MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Chris Curtis Out Of UFC 273, Du Plessis Now Faces Anthony Hernandez

    Chris Curtis has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 273 fight against Dricus Du Plessis.

    According to MMAFighting’s Mike Heck, Curtis had to pull out but Du Plessis will now face Anthony Hernandez at UFC 273 on April 9 in Jacksonville. Hernandez was supposed to fight Albert Duraev, but the Russian was also forced off the card, MMAFighting reports.

    Chris Curtis (28-8) made his long-awaited UFC debut back in November at UFC 268 and he scored an upset first-round knockout over Phil Hawes. He then returned three weeks later and TKO’d Brendan Allen in another upset win. The 34-year-old went 6-0 in 2021 and before signing in the UFC fought for promotions like PFL, XMMA, and CES among others. He also competed on the Contender Series and got a third-round KO but was not offered a contract.

    Dricus Du Plessis (16-2) is also 2-0 in the UFC and coming off a vicious KO win over Trevin Giles back at UFC 264. In his debut, he scored a first-round KO over Markus Perez. Before signing with the Las Vegas-based promotion, he was the EFC welterweight and middleweight champion. He also held the KSW welterweight title.

    With Curtis being out, Du Plessis will now face Anthony Hernandez, who’s 8-2 as a pro and coming off a massive upset win over Rodolfo Vieira via submission back at UFC 258. He’s currently just 2-2 in the UFC with his other win over Jun Yong Park while his losses were to Kevin Holland Markus Perez.

    With Du Plessis now facing Hernandez, UFC 273 is as follows:

    • Alex Volkanovski vs. Korean Zombie
    • Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan
    • Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev
    • Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres
    • Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nassourdine Imavov
    • Ian Garry vs. Darian Weeks
    • Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Marcin Tybura
    • Irene Aladana vs. Aspen Ladd
    • Vinc Pichel vs. Mark O. Madsen
    • Dricus Du Plessis vs. Anthony Hernandez
    • Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker
    • Mike Malott vs. Mickey Gall
    • Julio Arce vs. Daniel Santos
    • Kay Hansen vs. Piera Rodriguez

    Who do you think will win, Dricus Du Plessis or Anthony Hernandez?

  • Conor McGregor Sends Donation To Couple Hurt In Pedestrian-Car Crash

    Conor McGregor has earned loads of money over his illustrious career, and he recently donated to help a couple suffering from a recent accident.

    Mick and Michelle Cardiff were out for a leisurely walk when a car involved in an accident swerved off the road and hit both of them. Mick underwent a leg amputation while Michelle has undergone a slew of surgeries stemming from the accident near Dublin, IE.

    As has become increasingly more common in recent years, friends and family of the Cardiff’s made a GoFundMe page to help with the medical expenses. The goal of ā‚¬40,000 was surpassed after McGregor covered half of the desired fund with a ā‚¬20,000 donation.

    Michelle & Mick Cardiff

    This isn’t the first time that McGregor has used his large fortune to help those less financially capable. Last December, he donated $11,000 to help support a Bellator MMA fighter who was paralyzed from a training accident last summer.

    Before that, McGregor helped an Irish woman with a ā‚¬10,000 donation during her battle with breast cancer. The 35-year-old Gemma Devoy has recently begun chemotherapy, largely due to McGregor’s generosity.

    McGregor was named to the Forbes’ highest-earning athlete of 2021, despite competing just twice last year in back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier. He’s currently working towards a return to the UFC Octagon later this year, potentially as soon as this summer.

    Do you believe Conor McGregor does not get enough recognition for his charitable donations?

  • Watch: Paddy Pimblett & Ilia Topuria Involved In Backstage Altercation

    UFC fighters Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria may not be fighting each other this weekend at UFC London, but that didn’t stop them at the fighter hotel.

    Pimblett will face Kazula Vargas in his second fight in the UFC’s lightweight division, in front of what should be a raucous crowd at The O2 Arena in London. He won his UFC debut over Luigi Vendramini last September.

    This will also be Pimblett’s first fight in the UK since he fought in Cage Warriors.

    Topuria will also fight at lightweight at UFC London despite competing at featherweight for the majority of his career. He’ll face rising British MMA prospect, Jai Herbert, on the main card.

    In a video of the incident, Topuria appears to throw a punch at Pimblett while he and his team passed him before personnel intervened and separated the two fighters.

    Topuria shared footage of the incident in a recent tweet and sent a message to Pimblett.

    “I wanted you!” Topuria said. “This is what happens when you disrespect me and my country! You saw me and wanted to greet me because you shit your pantsā€¦ and you should thank my team because of it wasnā€™t for them separating me, I would have taken your head off.”

    Topuria’s animosity towards Pimblett appears to stem from Pimblett’s previous comments about the country of Georgia, Topuria’s home nation. UFC fighter Liana Jojua highlighted Pimblett’s comments in a tweet last April.

    “Lad how stupid are these Georgians man,” Pimblett appears to tweet. “No wonder the Russians terrorise their lives.”

    The UFC has yet to issue a statement on the near-brawl and both Pimblett and Topuria will remain on the main card for UFC London. Both lightweights could be on a collision course if both continue their recent winning ways.

    What is your reaction to this Paddy Pimblett/Ilia Topuria altercation?

  • Volkanovski On Dream McGregor Clash: “I’d Fight Him At Any Weight”

    UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is eying a matchup with Conor McGregor before he eventually calls it quits.

    Volkanovski is set to make his next featherweight title defense against Chan Sung Jung (otherwise known as ‘The Korean Zombie’) in the upcoming UFC 273 headliner. He’s coming off of a largely dominant win over Brian Ortega at UFC 266.

    Volkanovski was supposed to face Max Holloway next before Holloway pulled out with an injury. Jung is the next man up, but a fight with McGregor remains on the 145-pound champion’s mind.

    In an exclusive interview with MMA News’ James Lynch, Volkanovski spoke about what the effect would be of a McGregor fight for his legacy.

    “Obviously, Conor’s always gonna get his name out there,” Volkanovski said. “You’ve gotta remember, he was a featherweight, he was a champion of my division. So, I’ve taken out the featherweight champs, so to take out, the only one left, isn’t he? Yeah, it’s just Conor. There was me, Aldo, Max, and Conor. So it makes a lot of sense. Obviously, it would be a dream. And then I’ve taken out all the other champs in my division. So that would be incredible.

    Conor McGregor
    Conor McGregor (Photo: Sportsfile)

    “You talk about the payday and the circus around it would be great, but at the same time, when you talk about legacy that’s definitelyā€”and he’s undefeated at featherweight, too. So that’d mean something.”

    McGregor hasn’t competed at featherweight since he won the unified title over JosĆ© Aldo at UFC 194. He went on to fight at welterweight and lightweight, eventually earning the 155-pound title over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.

    Volkanovski fought at welterweight and lightweight to begin his professional career on the Australian regional scene, but a majority of his career has been at featherweight. Volkanovski went on to allude to the flexibility when it comes to the weight class that a McGregor fight would be competed at.

