The interesting circumstances between these two fighters and the fact that they used to train together have made this bout the standout on the card. The rest of the main card and prelims are filled with top talent as well. However, there have been two important changes to the event recently.
The other shake-up to the UFC 270 fight card is Charles Jourdain has stepped in to face Ilia Topuria after his original opponent Movsar Evloev fell ill. This news was first reported by Álvaro Gª Colmenero on Twitter. Topuria is currently undefeated as a professional and is now on a three-win streak in the UFC. Jourdain is coming off a win over Andre Ewell just a few weeks ago.
With these last-minute changes, the current UFC 270 fight card is as follows:
Main Card (ESPN+ PPV, 10:00 PM ET)
Heavyweight Francis Ngannou (c) vs. Ciryl Gane (ic)
Flyweight Brandon Moreno (c) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Bantamweight Cody Stamann vs. Said Nurmagomedov
Featherweight: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Jourdain
Preliminary Card (ESPN2, ESPN+, 8:00 PM ET)
Middleweight Rodolfo Vieira vs. Wellington Turman
Bantamweight Tony Gravely vs. Saimon Oliveira
Welterweight Bout: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Pete Rodriguez
Welterweight Bout: Michel Pereira vs. Andre Fialho
Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass, 6:00 PM ET)
Bantamweight Raoni Barcelos vs. Victor Henry
Welterweight Trevin Giles vs. Michael Morales
Lightweight Matt Frevola vs. Genaro Valdez
Women’s Flyweight Kay Hansen vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
Strawweight Bout: Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez
UFC middleweight contender Jared Cannonier says upcoming opponent Derek Brunson’s blonde “gimmick” will be irrelevant on fight night next month.
Since back-to-back losses to Ronaldo Souza and Israel Adesanya appeared to suggest he’d slipped to the role of veteran gatekeeper at 185 pounds, Brunson has been in the form of his life. What did his change in fortunes coincide with? A new blonde hairstyle.
“Blonde Brunson” debuted against Edmen Shahbazyan in the UFC Vegas 5 main event in 2020. At that point, the 38-year-old was already on a two-fight win streak, having had his hand raised against both Elias Theodorou and Ian Heinisch. But while Brunson’s career had previously been a tale of beating those below but often falling short against the elite, “Blonde Brunson” was a different beast.
Brunson is now set for the chance to stake his claim for a title shot and a rematch with “The Last Stylebender.” If he’s to do so, he’ll have to get through Jared Cannonier, who boasts championship aspirations of his own. The pair are set to collide on the UFC 271 main card on February 12.
The UFC’s highly ranked middleweight fight between Jared Cannonier (@killagorillamma) and Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) at UFC 270 on Jan. 22 has moved to UFC 271 on Feb. 12, per sources. Same night as Adesanya vs. Whittaker title fight.
Cannonier: Brunson’s Blonde Hair Won’t Stop An Ass-Whooping
While the “Blonde Brunson” gimmick is unbeaten in the Octagon to date and has firmly broken free of the gatekeeper shackles non-blonde Brunson was in three years ago, Cannonier has reminded his upcoming opponent that whatever color hair he has, it won’t change the result.
During a recent interview with LowKick MMA, “The Killa Gorilla” credited Brunson for being able to keep himself relevant with another iteration of himself. However, the former heavyweight and light heavyweight fighter noted it has no relevancy to their fight, which he believes will see the 38-year-old get his “ass whooped.”
“I mean, it’s a gimmick. Good for him. He’s found another gimmick that keeps him relevant for a little while longer,” said Cannonier. “But that shit is irrelevant to me. Those are all antics and that has absolutely fuck all to do with me whooping your ass. So that’s it.”
After a damaging loss to Robert Whittaker at UFC 254 in October 2020, both physically and his surge towards the title, Cannonier rebounded in style when he returned to action in 2021. In a main event contest against perennial contender Kelvin Gastelum, “The Killa Gorilla” returned to to the win column with a comfortable victory on the scorecards.
Sitting at #3 in the division with a 4-1 middleweight record, which includes wins against Anderson Silva and Jack Hermansson, Cannonier will be looking to book a date with Adesanya when he faces Brunson at next month’s pay-per-view.
UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes says that out of his former opponents Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou, it’s “The Black Beast” who packs the hardest punch.
Across his 19-fight professional MMA career, Blaydes has only tasted defeat against Ngannou and Lewis. In his UFC debut back in 2016, “Razor” had the first blemish added to his record by “The Predator” in the form of a doctor stoppage.
After going 6-0-1 in his next seven outings, a period that included wins against Aleksei Oleinik, Mark Hunt, and Alistair Overeem, Blaydes had his chance at redemption.
In the main event of a Beijing, China-held UFC Fight Night in 2018, the Illinois native shared the Octagon with Ngannou for the second time. On that occasion, the current UFC Heavyweight Champion got the job done without a doctor, securing a first-round TKO less than a minute into the contest.
Like with his first defeat, Blaydes had no issue rebounding after his second setback. Mounting a four-fight win streak, he defeated former titleholder Junior dos Santos and veteran striker Alexander Volkov. That form granted him a title eliminator against Lewis. But in the UFC Vegas 19 main event, Blaydes was knocked out cold for the first time in his career.
In an exclusive interview with MMA News, Blaydes discussed the immense power of both Ngannou and Lewis, the upcoming UFC 270 main event, his heavyweight GOAT, Jon Jones’ expected heavyweight debut, and his own return to action in 2022.
Blaydes: Lewis Slept Me, Ngannou Didn’t
Ngannou is widely regarded as not only the biggest power puncher in MMA but the hardest hitter on the globe. That claim is even backed up by some numbers. In 2017, the Cameroonian powerhouse set the record for the most powerful recorded punch in history.
That vicious ability to knock everyone and anyone out has been on full display in the UFC. In his five fights since consecutive defeats to Lewis and Stipe Miocic on the scorecards in 2018, Ngannou has knocked out Blaydes, Miocic, dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, four of whom didn’t even escape the opening round.
But despite that, Blaydes believes the UFC’s power throne is occupied by Lewis, who boasts the most KOs in UFC history. Having felt the power of both top-five heavyweights, “Razor” believes it’s “The Black Beast” who boasts the power edge, citing the fact Lewis was able to sleep him and Ngannou wasn’t as his reasons.
“Well, Derrick. Obviously, I’d never been put to sleep, he put me to sleep. Gonna have to give it to him,” Blaydes told MMA News’ James Lynch. “When we (Blaydes and Ngannou) fought the first time, that was a doctor stoppage, I was not out, but I guess it goes down as a TKO. And then in Beijing, again, he dropped me twice in rapid succession, and then the referee jumped in, but I was aware, I remember everything. When Derrick Lewis knocked me out, I woke up in the ambulance, so there you go. That’s a big difference.”
Blaydes, on the other hand, finds himself in an awkward position. After comfortably defeating Rozenstruik at UFC 266 last September, he cemented his status as a top-five heavyweight.
However, with three of the four names above him booked, the other being Miocic, who will likely either fight for the title or challenge Jones next and having already defeated the two contenders below him, options are limited for the time being.
