The final UFC Vegas 48 betting odds are in for as this event is quickly approaching for the Las Vegas-based promotion.
The event is here, and it goes down tonight (Saturday, February 19, 2022) from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.
Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill in a light heavyweight bout will headline the show. In the co-main event, Kyle Daukaus vs. Jamie Pickett in a catchweight bout will take place.
Rounding out the main card is Parker Porter vs. Alan Baudot in a heavyweight fight, Jim Miller vs. Nikolas Motta lightweight bout, and Joaquin Buckley vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan in a middleweight bout.
According to oddsmakers, Hill is a -250 favorite over Walker, who is a +200 underdog. Other odds for the main card include Pickett being a +200 underdog against Daukaus, who is a -250 favorite. Here are the full betting odds:
The UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference will be live once the action concludes.
In the headliner, Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill will collide in a light heavyweight clash. UFC Vegas 48’s co-main event will see a catchweight clash between Kyle Daukaus and Jamie Pickett. More action will also be featured on the main card as Parker Porter shares the Octagon with Alan Baudot.
The fighters from both the main and co-main events are expected to attend the post-fight press conference barring any hospital visits. Of course anyone else on the card who has a breakout performance could also attend the presser.
MMA News will be providing live coverage of the UFC Vegas 48 card. Be sure to check back here for the post-fight presser with a tentative start time of 10:15 p.m. ET.
Let us know your big takeaways once the UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference.
Joining a shocked sold-out crowd and fighters’ area inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, as well as millions watching at home, in disbelief was Harrison.
WATCH: Kayla Harrison repeatedly yelling "F**K" at the top of her lungs after Pena upsets Nunes. You have to think that big money fight was coming next #UFC269pic.twitter.com/YLwHe0N3H8
While the likes of Michael Chiesa and Miesha Tate celebrated, Harrison was left with one word on her lips: “F*ck.”
In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Harrison discussed the feelings she went through after watching her teammate, who she’d helped prepare for the title defense, emphatically submitted in the UFC 269 co-main event.
“I was shocked. Everyone was making assumptions about it, but to be honest with you, Amanda was a teammate of mine, she was someone that I helped train for this fight,” said Harrison. “When I said I bleed ATT, I meant it. I wanted her to win. I was shocked. I was as shocked as the rest of the world. I was heartbroken for her.”
The two-time Olympic gold medalist and unbeaten MMA lightweight continues to bleed ATT and assured Nunes after the shock result that they’d go back to work in the gym and make things right.
But with the Brazilian seeking fresh pastures, Harrison’s time going toe-to-toe with Nunes on the mats is over, something she says “sucks.”
Harrison: I Got A Lot Better Training With Nunes
Further into her interview with Marc Raimondi, Harrison gave her reaction to Nunes’ decision to part ways with ATT, the gym she’d been a part of throughout her development from defeat to Zingano in 2014 to dominant double champion in 2021.
First and foremost, the sport’s most sought-after free agent wished her former teammate well for the future and suggested the Brazilian had to do whatever she felt was best for her and her family.
“At this time, my thoughts (on her departure) are, you’ve gotta do what you think is best for you and your family. I wish her the best of luck. That’s it.”
Despite understanding the reasons behind Nunes’ exit, Harrison admitted she was disappointed to no longer have the chance to develop and sharpen her tools by training alongside a woman most regard as the greatest of all time.
“I mean, it sucks cause like, she’s still one of the best. That one loss doesn’t change that,” Harrison continued. “So to not be able to train with her does suck. I think that every time I went with her, it helped me. I think it helped her as well.
“Whether you wanna admit or not, guys talk about Colby (Covington) and Jorge (Masvidal), the ego, I have it too, so I wanna win those exchanges, I wanna win those rounds, I wanna push her, she wants to push me. I got a lot better in the times that we trained together. So to miss out on that is a bummer, for sure,” concluded Harrison.
While most expected the undefeated star to be a future challenge for Nunes after UFC 269, the Brazilian’s defeat has perhaps delayed any chance of that and slightly hampered its appeal.
Nevertheless, with Nunes still holding 145-pound gold and a move to the UFC seeming inevitable sooner or later for Harrison, perhaps sooner given the apparent breakdown in negotiations with the PFL, it appears likely another clash of former ATT teammates is going to go down in the future.
Would you like to see former teammates Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes share the Octagon down the line?
12 years ago, MMA fighter Kane Mousah spent four years in prison but has refused to let it ruin his career.
As a young MMA fighter, Mousah feared his career was over when he got sent away. Every day, his prison sentence reminds him of where he came from.
It happened early in his career and was the consequence of his involvement in a gang. Reportedly, Mousah and others were searched and found guilty of possessing a handgun, bullets, and a silencer.
At the time, Mousah was only 23 years of age—young and with a promising career in MMA. Even the judge described the sentencing as a “tragedy” for the rising star.
He was given a 9-year sentence but served only four. The prison experience truly turned his life around.
“Prison deterred me from the life that I used to live – I think it needed to happen for me. I did my time and I used it to change my perspective on life, to make sure I’d come out as a better person. Since I’ve come out of prison, all I’ve tried to do is help other people out along the way. I think I do that,” Mousah told Manchester Evening News.
“The Danger’s” return was incredible, winning by TKO inside round 1. Then, in 2014, he continued to win three back-to-back fights before the second round. He has found success across many MMA platforms before winning two bouts at Bellator.
Now, at 35, Mousah is training hard with one of the UFC’s most exciting prospects, Khamzat Chimaev for his 15th fight since his return to the cage in 2013.
Kane will fight Irishman Peter Queally in Ireland at Bellator 275 on February 25.
Peter Queally and Kane Mousah, Photo Credit: Fight Nights Global / Bellator MMA
Both Peter and Kane return to the cage after suffering losses in their last bouts. Mousah is the underdog, as the fight will take place in Queally’s home country.
Regardless of the home advantage for Queally, Mousah is excited for the match and expects to win.
Are you excited for Kane Mousah Vs Peter Queally at Bellator 275?
UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland isn’t a fan of the internet sensation and self-defense guru Dale Brown.
Strickland is fresh off his win over Jack Hermansson at UFC Vegas 47. He appears to be just one step away from a middleweight title shot following the victory and could get a No. 1 contender fight next.