    “I don’t think he’s making featherweight anytime soon [LAUGHS]. Obviously, with that fight, you’d do it at any weight. I’d do that at welterweight if I had to, whatever. We’ll see. I’ll just worry about Zombie, cause Zombie’s in front of me, and we’ll see. You might get some drunk tweets from Conor again and maybe we can ride off that, see what happens from there… 100% I would (fight McGregor at welterweight). I’d fight him at any weight.”

    Volkanovski earned the featherweight title over Holloway at UFC 245, before winning a controversial split decision in an immediate rematch at UFC 251. He’s arguably one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history and continues to climb the ranks in the all-time great discussion.

    McGregor is targeting a return to the Octagon later this year after a nasty leg break at UFC 264. It’s unclear what weight McGregor will fight at for his return, but a fight with Volkanovski may not be out of the cards as soon as this year.

    You can view MMA News’ full interview with Alexander Volkanovski below!

    Do you think we’ll ever see Alexander Volkanovski vs. Conor McGregor?

  • Tai Tuivasa Sends “Idiot” Greg Hardy Some Employment Advice

    UFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa recently offered his thoughts on the future of Greg Hardy following the former NFL defensive end’s third straight loss.

    After joining the UFC three fights into his MMA career, which came after a departure from the NFL, Hardy’s future in the cage looked promising. But since a victory over Juan Adams in 2019 extended his Octagon start to 2-0, it’s been largely downhill.

    2-4-1 in his last seven, Hardy has tasted defeat to names like Marcin Tybura and Alexander Volkov. His two victories in that period have come against Maurice Greene and Yorgan de Castro, both of whom have since been let go after losing streaks.

    It appears “Prince of War” has now met the same fate. At UFC 272 earlier this month, Hardy hoped to rebound against Sergey Spivak. Instead, the pay-per-view main card opened with another first-round stoppage loss for the 33-year-old.

    This past weekend, Hardy appeared to announce his release from MMA’s premier promotion, confirming a departure many had expected following UFC 272.

    But Hardy doesn’t need to fear because one man is already looking out for his future endeavors, although it’s probably not someone prepared to offer him a glittering reference…

    Tuivasa Plays Headhunter For Fast Food Chain

    Tai Tuivasa and Greg Hardy met inside the Octagon last July at UFC 264. In a crazy fight for as long as it lasted, the Tennessee native rocked the Australian, before being knocked out himself after rushing in to find the finish.

    “Bam Bam” drew headlines for not only the KO, but his walkout music and post-fight shoeys. His popularity has since increased, as has the speed with which he’s rising the heavyweight ladder.

    But despite being knocked out, Hardy continued his war of words with Tuivasa, claiming the now-#3-ranked heavyweight “cowarded” out of a brawl at UFC 264. Even as recently as UFC 272 fight week, “Prince of War” had Tuivasa’s name on his lips, this time to slam the Aussie for not wanting a rematch.

    While Hardy hasn’t shied away from insulting him, Tuivasa has still been generous enough to offer his foe some employment advice, which may come in handy given the latest developments.

    Prior to Hardy’s apparent release, Tuivasa encouraged his former opponent to swap the MMA gloves for a spatula, and the punching for some flipping…

    “How can he talk smack when he just got smacked again?” Tuivasa said of Hardy’s pre-UFC 272 trash talk during an appearance on The MMA Hour. “He’s an idiot. He should go bloody work at a McDonalds or something.”

    There we have it. Recently made redundant? Let go by your employers? In search of a new career path? Give Tuivasa a call.

    Perhaps if you’re not on the wrong side of “Bam Bam,” you may do better than McDonalds. If you buy one of his Shoeyvasas, maybe he’ll even line you up for a CEO position.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CY0vqf0NwT5/

    What’s next for Greg Hardy following his UFC release?

  • Volkanovski On Future Hooker Fight: If We Need To Do It, We’ll Do It

    UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has discussed City Kickboxing teammate Dan Hooker’s return to featherweight and the prospect of facing him down the line.

    Volkanovski has ruled over the 145-pound weight class since dethroning Max Holloway in late 2019. In defending his title twice, first in a rematch with “Blessed” and then in a grudge match with Brian Ortega, the Australian has extended his win streak in professional MMA to 20 and his unblemished UFC record to 10-0.

    While there remain a number of challenges for “The Great” to see off, including upcoming opponent “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung, Volkanovski will soon see a new name enter the shark tank at featherweight.

    After a struggle for form at lightweight, Hooker, who, like Volkanovski, fights under the City Kickboxing banner, will be returning to 145 pounds this weekend. Soon after his transition down a class became public knowledge, “The Hangman” gave his thoughts on a potential meeting with teammate Volkanovski, suggesting they’d cross that bridge when they get to it.

    Now, in an exclusive interview with MMA News, the champion has shared a similar sentiment to Hooker’s.

    He claimed that if necessary, the pair would throw down inside the cage, an admission that’s rare in this day and age, with the likes of Gilbert Burns and Vicente Luque, and Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya shutting the door on the possibility of facing each other due to personal relationships.

    “It doesn’t really cross your mind until people ask you about it, really. At the same time, this is a sport,” Volkanovski told MMA News’ James Lynch. “You can’t expect these guys not to be in your division. Now he’s chose that division and he thinks that’s the best decision for his career, and I support that.

    “Whatever happens, if further down the track we need to do it, then we’ll do it, you know. That’s just how it is. That’s fine. That’s all good. I wish nothing but the best for him and I’m sure he wishes nothing but the best for me. So, if our paths do cross, we’ll worry about that then,” concluded Volkanovski.

    Hooker’s First Step To Contention Takes Place This Weekend

    After a test weight cut appeared to confirm his departure from the lightweight division late last year, the announcement of a featherweight opponent hammered home Hooker’s return to 145 pounds.

    Despite his hopes to fight “The Korean Zombie” or Brian Ortega, the New Zealander has had to settle for a lesser name, but certainly not a decline in competition. In the co-main event at UFC London this weekend, Hooker will enter the cage with rising contender Arnold Allen.

    “Almighty” Allen is unbeaten at 8-0 in the UFC and has risen to #7 in the rankings following triumphs over Nik Lentz and Sodiq Yusuff in recent years. While he’ll look to further his stock with the addition of an established name to his rĆ©sumĆ©, Hooker will be targeting an immediate arrival into the title conversation.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbFtqHPP8tP/

    Would you like to see Alexander Volkanovski and Dan Hooker share the Octagon down the line?

  • Kevin Holland Helps Stop Active Shooter At Houston-Area Restaurant

    UFC welterweight Kevin Holland continues stopping crime in his native Houston, TX after halting an alleged shooting at a local sushi restaurant.

    Holland and another MMA fighter, Patrick Robinson, were out to eat at RA Sushi late Monday night when an unidentified suspect fired a shot into the air near the bar area around 11:30 p.m. This is when Holland, Robinson, and a third diner charged at the suspect and apprehended him.

