MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Amanda Nunes: I Was Lying To Myself Pre-UFC 269

    UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion Amanda Nunes says she was “lying” to herself by believing she could compete at UFC 269.

    After extending her win streak to 12, her two-division rule, and her seven-year unbeaten run at UFC 259 last March with a dominant submission win against Megan Anderson, Nunes returned to bantamweight to defend her 135-pound gold against Julianna Peña.

    While many saw the challenger as a gift-wrapped delivery for the Brazilian’s first outing in the weight class since 2019, Peña switched the ‘And Still’ bunting to ‘And New’ in December.

    After their initially scheduled UFC 265 clash was pushed back after the then-champ returned a positive COVID-19 test, the pair finally collided at the last pay-per-view of the year.

    Providing one of the most memorable moments of the year, and across the promotion’s entire history, “The Venezuelan Vixen” submitted Nunes in the second round to be crowned the new queen of the bantamweights.

    During a recent media scrum, Nunes, who still owns the featherweight gold, looked back on her crushing defeat inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

    Having branded her camp as a “mess” due to the negative effect the UFC 265 cancelation had on her training, as well as numerous injuries she claims to have carried into the event, Nunes suggested the smart thing to do would have been to delay the matchup for the second time.

    According to the Brazilian, she was lying to herself by attempting to fight through her issues and by believing she could compete at 100% of her abilities at UFC 269.

    “I thought it wouldn’t look good if I let that fight fall through one more time. So I put what I was (dealing with) aside, but I didn’t have a very good camp, that was the honest thing,” said Nunes. “I tried putting into my head that I was ready, I was 100%, but I was lying to myself. That is exactly what I was (doing). But as a fighter, as a warrior, I wanna fight. I want to do that. I’m gonna fight whatever, even if I have an injury. But at this level, you cannot do those stupid moves. So, I paid for it.

    “I was supposed to let the fight fall through, get 100% again, and fight Julianna,” Nunes continued. “And I know Julianna is a very tough opponent. I know that (defeat) could have a chance at happening cause my timing was very off. I wasn’t even able to do sparring in my camp.”

    Nunes Reveals Doctor Advised Her Not To Fight At UFC 269

    To put into context how serious her troubles and physical issues were prior to UFC 269, Nunes revealed her doctor had advised her to pull out of the UFC’s year-ending PPV.

    The “Lioness” described her decision to ignore that advice as a “dumb” move, and one she certainly paid for at the hands of Peña.

    “Unfortunately, sometimes we do dumb things, and especially at the level I’m at, we’re not supposed to do those things,” said Nunes. “Sometimes I say, ‘Man, I really should’ve listened to my doctor.’ He told me, ‘Let me handle it with the UFC, I’ll tell them exactly what you’re going through right now, and you have to have time to rest and recover. If you don’t you’re not gonna perform as well.’ I was like, fighting with my doctor. I said, ‘You’re not gonna do that, you don’t have my permission to do that. I’m gonna fight.’

    “So, I went back to his offices (after UFC 269) and he looked at me like, ‘I told you,’” added Nunes. “So now, after watching the fight as well, I had a hard time for a little bit watching the fight because I was like, ‘Man, I don’t know what happened.’ Like, I kept lying to myself after the fight.”

    After losing the bantamweight title in 2021, Nunes will be hoping to reclaim her spot on the throne this year when she meets Peña for the second time. The pair are set to run it back following a stint coaching this year’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter.

    Are you excited for the new season of TUF and Julianna Peña vs. Amanda Nunes 2?

  • Arnold Allen Thinks He Should Be Tested By USADA More Often

    Arnold Allen admits that he believes USADA should come knocking more often.

    The English featherweight Arnold Allen is on a roll lately. He has won 10 fights in a row, including all eight he has had in the UFC. He is quickly rising up the featherweight rankings and proving that he has what it takes to fight some of the best at 145 pounds.

    Allen is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Sodiq Yusuff last April. Since then, he has been pretty quiet, until recently.

    Allen booked a fight against Dan Hooker for the upcoming London card in March. Allen spoke recently to The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani about the U.S Anti-Doping Agency testing and why he feels the testing should be happening more often.

    “I feel like I don’t get tested that much to be honest,” Allen said. “There was a lot of time before I hadn’t been tested once in England and then suddenly they start testing and then during COVID there wasn’t much testing. It’s been a bit quiet.”

    Allen’s father was a strongman who he admitted did take steroids during his lifting days. Having discussed this brought about the issue of his own drug testing in the UFC.

    Since the insertion of the USADA testing back in 2015, several fighters have been caught or suspended for failing to uphold the drug policy. Allen has not had any trouble himself but feels things could be run a little tighter in that department.

    “I don’t even remember maybe before Christmas (when asked about the last time he was tested), yeah I don’t know. I’m also traveling every other minute with these drives three times a week so I don’t know how it would work. I put it in the thing, in the app, telling them where I’m at, maybe they’ll come get me at the truck stop, in the showers.”

    According to the USADA website, Allen was tested once so far in 2022, unlike Israel Adesanya and Michael Chandler who have each been tested six times this year.

    Drug testing in the sport is always a hot-button issue. Recently, Sean Strickland suggested a lifetime ban for those who break the drug policy. Allen, although among the least tested, is open to more thorough protocols.

    Do you think the USADA should be testing fighters more often?

  • Dustin Poirier Doesn’t Believe Nate Diaz Is Really Eying Retirement

    Dustin Poirier isn’t buying Nate Diaz’s retirement claim.

    Following his heartbreaking loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269, Dustin Poirier immediately began his soul-searching journey. He wasn’t sure what the future held for him or if there even is a future as far as MMA is concerned, but he did know one thing: If he were to have one more fight, it would need to be against Nate Diaz.

    Poirier and Diaz have unfinished business dating back four years ago to their collapsed UFC 230 booking. Neither man has forgotten that unfulfilled date, and they have sporadically trash-talked one another on social media over the years.

    It wasn’t until Poirier’s loss to Oliveira that talk of the two finally fighting hit such a fever pitch. Both men have publicly agreed to fight, and yet there has been no significant progress toward making it official.

    Diaz Joins Poirier’s Unscheduled Retirement Party

    Nate Diaz
    © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

    Over the weekend, Nate Diaz would take a different approach towards getting the fight against Poirier booked. He would appeal to the UFC to set this up as his retirement fight before he rides off into the Stockton sunset.

    While it is unknown what White and the UFC made of Diaz’s retirement claim, the other invested party, Dustin Poirier, isn’t convinced.

    “I don’t believe that,” Poirier said of Diaz’s retirement claim during a recent media scrum. “Nate, he’s got that dog in him. He’s gonna fight forever. We’ll see what happens, but I believe he has a lot of fight left in him—but no telling what his plans are and his exit game and whatever’s going on. But I want the fight, and I think he wants it as well.”

