MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Hermansson’s Strickland Game Plan: Hit Him & Make It A Quick Night

    UFC middleweight contender Jack Hermansson is hoping to avoid a long night at UFC Vegas 47 by finishing Sean Strickland inside the opening two rounds.

    For the third time in as many bouts, Hermansson will be fighting down the rankings on February 5. After a memorable first-round submission win against Kelvin Gastelum shot him into title contention in 2020, a main event loss to then-rising contender Marvin Vettori stalled his championship aspirations.

    Having rebounded by adding another defeat to the record of Edmen Shahbazyan last year, “The Joker” is hoping to halt the charge of Strickland in what will be the 33-year-old’s fourth headlining bout in MMA’s premier promotion.

    Ahead of his return to the Octagon, Hermansson spoke to MMA News about the threat “Tarzan” poses, his experience wrestling Khamzat Chimaev in 2021, Francis Ngannou’s ongoing contractual dispute with the UFC, and his thoughts on the upcoming 185-pound title fight between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

    Hermansson Looks To Avoid “Grueling” Fight

    In Hermansson’s way of staking a claim for a championship opportunity is Strickland, a unique, and perhaps downright bizarre, individual. But whether fans love his carefree attitude or look down at his outspoken personality, no one can deny his fighting ability.

    Since returning from the Octagon in 2020 after two years on the sidelines, “Tarzan” has been at his best. After getting back on track with wins against Nordine Taleb and Jack Marshman, the 30-year-old recorded victories over highly-touted prospect Brendan Allen and middleweight mainstay Krzysztof Jotko.

    With a fifth straight win last July, a dominant main event triumph over divisional veteran Uriah Hall, Strickland has established himself as a genuine contender at 185 pounds.

    With his opponent’s form and durability in mind, Hermansson is hoping to end things quick come fight night. The Swedish-born Norwegian told MMA News he’s targeting a first or second-round finish when he goes toe-to-toe with Strickland inside Las Vegas’ Apex facility.

    To do so, the game plan is simple: hit him.

    “You know, I don’t want a hard, tough, long, grueling fight with Sean, even though I know that’s a possibility,” Hermansson told James Lynch. “I want a quick, nice finish and that’s how I envision the fight (going). So, I’m gonna go in there, I’m gonna be precise, and I’m gonna hit him and make it a quick night. First or second-round finish.”

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

    If Hermansson is to ascend closer to a date with the champion, he’ll have to join an exclusive club that currently boasts only reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman, 28-5 UFC vet Santiago Ponzinibbio, and knockout machine Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.

    That club? The group of fighters who have managed to have their hand raised against “Tarzan.”

    Given only three have managed it in Strickland’s 27 professional fights, Hermansson will certainly have to be at his best to get the job done on Saturday night.

    Who do you think will have their hand raised in the UFC Vegas 47 main event, Jack Hermansson or Sean Strickland?

  • Aspinall: Jones’ Heavyweight Transition Will Be Harder Than People Think

    UFC heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall doesn’t think it’ll be a walk in the park for Jon Jones in his planned move to heavyweight in 2022.

    Aspinall is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous heavyweight contenders in the UFC. After seven-straight wins, he’ll get a main event slot against Alexander Volkov on the upcoming UFC London card in March.

    Jones is expected to make his return to the Octagon in 2022 at heavyweight, but it’s unclear if he’ll face heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou next. He’s been sidelined for nearly two years amidst an ongoing contract dispute with the UFC, in addition to his preparation for the move up in weight.

    During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Aspinall opined on who would win in a matchup between Ngannou and Jones.

    “Ngannou… I think the big jump between (light heavyweight and heavyweight), him (Jones) carrying an extra 30, 40, 50 pounds, whatever he’s put on, that’s very difficult man, that’s very difficult,” Aspinall said. “That’s a lot of weight to carry around with you that you’re not used to before. Then you’ve got to fight a guy who’s naturally that weight. So, I think it’s gonna be a lot more difficult than a lot of people think. But obviously, Jones is much more skilled than Ngannou, so I don’t know. But I think Ngannou just looks unstoppable at the moment.”

    Depending on how his fight with Volkov plays out, Aspinall and Jones could be on a collision course soon. The heavyweight title picture is a bit uncertain as Ngannou continues to quarrel with the UFC brass.

    Jones vacated the UFC light heavyweight title following his win over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. Reyes and Jan Blachowicz would go on to fight for the vacant belt just months later.

    UFC President Dana White has remained cautiously optimistic about Jones challenging for the heavyweight title next.

    As the UFC faithful continues to wait for Jones’ return to the cage, speculation continues to grow as to how he’ll do at heavyweight. Aspinall may not be alone in his reservations of Jones’ planned move to challenge for heavyweight gold.

    Do you agree with Tom Aspinall’s comments on Jon Jones?

  • Chael Sonnen Has All Misdemeanor Battery Charges Dismissed

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen had all charges dismissed after an alleged hotel brawl in Las Vegas last month.

    TMZ Sports was among the first to report the initial news of the charges. Sonnen was given five misdemeanor battery charges after allegedly getting into a physical altercation with a couple at the Four Seasons hotel.

    According to witnesses, Sonnen was seen banging on a hotel room door just after 7 p.m. on Saturday. A man opened the door and confronted Sonnen, who then engaged him in a brawl in the hotel. A woman was heard screaming and pleading for help, but it’s unclear if she was also involved in the altercation.

    Las Vegas police and local paramedics quickly responded to the scene, escorting Sonnen away in handcuffs. It’s unclear if anyone was treated for injuries when authorities arrived.

    It’s also unknown what led up to the altercation between Sonnen and the unidentified man. ESPN was the first to report the news of the charges being dismissed without prejudice, meaning the charges could still be re-filed in the future.

    Jon Jones & Brendan Schaub Reacted To Chael Sonnen’s Incident

    Following the initial news of Sonnen’s brush with the law, Jon Jones took to social media to address his old rival in a series of tweets. Jones had been arrested for battery in Las Vegas last year after allegedly assaulting his fiancée at Caesar’s Palace. Sonnen voiced his opinion on that matter, which predictably may have rubbed Jones the wrong way.

    “Chael Sonnen, I’m not gonna sit here and celebrate you getting battery charges against a female last night,” Jones said. “That would make me like you, and I’m nothing like you. Instead, I will wish your family well, I wish the victim’s family well.

    “It’s funny how the people who criticize and judge you the most have some of the nastiest things in their closet. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. You’ll get no stones from me, good luck.”

    Despite Jones’ tweets, there was never any confirmation that the woman was assaulted by Sonnen or if it was solely the male in question.

    Brendan Schaub recently shared his uncorroborated version of events, which is that Sonnen was defending his wife from the harassment of several men. Schaub also blasted Jones’ remarks on the incident.

    Sonnen and Jones have been on each other’s nerves for years. Their history together began with the two coaching The Ultimate Fighter opposite one another and competing at UFC 159. Jones would win the bout via first-round TKO.

    Things have progressively gotten more heated between the two UFC legends over the past few years, with Jones and Sonnen poking at each other on social media and Jones shunning Sonnen in an ESPN interview following UFC 232 in 2018.

  • Miesha Tate Will Be A Contestant On Celebrity Big Brother

    Miesha Tate will be a member of the Celebrity Big Brother cast for season 3.