But the added success inside the cage hasn’t tampered Strickland’s ferocity outside of it.
Brown has accumulated a large following on social media due to his unique self-defense instructional videos. He’ll also reportedly be in Joaquin Buckley’s corner during his fight against Abdul Razak Alhassan at UFC Vegas 48.
During a recent Instagram post, Strickland called out Brown for a fight should they run into each other while Brown is in Las Vegas.
“This Detroit tactical guy, he’s in fucking Vegas,” Strickland said. “I don’t really have anything against him besides he’s a fucking fraud,He’s probably a big, old fucking pussy.
“But that being said, I want to be proved wrong. I want to think you’re a fucking ninja. I want you to disarm me and kick my ass. So I will make you an offer. Cause I think you’re a fucking fraud. Monday, come to the gym. We could fucking spar. We could use plastic knives. We could use real fucking knives. I guarantee I will fucking sodomize you with whatever you pick.
“You should man the fuck up and show everybody you’re such a fucking bad-ass, but you’re probably going to be a pussy and ignore this. So continue to be a fraud, get people killed.” (h/t MiddleEasy)
UFC fighters such as Kevin Holland and Derek Brunson have criticized Strickland for how he handles himself in and out of the Octagon. Strickland also published a nearly violent road rage incident on social media just months ago and also said that he would take pleasure in killing someone in the cage.
Brown has yet to respond to Strickland’s video, and it’s unknown if he’ll take him up on the offer to fight while he’s in Las Vegas.
Who do you want to see Sean Strickland fight next?
Demopoulos is a former dancer herself and quit stripping just before her recent and first win inside the organization at UFC 270. The American had previously been performing pole dancing for a 13-year stint.
Following that victory at UFC 270 where she submitted her opponent Silvana Gomez Juarez in the first round, she grabbed the attention of fans when the 33-year-old showcased her acrobatic ability. She performed the splits in the center of the Octagon before jumping into the arms of Joe Rogan in jubilation following her win.
She has now spoken on who she believes would make the best stripper out of the current roster of fighters within the UFC.
Demopoulos: Johnny Walker Has A “Stripper Vibe To Him”
Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Speaking to Fansided MMA’s podcast ‘Jab, Cross, Hook‘, Demopoulos claimed Johnny Walker would make the most out of a career in the industry.
“I feel like Johnny Walker has a little bit of a stripper vibe to him,” Demopoulos said. “He’s got the personality, he’s always dancing, he’s got the moves. Definitely Johnny Walker, he’s on the best stripper list.”
Johnny Walker is set to make his UFC return this weekend coming off his main event loss last time out against fellow countryman Thiago Santos back in October.
The Brazilian is taking on Jamahal Hill in the main event of this weekend’s UFC Vegas 48 card and will be looking to now gather some momentum inside the light heavyweight division. Walker has struggled for consistency as of late, but a win over rising prospect Hill would most definitely see the 29-year-old back on track.
Meanwhile, Demopoulos herself will be looking to gather some momentum now off the back of her win as she establishes her name in the organization. Her jaw-dropping victory last time out was enough to earn the strawweight a ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus ensuring an extra $50,000 to her paycheck that night.
Who do you think would make the best stripper out of the current crop of UFC talent?
UFC heavyweight Chris Daukaus doesn’t believe Francis Nagnnou’s efforts to increase fighter pay will result in bigger purses for all.
The seemingly never-ending fighter pay debate has divided opinion among the UFC’s biggest stars. On one side of the aisle, the likes of Ngannou, Jon Jones, and Paulo Costa have fiercely voiced their salary grievances. On the other side, Valentina Shevchenko, Kevin Holland, and Darren Till, among others, have publicly defended their employer’s remuneration practices.
Other than perennial Dana White agitator Jake Paul—who’s made inflaming the fighter pay debate his pet project in recent months—there’s been no more vocal critic of the UFC than Ngannou. The 35-year-old, who’s been locked in protracted contract negotiations with the UFC for some time, has publicly declared he “would not fight for $500,000 or $600,000 anymore.” Ngannou has also consistently argued for more equitable contract terms.
Under his present contract, Ngannou is precluded from fighting outside of the UFC and therefore can’t test the market for higher pay. The Cameroonian, it seems, is willing to remain inactive for 12 months so as to annul his contract, and thereafter pursue a big-money superfight with heavyweight boxing champ Tyson Fury. As it happens, Ngannou is set to have knee surgery, taking his willingness to be inactive out of his hands.
Chris Daukaus Explains Why He Thinks Fighter Pay Won’t Increase
The argument goes that if the UFC’s biggest stars continue to pressure the franchise for better pay, a trickle-down effect will see bigger purses for all. But in an exclusive interview with MMANews, Ngannou’s heavyweight peer Chris Daukaus explains why that theory is flawed. The 32-year-old says that arguments for better fighter pay fail to take into account simple market economics.
“No, no,” said Daukaus when asked if Ngannou speaking out will lead to better pay for all fighters. “Because, I mean, when they were all figuring out who was gonna fight for the heavyweight belt before, Jon Jones said he won’t fight Francis for anything less than $10 million, and then Derrick Lewis tweeted out like, ‘I’ll fight him for eight.’ That’s us fighters. If you won’t do something for $10, I’ll do it for $8 because I know I’m gonna get that opportunity.”
Daukaus is also skeptical of the figure Ngannou claims to receive from the UFC each fight but doesn’t fault the champ for desiring a bigger paycheck.
“Plus, let’s be real, Francis isn’t only making $600,000,” continued Daukaus. “He’s not. That’s just not the way it goes. He’s definitely getting paid a lot more than that. I think he wishes that he got paid more. Everyone wishes that they got paid more. That’s just natural.”
Personally, Daukaus says that he’s content with how he’s been treated by the UFC and notes that while it would be ideal for fighter pay to increase across the board, certain economic realities must be appreciated.
“I really don’t know what it’s going to take for us to get paid better,” said Daukaus. “I’m extremely happy with my pay scale, my everything, especially with the last two main events. I’m extremely happy with that. I mean, I don’t know what people want. I don’t know what fighters want. Does everyone want $1 million to fight? That’s just not the way it is. So I don’t know what the hell’s gonna happen with it.”