    According to Houston Police, there were an estimated 40-50 people inside the restaurant at the time of the shooting. Remarkably, none of the customers were injured.

    Police say the 24-year-old suspect had a warrant out for his arrest after failing to appear in court on a separate criminal mischief charge.

    Shortly after police officers arrived, Holland posted a reaction to his social media accounts, as shared by MMA Junkie.

    This isn’t the first time that Holland has used his MMA training to stop local crime. Last October, he helped apprehend an alleged carjacker in a vehicle and foot chase.

    Holland has also shown he’s unafraid of online trolls, inviting multiple harassers to his gym before tapping them out and hitting them with nasty strikes. He has also claimed that his recent confrontations with some trolls have only fueled their fire and made the challenges more frequent.

    Holland rose to fame after an electric 2020 in which he won five straight fights at middleweight. This included vicious knockouts over the likes of Jacare Souza and Joaquin Buckley.

    After going winless in three straight bouts in 2021, he rebounded in a big way to begin 2022 with a TKO of Alex Oliveira at UFC 272. This was his welterweight debut after making the move down from 185 to 170 pounds.

    In addition to his Octagon accolades, it’s apparent that Holland isn’t afraid to make a difference in his local community. He and Robinson’s heroic actions at the scene of an active shooter saved countless lives.

    What is your reaction to Kevin Holland’s latest heroic actions?

  • Quote: Nobody Needs Covington As Much As Adesanya

    Chael Sonnen believes that Israel Adesanya needs Colby Covington to draw more eyeballs to a title fight involving the champion at middleweight.

    With Adesanya’s last two fights being rematches which had the champion as a clear favourite, the UFC middleweight division is starting to become less appealing with every title fight. Whittaker did challenge with the latest title shot but yet he ultimately still fell short with nobody seemingly having the answer to Adesanya’s dominance.

    Covington has spoken of his interest in going up to face the UFC middleweight champion. The #1 ranked UFC welterweight believes his wrestling could be a determining factor in how a fight may play out against Adesanya. (h/t MMA Fighting)

    ā€œI think he needs to go up to 185,ā€ Sonnen told The Chael Sonnen Show onĀ ESPN+ show. ā€œLook, Colby has called out three guys in the last two weeks: He, of course, called out Kamaru Usman; he called out Israel Adesanya; and he called out Dustin Poirier. Now youā€™ve got to understand, the one thing those three guys have in common is they all have world championship belts somewhere on the mantle at home. These are hard callouts by ā€˜Chaos,ā€™ but ā€˜Chaos,ā€™ whoā€™s obviously a No. 1 contender, does not get a fight for a championship. Itā€™s a tough spot.

    Colby Covington
    Colby Covington

    “So heā€™s saying, ā€˜Look, Iā€™m even willing to leave the division. Let me take this golden ticket of No. 1 contender and let me cash it in at 185 pounds.ā€™ And quite frankly, nobody needs Colby as bad as Izzy Adesanya. I donā€™t know if Israel is aware of that yet, but heā€™s starting to fight people that arenā€™t doing their job in the media, that arenā€™t bringing the attention, that arenā€™t helping the brand and making the marquee fight as big as it could be. I think if Izzy stood back and saw what Colby has to offer, thatā€™s gonna be a partner that he would like to do business with.ā€

    Covington moving up to middleweight to face Adesanya may well be a possibility for the future. But for now, it appears that Jared Cannonier is next in line at 185lbs for a title shot. Meaning the former UFC interim welterweight champion may have to settle for a grudge match with Dustin Poirier instead or face another opponent at 170lbs.

    Should ‘The Killa Gorilla’ be tamed and dealt with convincingly by the middleweight champion then a new face at middleweight may emerge next. However, UFC President Dana White has stated that Covington would not receive an immediate title shot at Adesanya should he move up.

    For the most part, the current set of contenders at middleweight seem almost too respectful towards the champion that title fights in the division become less appealing for fans. While we all know the level of confidence Covington has that he will play down any possibility of the champion beating him.

    With what we have previously seen of the American’s trash talk we can for sure expect some heated back-and-forth exchanges should a fight ever emerge between the two.

    Do you think we ever see Covington fight Adesanya for the UFC middleweight belt?

  • Maryna Moroz Reveals Details Of Family Situation In Ukraine

    Ukrainian UFC warrior Maryna Moroz remains stateside while her friends and family try to protect themselves against Russian military attacks.

    While Moroz prepared for her fight against former training partner and rival Mariya Agapova, a war started in her country. On the night of UFC 272, she prove the strength of her people, as she told the public she would.

    Maryna Moroz and Mariya Agapova
    (David Becker/Getty Images)

    Agapova fell prey to “The Iron Lady’s” strength and was defeated in round 2 via an arm-triangle choke. It was not only a win to end their bitter rivalry, but also a victory for her home.

    After her incredible win, she gave an emotional speech. Through several tearful interviews, she expressed concern for her loved ones and her opposition towards Vladimir Putin and the war.

    Moroz knows her fellow Ukrainians are dying, and sadly, she still receives news of friends succumbing to the tragic attacks. Additionally, she knows that although her family is struggling they are staying in Ukraine to fight.

    “My sister and my mother take guns for protection, for not war, for protection, home protection, country, because Russian come and start like terrorist. Kill everybody, kill kids, and last news today I see 82 kids die, and I so cry. Every day I’m using pills because I’m nervous, cry, I cannot stop, I feel like almost my family dying and my country dying. It’s so scary,” Moroz explained in an interview with Fox News.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxtT-98r3lc&t=2s

    The concern for her people builds as the conflict in Europe worsens.

    Moroz now holds a 3-fight win streak. After settling her rivalry with Agapova, fans of the sole female Ukrainian UFC fighter surely anticipate her next match in the Octagon, but there is uncertainty surrounding her next bout amid current events.

    What are your thoughts on Maryna Moroz’s family staying in Ukraine during the conflict in Europe?

  • Colby Covington Banishes Jorge Masvidal From The City Of Miami

    Colby Covington has ordered Jorge Masvidal to leave the city of Miami immediately.

    When a fight has two years’ worth of trash talk leading in, you can expect there to be some post-fight gloating to match it, especially if the winner’s name is Colby Covington.

    Covington hasn’t exactly earned a reputation for being the most humble of competitors on the UFC roster. Prior to his UFC 272 bout against former roommate and teammate Jorge Masvidal, Covington was already making bold predictions for how the fight would play out.

    Now that the fight has come and gone and Covington is satisfied with the unanimous decision victory, he’s not being coy about reminding the world of the fight’s outcome.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca2s6lCOYmq/

    One of the claims made by Covington prior to the fight was that he was putting four titles on the line. One of those titles was the “Miami title,” with Covington proclaiming himself to be the “King of Miami.”

    Now that he has turned in a successful title defense, if you will, his next act as “king” is to banish Masvidal from the city he has called home for his entire life.