    The former UFC champion will be joining other celebrities as a “house guest” on the upcoming season of Celebrity Big Brother. The show announced via social media their incoming cast for the third season. Tate joined ten other people as she tried to win the prize at the end of the season.

    Along with Tate, the other members of the season include, Lamar Odom, Chris Kirkpatrick from ‘NSYNC, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey, Chris Kattan, Olympian Mirai Nagasu, singer and dancer Todrick Hall, former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp, model Shanna Moakler, Diff’rent Strokes star Todd Bridges, and Queer Eye star Carson Kressley.

    The show will be airing through February on CBS and will be hosted by longtime Big Brother host Julie Chen-Moonves. The show will be filming over one month as opposed to the three that the other Big Brother show takes place. Tate, who has a fight lined up for May against Lauren Murphy, will be locked in that Big Brother House without contact with the outside world for one month.

    This is not the first time Miesha Tate has been on a reality show. She was a coach on season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter. Her appearance on that show and her growing rivalry with Ronda Rousey, the opposing coach, helped propel Tate into UFC stardom. She later was able to win the bantamweight title to secure her spot in the all-time female fighter ranks.

    Tate took a short time away from the sport to begin her family, but is now back and looking to continue her success in the flyweight division.

    Will you be tuning in to CBS’s Celebrity Big Brother to watch Miesha Tate?

  • Cat Zingano Accuses Cris Cyborg Of Dodging Drug Tests

    Bellator fighter and former UFC title challenger Cat Zingano thinks Cris “Cyborg” Justino may be doping again ahead of their potential fight.

    Zingano hasn’t fought since her first-round submission over Olivia Parker at Bellator 256. After an up-and-down tenure in the UFC, she is undefeated through two fights in the Bellator cage.

    Zingano is on the rise in the Bellator featherweight division and could face the champion, Justino sooner rather than later. Justino most recently earned a vicious first-round knockout over Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 271.

    While Justino is widely considered to be one of the greatest female MMA fighters of all time, her legacy remains complicated. She’s tested positive for steroids in the past and even had her license suspended in California.

    Fighters such as former UFC champion Ronda Rousey have criticized and accused Justino of doping. UFC president Dana White has also had his fair share of harsh comments directed at Justino and her history with performance-enhancing drugs.

    Wednesday, Zingano aimed at Justino with the following tweet.

    “Hearing [Justino] is refusing to drug test,” Zingano tweeted.

    Zingano could be on the verge of a matchup with Cyborg with another win. The two had informally agreed to fight one another next, but now Zingano is alluding to her next matchup being set for the spring and a potential fight with the featherweight champ in the summer.

    “I have been told my opponent and that it’s a number one contender match set for March 11,” Zingano said. “That’ll give someone plenty of time to get their shit together enough to fight me by summer.”

    Zingano is one of the few Bellator featherweights who hasn’t competed against Justino in the cage. The promotion was in preliminary talks to sign PFL champ Kayla Harrison to the roster, but it sounds like Harrison will likely re-sign with the PFL in free agency.

    Justino has yet to respond to Zingano’s comments and allegations.

    What do you think of Cat Zingano’s allegations?

  • Jeremy Stephens Parts Ways With The UFC, Ending 15-Year Run

    Longtime UFC featherweight Jeremy Stephens has left the organization.

    After 14 years with the UFC, Jeremy Stephens left the promotion. The news of his departure was first announced by UFC Roster Watch on Twitter. Stephens has not fought since July of 2021, which was his last bout on his contract. He was not released from the organization but instead has decided to test free agency.

    Stephens came to the UFC back in 2007 when he stepped in to face Din Thomas at UFC 71. He lost that first fight but was back again three months later and got his first UFC win over Diego Saraiva. Stephens’ UFC career was an up-and-down journey. The most wins he ever strung together in a row were three.

    Over his 14 years in the UFC, he has faced some of the best to have ever set foot in the Octagon, including José Aldo, Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone, and Charles Oliveira. The list of top opponents for Stephens goes on and on. Although he never fought for the title, throughout his career he faced six future or former champions.

    To end his UFC run, Stephens fell into a bit of a downward spiral. He lost five of his last six, with a no-contest thrown in. This may not be the end of Stephens’ run in MMA however, since he has not officially announced his retirement from the sport. These days, the free agency market is better than ever for fighters. A few options for him could be Bellator, PFL, BKFC, or even Khabib Nurmagomedov’s new promotion Eagle FC.

    Recently Eagle FC has signed a number of former UFC fighters for their upcoming United States shows. PFL as well is hosting some former UFC fighters on their 2022 roster. Stephens, at 35 years old, could be a welcome addition to either of these landing spots. However, if he decides to hang up his gloves for good, he will be remembered for his grit and knockout power.

    What was your favorite moment of Jeremy Stephens’ UFC career?

  • Chimaev Blasts Usman After LHW Contemplations: “I’m The King Here”

    UFC welterweight Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t want Kamaru Usman to go anywhere after his past idea of moving up to light heavyweight.

    Chimaev is awaiting his next opponent in the Octagon after a quick finish over Li Jingliang at UFC 267. He’s undefeated in his MMA career and has emerged as one of the biggest stars in the welterweight division.

    Usman recently alluded that he once considered a move up to 205 pounds to take on the then-champion, Jan Blachowicz, for the light heavyweight title. Blachowicz would go on to lose his belt to Glover Teixeira at UFC 267.

    Chimaev is knocking on the door of the welterweight title picture after a string of dominant wins. His most recent victory over Jingliang propelled him into the welterweight rankings.

    Usman’s comments about pursuing titles at multiple weight classes have irked Chimaev. In a recent tweet, Chimaev aimed at Usman for his previous comments.

    https://twitter.com/KChimaev/status/1486560064823463942?s=20

    “So your trying to change weight before I come for you?” Chimaev said. “Don’t go anywhere I am coming! I smash you and Burns in 2 mins believe me! I’m THE KING here.”

    Usman is expected to face Leon Edwards later this year in his next welterweight title defense. He’s coming off an electric 2021 in which he earned finishes over Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns, along with another decision win over Colby Covington.

    Chimaev’s starpower began to rise after an impressive 2020 in the Octagon. He earned three-straight finishes at both welterweight and middleweight, including two wins in 10 days.

    Usman has remained somewhat mysterious regarding his future in the UFC. He has hinted at a potential retirement after a few more fights in the Octagon and has also pitched a crossover fight against boxing world champion Canelo Alvarez.

    Chimaev and Burns have verbally agreed to fight in the spring, although nothing has been formally announced by the UFC. With a win over Burns, Chimaev could potentially land a future title shot and faceoff with Usman.

    How do you think a Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev fight would play out?

  • Cormier Expects Covington/Masvidal To Be Closer Than Many Think

    Daniel Cormier feels the upcoming fight between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will be a close one.

    There is an exciting welterweight fight looming. Former title challengers Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal have agreed to meet in the main event of UFC 272. That fight is interesting on many levels: because of the history between these two, because they both last lost to the champ, and because it is a nontitle fight headliner. One man who believes that this fight might be closer than some people think is Daniel Cormier.

    “I think stylistically for Colby Covington, this is a great fight, yes, because he feels like he can go and ground Jorge Masvidal,” Cormier said on a recent episode of the DC & RC podcast (via Sportskeeda).

