MMA journalist Ariel Helwani believes the career of UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has been “mishandled” by the UFC, despite the fact he’s a “promoter’s dream.”
While comments about the money involved in celebrity boxing made most believe the contractual issues came from a desire to be paid more, the champ’s management recently revealed the two things Ngannou wants: more activity and positive promotion.
During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, renowned MMA voice Ariel Helwani discussed the ongoing situation regarding Ngannou’s status in the UFC. Describing the Cameroonian’s treatment as a “travesty,” Helwani suggested the Dana White-led promotion needs to stop playing politics and promote Ngannou in the way his image, ability, and style deserves.
“Anyone would recognize that Francis is a huge star. I would also say, and I’ve said this before, I think the way Francis’ career has been mishandled by the UFC as of late, and maybe they’ll say is a two-way street, has been a travesty, truly,” said Helwani.
“This man is a promoter’s dream. He fights the way in which every promoter wants a fighter to fight, especially a heavyweight champion. He’s got that incredible look, that incredible style, that incredible power, that incredible backstory, and I feel like we’ve heard nothing (about) him since March.
“He hasn’t been promoted. I’m really curious to see, let’s see how they promote him between now and January 22,” Helwani added. “They have a great runway here. They’ve got that show on the 15th, which isn’t the best show, is there a lot of Francis stuff being put out right now? Are you seeing him on billboards? This is the heavyweight champion of the world! And he looks like that and he fights like that, promote him! Because the heavyweight champion is the one that is always going to resonate with the people, more so than anyone, because he looks like a superhero, and he fights like a superhero., and he has power like a superhero. I just feel like we’re letting the politics get involved here. It’s very unfortunate.”
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After ascending the heavyweight mountaintop at UFC 260, it seemed like the rest of the year had big things in store for Ngannou.
While he certainly has a number of distractions heading into his first defense, namely his feud with the UFC and clear boxing ambitions, Ngannou must keep his eyes on the prize; victory over former teammate Gane.
If he does secure the win on January 22, Ngannou will have another UFC appearance in his future, before which the UFC will hope to come to agree on a new deal with their heavyweight titleholder if they fail to do so before the opening pay-per-view of the year.
Do you agree with Ariel Helwani? Has Francis Ngannou’s career been “mishandled” by the UFC?
Sean O’Malley doesn’t think the PPV price increase is a good idea.
Recently, the UFC announced that they will be raising the price of ordering a Pay-Per-View event in the new year. The prices will increase from $69.99 to $74.99 beginning with UFC 270 on Jan. 22. Expectedly, this news has been unwelcomed by fans. The displeasure now has trickled down to some athletes. Among those against the price bump is Sean O’Malley.
“Dana White raises pay-per-view by five dollars,” O’Malley said on a recent episode of his podcast (via BJ Penn). “What the hell are we doing here, Dana?”
Also, when asked if he thought the increase will be reflected in the paychecks of fighters, O’Malley was not so sure.
“No, I doubt it,” O’Malley said. “But, could be. It is just so easy to stream it illegally. Not talking from experience, but just saying it. Whoever is in control of legal streams at the UFC, they need someone that is good enough at hacking (them) right before the main event starts. Every single time that they just shut it right before the good stuff.”
In recent years the UFC was been actively trying to stop the illegal streaming of their events. The crackdown of social media posts and streams began with White issuing a threat of police action to anyone caught streaming illegally. O’Malley thinks of himself as one of the top earners for the UFC, so it will be interesting to see if a potential rise in illegal streaming has any impact on O’Malley’s bottom line or that of his peers.
Do you think the price increase is too much, or is it reasonable to expect a hike up each year?
UFC lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett is not at all impressed with Islam Makhachev and his title credentials, claiming he’d also be able to submit Dan Hooker in the first-round.
Since falling to his only loss professional MMA at the hands of Adriano Martins in 2015, Makhachev has built a win streak impressive enough to ascend him into the top five at 155 pounds.
Victories over Arman Tsarukyan, Davi Ramos, and Drew Dober landed the Dagestani his first main event slot. At UFC Vegas 31, he made the most of it by submitting formerly-ranked contender Thiago Moisés. Having risen to #5 on the lightweight ladder, much to the bemusement of some, Makhachev had the chance to jump closer to the title three months later on Fight Island.