Targeting an April return to the Octagon, Blaydes will seemingly wait for other fights to play out, and will perhaps challenge the loser of next weekend’s pay-per-view main event.
Who would you like to see Curtis Blaydes enter the cage with next?
Henry Cejudo will have to wait if he wants a title shot upon return.
Dana White hears pleas from fighters all the time. Many times fighters think they deserve a title shot, but White has to be the person to set them straight. This is the case recently with former two-division champion Henry Cejudo.
Cejudo wanted to return from retirement and step in to face Alexander Volkanovski when Max Holloway pulled out. Instead, the UFC went with Chan Sung Jung as the replacement. White has now explained why that was the road taken.
“I can tell you this: The ‘Korean Zombie’ has been here fighting,” White told BT Sport. “This guy’s retired. He’s been off for how many years now, and he wants to come in and fight Alexander Volkanovski? You’ve got guys like the Zombie, Josh Emmett, Giga who’s fighting this weekend. You’ve got these guys that are in here doing it three times a year and working their way up. For Cejudo to retire and then just think he should be able to come in and jump into any weight division and take on the champion, it’s not how it works.”
Cejudo retired from MMA following his last win back in May of 2020. However, since he walked away he has still continued to tease a return. His desire to fight again has been a bit more prevalent recently. Cejudo was interested in a return to bantamweight but has been calling out featherweight champion Volkanovski as well. Cejudo was interested in jumping into the title fight with Volkanovski but has never competed in the UFC featherweight division.
Unlike Cejudo, Jung has been active in the featherweight division and has won three of his last four against top opponents. If Cejudo is serious about a return, the UFC would most likely accept it. However, he might need one fight at 145 pounds against someone in the top five if he is looking for a title shot.
Do you think Cejudo’s résumé could allow for an immediate title shot?
UFC strawweight Cheyanne Vlismas says she is now receiving death threats after her personal issues with husband JP Buys spilled into the public.
As far as big stories go in the first month of 2022, not many would have called this one. And given the personal nature of it, it’s perhaps a shame to see two married UFC fighters clash in the public domain over their collapsing relationship.
@MMAFighting Hiding from what? In a country no one knows where she’s at? Everyone here knows she has been in Batumi Georgia with Roman, the same guy she has been having an affair with behind my back. While still married. https://t.co/0b1BJH9zjR
“Hiding from what? In a country no one knows where she’s at? Everyone here knows she has been in Batumi Georgia with Roman, the same guy she has been having an affair with behind my back. While still married.”
Next, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, who conducted the original interview with Vlismas, has provided Buys with a platform to respond on. In their interview, the South African flyweight accused Vlismas, who he says filed for divorce last month, of creating a false narrative that sought to vilify him.
“When I saw the interview and I listened to the interview, the article, I was like, it’s pretty much unnecessary because somethings is not right, and just the way you go about things. But, that literally got attention drawn to me as if like, she’s running away from me, physically, or something… I’m getting threats for stuff I didn’t even do.”
In her interview, Vlismas also stated she won’t be able to fight in the near future for reasons out of her control, despite the fact she “would love” to return to the Octagon soon. Discussing that statement, Buys suggested the opposite is actually the truth. While he is stuck unable to fight in the US, he says Vlismas can actually compete whenever she wants.
“The fact of the matter is, she says that she can’t fight or earn any money, that’s her choice. That’s her choice that she can’t fight right now for her personal reasons. But from my side, I literally cannot fight, and I literally cannot earn a cent while I’m living in America right now because of my current status. So, I got a fight offer, and I can’t fight, I can’t earn money. That’s why I’m like, she is the one that (says) she’s facing all these tough difficulties, but her life is normally going on? She has money, she’s fighting, she can fight when she wants to, when she’s ready, she can get a house on her name, she has her car, her life is normally going on… I can’t get a house on my name, I can’t get a vehicle on my name, I can’t fight, I can’t earn money. My life is stranded… If we’re speaking about one of the two of us being inactive, it’s this guy.”
Buys further explained that due to the ongoing divorce proceedings, he ended up missing an interview with immigration, which led to the immediate expiry of his application for permanent residency and his work permit, which he initially received through Vlismas.
With that in mind, Buys expects his process of securing another work permit to take up to the whole of this calendar year, meaning he may not return to action in the UFC until the start of 2023.
Vlismas Fires Back At Buys, Says She’s Receiving Death Threats
Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take Vlismas long to respond and continue the back and forth. In a statement on Twitter, which was later deleted, “The War Princess” denied Buys’ cheating allegations and suggested the pair had only married in the first place to secure the South African fighter a visa.
“If there is anything I would like to say it’s I for 1 never cheated on my husband nor would I ever cheat on someone. The fact that I have put my business out here is just mind blowing to me. I will not be saying my side of the story as the relationship I had was MY relationship and it was not a good relationship.
“We only married for a visa and unfortunately things were not how it seemed on media. Things happened this past year that is the reason things ended as it was for (good) reasoning to end… As for what I do after leaving him is also my business. I will not stoop down to the level and bash someone’s name as much as I want to.”
Vlismas, who is 2-1 in the UFC following a victory over Mallory Martin last month, closed out her statement my pleading with Buys to sign the divorce papers and leave her alone.
“Also if I must say if I was a cheater (then) take me off your IG bio, sign my divorce papers don’t take my money and my bonus money that I shed my own blood for and leave me alone and let me move on so I can go back to earning money.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYj1TqOrWk1/
Vlismas would then release the following note on her social media page, stating that is receiving death threats and pleading with the public to respect her privacy.
I have been thinking about whether or not I should make this post. I have been getting hundreds of hate and death threats.
I’ve kept quiet about our relationship and not said anything publicly even when I’ve been question and now I’m seeing my name be slandered on social media.
Our relationship became very bad not just lately but for a long time.
I’ve had people turn their back on me in these times especially someone I truly thought cared for me and would help me in these hard times.
I am not able to fight due to paperwork and the fact I need to give part of my money.
I am away as I do feel emotionally empty and scared. Please, understand that!
I am not wanting to make problems I just want to have my papers signed and to be left alone.
I never wanted my business to come out but unfortunately it has been made public. I’m sorry things have come to this point. I just want to move on with my life. I have a lot of things to say but I’m tired from all of this. I don’t need sympathy, I just want peace. I don’t want to fight him or say anything bad about him because I respect our past. I just want to live my life and not need to explain myself anymore or talk about this anymore. Please, I ask for your understanding and to give me time to deal with all of this on my own.
With Vlismas turning her Twitter private and claiming she won’t be releasing another public statement, it seems this topic may now turn back to personal channels.
However, with Buys facing a long journey back towards work eligibility in the US and the ongoing divorce, it wouldn’t be surprising if the latest remarks aren’t the last we’ll hear of Vlismas and Buys’ troubles.
What’s your take on the bitter public feud between JP Buys and Cheyanne Vlismas?
The weigh-in results for UFC Vegas 46 are in, and every fighter made weight, clearing the way for the first UFC card of 2022!