    “A lot of people from within the sport of mixed martial arts think that it’s going to look like Robbie Lawler vs. Colby Covington, where Colby is just trying to overwhelm him with this pressure, but what you don’t understand is the improvements that Jorge Masvidal has made in wrestling and his ability to counter a lot of the things that Covington may have been able to do to him in the past years.

    “The guy is a much better fighter today and he’s a much better fighter because of his interactions with Kamaru Usman, even though he lost those fights, he got better preparing for the champion.”

    Since Covington and Masvidal are both coming off losses to Kamaru Usman, this fight could be a path back to the title. Both men are still at the top of their game, and if Usman were to lose his next fight, the winner of this UFC 272 main event could very well receive another title opportunity.

    With that being said, Covington and Masvidal know each other well. Some people think this will be beneficial to them. They used to be friends and roommates back in their college days.

    A lot has changed since these two had a falling out. Both have improved greatly in their fighting skills. Masvidal has only lost to the champion in the last three years. The same goes for Covington, who has only lost to Usman in the last five years.

    Cormier is a former champion turned analyst. He now makes his living picking apart fights and making his opinions known. As a former Olympic wrestler, he thinks the ground game will play a big role in this bout.

    Who do you think will win Colby Covington or Jorge Masvidal?

  • Sean O’Malley Uninterested In Sparring With Sean Strickland

    Sean “Sugar” O’Malley believes a training session with Sean “Tarzan” Strickland is bad for his health.

    If you keep up with the fighters on social media, you know that O’Malley and Strickland have some conflict with each other.

    Sean Strickland, noted for his outlandish comments, has not shied away from stating his honest opinions about Sean O’Malley. Last year, the controversial fighter ridiculed O’Malley for his tattoo choices and association with rapper Tekashi 69 via Twitter.

    “@SugaSeanMMA woke up one day and said “you know that guy who snitched on all his friends, did something shady with minor, yeah that guy I want him to tattoo his name on me” lol!! You know @SugaSeanMMA walks around holding his pocket lol!!!,” Strickland tweeted in December.

    However, it is highly unlikely the two will ever meet in the cage. Sean O’Malley, 14-1-0, fights at bantamweight, and Sean Strickland, 24-3-1, fights in the middleweight division. But a spar between the two could simmer Strickland down.

    Let O’Malley tell it, he cannot fathom the intensity of fighters like Strickland. Sparring viciously outside of the Octagon seems like a waste of his time and threatens the longevity of his career. (h/t Pundit Arena).

    “I remember him, he was on fucking streak, no one was beating him. He’s been good for a long ass time. It would be a pain in the ass to have him as a sparring partner though. You know you’re just fighting every time.

    “I feel like I’ve gotten to a spot where I’m not going to fight dude, I’m not getting into a fistfight with this guy if I’m not getting paid. I’m not doing it. It’s not good for my brain, it’s not good for my body, I only have a certain amount of scraps, and I think everyone does, and I’m not going to waste them in the gym,” Sean O’Malley explained on his podcast.

    And who can blame him? Undoubtedly, Strickland has turned a lot of heads with most of his statements and violent sparring sessions. He mentioned he would love to murder someone in the Octagon and soon followed up with his dream to kill outside of the Octagon, as well.

    Even Tim Welch, Sean O’Malley’s head coach, commented on Strickland’s chaotic antics:

    “There’s something wrong in that dude’s head isn’t there. He’s a fucking freak. You read his Twitter dude, he is not healthy.”

    As of right now, “Sugar” O’Malley plans to focus on his career path and well-being and is not concerned about a sparring match with “Tarzan.”

    Would you like to see a sparring session between Sean O’Malley and Sean Strickland?

  • PFL’s Peter Murray Claims Claressa Shields Remains Committed To MMA

    Claressa Shields will be back for the 2022 PFL season.

    Olympic gold medalist boxer Claressa Shields will be continuing her journey in the world of mixed martial arts. Shields got her start in professional MMA as a member of the 2021 Professional Fighters League 2021 season. Shields’ future in MMA was unclear following the season as she looked to return to boxing, but PFL’s chief executive Peter Murray has confirmed that she will be back to compete this year.

    “Yes, Claressa will be back [in the PFL] – she’s committed to becoming a two-sport athlete in both boxing and MMA,” Murray told BBC.com. “It’s an incredible story, Claressa is a superstar and fans will get to see how far she can go in two sports at the highest level.”

    Shields made her promotional debut in June of last year. She defeated Brittney Elkin by third-round TKO. She followed that up with another bout in October, this time she was beaten by Abigail Montes vis split division. Shields has the standup skills of a champion, but she needs to keep working on her ground skills. Despite this fact, Shields has high aspirations to keep competing at the highest level in both boxing and MMA.

    “She transcends combat sports, both boxing, and MMA,” said Murray. “Will she be a two-sport champion? That’s the story and it’s an opportunity to see her develop. That’s what the PFL is providing fans and Claressa is very humbly putting it all out there.”

    Shields is one of the most famous female boxers today. She has the support of many high-class fighters both in boxing and MMA. She recently had a high compliment from UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and has trained with Cris Cyborg in the past. She has also been on the radar of Jake Paul, the two have been feuding about a rumor that Shields asked to be placed on Paul’s undercard.

    The PFL 2022 season is set to kick off in April, with a Challenger series beginning in February. As of now, there is no confirmation on whether Shields will compete in a 2022 tournament or if she will compete in non-tournament bouts as she did in 2021.

    Do you think Claressa Sheilds has what it takes to become a champion in MMA?

  • Dana White Now Open To Cejudo vs. Volkanovski Superfight

    UFC President Dana White might be interested in a fight between Henry Cejudo and Alexander Volkanovski, that is if it can happen.

    White mentioned the fight during a live Q&A session on Wednesday. This came when he was asked by a viewer about “superfights” he would be open to making in 2022. Along with a fight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, he mentioned a series of matchups that would see retired Cejudo face champions.

    “Well, we just had Henry Cejudo talking about coming back. If he really wants to come back, there’s a process that he has to go through, which includes getting back in the USADA pool. And if that’s really the fight he wants, he wants to come back and fight either Petr Yan, or Aljamain Sterling, whoever is the champion, or something crazy like jumping up a weight class and really taking on Alexander Volkanovski,” said White. “But right here off the top of my head, as far as superfights go, Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, the only other one that comes to mind would be Cejudo (versus) either Yan, Sterling, or Volkanovski.”

    Cejudo Has Proposed Fight Against Volkanovski Before

    Alexander Volkanovski, Henry Cejudo
    Alexander Volkanovski (Image: Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty), Henry Cejudo (Image: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

    Cejudo got the public’s attention earlier this month when he was vocal about wanting to face Volkanovski. This came due to Max Holloway being forced out of a fight against Volkanovski that was set for later this year. He has also called for this fight multiple times in the past. However, UFC eventually landed on The Korean Zombie as the next featherweight title challenger.

    Cejudo has been retired for over a year now. He departed the sport in 2020 after defending his bantamweight belt, stopping Dominick Cruz in the second round of a fight.

    Cejudo has given himself the nickname “Triple C” in recent years. This is because he has a belt at flyweight and bantamweight in the UFC and also earned a gold medal for freestyle wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Should he ever find himself in a featherweight title fight, he might have to change his nickname.

    Would you be interested in a fight between Henry Cejudo and Alexander Volkanovski?