What do you think? Do you agree with Chris Daukaus’ take on fighter pay?
Brennan Ward will fight at Bellator 274 after nearly a year of sobriety from drug abuse.
Ward has seen success and failure within the cage. Most of his wins were finished before the final bell. Only one of his bouts went to decision in his 20-fight career.
The 14-6-0 fighter faced many battles since his 2008 debut. But his most difficult battle was with drug addiction.
“I used fentanyl all day, every day,” Ward said. “I found opiates young, when I was in high school — Oxy, Vicodin — and I loved them. I loved them since the first time I did them at 14 years old. And I have chased them ever since. I had lots of money when I was fighting so I was buying lots of drugs and then the pills got hard to find, so we all started doing heroin and then heroin turns to fentanyl. And there you are,” Ward said, according to CT Insider.
Often, Ward fought while under the influence of drugs. The addiction was controlling most of his life. He missed out on precious times with his daughter because he was either in jail or rehab.
Brennan Ward
Still, his addiction came first and he continued to spiral further into its control.
Although Ward appeared fine on the outside, he experienced frequent blackouts, called out of many fights, broke contracts—leading a life with hard drugs at the reins.
“I was [messed] up all the time,” Ward said. “I know [people] that get away with it for however long they’re using for. I’m like, ‘How does your wife not know?’ I’m a dead giveaway. Enough was enough. My daughter doesn’t deserve this. It’s not fair for her to get brought into this world and have a father like that. It’s almost like growing up, dude. I was getting too old for that. It’s a selfish, selfish lifestyle because you keep saying, ‘I’m only hurting myself.”
“Irish” made many attempts to overcome addiction; this one proves the most successful. No one has seen Ward in the cage since his 2 losses in 2017. Now, he has a chance for redemption against Brandon Bell.
Bellator 274 kicks off Saturday, February 19. And he will enter the cage already feeling like a winner. For the first time in years, he breathes air free of addiction.
Ward Joins List Of Inspirational Fighters
Many mixed martial artists have become martyrs for change to help fight drug addiction.
Terrance McKinney(top), Isaac Vallie-Flagg(bottom), Court McGee(right); Photo Credit: LFA / UFC Fight Pass / The McGee Project
And a little over five years ago, Terrance McKinney was hospitalized after a fatal drug overdose in which he died twice. He now tells his story to fans via social media, and many have thanked him for sharing the personal and shocking ordeal.
American welterweight Isaac Vallie-Flagg fought the awful disease. For years, he struggled with it, and even after a stint with the law, he continued to abuse drugs until it started to ruin his relationship with his family. He now spends his time out of the gym helping others with the disease.
Similarly, all these fighters believed they should be dead or in jail, but have turned their lives around for the better and could not be more thankful for a second chance.
Since opening up about his issues with substance abuse, Ward has inspired others to get their lives back on track.
“My inbox went crazy,” he said. “To see these people now — they’re going to detox, they’re getting clean. I’m trying to talk to all these people the best I can. I might have needed somebody like me years ago, another dude I could relate to, another dude who was an absolute savage like I was. I couldn’t find that. I couldn’t relate to anybody,” Ward explained.
Sometimes, it takes hitting rock-bottom or destroying the lives of others to really see the destruction of drug addiction. All of these fighters, and many others, are perfect examples that anyone can overcome drug or alcohol addiction.
Whether fighting in a cage or sitting at a desk, the disease of addiction can affect anyone.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are helpful resources available:
The weigh-ins for UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill have wrapped up, and we’ve got the results for you below.
UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill takes place tomorrow night from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the main event, #10-ranked Johnny Walker will look to get back on track by defeating #10-ranked Jamahal Hill.
This main event features two of the best KO artists in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. 7 and Hill’s 9 career victories have come by KO as well as 15 of Walker’s 18 wins. Combined, these two highlight reels have a combined 81% finish rate.
Known for his unorthodox movement and unpredictability, Johnny Walker has been considered to be one of the wildest and most entertaining fighters in the UFC. However, in his last fight, we saw a much more conservative approach in his fight against Thiago Santos. Walker lost that bout and has now promised to return to the “explosive” and “unpredictable” Johnny Walker of old.
Jamahal Hill has stated that he is more than ready for either side of Walker, whether it’s the “wild” version or the “calculated” version. Hill is 9-1 as a pro and his only loss came against Paul Craig at UFC 263, with Hill suffering a dislocated arm towards the end of the contest. Hill was able to bounce back from that loss with a first-round KO of Jimmy Crute last December.
You can view the face-off of tomorrow night’s headliners below.
All but one fighter made weight today. The lone fighter to miss was Gabriel Benitez, who came in two pounds over the featherweight limit ahead of his fight against David Onama. Benitez is being fined 30% of his fight purse and the bout will proceed as scheduled.
UFC Vegas 48 kicks off at 4 PM ET, with the main card beginning at 7 PM. The entire card will be available exclusively on ESPN+. You can view the full card and weigh-in results below, courtesy of UFC.com. You can also catch the UFC’s fight-by-fight preview for the card right here.
UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill Weigh-In Results
MAIN CARD (7PM ET, 4PM PT, ESPN+)
Main Event – Light Heavyweight Bout: Johnny Walker (206) vs Jamahal Hill (205)
“Absolutely gutted to announce that I will be out for the rest of the year,” Crute said. “I need a knee [reconstruction]. I have been putting this off for years but I have sustained too much damage over the last few fights and it has finally come to the point that if I don’t get it fixed it could turn into a career ending injury. I am obviously very disappointed but at the same time a challenge like this is also exciting. It gives me 9+ months to work on other aspects of training and life and come back 100% refreshed and injury free. Thank you all for the continued support. I’m not going anywhere and the Bendigo express is still in full motion.”
Crute has lost back-to-back fights to Anthony Smith and Jamahal Hill over the past year. His loss to Smith at UFC 261 was due to a doctor’s stoppage after injuring his left leg. It’s unclear if the reconstruction is on the same leg that Crute injured.
Crute’s loss to Hill at UFC Vegas 44 came by knockout in just 48 seconds.