    Poirier’s choice of words may have been influenced by Diaz himself, who just last year stated that he would never retire.

    One possibility is that Diaz is using a faux retirement as a way to persuade the UFC to book this fight as the last fight on his current UFC deal while avoiding any re-signing negotiations. That would allow Diaz to not only get the fight he wants but also hit the free-agent market, where he would have increased negotiation leverage, whether or not he opts to re-sign with the UFC.

    Poirier has maintained that a fight with Diaz is the only bout he’s interested in, and the feeling seems to be mutual on the Diaz side.

    As we tread deeper into 2022, we’ll find out if this year will play host to one or both of these two legends’ final career fight and if it will be against one another.

    Do you believe Nate Diaz would really retire after a fight against Dustin Poirier?

  • Bobby Green Reveals What In-Fight Comment Enraged Him At UFC 271

    One sly in-fight comment from Nasrat Haqparast caused the rage in Bobby Green’s eyes that helped lead to his impressive win at UFC 271.

    Green and Haqparast battled in a three-round war at UFC 271. It was a standup showcase from start to finish as Green displayed impressive boxing and movement throughout the fight.

    Green and Haqparast got off to a slow start in the fight, but that changed over rounds 2 and 3. Haqparast got into Green’s face in between rounds, and that fired up Green going forward.

    During his UFC 271 post-fight press conference, Green talked about what Haqparast said to him that made him visibly furious midway through the fight.

    “Man, I don’t wanna do a lot of talking but he was getting under my skin,” Green said. “He was like coming with this energy and then he said he saw fear in my eyes, and that pissed me off. And I’m like, ‘Oh yeah? what’s up?’. That brings the hood out of me. I wasn’t going to say s**t but then he said s**t that hit me deep in the heart. There’s no f**king fear in me, homie, and my coach was trying to calm me down. I was hot and I just took it personally.”

    Green made the Toyota Center in Houston erupt during and after the fight. He has no personal connections to the area, but the crowd was clearly in his favor before and after putting on a stellar performance against Haqparast.

    Green came into UFC 271 off of a first-round knockout against Al Iaquinta at UFC 268. Before that, he lost back-to-back fights against Thiago Moisés and Rafael Fiziev.

    In terms of what he wants next in his UFC career, Green doesn’t have a specific name in mind. But it seems likely that he’s in line for a big opportunity following an impressive win at UFC 271 after previously hinting at retirement.

    Who do you want to see Bobby Green fight next?

  • It Happened: UFC President Dana White Does A Shoeyvasa (Video)

    It happened, you guys: Dana White did a Shoeyvasa.

    Now, before you get too excited, there is one important distinction to be made. Dana White did not do a traditional shoey. Meaning, he did not chug beer out of a worn shoe. But he did successfully complete a Shoeyvasa, a makeshift container specifically designed to fill your beer-chugging needs.

    At the UFC 271 pre-fight press conference, Tuivasa gifted White, Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and his slated opponent Derrick Lewis their own Shoeyvasas. Upon being gifted this treasure, White publicly stated that he’d be willing to complete a Shoeyvasa.

    Despite the fans in attendance egging White on to do it right then and there, the UFC bossman was hoping that the matter would drop.

    Tai Tuivasa Doesn’t Let Dana White Off The Hook

    During the UFC 271 post-fight press conference, the topic of his agreed Shoeyvasa was raised again when Tuivasa refused to let his boss off the hook. No, there was only one acceptable conclusion here. Dana White would have to take off his figurative (and literal) suit in order to be a man of his word and complete his mandated Shoeyvasa.

    Peep out White’s Shoeyvasa below along with Tuivasa guiding his pupil through the process.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ8BGTEui6A/

    Unfortunately, the video ends rather abruptly. Perhaps the UFC boss decided to use his veto powers to block Tuivasa or any witness from sharing an embarrassing uncut version. Whatever the reason, viewers will have to use their imaginations for how well White did.

    Tuivasa is currently riding a five-fight win streak after knocking out Derrick Lewis in what was the biggest victory of his career at UFC 271. Indeed, when “Bam Bam” Tuivasa isn’t chugging beer, he’s winning fights. Then, he reverts to drinking beer again.

    Tai Tuivasa: Steve Nelk Boys Shoey at UFC 271 - YouTube

    Should an extended version of White’s Shoeyvasa become available, you can be sure that MMA News will be hot on the case to bring you the scoop. So keep it locked right here on MMANews.com for the latest on this breaking, monumental story.

    And don’t forget to purchase your very own Shoeyvasa right here!

  • Julianna Peña Open To Exploring Potential WWE Run In The Future

    The UFC‘s new women’s bantamweight champion, Julianna Peña, is open to a future with the WWE.

    “The Venezuelan Vixen” told the NY Post she would give professional wrestling a shot if the opportunity ever presented itself.

    “Right now my focus is on fighting. Later on, if that opportunity presents itself, I don’t see why I couldn’t explore that avenue. Definitely, my focus is on fighting for the UFC,” said Peña.

    Recently winning the championship and already having the rematch targeted for later this year, Peña certainly has a lot to focus on in her UFC career. Her next opponent, Amanda Nunes, will have her chance to reclaim the Bantamweight throne.

    Both women were recently announced as the coaches for the 30th season of The Ultimate Fighter with the rematch expected to take place this summer.

    Peña May Have Her Dream Opponent Waiting For Her In WWE

    If Peña did make a move over to the WWE, perhaps we could see her tangle with someone she’s called out in the UFC for years, Ronda Rousey.

    The bantamweight champ wasted no time after gaining the victory over Nunes at UFC 269 in December. Already, she has opponents lined up, one of whom being the 2022 WWE Woman’s Royal Rumble winner, Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey. Rousey made her return to WWE programming last month, and she is currently scheduled to perform at this year’s WrestleMania against Charlotte Flair.

    During Season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter, fans of the show witnessed the beginning of Peña’s and Rousey’s conflict.

    Miesha Tate, Julianna Peña, Ronda Rousey
    Miesha Tate, Julianna Peña, Ronda Rousey, Credit: The Ultimate Fighter

    Peña’s friendship with Miesha Tate solidified their tension, and as fierce competitors, they bumped heads while filming the show.

    The queen of armbar submissions may have been the face of the UFC’s women’s league at the time, but Peña never cowered and still desires a match with her in the cage.

    Hopefully for Peña, Rousey will pull a Brock Lesnar and make one more appearance in the UFC. However, if the curtain is officially closed on “Rowdy” returning to the Octagon, a WWE match might settle the fire between them.