  • Figueiredo: I’d Have Finished Moreno In Round 3 With 30 More Seconds

    UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo believes he’d have only needed another 30 seconds to have finished arch-rival Brandon Moreno in round three at UFC 270.

    At the opening pay-per-view of 2022, Moreno and Figueiredo met for the third time. While the Mexican was aiming to cement his status as reigning 125-pound king and turn the page on the Figueiredo chapter of his career, the Brazilian was hoping to become the first two-time flyweight titleholder in UFC history and regain his place on the throne.

    After five rounds of entertaining Fight of the Night-worthy action, it was “Deus Da Guerra” who accomplished his goal and had his hand raised. With scores of 48-47 across the board, Figueiredo avenged his submission setback to Moreno last June and set the trilogy score at 1-1-1.

    Figueiredo: I Needed 30 More Seconds For The Kill

    One of the pivotal rounds in the co-main event was the third. In a close frame, Figueiredo gained the momentum and almost finished the fight in the closing seconds after dropping Moreno with a flush right hand. Despite locking in what appeared to be a tight guillotine choke, “The Assassin Baby” survived thanks to the round-ending horn.

    During his appearance at the post-fight press conference, Figueiredo was asked what he felt at that moment and whether he thought he was close to the finish. The newly-crowned champ suggested if there were another 30 seconds in the round, the fight wouldn’t have gone beyond the third stanza.

    “You know, if it was 30 seconds more, I feel that I would have gotten him,” said Figueiredo. “I think that he lost his senses a little bit. He looked like he was not feeling too well there. He was kind of saved by the buzzer, and I do feel like his soul left his body. I do feel that with 30 seconds, I would’ve just killed that guy.”

    While we certainly had another intriguing clash added to the history books for Figueiredo and Moreno’s rivalry, one thing we didn’t get was closure to it. With the score now at 1-1-1, it stands to reason the pair will meet for a historical fourth contest down the line, maybe even immediately.

    However, with top contenders like Askar Askarov, Alexandre Pantoja, and Kai Kara-France all hoping to stake their claim for a title shot, perhaps the UFC will choose to divert from Figueiredo vs. Moreno 4 for the time being.

    Would you like to see Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 4?

  • This Week in BOAT Talk Ep. 1: Francis Ngannou & Patrick Mahomes

    At the start of the year, we published a piece differentiating between the terms GOAT and BOAT. As the GOAT, an athlete was able to achieve sustained greatness through their accolades, records, championships, etc. But what’s this talk about a BOAT?

    The BOAT is the Best of All Time. Unlike the GOAT, you aren’t bound by the laws of longevity. There’s no need to wait for a decade or more to begin a conversation that you can plainly see is going to happen anyway. Nope, you can strictly go by talent and the likelihood to win any given contest, no matter the circumstances.

    Last weekend, two men boosted their BOAT candidacy in their respective crafts. Francis Ngannou added a high-value name to his decorated résumé when he defeated Ciryl Gane, an undefeated man he was placed as an underdog against, via unanimous decision. In so doing, Ngannou took another step closer if not fully into heavyweight BOAT waters.

    As for Patrick Mahomes, he racked up 378 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and several BOAT-esque clutch plays that don’t show up on a stat sheet when he led the Kansas City Chiefs to a divisional playoff win over the snakebitten Buffalo Bills.

    Kansas City beats Buffalo 42-36 in OT in wild playoff game | who13.com
    AP Photo/Ed Zurga

    To the untrained ear, there is no difference between these two terms. That’s why the only term used in debates in the sports media and in any discussion platform is “GOAT,” even when the opposing sides are clearly weighing and discussing different criteria. But if you listen more carefully, you’ll notice that this distinction pops up all the time.

    Such was the case earlier this week on FS1’s First Things First when Nick Wright was basking in the afterglow of the win of his beloved Kansas City Chiefs and the performance of their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.

    “And there is nothing more perfect than the best football weekend we have ever seen—because that’s what this weekend was—being punctuated by the best football player we have ever seen winning the day,” Wright said at the top of Monday’s program.

    At this point, one of Wright’s cohosts, Kevin Wildes, briefly interjected to express his disapproval to such high praise for a 26-year-old who has only been in the NFL for five seasons. That’s when Wright started spittin’ that BOAT talk.

    “Is he the most accomplished? No. All-time quarterback rankings, take all those, crumple them up, and throw ’em in the trash…because everybody knows this: There is not a person watching this show, not one, that if your life were on the line and you were asked, ‘You can have any quarterback (in) NFL history for one game, one drive, one throw, who ya takin’?’ The answer from everyone, from K.C. Wolf the Chiefs’ mascot to Gisele Bundchen, is Patrick bleepin’ Mahomes!”

    Moments later, another show cohost Chris Broussard chimed in, unknowingly educating program viewers on the difference between the GOAT and the BOAT.

    “I want to address what you said because a lot of people obviously gonna just blow off, ‘Oh, Mahomes (is) the best player ever? Not just the best player right now? You said the best player ever?’

    “And it’s premature. However, people were saying Michael Jordan was the greatest basketball player ever long before he won six rings. In 1994 when they built that statue in front of (the) United Center, it says ‘The best there ever was, the best there ever will be.’ That was after three rings.

    That time Bob Knight embarrassed and yelled at Michael Jordan during the 1984 Olympics
    Michael Jordan, Bobby Knight, Image Credit: Basketball Network

    “Bobby Knight, coaching Michael Jordan in the Olympics in 1984, said ‘He’s the best basketball player I’ve ever seen.’ Obviously, Bobby Knight saw all the greats. So I’m not gonna completely dismiss what you said. Obviously, when we talk GOAT, [Mahomes] has to win championships and all that.”

    But as Wright alluded, when we talk BOAT, you break things down to even simpler terms: Who would you trust to come through and win based on their talent and likelihood to win on any given night?

    Like Patrick Mahomes to Tom Brady, Francis Ngannou doesn’t have the amount of championship wins as the consensus GOAT of his division, Stipe Miocic. But just as Wright argued with Mahomes, if the fate of the world is on the line, your life is depending on it, and you have to choose one heavyweight fighter to win a fight, who are you taking?

    If you’re smart, you’d put some serious thought into taking the 2021/2022 version of the greatest KO artist in heavyweight history who has added takedown defense and offensive wrestling to his game and who, when at his best, has steamrolled names like Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, and Stipe Miocic.

    And then, when arguably his worst, he beat an undefeated next-generation phenom in Ciryl Gane while on a bum knee. Oh, and by the way, he’s never been dropped by strikes or finished in the most dangerous MMA division. That’s BOAT ish.

    And I don’t know about you, but if my life is on the line, I’m riding to safety with the BOAT over any GOAT every time.

    You can check out the full segment from the best sports talk show on TV, First Things First, Below.

  • Dana White Responds To “Idiots” Who Says He Disrespected Ngannou

    Dana White is dismissing all the post-fight drama surrounding his sudden exit from the Honda Center after Francis Ngannou’s title retention at UFC 270.

    The buildup to UFC 270 was not short on drama. It featured the bitter split between Ngannou and ex-coach Fernand Lopez, a backstage blowby gone viral, and of course the ongoing contract dispute between Ngannou and the UFC.

    While there always is an air of “what’s next?” following every big event, typically, all the storylines coming in are settled by the end of the night. In the case of the UFC 270 aftermath, we learned the drama was only just beginning.