Saturday, January 15, 2022, UFC Vegas 46 will take place inside the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. The weigh-in results have all wrapped up and we’ll have those results to you shortly. But first, here’s a glimpse at the main event in store for fight fans tomorrow night.
Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze Preview
Calvin Kattar will once again be one of the two lead-off men to kick off the year for the UFC. Last year at UFC on ABC 1, Kattar faced Max Holloway and lost via unanimous decision. Despite the amount of punishment he took in the fight, Kattar says he would love to have a round 6 against “Blessed,” who Kattar believes to be the uncrowned champion of the featherweight division. But before then, he’ll have to deal with a “Ninja” by the name of Giga Chikadze.
Holloway was scheduled to have the opportunity to become re-crowned in a trilogy fight against Alexander Volkanovski, but he had to withdraw from the bout due to injury. Many names volunteered to replace Holloway, perhaps none louder than Chikadze, but Kattar did not join the list because he is eager to earn such opportunities by getting back in the win column following his one-sided loss to Holloway last year.
Calvin Kattar is ranked #5 in the featherweight division and has a professional record of 22-5. He is currently 0-2 in UFC main events, losing to Zabit Magomedsharipov via unanimous decision in 2019. However, both main events against Holloway and Magomedsharipov won Fight of the Night.
Giga Chikadze is currently ranked #8 at featherweight and is 14-2 as an MMA pro. He has won nine consecutive fights, and this will be his second consecutive main event. The last main event was his TKO victory over Edson Barboza last August in what earned him Performance of the Night.
You can catch the final face-off between tomorrow’s headliners below.
A 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 featherweight fight is set for your first main event of 2022 🔥@CalvinKattar takes on @Giga_Chikadze 𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓!
UFC Vegas 46: Kattar vs. Chikadze Weigh-In Results
UFC Vegas 46 kicks off exclusively on ESPN+ at 5PM ET, 2PM PT. The main card will be simulcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ starting at 7PM ET, 4PM PT.
You can view the entire weigh-in results and lineup below, courtesy of UFC.com.
UFC Vegas 46 MAIN CARD (7:00 PM ET ESPN/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+)
Main Event – Featherweight Bout: Calvin Kattar (146) vs Giga Chikadze (146)
UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze isn’t expecting anything less than a title shot if he gets an impressive win over Calvin Kattar.
Chikadze has surged to the top of the featherweight division with seven-straight wins since signing with the UFC in 2019. He most recently earned arguably the most impressive win of his career over former lightweight standout Edson Barboza at UFC Vegas 35.
Following each of his past two wins, Chikadze has called out some of the best fighters in the UFC, including former featherweight king Max Holloway. While he didn’t end up getting a fight with Holloway next, he faces a tough test against another solid contender in Kattar tomorrow night.
During an interview with MMA Junkie, Chikadze made his intentions perfectly clear for his upcoming fight, and where it could put him in the featherweight title picture.
“They’ve been talking about this, and I get it, but this fight already happened twice,” Chikadze said. “So I could pass this and just ask for a title (shot), but I want to fight someone from the top five, and Calvin Kattar’s name came. I think that was the only guy who wasn’t busy, and ‘Zombie’ (Chan Sung Jung) was injured, so I picked Kattar, and now we have him for January.”
“I’ve been saying this for a long time, and people didn’t believe it before,” Chikadze continued. “Now finally they’re starting to believe it. I’m the people’s champ. I can beat anyone in the featherweight division in the world, and I feel it’s time, and it’s time to make it all official.”
Chikadze and Kattar will go to battle in the main event of UFC Vegas 46 in Las Vegas, NV. The winner of the bout could also potentially serve as the backup fighter to Volkanovski/Zombie, which goes down at UFC 273 in April.
Chikadze’s kickboxing has proven to be one of the most dangerous skillsets in the 145-pound division. If he’s able to keep up his positive momentum, he could be holding the title sooner rather than later.
Do you think Giga Chikadze is a future UFC featherweight champion?
UFC featherweight Calvin Kattar is ready to put the ‘best boxer in the UFC’ debate to rest ahead of his matchup with Giga Chikadze.
Kattar is looking to get back in the featherweight title picture after his disappointing loss to Max Holloway nearly a year ago. He faces a tough task in Chikadze, an exciting Georgian prospect who has skyrocketed into the featherweight fold.
In addition to dominating Kattar, Holloway notably yelled “I’m the best boxer in the UFC!” while bobbing and weaving through his strikes. He would go on to win the fight via unanimous decision.
This sparked the debate of who the best UFC boxer is. Holloway, Sean O’Malley, Conor McGregor, and Petr Yan are just a few of the names who have been thrown into the conversation.
“Everyone’s catching onto that, ‘Who’s the best boxer in the UFC?’ I mean, who really gives a sh*t?” Kattar said. “This is martial arts. Yeah, you can box, but I mean, there’s elbows, there’s knees, there’s everything man. And if you wanna talk about who’s the best boxer, I mean, everyone’s got everyone’s card at some point, so, it’s just musical chairs at this point.”
The winner of the Kattar vs. Chikadze fight could get a featherweight title shot next. Alexander Volkanovski will face Chan Sung Jung (otherwise known as ‘The Korean Zombie’). Many threw their name in the hat when Holloway had to pull out of his trilogy with Volkanovski, but Kattar was not one of them.
Regardless of Kattar’s feelings, it seems that the best UFC boxer debate isn’t going away anytime soon. However, he has the opportunity to throw himself into the conversation with a win over Chikadze at UFC Vegas 46.
UFC women’s strawweight contender Zhang Weili says she has no regrets about her second defeat to Rose Namajunas at UFC 268, and has vowed to come back stronger.
Heading into 2021, Zhang held the 115-pound gold, was riding a 21-fight win streak, boasted a perfect 5-0 UFC record, and already had a successful title defense over the great Joanna Jędrzejczyk under her belt. But while 2020 saw her extend her reign in style in a Fight of the Year contender, last year was less successful for the Chinese star.
At UFC 261, Namajunas provided one of the most memorable moments in the promotion’s history, knocking Zhang out with a first-round head kick in front of the first sold-out crowd in over a year. In doing so, “Thug Rose” became the first woman in UFC history to regain a title.
Seven months later, Zhang had her chance for redemption. In the UFC 268 co-main event, she went five round with the champ inside Madison Square Garden. While many believed “Magnum” did enough to leave the Octagon with the belt back in her possession, Namajunas was awarded the nod on two scorecards.
After her KO loss last April, Zhang was visibly unhappy at the stoppage and seemed reluctant to accept the result. She made a number of comments about the defeat in the following months, including a claim that Namajunas made disparaging comments about her in the build-up in order to turn the fans against the-then strawweight queen, as well as a suggestion that Chris Weidman’s leg break played a part in the result.
However, Zhang’s response to her November setback couldn’t have been more different, despite the incredibly tight nature of it. That positive attitude was clear in a recent interview with People Magazine in China. “Magnum” claimed the defeat has provided her with an opportunity to learn and grow, something she says has built a “new me.”