    What do you think of Julianna Peña joining the WWE in the future?

  • (Archives) UFC 258 Highlights: Usman Smashes Burns (2021)

    The following event took place on this day one year ago. The article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day In MMA History One Year Ago…

    Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns exceeded expectations. 

    The two fighters met in a welterweight title bout on Saturday night (February 13, 2021) at the UFC 258 pay-per-view event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.

    It was a chaotic start as Burns stunned him within 30 seconds in the first round and got Usman on wobbly legs. However, his momentum was halted as he threw a head kick and fell to the ground. Burns wasn’t letting Usman get comfortable as he was always moving forward. Usman used his jabs nicely though and mixed things up with leg kicks.

    Usman stunned him with a right hand then unloaded on him. Usman later dropped him with a jab in the second round. The start of the third round saw Usman drop him with a right hand then followed up on the ground with strikes. 

    Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:

    In his previous fight, Usman got a decision win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 251 pay-per-view event from Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island aka Fight Island. Usman beat Colby Covington by TKO at UFC 245 in his first title defense. Usman captured the title from Tyron Woodley when he scored a dominant unanimous win in the co-headliner of the UFC 235 on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was on a 14-fight winning streak heading into this fight with 10 of those wins coming under the UFC banner. 

    For Burns, he was coming off a decision win over Tyron Woodley in May 2020. Before that, he got a TKO win over Demian Maia and a decision win over Gunnar Nelson at UFC Copenhagen. This all came after he moved up from lightweight to defeat Alexey Kunchenko in his welterweight debut. In all, he was on a six-fight winning streak.

    UFC 258 Results: Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns, Maycee Barber vs. Alexa Grasso

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 258. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • (Archives) Usman: UFC Africa Is Inevitable & Needs Support From The UFC (2021)

    The following article was published on this day one year ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day One Year Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 13, 2021, 12:00 PM]

    Headline: Usman: UFC Africa Is Inevitable & Needs Support From The UFC Brass

    Kamaru Usman is looking forward to the day when he can finally have the UFC welterweight belt wrapped around his waist in an arena full of his countrymen.

    The UFC kicked off 2021 with the first network TV event since December of 2018. In the main event, Max Holloway put on a show that harked back to the days of Ali on ABC and put the world on notice that the UFC is continuing to advance further into the mainstream zeitgeist. But what better way is there to convey that same message than to have a presence in as many continents as possible, including unventured territory, such as the homeland of UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, #1 heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou, and UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman?

    How Far Away Is A UFC Africa Megacard?

    Kamaru Usman and his compatriots have been pushing for a UFC Africa show, and though it still yet to happen even in the light of two African-born champions, Usman believes it’s only a matter of time.

    “Honestly, I don’t think we’re far at all,” Usman said in a UFC 258 media scrum about UFC Africa. “I think the tough thing is just the higher-ups and the execs just are able to say, ‘OK, we’re going to do whatever it takes to make it happen. Because obviously, there’s intricate details that a lot of people don’t know that goes into bringing events to certain places, just financial-wise. And not just financial, but also logistics and making sure everything works out.

    Image result for kamaru usman face paint
    “The Nigerian Nightmare” Kamaru Usman. Credit: Associated Press

    “There’s a couple of countries down in the continent of Africa who are definitely capable of being able to host and make this thing come to fruition. And it’s just kind of up to the company to basically decide if, hey, we’re going to make this happen.”

    The same way Max Holloway’s performance on UFC on ABC 1 reminded combat sports fans of the days of Ali’s greatness on a national display, Usman, Adesanya, Ngannou and others can issue the same reminder of what an international mega event like “The Rumble in the Jungle” feels like. 

    Kamaru Usman Believes UFC Africa Is Inevitable

    To Usman’s point, there are, in fact, several countries, and more specifically venues, that are more than capable of hosting a massive UFC event, such as the FNB Stadium in South Africa, the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt, Abuja Stadium in Nigeria, and of course the home of “The Rumble in the Jungle,” the Stade Tata Raphaël. The possibilities are endless with names like Ngannou, Adesanya, and Usman in any of these arenas, and they are also inevitable, says Usman.

    “…Sooner than later, we’re about to have three African-born champions all holding belts,” Usman declared. “So I mean, we’re going to have to make something happen sooner or later. And I envision that being just one of the most memorable and massive events that this company has ever seen.”

    In order for Usman’s vision to come off exactly as he imagines it, he will need to maintain his status as the undisputed UFC welterweight champion. Standing in the way of this requirement is former teammate Gilbert Burns, who will be looking to be making UFC history for his own country tonight by becoming the first Brazilian welterweight champion in UFC history. In a matter of hours, we’ll learn which of these patriots will exit with their dream intact, and which one will have their UFC 258 experience warp into a nightmare.

    Who do you think will represent their country with a win tonight: Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman or Brazil’s Gilbert Burns?

  • Rashad Evans Is Ready To Leave Competition On A “High Note”

    Rashad Evans could be calling it a career again.

    The 42-year-old former UFC champion Rashad Evans might be heading into another retirement. Evans made a quick comeback to MMA recently when he fought on the main card of the Eagle FC 44 card.

    Evans faced Gabriel Checco and walked away with the victory. It was the first win for Evans in quite a while. And now that he has gotten that win he was looking for, he may be ready to enjoy his retirement.

    Evans had a great run in the UFC during his time there. He came to the UFC back in 2005 when he won The Ultimate Fighter Season Two. He later went on to win the light heavyweight title. Towards the end of his career, Evans ran into some trouble. He finished his UFC career with five straight losses. He spoke recently in an interview with BJPenn.com about why he chose to return to fighting.

    “It was a few different things, ending my career the way I did, it didn’t sit well with me,” Evans said. “Just doing a lot of soul-searching over the past few years brought back that competitive edge and also some of the things, the pandemic put things into perspective. It made me want to compete. It felt like we were running out of time to do the things we truly love to do.”

    Evans made the decision to return from a three-year retirement and join Khabib Nurmagomedov’s promotion for one last shot at going out on a win. Now that Evans has gotten the win he was looking for, he doesn’t feel the need to do it again.

    “I don’t know, I keep asking myself if I’m going to compete again or leave it as it is. It feels good to be on this high note, a big part of me just says stay here,” Evans said. “At this point in my life, I feel as if I don’t have much to fight for. Fighting for me has always been about the personal journey and I feel like I have passed the test I needed to pass. I’m still in the gym, training and working, I’m sure maybe somewhere down the road something will pop up for me where I’m just like, let me get one more. I’m going to take my time with it. I’m 42-years-old, we’ll see. That is a big part of it, that is a huge part of it on if I will do it again. I got the win I have been so desperate to get. Now that I got the win, I don’t want to trade places and get a loss.”