    Hordes of spectators could not help but notice that UFC President Dana White did not wrap the world title around the waist of Francis Ngannou after his big victory over Ciryl Gane, as he typically does to the winner of every title fight. They also noted that White was conspicuously absent in the post-fight press conference as well.

    Due to the tense contract negotiations between Ngannou and the UFC being common knowledge, people of all walks of life chalked up White’s abrupt exit as rage-fueled disrespect towards Ngannou launched from a corporate foxhole.

    During his much-anticipated Q&A Wednesday on ESPN+, White attempted to shut down this narrative and also had a few choice words for those who have been spreading it.

    “For anybody thinking I was showing any type of disrespect towards Francis: I saw Francis all week, you idiots. I shook his hand, I said hi to him, I was out there for the staredowns, the whole thing. So for anybody to think that there was some type of disrespect shown towards Francis—I wasn’t out there for [Michael Bisping vs Luke Rockhold 2 at UFC 199], either, because I was dealing with some stuff. And I sprinted from the back. I didn’t even have my jacket on. I still only had my shirt on to go out there and put the belt on Bisping, but I couldn’t make it out there to put the belt on Francis. 

    “There’s only been one time that I’ve walked out on a fight and made it very clear, showed up to the press conference and said, ‘This is exactly why I left.’ It was in Abu Dhabi. So there’s the answer.”

    It should be noted that White took the initiative to bring the subject up himself, as the above remarks were not a response to any question submitted by a fan.

    White Shares Positive Thoughts About Ngannou Following UFC 270

    Francis Ngannou, Dana White
    Francis Ngannou, Dana White (Image Credits: Jeff Bottari/Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

    White was also complimentary towards Ngannou’s game plan in his victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. He expressed his belief that Gane was just as shocked as everyone else to see Ngannou adopt a wrestling-heavy approach, and this element of surprise was a huge ingredient to Ngannou’s success in the final three rounds.

    Not only that, but White is still somewhat optimistic about Ngannou’s future in the UFC, acknowledging that the promotion will, in fact, be working on a Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou bout in 2022 to join another big fight for the year between Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje, which was announced earlier today.

    “In 2022, I think people are excited about Gaethje and Oliveira,” White said. “A lot of people are excited about that fight. You saw the pop that Gaethje got on Saturday night at the arena. And I think another big fight, if it’s possible to get it done, would be Jon Jones and Francis.”

    Francis Ngannou is set to undergo knee surgery in the near future with an estimated recovery timetable of nine months. Perhaps during this time, he and the UFC will be able to come to terms on a new deal before the end of the year.

    Do you believe Dana White’s explanation for his UFC 270 exit and that he did not intentionally disrespect Francis Ngannou?

  • Team Ngannou Hopes For “Peaceful Resolution” With UFC Post-Surgery

    Injuries sustained recently by Francis Ngannou could force him out of action for the better part of a year.

    Ngannou’s manager recently spoke with Brett Okamoto of ESPN and unveiled how the heavyweight champ plans to rehabilitate following his fight. Injuries he took to one of his knees will reportedly require surgery, and his team is planning to give him nine months to recover.

    Per the interview, Ngannou is getting the surgery due to tearing his MCL and damaging his ACL in the lead-up to his UFC 270 fight against Ciryl Gane. The decision to get surgery was made after he was evaluated earlier this week.

    Ngannou will receive the surgery after he comes back from a trip to his home country of Cameroon.

    During Ngannou’s recovery process, manager Marquel Martin hopes the team can work to figure out his contractual situation with the UFC.

    “Upon his return, we plan on getting surgery and starting the recovery process so we can get him back to 100 percent as soon as possible,” said Marquel in an interview with ESPN. “In the meantime, we hope we can find a peaceful resolution in these contract talks. We’d like to thank all the fans for their continued support and belief in Francis.”

    The fact that Ngannou suffered his knee injuries during his training camp means he competed in his title fight while hurt. Many assumed that something was up with Ngannou when he entered the cage on Saturday night and was wearing padding on both of his knees.

    Do you believe we will see Francis Ngannou compete in the UFC again after his surgery?

  • TJ Dillashaw Claims Aljamain Sterling ‘Doesn’t Have That Fighting Spirit’

    TJ Dillashaw doesn’t have high expectations for Aljamain Sterling.

    TJ Dillashaw is currently out recovering from surgery. He is, however, planning his return and in doing so wants a shot at the title. Dillashaw has only had one fight in the last three years due to a suspension and injury, but he feels his résumé speaks for itself and he wants the next available title shot.

    The thing is, there is already a title fight scheduled. Finally, after a few rescheduled dates, champion Aljamain Sterling will be taking on interim champions Petr Yan at UFC 273 in April. Dillashaw took a moment to break down how he sees that fight playing out in a conversation with ESPN.

    “My money’s on Yan,” Dillashaw said (via MiddleEasy). “The way that fight went down and to kind of see Aljamain just break and give up… he really didn’t have much for him. I was kind of expecting Sterling to give him a lot more trouble in the grappling aspects and the takedowns. Yan just kind of shrugged them off. [Sterling] had no strength. I don’t know if there’s much, you can change with that.”

    The way the fight between Sterling and Yan ended, with a disqualification knee to a downed opponent, left a lot of questions unanswered. Sterling will have another opportunity to show the world that he is the rightful owner of that 135-pound belt. It is clear that Dillashaw believes that Yan is the one to beat in that matchup.

    “Yan’s a killer. You see the way he fights, he stays real tight, stays clean, and he’s got the mentality that he’s a fighter,” Dillashaw said. “You got those competitors, you got athletes, and then you got fighters. Guys like myself and guys like Yan are the full package, you do all of them.”

    Sterling has been taking quite a bit of heat from all sides since he won the belt in the way he did back in March. Dillashaw might have his chance at Sterling if “The Funk Master” is victorious at UFC 273. If that fight takes place, Dillashaw believes he has what it takes to defeat him.

    “I feel like Sterling is more of a competitor or an athlete. He doesn’t have that fighting spirit in him. He’s a little bit weak when it comes to that last thing.”

    Who do you think will bring him the belt at UFC 273, Sterling or Yan?

  • Procházka Plans To Train With Three Former UFC Champs For Title Fight

    Jiří Procházka is planning on getting some outside help in the lead-up to his title fight.

    Jiří Procházka has secured his first title shot in the UFC. He will be challenging newly crowned champion, Glover Teixeira, in May at UFC 274. The Czech Republic‎ native has been looking for this shot for some time now and he is willing to do what it takes to be successful when that big moment arrives, even if that means changing up his training situation.

    Procházka spoke to CBS Sports about what he is planning for this training camp.

    “In February, I am thinking about and working towards preparation in America. Especially with Henry Cejudo and Jon Jones there. I want to go there and work on my wrestling. I especially want to take my wrestling to the next level. I’m really looking forward to that,” Procházka said. “I’m a big fan of Figueiredo. His style is great. It’s an honor to go there and train with these guys.”

    It is not crazy that Procházka wants to be a part of this group. Jon Jones is the former light heavyweight champion, and one of the all-time greats. Cejudo was a two-division champion and has now shifted his focus to work with other fighters and make them champions. Recently, he helped Weili Zhang in her fight against Rose Namajunas and Deiveson Figueiredo in his training camp before reclaiming his belt against Brandon Moreno.

