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Category: MMA

  • Archives: Joe Rogan Reveals How He Became The Voice Of UFC (2019)

    As Joe Rogan is embroiled in the most controversy and backlash as he has ever been under his decades under the spotlight, here is an opportunity to reflect on a warm story of how he became the voice of the UFC.

    In a recent Joe Rogan Experience podcast episode with UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña as a guest, Rogan shared how he began doing UFC commentary for free:

    “In 2001, I met Dana, and I became friends with him, and then he’s the one that talked me into doing commentary. The first time I ever did commentary was UFC 37 and a half. That was the Vitor Belfort versus Chuck Liddell fight, and that was on Best Damn Sports Show Period. So it was a big deal that they were on Best Damn Sports Show Period and I was on Fear Factor. So he was like, ‘Would you do me a favor and do commentary?’ So I did the first 15 shows I did for them for free. I didn’t even have a contract. I was just doing it for fun. I said, ‘Listen, I don’t even need any money.’ I said, ‘Just give my friends tickets so my friends could watch the fights, and I’ll do commentary. It’s no big deal.”

    In the below article published on this day three years ago, we published an article of Rogan telling the same story. Below, you’ll find more detail provided for your reading pleasure, as the following article is shared in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Three Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 6, 2019, 8:05 PM]

    Headline: Joe Rogan Reveals How He Became The Voice Of UFC

    Author: Jon Fuentes

    Joe Rogan has become synonymous with mixed martial arts (MMA) and the UFC. Rogan is undoubtedly the greatest MMA commentator of all time and is beloved by nearly all MMA fans across the world. Fans have become so used to Rogan being around, but many might not know how he ended up cage-side for some of the best MMA events of all time.

    During a recent episode of his podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience”, with Sebastian Maniscalco, Rogan told the story about how he found himself as the main commentator of the UFC. Here’s how he detailed his journey:

    “Well, I started in 1997. I was the post-fight interviewer. It just was a position that was available. The UFC was very small back then, very few people knew what it was. It was off of cable. You couldn’t get it on cable, you could only get it on satellite. And, they needed someone to do post-fight interviews.

    “I was in the martial arts world, I used to teach martial arts for a living. Before I became a comedian I used to fight. I fought in a lot of Tae Kwan Doe tournaments, had some kickboxing fights, I’d always been a martial artist. Since I was a kid. I was just interested in watching the UFC. And then I started training jiu-jitsu, and when I was training in jiu-jitsu, I was just a white belt, I was just starting out, that’s when I got hired by the UFC to be a post-fight interviewer. But I only did that for two years.

    “And then I quit, it was just too much. It was actually, just – I was actually losing money. I would make more money doing a weekend at a comedy club than I would doing the UFC. And it just got to a point where it was just too much of a pain in the ass. So I still remained a fan, but I backed away. And then the UFC was purchased by this company named Zuffa in 2001.

    “When that happened, they started putting on shows in Vegas, and I would go there with my friends. They got me free tickets, they reached out. They would try and get celebrities to go sit there so that – cause they were very small at the time,  they were hemorrhaging money, they were trying to build it up.

    “And in talking to Dana White, one day I was talking to him about fights going on in Japan. “Do you know this guy?” – and I was bringing up all these names – “Do you want to do commentary?” “I don’t want to do commentary, man. I’m here to get drunk and watch people kick the shit out of each other. I’m not here to work.” And he talked me into it for one show. UFC 137.5.

    “It was a show that was on one of those FOX Sports networks, one of the smaller networks. I did that, and the rest was history. I did like 12 of them for free. The UFC didn’t have any money. They were hemorrhaging money. There were rich people that owned it, but it was not a profitable venture. And I said, “Look, just get me there, get me and my friends tickets, and I’ll do it.” And that’s how I operated for over a year, and then I just became “The Commentator.” It’s just weird.”

    What do you think about Rogan’s journey to becoming the voice of the UFC?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkCPRW9Be3w

  • UFC Vegas 47 Bonuses: Four Fighters Nab Performance Checks

    The UFC Vegas 47 bonuses have been released.

    The event took place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. Headlining the card was a middleweight clash between Jack Hermansson and Sean Strickland. This fight didn’t have the ingredients of a great fight if not even a good fight. 

    It was lacking pace with Jack not being able to get takedowns as he would like and couldn’t find his range. Sean was finding a home for his jabs throughout it and looked fresh throughout the entire fight without taking damage. Sean was doing a good job of keeping up on the scorecards, but for a guy who is trying to make a title run, he didn’t do anything to be memorable. Strickland got the win by decision. 

    The co-main event saw more action between Punahele Soriano and Nick Maximov. It went the distance as the first round saw Soriano caught him with a big knee strike to the jaw, but Nick went for a takedown and failed to get it. He did jump on Soriano’s back to go for a choke, but didn’t get it. 

    In the second round, Nick continued to work for takedowns and got them, but he couldn’t keep him there. Moving along to the third round, Nick got a takedown and kept him there for the remainder of the fight to get the decision win. 

    Peep the full list of performance bonus winners below.

    Fight of the Night: Julian Erosa vs. Steven Peterson

    Performance of the night: Shavkat Rakhmanov and Chidi Njokuani 

    Were the right choices made for the UFC Vegas 47 bonuses?

    UFC Vegas 47 Results & Highlights: Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC Vegas 47. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Fighters React To Sean Strickland Outlasting Jack Hermansson At UFC Vegas 47

    Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland was a solid main event. 

    The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (February 5, 2022) at the UFC Vegas 47 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.

    The fight opened with Jack going for a takedown, but it was shut down and they clinched. For the rest of the first round, Jack was looking to counter strike while Strickland was landing his jabs and finding a home for him. Sean dropped him as the second round ended. 

    The third round saw Jack start to come alive as he was starting to land more shots. Hermansson started off the round with a takedown attempt, but couldn’t get him down. He had issues with his range and couldn’t get it down so he was missing on a lot of shots. Sean was bleeding from his nose at the end of the fourth round. The last round saw them continue to strike aside from Jack going for a takedown attempt, but not getting it. Strickland got the win by decision. 

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

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

    Hermansson was coming off a decision loss to Marvin Vettori at UFC Vegas 16. Before that, he had scored a submission win over Kelvin Gastelum at the UFC on ESPN+ 30 event from Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island aka Fight Island. He had suffered a TKO loss to Jared Cannonier at the UFC Copenhagen event from the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark. He scored a decision win over Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza at UFC Fort Lauderdale This is where he stepped in on short notice to defeat the Brazilian. 

    Strickland entered this fight on a five-bout winning streak with wins over Nordine Taleb, Jack Marshman, Brendan Allen, Krzysztof Jotko, and most recently Uriah Hall by decision at UFC Vegas 33.