    Evans was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019. He also can be seen behind the desk for various ESPN commentary media duties.

    Do you think Evans is done fighting for real this time following the win?

  • Shields Faults “Egos” For Other Boxers’ Lack Of Success In MMA Challenge

    Decorated boxer Claressa Shields has many accomplishments, including being a boxing champion to have competed and win an MMA match.

    The list of accolades continues to grow for “T. Rex.” By age 26, Claressa Shields has taken home Olympic gold twice, won numerous boxing championships across weight classes, and now sports a win in the PFL.

    Claressa Shields
    Claressa Shields, Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp

    Shields won her MMA debut by TKOing Brittney Elkin, then she went on to her next match a few months later.

    Though the undefeated boxer fought hard, she took the first loss of her professional fighting career via split decision against Abigail Montes.

    She still considers herself “The Greatest Woman Of All Time” and prides herself on stepping up to the challenge of MMA. Currently a lone wolf in her acts, Shields blames “egos” for other boxers not following suit.

    “Ego, men have a lot of egos, a lot of boxers have egos. They want to be great at what they’re great at and the minute they’re faced with something uncomfortable or abnormal, they don’t want to do it,” Shields explains to SunSport.

    Many boxers tried their hand at mixed martial arts. Famous names in the realm of boxing such as James Toney, and Ricardo Mayorga made an effort in the sport. While revered boxing champions, they both met failure in their MMA debuts and retired from the sport.

    Notably, former boxer and UFC veteran LaVerne Clark saw success in MMA. He won his UFC debut, and from 1998 to 1999, won 9 fights in a row, mostly by TKO.

    In recent years, no other boxing champions besides Shields has made an attempt at mixed martial arts. It’s been over 10 years since fellow boxing legend Holly Holm set out on her MMA journey, in which she became UFC women’s bantamweight champion.

    Ten facts about Holly Holm
    Holly Holm, Image Credit: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Image

    Undoubtedly, some fighters fear their perfect records being tarnished by a loss. However, Shields plans to take her MMA career all the way to the top.

    A championship belt in MMA may be the toughest challenge of her combat career, but she refuses to back down.

    “It’s unprecedented, it’s never been done before and that’s what people want to see, extraordinary things. And the fact that I’m willing to put my reputation, my record, put everything on the line to achieve the PFL world title, it shows my character,” Calaressa continues.

    From the Olympics to boxing to MMA, Shields proves her tenacity is unmatched.

    She currently dominates women’s lightweight boxing; undefeated at 12-0. And on February 5, she rebounded from her MMA loss with a unanimous decision boxing win against Ema Kozin.

    Shields plans to reappear in the PFL in 2023 to continue her legacy. Perhaps Shields will start a trend of professional boxers turned successful MMA fighters.

    Are you excited for Claressa Shields’s next MMA bout?

  • Uriah Hall Rips ‘Ugly’ Darren Till For Being Too ‘Scared’ To Fight Him

    UFC middleweight Uriah Hall is not happy with Darren Till and is accusing the English UFC star of ducking him for a fight.

    Hall is in the middle of training camp as he works towards his scheduled UFC return at a UFC Fight Night event on April 16. He’s slated to face Andre Muniz, an up-and-coming middleweight who is looking for another signature win on his record.

    But Hall wanted another solidified middleweight for his Octagon return. He targeted a fight with Till on the upcoming UFC London card, but Till allegedly turned down the fight for an undisclosed reason, according to Hall.

    During a recent interview with The Schmo, Hall had some choice words for Till after allegedly passing up a fight with him.

    “I mean to be honest, it’s not something that I wanted,” Hall said of the Muniz matchup. “I wanted Darren Till but he’s being a punk a** b**ch, and I don’t know what happened. He’s just playing the UFC or whatnot, but he’s one that makes sense. I wanted him, but I think he’s just scared. I think he’s really scared. Either that or he’s injured or some s**t, he’s always making excuses. He talks smack but I know when he stands in front of me he’s going to be quiet. I just know I can beat him. He’s short, he sucks, he’s ugly. I just know I can kick his a**.”

    Hall has won four of his last five fights but is coming off of a unanimous decision loss to Sean Strickland last July. Before that, he had earned a TKO win after Chris Weidman snapped his leg just seconds into the fight at UFC 261.

    Till has lost four of his last five against some of the best talents in the UFC, including most recently against Derek Brunson and Robert Whittaker. His lone win since moving to middleweight came against Kelvin Gastelum via split decision at UFC 244.

    Hall and Till have gone at each other in recent months. Hall called out Till on social media before Till called him an “ugly motherf**ker” in an interview with Ariel Helwani. Hall’s description of Till’s physical attributes indicates that the feeling is mutual.

    It’s unclear when Till is slated to return after allegedly suffering a knee injury in the lead-up to his last fight. But Hall seems to be a willing opponent, depending on what happens with his fight against Muniz.

    What do you make of Uriah Hall’s comments regarding Darren Till?

  • Chandler To Adesanya: ‘Take More Chances, Don’t You Dare Spar’

    UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler thinks UFC champs such as Israel Adesanya should be more aggressive in the cage.

    Chandler is coming off of his three-round war with Justin Gaethje at UFC 268. It was arguably one of the greatest fights in UFC history and featured nonstop action from the two lightweight brawlers.

    In light of his recent fight, Chandler thinks that some of the UFC’s titleholders need to impose their will a bit more in the cage. This comes after Adesanya earned a unanimous decision victory over Robert Whittaker but many were disappointed by Adesanya’s lack of output in the later rounds.

    During a recent tweet, Chandler praised Adesanya’s skill set but also stated why he prefers that UFC champions take more risks when defending their titles.

    “Trust me, I love Izzy,” Chandler said. “But we have gotten to a point where a dominant champ just needs to stand there, throw a few shots per round and he will not lose unless he gets caught and he will always get the nod. Izzy god paid on this last contract… go FIGHT, don’t you dare spar.”

    Chandler later clarified that champions don’t need to throw caution to the wind to put on a stellar title defense.

    “I’m not advocating ‘banging’ over ‘tactically fighting’, all I’m trying to advocate for is a spirit of inflicting dominance in the face of danger. Don’t play it safe. Take more chances. I don’t need you to plod forward with reckless abandon…but have a little anger in your heart.”

    Chandler has lost back-to-back fights but is expected to return against Tony Ferguson later this year. The fight hasn’t been booked and scheduled by the UFC just yet, but that could come in the next few weeks. Ferguson has recently accused Chandler of delaying the fight.

    Chandler is a former Bellator lightweight champion who earned wins over Benson Henderson and Patricky Freire during his time with the promotion. He made his UFC debut last year at UFC 257 with a knockout win over Dan Hooker.

