Sean O’Malley understands why he recently came under fire from Aljamain Sterling for comments he made about the UFC bantamweight champion’s rematch with Petr Yan not being a main event.
The Montana native said he understands why the champ took offense to his words, especially given the way his champion status has been discredited because of the way he won the belt last March.
“When I said I’m surprised that Petr and Aljo can’t main event (on) their own, I was saying that like, I’m genuinely surprised the UFC doesn’t just have them (headline). It’s a main event in the most stacked division in the UFC,” said O’Malley. “And he (Sterling) took that as an offensive comment, which I get. But then he also agreed. He’s like, ‘blah, blah, blah… but he’s right.’
“So I was saying it like, I’m surprised they don’t just main event (UFC 272). They could, 100%. Would it do crazy numbers? No, but they could be its own main event, that’s what I was saying, and he did not like that,” added O’Malley. “He got offended and started going off. But he also agreed. He’s like, ‘Yeah well, they would have to build a big card around (us),’ which means put me on the card. But I get it. It would be frustrating to be the champ and not be respected as the champ, and the way he won; I get it. I like Aljo, he seems like a good dude.”
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While it may not have main event status, the second clash between champion Sterling and interim titleholder Yan is sure to bring heat and fireworks during fight week and fight night.
Given that it’ll have been over a year since their first meeting when they collide at UFC 273, it’ll be interesting to see if Sterling has made the necessary adjustments to match Yan inside the Octagon, something he largely failed to do at UFC 259 despite emerging with the title.
Do you agree with Sean O’Malley? Was it surprising that the UFC didn’t bump Sterling vs. Yan 2 to main event status at UFC 272?
While he’s got the challenge of long-time rival Deiveson Figueiredo in front of him this weekend, UFC Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno is also aware of the other threats to his reign the 125-pound division boasts.
Making the most of his opportunity, and riding the confidence he gained in his five-round FOTY contender with the Brazilian, Moreno delivered one of the best performances of 2021 inside Arizona’s Gila River Arena.
After taking control of the contest in the opening two rounds, the 28-year-old made history in the third frame by becoming the first Mexican-born UFC champion. To achieve the feat, he forced Figueiredo to tap out to a tight rear-naked choke.
After his performance last time out, the champion will head into the PPV clash as the favorite. Nevertheless, Figueiredo’s form before meeting the Mexican in 2020 was remarkable, and he appears to be in the best shape of his career and without the weight-cutting issues that have previously hampered his camp.
While “The Assassin Baby” is certainly not taking “Deus Da Guerra” lightly and acknowledges the challenge he has in front of him, as an analyst as well as a fighter, he’s not afraid to take a quick look towards the future.
During his appearance at UFC 270 media day on Wednesday, Moreno assessed the landscape of the flyweight division and named four possible next contenders for the title should he get past his Brazilian foe on January 22.
“I mean, Askar Askarov has an important fight against Kara-France. So, the winner of that fight can be the next one,” said Moreno. “Pantoja is definitely a possibility; he beat me twice in the past. Alex Perez is there too. Kara-France needs to beat Askar Askarov, but his last performance against Cody Garbrandt looked impressive. So, man, right now I’m very focused on Figueiredo, but I’m a Spanish analyst too, so I love to watch the other contenders in my division, and I can see these names (challenging for the title) in the future.”
Out of the top flyweights he named, Moreno has fought all but one, with the only omission on his record being Alex Perez.
The Mexican fought Askarov and Kara-France in his first two appearances back in the UFC after being re-signed in 2019. After a split draw against the Russian, Moreno took a big step towards title contention by recording a unanimous decision victory over the New Zealander less than three months later.
Prior to those triumphs and before his surge to the top, Moreno was released from the UFC following a loss on the scorecards to Pantoja. The setback represented his second defeat to the Brazilian, having been submitted by him on The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions in 2016.
Discussing the idea that the victor of Askarov vs. Kara-France, set to go down on March 26, could be next, Moreno broke down which rematch would be best. For the fans, the champ believes another clash with Kara-France would be more appealing. But for himself and his legacy, Moreno believes a victory over “Bullet” would do more.
“So, the thing between (Askarov and Kara-France), I fought against Kai Kara-France before and I beat him, like, very clearly. But for the fans, I think the style of Kai Kara-France is better (than Askarov),” added Moreno. “Askarov’s, kind of, these kind of fighters who don’t like, too much, to impress the fans [LAUGHS]. But, I mean, he is winning. So if you talk about which fight is better for the fans, I think (Kara-)France, but I think Askarov is better for my legacy.”
One thing for certain is that whoever emerges victorious will have a plethora of worthy contenders ready to try and unseat them from the flyweight throne later this year.
Who do you think Brandon Moreno should defend the title against next if he can defeat Deiveson Figueiredo again this weekend?
Dana White is chucking up the deuces to his lengthy feud with YouTuber turned boxing star, Jake Paul.
Over the past year, UFC President Dana White has been involved in a war of words with Jake Paul. After it was announced that Floyd Mayweather would be fighting Logan Paul, White trashed all the fans who had any interest in watching either of the Paul brothers compete in legitimate sports. It was at this time that White also stated Amanda Nunes would leave Jake Paul comatose.
But of course, the biggest theme of the White/Paul feud has been the topic of UFC fighter pay. Paul has continued to criticize White and the UFC for the way the promotion compensates its fighters, and he hasn’t stopped at just talking. The YouTuber even took money out of his own pocket to help UFC women’s flyweight Sarah Alpar pay for her training-camp expenses.
White/Paul Drama Reaches Its Climax
Another subject that has risen multiple times during the White/Paul feud is Paul’s claim that White is a “cokehead.” In fact, the former Disney actor opted to dress up as a “coked-up Dana White” for Halloween accompanied by “his hookers.”
After Paul made this accusation one time too many, the UFC boss decided to make Paul a little offer. He would allow Jake Paul to drug test him for cocaine for the next 10 years if he, in turn, could drug test Paul for performance-enhancing drugs for two. Paul would respond by agreeing to be tested by USADA in a UFC fight if White agreed to a list of terms regarding improving the pay and benefits of the UFC roster.
White considers Paul’s counterproposal to be a non-response. And not only did it terminate his original offer, but it also killed any desire the UFC president had to address Paul ever again.
During an appearance on The Full Send Podcast, White was asked what Paul would have to do to earn his respect. It was at this point White broke some news about his feud with the outspoken YouTuber.
“It’s not that he doesn’t have my respect. I don’t even know the kid, at the end of the day,” White said. “I don’t even know the kid. And you know what? To be honest with you, I’ll tell you right here right now: This is the last time you’ll hear me talk about him. I’m done.
“I put out the challenge, he said, ‘You do coke,’ I said, ‘I think you use performance-enhancing drugs. Let’s do it.’ He never responded to it, so fire away, kid. Do your thing.”
White went on to say that his decision was made after he realized that his feud with Paul, with whom he has no professional ties with whatsoever, is going nowhere.