    UFC Vegas 47 Results & Highlights: Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC Vegas 47. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Fighters React To Nick Maximov Outgrappling Punahele Soriano At UFC Vegas 47

    Punahele Soriano vs. Nick Maximov was a solid co-headliner. 

    The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (February 5, 2022) at the UFC Vegas 47 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.

    The first round saw them land some big shots before Soriano caught him with a big knee strike to the jaw. Maximov failed on a takedown attempt so they scrambled back up until Maximov jumped on his back and went for a rear-naked choke, but quickly gave up on it. 

    In the second frame, it was the same story on repeat as Maximov would get him down, but Soriano would scramble back to his feet and so on and so on. However, towards the end of the round, Maximov did a better job of keeping him there. 

    The third round saw Maximov score a takedown and kept him there for the rest of it. Maximov got the decision win. 

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

    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1490148988548304898

    UFC Vegas 47 Results & Highlights: Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC Vegas 47. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Eddie Hearn Explains How McGregor Has Become The UFC’s Nightmare

    Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn thinks former UFC champion Conor McGregor surpassed the UFC’s overall star power and popularity on his own.

    McGregor is set to make his Octagon return later this year after recovering from a brutal leg break at UFC 264. Despite losing three of his last four fights in the UFC, he remains arguably the biggest box office star in combat sports.

    But Hearn believes that McGregor’s rise to stardom hasn’t been completely positive for UFC President Dana White and the rest of the brass. During a recent interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Hearn explained why he thinks McGregor’s fame might’ve done the UFC more harm than good.

    “For the UFC, where they’ve been very smart is by – it’s such an honor to get a UFC deal,” Hearn said. “You see these kids coming out of Bellator, or Cage Warriors, or wherever it is; but the thought of getting a UFC contract is everything. But I feel in the UFC, they don’t want you to get too big. And when you do – and I used to almost laugh at Conor because I could just imagine just the disruption that he was causing in that organization, because that’s not really the name of the game. We don’t want a star that is bigger than the UFC. Conor McGregor became bigger than the UFC. Really. And that’s a nightmare for those guys.” (h/t DAZN)

    Things appeared to become tense between the UFC and McGregor at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. After previously promising an active year in 2020, he fought just once and allegedly became frustrated with the lack of movement in the lightweight title picture.

    White recently stated that while McGregor is a handful to deal with, he’s one of the most loyal UFC fighters he’s ever come across. He put McGregor’s name in the conversation among the greats such as Ronda Rousey, Chuck Liddell, and Matt Hughes.

    McGregor has become a global superstar for the UFC, but Hearn believes this may be more of a detriment for the company as a whole.

    Do you agree with Eddie Hearn regarding Conor McGregor?

  • (Archives) Weidman: Silva’s 2nd Failed Drug Test Tarnishes Legacy (2018)

    Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva found something in common after Weidman’s horrific leg break at UFC 261 last year. Silva suffered the same fate in his rematch against Weidman years prior. One thing that they don’t have in common is failed drug tests, as Weidman made clear in this article published four years ago.

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

    On This Day Four Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 5, 2018, 1:59 PM]

    Headline: Weidman on Silva’s Second Failed Drug Test: It Tarnishes His Legacy

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    Chris Weidman believes Anderson Silva’s legacy has taken a massive hit after two failed drug tests.

    Silva’s career may be coming to an end as he’s facing a four-year suspension. “The Spider’s” team has said their fighter will never compete again if he’s hit with a two-year suspension.

    Weidman, who has defeated Silva twice, told MMAFighting.com that “The Spider’s” legacy has taken a hit:

    “Yeah, it definitely tarnishes his legacy. You fail a drug test, your whole career is in question, in my opinion. And he failed them now twice. So definitely it tarnishes his legacy. I don’t know what else to say about that. It’s just another one bites the dust. It’s one after another. Literally, almost every guy I ever fought at this point has failed a drug test.”

    He went on to say he isn’t surprised at the increase in drug violations.

    “I’m not really that surprised. After the first one and now this one. He’s older now. I don’t know. I’m not super surprised. In Brazil, I know the steroids are very easy to get. A lot of guys were probably on them a long time. I’m not super surprised. The reality is that it definitely tarnishes his legacy.”

  • Whittaker: Media Narratives Got Too Much For Me In First Adesanya Fight

    UFC middleweight contender Robert Whittaker has detailed how the media tone leading up to UFC 243 played a part in his defeat to Israel Adesanya.

    Whittaker and Adesanya are currently gearing up for their long-awaited rematch. The pair first collided inside Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium in 2019. At the time, “The Reaper” sat on the middleweight throne and was riding a nine-fight, five-year win streak that included victories over Yoel Romero, Ronaldo Souza, Derek Brunson, and Uriah Hall.

    Adesanya, meanwhile, was unbeaten in professional MMA and earned interim gold six months prior in a Fight of the Year-worthy clash with Kelvin Gastelum. “The Last Stylebender” secured undisputed status by finishing Whittaker in the second round at UFC 243.

    Now, with both men finding immense success at 185 pounds since 2019, the two elite middleweights will run it back in the main event of Houston’s UFC 271 pay-per-view next weekend.

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

    Media “Tone” Affected Whittaker At UFC 243

    Following his devastating loss to Adesanya, Whittaker admitted he’d been suffering mentally and from burn-out and would be taking an extended layoff from the sport of MMA.

    Now, as a revitalized and motivated fighter, the New Zealand-born Australian has looked back on his only setback in his last 13 Octagon outings and assessed what created the overwhelming emotion that proved to be his downfall.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Whittaker discussed the effect the media narratives and tone had on his mindset and performance. According to “The Reaper,” the enhanced Australia vs. New Zealand rivalry and a number of other scenarios meant his ego “got away” on him.

    “The thing is, I think it was just an accumulative effect. It was an effect that was just making everything much harder than it should have been, or making things affect me a lot more than they would have, because of the ego,” said Whittaker. “I think, we all have egos, and I think in places and in quantities, I think ego is a good thing, especially for fighters. We’re fighting with people; people are trying to take away what’s ours.

    “But I think it got away a little bit on me, just because of the media, and because of, I guess, the scenario, and the situations, and atmosphere; the tone the media was selling to the fans of this rivalry between Australia and New Zealand, the tone about the arena and of fighting at home, and of this, and of that. It just got a bit much, that’s all,” concluded Whittaker.

    Having delivered three impressive performances since returning to the Octagon in 2020, including main event wins against Darren Till and Kelvin Gastelum, Whittaker has certainly been back to his best and has also been sporting a visibly relaxed mindset and attitude ahead of his chance for redemption.