Crute had once been touted as one of the top light heavyweight prospects in the UFC following wins over the likes of Michal Oleksiejczuk and Paul Craig. He earned a shot in the promotion after an impressive first-round knockout over Chris Birchler on Dana White’s Contender Series.
For now, Crute will look ahead to 2023 and work to bounce back in a big way in the Octagon. At 25 years old, he has plenty of time to get back on track in his UFC career.
What is your reaction to Jimmy Crute missing all of 2022?
The bad blood between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will finally be settled at UFC 272.
At this point, many people know about the feud between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington. They were friends, training partners, and roommates. They used to train together at ATT, one of the most famous MMA gyms in the U.S. The gym is or was home to many top fighters from the UFC to Bellator and boxing. With that many high-quality athletes, there are bound to be some butting heads, however, the beef between Covington and Masvidal was unable to be reconciled.
The owner of ATT, Dan Lambert spoke about what led to Covington being asked to leave the gym when he spoke to MMA Junkie.
“Yeah, it got toxic. And it got to the point where it was affecting the gym,” Lambert said. “We’ve had lots of fighters in this gym over the past 25 years. We’ve had people that love each other, we’ve had people that don’t like each other. But we’ve always been able to separate that, keep some professionalism in the gym and not let it affect the team. And their situation, it just got to the point where it was affecting people inside the gym, and I couldn’t keep it under control. And at one point, we had to tell both of ’em to leave.”
Masvidal has continued to train at ATT while Covington has found his new home elsewhere. It seems the fact that Masvidal “won” the gym in their friendship divorce is the fuel that he is continuing to add to the trash talk fire. Masvidal recently uploaded a message to Covington bragging about the gym and how Covington got kicked out.
“We try to address situations immediately when we see ’em comin’. It’s one of our benefits for being around for a long time,” Lambert said. “We’ve dealt with a lot of the issues before and learned from things we did right and things we did wrong. This one just kinda—it just kept growing, and growing, and growing. And we tried to find solutions inside the gym to make it work, and we just weren’t successful in doing that. And it finally got to a point where it boiled over and we had to do something drastic. And at that point, we told both guys to leave the gym just ’cause it was out of control.”
Since his departure from ATT, Covington has been training at MMA Masters in Miami. He left ATT in May of 2020 and since then, has had two fights in the UFC with his new training camp: a win over Tyron Woodley in September 2020 and the recent loss to the champion Kamaru Usman in November of last year.
Do you think Colby Covington and his new gym will beat Jorge Masvidal and ATT at UFC 272?
Michael Chandler is taking some time to reflect on his loss at UFC 268.
Michael Chandler came to the UFC with the mission to become a champion. After losing to Charles Oliveira in a vacant title fight at UFC 262, he hit a second roadblock in that mission when he lost recently to Justin Gaethje.
The fight between Chandler and Gaethje at UFC 268 was considered to be a title eliminator match to see who will face champion Charles Oliveira next. Unfortunately for Chandler, he was eliminated from that discussion. Now, he is taking some time to look back at what went right and what went wrong in the cage with Gaethje.
“I think in Justin Gaethje’s mind, I think he was disappointed in his performance and when that comes about, it can play tricks on your mind that it was a boring fight because there are a lot of times when we as fighters get done with our fights and we see the fight differently in our head or we remember how we felt after the fight right away,” Chandler said. “Then you go back and watch it and realize it was a much more exciting fight or a much more dominant fight. Case in point, my fight against Benson Henderson years ago. I lost the fifth round, so I felt like I lost the entire fight. I was just so disappointed by the way the fight came to a close after that fifth-round win. Really, I spent the first four rounds dominating him on a lot of people’s scorecards.
Chandler: I Out-Gaethjed Justin Gaethje
Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“So I think what happened there was, I think Justin Gaethje was a little bit disappointed in his performance,” Chandler said. “Not to mention the fact that he did drop me and wasn’t able to finish me. Not to mention the fact that I think I out-Justin Gaethje’d Justin Gaethje in some of those exchanges. I think there is no doubt it was definitely not a boring fight. The Fight of the Year awards on everybody’s cards solidifies that. Maybe we’ll share the Octagon again and we’ll give the fans another treat. We’ll see.”
Chandler is putting the Gaethje fight behind him and is looking ahead to new opportunities. He has a rumored fight in the works against Tony Ferguson. And although the fight is not official yet, a win there could have Chandler right back in the mix. As for Gaethje, he is next for the champ Charles Oliveira later this year.
Where do you rank the fight between Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje all time?
It appears the UFC’s long-awaited return to London, England may have hit another roadblock in the form of Britain’s worst storm in decades.
On March 19, MMA’s premier promotion is set to host a card in England’s capital for the first time since 2019. After an attempt to cross the Atlantic proved unsuccessful last September, the UK audience has finally had an event officially confirmed, one that sold out in minutes.
But an extreme weather event may be about to throw a spanner in the works. As Storm Eunice causes havoc across the British Isles and delivers record-breaking gusts, damage is inevitable. What most probably hadn’t banked on, though, was the roof of the O2 Arena being torn off…
While it’s uncertain how serious the damage is and what a potential repair timeline will look like, the storm continues to rage on. With that in mind, it’s unlikely the venue will remain in its current state, with further destruction expected.
It’s impossible to tell at this stage whether UFC London will be affected. However, with WBC Cruiserweight World Champion Lawrence Okolie set to make his second defense against challenger Michel Cieslak next weekend at the O2, we can expect the status of the March 19 UFC Fight Night to become clearer towards the end of the month.
The O2 Is Set To Host A Stacked British Showcase
Having been kept to US-based events and Abu Dhabi-held cards since the COVID-19 pandemic caused havoc in 2020, the UFC has understandably pulled out all the stops ahead of its return to overseas events.
As well as the presence of top UK names and prospects like Tom Aspinall, Arnold Allen, Paddy Pimblett, Paul Craig, and Molly McCann, well-known international fighters like Dan Hooker, Ilia Topuria, Nikita Krylov, Gunnar Nelson, and Alexander Volkov are also set to enter the cage inside London’s O2 Arena.
With a host of exciting matchups set, fans will certainly be hoping any more damage to the host venue as a result of Storm Eunice is limited.