    Procházka came to the UFC in July of 2020 and after just two wins in the organization, he has reached the point of fighting for the title. His prior fights have been mostly in Rizin, and he is undefeated since 2016. Just because Procházka is a newcomer to the UFC light heavyweight division doesn’t mean he is new to this game.

    “I fought ‘King Mo’ two times. The second time, when I defeated him in the Rizin title fight, I was a different guy than the first time he won,” Procházka said. “From that Rizin title fight to now, I’m five levels up. He can talk with [Teixeira] and give him special tips for me, but I think I’m another person. I’m a different person in character. I changed myself completely since that time. It doesn’t matter. If ‘King Mo’ will help him to be a better fighter, I’ll be glad for that. I want to fight the best version of Glover’s style.”

    Procházka’s ten last fights have all ended in TKO or KO. He is a finishing machine and now looks to make Teixeira his next target. Teixeira will be making his first title defense at 42 years old after securing the title from Jan Blachowicz in October.

    Do you think Jiri Procházka has what it takes to beat Glover Teixeira and win the title on May 7?

  • Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje Booked For UFC 274 In May

    Charles Oliveira’s next lightweight title defense is set, as the Brazilian is set to take on Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 on May 7.

    ESPN’s Brett Okamoto was the first to report Oliveira and Gaethje’s upcoming clash. This fight will be joining Glover Teixeira and Jiří Procházka’s light heavyweight title bout slated for the same card. There is currently no word on which fight will serve as the main event. According to the ESPN report, this card is expected to take place in the United States after originally being targeted for Brazil.

    Justin Gaethje was adamant about his place as the #1 contender after defeating Michael Chandler in a Fight of the Year candidate at UFC 268. Dana White agreed with Gaethje’s self-assessment and has now put the idea into action by making the fight plans public.

    UFC 268: Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler put on epic battle
    Image Credit: Zuffa LLC

    Earlier this week, Gaethje put MMA journalists on blast for even suggesting Conor McGregor could skip the title-shot queue and receive a title shot upon return. Should Gaethje defeat Oliveira at UFC 274, he will put himself into a powerful enough position to hold the highest cards of the lightweight title picture.

    This will be Gaethje’s second opportunity at becoming lightweight champion after coming up short against then-champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2020.

    This bout will mark Charles Oliveira’s second lightweight title defense. Last month, he defeated Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 via third-round submission to cement himself as the king of the 155 division.

    UFC: UFC 269: Oliveira makes Poirier tap out to successfully defend his title | Marca

    Oliveira has not lost a bout since a 2017 defeat to Paul Felder. Since then, he has turned an incredible 10-fight winning streak, with an astonishing 9 of those 10 wins being by way of finish. Come May 7, Oliveira will look to add Justin Gaethje to his highlight reel.

    With the addition of this title bout, the updated UFC 274 card is as follows:

    UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: Glover Teixeira © vs. Jiří Procházka

    UFC Lightweight Championship: Charles Oliveira © vs. Justin Gaethje

    Macy Chiasson vs. Norma Dumont

    Who do you think will win this lightweight championship bout between Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje?

  • Ariel Helwani Ponders Conspiracy Theory On Rogan’s Ngannou Interview

    Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has questioned the intention behind one of Joe Rogan’s questions during the post-fight interview with Francis Ngannou at UFC 270.

    At the opening pay-per-view of 2022, the UFC Heavyweight Champion fought through an abundance of adversity to successfully defend his title for the first time. From his torn MCL and potential “irreversible” knee damage to his uncertain future with the UFC and possible looming free agency, “The Predator” wasn’t short of potential distractions.

    But while his knee injury may have played on his mind during his struggles on the feet in the opening two rounds, the only thought in his head for the final three frames was victory. He secured that with a controlling display of wrestling, taking rounds three to five to secure a unanimous decision triumph.

    In his Octagon interview with Rogan, there were a host of questions that could have been asked. One that some feel was perhaps out of place was a query about the champ’s desire to crossover to the boxing ring in the near future.

    “Now, it was beautiful to see this evolution to your game and adding the grappling, but we’ve heard talk of you potentially boxing. Have you thought about doing that? What is your future plan? You obviously retained the title, it’s your option now what to do with your future?”

    Helwani Questions Motive Behind Boxing Question

    While some put the question down to the pre-fight talk surrounding Ngannou’s hopes to face the likes of Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder inside the squared circle, one prominent name in the MMA industry has pondered whether it had a deeper meaning.

    During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour just days after his UFC 270 victory, Ngannou revealed that the UFC had threatened to sue his manager just hours before his unification showdown with Gane. The reason given was alleged boxing talks between Marquel Martin and Jake Paul’s business partner Nakisa Bidarian.

    Having already slammed UFC President Dana White for his post-fight actions, which saw him choose not to put the belt on Ngannou or attend the presser, Helwani has now questioned whether Rogan’s post-fight interview was designed to trip up “The Predator.”

    During a recent post on his Substack, Helwani pointed to the timing of the legal threat and Rogan’s subsequent boxing question after the fight, which he believes was out of place given the abundance of other intriguing queries he could have asked.

    “So much to unpack from that interview, most of which I mentioned right after he signed off, but I’ll add this: when I was watching Joe Rogan interview Ngannou after the fight, I thought it was rather odd that he asked him a question about boxing,” Helwani wrote. “They never do that. Especially since there were, like, 50 other questions pertaining to the fight one could have asked (not to mention a follow-up on the knee injury). 

    “And then we find out about that legal e-mail they received on the night of the fight, and, well, I can’t help but wonder if Rogan was asked to ask that question to trip up Ngannou,” added Helwani. “Because, again, in the moment, it seemed really out of place, considering how they usually handle those situations. For those who don’t know, all broadcasters wear an earpiece (aka an IFB) so the producer can speak to them during the show, so it’s possible someone asked him to ask that.”

    With new discussions, accusations, and theories surrounding the promotion’s relationship and attitude towards its heavyweight titleholder continuing to rise to the surface, Dana White will hopefully provide some answers when he takes part in a fan Q&A later today.

    Do you think Ariel Helwani could be on to something with his post-fight interview theory?

  • Stephen Thompson Targets April Return, Open To Chiesa & Lawler Fights

    UFC welterweight contender Stephen Thompson is targeting a return to the Octagon in the coming months and has two promotional veterans in mind.

    At the start of 2021, Thompson was riding a two-fight win streak and was fresh off a dominant main event victory over Geoff Neal. His target over the next 12 months was to secure his third title shot in the UFC.

    But instead of booking a date with reigning 170-pound king Kamaru Usman, “Wonderboy” slipped down the rankings with back-to-back setbacks.

    In his first appearance of the year, Thompson faced recent title challenger and top-three welterweight Gilbert Burns. At the time, many believed a victory over “Durinho” would have secured the 38-year-old another opportunity to reach the mountaintop. However, in the UFC 264 co-main event, he was controlled and beaten on the scorecards by the Brazilian.

    Fast forward five months to December’s UFC Vegas 45, and Thompson had a quick chance to rebound and keep his place in the title conversation. But in a similar fashion to his previous outing, he was taken down and convincingly out-grappled, this time by rising name Belal Muhammad.

    Thompson Targets Two Fellow UFC Mainstays

    Despite yet another setback and his close proximity to the 40-year-old milestone, Thompson isn’t letting his championship aspirations disintegrate just yet. Spurred on by his desire to become the promotion’s oldest fighter, “Wonderboy” is ready to set things right in 2022.