    This means no more luscious Miami beaches, no more home games for the #1-ranked Miami Heat, no more intoxicating nightlife down at South Beach, etc. And should Masvidal not obey Covington’s order, the self-proclaimed king warns of a harsh penalty.

    ā€œIā€™m the king of Miami now. Jorge needs to leave the city,” Covington ordered at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference.

    “Itā€™s not big enough for the two of us. So he needs to leave or heā€™s gonna get sparked again.ā€

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5DUZHuArW/

    Although Drizzy Drake coughed up $275,000 in a losing bet on Masvidal to defeat Covington, it’s a lock bet that Masvidal will not obey the self-proclaimed “king.”

    In fact, Masvidal has already said that he would still love nothing more than to finish this rivalry on the streets once and for all by doing what he failed to do at UFC 272: break Covington’s face.

    Do you believe we’ve seen the end of the Colby Covington/Jorge Masvidal rivalry?

  • Daniel Cormier Writes Letter To Court In Support Of Cain Velasquez

    Former UFC multi-division champion Daniel Cormier wrote a letter to Santa Clara County Superior Court in support of Cain Velasquez.

    Cormier and Velasquez have been friends for years, stemming from their time as teammates at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, CA. They helped one another get ready for various title fights in the UFC during their times competing in the Octagon.

    Just weeks ago, Velasquez was arrested on an attempted murder charge for allegedly attempting to kill the alleged molester of one of his younger relatives. After chasing down Henry Goularte with his SUV, he shot and accidentally hit Goularte’s stepfather, with the victim suffering non-life-threatening injuries.

    If convicted, Velasquez could face a minimum of 20 years in prison for attempted murder and other various charges relating to the incident.

    cain velasquez mugshot
    Cain Velasquez Mugshot

    Many around the MMA community have spoken in support of Velasquez in recent weeks. UFC President Dana White, and former and current fighters such as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Colby Covington, have spoken out in favor of Velasquez for his actions.

    In a letter obtained by ESPN, Cormier spoke about his former AKA teammate Velasquez in a positive light in a hinted ask for leniency.

    “Cain has helped me on more occasions than I can count,” Cormier said. “Like me, he is a father and husband so he knows the demand of trying to do it all. Throughout the years, he has traveled with me, supported me, and even helped me prepare for a coaching job at the high school while I retired from my fighter career. Cain has taken it upon himself to help every chance he gets. During the pandemic when many gyms and restaurants were closed, Cain opened his home and provided a place for wrestlers to train and eat. He even housed them.”

    Goularte is under investigation for an alleged lewd act upon a child under the age of 14. He was released from temporary custody on Feb. 25 and has been sentenced to home detention.

    Cormier has had a lot to deal with in recent weeks. His mother also passed away in his hometown of Lafayette, LA and he has taken a leave of absence from his UFC broadcasting obligations.

    Velasquez has also recently been denied bail and is scheduled to reappear in court on April 12.

    What is your reaction to Daniel Cormier’s letter in support of Cain Velasquez?

  • Watch: Sean Strickland Gets In Road Rage Run-In With Female Driver

    UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland has been known to have a short temper, as recently demonstrated by a road rage incident.

    Strickland has divided some UFC fans for his brash, and often controversial, persona in and out of the cage. He also isn’t afraid to detail his real-life interactions with people that become heated fast and in a hurry.

    It all started when a female driver allegedly almost hit Strickland while on a ride on his motorcycle. While the alleged near-accident wasn’t captured on video, the heated aftermath between Strickland and the unidentified driver was shared on his social media.

    Strickland shared a brief explanation of what happened and what led to the altercation on the side of the road.

    ā€œAlmost hits me and they flags us down to get our license plate,ā€ Strickland said. ā€œGod I fucking hate old rich white women!!!!!ā€

    This isn’t the first time that Strickland has captured video of a nearly violent road rage incident. Last November, he challenged a driver to a fight during a heated verbal altercation and asked if the driver had any guns or knives.

    Strickland was also injured in a motorcycle accident back in 2018 but luckily walked away from a brief hospital stay with no lasting damage to his body.

    Strickland has surged into the UFC middleweight title picture with six straight wins, including most recently against Jack Hermansson. He could be one win away from a potential title shot against Israel Adesanya, who he has accused of using steroids.

    Whether or not people like Strickland as a person and as a fighter, he doesn’t care how he is portrayed in the public and is unafraid to be himself.

    What are your opinions on Sean Strickland’s antics?

  • Bryce Mitchell Willing To Be Backup For UFC 273 Main Event

    UFC featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell is ready and willing to step up on short notice if needed to fill for the UFC 273 headliner.

    UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski will make his next title defense against Chan Sung Jung (otherwise known as ‘The Korean Zombie’) at UFC 273 on April 9. Mitchell recently defeated Edson Barboza in an impressive performance on the UFC 272 main card.

    Mitchell has been on a roll in the featherweight division and continues to climb up the rankings. If the UFC needs a backup plan should Volkanovski or Jung pull out, Mitchell appears ready to be on-weight if needed.

    Mitchell offered his services in a recent tweet to the UFC.

    https://twitter.com/ThugnastyMMA/status/1502816249071513603?s=20&t=ef8AbdA1-Jk7e19O6-T_kQ

    “If Volkanovski or Zombie backs out – call me [UFC],” Mitchell said.

    If Mitchell doesn’t end up being needed as a backup to UFC 273, he appears to have a ready opponent in Sodiq Yusuff. Following an impressive win over Alex Caceres at UFC Vegas 50 last weekend, Yusuff called out Mitchell for a fight between two rising featherweights.

    Mitchell has won six straight fights since his time on The Ultimate Fighter Season 27. His win over Barboza came after a nearly two-year layoff due to various health issues.

    Before his hiatus, Mitchell earned dominant wins over the likes of Charles Rosa and Andre Fili. Mitchell’s victory over Barboza proved that he’s a potential force in the featherweight division going forward.

    Volkanovski most recently defended his title against Brian Ortega at UFC 266. He was originally supposed to face former champion, Max Holloway, in a trilogy this year before Holloway pulled out with an injury.

    Mitchell has been the subject of conversation after speaking out on various political and societal issues. He also made an appearance on Fox News for an interview with commentator Tucker Carlson.

    While Mitchell appears to be enjoying the limelight of speaking his mind on various issues, he’s looking forward to his next appearance in the Octagon. If anything happens with the UFC 273 headliner, Mitchell could have his next fight booked sooner rather than later.

    Who do you want to see Bryce Mitchell fight next?

  • Pimblett Reveals How He Hopes To Give Back To Liverpool

    Paddy Pimblett wants to make a difference in his hometown.

    Paddy Pimblett is the new kid in the UFC. He burst onto the scene last year when he made his UFC debut. Pimbeltt is not new to MMA; however, he has had a big following from his time in the UK-based Cage Warriors promotion, and that following has stayed with him and is growing.