Israel Adesanya has slammed Ali Abdelaziz for comments he recently made about a superfight between the UFC Middleweight Champion and the reigning welterweight king, Kamaru Usman.
Adesanya and Usman are currently two of the most dominant champions in MMA’s premier promotion. The pair have enjoyed a similar rise up the ladder of their respective divisions, culminating in championship glory and multiple defenses.
But owing to their national connection and both men’s desire to avoid dethroning a fellow African titleholder, the matchup seems unlikely. Usman even recently claimed it would take a $100 million offer to force him into the Octagon with Adesanya.
Despite that, Usman’s manager, Dominance MMA Management CEO Abdelaziz, is still harboring hope of it coming together. He’s even suggested that if the pair are “real brothers,” they’d agree to make each other some money by sharing the cage.
The continent of Africa is quickly emerging as a new #MMA superpower 🌍
Ali Abdelaziz lays out his plan to see Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya meet inside the cage 👊💥🇳🇬
It’s safe to say Abdelaziz’s comments haven’t gone down well with the reigning middleweight king…
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Adesanya responded to the suggestion he and Usman should ditch their allegiance in the name of money-making.
“The Last Stylebender” slammed Abdelaziz’s view as “disgusting,” and suggested Usman’s manager wouldn’t push for the superfight if he really was a fellow “African brother.”
“The way [Abdelaziz] did it was just disgusting. I usually express that the way we do it in our gym and the code that we have,” said Adesanya. “And like I said, me and Kamaru definitely feel the same way. What’s the point? This is bigger than us. Kids are gonna look at us generations from now and be like, ‘Those guys from Nigeria, they did that. They ruled this whole thing till they left, and they left on top’—same with Francis as well.
“[Abdelaziz] always comes up to me, ‘My brother, African brother!’ this and that. So I’m like, if you’re supposed to be a brother brother, why you trying to be selfish now and look at the dollar signs?” Adesanya concluded.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Q4wIyACBU/
Given Adesanya’s reaction, it seems it would take a spectacular falling out in order to make him share the Octagon with Usman. With that said, it appears both men will have to look to light heavyweight if they’re to achieve two-division success.
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is raring to go and targeting a return to the Octagon this summer.
Rockhold hasn’t been in action since a brutal 2019 knockout loss to Jan Blachowicz at UFC 239. With consecutive devastating losses to the Polish powerhouse and Cuban destroyer Yoel Romero, it’s understandable why the 37-year-old has taken a hiatus from the sport.
But with his recovery going well, the Californian recently teased a comeback. In a post uploaded to Instagram, Rockhold can be seen hard at work in the ring. In the accompanying caption, he seemingly hinted towards a potential showdown with #5-ranked contender Paulo Costa.
While Rockhold was keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the post during a recent appearance on Submission Radio, he did confirm that a clash with “Borrachinha” is an option if the right terms are met.
“It’s an option. It’s a very viable option. If terms are met, you know, we could have a dance.”
While “The Italian Dream” went through with the bout and ultimately had his hand raised, Rockhold has assured Costa and the UFC that he wouldn’t have the same attitude to a weight miss.
“Yeah, I’m not here to fight f*cking cheaters,” Rockhold asserted. “If weight is met (the fight could happen) unless too much wine is consumed, you never know. Weight has to be made. Weight has to be met. There are too many weak-ass people trying to get advantages. I’ve killed myself to make weight and f*cking do things right. Can’t say the same for the rest of them. I ain’t gonna do that again. I ain’t gonna fight a guy who misses weight purposely to gain an advantage. F*ck no… It’s weak-minded. It’s a very similar thing to excusing a loss to drinking too much wine the night before a world title fight.”
Rockhold Hopes To Show Costa & His Liver The Door
Ultimately, if Costa can prove that he’s able to make the 186-pound limit for non-title middleweight bouts, Rockhold is open to sharing the Octagon with the former title challenger, suggesting it would be a “fun fight.”
Admitting his dislike for Costa, the former champ claimed the Brazilian’s “disrespect” for the sport of MMA motivates him to dispatch “The Eraser” inside the cage. Channeling his inner Hannibal Lector, Rockhold revealed his desire to feast on Costa’s ‘wine-affected’ liver.
“He’s a guy that I don’t like. I think (he) disrespects the sport,” said Rockhold. “That motivates me to f*cking correct it. It’s a guy who’s obviously, you know, top-ranked, somehow., someway; when he can’t even make weight. If anything, he should be ranked in the 205-pound division. I don’t care for the guy, I’ll tell you that. I think it’s a fun fight. I think I can go show him the door. I think you have a guy who f*cking wants to make excuses on wine and weight. His liver’s obviously affected, so let’s go munch on it,” concluded Rockhold.
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Having seen a 42-year-old Glover Teixeira and 38-year-old Blachowicz deliver title-winning performances in recent years, it seems Rockhold is fancying his chances for another run for gold.
If Rockhold can deliver an impressive performance against a powerhouse like Costa, maybe “The Last Stylebender” will have a new contender to deal with.
How do you think a fight between Luke Rockhold and Paulo Costa would play out?
Charges of DUI and reckless driving against UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn have been dropped by the state after a summons to appear in court went unserved.
The charges stem from a 2021 incident in Honokaa, Hawaii, where the police officers arrested Penn for driving under the influence and in a “reckless manner.” The arrest was made after Penn was allegedly behaving belligerently at a Honokaa business. The charges were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the state could elect to refile them at a later date.
BJ Penn has had other run-ins with the law in recent years. He was also investigated for a DUI in 2020 after being hospitalized following a car accident. No charges were filed at the conclusion of the investigation.
Penn has also been involved in his share of public fights, including a 2015 brawl outside of a bar that led to an arrest. He was later involved in another bar fight in 2019 that led to his UFC release.
BJ Penn is a former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion. He holds victories over names like Matt Hughes, Renzo Gracie, Sean Sherk, among others. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2015.
Sean O’Malley’s next fight remains a hot topic of conversation in the MMA world.
Malley hopes to continue his three-fight winning streak during his next outing in the octagon.
O’Malley Beat Raulian Paiva at UFC 269
“Sugar” Sean’s most recent victory took place back in December at the UFC 269 pay-per-view.