    It remains to be seen if that’ll be enough for him to add the first blemish to Adesanya’s middleweight record when they meet in the Toyota Center on February 12.

    Do you think a revitalized and motivated Robert Whittaker can dethrone Israel Adesanya at UFC 271?

  • Archives: Paige VanZant Shoves Britain Hart’s Throat At Weigh-ins (2021)

    Earlier this week, Paige VanZant caused quite the ruckus over at AEW Dynamite. But on this very same week last year, she was involved in an unscripted scuffle that was very real. VanZant ultimately would lose to Hart in the bout, but at least she got the upper hand, literally and figuratively, in their first physical exchange.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Last Year…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 5, 2021, 9:13 AM]

    Headline: WATCH: Paige VanZant Grabs Britain Hart’s Throat In Heated BKFC Weigh-ins

    Paige VanZant is set to make her Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut on Friday against Britain Hart and the weigh-ins got heated.

    After VanZant and Hart weighed in, they got into each others face and VanZant grabbed Hart’s throat. It resulted in a heated shoving match and Hart cussing out the former UFC fighter and saying she is in a different sport now.

    Paige VanZant signed with BKFC in August following her submission loss to Amanda Ribas in her final UFC fight. She signed a multi-fight deal with the sans gloves promotion and many are eager to see how she does in the promotion.

    Britain Hart, meanwhile, has had three fights in BKFC and is 1-2, including a split decision loss to Bec Rawlings for the belt.

    The card also features the 135-pound championship as Johnny Bedford looks to defend his belt against Dat Nguyen. Chris Leben also returns against Quentin Henry.

    The BKFC Knuckle Mania weigh-ins are below:

    Paige VanZant (126) vs. Britain Hart (124.4)
    Johnny Bedford (133.7) vs. Dat Nguyen (134)
    Chris Leben (204.6) vs. Quentin Henry (205.2)
    Lorenzo Hunt (206.8) vs. Rob Morrow (204.4)
    Martin Brown (155.4) vs. Zach Zane (155.5)
    John Chalbeck (144.7) vs. Greg Bono (144.5)
    Charisa Sigala (122.7) vs. Taylor Starling (125.6) VanZant
    Dillon Cleckler (248) vs. Chris Jensen (262.7)
    David Morgan (135.9) vs. Travis Thompson (135.4)
    Haim Gozali (204) vs. John McAllister (201.8)
    Jarod Grant (134.6) vs. Brandon Lambert (137)
    Drew Lipton (183.6) vs. Jeff Bailey (186.9)

  • Strickland Vows To Go “Full Conor McGregor” If He Becomes Champion

    UFC middleweight Sean Strickland is excited for the Conor McGregor-esque freedom he’ll have if he becomes a champion in the promotion.

    While McGregor has undoubtedly grown into the biggest star the sport of MMA has ever seen, largely thanks to the Octagon success that saw him become the UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion, much of his behavior outside the cage has left a lot to be desired.

    From his controversial verbal attacks on José Aldo, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Dustin Poirier, which included some distasteful comments about family; religion; and some nations, to incidents beyond the sport; the “Notorious” Irishman is certainly a polarizing figure.

    Aside from punching an elderly man in a Dublin pub, multiple arrests, an accusation of assault from an Italian DJ, and seemingly looking for a fight against multi-platinum recording artist Machine Gun Kelly, perhaps McGregor’s most notable incident came prior to the UFC 223 event in 2018.

    The former two-division titleholder threw a steel dolly through a bus carrying a number of fighters scheduled to compete at the pay-per-view, including rival Khabib. The incident left Michael Chiesa with a cut, Ray Borg with glass in his eye, and Rose Namajunas with long-lasting trauma.

    But despite his multiple run-ins with the law and criticized actions, McGregor’s place at the top of the UFC has remained secure and his status as one of the biggest superstars in sport untouched.

    That’s a level of freedom that intrigues one controversial fighter…

    Strickland: “When I’m Champion, I Can Go Full Conor McGregor”

    One man who’s certainly joined McGregor in the upper-echelons of controversy is #7-ranked middleweight Strickland. While his carefree attitude has entertained some, his questionable remarks, including about homosexuality, have caused anger across some parts of the MMA community.

    At UFC Vegas 47 media day on Wednesday, “Tarzan” revealed he’d toned down his personality early on in his career to ensure he made it to the big leagues. Now that he’s there and competing towards the top, he’s enjoying the freedom to express himself and say “offensive” things.

    While some would suggest becoming a champion would require a level of company representation, Strickland looks at McGregor’s past and licks his lips.

    “It’s even better, because when I’m champion I can go full Conor McGregor,” Strickland told reporters. “I can go and fucking hit an old guy in a bar, fucking throw a fucking (dolly), try and fucking assault Khabib’s manager Ali (Abdelaziz), it’s fucking even better dude.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZfZnjzt-u9/

    In Strickland’s way of jumping closer to Israel Adesanya’s gold and a McGregor level of freedom is Jack Hermansson. The pair will collide in this weekend’s UFC Vegas 47 main event, with both looking to stake their claim for a title shot.

    Would you like to see Sean Strickland reach the top of the UFC’s middleweight food chain?

  • Archives: Liddell Says Rousey Needs Striking Help, Offers Training (2016)

    In this article published on this day six years ago, Chuck Liddell offered to help Ronda Rousey improve her striking skills after “Rowdy” suffered her first career loss at the hands of decorated striker Holly Holm at UFC 196.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Six Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 5, 2016, 1:19 PM]

    Title: Chuck Liddell Calls Holly Holm A “Real Striker,” Says Rousey Needs Help & Offers To Train Her

    TMZ.com recently caught up with UFC Hall Of Famer Chuck Liddell, who claims he would happily help Ronda Rousey train her striking, which he admitted she needs if she wants to beat UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion and former multiple-time women’s boxing champion Holly Holm in a rematch.

    “The Iceman” is one of the clearest-cut examples in the short history of MMA of an elite striker who only used his wrestling and grappling ability to avoid going to the ground or help him get back to his feet if he was taken down. For proof, look no further than the all-time record for knockouts in UFC history, which is still held by Liddell at 13 KOs in 23 appearances inside the Octagon.

    For the record, former women’s boxing champion Laila Ali agrees with Liddell as well.

    Liddell was asked about Rousey’s trainer Edmond Tarverdyan, who as a former professional boxing trainer is the man responsible for Rousey’s level of striking ability, and admitted that she isn’t on former women’s boxing champion Holly Holm’s level when it comes to striking.

    “Is it the guy who told her she could out-strike Holly Holm? Is that the same guy?” said Liddell in sarcastic fashion when asked about Tarverdyan by the TMZ reporter.