    Pimblett is one of the biggest personalities in MMA coming out of Liverpool. Now that he is in the “big show,” he wants to find a way to give back.

    “Investing is something I do need to start doing, and I am gonna start doing very soon. But what I wanna do first, to be honest, is I wanna get my own charity going first, a little foundation for the people of Liverpool, people that need help,” Pimblett told the UFC Unfiltered podcast. “There’s a lot of people in my city that are not well off and haven’t go the advantages I’ve got and they haven’t got the possibilities that I’ve got, especially the youth of today in my city. I wanna be able to give something back.”

    Paddy Pimblett
    Paddy Pimblett

    Pimblett has his next bout in the UFC already lined up. He will be making his UFC home debut when he fights Rodrigo Vargas at UFC London on March 19. Since joining the UFC, Pimblett has been called out by a few fighters. He is a fan favorite and a talented up and comer. His first-round KO over Luigi Vendramini showed he could stand toe to toe with the upper echelon of the MMA world.

    Because of his flare and fast-growing fanbase, Pimblett can easily be compared to Conor McGregor. McGregor was able to take his success in the UFC and make a name for himself outside of fighting.

    Taking a page out of McGregor’s book could be the future for Pimblett, but he has a long road ahead of him. If he keeps racking up wins, he will have the opportunities to do all the goodwill and business he wants to do.

    Are you excited to see Paddy Pimblett back in action at UFC London?

  • Davi Ramos Appears To Have Wish Granted For UFC Release

    UFC lightweight Davi Ramos has appeared to be released by the UFC just days after asking to part ways with the promotion.

    In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Ramos hinted at a desire to be released from the UFC due to a lack of fights. He hasn’t fought since his unanimous decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan in July 2020.

    A recent tweet by UFC Roster Watch appears to indicate Ramos’ desired split from the UFC has been granted.

    Ramos made his UFC debut back in March 2017, losing via a unanimous decision to Sergio Moraes. He would compete at lightweight for a majority of his UFC tenure, earning finishes over the likes of Chris Gruetzemacher and Nick Hein.

    A four-fight winning streak would come to a screeching halt against Islam Makhahev at UFC 242. Makhachev would smother Ramos on the ground with his wrestling and not allow Ramos much of an opportunity for output.

    Ramos has recently competed in grappling matches in Fight 2 Win and Polaris. He also fought in back-to-back grappling draws against Daniel Pineda and Anton Berzin at the recent UFC Fight Pass Invitational last December.

    It’s unclear if Ramos intends on continuing his MMA career with another promotion or will focus solely on grappling going forward.

    Where do you think Davi Ramos will fight next?

  • Askren Slams Masvidal For UFC 272: You Had 25 Mins To Do Something

    Former UFC, Bellator, and ONE welterweight Ben Askren has criticized Jorge Masvidal’s conduct following his loss to Colby Covington at UFC 272.

    At last weekend’s pay-per-view, one of the promotion’s long-awaited grudge matches took center stage. As former teammates, roommates, and friends, and now bitter rivals, the lead-up to the Las Vegas held event was always going to be a fiery affair.

    That certainly turned out to be true, with a host of insults and jibes flying back and forth during fight week, at the press conference, and even during the five-round contest.

    After 25 minutes of action, Covington, who had dominated much of the contest, was awarded a comfortable unanimous decision victory.

    While “Chaos” had put his previous feud versus reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman to bed following their fight last November with a show of respect, that certainly wasn’t the case at UFC 272.

    After the final horn, security had to swarm the cage as the pair continued their exchanges. That certainly confused Askren, a former opponent of Masvidal, who questioned why “Gamebred” searched for a scrap after having 25 minutes to do what he wanted to Covington.

    “It was kinda what we expected. The thing that I get annoyed about is Jorge wants to fight him after the fight, and it’s like, listen, you just had 25 minutes to do almost anything you want,” Askren pointed out during an appearance on The MMA Hour. “You can’t eye gauge and bite, you know, we’ve got a couple rules, but not a lot. So you could do whatever you wanted for 25 minutes, and now you’re gonna act like you want more? Hey, you had 25 minutes, freakin’ do it to him.”

    UFC 272 Wasn’t The Only Criticism Askren Sent Masvidal’s Way…

    While Masvidal’s defeat and post-fight antics drew the brunt of Askren’s criticism, “Funky” left some in the tank for later.

    This time, the focus was on a new piece of ink Masvidal debuted during fight week. The tattoo is of the Miami native’s infamous flying knee knockout of Askren back in 2019. The KO, which remains the fastest in UFC history, is arguably what truly shot Masvidal into stardom.

    Discussing the tattoo he had a part in laying the foundations for, Askren branded Masvidal’s latest ink as “terrible.”

    “Ha, it’s terrible. Like, oh, God. It just looks like crap,” said Askren. “That’s something a teenager gets and you’re like, ‘Oh shit, I thought that was gonna look a lot better. I thought this was gonna be really badass, but it looks kinda dopey.’ You’d think (because) he’s rich, he could go get the best tattoo artist in the place.”

    Askren also pointed out that Masvidal’s decision to immortalize the moment on his body perhaps signifies how important it was in taking his career to the next level.

    “I think it’s semi-telling how important that singular moment was to his career, and he knows it,” claimed Askren. “And he tattooed it on his body because it was that important to him.”

    Do you agree with Ben Askren’s takes on Jorge Masvidal’s post-fight attitude at UFC 272 and new piece of ink?

  • Tim Elliott On UFC 272 Win: Cheating Or Not, I Got Paid

    UFC flyweight Tim Elliott has shrugged off accusations of him being a cheater following his controversial win at UFC 272 over Tagir Ulanbekov.

    Elliott scored the upset in his fight against the Dagestani fighter as he defeated Ulanbekov via unanimous decision. Yet the UFC veteran was hit with a blast of accusations in the aftermath with claims of him cheating.

    The 35-year-old appeared to grab the gloves of his opponent several times throughout the fight as well as having landed two knees that could be deemed illegal. Elliott was even warned by the referee at one instance regarding glove grabbing.

    This sparked outrage amongst Ulanbekov’s team who felt hard done by to say the very least. UFC lightweight Islam Makachev, who cornered the fighter, took to Instagram in fury to highlight the alleged cheating of Elliott.

    Makachev pointed out four separate incidents which occurred during the fight that he viewed as fouls and even went as far as to call Elliott a “dirty fighter”. It appeared that Khabib was also furious at the time the alleged cheating occurred as he was shown on the broadcast visibly furious with how the fight was playing out.

    Tim Elliott On Alleged Cheating: ā€œItā€™s Not That Big Of A Dealā€

    Tim Elliott
    Tim Elliott (Photo: Zuffa/Getty)

    Speaking on his controversial victory, Elliott told MMA Fighting that he thinks the only reason people are upset is because he won the fight.