O’Malley picked up a decisive victory over Raulian Paiva. After landing a barrage of strikes, the referee stopped the fight in the first round (TKO). His record improved to 15-1 (the one loss was against Marlon Vera at UFC 252 in 2020).
The win over Paiva improved O’Malley’s standing in UFC, improving his position to the 12th rank in the company’s Bantamweight division. That fight was a test, but he rose to the occasion.
Potential Opponents for the Sean O’Malley Next Fight
As Sean O’Malley climbs the ranks, the attention turns to what’s next for him. The UFC has not yet announced Sean O’Malley’s next opponent, but we can take search the bantamweight division and see who are the likely possibilities.
Here are the top five fighters we feel could be Sean O’Malley’s next opponents:
Image Credit: Dave Mandel of Sherdog.com
Sean O’ Malley Wants to Fight Pedro Munhoz
On his Twitch Channel, Sean O’ Malley revealed he’s interested in fighting Pedro Munhoz at UFC 274 on May.7 at the Footprint Center in Pheonix, Arizona. A fight against Munhoz could be his most challenging fight to date. “I’m thinking Pedro (Munhoz), but we will see. I’m going to make sure I can f*****g train full time, and my f*****g s**t feels good,” said O’Malley (h/t BJPenn.com).
Pedro Munhoz wants to get back into the win column after decision losses to Dominick Cruz at UFC 269 and Jose Aldo at UFC 265 on Aug. 7, 2021. Munhoz is ranked 9th in the division, despite losing 2-fights in a row. While Munhoz is trying to rebound from his failure, O’Malley could attempt to challenge his position in the division.
Sean O’Malley (Image Credit: Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Other Possible Opponents for Sean O’ Malley
Ricky Simon is ranked 13th in the bantamweight division. However, he boasts more-recent impressive wins than Sugar. He defeated Raphael Assuncao at UFC Vegas 45 by 2nd round TKO. A win for either Simon or O’Malley may potentially lead to a fight against an opponent ranked higher than them.
Frankie Edgar is a good test for O’ Malley to fight a former UFC champion. The UFC likes to put younger talent against veterans. Edgar is hoping to rebound from two straight knockout losses. A potential win over Edgar would add an impressive name to O’ Malley’s record.
Raphael Assuncao is falling down the UFC bantamweight rankings with three straight losses. However, he is still ranked 15th in the division and has fought some of the best bantamweights in the company. His employers might try to test O’Malley’s skills against a veteran that seems to be on the decline.
Sean O’Malley has the potential to be a champion in the UFC. It’s only a matter of time before O’Malley crosses paths with one of the men listed above. A victory, especially a first-round victory like his last fight, would put him on the fast track to a title shot.
When is Sean O’Malley’s Next Fight?
Although, he soundly defeated Paiva at UFC 269, fans thought they’d have to wait to see Sean O’Malley’s next fight. After the fight, the medical suspension revealed that he was dealing with a hand injury to keep him from fighting until June.
However, O’ Malley hopes to make his UFC return for UFC 274. He wants to fight Munhoz, but he’s unsure if it will happen. The UFC could also have a different opponent and date for Sean O’ Malley’s return.
He has his sights on his division’s championship, currently held by Aljamain Sterling. The Funk Master defends the gold against Petr Yan at UFC 273 on Saturday, April 9, 2022.
Plans for a Fat Contract & “Killing Spree” in 2023
Sean O’Malley has big plans for his fighting career and is biding his time until he can unleash himself. Ideally, he would fight three times per year. Unfortunately, an injury got in the way. He might only get the chance to fight twice in 2022.
In January 2022, O’Malley spoke about his plans on his Suga Sunday Service podcast. The 27-year-old said he would spend the rest of this year getting healthy improving his skills.
Next year, he plans to sign a new big-money contract with the UFC and show the world just how dangerous he can be.
“I’m not too worried about it. Ideally, I get three fights in a year,” said O’Malley. “That’s kind of where my head’s at. I don’t know if it’s more money or if it’s… I think it’s competition, I love competing. But I just want to get back in the gym and improve.”
“So if I only fight two, if I get one in July and November or December, I might only get two this year. Fight out the contract, and then boom, into 2023 with a fat f*cking contract and just go on a killing spree.”
A pair of anonymous sources told The Times that Rogan is making roughly $200 million to stream his podcast on Spotify, with the possibility of more. The deal covers three and a half years, dating to when he first signed the original deal in May 2020.
Rogan has been under fire in recent weeks regarding his views on the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines, along with a viral compilation video with him using a racial slur. Spotify has elected to keep him on the platform despite calls for him to be removed, such as from musical artists like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.
Rogan was also notably absent from the UFC 271 commentary team, for a reason which is still unclear. After it was originally reported as a “scheduling conflict”, UFC president Dana White downplayed it and said that it was Rogan’s choice not to attend.
While Rogan’s podcast has skyrocketed Spotify to the top of the streaming world, the podcast’s tenure with Spotify hasn’t come without controversy. He’s been accused of spreading alleged misinformation regarding the pandemic and more specifically, vaccines and vaccine side effects.
Rogan has yet to respond publically to the latest report from The New York Times.
What is your reaction to Joe Rogan’s massive Spotify deal?
Gilbert Burns intends to find out just what exactly rising star Khamzat Chimaev is really made of.
Khamzat Chimaev is widely considered to be arguably the top rising prospect on the entire UFC roster. He has earned this reputation by looking more dominant than anyone has looked in the UFC across four fights both statistically and visibly speaking. However, the fact remains that he is still very much untested in terms of Octagon time and level of competition.
“Borz” Manhandles Li Jingliang Just Because
At UFC 267, Chimaev proved that he can impose his will and manhandle a proven and ranked opponent in Li Jingliang. But even still, as the MMA saying goes, ‘There’s levels to this.’ And there are still many levels for Chimaev to climb yet.
Burns Requests Five-Round Bout Against Chimaev
Gilbert Burns says he is ready and willing to introduce Chimaev to the difference between what “Borz” has seen thus far in his 10-fight MMA career and the level that awaits him in the top-5 of the UFC’s welterweight division.
In a recent interview, Chimaev revealed that he has no idea what the delay is from making his targeted fight with Burns official. Now, Burns has addressed where things stand in the contract negotiations, which include his alleged request for the fight to be a five-rounder.