    During a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Thompson provided an update on his return. While an April fight is his current target, “Wonderboy” did reveal he is awaiting an MRI scan on his collarbone, which he’s experienced pain on since his defeat to Muhammad on December 18.

    “Well, I wanna get back in April. I’ve got an MRI I’ve gotta do on my collarbone; It’s been killing me after the last fight,” said Thompson. “When Belal Muhammad picked me up and threw me down, I ended up putting my arm out and we both landed on my shoulder. I kinda jacked my collarbone up. So, I’m still training but usually, after every training session, it’s giving me some problems… But I wanna fight again in April. I’m not sure who yet.”

    Nevertheless, Thompson doesn’t believe it’s too serious and hopes to have the chance to end his losing skid in the second quarter of the year.

    Despite suggesting he’s looking to avoid an overwhelming wrestler in his next matchup, “Wonderboy” did admit he’s open to a “jiu-jitsu vs. karate” clash with grappling specialist Michael Chiesa.

    “At this point, I would say, let’s hold off on the wrestlers real quick [LAUGHS]. The last few guys I just got obliterated… I think (Chiesa) would be a good opponent, for sure… I mean, he does have a name and he’s a good buddy of mine too, so I think that’d be a fun one,” added Thompson. “Obviously I’m gonna try and keep that fight standing because his jiu-jitsu is good. You saw his last fight with Vicente Luque, getting submitted, that’s kind of always been a thing. I’ve seen him start wrestling guys and him wrestling himself into a submission; getting sucked into a guillotine or triangle.

    Manager: Kamaru Usman wants to defend welterweight title against Michael Chiesa at UFC 263 - MMAmania.com
    Michael Chiesa, Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    “He’s doing work at 170. I think I can outstrike him, I can out-move him, for sure. If we fought, I’d definitely look to keep the fight standing. But he fights fairly stiff. Maybe that’s why he’s so strong. He’s got that muscle. I think it would be a fun fight, it would definitely be one of those jiu-jitsu vs. karate guys again.”

    But if he’s focusing solely on another striker he can trade blows with, who better than welterweight legend and former champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler?

    Describing how it would be an “honor” to face Lawler, who recently ended a lengthy losing skid with a win against Nick Diaz, Thompson claimed it would be especially an entertaining bout for the fans.

    “I think (Lawler) would be a really fun fight, especially for the fans. I’ve been trying to fight this guy since he was champion. I think that would be a great fight, even though he’s not ranked at this point, I would love (it). It would be an honor to fight a legend, and exciting, it would be an exciting fight. Two guys going out there striking it up. That would be awesome,” concluded Thompson.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CThroK7LUi3/

    Despite consecutive defeats in the Octagon, Thompson remains a fan favorite and a name most will always be excited to watch. “Wonderboy” will hope to put his entertaining and slick striking style on full display again in 2022 after an underwhelming last 12 months.

    Who would you prefer to see Stephen Thompson face next, Michael Chiesa or Robbie Lawler?

  • Demian Maia Explains Past Bar Brawl, Stabbing Incident In Sweden

    A routine night out at a bar turned into a night of chaos for former UFC welterweight Demian Maia.

    Maia’s latest Octagon appearance came at UFC 263 in a unanimous decision loss to Belal Muhammad. Despite his grappling prowess still being a problem for most fighters, the 44-year-old looked years past his physical prime in recent losses to Muhammad and Gilbert Burns.

    The UFC parted ways with Maia back in August, along with former bantamweight Jimmie Rivera.

    Maia is arguably one of the most universally liked and respected fighters in UFC history. He was never one to engage in trash talk during his career and let his trademark Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu do the talking for him.

    But a few years ago, Maia’s life was in danger when he was attacked and stabbed, suffering serious injury. During a recent appearance on the Inteligencia Ltda podcast, Maia detailed a scuffle he got into with some alleged Middle Eastern gang members while at a bar in Sweden. (h/t Bloody Elbow)

    “I’m in the corner, and like in other clubs outside Brazil, at 2 AM, they turn on the light,” Maia explained. “2 AM, all lights turned on. All the security guards went down to evacuate people and things like that. When I stood up, there were some guys from that gang there and they saw me. I think it was a small town thing. The guy came at me to attack me, but not exactly attack me. He came to push me. No reason, man. They were very messy.”

    Maia initially didn’t think much of the push, but the altercation was more serious than he realized.

    “They kind of ran the place. I was upset because my knee wasn’t getting better. I had hurt myself again in Sweden teaching class and stuff like that. When the guy came to put his hand on me, I threw an elbow at him. In his face,” he said. But that elbow was so hard, he didn’t fall over. He just imploded in the same place, you know. Do you know when a guy lands on his own leg? Yeah, man. He imploded. Man, by the time he fell, my first thought was, ‘God, please help me. I hope I didn’t kill this guy.’ Because it was too strong and the guy blacked out right away. I thought, ‘Imagine I killed this guy, I’m going to be f—ked, stuck in Sweden for the rest of my life.’

    “F—k, no one would want to know he came to assault me,” Maia continued. “In the end, I would have killed the guy, Suddenly, I see a small guy coming up beside me quietly. All this I’m talking about was in five or six seconds, I don’t know. But very fast. The elbow, two punches. I walked backward, the guy came and hit me in the belly. This guy didn’t hit me in the belly, he stabbed me. And I knew it right away. Why did I notice? Because these guys don’t know how to fight, they’re just making trouble. If the guy isn’t a very good boxer who knows what to do, he’ll never hit you in the belly. He’ll hit the head. The guy will try to hurt you in the face. And as soon as it hit down here, I felt a knock and they ran away.”

    Maia then explained what went through his mind after being stabbed.

    “I had this thing in my head, ‘Can’t get air, can’t get air.’ I knew that getting air could cause embolism, and I got this paranoia. I still didn’t know if I was stabbed. I just felt the knock, but I was suspicious. When the guys ran away, I did it here. I looked over quickly and my shirt was soaked with blood.”

    Maia was sent to a local hospital directly after the incident. He was treated and quickly released by medical staff.

    Maia’s story shows that MMA fighters can still be the victim of vicious attacks, despite their athletic accolades. Thankfully, Maia is still alive to tell the story and continues to practice and teach the art of BJJ.

    What is your reaction to this Demian Maia story?

  • Chris Curtis To Face Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 273

    The “Action Man” is set to return in April.

    Veteran Chris Curtis is expected to return at UFC’s April 9th pay-per-view event, facing Dricus Du Plessis in a middleweight matchup. The fight has joined the UFC 273 card, per a report from Shaun Al-Shatti and Mike Heck of MMA Fighting.

    The fight joins a growing PPV card that doesn’t have a confirmed location at the moment.

    Curtis will be attempting to build upon a strong run that started on the regional scene in 2020 and has brought him to the UFC.

    Chris Curtis attained a strong five-fight winning streak from early 2020 to July 2021, with four of those wins coming via stoppage. This earned him the UFC call, as he stepped in on short notice to face Phil Hawes.

    Curtis prevailed in that matchup, stopping Hawes late in the first round of a fight at UFC 268. He wrapped up the year by earning another paycheck, scoring a finish win against Brendan Allen in December.

    A win in April would move the middleweight veteran’s win streak to eight consecutive fights.