“I’m sitting here, I’m arguing with this kid that doesn’t fight for me and is never gonna fight for me, so what’s the point of he and I going back and forth with each other?” White asked.
White may be done addressing Paul, but it’s highly unlikely Paul is done talking about White, UFC fighters, or the subject of fighter pay. Therefore, it would seem inevitable that reporters will continue to ask White to chime in on Paul’s latest antics and statements. Therefore, White may become very well-acquainted with the phrase “no comment” heading into the future.
On the other hand, he might get worked into breaking this promise by inquiring media members or directly by the king troll himself, “The Problem Child” Jake Paul.
Do you believe Dana White when he says he will never talk about Jake Paul ever again?
UFC 270 is now one sleep away, and to get you even more hyped for the event than you already are, we’ve got some staff predictions locked and loaded for ya!
UFC 270 will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view, with the main card beginning at 10:00 PM ET, the ESPN2 preliminary card kicking off at 8:00 PM, and the early preliminary card starting at 6:00 PM.
The main event will see the heavyweights collide in a title unification bout between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane. Then, in the co-main event, we will see Brandon Moreno taking on Deiveson Figueiredo in an exciting conclusion to their flyweight trilogy.
Also on the main card will be decorated submission artist Rodolfo Viera taking on Wellington Turman, veteran Cody Stamann facing touted prospect Said Nurmagomedov, and the always unpredictable Michel Pereira facing the debuting Andre Fialho.
UFC 270 Staff Predictions
MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 270 updates. Andrew Ravens, Ed Carbajal, and I have provided predictions for the main card.
Here is the full main card lineup for tomorrow night:
UFC Heavyweight ChampionshipBout:Francis Ngannou (c) vs. Ciryl Gane (ic)
UFC Flyweight Championship Bout: Brandon Moreno (c) vs. DeivesonFigueiredo
Welterweight: Michel Pereira vs. Andre Fialho
Bantamweight: Cody Stamann vs. Said Nurmagomedov
Middleweight: Rodolfo Vieira vs. Wellington Turman (Canceled)
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Wellington Turman (Canceled)
Rodolfo Vieira, Wellington Turman
Clyde Aidoo: After gassing out the likes of which UFC fans have rarely seen in his loss to Anthony Hernandez at UFC 258, Rodolfo Vieira was able to show that he’s not worth writing off yet and his hype train still has some steam in the engine. In fact, it had more than enough to earn him Performance of the Night in his last outing, featuring a submission victory over Dustin Stoltzfus. It’ll take a while for me to build back the confidence I had in picking Vieira heading into 2021, but I think that he’s still more dangerous and lethal than Turman, who has lost two of his last three. (Prediction: Rodolfo Vieira)
Andrew Ravens: While this is a late addition to the main card, it should be a really fun fight. Turman is someone the hardcore fans know, and while he has struggled as of late, things won’t get easier against Vieira, who is a real prospect with an 8-1 record. Vieira has been submitting nearly everyone, and I see that happening here for the win. (Prediction: Rodolfo Vieira)
Ed Carbajal: Viera is a heavy favorite here and considering his 8-1 record, it’s easy to see why. Seven of his eight wins came by way of submission, with his last win earning a Performance of the Night bonus for his third-round rear-naked choke win over Dustin Stoltzfus. Still, Turman brings more experience and while he has some losses on his record, he’s never lost by submission, the bread and butter of Vieira. I think Turman can pull off a win here. (Prediction: Wellington Turman)
Consensus: 2-1 Vieira
Cody Stamann vs. Said Nurmagomedov
Cody Stamann, Said Nurmagomedov
Clyde Aidoo: Cody Stamann presents the kind of style that will reveal his opponent’s ability to problem-solve and show his work. You can never expect an easy night at the office with Stamann’s grinding fight style standing in your way. Nurmagomedov has finished two of his last three fights, but I’m not convinced he’s a lethal enough finisher to put Stamann away, something only Alamain Sterling has done in the UFC.
However, with Stamann losing two straight and Nurmagomedov being a bit hungrier, more versatile on the feet, and having good enough takedown defense to likely win the majority of the rounds, I’m going to give the very slight swing in his direction. (Prediction: Said Nurmagomedov)
Andrew Ravens: Nurmagomedov is the real deal despite a bump in the road against Raoni Barcelos and with Stamann losing back-to-back fights, I think this is a perfect time for Nurmagomedov to make a statement against the always game Stamann. Nurmagomedov walks away with the decision win. (Prediction: Said Nurmagomedov)
Ed Carbajal: Coming off two losses, Stamann has a lot of motivation to start the main card off with a win. However, with someone like Nurmagomedov in his path, that will be easier said than done. Most of Stamann’s wins come by way of decision, and Nurmagomedov’s only two losses are by decision, but that does not mean it can be done easily. That last name coming from Dagestan in MMA usually makes it hard to pick against. (Prediction: Said Nurmagomedov)
Consensus: 3-0 Nurmagomedov
Michel Pereira vs. Andre Fialho
Michel Pereira, Andre Fialho
Clyde Aidoo: Andre Fialho steps in on short notice in a main card bout on a big PPV to kick off the year. You have to wonder if the UFC jitters will get a hold of Fialho, especially when facing a showman like Pereira, who has gained valuable experience inside the Octagon.
Stylistically, I believe Pereira presents more ways to win this fight. Fialho is a knockout artist, but he can be very flat-footed and could let Pereira dictate the pace and flow of the fight. Plus, Pereira has the ability to take the fight to the mat and win that way also if he wants to fight more conservatively here. (Prediction: Michel Pereira)
Andrew Ravens: What a way to make your promotional debut for Fialho, who has won his last four fights. On the flip side, Pereira has won his last three. I’ll side with Pereira here with his experience getting it done by decision. (Prediction: Michel Pereira)
Ed Carbajal: I expect a knockout here and I expect a possible Fight of the Night candidate as well. Both men are on win streaks and have on their résumés a hefty number of knockouts on their win records. This is Fialho’s UFC debut and enough fighters have talked about “UFC jitters” to make me think this is a big ask for the first fight in the UFC in the first pay-per-view of the year. (Prediction: Michel Pereira)
Consensus: 3-0 Pereira
Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Deiveson Figueiredo & Brandon Moreno
Clyde Aidoo: It’s common for the sports world to have a short memory and only base predictions on the most recent outcome in terms of a rematch or trilogy. While it’s true that Moreno has continued to improve and has a tremendous career trajectory at the moment, let’s not forget that Figueiredo was one foul and point deduction away from holding a victory over him as well.