    After the comedic portion of his response, Liddell followed up with a politically correct statement regarding the improvement Tarverdyan has helped Rousey obtain in the striking department since the former Olympic gold medalist in Judo made the transition to mixed-martial-arts.

    “Ronda’s striking has greatly improved. He’s done a great job with her striking,” said Liddell after giving his opinion that Holm is still on another level in the striking department compared to Rousey. Liddell pointed out the fact that there’s a significant gap in talent between a “real pro striker,” which he called Holm, and Rousey, who is a decorated Judo player that has been adding striking to her game the past few years.

    Whether or not Rousey seeks out Liddell’s assistance in helping her further develop her stand-up game remains to be seen, however, she may have a chance to prove he and the critics wrong as it was announced by UFC President Dana White this week that November is when Rousey is likely to fight for the title, as she is expected to challenge the winner of the UFC 196 co-main event between Holly Holm and Miesha Tate for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship.

    Unfortunately for Rousey, she will have to do it without help from Edmond Tarverdyan on fight night.

  • (Archives) Miocic: It’s Unfortunate For Ngannou He Has To Fight Me Again (2021)

    One month before Francis Ngannou’s heavyweight championship win at UFC 260, Stipe Miocic was confident that the rematch would yield the same results as their bout two years prior at UFC 220. The following article published on this day last year captures that confidence.

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 5, 2021, 11:16 AM]

    Title: Miocic: It’s Unfortunate For Ngannou That He Has To Fight Me Again

    UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic believes that the “new” version of Francis Ngannou will get the same old outcome on March 27 when the two top heavyweights meet again.

    Becoming a UFC champion is a life-changer. It’s impressive enough to make it to the biggest MMA promotion in the world from humble beginnings, but to then capture a title enhances not only the money and fame but the legacy. Francis Ngannou seems to be in this position once again after coming up short in his first bid for the world title in 2018.

    The bad news for Ngannou is that this story will not have a different ending than it did on January 20, 2018, says world champion Stipe Miocic.

    “Francis is a super tough guy,” Miocic said, speaking on the “Oral Sessions” podcast. “He’s been knocking everyone out again and he’s on a tear, and unfortunately he’s going to have to fight me again. That’s the bad part. He’s definitely gotten better, but so have I.

    Image result for Stipe Miocic arm raised Francis Ngannou
    Stipe Miocic & Francis Ngannou Battle At UFC 220

    “I know I’m getting old, but I’ve gotten wiser and I’ve got a few new tricks up my sleeve. (They say) you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, which is a lie. I’ve learned a lot since the last couple years ago. It’s the same outcome. I’m going to walk out with the belt around my waist: and still.”

    Miocic Identifies The Difference-Maker In Upcoming Rematch

    Francis Ngannou continues to add more knockouts to his total that is on pace to break records. He surely already has the fastest knockouts-per-minute ratio in the history of the promotion, a stat that was solidified after KOing Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik in under three minutes of total fight time.

    Some may argue that Ngannou has not really changed. He is doing the same thing he’s always done: throw dumbells at his opponents’ faces, rendering them unconscious upon impact. But Ngannou does seem to be faster than he was before. Even still, the champion believes that Ngannou isn’t the only one who has gotten faster and that there is still a significant differential between the two.

    “Timing and speed,” Miocic said. “Really just speed. It’s all about speed. Speed kills, and that’s something we’ve really worked on the last couple camps fighting ‘DC.’”

    UFC 260: Miocic vs. Ngannou 2 takes place March 27, 2021 live on pay per view.

    Do you think the rematch between Miocic and Ngannou will have the same outcome as their first encounter?

  • Jake Paul Changes Tone On Potential Anderson Silva Fight

    Jake Paul has pivoted from his previously ambivalent stance towards a potential boxing match against UFC legend Anderson Silva.

    Paul is coming off of back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley in 2021 preceded by a first-round knockout of former UFC fighter Ben Askren. He’s aiming at another eventful year in the ring in 2022 with a return expected sometime later this year.

    Speculation has run rampant regarding who Paul could face for his next ring appearance. Paul has previously downplayed the idea of facing Silva in the ring, citing Silva being in the later stages of his combat sports career.

    His position on a fight with Silva has changed in recent days. During an interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Paul was asked whether or not he would consider a fight against Silva for his next boxing challenge.

    “Yes, definitely,” Paul said. “Definitely. I would love that fight.”

    Paul went on to detail how Silva was an inspiration for him growing up, and even got to meet him early in his childhood.

    “And interesting story, I think he was the first celebrity I ever saw. So right when MMA was blowing up, my dad was a super big fan and we went to this local MMA event. And they must have paid Anderson Silva to come because it was like in Ohio, so I don’t know why he would have been there.

    Getty Images

    “But I actually asked for his autograph. And we took a picture with him…I’m maybe like 12 years old. But I think he was the first celebrity that I met. So it would be fun to bring it back full circle and fight someone who was, I guess, one of my first idols.”

    Paul has also reportedly hinted at a potential matchup with one of Silva’s recent boxing opponents, Julio César Chávez. After defeating Chavez Jr. in a back-and-forth war, Silva knocked out fellow UFC alumni Tito Ortiz last year.

    Silva had also previously been rumored to fight Jake’s brother Logan in the ring. However, nothing ever materialized from those alleged talks.

    It’s unclear who Paul will face next in his boxing tenure, but Silva appears to be a potential option moving forward.

    Would you be interested in a Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva boxing match?

  • Archives: Khabib Nearly Landed On DiCaprio In UFC 229 Leap (2019)

    When Khabib leaped into the audience during the UFC 229 post-fight brawl, famed Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio nearly made an unwanted cameo appearance as this article published on this day three years ago details.

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 5, 2019, 12:31 PM]

    Title: Khabib Nurmagomedov Nearly Landed on Leonardo DiCaprio During UFC 229 Brawl

    Author: Damon Martin

    Khabib Nurmagomedov may have been aiming at Dillon Danis during the UFC 229 post-fight brawl but he nearly gave Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio flashbacks of the time a bear mauled him in the film ‘The Revenant’.

    The entire situation unraveled just seconds after Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor this past October by fourth-round rear-naked choke.

    Almost immediately after Nurmagomedov secured the victory, he leaped over the cage and went after McGregor’s teammate who was working his corner that night. The moment the undefeated UFC champion made his way over the cage, a huge melee broke out in the crowd.

    It turns out when Nurmagomedov made that jump, he nearly landed on the Oscar winner, who was sitting cage side at the time for the fights.