“Failure is not a bad thing for us. It’s a beginning for us to learn and become stronger. Now I start anew. I’m a new me. A new ‘Beijing Drifter’. I will keep grinding for my dream.”
Despite back-to-back losses, Zhang insists she has no regrets about her UFC 268 performance and is not at a low point in her career. Instead, “Magnum” believes she’s on an upwards surge, and is solely focused on accomplishing her goals when she returns to the Octagon this year.
“I don’t think I’m at a low point right now,” Zhang said. “I think I’m at the point of a final sprint, a point of sprinting upwards.
“There’s no need to regret the past or worry about the future. Just focus on accomplishing every single thing in the present. Eat well when it’s time to eat. Train hard when it’s time to train. Do your best at whatever it is you are doing and the future will not be too bad.” (h/t South China Morning Post)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYNUcz2pBP1/
While her next opponent is yet to be decided, Zhang is seemingly working hard to get back to her best for her next outing. In an exclusive interview with MMA News, Eddie Cha recently revealed Zhang will be returning to the Fight Ready gym in the next few weeks.
When she does begin training again with the likes of Cha and Henry Cejudo, we can expect a fight announcement to come relatively quickly, perhaps in the form of a rematch against Jędrzejczyk.
Do you think Zhang Weili will bounce back to the title in the coming months and years?
Leon Edwards’ wait for a world title shot appears to be coming to an end.
Edwards had expected to be fighting for a world title a long time ago. Now, he has reached a point where he is unbeaten in 10 fights and yet was still booked in another non-title bout, this time in a grudge match against nemesis Jorge Masvidal.
After Masvidal was forced to withdraw from that bout due to a rib injury, that left Edwards without an opponent. Edwards insisted that he would not fight again unless he receives a world title shot.
History has shown that sitting out and waiting for a title shot can be a very risky play, especially as far as Edwards is concerned. Dana White has cautioned fighters against making such a move, with Edwards himself being among them at one point.
In an interview with TSN this week, however, White relented and agreed that Edwards is deserving of a title shot and is next in line for UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.
“100 percent,” White said when asked if Edwards was next in line for Usman. “That kid’s had a rough run. He deserves it. If you look at it, Colby lost to (Usman) twice, Gilbert lost, Leon’s next. He’s number three.”
White also hinted that one of the reasons for granting Edwards the title shot is because of his willingness to do what he said no one else wanted to do last year: step up and fight Khamzat Chimaev.
“We were in a matchmaking meeting on Tuesday and I’m always like, ‘Nobody wants to fight him, nobody wants to fight him,’” White said. “Leon Edwards signed the bout agreement to fight him and I think he was ranked number three at the time. So I wanted to make that clear, publicly. He absolutely wanted to fight him, signed the bout agreement and then Khamzat got COVID and that was the end of that.
“I’m bringing it up for a reason because I said that and never gave that kid the credit he deserved. He said yes to it, signed the bout agreement, and was ready to roll.”
Leon Edwards first faced Kamaru Usman long before Usman was champion, in a unanimous decision loss in December 2015. In his most recent fight, he defeated Nate Diaz at UFC 263 while Usman successfully defended his title in another rematch—against Colby Covington at UFC 268.
In a YouTube video earlier this month, Tate answered questions surrounding her future in 2022 having fallen to defeat last time out. While she hinted at a drop to flyweight, a move that was later confirmed with the announcement of a May clash with Lauren Murphy, the 35-year-old shut down a potential venture onto OnlyFans, claiming she hadn’t said she was “desperate.”
The comment led to widespread outrage, with many suggesting Tate believed the likes of Paige VanZant, Jéssica Andrade, and Kay Hansen were desperate in their decisions to join the platform or create their own exclusive NSFW sites.
Having been slammed on social media, Tate has now attempted to clarify her stance. In one response to a user who suggested a level of hypocrisy existed in her statements, Tate said her words had been taken out of context.
I was being harassed and responded jokingly, this is being taken way out of context. I support women doing whatever they want to.
“I was being harassed and responded jokingly, this is being taken wa out of context. I support women doing whatever they want to.”
In response to an adult content creator who was “disgusted” by Tate’s remarks, and even suggested she should be “canceled,” the former UFC titleholder claimed her statement was said as a joke and insisted she fully supports all women and their respective career choices.
Ladies this was taken way out of context, I had a some fans harassing me insinuating I needed to start an only fans. I responded jokingly, this was not a statement I made about other women. I appreciate we can all have our own choices and I support women 100%
“Ladies this was taken way out of context, I had a some fans harassing me insinuating I needed to start an only fans. I responded jokingly, this was not a statement I made about other women. I appreciate we can all have our own choices and I support women 100%”
After that response didn’t do much to change the opinion of those she was interacting with, Tate apologized and reminded them that she has friends in the industry, and had simply made a mistake.
That’s fair and I am truly sorry I have friends the industry and I support that 100%. In no way shape or form was it my intention to put anyone down, I am only human I let someone make me mad and what I said to them was not a rep of how I feel about this as a whole
“That’s fair and I am truly sorry I have friends the industry and I support that 100%. In no way shape or form was it my intention to put anyone down, I am only human I let someone make me mad and what I said to them was not a rep of how I feel about this as a whole”
Tate Gets Support From A Friend In The Industry
Fortunately for Tate, she wasn’t a one-woman army. In her corner was pornographic actress and Only Fans account owner Kendra Lust. Backing up her friend, Lust said that while she realizes how the comments look, she knows that Tate didn’t intend to offend.
I know Miesha she is a friend ❤️ .. i know how she said it came off .. but i know thats not how she meant it. She has supported me always. I believe her 💯 Miesha is one the sweetest that would never intentionally put down other women for there career choices because its adult
“I know Miesha she is a friend .. I know she said it came off .. but I know that’s not how she meant it. She has supported me always. I believe her Miesha is one the sweetest that would never intentionally put down other women for there career choices because its adult”
Tate will hope for this controversy to blow over in the coming weeks as she begins preparation for her flyweight debut. In her attempt to rebound from defeat, she’ll collide with Murphy, whose last outing saw her dominated and finished by 125-pound queen Valentina Shevchenko.
Do you think Miesha Tate’s comments were taken out of context?
Brendan Schaub is coming to Joe Rogan’s defense after a coalition of medical professionals and educators called on Spotify to rein in Rogan’s alleged misinformation.
Recently, a letter was published by over 200 doctors, nurses, professors, and scientists imploring Spotify to create a policy to help tackle misinformation on the streaming platform. The specific material the coalition was referencing is the content disseminated and facilitated by Joe Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
This comes after a controversial episode with Dr. Robert Malone aired last month, with the doctor being accused of “promoting baseless conspiracy theories” regarding COVID-19.
“This is not only a scientific or medical concern; it is a sociological issue of devastating proportions and Spotify is responsible for allowing this activity to thrive on its platform,” the letter wrote regarding JRE & the Dr. Robert Malone episode.
As of this writing, Spotify has not issued a response to this letter, but Rogan’s good buddy and fellow podcaster/comedian Brendan Schaub has addressed the criticisms Rogan has received. Schaub argues that, unlike other mainstream news outlets, Rogan does not have a hidden agenda.