This time around, I believe Figueiredo will come with a different, more balanced style after putting in time over at Fight Ready with Henry Cejudo. Provided the weight cut goes better this time and we get a healthy and fit God of War, I believe he’ll mix in the right amount of chaos with the cerebral to outgun Moreno this time out. (Prediction: Deiveson Figueiredo)
Andrew Ravens: This is a must-win situation for Figueiredo, as he already lost to Moreno and with them already going to a draw, it would be hard to make the case as to why he should get another title shot as long as Moreno is champion. With that focus and Figueiredo correcting his mistakes in their last fight, I see that adding up to just enough for him to pull off the win. Figueiredo gets it done by split decision. (Prediction: Deiveson Figueiredo)
Ed Carbajal: Nobody asked for this fight, but I’m 100% here for it. The first one was a draw; the second a finish that had Moreno crowned champion via submission. This one will take the cake, but I find it hard to pick against Moreno. As good as Figueiredo was as a champ, preparedness always seemed to be an issue for him in the past, and it never seemed like something he resolved in the last fight. I think Moreno puts a stamp on the flyweight title this time around (Prediction: Brandon Moreno)
Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane
Francis Ngannou, Ciryl Gane
Clyde Aidoo: Stylistically and also in terms of unpredictability, this has my vote for the best heavyweight fight ever. I also have a hunch that the fight can go more ways than people may think. We’ve never seen Ngannou in a drawn-out back-and-forth fight in the UFC. This could be the first time for that. Conventional wisdom says that if that were to happen, Gane would be the easy pick. After all, he moves around with cat feet and has a fight IQ far beyond his MMA years, even superior to most veterans of the game. Additionally, he is a superb technical striker with a cardio that doesn’t quit.
Even still, what we learned from Ngannou in his dominant UFC 260 win over Stipe Miocic is that he doesn’t need just one shot. He can win a round against a great striker and competitor with intelligent shot selection and multiple striking attacks. And he also proved that he has continued to evolve and work on his overall game, as he demonstrated with his heavily improved takedown defense and grappling.
So for me, there are two reasons to side with Ngannou. First, we still don’t know exactly what he’s capable of and how much he’s improved since losing to Miocic in 2018. Therefore, he may indeed be capable of defeating Gane in a prolonged battle. And even if that’s completely off, there’s still the proven truth that all he needs is one shot to close the show. And if this fight is won or lost on the feet, which I highly expect it to be, then that one shot is all he needs over the tactician. (Prediction: Francis Ngannou)
Andrew Ravens: Gane seems like the right opponent to beat Francis if he can avoid being knocked out. Francis showed off his takedown defense improvement in his last fight with Stipe, and Gane is a much better wrestler than Ngannou. But I just don’t see Gane beating Francis. I think Francis has continued to improve his weaknesses, which he will have the world talking about come Saturday night. I have Francis knocking out Gane in the third round. (Prediction: Francis Ngannou)
Ed Carbajal: There’s a lot to look at in this match-up, especially since the two men have a history of training with one another. Ngannou is a power puncher with the speed to make him just as dangerous, and Gane is a very technical striker that went undefeated in Muay Thai. Both men like to hit, so that might be the contest we see, or it could make one of these heavy hitters test their grappling against each other. That’s where I think Gane has the edge. He may also have the technical edge in striking, but Ngannou has more than a puncher’s chance in any fight. It’s a coin toss, but I think Gane can win this. (Prediction: Ciryl Gane)
Consensus: 3-1 Ngannou
That’ll do it for our UFC 270 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the UFC 270 undercard below.
UFC 270 Preliminary Card
Bantamweight: Raoni Barcelos vs. Victor Henry
Welterweight: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Pete Rodriguez
Bantamweight: Tony Gravely vs. Saimon Oliveira
Strawweight: Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez
Lightweight: Matt Frevola vs. Genaro Valdez
Women’s Flyweight: Kay Hansen vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 270!
UFC 270 takes place this Saturday, January 22, from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. In the main event, Francis Ngannou will face Ciryl Gane in a heavyweight title unification showdown. The co-main event will see the trilogy bout between flyweight champion Brandon Moreno and his opponent, Deiveson “Deus Da Guerra” Figueiredo.
Each of the above fighters was present during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference. Here were some of the most memorable moments and exchanges from the event.
The Arrivals
Morale is high on the way to the #UFC270 Press Conference 🎙️
Rising heavyweight Tom Aspinall and divisional veteran Alexander Volkov are expected to headline UFC’s return to London, England later this year, per a report.
Volkov and Aspinall are set to serve as the main event for a March 19th UFC “Fight Night” event from the O2 Arena, per a report from Brett Okamoto of ESPN.
The matchup gives Aspinall a chance to compete in his first UFC main event fight. His short run with the promotion has been explosive thus far, stopping all four of his opponents in the cage. This includes two wins from last year, which came against Andrei Arlovski and Serghei Spivac.
Aspinall was first initially booked to face Shamil Abdurakhimov in a non-headlining fight on this card. It is not known what the plan is for Abdurakhimov now that this matchup has been booked.
Volkov Returns To Familiar Headlining Position
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Volkov has fought some of the top names at heavyweight for most of his 11-fight UFC career. He is no stranger to headlining cards, as the new booking is scheduled to be his sixth time in the main event spot.
Volkov is coming off a win, as his last fight was a unanimous decision victory over Marcin Tybura in October at UFC 267. His last main event fight was in June 2021, when he lost to now-interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane.
Aspinall is just one of the many England-based fighters that are expected for the show. Earlier today, it was reported that Paddy Pimblett will also return on the card against Kazula Vargas.
The event marks UFC’s first time in London in over three years, as the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the number of locations they can travel to.
With this main event announced, here is the updated lineup for UFC London:
Heavyweight Bout: Alexander Volkov vs. TomAspinall
Lightweight Bout: Paddy Pimblett vs. Kazula Vargas
Featherweight Bout: Mike Grundy vs. Makwan Amirkhani
Bantamweight Bout: Jack Shore vs. Timur Valiev
Flyweight Bout: Molly McCann vs. Luana Carolina
Flyweight Bout: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Cody Durden
Strawweight Bout: Elise Reed vs. Cory McKenna
Flyweight Bout: Jake Hadley vs. Allan Nascimento
How do you think Tom Aspinall will do in his very first UFC main event fight?
“The Baddy” Pimblett is scheduled to make his second UFC appearance on March 19, facing Kazula Vargas in a lightweight bout. The fight is expected to take place at UFC’s return to the O2 Arena in London England. News of the fight was first reported by MMA Fight Club and later confirmed by multiple sources.
It was previously mentioned by UFC President Dana White that Pimblett would make his return this year against Jared Gordon. However, that matchup was later denied by the management team of both Pimblett and Gordon.
Pimblett Coming Off Strong UFC Debut
Credit: Dolly Clew, Cage Warriors
Pimblett will be attempting to follow up his hectic UFC debut. He won his UFC debut in September 2021, stopping Luigi Vendramini late in the first round of a quick back-and-forth battle.
Pimblett is known for his entertaining fighting style and his charisma as a person. He had a long run in Cage Warriors before his UFC run, resulting in numerous title fights between 2016 to 2018.
Vargas is also coming off his first UFC victory. The former Combate Americas fighter snapped a two-fight skid in April, returning to the cage against Rongzhu for a unanimous decision win.