    “Honestly, I didn’t recognize them, apart from Leonardo DiCaprio,” Nurmagomedov said about the celebrities sitting in the first row when he jumped out of the Octagon when speaking to MatchTV in Russia. “He is a big fan of martial arts. He told me, ‘I was sitting five meters away, you nearly landed on me!’ It was interesting for me how he would sit there [amid so many people].

    “He’s a regular guy, but it was surprising to me, when people came up to him for a photo, he said ‘I don’t take photos.’ I asked why, and he said it’s not possible to make everyone happy. He said he only takes photos with kids. With everyone else, it’s not possible. That surprised me, but in general, he’s a regular guy.”

    Nurmagomedov found out about nearly falling on DiCaprio when he met the actor in Paris a few months ago — and he did manage to get a photo taken with him.

    As for the repercussions from that post-fight brawl, Nurmagomedov was just recently sentenced to a nine-month suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission as well as fined $500,000 for his actions.

    Nurmagomedov could have his suspension reduced by three months if he completes an approved anti-bullying message for the state of Nevada but as of now, the reigning UFC lightweight champion has said he has no plans to record that public service announcement and will instead serve his full nine-month suspension.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqz-pibg1Ah/?utm_source=ig_embed

  • Ngannou: I Looked At Gane In The 3rd Round & Saw My 2018 Self

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou was reminded of his first Stipe Miocic fight when he looked at Ciryl Gane midway through UFC 270.

    Ngannou made his first title defense against Gane in the UFC 270 main event, winning via unanimous decision. It wasn’t the striking showcase everyone expected, but the champion demonstrated his improved grappling skills to get the victory over Gane.

    The first two rounds weren’t going in Ngannou’s favor according to two of the UFC 270 judges. However, he was able to turn the tide in Rounds 3 through 5 and control the path to retaining his belt.

    Ngannou’s journey to the UFC title was anything but easy. After a difficult loss to Miocic at UFC 220, he would lose a lackluster bout against Derrick Lewis before going on his current six-fight winning streak.

    Ngannou has alluded to his UFC 220 fight with Miocic as a completely different version of who he is today. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, he revealed that Gane’s body language at the end of Round 3 reminded him of his former self.

    “By the end of the round, I looked at him, I saw me when I fought Stipe the first time,” Ngannou said. “I’m like, ‘This guy is done.’ Yeah, and he wasn’t even able to listen to his coach. I was listening to his corner talk to him and he wasn’t reacting. I’m like, he’s done. That is exactly me when I fought Stipe the first time. That’s the moment that I knew I won the fight, at the end of the third round… He was broken, I could tell. I look him in his eyes and was like it’s a done deal.”

    Francis Ngannou’s UFC Future Remains Uncertain

    Ngannou went through quite the buildup to UFC 270. He’s been dealing with tense contract talks with UFC President Dana White and the promotion, and negotiations have seemingly hit a dead end.

    This was further supported when White declined to put the belt around Ngannou as the official decision was read at UFC 270. White also was notably absent from post-fight media obligations, though White has since claimed external issues prevented him from carrying out these activities.

    When asked by Helwani to forecast his future with the promotion, Ngannou remained cautiously optimistic. There are tears in the relationship with the UFC that need repair, and Ngannou seems hell-bent on getting the promotion back on his side.

    What are your takeaways from Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane?

  • Check Out Last-Minute Betting Odds For UFC Vegas 47

    The final UFC Vegas 47 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 5, 2022) from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.

    The headliner will feature a slugfest with Jack Hermansson and Sean Strickland in a middleweight showdown. Moving things along, Shavkat Rakhmanov vs. Carlston Harris goes down in a fight. 

    Rounding out the main card is Julian Erosa vs. Steven Peterson, Tresean Gore vs. Bryan Battle, Sam Alvey vs. Brendan Allen, and Shavkat Rakhmanov vs. Carlston Harris.

    According to oddsmakers, is a – favorite over, who is a + underdog. Other odds for the main card include being a + underdog against, who is a – favorite. Here are the full betting odds: 

    MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

    Sean Strickland (-210) vs. Jack Hermansson (+175)

    Punahele Soriano (-190) vs. Nick Maximov (+160)

    Shavkat Rakhmonov (-240) vs. Carlston Harris (+195)

    Tresean Gore (-160) vs. Bryan Battle (+140)

    Julian Erosa (-300) vs. Steven Peterson (+235)

    PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

    Miles Johns (-210) vs. John Castaneda (+175)

    Hakeem Dawodu (-170) vs. Mike Trizano (+150)

    Marc-Andre Barriault (-115) vs. Chidi Njokuani (-105)

    Alexis Davis (-225) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (+185)

    Jailton Almeida (-380) vs. Danilo Marques (+290)

    Philip Rowe (-140) vs. Jason Witt (+120)

    Denys Bondar (-240) vs. Malcolm Gordon (+195)

  • WATCH: UFC Vegas 47 Post-Fight Press Conference Live Stream

    The UFC Vegas 47 post-fight press conference will be live once the action concludes.

    In the headliner, Jack Hermansson and Sean Strickland will collide in a middleweight clash. UFC Vegas 47’s co-main event will see a clash between Shavkat Rakhmanov and Carlston Harris. action will also be featured on the main card as Carlston Harris shares the Octagon with Shavkat Rakhmanov. 

    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 47 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 47 post-fight press conference.

  • Nunes During Face-To-Face With Peña: I Just Want To Be 100% Ths Time

    Amanda Nunes wants to prove her backers right when she gets a second chance against Julianna Peña after the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.

    Earlier today, MMA News broke the news that Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes will be coaching the next season of TUF opposite one another. We now know that the new season will kick off on May 3 after news became public following an appearance from Peña on Ellen. You can peep the official poster down below.

    Image

    Shortly after this news and the team rosters were released, Peña and Nunes sat down for a virtual face-to-face interview moderated by ESPN’s Michael Eaves. Here were some of the main talking points from the joint interview.

    • Peña reiterated her enthusiasm to give back to the next generation of fighters after getting her start on TUF almost a full decade ago.
    • Nunes touched briefly on her decision to leave American Top Team, stating that she has always wanted to be a coach and that she expects this process to help her in the rematch.
    • When asked what life has been like since pulling off one of MMA’s biggest upsets of all time, Peña stated that she is not resting on her laurels and is looking forward to putting the Nunes chapter of her career behind her so that she can see what’s next.

    “Honestly, of course, the belt is something that all of us chase. At this point in my life, I just want to show up 100% how I want to be. So with the belt, without the belt, I just want to really, really prove I’m better than her.” – Amanda Nunes

    From Amanda Nunes’ Twitter

    In what was perhaps the most noteworthy tidbit from this interview, Nunes claims that she was not 100% in her UFC 269 bout against Peña and that her primary objective going into the rematch is not about winning, losing, or championships, but just showing up at full strength, which she claims was not the case last December.