“Just waiting on the UFC with the confirmation and the contract,” Burns told The Schmo in his update on where things stand. “But I’m already in camp. I’m already getting ready for April 9 in Jacksonville against Chimaev. That’s what I see.
“And I asked for five rounds. I don’t see no contract yet. I hope they do five rounds. And (I’m) just getting ready.”
Burns went on to state that he does not know whether the UFC will grant his request or not, but he expects to gain clarification once he is presented with the official contract.
One thing we did learn from this latest interview from Burns is that all signs are a go for Chimaev vs. Burns on April 9. Now, all that’s left to do is send out the contracts to both fighters, which may or may not include the words “five-round bout” in the documentation.
Do you think Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns being a five-round fight would make a difference in how the fight would play out?
UFC lightweight Renato Moicano wants a shot at Bobby Green following their respective wins at UFC 271 last weekend.
Moicano earned a dominant win over Alexander Hernandez shortly after Green put on a striking showcase against Nasrat Haqparast. Both men are right in the thick of things in the lightweight division following their performances at UFC 271.
Some, including UFC commentator Jon Anik, have called for Green to get a main event slot at an upcoming Fight Night event.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Moicano spoke about what could be next in his UFC career and liked the idea of a fight with Green.
“I don’t know, let’s see what the UFC has to offer,” Moicano said. “I heard some people are asking for a main event for Bobby Green. Maybe it’s good if we do a Fight Night. I have a lot of respect for Bobby Green. On the same day, he put on a great performance, so did I. He deserves a main event. If he goes to do a main event, I want to be there and fight, promote the fight, get the fans excited about that. But let’s see what the UFC has to offer. Let’s put some guys with action like boxing versus Jiu-Jitsu. I can strike too, it’ll be a fun fight, five rounds and the fans will enjoy.”
Moicano has now won three of his last four in the Octagon following back-to-back featherweight losses to José Aldo and Chan Sung Jung. He made the move to lightweight in 2020 with his lone defeat in the division coming against rising contender Rafael Fiziev.
Moicano has been known for his strong grappling base, but his striking has improved in a big way in recent outings. This could make a matchup with Green particularly entertaining for the fans.
If Green defeats Makhachev on February 26, though, Green would almost surely be looking very high up the lightweight ranks for his next fight. If he loses, a defeat suffered to Makhachev is not exactly anything to hang one’s head over or damage one’s athletic reputation, so there’s a good chance Moicano’s offer would still stand to face Green next.
Do you want to see Renato Moicano vs. Bobby Green in 2022?
Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis didn’t have the ideal start to the new chapter of his MMA career in the PFL in 2021.
Pettis signed with the PFL last year after a long tenure in the UFC, which included a reign as the lightweight king. He would go on to lose the belt at UFC 185 before up-and-down runs at featherweight and welterweight.
Pettis was seen as arguably the biggest acquisition by the league in recent years. Many believed he would be the favorite to earn the league’s lightweight championship in his first season, but it wasn’t to be.
Pettis went winless in his rookie season with the PFL, falling to Clay Collard in the season opener before a controversial split decision loss to Raush Manfio at PFL 6. He would fail to qualify for the postseason after being regarded as the title favorite in some circles.
As Pettis gets ready for a potential bounceback in 2022 in the PFL, he’s still reflecting on what went wrong last year. During a recent interview with MMA Island, Pettis opened up on his first season with the league.
“I didn’t know what to expect last year in the PFL, honestly,” Pettis said. “You know I was coming over from a format of the UFC, of we would fight, take our time off, heal our injuries and then call somebody out, get the next fight, have a camp, sometimes have a quick short-notice fight that would be like the worst-case scenario. But like the PFL format and the season is probably one of the hardest formats of fighting there is. You know, fighting every eight weeks is the fight.”
Anthony Pettis Reflects On Losses & Pressure Of First PFL Year
Anthony Pettis, Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Pettis’ loss to Collard was a shocking upset in many eyes. He was knocked down multiple times in the fight and seemed to struggle to get anything going with his striking. Pettis said his first fight set him back in the lightweight division.
“Like the first fight I went out there and fought Clay Collard; I had a horrible performance from the way the cage felt it was like I never fought on canvas, for I mean—I haven’t fought on vinyl in a long time where I was used to fight on canvas,” Pettis admitted. “Every kick I threw, I was slipping. I was falling down, so it was like a lot of adjustments after that first fight where I was like, all right I only have eight weeks to change this fighting style to make it work for this style for fighting in this cage and this floor, so I worked on my boxing for the second half of the season.
“I had a great close fight with the champ Raush Manfio. I thought I won that fight, but obviously, he got it. He got his million bucks. I’m not a hater. Congrats to him, but for me, it’s like I know how good I am and where I’m at and I’ve seen he’s the champion and seen how our fights went, I’m right there. I just got to make small adjustments, and I think the experience from last season is going to definitely help me out with this season.”
Pettis went on to admit that he felt the pressure of being a big-name fighter entering a new promotion.
“There was a lot of pressure too,” Pettis said. “It’s weird because like you know even being a vet where I’m at in the fights that I fought in there was a lot of pressure going to a new organization and they were like expecting, well I felt like they’re expecting that show to come out and I put a lot of pressure on myself to fight that way. This time around I’m like yo that one out of the system, let’s have this season to win and not to perform if you will.”
Pettis will be joined by Manfio, Collard, and former UFC fighter Jeremy Stephens during the 2022 lightweight season. He defeated Jeremy Stephens via split decision at UFC 136 as he made his run to the belt.
Pettis is looking to remind fight fans of how dominant he can be in the cage when he’s at his best. While some may be writing off Pettis already, he’s looking to silence the doubters in the upcoming season.
What are your predictions for Anthony Pettis in 2022?
It’s safe to say that former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold isn’t a fan of Sean Strickland’s antics.
Rockhold is working towards a return to the UFC in 2022, nearly three years after his last fight against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 239. He has alluded to a move back to middleweight after falling flat in his light heavyweight debut.
Rockhold was supposed to face Strickland at UFC 268 to wrap up 2021, but Rockhold pulled out with an injury. Strickland was removed from the card and instead fought and defeated Jack Hermansson at UFC Vegas 47.