    Adesanya is expected to defend his title next against Jared Cannonier later this year, and Chandler hopes that he and other UFC champs be a bit more aggressive in their approach to defending their titles.

    Do you agree with Michael Chandler?

  • Derek Brunson Speaks Out Following UFC 271 Loss To Jared Cannonier

    UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson addressed his fans following a disappointing loss to Jared Cannonier.

    Brunson fell to Cannonier at UFC 271 via second-round knockout after a dominant opening round. He utilized his wrestling and nearly sunk in a rear-naked choke submission as the first round came to a close.

    However, Cannonier was able to find his footing in the second round and overwhelm Brunson with strikes. He would eventually land a lead elbow that dropped Brunson and followed it up with heavy ground-and-pound shots.

    The fight was built up as a No. 1 middleweight contender fight between two of the top-4 middleweights in the UFC. Cannonier will more than likely get the next shot at Israel Adesanya later this year.

    Shortly after the loss, Brunson took to social media to address his fans and update them on how he’s doing physically and mentally.

    “Made a title push. Number 3 vs. 4 in the world,” Brunson said. “I came up short. Life lessons. I’m all good, sad but life will give you [these] moments.”

    Entering UFC 271, Brunson was arguably the hottest middleweight in the UFC with five-straight wins. He hadn’t lost since falling to Adesanya at UFC 230 as the champion made his rise towards the title conversation.

    Brunson has one more fight left on his deal and plans on competing once more in the Octagon before he calls it quits. Brunson made his UFC debut at UFC 155 following an up-and-down tenure in Strikeforce. Leading up to UFC 271, he alluded to retirement following the conclusion of his contract.

    Who do you want to see Derek Brunson fight for his final UFC appearance?

  • Conor McGregor Rips Tyson Fury After Khabib Support, Fury Fires Back

    Former UFC champion Conor McGregor ripped boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on social media over the weekend after Fury praised McGregor’s old rival, Khabib Nurmagomedov, in a tweet.

    Nurmagomedov retired from MMA on top of the sport in 2020 following a title defense against Justin Gaethje.

    Fury and McGregor are known as arguably two of the brashest personalities in combat sports today. Fury most recently defeated Deontay Wilder in one of the best trilogies in boxing history.

    After getting word of Fury’s supportive tweet aimed at Nurmagomedov, McGregor ripped Fury in response.

    “This man did it right. Got in and won [gold] and got out on top,” Fury tweeted in support of Nurmagomedov.

    Nearly two weeks after the original tweet, McGregor weighed in on Fury’s support of his rival Nurmagomedov while also mocking Fury’s response to his Billy Joe Saunders’ father’s altercation with security at a Canelo Alvarez boxing event.

    https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1492721714274394112?s=20&t=Efr30N0RngyA2prelByO_A

    “Yup the Joyces. Big Joe!” McGregor said. “You bottled it with Billy Joe Da, what were you doing there? You left him, Versace twat. You. Done. Nothing. Ya’s did it right ye right [laughs]. Even when I’m wrong I’m right. Who did it right? The Mac daddy tonight, in house. Miami d12! Bahamas.”

    Fury responded to McGregor by mocking his recent struggles in the UFC.

    “Come back when you win a fight mush,” Fury said. “And the difference in me and you is I don’t get myself in trouble and people actually like me, your just a bully who hit old man, and yes big up the hulk Joe.”

    McGregor and Fury are both anticipating returns to the fight game in 2022. McGregor has been sidelined since suffering a leg injury at UFC 264, and Fury has been in negotiations to potentially box Dillian Whyte next.

    McGregor and Fury appeared to be on mutually respectful terms after McGregor offered to train him in MMA. But it appears that friendship has fizzled out, and the two no longer see each other in a positive light.

    What do you make of the recent Conor McGregor/Tyson Fury squabble?

  • Robert Whittaker: A Trilogy Fight Against Adesanya Is Inevitable

    Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker thinks a trilogy with Israel Adesanya down the line may not be too far-fetched.

    Whittaker and Adesanya went the distance at UFC 271 in a back and forth war. Whittaker had plenty of moments and looked improved from their first fight, but Adesanya was the more active in the later rounds and earned the unanimous decision win.

    Whittaker felt he did enough to earn the win over Adesanya despite all three judges giving the reigning champion the decision. Most of the rounds were close, and some can be debated in Whittaker’s favor.

    During his UFC 271 post-fight press conference, Whittaker spoke about his rivalry with Adesanya and what’s next for him.

    “Pottery (laughs),” Whittaker said. “Nah. Honestly, a third fight between me and Izzy is inevitable, because I’m gonna stomp anybody who comes in front of me again, and he knows that too, that’s why he said ‘I’ll be seeing you in the future.’ And I don’t see him losing the belt anytime soon, he’s good, he is good. I think I am the person to beat him. My mission stays the same: beat the next guy in front of me.”

    Whittaker went on to hint that he doesn’t plan on making it a long road back to the title and winning another three fights as he did before the rematch.

    “Hopefully it will be quicker than that. I guess there’s obvious people I need to fight first—the people who I haven’t already beaten in the top ten. Then surely that puts me in a position to fight for the title again, especially considering how close this one was. Let’s be honest, there aren’t a lot of people in the top ten that I haven’t had it over. I don’t know, I’m not really thinking about it. I’m more thinking about going home to my family and just cruising.”

    After getting knocked out by Adesanya at UFC 243, Whittaker went on to earn three-straight dominant wins over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum. He showed better patience on the feet over his previous few fights which he showcased at UFC 271.

    Cannonier will more than likely get the next title shot after a win over Derek Brunson earlier in the night. While it’s unclear what Whittaker’s exact path back to another title shot could look like, he seems intent on getting his revenge over Adesanya.

    Do you think we’ll see a trilogy between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker?

  • Dustin Poirier: You Will Never See Me Fight Colby Covington In The UFC

    Don’t expect to ever see a sanctioned MMA fight between former teammates Dustin Poirier and Colby Covington.

    When Colby Covington parted ways with American Top Team two years ago, it was not a graceful exit. Instead, he made quite a few enemies on his way out.

    While most of the attention has been placed on Covington’s rivalry with former close friend Jorge Masvidal, he has also consistently targeted another ex-teammate in Dustin Poirier.

    Colby Covington, Dustin Poirier (Image Credit: @colbycovmma on Instagram)

    Years ago, Poirier had already stated that if he sees Covington on the streets, it’s “on sight”. The two briefly made amends while Covington was still a member of ATT, only for Covington to later ramp up his trash talk to new levels after splitting with the team.