    Nunes did not specify what precisely was ailing her, however, it is common knowledge that she reportedly came down with COVID-19 last year, which is what caused the postponement of this fight, which was originally scheduled for UFC 265.

    You can view the full virtual face-to-face interview below.

    Are you looking forward to the next season of The Ultimate Fighter hosted by Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes?

  • Arnold Allen Explains Why He Accepted Fight Against Unranked Hooker

    Arnold Allen believes his upcoming fight against Dan Hooker at UFC London is a key point in his career.

    Allen is currently the seventh-ranked featherweight and is 17-1 as a pro, including being 8-0 in the UFC. However, he still doesn’t have the biggest name in the division, so he knows if he can beat a fan-favorite in Hooker, it would be big.

    “I think it will definitely put me in the top-five talks. That’s why I was all for the fight because it definitely puts me up there,” Allen said to The Sun. “If you loom at the guys he’s fought recently at lightweight, the weight above, he’s coming down and I think he was ranked eighth at lightweight. So he’s coming down to fight and a [win] will for sure propel me to those top boys. It’s kind of a funny division, featherweight, at the minute. All those top guys, the top-five or top-six, they’re all kind of tied up with each other anyway.”

    As Allen says, the division is a weird one with Alex Volkanovski and Max Holloway likely to have their trilogy if Volkanovski gets past Korean Zombie. After that, there is no clear next contender as Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett are both a fight away, but if the Brit can win this one impressively, he could jump the line.

    Arnold Allen, Dan Hooker
    Arnold Allen, Dan Hooker (Image Credits: Jeff Bottari/Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

    However, even with a potential title eliminator bout being next, Arnold Allen says he isn’t experiencing any added stress.

    “I’m not feeling the pressure. It’s what I train for; this is what I’ve been doing [for],” Allen said.

    “The pressure, if there is pressure, bring it on. It’s what I’m here for.”

    UFC London goes down on March 19 and sees Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall as the main event.

    Who do you think will win, Arnold Allen or Dan Hooker?

  • Jamahal Hill On Kamaru Usman’s LHW Ambitions: For 205, He’s Tiny

    UFC light heavyweight Jamahal Hill has given his take on a potential transition to 205 pounds for reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman.

    Usman, who dethroned Tyron Woodley in 2019 and has since defended the title five times, secured his place atop the UFC’s male pound-for-pound mountain in 2021 after a period of dominance that saw him defeat Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal (twice), and Gilbert Burns. He further cemented his #1 position with a second victory over “Chaos” last November.

    With the hope of proving his P4P superiority, “The Nigerian Nightmare” has considered pursuing gold in a second weight class. But with friend and compatriot Israel Adesanya ruling over the middleweights, light heavyweight was his target.

    In an interview with MMA News, rising 205-pound contender “Sweet Dreams” Hill gave his thoughts on the potential arrival of Usman in his weight class, as well as his upcoming clash with Johnny Walker on February 19, and the UFC 274 title fight between champion Glover Teixeira and the #2-ranked Jiří Procházka.

    Hill: “Come On In”

    Usman’s consideration for two-division glory came while Polish powerhouse Jan Blachowicz was at the top of the food chain. Despite the 38-year-old’s size and emphatic shutdown of Adesanya’s own desire for double champ status last March, the welterweight titleholder fancied his chances.

    But just like top contender Procházka, Hill doesn’t like Usman’s odds. The #12-ranked light heavyweight told MMA News that while “The Nigerian Nightmare” may be big for 170 pounds, he’d be “tiny” for 205. Nevertheless, he invited Usman to come and mix it up with the “big boys.”

    “Seems like he’s picking and choosing where you wanna fight, picking and choosing which champion you wanna fight,” Hill said to James Lynch. “You’re skipping over a whole weight class just because he’s (Israel Adesanya) your boy and shit, which is cool, I get it. But I don’t know, what am I supposed to think about it?

    “He’s small. Don’t get me wrong, welterweight he’s a big dude. But for 205? He’s fucking tiny. Anybody that feel like they wanna come play with the big boys can come on in.”

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

    With his lap back around his previously beaten foes set to continue this year with a defense against Leon Edwards, Usman has certainly cleared out a hefty portion of his challenges at welterweight. With that said, a push for a fresh challenge at a new weight class seems likely.

    With his clear reluctance to share the Octagon with “The Last Stylebender,” a venture to light heavyweight could be a viable option for Usman in the near future.

    How do you think Kamaru Usman would fare at light heavyweight?

  • Max Holloway Cleared To Resume Training, Asks To Be UFC 273 Backup

    Max Holloway is ready to get himself back inside the UFC Octagon.

    The former featherweight champion Max Holloway is on the mend. After suffering an injury that forced him out of a title shot at UFC 272, Holloway is now healed up and ready to get back to training, sources revealed the news to ESPN on Friday. According to the report, Holloway will be ready to fight in just a few weeks and would like to serve as the backup for the title fight scheduled between champion Alexander Volkanovski and Chang Sung Jung.

    Holloway was originally the first choice to face off against Volkanovski for the title. The two were briefly linked to a fight at UFC 272 before Holloway was injured. “The Korean Zombie” was the man to step up and into the slot. The bout was then moved to UFC 273 after a welterweight matchup between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal was booked as the UFC 272 main event.

    Holloway and Volkanovski have quite a history together. The two fought two back to back in 2019 and 2020. Holloway suffered losses both times they met. He is still the #1 contender and the likely choice to stand in next against whoever takes home the belt on April 9.

    Volkanovski is undefeated in his UFC career and has not lost since 2013. He is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the 145-pound division. If he can get past Jung, a third go-around with Holloway should be on the docket. However, Jung is a tough opponent who is currently 3-1 in his last four.

    UFC 273 is set to take place on April 9 in Jacksonville, Florida. The featherweight title will serve as the main event with a bantamweight title fight between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan as the co-main event.

    Do you think Max Holloway will regain the featherweight title in 2022?

  • UFC Vegas 47: Hermansson vs. Strickland Weigh-In Results & Preview

    The weigh-in results for UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hermansson (UFC Vegas 47) have wrapped up, and we’ve got the scoop for you below.

    The second UFC Fight Night event of 2022 takes place tomorrow night in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada, inside the UFC APEX. All fights on the card will proceed as follows, although Steven Peterson missed weight by three pounds ahead of his featherweight bout against “Juicy” Julian Erosa. As a result, Peterson will be fined 30% of his fight purse.