“It’s like you want to shut this doctor down, which [Anthony] Fauci [Chief Medical Advisor to the President] has done over and over again. But I don’t agree with him. He tries to get them canceled. He’s notoriously known for that.
“But also with this it is like hold on, you want to cancel Rogan and this doctor because they don’t agree with what you’re saying? He is more qualified than you guys are… They don’t like that Rogan is this outliner who destroys all of them combined. So they’re trying to censor that… Joe doesn’t have an agenda. If you watch CNN or Fox, there’s an agenda, plan or narrative that they are pushing. Joe is not. (h/t Sportskeeda).
What do you make of all the criticisms against Joe Rogan, including the letter written by the medical coalition that targeted him?
Francis Ngannou has revealed what was said in his recent conversation with Dana White and also clarified his contract status with the UFC if he defeats Ciryl Gane next weekend.
As we approach the fight week for arguably one of the most anticipated heavyweight showdowns in UFC history, there is somehow a storyline attached to the bout with a public interest level right on par with that of the fight itself: Will this be Francis Ngannou’s final fight in the UFC?
Image Credit: GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images
That question goes beyond the natural ponderings that manifest whenever a fighter approaches the final fight on their contract. What makes this situation particularly unique is the fact that Ngannou is still a reigning UFC champion. So the urgency for the UFC to get a deal done would seem immense, lest they permit the possibility of a fighter exiting the promotion while still holding a title.
Surely, it was this realization that helped inspire Dana White to meet with Ngannou for the first time in what Ngannou claims has been nearly four years. White briefly addressed the dinner meeting between the two recently, stating that the talk went well and that Ngannou simply needs to surround himself with better advisors.
“It went pretty well,” Ngannou said about the meeting. “At this point, I’m not upset. I’m kind of chill about everything. And I went to him…we wished each other happy holidays, and I tell him my frustration. I expressed to him how I would like to stay in the UFC, but I don’t feel like the UFC still want me to stay. So I don’t feel (I’ve been) promoted anymore….I mean, maybe I’m wrong about that, but I didn’t see anything compared to what happened to different fighters.”
When asked what Dana White said in response to this observation, Ngannou praised the UFC boss for being quick on his feet.
“He bring up something really fast, and that’s why you know that Dana is very good,” Ngannou said with a smile. “He tell me like, ‘Yeah, we want you. Have you ever wanted to go somewhere and we didn’t take care of you?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I think it’s a little more than that.’”
Ngannou Clarifies Contract Status, Won’t Fight Again On Current Deal
PHOTO: MMA JUNKIE
Ngannou did not suggest there was any resolution at the end of their discussion, which means that there remains the question of what happens if he wins next Saturday? Would he be obligated to remain under contract with the promotion indefinitely as a reigning champion? Would he be obligated to fight one more time or until he loses the title?
According to Ngannou, neither of those options is true, but the Cameroonian did provide the two options that he says are present in the contract.
“Contractually, it’s really hard to explain. The UFC contract is very tricky. And they have this string. They can pull the string from anyhow. And that’s why you sign a 40-month contract and you find yourself after four years still dealing with that, even though you have been active and everything. Contractually, that means I have executed the eight fights that was on my contract…
“And the championship clause is (optional) because it says if at the end of this contract you’re a champion, you’re extended for three fights or one year.”
Because Ngannou signed his current deal in December 2017, the one-year extension to his four-year deal would mean he would become a free agent in December of this year without any contractual obligation to fight again in the interim. In fact, Ngannou says that we most certainly would not see him compete again under his current deal, regardless of what happens next Saturday.
“I would not fight for $500,000 or $600,000 anymore,” Ngannou declared. “I mean, it’s over. It’s over.”
How do you predict this contract saga between Francis Ngannou and the UFC will play out?
Ranked UFC middleweight Kevin Holland has described the time veteran fan-favorite Nick Diaz “swung” at him because of the shirt he was wearing.
2021 was an unsuccessful year in regards to fighting for both Holland and Diaz. After an incredible five-victory 2020, “Trailblazer” entered it hoping to surge towards title contention. Instead, he fell to two defeats and was knocked unconscious by a clash of heads in his third outing.
Diaz, meanwhile, returned to the Octagon for the first time in nearly seven years. His highly-anticipated comeback saw him re-visit a feud from 2004. In a rematch 17 years in the making, he faced Robbie Lawler on the UFC 266 main card last September.
As surprising as it probably seems, Holland and Diaz do have a history of their own outside the Octagon. But while the clash of names may come as a shock, the scenario is about as classic Nick Diaz as it could be.
After the former Strikeforce and WEC welterweight champion became agitated at the fact “Big Mouth” was apparently wearing “his shirt,” Holland says Diaz swung at him but failed to connect.
“It was funny. I think he was pretty sauced at the time though, so, you know, it’s alright. At the time, I used to be sponsored by this company named Specimen, right. So I had this shirt on from Specimen, and he was like, ‘Hey, that’s my shirt.’ But I had walked past him and I was like, ‘Yo, what’s up, OG?’ I guess he probably thought somebody was coming up to him and fanboying over him, but I was talking to my coach, I call my coach ‘OG.’
“I guess he felt some type of way. And he said something, so I said something back… He said like, that was his shirt, he was like, ‘You got on my fucking shirt,’ and I was like, ‘Bro, this ain’t your fucking shirt, what’re you talking about?’ I was like, ‘Bro, you must be fucked up.’ He was looking at me all crazy… Then, next thing I know, he like, swung at me… Fuck no (did he connect). I’m the type of person you takedown, not the type of person you hit in the face.”
While Diaz’s Future is Uncertain, Holland Will Move Down To WW
After Diaz’s return performance last September, many have called for the Stockton legend to hang up his gloves for good. But while that appears to be the general consensus, some are hoping to see the 38-year-old in action again in 2022. One of those names is Michael Bisping, who recently suggested Diaz should face Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in a clash of veterans.
The future is a lot more certain for Holland. After failing to break into title contention at 185 pounds thanks to the roadblocks of Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori, and with Kyle Daukaus pre-occupied for the coming months, “Trailblazer” is set to return to welterweight, a division he’s yet to test the waters of in the UFC, but a weight he went 4-1 at before signing with the promotion.
With their career trajectories on firmly different paths, it seems Holland and Diaz’s brief scuffle in 2018 will be the closest we get to the pair squaring off inside the Octagon.
How do you think a fight in the Octagon between Kevin Holland and Nick Diaz would play out?
Three-time UFC light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson believes Khamzat Chimaev has all the tools necessary to enter the GOAT debate in the future.
Not many fighters have made as much of an impact in just four fights in the UFC as Chimaev has. After breaking a modern record for the fastest turnaround in-between wins on Fight Island in 2020, which came through dominant victories over John Phillips and Rhys McKee in the space of just 10 days, “Borz” added a third only 56 days after his debut by viciously knocking out middleweight veteran Gerald Meerschaert.
To show just how high the UFC was on him following that, he was set to face top contender Leon Edwards. Due to COVID-19, that bout was booked and canceled three times. After overcoming his rough bout of the virus last year, Chimaev returned to the Octagon at UFC 267 in October.
