel.

    “Oh, sit down, Darren. It’s not your moment. Sit the f* down, it’s not your moment. Get the f* off.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

    Adesanya is fresh off his latest title defense against Robert Whittaker at UFC 271 and is expected to face Jared Cannonier next. However, he’s mentioned a potential matchup with Till happening if Till can get on another win streak.

    Darren Till Responds To Israel Adesanya

    After watching Adesanya’s reaction to Till jumping on top of the cage at UFC London, Till responded in a post on his Instagram story.

    “Adesanya you idiot, Tom Aspinall asked me to get on the cage with him,” Till replied. “Keep looking down on me for my losses, brother, it’s all good. I’ll be here one day, you watch


    “You haven’t looked the best either in your last few fights. Stay off the cocaine, it’s not healthy for fighters
”

    Till is planning on a return to the Octagon later in 2022, in a potential fight with Uriah Hall. He has predicted an “epic fight” between him and Adesanya being inevitable.

    Adesanya has emerged as one of the UFC’s top stars after earning the belt over Whittaker in their first matchup at UFC 243. He has gone on to earn wins over Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, and Robert Whittaker in defending his title.

    Meanwhile, Till has lost back-to-back fights to Whittaker and Derek Brunson since moving to middleweight. If he hopes to settle his beef with Adesanya in the Octagon, he’ll need to get back in the win column for his 2022 debut.

    Do you think we’ll see Israel Adesanya vs. Darren Till in 2022?

  • Update Provided On Civil Case Against Conor McGregor

    A pre-trial evidence discovery order was granted on Monday in the civil case involving Conor McGregor and an alleged rape victim in Ireland.

    The plaintiff, an unnamed woman, is in the process of suing McGregor for personal injuries after an alleged sexual assault took place at McGregor’s penthouse suite in 2018. McGregor has denied all accusations against him and he was not criminally charged after the alleged incident.

    The granted discovery of documents and other materials such as CCTV footage could be used by her legal team to prove her claim that McGregor sexually assaulted her.

    McGregor and an unidentified associate are being sued by the victim in the civil case. The victim has alleged that she and McGregor grew up together in the same neighborhood and had exchanged “flirtatious” direct messages on social media before the encounter.

    The discovery process of the civil case is expected to be completed within the next 10 weeks.

    On December 9, 2018, the victim and the unidentified friend were sent a vehicle by McGregor back to his suite. After allegedly taking cocaine in the vehicle, the victim and McGregor’s friend entered the suite when McGregor then allegedly attempted to force a sexual act.

    The woman has also alleged that McGregor’s friend sexually assaulted her the following day. She was rushed to a hospital by her mother after returning home and treated for bruising and sexual assault. Local police opted not to press charges against McGregor and his associate.

    McGregor is in the process of planning his UFC comeback in 2022 and has teased a return at welterweight against Kamaru Usman. He has recently downplayed the idea of a return to 155 pounds following his leg break against Dustin Poirier in their UFC 264 trilogy last year.

    MMA News will continue to bring you the latest on this developing story.

  • Dana White Rejects Narrative Of UFC London “Set-Up Fights”

    UFC President Dana White has rejected the narrative that this past weekend’s London event featured hometown “set-up fights.”

    For the first time in three years, the Octagon returned to England’s capital on Saturday. With it came a host of UK stars, contenders, and prospects all looking to put on a show in front of their home crowd inside the famed O2 Arena.

    While Mike Grundy, Jai Herbert, and Cory McKenna fell short in their respective clashes, the night was certainly a fruitful one overall for British MMA, with Tom Aspinall, Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Arnold Allen, Paul Craig, Jack Shore, and Muhammad Mokaev all emerging victorious.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbTcu42P3nv/

    While the likes of Alexander Volkov, Dan Hooker, and Nikita Krylov undoubtedly represented tough competition, many have suggested certain matchups were engineered for the hometown favorites to comfortably secure their moment.

    At the post-fight press conference, White rejected that sentiment, claiming every local name fought “tough” competition.

    “They were all fighting real people,” asserted White. “These weren’t like, hometown set-up fights. They fought tough guys.”

    White further shared that view later in his interaction with the media when assessing the performance of one of the card’s most popular names.

    White: Pimblett Showed He’s The Real Deal

    After a first-round knockout against Luigi Vendramini on debut, the anticipation for Paddy Pimblett’s sophomore UFC appearance was certainly high. That only increased after the Liverpudlian’s fight week altercation with Ilia Topuria and usual confident mindset.