    Du Plessis Searching For Third Win

    Dricus Du Plessis to Face Andre Muniz at UFC 269
    Dricus Du Plessis

    Like Curtis, Du Plessis has yet to lose since joining the UFC roster. The former KSW welterweight champion made his promotional debut in October 2020, stopping Markus Perez in the first round with strikes.

    Du Plessis’ last appearance was a big win, stopping the three-fight winning streak of Trevin Giles with strikes.

    Du Plessis was at one point matched against André Muniz for a UFC card in December, although that matchup didn’t come to fruition.

    UFC 273 currently has two title fights set for the top of the lineup. In the main event, UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski is scheduled to face The Korean Zombie.

    Here’s the updated lineup:

    Featherweight Title Bout: Alexander Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie

    Bantamweight Title Bout: Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan

    Bantamweight Bout: Irene Aldana vs. Aspen Ladd

    Middleweight Bout: Chris Curtis vs. Dricus Du Plessis

    Featherweight Bout: Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker

    Welterweight Bout: Mickey Gall vs. Mike Malott

    Heavyweight Bout: Jairzinho Rozenstruick vs. Marcin Tybura

    Strawweight Bout: Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres

    Middleweight Bout: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nassourdine Imavov

    Lightweight Bout: Vinc Pichel vs. Mark O. Madsen

    Who do you have in this middleweight clash?

  • Kamaru Usman Considered Facing Jan Blachowicz For LHW Belt

    UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman pondered the idea of furthering his greatness by facing Jan Blachowicz at 205 pounds.

    Usman has risen to the top spot in the UFC’s pound-for-pound list after a memorable 2021. He earned knockout finishes over Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal and won his rematch with Colby Covington at UFC 268.

    Usman is widely expected to face Leon Edwards next in another defense of his welterweight title. However, he’s also flirted with the idea of attempting to become a champ at multiple weight classes.

    During a recent interview with GQ, Usman revealed that he once eyed a matchup with Blachowicz when he was the light heavyweight champion.

    “I was going to skip Israel [Adesanya and go fight Jan at 205 [pounds],” Usman said. “Because I’m pound-for-pound, I want to prove it. No matter what weight it is, I thought he was a really good matchup for me.”

    Blachowicz shares a two-inch height advantage over Usman. Still, Usman has always been seen as big for a welterweight and has at times looked extraordinarily drained after weight cuts.

    For now, the possibility of a Usman vs. Blachowicz fight is off the table. Blachowicz lost his belt to Glover Teixeira in stunning fashion at UFC 267 and will face Aleksandar Rakic later this year.

    This isn’t the first time that Usman has raised some eyebrows with his ambitions. He has called for a boxing match with world champion Canelo Alvarez despite no boxing experience, but UFC president Dana White doesn’t seem keen on making it happen.

    Usman and Blachowicz are still looking to hold their spots as two of the most intimidating fighters on the planet, but a fight between them looks to be buried in the past.

    How do you think a Kamaru Usman vs. Jan Blachowicz fight would play out?

  • Daniel Cormier To Jon Jones: “When Are You Going To Fight?”

    Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has encouraged Jon Jones to return to fighting before talking down the quality of the heavyweight division.

    Among the abundance of stories and narratives heading into the unification showdown between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 last weekend was the future of Jones. In the minds of many, despite the hesitance of Dana White to confirm it, the former UFC light heavyweight champion’s return would come against whoever emerged victoriously.

    With Ngannou defying the odds to retain his belt, a clash between “The Predator” and the divisional newcomer appears to be back on the cards, should Ngannou and the UFC’s contractual dispute be settled in the coming months, something that is looking increasingly unlikely.

    But while many were impressed with Ngannou’s development in the wrestling department and his ability to turn the tide in the fight by incorporating takedowns and grappling, one man was licking his lips at the prospect of a title in a second weight class.

    In one tweet, Jones suggested he was excited about his chances when he makes his long-awaited move to the division having witnessed the “apex of heavyweight fighting.”

    “If this is the Apex of heavyweight fighting, I’m excited about it. Got some more records to break.”

    Cormier Criticizes Jones For “Judging” Instead Of Fighting

    Cormier, Jones’ former arch-rival, has previously expressed his bleak outlook on the GOAT contender’s future at heavyweight. But while he and “Bones” may disagree with the two-time 205-pound champ’s chances in the heaviest weight class, “DC” has reminded him that we’ll never know if he doesn’t actually fight.

    Echoing a recent sentiment shared by his fellow color commentator Michael Bisping, in which “The Count” told Jones to, “Stop tweeting and start fighting,” Cormier suggested the 34-year-old should reserve himself from judging either Ngannou or Gane’s performance at UFC 270 when they’re actually entering the Octagon to compete.

    “For me, it’s about Jon Jones needs to fight, right? At some point you gotta fight,” said Cormier during a recent episode of DC & RC. “It’s one thing to be the champion, defending, fighting… even when him and I were going through our thing, he would get suspended, but then he would come back and he would fight, even if that meant fighting Ovince Saint Preux when I was hurt. But ultimately, he was fighting.

    “Right now, he’s just talking. It’s like, he’s just talking RC? When are you going to fight?” Cormier added. “Because for as bad as it was, Francis had a torn meniscus, Francis was hurt, Francis had a bad training camp, all these thing; Francis still fought. So you can say, ‘They’re not that good,’ but ultimately, they’re still in there doing their thing.

    “Why aren’t you in there doing your thing? You are one of the most talented mixed martial artists of all time, why aren’t you in there doing your thing against these guys, as opposed to judging them?”

    Despite having not fought since February 2020, Jones’ comments on social media and frequent updates on his weight transformation ahead of a desired heavyweight switch suggest he is still committed to making a push for a second divisional UFC belt.

    With Ngannou’s future firmly up in the air, it remains to be seen who Jones must go through to achieve his goal. One thing that is certain, though, as Cormier pointed out, is he has to fight somebody soon if he’s to back up his talk on social media.

    Do you agree with Daniel Cormier’s take on Jon Jones’ reaction to UFC 270?

  • PFL Announces New ESPN Broadcasting Deal Amidst Harrison Talks

    The PFL has renewed its broadcasting deal with ESPN for the 2022 league season and beyond amidst contract talks with its biggest star.

    The league is also reportedly expected to re-sign Kayla Harrison to a new contract as her free agency comes to a close.

    2022 regular season and playoff events will be simulcasted on ESPN and ESPN+. Some additional PFL coverage will take place on ESPN2.

    The PFL first agreed to a broadcast partnership with ESPN back in 2019. Before that, the league had a longstanding deal with NBC Sports before “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” agreed to become the league’s new televised home.

    2022 is expected to be another huge year for the PFL as a whole. The league’s new Challenger Series program, similar to Dana White’s Contender Series, will launch next month. The show will give up-and-coming prospects a chance at signing with the league.

    “After two successful years of providing fans with premium MMA content alongside ESPN, PFL is proud to extend and expand our agreement,” CEO Peter Murray said via a press release. “As MMA continues to evolve as a sport and rights property, our differentiated product and unique approach will help shape its path forward and in 2022 fans can expect more events, matchups between the world’s best fighters, and innovative content than ever before.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

    The league has added a different spin on how MMA is scored and judged. The PFL’s point-based system, along with its league standings and postseason, has added a new and unique dimension to the sport.

    The PFL regular season will begin on April 20 as Anthony Pettis, Julia Budd, and possibly Harrison make their returns to the cage.

    Will you watch the PFL this season?