Bringing his hype train back on track in style, Chimaev controlled, took down, and choked out ranked contender Li Jingliang inside one round in Abu Dhabi. The performance certainly sent a message to those who doubted his championship credentials, a message he’ll look to send again when he returns to action this year.
While some will point out he’s yet to face a top-10 opponent, fans and pundits can only base opinions on what they’ve seen, and that’s a newcomer notching up a perfect 4-0 record, with four first-round finishes, one against an established middleweight name and one over a top-15 welterweight, all while barely being touched at all by his opponents.
In an interview with ESPN MMA, Gustafsson, a teammate of the rising star over at the Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, Sweden, spoke highly of Chimaev. When asked whether his potential is as high as a future place in the GOAT conversation, “The Mauler” said that from what he’s seen in training and in the UFC, the 27-year-old has all the tools to reach that point.
“That’s the level of potential (possible GOAT status), one hundred percent. He does all the things that if you do it right from the start, if he keeps doing what he’s doing now, he will be one of those guys one day, I’m one hundred percent sure of it. It is crazy when you say it, because Kamaru Usman is pound-for-pound the best guy out there right now, and I love the guy, but I’ve been sparring with so many guys, at heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, I’ve been sparring welterweights, this guy (Chimaev) just puts guys away on the mat, in the training sessions. This guy hits (with) too much precision, too much power.”
Gustafsson Believes Chimaev Would Put Usman To Sleep
If Chimaev is to break into the group of contenders for that throne, which includes stars like Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Khabib Nurmagomedov, he’ll certainly have to reach the top of the welterweight mountain in the coming months or years. If he’s to do that, he’ll likely have to go through Kamaru Usman.
While that seems a daunting task and one many may not give the Chechen-born Swede a massive chance of accomplishing, Gustafsson believes Chimaev would put “The Nigerian Nightmare” to sleep.
“I think he’d put Kamaru Usman to sleep, honestly. I think if he just touches his chin, it’s a big chance that Kamaru Usman goes to sleep. I like Kamaru Usman, he’s a great champ and he’s just like, been breaking records. It’s a pleasure to see him fight. He’s very good, technical, I love his jab and his wrestling. You can see why he’s top.
“But I just can’t see him taking Khamzat’s punches. I can’t see him taking his combinations. When it comes to wrestling… It would probably be one of the biggest fights in UFC history when it comes to that part. To see the technical side of the fight. I love Usman as a champ, but I think (Khamzat) would put him to sleep.”
Given Burns’ place in the division, it stands to reason that clash will be a title eliminator. If “Borz” emerges victorious, we could be seeing him opposite Usman before the year is out.
Do you think Khamzat Chimaev can find enough success in the UFC to join the GOAT debate?
Javier Mendez is confident that both of his pupils in Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev would beat Charles Oliveira with ease.
Oliveira is the current UFC lightweight champion and defended his belt for the first time in December with a submission win over Dustin Poirier. He is now likely to face Justin Gaethje sometime in the spring or summer. And should he win that, a bout against the winner of Makhachev-Beneil Dariush will be next.
Although Oliveira has looked dominant since he became the champ, American Kickboxing head coach Javier Mendez believes the former champ Nurmagomedov as well as Makhachev would be able to defeat the Brazilian.
“I know they both would beat Charles, in my opinion… Stylistically wise, Islam could strike, he can kick. Khabib wasn’t a great kicker,” Mendez said on his YouTube channel. “Khabib would have to go straight to the grappling with Charles and probably dominate him there. As a matter of fact, I know he would. I know Khabib would dominate him there. And I kind of feel, my personal opinion, as great as Charles is, I think Islam would dominate him there too.”
USA Today
Of course, Nurmagomedov is retired and doesn’t seem too interested in ever returning to the Octagon again. However, there is a very real chance Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira fight in 2022 so we can see if the Dagestani fighter would really beat the Brazilian and become the new champion.
In order for him to even get the title shot, he will need to defeat Dariush in the main event of a Fight Night card on February 26. This is easier said than done, as Dariush has been on an incredible run. However, Mendez believes it is only a matter of time before Makhachev does what his longtime friend and teammate did: become the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.
Do you think Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov would beat Charles Oliveira?
UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze is looking to prove that he’s not just an elite striker but also a well-rounded mixed martial artist.
Chikadze faces arguably the toughest test of his UFC career against Calvin Kattar at UFC Vegas 46. While Kattar is coming off of a tough loss to Max Holloway last year, he’s still regarded as one of the toughest brawlers in the featherweight division.
Chikadze knocked out the always-dangerous Edson Barboza in his last Octagon appearance but also showcased an improved grappling skillset in the win. He nearly had Barboza in trouble on the ground before transitioning back to his striking base.
“I feel like he’s going to mix it up with a bit of the wrestling,” Chikadze said. “I think that’s going to be his plan because he is from a wrestling background. Then he has some nice boxing techniques. Either he’s going to box with me, or he’s gonna wrestle with me.
“Honestly, I really want to show the people how great my ground game became. I want to submit people eventually, very soon, and start submitting people. But because Calvin Kattar has never been knocked out, it gives me a little bit more motivation to finish him with striking.”
Chikadze later explained why he moved away from his grappling in his last victory over Barboza.
“Last time I really had the chance to finish Edson with submission, but like I said, I had to prove that I’m the best striker and this was the reason why I let it go. This time? I said that I’m the best boxer in the UFC too, so probably I’m gonna still go more to the strikes. But if I get a chance like I did with Edson, this time I’m not going to let it go.”
Chikadze could be one win away from a featherweight title shot after going back-and-forth on social media with Alexander Volkanovski. If he’s able to continue to improve his overall game, he could be an unstoppable force at 145 pounds for years to come.
What is your prediction for Giga Chikadze vs. Calvin Kattar?
Ciryl Gane is looking to beat the “game” of the UFC.
Recently, we had a UFC champion in Charles Oliveira crowned after a long, hard-fought road in the UFC. Ciryl Gane is not like that. He has only seven fights in the UFC, but he has made them all count.
Now, he is getting ready to fight for his first undisputed UFC title against a familiar foe, his former training partner and the reigning heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Gane is aware that this fight with Ngannou is the most important of his career, and the way he is looking at it could win him the “game” of the UFC in a way.
“For me, yes it’s (Ngannou fight) different than Derrick Lewis (at UFC 265), not because it’s Francis, but because it’s the champion, you see,” Gane explained on The MMA Hour. “And the champion is a really great fighter, with a lot of strength. I like to say that this is the ‘final boss’ (like in my) video games [LAUGHS]. It looks a little bit like that. So yes, this time, like every time, if I make a mistake, it’s gonna be okay, if I will make a mistake. If I lose, I’m really okay with that. Like every fight in my career it was like that, but this time I want to do the last step, you see, that’s why it’s a little bit different.”