Pimblett is joining a card that already has a strong lineup of fighters that train out of England. The event is reportedly also expected to include names like Tom Aspinall and Molly McCann, along with the UFC debuts of Muhammad Mokaev and Jake Hadley.
Here’s the updated lineup for UFC’s March 19th show:
Heavyweight Bout: Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall
Lightweight Bout: Paddy Pimblett vs. Kazula Vargas
Featherweight Bout: Mike Grundy vs. Makwan Amirkhani
Bantamweight Bout: Jack Shore vs. Timur Valiev
Flyweight Bout: Molly McCann vs. Luana Carolina
Flyweight Bout: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Cody Durden
Strawweight Bout: Elise Reed vs. Cory McKenna
Flyweight Bout: Jake Hadley vs. Allan Nascimento
What do you think about Paddy Pimblett’s matchup at UFC London?
MMA veteran Gleison Tibau has faced some of the best grapplers in the sport, but he thinks Colby Covington is the best at 170 pounds.
Tibau and Covington used to train together at American Top Team before Covington left the gym for MMA Masters. His dismissal was mostly due to ongoing feuds with teammates such as Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier.
Covington has managed to alienate himself from most of his former ATT teammates, but Tibau is not one of them. In a recent Instagram comment on a post by MMA Uncensored, Tibau praised Covington as the best grappler in the welterweight division.
Screenshot courtesy of SportsKeeda
Tibau’s praise of Covington comes despite the two-time UFC title challenger’s stance regarding his previous comments about Brazil. Following his win over Demian Maia, Covington called out the Brazilian crowd as “filthy animals” and was blasted by many of his colleagues.
Covington most recently fell to UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 268. Despite losing two of his last three to Usman, Covington remains ranked #1 at 170 pounds.
Tibau’s first season in the PFL featured a controversial win over Rory MacDonald. He is planning on contending for the league title for the 2022 season.
While it’s unclear if Covington will ever earn a UFC title, big fights with names such as Masvidal and Poirier remain on the table in 2022 and beyond.
Do you think Colby Covington is the best wrestler in the welterweight division?
Ciryl Gane thinks his fight against Francis Ngannou isn’t as easy as two styles colliding.
Many have billed the upcoming heavyweight title fight as a clash of two different types of a fighter. On Gane’s side, many see his technical skills and his variety of abilities as his main strength. But on Ngannou’s end, people say his one-punch knockout power is what could earn him the win on Saturday.
Gane doesn’t see the fight that way. Instead, he sees both power and technique in both him and Ngannou. When the idea of the different styles was proposed to Gane, this is what he said:
“This is not just only the power versus the technique. He’s not only the power, he [has] a fight IQ. So he’s technical. I’m more than him [too], and I have power also, you see?” said Gane at the UFC 270 media day on Wednesday. “So, this is not exactly the power against the technique. But we will see.”
Does Ngannou vs. Gane = Power vs. Technique?
Getty Images and MMA Junkie
While Gane says the fighters aren’t incredibly different in their strengths, it is worth noting how explosive Ngannou is as a fighter.
Ngannou is a frequent finisher to his fights, as only three of his 19 pro appearances have gone the distance. The majority of his wins have come in the first round, with others coming only a round later.
Ngannou added another explosive knockout to his résumé last year, beating Stipe Miocic to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion. On Saturday, he will attempt to defend his belt for the first time since then.
On the other hand, Gane is more experienced with going deeper into fights. He has already fought five rounds twice as a pro, defeating both Jairzinho Rozenstruick and Alexander Volkov in headlining bouts last year.
But as Gane stressed, he has striking power as well. He became the interim UFC heavyweight champion in August of last year, finishing former title challenger Derrick Lewis in the third round.
Do you agree with Gane’s assessment of the matchup?
Miesha Tate wants to hold a UFC belt right next to her friend Julianna Peña.
Miesha Tate is the former bantamweight champion. She is now looking to add another championship to her résumé but this time at flyweight. She recently decided to make the move down to 125 pounds mainly so she would not have to face her friend, newly crowned bantamweight champion Julianna Peña.
Tate and Peña go way back to before Peña was in the UFC. They trained together and then Tate had the chance to coach Peña on The Ultimate Fighter. Now that Peña is holding the strap at 135 pounds, Tate doesn’t want to be the one to take it away.
“Another reason, although I know I’m a little bit away from getting a potential title shot, but with Julie being crowned the champion at 135 also, I would just prefer if we could be champions at the same time together and Pacific Northwest Takeover,” she said on The MMA Hour.
Not wanting to dethrone her friend was not the only reason Tate gave for this move. After suffering her first loss since returning from retirement, Tate feels she will be able to perform better at flyweight. After five years away from the UFC, Tate made her comeback last year. Physically, she seemed to be in better shape than ever. She appeared leaner and perhaps this led to the decision to drop down the additional ten pounds.
Tate already has her flyweight debut all set. She will be taking on Lauren Murphy at the UFC Fight Night event on May 14. Murphy is a longtime contender at 125 pounds. She is coming off a title shot loss to champion Valentina Shevchenko, which was her first loss in three years. Murphy is currently ranked third in the division. If Tate can get past her, she might find herself pretty close to a title shot.
Do you think Miesha Tate and Julianna Peña will reign as UFC champions simultaneously?
Chael Sonnen believes UFC lightweight contender Gregor Gillespie’s frequent inactivity is a product of his own doing.
Since signing with the UFC in 2016, Gillespie has entered the Octagon eight times. In a perfect start to his run in the promotion, “The Gift” went 6-0 during his first two-and-a-half years on MMA’s biggest stage, a record that included five finishes, two of which came over established veterans Vinc Puchel and Yancy Medeiros.
But a run of momentum has never been stopped quite as emphatically as Gillespie’s was. Heading into UFC 244 in 2019, the New York native was 13-0 and tipped to make a run for the 155-pound gold. Going in the opposite direction was Kevin Lee, who was coming off back-to-back losses to Rafael dos Anjos and Al Iaquinta.
Following his first setback in professional MMA, Gillespie wasn’t seen in action for nearly two years. He returned at UFC Vegas 26 last May. With a grueling TKO, the 34-year-old finished divisional veteran Carlos Diego Ferreira in the second round.
But without a fight booked since, it appears it could be close to, or more than, a year in-between fights yet again for the #10-ranked lightweight.
Sonnen Tells Gillespie, “You’re Turning Down Fights”
While the UFC has to offer members of its roster three bouts a year, Gregor Gillespie has fought just twice across the past three years. In the mind of former UFC star-turned-MMA analyst Chael Sonnen, Gillespie’s inactivity is his own fault.
In a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen claimed he’d heard rumors that suggest Gillespie has consistently been turning down fights the promotion offers him. While the 44-year-old admits the claim is just what he’s been told by others, he admitted he believes it to be true.