    The list of Covington’s remarks is lengthy and extremely personal. He has accused Poirier of using his The Good Fight Foundation as a tax write-off, released training footage intended to make Poirier look villainous by highlighting Poirier’s behavior after he dropped a sparring a partner, called Poirier’s wife a “Jezebel,” and he even went so far as to call Poirier’s daughter a “prop” and state that if Poirier does not fight him, that makes him, not Poirier, her true father.

    With lines crossed to such a wide extent, some may believe that the only way to settle things would be to fight it out. At the end of the year, it seemed that Poirier might have been hinting that Covington was on his 2022 hit list. However, in speaking to reporters backstage at UFC 271, Poirier ruled out the possibility of ever fighting Colby Covington—legally.

    “No, I would never fight Colby in an Octagon where there’s finances on the line,” Poirier assured. “If I fight Colby, we’re both going to jail. I’m going to jail. I’m not gonna fight him in the Octagon.

    “He’s not making money off of my career, what I’ve done. This is something different. You will never see me fight Colby Covington in the UFC.”

    There is one thing Poirier and Covington agree on, which is that if they see one another on the streets, there will be a fight without any need for judges or a spectating audience.

    In the meantime, Colby Covington’s next sanctioned fight is against the aforementioned Jorge Masvidal. It should come as no surprise that Poirier is strongly supporting his teammate and friend Masvidal, as he voiced during this media scrum.

    As for himself, if Poirier had it his way, his next fight would be against Nate Diaz at welterweight. Talks had begun for the bout to get made, but they have since stalled.

    Do you want to see Dustin Poirier fight Colby Covington in the UFC?

  • Israel Adesanya Shares What He Told Whittaker Directly After Rematch

    UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya had a message for Robert Whittaker just seconds after their rematch at UFC 271.

    Adesanya and Whittaker went five full rounds this time around in their second battle in the Octagon. The two went toe-to-toe on the feet and ground, but Adesanya was seen as more active throughout the fight.

    Adesanya defeated Whittaker the first time around at UFC 243 with a vicious knockout. He has emerged as one of the UFC’s biggest stars since earning the belt.

    Israel Adesanya
    Image Credit: Carmen Mandato/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    Following their rematch, Adesanya and Whittaker shared a brief moment in the cage. The two appeared to bury the hatchet of their rivalry and show mutual respect for one another.

    During his UFC 271 post-fight press conference, Adesanya revealed the content of his conversation with Whittaker as the fifth round came to a close.

    “I said, you know, ‘I don’t like you, you don’t like me, but I respect you,’” Adesanya said. “And he said the same thing and ‘I’m sure in another life we could be friends.’ And I said ‘maybe.’ But yeah, we’re just two guys trying to be the best in the world. But tonight I’m the best in the world.”

    Adesanya will more than likely face Jared Cannonier next after Cannonier knocked out Brunson just a couple of fights before the Whittaker rematch. He has been a target of Adesanya’s for months, and Adesanya has praised him as the dark horse of the division.

    Outside of Cannonier, there aren’t a ton of first-time title challengers waiting for a shot. There is Sean Strickland, who recently earned a unanimous decision win over Jack Hermansson, but he may need to win one more to earn a shot at Adesanya.

    As for Whittaker, he’ll need to win a few more to have any hope of earning a third fight with Adesanya. While their rematch was close and competitive, it’s hard to see a scenario in which these two go to battle for a third time without Whittaker going on a torrid streak.

    What are your thoughts on Israel Adesanya vs. Jared Cannonier next?

  • [ARCHIVES] Joe Rogan Says PEDs Are An “Epidemic” In MMA (2015)

    The following article was published on this day seven years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Seven Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 13, 2015, 4:16 PM]

    Headline: Joe Rogan Says PEDs Are An “Epidemic” In MMA

    In light of the recent PED problem in the sport of MMA, longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan went on a rant about the subject on his latest podcast, referring to the situation as a legitimate “epidemic.”

    “The UFC and MMA, in general, is a steroid epidemic,” said Rogan. “They’ve started this really stringent testing and everybody is getting popped. They’re just getting popped left and right. It’s one of the things fighters have been saying for a long time, that everyone is on steroids, a huge percentage. Give a number 50, 60 [percent]. Whatever the f**k it is that are on steroids.”

    Rogan touched on the highest-profile case in recent weeks, that being Anderson Silva.

    “Anderson was coming back from a broken leg and he tested positive for metabolites,” said Rogan. “It was leaving his system, a very trace amount. If that was the case, it could very well be that he got on some steroids to heal up quicker. Because what steroids do, is they allow you to recover quicker.

    “So if he’s 39 years old and he broke his f***ing leg, you’re talking about a long-ass period of recovery. Or you take steroids and you recover in nine months instead of 15 months or fill in the blank. That could be what’s going on, but the reality is it’s illegal. You can’t do it. If it takes you 15 months, the excuse can’t be, ‘I’m going to give you some illegal drugs so you heal quicker. This is the only reason you take these drugs. Don’t worry about it, you’ll be fine.’ No, you’re never allowed to take steroids.”

    Rogan also shared his thoughts on Hector Lombard’s positive test, news of which came out this week.

    “This thing that Hector Lombard got popped for, I’ve never even heard of this s**t before,” said Rogan. “It’s apparently a designer anabolic steroid, so what I think that means is that it’s one of these steroids that’s been concocted to get around the rules.

    “The test are getting way more sophisticated, so who knows? Lombard must have thought that he couldn’t get in trouble for this s**t. I don’t understand it.”

    Check out the latest Joe Rogan Experience podcast by clicking here.

  • Tuivasa Content Being The Shoey Guy, Could Care Less About HW Top 5

    Tai Tuivasa just wants to have fun.

    Fortunately for “Bam Bam,” there is nothing more fun for him than knocking a man unconscious. Well, except for maybe the celebratory shoeys that come afterward.

    At UFC 271, Tuivasa had a blast yet again when he registered his fifth consecutive knockout win. This time, it came over the most prolific knockout artist the UFC has ever seen: Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis.

    Derrick Lewis suffers another crushing hometown defeat at UFC 271
    Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

    In executing this knockout, Tuivasa made good on the prediction of the entire MMA community leading up to the co-main event that somebody was going to be knocked unconscious. That man would turn out to be Derrick Lewis.

    As for Tuivasa, the entire co-main event was a typical Tuivasa party: old school bangers for the tunes, smash hits delivered by the host for the action, and lots and lots of beer flowing to ensure everyone goes home happy.

    And if it’s all the same for Tuivasa, this party is worth repeating, even if others think it’s about time he grows up and starts setting more adult goals for himself.

    “I don’t mind being the guy who drinks piss out of shoes and this and that,” Tuivasa responded when asked about his reputation as only being a KO artist and beer chugger instead of a title contender. “I suppose everyone focuses on all that, but at the end of the day, I’m knocking the best in the world out. So it’s up to yous to take it however it is.