Tensions flared when Strickland threatened Rockhold on his social media pages, going as far as to promise a fight with Rockhold if the two ever met in a parking lot.
“I don’t have a lot of respect for the man, what that man says; I don’t think anybody does,” Rockhold said. “I don’t think he really knows what he’s talking about. When you’ve done that many drugs, I don’t know if things really come out clearly. I don’t know if there’s much of a thorough process to what he does. I think why he’s so effective is he doesn’t think, he doesn’t know. He just fights with stupidity. It actually benefits him to a certain extent.”
Following his win over Hermansson, Strickland appears to be knocking on the door for a potential middleweight title shot. He could earn a No. 1 contender fight next or a possible showdown with his adversary Rockhold.
Despite falling to defeat against Francis Ngannou, Ciryl Gane believes he displayed better striking and groundwork than “The Predator” at UFC 270.
In the opening pay-per-view main event of 2022, then-interim titleholder Gane and reigning heavyweight king Ngannou met for a blockbuster unification showdown.
While Gane had started strong, taking the opening two rounds with his evasive and technical striking on the scorecards of most fans and pundits, it was Ngannou’s strength and imposing top game that saw the final three frames fall in his favor.
But despite spending many minutes on his back in the later rounds and failing to overcome the champ’s wrestling, Gane believes he was “better” in all aspects beyond power.
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, “Bon Gamin” suggested he displayed better technique on the feet and on the ground, citing his ability to prevent Ngannou’s ground-and-pound and submission attempts as evidence.
“I think I was better with my striking, and I was better on the ground game too,” said Gane. “Because if you see, he catch me and kick me. It was difficult for him to do some ground-and-pound or some submission because my technique is good, you see? And it was more about the power and the plan.
“He used the power for the wrestling. Unfortunately, it was about two seconds when he catch me just on my ribs, behind my ribs,” added Gane. “After that, it’s more complicated to go out with the power of Francis, that’s why I went down. After that, he leave his body on me. He don’t do too much. This is respect for him still because he don’t need to do much… It was just a little mistake. For me, I was better on the striking (and) on the ground game. But, for me, I know this is a little bit strange to say, but I was better on my wrestling too; if you compare the technique. That’s why I’m okay (with the loss).”
Gane: Herb Dean Should Have Stood The Fight Up In The 5th Round
Despite his disappointment and belief that he edged most realms of the fight, Gane has consistently given credit to Ngannou for executing his game plan.
While he continued to do that during his conversation with Ariel Helwani, the Frenchman did suggest referee Herb Dean perhaps should have stood the pair up during Ngannou’s lengthy period of low-activity top control in the fifth round.
“When you have a big guy like Francis on your chest, if you want to go away, if you want to stand up, that’s not a good plan; to push the guy (up like a rep),” said Gane. “I don’t want to do that with Francis. So I was waiting for a good position to stand up. That’s what the regret is more like, the referee in the fifth round. The referee, for me, he take his time to stand up the fight a little bit.
“I looked, I connect the eye with the referee like, ‘Okay, let’s go, let’s go, stand up please, look.’ So that’s why this is a little regret. But he (Ngannou) did very well. Congratulations to Francis,” concluded Gane.
While it’s uncertain whether or not the pair will meet inside the Octagon again or if Ngannou will share the cage with anyone else in the UFC, it would certainly be interesting to see how Gane would go about adjusting to deal with the one area he believes led to him falling short at UFC 270: Ngannou’s strength and power.
What did you make of Ciryl Gane’s performance against Francis Ngannou at UFC 270?Do you agree with the Frenchman’s assessment?
The lead-up to the fight so far has been filled with trash talk mostly coming from Masvidal’s end. He even recently teased his opponent about being removed from their gym. Through all the drama, it’s all business as usual for Masvidal, but he wouldn’t be upset to have extra time against Covington in the cage.
“It’s nothing personal. It’s business since I got into it,” Masvidal told MMA Junkie. “I knew the type of people I’d be getting myself involved (with). I knew the options that could happen and so forth and so forth. So it’s somebody I firmly don’t like at all whatsoever, and I’m hoping that the referee, on the way to pulling me off of him, slips on a banana peel and I get some extra shots and really change his life and his face structure.”
Masvidal is coming into this matchup having lost his last two, both to the champ, Kamaru Usman. Covington is in the same boat: His only two losses in the last few years have been to Usman as well.
Both of these men have proved that they are among the best at 170 pounds and both want another shot at the belt. They will be doing everything they can inside the Octagon to make sure they beat the other and capture that next chance at Usman, pummeling a nemesis is a bonus.
Who do you think takes home the victory at UFC 272, Colby Covington or Jorge Masvidal?
Amanda Nunes is changing up her training gym and is getting a nice farewell from American Top Team owner Dan Lambert.
Amanda Nunes is coming off her first loss in several years. She lost her bantamweight belt to Juliana Peña in December and is now ready to make some changes. A lot has been said of Nunes’ training camp leading up to the loss, injuries, and difficulties all around. Following the loss, Nunes decided to leave her longtime gym ATT in Florida and is hoping to start her own fight team.
The news of her leaving the gym that she spent so many years being a part of was shocking to most fans. The gym is home to many high-caliber fighters and one of the most notorious gyms in the country. The owner of ATT Dan Lambert spoke to MMA Junkie about Nunes’ decision to leave.
“Hey, we have 100 fighters at our gym. You’re gonna have people from all levels. We’ve got fighters that are champions down to fighters that are newcomers in our developmental programs,” Lambert explained. “And we want people at our gym that want to be at our gym. And as long as it’s a good fit for us and it’s a good fit for the fighter, we do great things together if we can. And when it’s no longer a great fit for us or them and somebody’s gotta move on, we have an open-door policy.”
Nunes’ departure is not an all-or-nothing thing. She has mentioned that she will still visit ATT when she sees a fit. For her, the idea of having her own space to train is important. Nunes recently became a mother with her partner, fellow UFC fighter Nina Nunes, and they will be training at the new space together.
“If someone doesn’t want to be at the gym, they’re not gonna be at the gym,” Lambert said. “Amanda decided she wants to start her own place and be a coach, maybe set something up for her post-fighting career? I support that, and I hope she does well.”
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