“Now, I only know about Gregor what I hear about Gregor… But I have heard this about Gregor for three years now, that he will not take fights,” said Sonnen. “The reason you see huge gaps in between Gregor’s last fight and his next fight isn’t because he’s not getting called, it’s not because he’s got a bum shoulder, knee, or ankle. He gets offered the fight and says no. He’s even been threatened in some regards, such as, ‘I can’t bump your money if you don’t take harder fights. ‘Great, don’t bump my money.’ I can’t prove any of these things are true, guys. I’m only confirming for you I have heard this, and I’ve heard this from other people.
“Okay, great, ‘Gregor we can’t put you in the placement of the card we’d like to use you if you’re fighting these kinds of guys. ‘Great, don’t put me on that place of the card.’ ‘Okay, we can’t move you up the rankings. ‘Okay, great, don’t put me up in the rankings. This is what I’ve been told and re-told, and I believe it to be true that Gregor isn’t taking fights.”
Citing Gillespie’s lengthy period of inactivity following his Lee loss and his ongoing spell on the sidelines since his Ferreira victory as evidence, Sonnen suggested there’s little chance “The Gift” is the one fighter not being offered the correct number of contests.
Instead, the former light heavyweight and middleweight contender said the more likely scenario is that Gillespie is attempting to handpick fights such as Tony Ferguson, rather than test himself against the opponents the UFC has placed on his table. When that doesn’t work out, Sonnen says the 155lber has no right to complain.
“Now the one time that he wants a fight and can’t get it, he’s upset, do you see the problem?” Sonnen added. “Now my entire diatribe goes out the window if I’ve been given bad information and Gregor is accepting fights. But I’m gonna have to push back on that and say, why from the time you fought Kevin Lee to your last fight was it a year or more? And why was your last fight in May, and we’re almost in May of this year? Are you the one guy under contract who isn’t owed contractually three fights? No, of course you are. You’re owed three fights; they offered you a fight. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and you’re turning down fights.
“So now all of a sudden you’re chomping at the bit because you’re seeing Tony Ferguson, who everybody knows who he is and you’re even maybe seeing a blueprint within your skills that looks good for Tony Ferguson? I mean, you see the problem?”
While Sonnen didn’t provide any evidence other than Gregor Gillespie’s recent inactivity, a social media post from the 34-year-old’s fellow lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan certainly backs up the claim.
UFC Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno believes the hype surrounding Cody Garbrandt’s move to 125 pounds may have been too much for him.
Moreno is set to face former champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 270 in their trilogy. He earned the belt over Figueiredo in their last matchup at UFC 263 via submission.
Moreno understands the ups and downs of the fight game better than most. He went from falling short of The Ultimate Fighter title to winning a championship belt on MMA’s biggest platform.
One of the biggest storylines in his division as of late was the addition of Garbrandt, a former bantamweight champion who entered the flyweight division with expectations. His flyweight debut didn’t go according to plan as he lost via first-round TKO to Kai Kara-France at UFC 269.
Garbrandt’s loss to Kara-France was his fifth over his last six bouts. During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura, Moreno gave his thoughts on Garbrandt’s troubles in the Octagon.
“It was sad,” Moreno said. “You get carried away by the hype because they start doing all the promos, and they start promoting Cody Garbrandt, and you kind of start believing like, ‘Hey, he could be something interesting in the division.’
“But then what happened happened, and you start reflecting on a sober mind. It was a tough scene for Cody. He was knocked out at 135 pounds. His chin was touched. He cuts the weight – who knows how the brain was? Then you give him a Kai Kara-France, who hits very hard, and I know it because I already fought him. It wasn’t a good situation for him, and it’s sad.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)
Moreno isn’t the only big-name fighter to express sympathy for Garbrandt. Rising bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley went from talking trash to saying he felt badfor Garbrandt in weeks.
Despite his losing skid, Garbrandt has remained optimistic regarding his future at 125 pounds and beyond. A matchup between Moreno and Garbrandt is still possible down the line, depending on how their next Octagon appearances play out.
Tyron Woodley is firing back at the people hating on his loss to Jake Paul.
It’s been just over a month since Tyron Woodley was knocked out by Jake Paul in their second fight against each other. Woodley has been catching some heat from haters and people online since the loss. Woodley has some words for those who are criticizing his loss and, in turn, is giving some credit to Paul.
“And a lot of people are saying that, ‘Aw, you lost to him again! Aw, you got knocked out!’ He would literally fuck a lot of y’all up, like MMA fighters and other people that are just bumping at the gums, he’s an athletic kid that don’t have no job beyond this,” Woodley told MMA Fighting. “He don’t have no kids. He don’t have no business running. He can have the best trainer, the best coaches, the best nutrition, the most focus. He can separate himself.”
Woodley was a last-minute replacement this time around when Paul’s original opponent, Tommy Fury, dropped out. Woodley first faced Paul in August and lost that fight by decision. In his second attempt, Woodley was vocally more confident that he could defeat Paul, however, he was mistaken. Woodley is now giving Paul the credit he deserves.
Now that Woodley and Paul have run their course fighting each other, “The Chosen One” is not ready to just sit down and retired from boxing. One rumored possibility for his next opponent is fellow UFC alum Dan Hardy.
As for Paul, he is still moving forward with his boxing career after winning an award for “Breakout Boxer of the Year”. He was recently rumored to be fighting with Mike Tyson, but Tyson shot those rumblings down instantly. Paul has also been hinting at a move to MMA. If he does follow through with that plan perhaps he might consider giving Woodley another shot.
Do you think you personally could beat Jake Paul in a boxing match?
Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane says it’s the presence of Fernand Lopez on his side that makes him confident heading into his unification showdown with former teammate Francis Ngannou.
Gane’s rise from unknown prospect to championship status has been as impressive as it’s been rapid. In the four years since making the transition from Muay Thai to MMA, “Bon Gamin” has made it to the sport’s premier promotion, extended his unblemished record to 10-0, defeated former world champions, and had UFC gold wrapped around his waist.
However, his next challenge will be his toughest to date. In the UFC 270 main event this weekend, Gane will lock horns with reigning titleholder Ngannou. With a battle of power versus a new technical approach to heavyweight fighting, the opening pay-per-view headliner of 2022 promises to be enthralling.
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Gane Explains Where His Confidence Derives From
One of the main storylines heading into the January 22 event is the previous history and connection the two heavyweight champs share. Prior to his move to Xtreme Couture in 2018, Ngannou was one of the top names out of Paris’ MMA Factory gym, where he trained under Coach Fernand Lopez.
But after a bitter split and a soured relationship, one that has become more public in the weeks and months leading up to UFC 270, the feud between Ngannou and Lopez has added an extra level of intrigue to the contest, as the 43-year-old looks to take down his former student with the help of his current pupil.
For Gane, this unique dynamic is what makes him so confident heading into his unification clash with “The Predator.” While many would expect his experience sparring with Ngannou to help the most, Gane told Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole that it is the presence of Lopez on his side that has boosted his self-belief.
“We have improved a lot (since I sparred Ngannou). So, no, this is not what exactly makes me confident. This is more because I’ve got Fernand Lopez on my side,” said Gane. “This is a better thing to make me confident because he knows him, he make him, you understand? So this gives me more confidence than the sparring.”