    ā€œAt the end of the day, if Tagir wouldā€™ve beat me, nobody wouldā€™ve said s*** about the glove grab, nobody wouldā€™ve said anything about the cheating. The only reason why people are upset about the glove grab s*** is because they lost. His team lost and it just makes them look bad. They wouldnā€™t have said anything about anything had they won, so itā€™s just one of those things.

    ā€œIf youā€™ve ever been in a fight ā€” and maybe Iā€™m different ā€” Iā€™m trying to win, man. Itā€™s the refereeā€™s job to step in there if Iā€™m doing something wrong. He was telling me all kinds of s***, he told me to let go of the glove and I let go of the glove. But for me, itā€™s not that big of a deal. Iā€™m in there fist fighting. People are going on and on about the morality of the sport and the warrior spirit and all of that bulls***, but I donā€™t f****** care. Iā€™m not a martial artist ā€” Iā€™m a fighter and this is my job. Iā€™m trying to make money at this job, and thatā€™s what I did [at UFC 272].ā€

    Elliott did admit to grabbing his opponent’s glove in the post-fight interview minutes after he collected his win at UFC 272. He claims that Dana White is unconcerned regarding the alleged cheating meaning Elliott sees no issue with it.

    “For me, itā€™s not an issue. The bosses donā€™t care, Dana White doesnā€™t care, Mick Maynard ā€” Iā€™m good with all those guys. They had no problem cutting my checks, cheating or not cheating. I sleep fine at night and a lot more comfortably now that I have money in the bank.

    About the glove grabs against Ulanbekov ā€“ sure, Tim Elliott admits it
    Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie

    ā€œBut it happens all the time and itā€™s going to happen. I was sparring today and I got poked in the eyes, I got my glove grabbed, I got head-butted, got scratched, and these are my friends, these are my teammates. It happens, and everybody knows that. I donā€™t know, even in basketball, if you slap the hand itā€™s part of the ball. You canā€™t tell me youā€™re not in there grabbing everything you can. I donā€™t want to get into any arguments about it, Iā€™m just going out there trying to put on a show and trying to win.ā€

    Despite the controversy, Elliott’s win sees him bounce back into the winner’s column following his defeat to Matheus Nicolau. He also rises to #11 in the official UFC flyweight rankings as he will now be eyeing up a fight against a top-ten opponent.

    As for Ulanbekov, he is now 2-1 in the UFC with his loss to the American being the second of his career. He remains #15 in the UFC flyweight rankings while the Dagestani fighter’s loss at UFC 272 was only the second defeat Khabib has ever suffered as a coach.

    What do you make of Tim Elliott’s confession to glove grabbing in his win over Ulanbekov?

  • Sean Strickland Rips Into “PC Beta Male” Khalil Rountree

    UFC middleweight Sean Strickland isn’t a fan of Khalil Rountree showing his sensitive side following a win at UFC Vegas 50.

    Following his win over Karl Roberson at UFC Vegas 50, Rountree used his post-fight Octagon interview and press conference to attempt to inspire those who come from hard times. Rountree has talked about his journey before MMA on numerous occasions, reflecting on when he was overweight and not confident and turning into an exciting MMA fighter.

    Rountree’s post-fight comments went viral on social media, with many praising him for his openness and honesty on mental health issues. However, Strickland appears to be far from a fan of Rountree’s transparency.

    After watching a viral clip from Rountree’s UFC Vegas 50 post-fight presser, Strickland attacked Rountree for showing emotion after discussing his life journey.

    “Gayest shit I’ve ever seen and I love bi women so ive seen a lot of gay,” Strickland said of Rountree. “Yeah you’re really special, a special little snow flake… This man is the definition of a PC BETA male. You all would hate him….. seriously being in the same room as him makes me cringe.”

    Strickland has been in hot water in recent months for his comments on homosexuals, saying that if he were to have a gay son, he would’ve felt he failed as a man. He later backtracked on those comments saying months later “I love gay men”.

    An apology from Strickland has proven to be a rarity, as evidenced by him rarely backtracking on his past controversial remarks. Fans shouldn’t expect Strickland to backtrack on this attack on Rountree.

    The rising middleweight contender Strickland isn’t afraid to speak his mind, but he has arguably crossed the line with some of his recent social media rants.

    What is your reaction to Sean Strickland’s rant about Khalil Rountree?

  • Michael Chandler Calls Ferguson “Unbreakable” Ahead Of Targeted Bout

    UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler knows what he’s getting into with Tony Ferguson ahead of their targeted fight at UFC 274.

    Chandler and Ferguson are looking to get back in the UFC lightweight title picture after a series of losses from both fighters. Chandler most recently fought against Justin Gaethje in an all-time classic at UFC 268, losing via a unanimous decision.

    Ferguson has lost three in a row, including most recently to Beneil Dariush. Although he still has his trademark toughness and ability to take damage, he’s been beaten up badly in losses to Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje.

    During a recent interview with MMA journalist Helen Yee, Chandler praised Ferguson for his tough approach inside the Octagon.

    “The thing about Tony is he’s unbreakable,” Chandler said. “He’s a little bit crazy, got a screw loose. He’s not gonna be a guy that I’m going to be able to break, he’s not going to be a guy that I’m going to be able to wear out and tire out. But, I’m going to get in his face and put hands on him very quickly.”

    One example of Ferguson’s toughness was his fight with Gaethje. Despite being blitzed on the feet by Gaethje early and often, he was still able to throw damaging shots and withstand the barrage into Round 5.

    Ferguson has also only been finished twice in the entirety of his MMA career. Once against Jamie Tony back in 2009 for NFAMMA, and then the recent fifth-round TKO to Gaethje. Even in lopsided defeats to Oliveira and Dariush, Ferguson has managed to be a tough out for most of the top UFC lightweights.

    Tony Ferguson is the elbow-sharpening, blood-splattering UFC maverick who busts faces up and is itching to hurt Conor McGregor
    Tony Ferguson

    Chandler and Ferguson had been interested in fighting one another back in 2020, but negotiations never materialized. Chandler would go on to earn a vicious knockout over Dan Hooker at UFC 257 before losing to Oliveira for the vacant title at UFC 262.

    Chandler and Ferguson will be on the same card as Oliveira and Gaethje at UFC 274. The winner of Chandler vs. Ferguson will look to move forward in the lightweight division and potentially enter the title shot conversation in 2022.

    What is your prediction for Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson?

  • Casey Oā€™Neill Pulled A Julianna PeƱa To Dana White Before UFC 271

    UFC women’s flyweight Casey O’Neill took a page out of bantamweight champion Julianna PeƱa’s book while speaking to Dana White prior to UFC 271.

    At UFC 271, O’Neill took another step towards title contention. She did so by sending veteran Roxanne Modafferi into retirement off the back of a loss.

    While she failed to maintain her 100% finishing record in the UFC, “King Casey” did extend her perfect professional rĆ©sumĆ© to 9-0 with victory on the scorecards. In doing so, she moved up three places to #12 on the 125-pound ladder.