    And despite appearing hurt early, as he also did last September against Vendramini, “The Baddy” recovered to once again finish it before the first round-ending horn. The ensuing celebrations saw the O2 erupt and merseyside friends Pimblett and McCann parading with each other in the cage.

    While some have suggested Pimblett was gifted a low-level opponent in order to secure a memorable main card moment in front of a home crowd, Dana White believes the former Cage Warriors champion showed the MMA community that he’s the “real deal.”

    “This week, I was getting tired of hearing, ‘Oh, wait ’till you see his walk, wait ’till you see this and that.’ I’m like, ‘I wanna see him fight. He needs to win.’ But he did. And he did spectacularly,” said White. “And when he was in trouble, he came back, and turned the fight around, and won.

    “All the talk going into this fight about his walk-in and all this sh*t, listen, it’s real. This kid’s got a ton of hype behind him. Tonight he showed everybody that he’s the real deal,” concluded White.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbTRy4CgRKv/

    While Pimblett’s rising stardom is undeniable, as was proven by the fact his pre-fight face-off with Vargas did nearly double the numbers of the main event on social media, it appears the jury is still out for many when it comes to his credentials in a stacked UFC lightweight division.

    With his plan being to fight at least two more times in 2022, “The Baddy” will hope to turn more heads by continuing his perfect start on MMA’s biggest stage.

    What did you make of the matchups at UFC London?

  • Leon Edwards Expects Trilogy After He Beats Kamaru Usman

    Leon Edwards expects to immediately be placed in a trilogy fight should he defeat reigning UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman in their eventual rematch.

    Since Jorge Masvidal was forced to withdraw from their match at UFC 269, Edwards has been in limbo waiting for his next fight. To make matters worse, the coronavirus pandemic ruined several promising matchups for Edwards, including Tyron Woodley and Khamzat Chimaev.

    For some time now, he has called out the pound-for-pound king Kamaru Usman to be next in line for a title shot. And it seems he will finally get his wish, as Dana White says Edwards is “100 percent” next to fight Usman.

    Usman beat Edwards back in 2015 by unanimous decision. Back then, they fought on the early preliminary card. Obviously, both fighters have grown since their first meeting inside the Octagon.

    Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards
    Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards at UFC on Fox 17, Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay- USA TODAY SPORTS

    For starters, Edwards went on to defeat nine opponents, back to back. Meanwhile, Usman has remained undefeated in the UFC and has taken down some of the division’s best—a couple more than once.

    But Edwards is far from worried. He plans to beat Usman and claim the welterweight throne when they battle again.

    Not only that, Edwards believes the only fight that can happen next is their trilogy match.

    “I believe so. I believe so. When I go out there and beat him, like I said, he’s been a dominant champion for a little while now, so when I go out there and take the belt off him, I can see #3 happening straight away. And from there, we’ll figure out what’s next,” said Edwards in an interview with MMA Junkie.

    With some fighters such as Weili Zhang, Deiveson Figueiredo, and the legendary Stipe Miocic getting instant rematches for title fights in the past, Usman receiving one as well is a strong possibility.

    For now, there is no date set in stone for Usman vs Edwards, but the bout is expected to be booked this summer, potential during International Fight Week.

    What are your thoughts on Leon Edwards expecting a trilogy match immediately following his potential victory against Kamaru Usman?

  • Dana White Disagrees With Poirier On Cormier’s Presidential Potential

    Dana White doesn’t think Daniel Cormier could replace him as UFC president.

    For years now, people have talked about who will replace White when he decides to retire. Many, including, Dustin Poirier thought Cormier would likely be the best replacement as he knows the sport and would be a great face for the company.

    “That’s a tough spot to fill,” said Poirier. “I’m not sure. I think Daniel Cormier maybe? Maybe somebody who’s been in combat sports. I don’t know if he knows a whole lot about the business side, but I think he would be a great face of a company.”

    However, prior to UFC London, White was asked about that by Robbie Fox of Barstool Sports and the UFC boss shut down the idea of Cormier. And he also revealed they have someone ready to take over but it isn’t that anyone knows.

    Dana White
    Dana White (Image Credit: Logan Riely/Getty Images)

    “There’s a formula to what we do and why we’ve been successful and there is a guy, there’s one guy that [can replace me],” White said (via Sportskeeda). “There’s certain things that I do that he wouldn’t be able to do but the important things that get done over there is what really matters and this guy could absolutely, positively, do it. Nobody would even know who the f*** he is. He’s a behind-the-scenes guy… Yeah, Daniel Cormier couldn’t do it. I love Daniel but Daniel couldn’t do it.”