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With the clash of styles, the heated feud between Ngannou and Lopez, and the champion’s ongoing contractual dispute and uncertain future, not many heavyweight contests have had as many compelling stories in the build-up as Gane vs. Ngannou. We’ll see if that makes for exciting action inside the Octagon come January 22.
Do you think having Fernand Lopez in his corner will help Ciryl Gane to defeat his former teammate Francis Ngannou at UFC 270?
UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal has explained why the likes of Chael Sonnen and Colby Covington engage in personal trash talk.
Masvidal, a two-time 170-pound title challenger, will have the chance to silence Covington when he faces his former teammate at UFC 272 in March. In a rare non-title headliner, the pair of friends-turned-bitter foes will settle their score inside the Octagon at the third pay-per-view of 2022.
“Chaos,” meanwhile, first tasted defeat to Usman in 2019 at UFC 245. After being finished in the final round of what was a tight and competitive affair, Covington earned a rematch with a victory over Tyron Woodley the next year.
Masvidal: Covington Inspires Future Generations To Talk Trash
In both of his challenges for gold, Covington’s trash-talking ways were on full display and included attacks on Usman’s heritage and father. For fighters, fans, and pundits, his words and insults were nothing new.
During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Masvidal likened Covington’s decision to pursue a controversial, trash-talking persona to that of former two-division title challenger Chael Sonnen. “Gamebred” believes that, like Sonnen, Covington has had to make up for his wrestling-heavy fighting style by resorting to insults and trash talk in order to attract attention.
“It’s kind of like the Chael Sonnen thing,” Masvidal said. “Chael had to be so sh*t-talking because he didn’t have an exciting style for a long time; he was just wrestling guys to death. So he had to do that extra talking and get himself over like that. That influenced guys like Colby — that’s all he does.
“[Covington] has to talk about people’s wives. Like, how f*cking low of a society have we gotten, that’s even acceptable? You’re talking about people’s wives for no reason? Talking about Amanda Nunes’ team? In doing that, he inspires the future generations. So some 12-year-old may be looking at him, thinking, ‘Oh, this is the way to go, to insult a whole nation to get yourself over,’ because you weren’t selling pay-per-views, because you can’t fight, so you have to insult a whole country now.”
While he went on to insist he has no issue with jokes and general trash talk, which he certainly engaged in with Usman prior to UFC 261, Masvidal suggested that when it reaches the level of disrespect Covington often shows, it becomes unnecessary and something he “won’t stand for.”
“It just doesn’t make sense to me. We’re already going to fight as men. We’re going to give it all we have to each other. We don’t have to talk about things like children, women, religion, people’s countries,” added Masvidal. “To make jokes, I think it’s cool to get under somebody’s skin. But to go to that level of disrespect, it’s not — and what’s even worse is that it might inspire future generations to do it. And that I won’t stand for. We’ve got to crush it.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
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Facing Covington won’t be the first time Masvidal has come against a trash-talking wrestler. In 2019, a year that saw “Gamebred” rise from a mid-tier name to an MMA superstar, Masvidal faced former ONE and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren.
The now-retired Askren’s attempts to agitate and wind up Masvidal went on right into the Octagon, just seconds before the fight began. But just moments after his final remarks, “Funky” was put to sleep with a memorable flying knee.
Masvidal will hope to “crush” former friend and teammate Covington in a similar fashion on March 5.
Do you agree with Jorge Masvidal? Is the trash talk that the likes of Colby Covington and Chael Sonnen engage in unnecessary?
UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou claims he once knocked out upcoming opponent Ciryl Gane during a sparring session at Paris’ MMA Factory gym.
After returning from a four-week break last weekend with UFC Vegas 46, the world’s premier MMA promotion is set to open its pay-per-view account for 2022 this weekend in Anaheim, California.
Opening the year will be UFC 270, an event headlined by a blockbuster heavyweight title unification showdown with a backstory that is, according to Dana White, better than Vince McMahon could write.
Former teammates Ngannou and Gane are set to collide in a clash of power and a new breed of technical heavyweight fighting. With their history, the title of ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ at stake, and the champion’s uncertain future, the opening PPV headliner of the year is set to bring fireworks to the Octagon.
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Ngannou Flips The Script On Lopez’s KO Claim
One of the many intriguing narratives heading into January 22 has been the two heavyweight titleholders’ experience sparring with each other, and how that may impact the result inside the Honda Center.
Fans were given a glimpse of the pair’s sparring sessions in a leaked clip. While the brief video showed Gane making a good account of himself, a disgruntled Ngannou suggested it made the Frenchman look better than he is. Gane himself even admitted the footage certainly did him some favors.
But after the Cameroonian’s displeasure at the sparring session’s release, MMA Factory’s Fernand Lopez threatened to post footage of the interim champ dropping “The Predator.” At UFC 270 media day on Wednesday, Ngannou turned the tables on his former coach by claiming he once put Gane to sleep during sparring.
“Yes, I knocked him out,” Ngannou said. “(It was) with a high kick, a left high kick… There’s a lot of reasons why that footage didn’t come out.”
Ngannou went on to insist that accidentally knocking out a training partner was certainly not something he is proud of, given the need to protect teammates while sparring.
“Let me say this, that knockout, it wasn’t a voluntary knockout. It was in sparring, it was an accident. I didn’t intend to knock him out, I didn’t go there to knock him out,” added Ngannou. “So, personally, it’s not something that I will be proud of and walk ’round feeling tough because I knocked my sparring partner out… Usually, stuff like that happens in training, but it’s always an accident. We are committed to taking care of our partner.”
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In his fast rise to the top of the food chain in the UFC, Gane has comfortable dealt with some of the biggest and most powerful hitters in the UFC, including Jairzinho Rozenstruik and UFC KO record-holder Derrick Lewis.
But if Ngannou’s sparring claims are true, those backing a sixth-straight KO for “The Predator” will now be a whole lot more confident in their pick.
Do you think Francis Ngannou will add a 13th KO to his record this Saturday against Ciryl Gane?
UFC President Dana White does not yet feel confident in confirming whether or not former 205-pound king Jon Jones will fight for the heavyweight title next.
Jones, who is widely considered the leading contender for GOAT status in the UFC, hasn’t been in action since February 2020. After returning to the Octagon in 2018 and regaining the light heavyweight title, “Bones” defended the gold three times against Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos, and Dominick Reyes.
But his much-awaited heavyweight debut is yet to arrive. After a blockbuster showdown with champion Francis Ngannou fell through due to a public pay dispute with White and the UFC, Jones sat out the entirety of 2021.
In the meantime, fans have seen glimpses of the Albuquerque resident’s transformation through gym pictures and training footage he’s uploaded to Instagram.
Given some previous interviews and a tweet that read, “Champion 2022,” many expect Jones to challenge either Ngannou or Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight belt later this year. “The Predator” and “Bon Gamin” are set to square off this weekend in an intriguing unification clash.