    She also appeared to establish herself as the promotion’s newest villain with her Octagon interview and post-fight press conference remarks. if she’s believed, we can expect O’Neill to become “the best bad guy” we’ve ever seen in the coming months and years.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-HNZ5vmlt/

    O’Neill Vowed To Capture Gold

    With another jump closer to dominant flyweight ruler Valentina Shevchenko, O’Neill is beginning to attract attention as a possible title contender. But while she’s targeting a steady rise through every ranked 125lber first, the Scottish-Australian has gold in her sights, something she let Dana White know prior to her win against “The Happy Warrior.”

    Discussing O’Neill’s performance during his appearance at the UFC 271 post-fight press conference, White revealed what the 24-year-old told him at the event’s ceremonial weigh-ins. She seemingly took the opportunity to make an ambitious promise to the UFC President.

    ā€œThe thing about Roxanne is sheā€™s very unassuming. But sheā€™s a very tough, durable, awkward fighter to fight, and Casey beat her tonight,” said White. “She walked up to me on stage during the weigh-ins and said, ‘Iā€™m going to be your next world champion.ā€™ So I like her attitude, I like the way she fights, sheā€™s aggressive, sheā€™s tough, weā€™ll see what she does.ā€

    O’Neill’s promise is reminiscent of the one given to the UFC President by reigning bantamweight queen PeƱa. After “The Venezuelan Vixen” upset the odds at UFC 269 by dethroning then-two-division champion Amanda Nunes, White revealed the newly-crowned titleholder had forecasted her own success to him before she’d joined the promotion.

    The question is, can O’Neill make good on her promise like PeƱa did?

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXmaaWsOw5r/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Do you think Casey O’Neill can replicate Julianna PeƱa’s bantamweight success at flyweight?

  • Usman To Edwards: Youā€™re Right, I Wonā€™t Strike With You, Iā€™ll Only Wrestle

    UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has responded to Leon Edwards’ suggestion that he won’t be as willing to strike with the Englishman as he has been in recent fights.

    Since dethroning Tyron Woodley in 2019, Usman has successfully defended the title five times and established himself as a contender for GOAT status at 170 pounds. Having brushed aside two challenges apiece from Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, as well as one from former teammate Gilbert Burns, the list of fresh contenders certainly thinning.

    And next up for the champ appears to be another rematch. Earlier this year, UFC President Dana White confirmed that Edwards is set to get his long-awaited title shot in the summer.

    The pair first collided in 2015, where Usman emerged victorious on the scorecards. Since that defeat, Edwards has gone unbeaten in 10 bouts, defeating the likes of Nate Diaz, Rafael dos Anjos, Donald Cerrone, and Vicente Luque.

    Given the Englishman’s development since their first meeting, many expect Usman to face a much tougher test when the two share the Octagon again.

    With that in mind, Edwards believes the champion will avoid exchanging on the feet and return to his wrestling roots for their rematch, which has been largely left in the back-pocket in his last three defenses.

    “He [Kamaru Usman] has definitely fell in love with his hands. He definitely believes in them,” Edwards told ESPN MMA. “He’s called out Canelo. He truly believes that he’s some sick striker so fair play to him, but I know that when we fight, I think he’ll be shooting for his takedowns. I don’t think it will be a striking match. I think it will be more wrestler versus striker match but I’m looking forward to it.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Usman Gives Edwards Something To Think About

    In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Usman responded to his next challenger’s comments. “The Nigerian Nightmare” suggested that if wrestling is what Edwards expects, he’s happy to oblige and “beat his face” on the canvas.

    Given his tone, it’s safe to assume Usman is happy for “Rocky” to underrate his striking ahead of their clash.

    ā€œHe said if I step in there with him, I wonā€™t be striking the way that I am now. So Iā€™ll oblige,” said Usman. “I give it to you. I will not strike. I am coming in to wrestle. Iā€™m going to take him down, Iā€™m going to beat on his face until he quits. So donā€™t expect me to strikeā€”at all. Iā€™m going to wrestle.

    “Donā€™t expect me to strike, Leon. Since I’m not a good striker, don’t expect me to strike. I’m coming to take him down, and I’m gonna beat his face in.”

    At UFC 261 last April, Usman brutally knocked out Masvidal in their rematch. In their first clash, “The Nigerian Nightmare” employed a wrestling-heavy approach. With that in mind, many have pointed out that Masvidal’s focus on defending any takedown attempts in their rematch may have left him open for the fight-ending shot up top.

    Given how that played out, Edwards would certainly be wise to take Usman’s comments with a pinch of salt.

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

    While his work with Trevor Wittman and impressive striking development means we’ll likely see Usman willing to trade with the Englishman, Edwards is certainly a different beast on the feet to the champ’s latest opponent.

    With that said, we can expect to see Usman mixing up his attack more so than he did when he shared the Octagon with Covington last November. But after seeing Edwards dazed from a late punch against Diaz last June, he’ll certainly fancy his chances of finding the KO shot.

    Do you think Kamaru Usman could hang with Leon Edwards in a five-round striking battle?

  • Ciryl Gane: Tai Tuivasa Can Do Something Big In The HW Division

    Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane likes what he sees from Tai Tuivasa following his win over Derrick Lewis at UFC 271.

    Gane and Tuivasa could be on a collision course sooner rather than later in the UFC heavyweight division. Tuivasa moved up to No. 3 in the latest UFC rankings while Gane remains at No. 1 despite his UFC 270 loss to Francis Ngannou.

    Tuivasa is arguably the hottest heavyweight contender in the division at the moment, having won five straight via knockout. He has also become a UFC fan favorite with his post-fight ‘shoey’ celebrations.

    During an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Gane tabbed Tuivasa as a legitimate factor in the heavyweight division.

    “Congratulations to this guy,” Gane said of Tuivasa. “It was a really interesting fight. Unfortunately, I was sleeping at this moment, like every time. But I saw the fight after and it was a really tough fight. So congratulations to Derrick Lewis also, it was a beautiful fight. And Tuivasa is an amazing fighter. He can do something big in this division. He has something.”

    Gane is hopeful for an eventual rematch with Ngannou in the UFC. A win over a top contender such as Tuivasa could put him on the fast track to another title shot.

    Tuivasa is now a Top-3 UFC heavyweight and will surely get a big name for his next octagon appearance. His win over Lewis put him on the map and demonstrated that he can compete with the best heavyweights in MMA.

    How far do you think Tai Tuivasa can go in the UFC’s heavyweight division?

  • Coker Says Fedor Emelianenko’s Last Fight Won’t Be In Moscow

    MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko’s last fight in the Bellator cage won’t take place in Moscow amidst the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

    Emelianenko is coming off of a violent knockout of former interim title challenger Tim Johnson last October. He returned to fight in front of the Russian faithful and delivered one of his best performances in recent memory.

    Bellator 269: Twitter reacts to Fedor Emelianenko's KO of Timothy Johnson - Bloody Elbow
    Credit: Lucas Noonan/Bellator MMA

    Bellator and Coker had previously planned to have Emelianenko fight one more time in Moscow, but those plans have been scratched amidst the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Bellator became the latest organization in sports to take a stand against Russia’s actions and disruption of the world order.