If Gane is feeling pressure heading into UFC 270, he is hiding it well. He has already proven that he is one of the best heavyweights in the sport as he is now holding the interim belt. He and his coach Fernand Lopez are very familiar with Ngannou and his fighting style. They all trained together for some time before Ngannou left. Lopez has spoken numerously about how they know Ngannou’s tendencies and are ready for his fighting style.
Gane has yet to lose in his career. He burst onto the UFC scene just three years ago and has been turning heads ever since. If he can beat Ngannou and claim the heavyweight strap, that will not be the end of this “game.” In fact, Gane could find himself in a “murderers row” of fighters waiting to try their hand at the new boss. Waiting in the wings for the champion come Jan. 23 are former champion Stipe Miocic and former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Who do you think will win and become the UFC’s “final boss” at heavyweight on Jan. 22, Francis Ngannou or Ciryl Gane?
After dispatching Edson Barboza with ease last August, “Ninja” has his chance to rise closer to contention in the UFC Vegas 46 headliner on Saturday night. But Chikadze, along with many in the MMA community, believes a victory should bring more than a rank rise. They think it should take the Georgian all the way to Volkanovski.
After the champ made his desire to face fan-favorite brawler Korean Zombie known, the UFC has seemingly moved his next defense back to UFC 273 and added Jung to the contest, per Ariel Helwani.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, Chikadze reacted to Zombie becoming the frontrunner for the replacement opportunity. According to the in-form Georgian, Volkanovski is avoiding him because he knows “Ninja” is the biggest threat to his reign.
In contrast, Chikadze sees Volkanovski as the easiest opponent for him inside the featherweight top 10.
“100% (Zombie fight) is easier. It’s (an) easier task for them, for Volkanovski,” said Chikadze. “I’ve been fighting these type of guys all my life and making my life with that. He knows that I’m, for him, the hardest and strongest fight. That’s why he’s trying to avoid me. I understand he wants to stay safe and make money and this, but I’m here to become the champion.
“Honestly, for me, I think that’s the easiest fight in the top 10, bro. This guy cannot even reach me. When we stand together, what’s he gonna do? Some guys have a good submission (game), some guys have a good punch or a good technique, what does he have against me? Nothing.”
Unfortunately for Chikadze and his fans, it appears the UFC has moved forward with plans for Volkanovski vs. Korean Zombie. Nevertheless, if the Tbilisi native puts in an impressive performance this weekend and perhaps becomes the first man to finish Kattar in the UFC, he’ll be a hard man to deny when it comes to the next shot at gold.
Do you think Giga Chikadze deserves a title shot over The Korean Zombie?
Despite taking a beating against Max Holloway last year, Calvin Kattar is ready and willing for some more rounds with the former UFC featherweight champion.
In the UFC Fight Island 7 headliner last January, Kattar had the chance to stake his claim for a title shot against former titleholder Holloway. But fresh off back-to-back losses to reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski, “Blessed” entered the Octagon that night with a point to prove. That point? “I’m the best boxer in the UFC.”
Across 25 minutes, Holloway broke record after record. To name a few, the Hawaiian set the UFC records for most significant strikes landed, most significant strikes attempted, highest significant strike differential, and most strikes landed in a single round. The result of those feats was a unanimous decision victory for Holloway and a beaten and bloodied face for Kattar.
Having sat out for the remainder of 2021, Kattar is set to return to the Octagon this weekend. Approaching the one-year anniversary of the memorable five-rounder, Kattar looked back on the clash during an appearance at UFC Vegas 46 media day on Wednesday.
While giving credit to Holloway for what is widely regarded as the greatest performance in the promotion’s history, Kattar noted that he ended the main event just how he started it, on his feet.
With that in mind, “The Boston Finisher” is eager for another crack at the #1-ranked featherweight contender down the line.
“I look at it (the Holloway fight) as much as I want to. It didn’t work out my way, but like I said man, I finished that fight the way I started, on my two feet. Props to Max, he fought a helluva fight, and I definitely walked away from that fight with an understanding of, kinda, what he was doing and things I’ll take in with me for not only my next fight, but future fights. I look forward to a round six with the uncrowned champ.”
Kattar Hopes To Rebound In UFC Vegas 46 Main Event
First and foremost, Kattar’s focus will need to be on returning to the win column in this Saturday’s UFC Vegas 46 headliner. In yet another tough assignment, the 33-year-old will be opposite surging Georgian Giga Chikadze inside the Apex facility in Las Vegas.
Chikadze, who currently sits at #8 in the division, broke into the title conversation with finishes of Cub Swanson and Edson Barboza in 2021.
Daniel Cormier recently suggested Jon Jones can’t defeat Francis Ngannou or Ciryl Gane, an opinion former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping believes is wrong.
Believing he’d accomplished everything he could at 205 pounds and cleared out the top contenders in the division, Jones sought a fresh challenge: championship glory in a second division. But after a public despite with the UFC over pay, a potential clash with heavyweight champion Ngannou fell through and the GOAT contender was away from the Octagon for the entirety of 2021.
Jones’ former rival Cormier fully expects him to make his first appearance at heavyweight this year and believes he deserves to dictate the weight classes’ title picture. However, “DC” doesn’t expect the former two-time undisputed champ to defeat the elite in the division.
During a recent episode of his ESPN show DC & RC, the former heavyweight and light heavyweight king, who knows a thing or two about achieving two-division glory, claimed Jones’ layoff would play a major factor in fights against Ngannou and Gane, two names he doesn’t think Jones can beat.
“I believe that Jon Jones will fight at heavyweight and he’ll fight for the belt, but he’ll lose to Ciryl Gane or Francis Ngannou,” Cormier said. “I just think that the time away, with the weight difference, and those guys being who they are, that’s the problem. It’s not that Jones has gotten worse; it’s just that these guys are a different level of heavyweight.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
Bisping’s Opinion Differs From His Broadcast Colleague’s
One man who clearly disagrees with Daniel Cormier’s take is his fellow UFC color commentator Michael Bisping. Responding to the remarks in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, “The Count” suggested Cormier’s comments may have been “skewed” due to his bitter rivalry with Jones.
“He (Cormier) came out today and made a statement that said, ‘Jon Jones will never become the heavyweight champion…’ I think I gotta disagree with Daniel Cormier here,” said Bisping. “Because he does know him, and because they have that history, and because they don’t like one another, I believe that maybe that’s skewing the judgment of DC just a little bit here.”
For Bisping, given that Jones is one of the greatest of all time and still under the age of 35, the recent layoff won’t play a massive part in his performances when he returns. Despite admitting the two titleholders at heavyweight are phenomenal fighters, the Englishman doesn’t believe Jones can be counted out given what he’s accomplished in his career to date.
“We’re talking, regardless of his behaviour outside the Octagon, and regardless of the steroid test… the reality is, if you look at the performances, he’s potentially the greatest of all time,” added Bisping. “He’s beat everybody at their own style. He would make a point of doing that, he would beat them at their very own style. He’s not even 35 yet, so there’s no way he’s going to show up ‘old.’