In an interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, Dana White suggested Jones will be watching this Saturday’s UFC 270 main event closely from home and expects him to make a statement of intent on social media following its culmination.
“He’s absolutely sitting back at home and watching, and seeing how this plays out,” White said. “I think as soon as this fight is over, either way, however, the fight ends, whoever wins will probably hear from him on social media. He might even hear from him during the fight, who knows?”
However, when asked if Jones is likely to be next for whoever emerges as the undisputed titleholder, White said he’s not yet confident enough to confirm that. In his mind, Jones’ future and next step is yet to be decided, and we could even still see the veteran return to his old stomping ground of light heavyweight.
“Yeah, I don’t feel confident saying that Jon Jones is next,” White added. “Not because I think he’s unreliable. It’s because I honestly don’t know what Jon Jones wants to do next. I think Jon’s gonna watch this fight and, you know, he’ll decide, maybe he doesn’t fight at heavyweight, maybe he goes back and tries to regain the light heavyweight championship. I honestly don’t know the answer to that question.”
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With the UFC’s opening pay-per-view main event of the year already boasting a host of intriguing storyline heading into it, the idea of Jones waiting in the wings for the victor is another facet to a compelling heavyweight title fight.
Would you like to see Jon Jones face the winner of this weekend’s UFC 270 main event later in the year?
Paige VanZant revealed some intimate information during a recent Q&A session with her fans, announcing that she’s made a sex tape with husband Austin Vanderford.
Paige VanZant is one of the most recognized MMA stars in the world. Part of that is because of how much of herself she has exposed to the world: her creative side as a guest chef on Food Network’s Chopped, her artistic side as a performer on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, and even her scholarly and personal side in penning her biography Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life.
VanZant has also become known for posting risque photos of herself on social media. In addition to her own collection, she also posed in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in 2019.
Recently, however, it was revealed that there is some X-rated material of VanZant that, at least for the time being, are for two people’s eyes only. When asked if herself and husband Austin Vanderford would ever make a sex tape, the former UFC star dropped a bombshell.
“Would I? We definitely already have. Would I ever share it, sell it, promote it? Hmm, that’s a different story,” VanZant said.
As VanZant fans keep their fingers crossed in eager anticipation, “12 Gauge” will be preparing for another go in the BKFC sometime in the spring if all goes according to plan. She is currently 0-2 in the promotion after dropping fights to Britain Hart and fellow UFC alum Rachel Ostovich.
Julianna Peña has reacted to the news of Amanda Nunes leaving her long-time gym of American Top Team following UFC 269.
At UFC 269, Julianna Peña left many jaws dropped when she upset Amanda Nunes to become the new UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Given the hubris Nunes’ backers had in their prediction that Peña would be another lamb for the GOAT’s slaughter, many were left seeking answers for what had transpired in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada after Peña broke Nunes in the second round.
For Nunes’ part, she hasn’t said much about her post-fight reflections. She has expressed interest in an immediate rematch against Peña and let it be known that she just needed a little time to put everything back in order before returning “better than ever.”
Monday, we learned that part of that process will be creating her own team down in Florida after exiting American Top Team. Nunes had been a part of ATT since 2014, with her loss to Peña being her only stumble in the ATT era of her career.
While it is merely speculative without hearing it from Nunes herself, it stands to reason that her loss to Peña was at least one major reason behind this career-altering decision.
Julianna Pena Reacts To Amanda Nunes Exiting American Top Team
So how did Peña react to this news? As it turns out, it wasn’t much of a reaction at all when the topic was brought to her in a UFC 270 media day scrum.
“Yeah, what a zoo, huh?” Peña said as she took a sip of her cold beverage.
Peña was then asked if she had any additional thoughts on the matter, being that the post-ATT Nunes is expected to be her next opponent.
“Best of luck, you know?” Peña said with sustained nonchalance. “I just hope everything goes according to her plans and that we can get our fight booked. That’s all I care about.”
Peña is hopeful that the rematch between herself and Nunes takes place in the summer. When a reporter threw out the possibility of the fight taking place in Brazil in May, the new bantamweight champ hit him with the ol’ “No thanks.”
In any event, as long as the fight takes place sometime in the summer, it sounds as though Peña is carefree about where else the fight may take place or where Nunes will be training in the meantime.
The former lightweight title challenger put out “I’m gonna fight your ass,” kicking off what would be a numerous post discussion between the two.
Diaz responded hours later with a message to the UFC.
@ufc stop playing wit me consider this my signature to fight this fucker I been trying to fight for a minute quit slowing down the real fight game it’s time pic.twitter.com/6LTkbw9Fs0
“Stop playing wit me consider this my signature to fight this ,” said Diaz in a Tweet that had an image of him and Poirier attached. “I been trying to fight for a minute quit slowing down the real fight game it’s time.”
Shortly after, Poirier followed up with another vague post, simply saying “The real fight game.” Later in the night, he would share a mock poster for a fight between him and Diaz, potentially hoping to stir up excitement for the hypothetical fight.
Poirier would wrap up his day of calling for the fight by replying to reporter Ariel Helwani. After Helwani pointed out how long Poirier has been calling for the fight, Poirier responded with “Let’s go bic boi.”
Poirier and Diaz publicly shared interest in a fight last month, posting on Twitter about how they wanted to fight. This came after Poirier lost a title fight to UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. However, those negotiations stalled shortly thereafter, with Diaz then hinting at a streetfight instead.
The fighters had been previously booked to meet in 2018, but that booking fell through after Poirier suffered an injury.
It is not known at the moment what is the roadblock to a fight between Poirier and Diaz happening, as the fight has yet to be officially set for a date. As a result, it is unknown if this fan-friendly matchup will ever actually come to fruition.
Do you think Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz will ever happen?
Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick doesn’t believe that heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has been distracted ahead of UFC 270.
Ngannou has had to deal with quite the buildup to his matchup with Ciryl Gane, including back-and-forths in the media with his former coach Fernand Lopez. Ngannou had a public split from Lopez and MMA Factory in which he has been accused of being a bad teammate and not paying fees.
Sparring footage of Ngannou and Gane training together at MMA Factory has also leaked to the public, with many making assumptions of how the fight could play out. But during a recent interview with ESPN’s Phil Murphy, Nicksick claims that it’s business as usual for the heavyweight champ.
“It’s a lot of the same. He doesn’t show a lot of emotion,” Nicksick said. “It’s hard to give the right analogy, but it’s a lot like a Shark cruising through the water and not bothered by anything. He’s very calm, very collect, and gathering everything through the process. Nothing’s really stood out to me that’s been alarming. It’s something else when you get him ready for a fight. It’s a Mike Tyson effect. When the lights come on, he’s always ready to go.”
Ngannou and Gane also had an awkward run-in backstage at UFC 268 in which Ngannou walked past Gane and his team without acknowledging his former colleagues. Ngannou has accused the UFC of setting the whole thing up, which Gane has disagreed with.