    Although Dana White says he has someone ready, that isn’t Daniel Cormier, it’s likely White will still do this for years. He has openly talked about how much he loves doing this and is only 52-years-old so he can still do this for more decades if he wants. But at least now we know that there is, in fact, someone ready to take over if White is to retire.

    Who do you think would be a good replacement for Dana White?

  • Paddy Pimblett Responds To Ilia Topuria Saying He’s Afraid To Fight

    Paddy Pimblett has responded to Ilia Topuria already accusing him of ducking him.

    Before UFC London was even a thought, Pimblett and Topuria went back-and-forth on social media. Pimblett said some controversial things on social media about Georgia, where Topuria is from. It caused a major backlash and with them being on the same card at UFC London, they had a run-in at the hotel.

    Topuria and his team saw Pimblett in a room and approached him. After some words were exchanged, Pimblett threw a hand sanitizer bottle at his head. To no surprise, after Topuria picked up a KO win over Jai Herbert, he called out Pimblett but ‘The Baddy’ doesn’t seem too interested in it.

    “As I said, he’s just ‘hand sanitizer boy to me.’ A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinion of sheep,” Pimblett said after the fight.

    Although Pimblett didn’t seem too interested in facing Toupira, the Georgian said it is because he doesn’t have the “balls” to fight him. However, for the Brit, he says that is not the case as for him, he says everyone wants to fight him and he’s the star so he will decide who he gets next.

    “Everyone wants to fight me. Everyone wants to hang on my coattails. No one knew who ‘hand sanitizer boy’ was until he decided to start an altercation with me. No one knew who he was. I’m the (star). Everyone wants to fight me.”

    Paddy Pimblett did score a first-round submission over Kazula Vargas at UFC London. It improved him to 2-0 in the UFC and he is now an even bigger star as fans got to see how well-received he is in England. Ilia Topuria, meanwhile, scored a vicious KO win over Jai Herbert, but it seems likely he will drop down to featherweight.

    Do you think we will see Paddy Pimblett fight Ilia Topuria?

  • Dana White Reveals The Two Fights He Wants To Book In 2022

    UFC President Dana White has revealed which two potential fights he wants to book the most in 2022.

    With a host of stars, rivalries, and top stylistic matchups on the minds of fans every year, the role of White and the UFC matchmakers can’t be easy. But despite organizing over 10 weight classes that comprise a total roster of over 600 fighters, certain future bouts undoubtedly stand out.

    That’s certainly the case for the UFC president, who recently revealed the top two fights he’s hoping to put on at some point this year during a recent appearance on BT Sport’s Fight Week Live in London.

    “Well, let’s get Leon (Edwards) his (title) fight, that’d be great to get that done,” said White. “But the other one, it’d be good to see Jon Jones back this year. He says he wants to fight heavyweight. I’d like to get a Jon Jones fight at heavyweight this year if that’s possible.”

    Jon Jones, a former two-time UFC light heavyweight champion and arguably the leading contender in the race for GOAT status, hasn’t been in action since a successful title defense against Dominick Reyes in February 2020.

    After vacating the title and targeting gold in a second division, Jones went to work in the gym, looking to bulk up and transition to heavyweight. But after a monetary dispute with the UFC and yet another run-in with the law, “Bones” is still on the sidelines. White is clearly hoping to change that in the coming months.

    Edwards, meanwhile, has firmly staked his claim for a shot at Kamaru Usman’s welterweight title with an active 10-fight unbeaten streak. In his last appearance, “Rocky” comfortably defeated fan favorite Nate Diaz on the scorecards at UFC 263.

    Ahead of UFC London this week, White, who has traveled to Edwards’ home country for Saturday’s event, reiterated that the Englishman is next for “The Nigerian Nightmare,” potentially during International Fight Week in July.

    Blockbuster PPV Fights Lined Up In 2022

    If Usman vs. Edwards 2 and Jones’ heavyweight debut are agreed for later this year, they’ll only add to what is already a stacked pay-per-view lineup in 2022.

    So far, we’ve seen Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane collide in a heavyweight unification showdown, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker share the Octagon for the second time, and Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal take their bitter feud to the cage.

    Next up on the PPV calendar is UFC 273 on April 9. In the two top spots, gold will be on the line. First, the heated feud between bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder Petr Yan will finally be settled. Then, in the event’s headliner, Alexander Volkanovski will put his belt on the line against “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.