    The main event will see Sean Strickland try to inch closer to title contention when he takes on Jack Hermansson. Strickland has continued to make headlines during fight week, such as taking a stab at clarifying previous remarks about homosexuals and offering to do “the man dance” with Kevin Holland. But the bulk of his attention is no doubt placed on the Joker right in front of him.

    Strickland and Hermansson have contrasting game plans heading into tomorrow night’s bout. Hermansson simply looks to hit and make it quick. Meanwhile, Stickland is intending to enjoy every moment of taking Hermansson’s soul while making him bleed. Both things cannot take place, but we’ll see what happens when these warriors and their visions meet in the middle tomorrow night.

    Aside from sharing his graphic prediction for tomorrow night, Strickland has also predicted that he will continue his outspokenness if he is to be booked against Israel Adesanya in a world title fight. Should he reach this point, he claims he will talk about Adesanya’s “titty” during the pre-fight buildup.

    Jack Hermansson doesn’t expect for it to come to that, however, as he will look to do what he claims many have asked him to do: put this wildman down when they meet tomorrow night.

    Below, you can check out the faceoff between tomorrow night’s headliners.

    Here is the faceoff between the co-main eventers Punahele Soriano (8-1) and the undefeated Nick Maximov (7-0).

    You can check out the UFC’s fight-by-fight preview for tomorrow night’s UFC Vegas 47 card right here and get caught up on all the stats and storylines! Below, you can peep the full weigh-in results and viewing information, courtesy of UFC.com.

    Main Card (7 PM ET, ESPN+)

    Main Event – Middleweight Bout: Jack Hermansson (185.5) vs Sean Strickland (185.5)

    Co-Main Event – Middleweight Bout: Punahele Soriano (185) vs Nick Maximov (185)

    Welterweight Bout: Shavkat Rakhmonov (170.5) vs Carlston Harris (169.0)

    Light Heavyweight Bout: Sam Alvey (205) vs Brendan Allen (205)

    Middleweight Bout: Tresean Gore (186) vs Bryan Battle (185.5)

    Featherweight Bout: Julian Erosa (145.5) vs Steven Peterson (*149)

    Preliminary Card (4 PM ET, ESPN+)

    Bantamweight Bout: Miles Johns (135.5) vs John Castaneda (136) 

    Featherweight Bout: Hakeem Dawodu (146) vs Michael Trizano (145.5)

    Middleweight Bout: Chidi Njokuani (185) vs Marc-Andre Barriault (184.5)

    Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Alexis Davis (135) vs Julija Stoliarenko (135.5)

    Light Heavyweight Bout: Jailton Almeida (203) vs Danilo Marques (205.5)

    Welterweight Bout: Jason Witt (171.5) vs Phil Rowe (170.5)    

    Flyweight Bout: Malcolm Gordon (126) Denys Bondar (125)

    Be sure to visit MMANews.com tomorrow night for live coverage, results, and highlights of UFC Vegas 47!

  • Jon Jones Teases LHW GOAT vs. HW GOAT Matchup

    Jon Jones says he’s “down” to face the heavyweight GOAT.

    Jon Jones has long established that he intends on making his heavyweight debut at some point this year. The question now is: who will it be against?

    Following the outcome of the UFC 270 main event, the answer to that question would be the same around most circles as its been for the past 13 months: Francis Ngannou. With Ngannou retaining the undisputed heavyweight championship last month, many believe there’s no question that a Jones/Ngnanou pairing is the fight to make.

    Things took a turn, however, when it was revealed that Ngannou would be needing to go under the knife to repair damage to his injured right knee. The champion is expected to be sidelined for approximately nine months following surgery, which leaves Jones without an ideal target for his long-anticipated heavyweight debut—or does it?

    Jon Jones Asks Fans Who Wants To See Him vs. The HW GOAT

    According to Jones himself, he is already prepared for his next fight and has just the opponent in mind.

    “The greatest heavyweight of all-time versus the greatest light heavyweight, who wants to see it? I’m game”

    While Jones did not mention Miocic by name, the former heavyweight king has been considered to be the consensus GOAT of the division for years now, especially among UFC pundits.

    Also, as someone who has demonstrated how closely he is following current happenings in the division, Jones must be aware that Ngannou is sidelined. Some, including Jones’ former foe Daniel Cormier, have proposed an interim title fight between Jones and Miocic while Ngannou is out.

    A dream fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic has been teased for years, including by Jones himself. Two years ago, Jones sent out a very similar tweet asking about fan interest for a potential fight between him and Miocic. He would later admit to just goofing around without any real intentions of making that fight happen at that point in time.

    Last August, UFC President Dana White had the idea of pitting Jones and Miocic against one another, but Jones shut that down in a hurry. Later that year, his former coach Mike Winkeljohn expanded on this disinterest, stating that Jones wanted a bigger challenge and that a bout against Miocic, who had just been knocked out by Ngannou, was not exciting for “Bones.”

    Jones sounds plenty excited now, though, and the fan interest in the matchup is a no-brainer. That leaves the cards in the hands of Stipe Miocic and the UFC.

    Miocic has been more than welcoming of the idea of fighting Jones in the past and, as mentioned, the UFC has been open to the booking as well. Plus, Miocic is rumored to be holding out for a title shot, so if this bout were made for the interim heavyweight title, that would make the matchup even more appetizing for both fighters.

    All things considered, 2022 may just be the year that fight fans finally witness the dream match between the consensus light heavyweight and heavyweight GOATs.

    Are you down for a Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic showdown this year?

  • Sean Strickland Targets Title Shot: “I’ll Make Fun Of Stylebender’s Titty”

    UFC middleweight Sean Strickland is hoping to secure a title shot and the opportunity to “make fun” of champion Israel Adesanya’s swollen pectoral muscle during the build-up to it.

    Strickland, the current #7-ranked contender at 185 pounds, will have the chance to jump towards a championship opportunity this weekend at UFC Vegas 47. In his second consecutive main event on MMA’s biggest stage, “Tarzan” will face Swedish-born Norwegian Jack Hermansson.

    Having defeated Jack Marshman, Brendan Allen, Krzysztof Jotko, and Uriah Hall since his return to action in 2020, Strickland will hope to add the elite name of “The Joker” to his record inside Las Vegas’ Apex and, in doing so, further climb the middleweight ladder.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZH1SWBvdk2/

    While some fighters’ pursuit of gold derives from the desire to build a legacy, provide for their family, and establish their dominance in the sport of MMA, Strickland’s championship aspirations rest heavily on his enjoyment of making fun of Adesanya’s swollen right pectoral muscle.

    During UFC Vegas 47 media day on Wednesday, Strickland discussed his chances of earning a title shot with a victory this Saturday. While winning the belt isn’t crucial to him, the opportunity to go back-and-forth with “The Last Stylebender” during fight week is certainly an exciting prospect for the North Carolina native.