“Ciryl Gane is unbelievable, Francis Ngannou is unbelievable, they’re gonna fight next weekend, I don’t know who’s gonna win that fight… But still, Jon Jones is out there. Jon Jones has a resume. Jon Jones is one of the best to ever do it. So to say that he can’t come back after all this time and beat those guys, I don’t think I agree… To say he has no chance, I don’t think that’s right,” concluded Bisping.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXxpEd7j3PX/
With any luck, Jones’ return will remain on track and either Bisping or Cormier will be proved right in the coming months. No doubt the victor of that debate will be eager to rub it in when they share the commentary desk after Jones’ return.
Who do you agree with, Michael Bisping or Daniel Cormier?
Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier is looking big ahead of a potential move to 170 pounds.
Poirier is coming off of a disappointing loss to Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title at UFC 269. After getting off to a good start in the opening minutes, he struggled with Oliveira’s grappling and was eventually submitted in Round 3.
Poirier has admitted to being at a bit of a crossroads in his MMA career. He’s alluded to a move to welterweight as the cut to 155 pounds becomes more difficult at this stage in his life.
While Poirier doesn’t have a fight lined up just yet, he looks to be getting in possibly the best shape of his life ahead of his Octagon return. He showed off his physical gains in a recent Instagram post.
“Bulking SZN,” Poirier said in the post’s caption.
Dustin Poirier Remains Interested In A Nate Diaz Fight
One name who has piqued Poirier’s interest is Nate Diaz. Shortly after his loss to Oliveira, Poirier pointed to Diaz as the one opponent who would excite him for a quick turnaround in the UFC.
Poirier and Diaz have gone at it on social media for years, as talks of a fight between them continue to ramp up. The two former lightweight contenders were supposed to fight in 2018 before fight negotiations fell through.
Despite the challenge of getting Diaz to the negotiating table proving to be difficult, Poirier remains optimistic about a fight with his Stockton-based rival. Both men are coming off of tough losses, and the winner of the matchup could get right back on track at welterweight.
How do you think Dustin Poirier would perform at welterweight?
Daniel Cormier is not keen on the idea of Jake Paul joining his gym.
Jake Paul has taken the world of boxing by storm. He might be one of the most talked-about fighters on the planet. Now, he is teasing a transition to MMA and wants to train at one of the best gyms in the country, American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). That gym is home to some of the best the UFC has ever seen, including Khabib Nurmagomeodv, Cain Velasquez, and Daniel Cormier.
Recently, AKA Head Coach Javier Mendez spoke about Paul possibly joining the gym. He expressed admiration for what Paul has done to get his fight career off the ground but also mentioned that the team needs to vote on him joining and if anyone is against it he would not be welcome. One man is already speaking out against the move. That man is Daniel Cormier.
“No, I have no interest in that,” Cormier told The Schmo on his Youtube channel. “It seems like a lot of ploys, right? It’s always ploys. I don’t know how true much of it is, but it seems like a ploy to me, so I’m not going to play that game.”
Cormier is retired from MMA and is likely not going to fight Paul at all. However, retired fighters are exactly who Paul targets. And with the amount of money offered in Paul’s bouts, Cormier, who has a huge weight advantage, might just be persuaded to take one more fight.
Do you think Daniel Cormier would ever fight Jake Paul in MMA or boxing?
André Muniz doesn’t just break arms, he has knockout power, too.
#13 middleweight contender André “Sergipano” Muniz is coming into the new year hot with another first-round armbar submission.
Fans watched the armbar from the edge of their seats that night in December in anticipation of Muniz possibly fracturing Anders’ arm, as he did to one of the best grapplers in UFC history, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, back in May at UFC 262.
Andre Muniz and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza Photo Credit: Getty Images
Triangle choke, guillotine choke, arm-triangle choke, armbar—the list of beautifully executed submissions just gets longer for the brutal middleweight.
But do not let the 15 wins by submission sway you from his ability to knock an opponent out. As of now, Muniz has only 4 knockout wins, none of which are in the UFC, but that coulbe subject to change this year.
“This is all the result of very hard work, and people, don’t be surprised when I get my knockout because I’ve got really heavy hands, too. I’m working to get a knockout besides the submissions,” Muniz told MMA Junkie after winning their award for 2021 submission of the year.
But we should expect to see a different winning approach at his next UFC bout.
Who Is Up First?
Andre Muniz, Daniel Oliveira, Photo Credit: Alan Oliveira
“Sergipano” is no stranger to a knockout win. In 2013, he put Daniel Oliveira on the ground in round 1 at Watch Out Combat Show 24 and delivered a vicious pounding of punches to Joao Paulo Dos Santos in 2017.
So, who will be the first UFC knockout win for the Brazilian?
At UFC 269 Andre Muniz got his third round one submission win against Eryk “Ya Boi” Anders and has since already called out prospect fighters for his next bout in the Octagon.
Andre Muniz and Eryk Anders, Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie USA Today Sports
Not trying to jump the gun, Muniz wants either Darren Till or Uriah Hall, the #8 and #9 middleweight contenders, as his first opponent.
With six straight impressive wins in the UFC, the 21-4-0 fighter is speeding through the middleweight rankings and has already proven to be a solid competitor in the division. Now, André Muiz may give it his all to soon show us the greatness of his knockout ability.
Do you think André Muniz can knock out UFC competition?
Chatri Sityodtong doesn’t agree with how Dana White runs the UFC.
Sityodtong, the CEO of ONE Championship, is all about martial arts and respect, and he doesn’t like when his fighters talk trash. White and the UFC, however, embrace trash-talking because it helps sell pay-per-views. That is one of the things Sityodtong doesn’t like about how the UFC is run.
“I think he is an outstanding businessman,” Sityodtong said on The MMA Hour. “I don’t necessarily agree with the way he does things, but obviously he’s built UFC into a phenomenal company. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts. But I don’t think he knows anything about martial arts. I don’t think he knows anything about fighting. I think he’s a fan, so I have differences. I come from the martial arts community. I come from the martial arts background. And how I treat my athletes, they are my peers. I come from the community. It’s very, very different.
“I think if you’ve never been punched in the face or choked out, you can disrespect people publicly [with your comments],” Sityodtong continued. “But if you have had lifelong hard training — I just say we have stylistic differences. I don’t particularly respect the way he talks down to athletes.”
Chatri Sityodtong (Image Credit: Paul Miller/Bloomberg)
With Chatri Sityodtong disagreeing with how Dana White runs the UFC and him claiming White doesn’t know martial arts, he says he is open to a fight with him. They are both over 50-years-old, but Sityodtong is confident he would beat the American with ease.
“I’m a lifelong martial artist,” Sityodtong said about a fight with White. “I’ve been doing Muay Thai for 35 years and I’m a jiu-jitsu brown belt. I train five, six times a week. If there’s a fight with someone my age, why not? I’m 50, turning 51 this year. I train five, six days a week, one or two hours every day.”
Although Sityodtong is open to a fight against White, it is highly unlikely the bout happens. White is just focused on running the UFC, and he doesn’t gain anything by fighting the ONE CEO. Nevertheless, Sityodtong’s remarks are sure to get more people talking about him and his promotion.
What do you make of Chatri Sityodtong calling out Dana White for a fight?