    At UFC 274 on May 7, Charles Oliveira will look to continue his reign atop the lightweight mountain. In his way of doing so will be Justin Gaethje, who’s coming off a FOTY-worthy war with Michael Chandler. In the co-main, Rose Namajunas will put her title on the line in a rematch eight years in the making versus Carla Esparza.

    Opening the summer schedule will be UFC 275, which is set to play host to a light heavyweight collision between veteran champ Glover Teixeira and unpredictable brawler Jiƙí ProchĂĄzka. Dominant women’s flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko is also set to be in action at the event, which is targeted for Singapore. The next challenger to her lengthy rule will be Brazil’s Taila Santos.

    Add Usman’s next defense and Jones’ comeback to the mix soon after, and that’s a mighty fine calendar…

    Which fight do you most want to see go down before the end of 2022?

  • Darren Till Gives Timeline, Preferred Opponent For UFC Return

    UFC middleweight contender Darren Till is looking forward to potentially bouncing back in a big way in 2022 following back-to-back losses.

    Till has been working with rising welterweight star Khamzat Chimaev in Sweden and Las Vegas ahead of his UFC return. The former welterweight title challenger Till has suffered back-to-back losses to former champion Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson.

    Till has struggled since losing his welterweight title shot against then-champion Tyron Woodley at UFC 228. He’s lost four of his last five fights and is looking to remain in the thick of things in the middleweight division.

    Till recently signed a new deal with the UFC ahead of his 2022 return to the cage. During a recent Fan Q+A ahead of UFC London, Till gave UFC fans an idea as to when he will return to the Octagon.

    “Few months, 2 or 3 months,” Till answered.

    Till was later asked who he would prefer to fight next and didn’t hesitate with his answer.

    “Uriah Hall,” Till proclaimed. “What have I done to deserve all the f**king s**t he’s given me on Twitter? He called me out. I’ve never turned down any fight, John, I came up to middleweight and fought the two best middleweights at the time in Whittaker and Gastelum. If he wants to fight me, I ain’t scared and I want to fight him next.”

    After getting word of Till’s comments, Hall took to Twitter to respond.

    “Ha fuck you too glad I’m on your mind bitch!” Hall said. “Unlike you I’m getting ready for someone who actually fights but you and I know you ain’t never going to fight again pussy.”

    Till and Hall have gone back and forth on social media in recent months, and the animosity between the two of them appears to be legit. Hall will fight André Muniz next month at a UFC Fight Night event after losing to Sean Strickland last July.

    At 29 years old, Till still has plenty of time to get back on track in the UFC. He’s long predicted that he’ll eventually be a UFC champion and he’ll have the chance to prove that claim in 2022.

    What are your predictions for Darren Till in 2022?

  • McGregor Has Had Enough With The “Disrespect” For His Title Plans

    Conor McGregor has had enough of what he deems to be “disrespect” placed on his name.

    Conor McGregor has made his plans of returning to a world title shot known since late last year. And since that same time, he and the rest of the MMA world have been hearing complaints about this bold proclamation.

    For Dana White’s part, he has called those who are bothered by the possibility of McGregor landing an immediate title shot upon his return to be “idiots.” As for McGregor himself, he’s simply done being dismissed and ‘disrespected.’

    “Enough is enough with the disrespect that comes my way, you know what I mean?” McGregor told TheMacLife about criticisms of him potentially receiving a title shot in 2022. “People are gonna give me my respect for the many facets of my game—my fighting style and everything else. I’m gonna waltz back into a title shot, make no mistake about it.”

    McGregor had initially targeted Charles Oliveira for a title shot when he billi struts back into the Octagon later this year. However, last week, he redirected his gaze to the direction of UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.

    Kamaru Usman
    Kamaru Usman, Photo Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

    Usman doesn’t appear to be taking McGregor’s ambitions very seriously, however. Thus far, all his attention has been focused on an anticipated bout against Leon Edwards this summer followed by, in a perfect world, a crack at boxing great Canelo Álvarez.

    Conor McGregor has already won world championships in two different weight classes, becoming the first to do so simultaneously after he knocked out Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.

    In the MacLife interview, McGregor voiced his confidence in being able to be the first fighter to win a world title in three divisions by taking out Usman. The Irishman believes this shouldn’t be too difficult an undertaking due to Usman having a “sloppy” and “jab-happy” striking style accompanied by grappling devoid of any dangerous ground-and-pound.

    What do you think? Are those who scoff at Conor McGregor returning to a title shot disrespecting him?