    “Like I said, I’ve got a great team behind me now. I’ve got guys who have just the best interest for me, and fuck we’re doing alright, you know what I mean? We’re knocking out the best in the world, brah. We’re here.”

    Still, even if Tuivasa doesn’t care about the rankings, the UFC rankings panel must. And this coming week you can expect Tuivasa, who currently sits at #11, to make a massive leap up the ranks. So who does Tuivasa want next? Is there anyone he would like to call out in the top 5?

    Tuivasa decided to pass on that opportunity because he hasn’t the slightest clue who occupies the UFC’s heavyweight top 5—even when sober.

    “Brah, to be honest I don’t even know who the fuck’s in the top five,” Tuivasa confessed. “I don’t even watch fighting, brah. Like I said, I heard there’s the Stipe’s, the Cyril Gane’s and all of that and everyone up there. But this is my job. I rock up, I prepare with my team, and we fuckin’ punch on.”

    How long do you think Tai Tuivasa KO and shoey party will continue until someone crashes it?

  • Archives: Diaz Reacts After Miami Herald’s False Story About Him (2020)

    The following article was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 13, 2020, 11:25 AM]

    Headline: Nate Diaz Reacts After Miami Herald’s False Story About Him

    Nate Diaz confirms he was not in Miami.

    On Wednesday, the Miami Herald published a story saying Diaz was part of an alleged domestic violence and was hospitalized after he attacked the cops at a police station. It made the rounds everywhere, but Diaz’s camp denied it was him.

    Shortly after that, the Miami Herald un-published the story and issued an apology as it was revealed it wasn’t Diaz. Instead, it was Michael Albert Nate, who also happens to be an MMA fighter.

    Following the news of Diaz not being involved in the incident, the fan-favorite took to Instagram to react to the news.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B8fQhaxgC2-/

    “I’m not even in Miami tho,” Diaz wrote.

    Nate Diaz’s team said they will look to take legal action for defamation of character and has a good shot to win the case. He would no doubt be set to make a ton of money. But, whether he will actually go through with taking legal action is unknown at this time.

    Diaz has not fought since he lost to Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 where he was fighting for the BMF belt. Before that, he made his return to the Octagon at UFC 241 and defeated Anthony Pettis by decision. It was his first fight in three years after the back-to-back fights with Conor McGregor.

  • UFC 271 Bonuses: Tai Tuivasa Earns Performance Check For KO Win

    The UFC 271 bonuses have been released.

    The event took place in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center. Headlining the card was a clash between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker for the middleweight title. This fight saw the first round feature Israel knocking him down with a straight left hand, but Whittaker sat down then got right back up. Whittaker did make some takedown attempts, but wasn’t successful. 

    The second round saw Whittaker get a takedown, but couldn’t keep him on the ground. Whittaker was more aggressive in this round. Whittaker did get a takedown in the third round, but  he couldn’t keep him there. Whittaker clinched with him up against the fence. In the fourth round, Whittaker got a takedown, but Izzy was right back up so Whittaker took his back and Izzy eventually escaped. Whittaker got a takedown after a level change mid-way through the fifth round. Izzy back to his feet and they did some clinch work. Whittaker landed a solid shot out of the break. The judges gave the win to Adesanya, who retained the strap. 

    The co-main event saw more action between Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa. The first round was interesting as Tai was constantly looking to clinch while Lewis took him down a few different times, but never was able to keep him down. When Lewis had him up against the fence, he smashed him a few times in the face before Tai fired up and they had a fun exchange. 

    It all ended in the third round. Lewis started off strong by stunning him, but failed on a takedown attempt. Lewis rushed in and got clipped with a left hook that hurt him. Tai with a series of shots then dropped with him with a right elbow. 

    Peep the full list of performance bonus winners below.

    Performance of the Night: Tai Tuivasa and Jared Cannonier

    Fight of the Night: Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Sergey Morozov

    Were the right choices made for the UFC 271 bonuses?

    UFC 271 Results & Highlights: Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 271. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Dana White Addresses Rumors That Joe Rogan Was Pulled From UFC 271

    UFC President Dana White has denied any company involvement in Joe Rogan’s absence at UFC 271.

    UFC 271 is in the books, and by and large, the event delivered. It was a solid night of action that saw Israel Adesanya retain the middleweight championship, Tai Tuivasa snatch the KO torch from Houston’s hometown hero Derrick Lewis, and other great performances from Jared Cannonier, Douglas Silva de Andrade, and Renato Moicano to name a few.

    One man who was conspicuously absent throughout it all was longtime UFC PPV color man Joe Rogan.

    Joe Rogan
    Joe Rogan

    Rogan had been originally scheduled to take part in the event, but he was suddenly replaced by Michael Bisping during Fight Week.

    Rumors circulated that this was because either the UFC or ESPN decided to yank Rogan in response to his recent controversy regarding past race-related remarks. The fact that this controversy came immediately after the Spotify boycott in connection to Rogan‘s podcast only helped bolster this conspiracy theory.

    Dana White Addresses The Rogan Rumors

    There was later word from UFC officials that Rogan did not serve as a color commentator for UFC 271 due to a scheduling conflict. At the post-fight presser, reporters asked White about Rogan’s absence, and the boss implied that the decision for Rogan not to work this event came down to only one man: Rogan himself.

    “There was no conflict of schedule,” White said. “Joe Rogan didn’t work tonight. Joe Rogan could’ve worked tonight.”

    When directly asked if Rogan elected not to work the event, White was firm about there being nothing from the UFC’s side that kept him from commentating the PPV.

    “Yeah…I don’t know what Joe Rogan had to do, you guys will have to ask Joe Rogan, but there was no ‘Joe couldn’t work’ or anything like that. I know that came out—it’s total bullshit.”

    White was unable to confirm when it is Rogan might return to the broadcast booth, but he continued to suggest that Rogan could return to work whenever he wants to.

    Rogan has missed pay-per-views from time to time as of late, so it is not too strange that he was absent last night. Ever since this latest controversy spread, he has been hit with a deluge of support from the MMA community, both fans and fighters alike.

    Even India Arie, who possibly is mainly responsible for the racial videos going viral, came forward recently to applaud Rogan’s apology for using “the N-word.”

    It is currently unclear if Rogan will be back to call UFC 272, but it appears that when he does return, he can expect a very warm welcome from the majority of the MMA community.

  • 7 Takeaways from UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2

    UFC 271 featured a middleweight title fight that had Israel Adesanya retain his title and another middleweight put himself next in line. Also, a warrior hung up her gloves and some heavyweights shook things up in Texas in the co-main event that made the pay-per-view fun enough.