    Emelianenko has recently called for a rematch with Bellator Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader before he rides off into the sunset. Bader will face Cheick Kongo later this year at Bellator Paris.

    During his Bellator 276 post-fight press conference, Coker confirmed that Emelianenko’s planned last fight won’t take place in his home country.

    ā€œItā€™s definitely not going to happen in Moscow this year,ā€ Coker said of Emelianenko’s next fight. ā€œWeā€™re not gonna do Fedorā€™s retirement fight there for obvious reasons. Weā€™ll be looking for an alternative site at some point, but weā€™re going to sit down with Fedor when he comes to [Bellator 277] in San Jose and see what heā€™s thinking.ā€

    Coker’s comments come after a slew of MMA fighters, including Bellator welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov, have spoken out and defended Ukraine against the Russian forces.

    Before his win over Johnson, Emelianenko had won three of his previous four fights over the likes of Rampage Jackson, Chael Sonnen, and Frank Mir. He lost to Bader for the heavyweight tournament championship at Bellator 214 via first-round knockout.

    Depending on how things play out in the upcoming Bader vs. Kongo fight, Emelianenko could face the winner for his final outing. He’s arguably the greatest heavyweight fighter in MMA history and would love the opportunity to go out on top.

    Who do you want to see Fedor Emelianenko fight before he retires?

  • Dustin Poirier On Colby Covington: ā€œItā€™s Still On Sightā€

    Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has reiterated his stance on a potential fight with welterweight star Colby Covington.

    At the start of the month, the former teammate on Covington’s mind was Jorge Masvidal. The pair’s long-term feud, which was fueled by animated stories and accusations from the duo’s time as friends and roommates, finally reached the cage at UFC 272.

    But after comfortably dispatching “Gamebred,” Covington wasn’t finished with his former gym. Once again calling out another of American Top Team’s well-known fighters, “Chaos” set his sights on Poirier, who, like Masvidal, he’s gone back and forth with in recent months and years.

    After using his time on the mic immediately following his victory on March 5 to target “The Diamond,” Covington stepped it up a notch at the post-fight press conference, where he brought out his trademark insults for the Louisianan.

    ā€œSo I figure Iā€™ll get another tune-up fight with Dustin Poirier, who said itā€™s on sight,ā€ Covington began. ā€œHe weighs more than me. Heā€™s just a bully who cuts a lot of weight. I donā€™t cut any weight because I know Iā€™m the best in the world and I donā€™t need to have a weight advantage over anybody. So Dustin, name the site, bring that Jezebel of a wife and bring Conorā€™s little kid Parker.ā€

    But while Covington ups the ante on his desire to share the Octagon with Poirier, the two-time undisputed lightweight title challenger’s stance has remained the same.

    Nothing Has Changed For Poirier

    According to Covington, the animosity between himself and Poirier was built by a statement made by the 33-year-old. In 2019, prior to Covington’s ATT departure, Poirier told “Chaos” it was “on sight” if he saw him at the Coconut Creek-based facility.

    Since then, the former interim welterweight titleholder has consistently brought up that remark, and reminded “The Diamond” of the claim. But even with the constant attacks on his family, Poirier has remained steady on his refusal to entertain the idea of entering the Octagon to face Covington.

    He reiterated the same in a recent tweet, claiming that while he won’t allow Covington to use his name for money, it’s still “on sight.”

    “He’s not making money off my name, it’s still on sight you f****** sheep,” Poirier wrote in a since-deleted tweet.

    While talk of a move to welterweight following his title defeat to Charles Oliveira appeared to open the door to a grudge match against Covington, it’s clear “The Diamond” has his sights aimed elsewhereā€”to be specific, Stockton.

    A fan-friendly clash between Poirier and Nate Diaz has been on the agenda since the start of the year. But while the 33-year-old continues to confirm his interest in the bout on social media, it doesn’t appear like it’s any closer to being booked.

    Nevertheless, Poirier is certainly following up on his pursuit of fun fights following his latest setback, something he seemingly doesn’t class a collision with Covington as.

    How do you think a fight between Dustin Poirier and Colby Covington would play out?

  • Moreno Reveals The Main Frustration He Had As Champion

    Former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno has revealed the main concern he had in the weeks following his title crowning last year.

    In a year filled with memorable gold-winning performances, including Glover Teixeira’s late ascent to the light heavyweight mountaintop at UFC 267 and Julianna PeƱa’s upset victory over former two-division queen Amanda Nunes at UFC 269, another heart-warming moment came in the form of Mexico’s first titleholder.

    Having fought to a draw in his first opportunity in 2020, Moreno was granted an immediate second crack at dethroning the previously-dominant Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 263 last June. After imposing his will in the opening two rounds, “The Assassin Baby” floored “Deus Da Guerra” in the third frame and submitted him with a tight rear-naked choke.

    From a release in 2018 to gold around his waist in 2021, Moreno’s journey has certainly been a special one.

    Moreno: I Was Concerned And Afraid After UFC 263

    While the moment will go down as one of the career-defining victories for Moreno and represented the start of a rise to stardom in the sport, championship status wasn’t without its hardships.

    During an appearance on The Fight with Teddy Atlas in the aftermath of his trilogy loss to Figueiredo at UFC 270, Moreno reflected on his experience with the belt.

    “So, I need to be very honest with you guys. I remember immediately after the fight (UFC 263), my manager told me, like, ‘Hey man, go to home and do a little bit with your family because you will be busy for a few weeks.’ I did a media tour in Mexico City, I had a media tour in Los Angeles, and a little one in San Diego I think,” said Moreno. “I did a lot of things and, you know, a lot of interviews. I meet a lot of people, a lot of famous people in Mexico; I meet the president of my country, so that’s crazy.”

    But while it allowed him to interact with the likes of Canelo Ɓlvarez and the President of Mexico, the 28-year-old admitted the change in his routine and inability to maintain his training schedule caused him concern and frustration for the first month of his reign.

    “That was like, three weeks, one month (after winning the title). In that month, I was a little bit concerned and a little bit afraid because my rhythm of training is high, very high. I have to train like two to three times per day, every single day,” added Moreno.

    “In that moment, I was doing a lot of media and a lot of videos and, in my mind, I was a little bit frustrated because all the other contenders in my division, they’re training so hard and trying to get the title. Now, I have a little target on my back with all these guys (coming after it), and I was putting my pretty face in the cameras and everything. I was a little bit concerned and frustrated.”

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

    While the belt may no longer be in his possession, the goal remains the same for Moreno; grow the sport of MMA in his home country and achieve success, both for himself and his family.

    For “The Assassin Baby,” the way to do that is by regaining the title in a fourth clash with arch-rival Figueiredo.

    Would you like to see an immediate fourth fight between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo? If not, who should “The Assassin Baby” face next?