The Abu Dhabi fan favorite faced short-notice opponent Hooker at UFC 267 after a clash with long-time rival Rafael dos Anjos fell through for the third time. In the opening round, Makhachev showed his superiority on the ground by submitting “The Hangman” with a brutal kimura.
GIVE THIS MAN HIS RESPECT!!!@MakhachevMMA with the round 1️⃣ kimura.
Having defeated a top-10 opponent and extended his active win streak to nine, many are beginning to sing the praises of Makhachev and brand him a future champion, suggesting he could perhaps even hold gold by the end of 2022. However, one rising 155lber doesn’t share the same sentiment.
During a recent appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett downplayed Makhachev’s form and résumé. After suggesting the #4-ranked lightweight hasn’t beaten anyone of note except Hooker, Pimblett claimed he’d be able to beat the New Zealander in a similar fashion.
“Makhachev hasn’t fought anyone lad,” Pimblett said. “He’s only fought Hooker. I think I’d submit Hooker in the first round. That’s what I mean, he’s a kickboxer lad. I’d take him down and submit him.”
Pimblett Can’t See Makhachev Beating Gaethje, Oliveira Or Dariush
Following his victory over Hooker, many expected Makhachev to perhaps be accelerated to the title next. Unfortunately for him, Justin Gaethje’s winning performance in a Fight of the Year contender against Michael Chandler effectively prevented that from being a possibility.
With “The Highlight” set to challenge for Charles Oliveira’s gold this year, Makhachev has had to settle for a title eliminator against #3-ranked contender Beneil Dariush.
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But while many see Makhachev ending Dariush’s seven-fight win streak before dethroning the winner of Gaethje vs. Oliveira in late 2022, Pimblett doesn’t believe the Dagestani has what it takes to beat any of them.
“Whoever wins out of Oliveira/Gaethje (will enter 2023 with the title), because I can’t see Makhachev beating either of them… I think Dariush beats Makhachev. I rate Dariush mate, I think he’s very underrated. He’s fucking quality.”
Barring an inconclusive end to the next title fight or the intervention of a certain Conor McGregor, it stands to reason the victor will be joining the champion inside the Octagon at the end of this year.
Who do you think will have their hand raised on February 26, Islam Makhachev or Beneil Dariush?
UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling likes Jake Paul’s chances in a hypothetical boxing match against MMA legend Anderson Silva.
Paul wrapped up his impressive run in 2021 with back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley. An undefeated boxer, Paul was originally scheduled to face Tommy Fury before Fury pulled out with an injury.
Speculation has run rampant regarding who Paul could face next in the boxing ring. One of the names that has come up is Silva, who was allegedly in brief talks to fight Jake’s brother Logan before negotiations stalled.
“I know Anderson Silva was supposedly a frontrunner to fight Jake,” Sterling said. “If Jake were to connect, I think he would really hurt Anderson. I think Paul is going to tie him up, lean on him. He’s a young guy, he’s going to grab him. Against Woodley, he clinched 30 times over the first five rounds. With this one, Silva’s got hands. But the only thing is, can he take a shot?”
Following his latest knockout win over Woodley, Paul alluded to taking some time away from the boxing spotlight. He’s allegedly anticipating a return to the ring this summer, although a scheduled fight earlier is certainly possible.
Silva most recently defeated former UFC colleague Tito Ortiz in a first-round knockout. Before that, he had defeated Julio César Chávez in an impressive decision victory.
Silva has vocalized his interest in boxing the Paul brothers at some point, although it’s unclear if a fight between the two sides will come to fruition. He’s also hinted at a potential boxing rematch against Vitor Belfort.
Paul seems determined to continue to fight MMA stars, including Nate Diaz and Conor Mcgregor. However, Silva could be a name to watch for a potential bout in 2022.
Do you agree with Aljamain Sterling? Would Jake Paul “hurt” Anderson Silva in a boxing match?
UFC star Dustin Poirier remains optimistic that a showdown with Nate Diaz can still happen next.
Poirier most recently fell to UFC lightweight champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. After the disappointing result, he has hinted at a potential move to welterweight to avoid harsh weight cuts at this stage of his career.
When asked about a name who would excite him to return, Poirier immediately pointed to Diaz. The two were supposed to fight in November 2018 at UFC 230, but the bout fell through and both men were issued different opponents.
Fight talks have been all over the place regarding a Poirier vs. Diaz bout, with Diaz appearing to dismiss the fight on social media and recent reports stating the UFC has moved on from the idea for the time being. But in a recent tweet, Poirier alluded to his targeted foe.