    “I mean, ideally, Brunson beats Cannonier and maybe, if I can do an impressive performance and, you know, dump and dodge and get a title shot; that would be the perfect world,” said Strickland. “But at the end of the day man, I’m just here to fight and make some money. If I get a title shot, fuck yeah, let’s go. I’ll make fun of Stylebender’s fucking titty all day long.”

    Strickland Has Consistently Accused Adesanya Of Steroid Usage

    Talk surrounding potential steroid usage has existed for Adesanya since UFC 253 in September 2020. While comfortably beating then-undefeated contender Paulo Costa, the Nigerian-New Zealander sported a visibly swollen pectoral muscle.

    The medical term for swelling in male breast tissue is Gynecomastia. The condition can be caused by a host of different factors, such as drugs and alcohol consumption, some medications, and a number of herbal products. One of the more well-known triggers is the use of anabolic steroids, an accusation many directed at Adesanya. Those detractors include Strickland.

    Having backed the champion to “starch” upcoming opponent Robert Whittaker, “Tarzan” recently suggested that everybody knows Adesanya uses steroids.

    “I mean, Israel’s just a crafty motherfucker,” Strickland told combat sports journalist Helen Yee. “Like, don’t get me wrong, we all know he does steroids, and that probably helps his performance. We all seen him fight with the titty that hung down. I mean, have you ever seen a man fight in the UFC with gyno from weed? I mean, look at Nate Diaz; if that was the case, Nate Diaz would have tits down to his knees. Get out of here with this.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZcZDbFp9Xv/

    Given Strickland’s accusations and attacks on Adesanya in recent months, it’s hard to imagine the level of trash talk the rising contender would bring to the current middleweight king during a fight week or at a press conference if he makes his way into the title picture soon.

    Would you like to see Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya share the Octagon together in the near future?

  • Adesanya Admitted To Hooker He’s Nervous Ahead Of Whittaker Rematch

    Israel Adesanya is apparently feeling the nerves ahead of his middleweight title fight against Robert Whittaker at UFC 271.

    Adesanya and Whittaker first fought back at UFC 243 where “The Last Stylebender” won by second-round TKO to claim the middleweight title. He has since defended the belt three times. But this time around, Dan Hooker, a teammate of Adesanya, says the champ is a bit nervous. (h/t Sportskeeda)

    “He’s good. He’s definitely in a good place,” Hooker said to LowKick MMA about Adesanya. “From the interactions that I’ve had with him… I guess with the rematch, especially the way that the first fight went, you can kind of – not necessarily underestimate your opponent – but you can take it a little bit lightly because you know you put on such a dominant performance right there. It might be hard to get up for the training but it’s not like that. Like he said to me this morning, he said, ‘You know I’m nervous.’

    That’s good, you know. He’s got that nervous energy, which you need.”

    Robert Whittaker (left) and Israel Adesanya go toe to toe during UFC 243 at Marvel Stadium. Photograph: Michael Dodge/EPA

    Although Adesanya said he is a bit nervous, as Hooker says, it is a good thing. Most fighters get nervous before they walk out as it is a fistfight and anything can happen. But as “The Hangman” says, Adesanya uses his nervous energy in a good way.

    Israel Adesanya is coming off a decision win over Marvin Vettori back at UFC 263 to defend his belt for the third time. It also marked his return to the win column after losing to Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight belt at UFC 259, which was his first pro-MMA loss.

    As for Hooker, he’s set to drop back down to featherweight to take on Arnold Allen at UFC London on March 19.

    What do you make of Israel Adesanya telling Dan Hooker he’s nervous ahead of Robert Whittaker rematch?

  • Strickland Reveals Why He’s More “Offensive” Than Early In His Career

    UFC middleweight Sean Strickland has explained why he feels more freedom to say controversial things now than he did early on in his career.

    There aren’t many figures more polarizing in MMA today than Strickland.

    While he’s entertained with his gym stories, his comments on sparring heavyweight powerhouse Francis Ngannou, his view on the sport of boxing, and his unique (and perhaps partly worrying) hunger for blood and destruction inside the Octagon, he’s also caused controversy with a number of remarks that were perceived to have crossed the line by some.

    But while he’s split opinion with his words and mindset outside the cage, not many can differ from the consensus view on Strickland’s fighting ability. In 27 professional fights, “Tarzan” has had his hand raised 24 times and defeated the likes of Court McGee, Brendan Allen, and Uriah Hall.

    When you’ve only been beaten by reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman, Santiago Ponzinibbio, and an Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos spinning wheel kick across 13 years, you’re doing something right…

    Strickland Enjoys The Freedom To Say “Offensive Shit”

    While Strickland’s reputation as an eccentric, outspoken, and outright bizarre fighter has always existed to an extent, its prominence has certainly increased in recent times.

    Since putting his in-fight trash talk and vocal style on full display when he returned to action against Jack Marshman in 2020, Strickland’s antics have become more and more controversial, culminating in his comments surrounding homosexuality.

    The question many will ask is where was this Strickland at the start of his UFC run? Well, he was in hiding.

    During UFC Vegas 47 media day on Wednesday, “Tarzan” explained why he had to tone down his “offensive” takes early in his career.

    “You know what it is? I’m getting to a point where I can say shit and not get cut from the UFC,” said Strickland. “So before, it was like, man, I wasn’t good; I couldn’t say shit cause Dana White would be like, ‘Hey, go fuck that white trash motherfucker, get him out of here.’ But now, since I’m getting a bit more like, more of a fanbase and people wanna watch me fight, I can say a lot more offensive shit, so it’s nice.”

    Strickland went on to reveal his coaches and manager used to remind him not to say controversial remarks so that getting signed by the world’s premier organization remained a possibility. But now that he’s there and thriving, it’s “white trash motherfucker” from here on out.

    “Every coach or manager I ever had were like, ‘Sean, shut up, they’re not gonna sign you.’ They’re like, ‘Shut up, they don’t want that, they want an image.’ And then now, I’m just gonna be the white trash motherfucker that I am, it’s nice.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZH1SWBvdk2/

    Strickland, who is unbeaten at middleweight in 18 appearances, will face his toughest test to date in the 185-pound division in this weekend’s main event. At UFC Vegas 47, he’ll be tasked with facing perennial contender Jack Hermansson.

    In this clash, we’ll see a smiling Swedish-born Norwegian fishing enthusiast throw down with a self-professed pornography-loving UFC “prostitute” looking for blood and more blood.

    Who will move closer to a title shot this Saturday night, Sean Strickland or Jack Hermansson?