The UFC 270 main event will kick off the calendar year for the promotion, with Ngannou and Gane looking to prove who is arguably the baddest man on the planet. According to Ngannou’s coach, he doesn’t plan on fighting with emotion when he enters the Octagon.
What are your thoughts on the Francis Ngannou/Ciryl Gane pre-fight buildup?
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Glover Teixeira sees Francis Ngannou standing as the sole heavyweight champ later this year.
The current 205-pound champ was recently asked his opinion on an upcoming title unification bout between UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou and interim champ Ciryl Gane. The fight is set to headline UFC 270, which will take place this Saturday.
Teixeira put value in Ngannou’s power over Gane’s fast, technical ability. Here’s what he said about the matchup:
“Wow, I’m excited for this fight. I want to watch this fight. And it’s gonna be like power vs. Muhammad Ali, right? But I would say George Foreman/Muhammad Ali [stylistically]. One is pure power; the other one [has] the technique. He flow; he jump around; he hits fast; he moves. So I see [Gane] like Muhammad Ali,” said Teixeira, in an interview with Sherdog. “But I [believe] the result is gonna be the same. In my opinion, Francis Ngannou is too powerful right now. He’s on a mission. And man, he’s getting better and better every time we see him. And in my opinion, he’s gonna win.”
Teixeira: Ngannou Has Power
PHOTO: MMA JUNKIE
Teixeira raises an important point about Ngannou. The current champion’s power has certainly been his key to success in the UFC.
Ngannou has fought 13 times since joining the UFC roster with 11 of those being victories. All of his wins have come via finish thus far. His last five fights have resulted in four first-round finishes, with the other just going another minute more than a round.
On the other hand, Gane is more familiar with going the distance. While he certainly has his fair share of quick wins, including his 2019 UFC debut win against Raphael Pessoa, he has already gone five rounds twice in his career. His last fight saw him take Derrick Lewis into the 15th minute of action before finishing him with strikes.
The mental warfare is in full effect ahead of the trilogy between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno at UFC 270.
Figueiredo and Moreno will settle the final chapter of their electrifying trilogy to begin 2022. Figueiredo retained the belt via a controversial majority draw at UFC 256, and Moreno submitted him in the rematch at UFC 263.
Tensions have escalated since Moreno earned the belt, and Figueiredo has gotten ready for their trilogy alongside former flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. Moreno and Cejudo used to train together and Figueiredo has alluded to feeling better and healthier with his new team at Fight Ready in Arizona.
“Brandon Moreno is dirty—that’s all I have to say about him,” Figueiredo said. “He’s dirty. He’s a traitor. When I came to Scottsdale, [Ariz. at the Fight Ready gym,] Henry Cejudo told me about his betrayal. He lived with Henry Cejudo here and then became [Joseph] Benavidez’s sparring partner to fight Cejudo, so that was his biggest betrayal.”
Cejudo retired from the UFC following his bantamweight title defense against Dominick Cruz at UFC 249. He has hinted at a possible comeback to challenge for the featherweight title against Alexander Volkanovski.
After Moreno and Cejudo were once teammates, Moreno has recently hinted at a possible showdown with Cejudo shortly. It’s unclear if Cejudo would ever consider returning at 125 pounds or a higher weight class.
Figueiredo and Cejudo have had their fair share of differences in the past, but it appears that the two have become close since training together. The buildup to the trilogy with Moreno could include more intensity than their previous two bouts.
What is your prediction for Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 3?
Ciryl Gane is looking towards a heavyweight legend next, win or lose at UFC 270.
UFC 270 goes down in Las Vegas on Saturday night and the main event will crown the undisputed heavyweight champion. While interim champion Ciryl Gane has his hands full taking on Francis Ngannou, he can’t help but look to another fight. Gane believes that with former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones targeting a move to heavyweight, the two will eventually meet.
“Even if I lose, I think this fight can happen because a lot of fans and media talk about this fight because you have a really good matchup,” Gane told GIVEMESPORT.com. “Jon Jones was an inspiration to me when I started my career. Not a hero per se, but a model, and an inspiration as a fighter. Jon Jones is very well-rounded, I want to be this kind of fighter, so yeah I’m very interested in this fight.”
Although Jones is new to heavyweight, he has been a vet of the light heavyweight division for a long time. He has ruled the 205-pound division since 2011. Gane, on the other hand, only burst onto the UFC scene in 2019 and has quickly made a name for himself. He represents a “new guard” in the organization and he thinks his generation will do great things.
“I love my generation. I think just behind me there are a lot of future stars. Like, I like to say his name, but Tom Aspinall is a really good fighter.”We have a lot of names when we talk about the new generation just behind me and I think they are the future of the division.”
Gane is undefeated as a professional and, at only 31 years old, could have a decent amount of time ahead of him at the top. If he becomes the heavyweight champion on Saturday night, he might get the chance he has been waiting for: a fight against Jon Jones. With a long enough run as champ, he could get a chance to face a few vets of the division as well as some up-and-comers.
Would you rather see Jon Jones face Gane or Ngannou in his divisional debut?
Hardy was supposed to make his return at UFC 270 against Aleksei Oleinik, but the Russian was forced out of the fight. Shortly thereafter, it was announced Serghei Spivac agreed to step up on short notice, but the former NFL Pro Bowler injured his finger and was forced to pull out.
Now, the UFC announced that Hardy and Spivac has been rebooked for UFC 272 on March 5 in Las Vegas. The main event of the card sees Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal.
Greg Hardy (7-4 and one No Contest) is on a two-fight losing streak. He’s coming off a first-round KO loss to Tai Tuivasa at UFC 264 and before that, suffered a TKO loss to Marcin Tybura in December of 2020. Prior to the setbacks, he TKO’d Maurice Greene and beat Yorgan de Castro by decision.
The former Dallas Cowboy and Carolina Panther is 4-4 and one No Contest in the UFC with other wins over Dmitry Smolyakov and Juan Adams. His other losses were to Alexander Volkov and a DQ loss to Allen Crowder in his debut.
Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Serghei Spivac (13-3) had his three-fight winning streak snapped last time out as he suffered a first-round TKO loss to Tom Aspinall in September. It was a fight he took on short notice after beating Aleksei Oleinik, a TKO win over Jared Vanderaa, and a decision win over Carlos Felipe.
The 26-year-old is 4-3 in the UFC with his other win being a submission victory over Tai Tuivasa. His losses came to Tybura by decision and a knockout loss to Walt Harris in his debut.
With the addition of Greg Hardy vs. Serghei Spivac at UFC 272, the card is as follows:
Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal
Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell
Greg Hardy vs. Serghei Spivac
Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan
Jessica Eye vs. Manon Fiorot
Maryna Moroz vs. Mariya Agapova
Dustin Jacoby vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
Jalin Turner vs. Jamie Mullarkey
Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira
Devonte Smith vs. Erick Gonzalez
Who do you think will win at UFC 272, Greg Hardy or Serghei Spivac?