    There was a lot to take away from UFC 271, here are some things that stood out. 

    Contracts

    On Wednesday of fight week, many of the UFC regularly reporting entities had mentioned that before the fight, Israel Adesanya’s management had announced that he renewed his contract with the UFC for another multi-fight deal. Considering that he had yet to defend the title at the time and signed his end of the deal to face Whittaker the same week is either proof that fighters are getting more leverage, or his management is one of the best for athletes in MMA.

    One Fight Scrapped, One Goes up a Weight Class

    During weigh-ins Friday morning there were some updates announced for UFC 271. William Knight came in 12 pounds over the contracted weight against his bout with Max Grishin. As a result, Knight had to forfeit 40% of his purse and the two will fight as heavyweights officially. Then, Alex Perez also missed weight as well and his match against Matt Schnell was canceled. 

    No Rogan

    You might have missed it, but Joe Rogan has been in the news a lot in recent weeks. Some of it is due to the guests he has had on his podcast and the conversations they had about COVID-19, and most recently for footage of him using a racial slur years ago. ESPN, a company owned by Disney handles the broadcast and sells the UFC pay-per-views. So, on Friday-the day before the event, it was announced that Rogan would not be calling the event.

    While it was said that it was due to a “scheduling conflict,” given the current state of media, one has to wonder if that was the case. In the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White said he expects Rogan to work again when there are no conflicts that keep him from working.

    The Happy Warrior

    Roxanne Modafferi fought her last fight at UFC 271. She lost a split decision to Kasey O’Neill and while the judging of the fight was questionable, the heart of Modafferi has never left any doubt. Good luck to you and whatever you do in the future.

    Jared Connonier Secures His Spot Amongst Middleweights

    With the win he picked up at UFC 271 over Derrick Brunson, Cannonier made sure Dana White’s attention was on him in the cage in his post-fight interview when he said he wanted the winner of the main event of UFC 271. It’s hard to argue that he should be next in line for the middleweight crown.

    Swangin and Bangin

    Both Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa delivered on their promise to put on a show in the co-main event. With minimal clinching and a lot of swinging, fans were not disappointed in the fight these two heavyweights put on. While Lewis impressed with some takedowns in round one, it would be the resilience of Tuivasa in round two that would have him win the striking exchange and catapult himself up the heavyweight rankings.

    To Beat The Champ…

    Adesanya won his bout against Whittaker but Whittaker did a lot better than the first time they met. So much so, that he even felt he won the latter rounds and did enough to win. Given the odd judging in Modafferi and O’Neill’s fight, it’s no surprise that the result is sure to be a topic of conversation when the UFC updates their rankings on Tuesday. 

    There’s obviously more to take away from this event than what is listed here. The match between Adesanya and Connonier is all but booked and with things opening up, Dana White expressed interest in adding more locations to the UFC’s road schedule in 2022. Time will tell but hopefully, things get back to something close to normal.

    What did you take away from the event?

  • Fighters React To Israel Adesanya Outlasting Robert Whittaker At UFC 271

    Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2 lived up to expectations. The two fighters met in a middleweight bout on Saturday night (February 12, 2022) at the UFC 271 pay-per-view event from Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center.

    The first round didn’t feature much aside from some leg kicks and Israel knocking him down with a straight punch only for Whittaker to get right back up. Whittaker did make some weak takedown attempts, but was not successful. The second round saw a much more aggressive Whittaker come alive and was pushing forward. Whittaker did get a takedown, but couldn’t keep him on the ground. 

    In the third round,  Whittakerwas able to get a takedown after Izzy put up some good defense. The only problem was that he couldn’t keep him there. Whittaker clinched with him up against the fence. 

    The fourth round saw Whittaker get a takedown, but Izzy was right back up so Whittaker took his back and Izzy eventually escaped. Another takedown for Whittaker in the fifth round only for Izzy to get back to his feet. Whittaker landed a solid shot out of the break. The judges gave the win to Adesanya, who retained the strap. 

    Their first fight took place at the UFC 243 pay-per-view from Sydney, Australia at the Marvel Stadium where Israel won by TKO to win the middleweight title. 

    Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:

    https://twitter.com/UFC_CA/status/1492736984858734596

    Before their first fight, Adesanya picked up a decision win over Kelvin Gastelum in the co-headliner of the UFC 236 pay-per-view event. Heading into this fight, he fought six times in less than a year-and-a-half total in the UFC and won all six bouts. Izzy was coming off a decision loss to light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 after making his first title defense against Paulo Costa at UFC 253 and then beat Marvin Vettori at UFC 263. 

    After posting a nine-fight win streak, Whittaker lost to Adesanya His following fights saw him get unanimous decision wins over Darren Till at the UFC on ESPN 14 event, Jared Cannonier at the UFC 254 pay-per-view event, and Kelvin Gastelum by decision at UFC Vegas 24. 

    Let’s see how the fighters reacted to the outcome of this fight: 

    UFC 271 Results & Highlights: Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 271. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Fighters React To Tai Tuivasa Knocking Out Derrick Lewis At UFC 271

    Derrick Lewis vs. Tai Tuivasa was a worthy co-headliner. 

    The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (February 12, 2022) at the UFC 271 pay-per-view event from Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center.

    The first round was interesting from Lewis, who was able to take him down a few times. At one point, Lewis had him pinned up against the fence and rained down shots only for Tai to get back to his feet and they had a wild exchange. Tai was interested in clinching with Lewis. It all ended in the second round as Lewis stunned him right out of the gate. After clinching up against the fence, Lewis went for a takedown, but it was blocked and went down hill from there. Lewis got caught with a left hook. Tai swarmed him with shots then dropped him with a right elbow. 

    Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:

    Lewis was coming off a TKO win over Chris Daukaus at UFC Vegas 45 after dropping a loss to Ciryl Gane by TKO in an interim heavyweight title fight at the UFC 265 PPV event. Before that, Lewis got a TKO win over Aleksei Oleinik in August 2020, beat Ilir Latifi by decision at the UFC 247 pay-per-view event on February 8, 2020, and then beat Curtis Blaydes by TKO at UFC Vegas 19. Before that, Lewis beat Blagoy Ivanov at the UFC 244 pay-per-view event from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York prior to him losing by second-round TKO to former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos in the headliner of UFC on ESPN + 4 on March 9, 2019 from Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. 

    After posting a 9-3 pro-MMA record and losing three straight fights, Tuivasa turned things around with four straight wins including victories over Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy, and Augusto Sakai. 

    Let’s see how the fighters reacted to the outcome of this fight: 

    https://twitter.com/GroovyLando/status/1492725368360341505

    UFC 271 Results & Highlights: Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 271. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.