Both fighters have accused the other of the stalled negotiations. Poirier has alleged that Diaz doesn’t want the fight, and Diaz has indicated that Poirier’s recent loss makes him an unworthy opponent.
Poirier and Diaz are both also in the running for a rematch with Conor McGregor in 2022. Poirier most recently defeated McGregor via doctor’s stoppage at UFC 264 and a fourth fight is certainly on the table.
Poirier allegedly accepted a short-notice bout against Diaz slated for this month, but it never came to fruition. Despite Poirier vs. Diaz still being a question mark, the former interim lightweight champion still wants to make it happen.
Do you think we’ll see Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz in 2022?
Happy New Year, fight fans! To kick off our 20th anniversary, we will be rolling out the MMA News Top 100 UFC fighters of 2021 throughout the month of January as voted on by our panel.
This list is NOT solely based on fights and performances of 2021. Being active in 2021 is what QUALIFIES one to make the list. Instead of only considering performances of the year, we are taking a holistic look at who is the better overall fighter exiting 2021 based on our selected criteria. A full explanation of the criteria can be found below.
1: Career Trajectory/Recent Performances (50%)
Where are the fighters trending right now? How much evidence-backed momentum do they have?
2: Career Success/Body of Work (25%)
Championships, wins, résumé, etc.
3: Likelihood To Be The Betting Favorite In Any Fight In 2021 (25%)
This was determined using past betting history, betting lines during 2021, and the projected odds moving forward as determined by the panel. This category is being used to get a gauge of the talent level the public feels the fighter is/was at.
Be sure to keep checking back right here at MMANews.com for frequent updates to this list throughout the month of January as we continue to update this list!
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Attention, UFC Featherweight Division: London’s Calling, and it’s ready to drown out the other voices at 145.
Arnold “Almighty” Allen is our #60-ranked fighter of 2021 because he has not lost a fight since 2014 and is undefeated in his seven-year UFC career. It’s just that simple. His victory over our #95-ranked fighter, Sodiq Yusff, is what really cemented his place on our list. At 17-1 and only 27 years old, the career trajectory of Allen is unmistakenly on the rise.
What’s preventing Allen from a higher place on the ranking are two factors. Though his record is impressive, his performances haven’t left too much of a footprint on the imaginations of the audience, with only two of his eight UFC wins being finishes, the most recent being four years ago. Furthermore, he is not overly feared by the oddsmakers and pundits, which is considered in our third category. For instance, Arnold was an underdog going into his most recent fight against Yusuff.
Heading Into 2022: Ranked at #7, Arnold Allen is theoretically only two fights away from potentially landing a world title shot. As it is, he is already on an eight-fight winning streak, so a case could be made that with the right win, that number could drop down to just one fight away. Where do YOU see Allen sitting in the UFC standings by the end of the year? It’s one of the quietest, yet most relevant questions in the featherweight division that could carry the loudest impact.
#59: Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal, Image Credit: USATSI
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Jorge Masvidal was arguably the UFC’s Fighter of the Year in 2019. Had this list been in existence then, it would have been interesting to see where he’d have been placed. However, since becoming the inaugural BMF champion at UFC 244 in Madison Square Garden, Masvidal is yet to win a fight. There is absolutely no shame in that when you consider that the losses have come to the UFC”s pound-for-pound #1-ranked fighter, Kamaru Usman, but that doesn’t change the fact that his lack of activity and viral KO loss didn’t do him any favors in terms of this year’s list.
All that said, his placement at #59 is warranted because, aside from losing to Usman, he had won his there prior fights by viral finishes and has competed against the best in the world for multiple years now. Down from his toes all the way up to his face, the battle scars of this Miami nativecan be vicariously felt by viewers and directly felt and shared by his opponents. Not counting the Usman losses, Masvidal has won six of his last eight fights and has looked to be just as athletic and game as he’s ever been.
Heading Into 2022: Jorge Masvidal remains in the mix at welterweight ranked #6 in the division. He was originally expected to fight Leon Edwards next, but he has recently hinted that a long-awaited grudge match against former best buddy Colby Covington could be next instead.
#58: Stephen Thompson
Stephen Thompson, Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Entering 2021, many people wondered, “Just what is the secret to Wonderboy keeping all his majestic powers at 37 years old?” After turning 38, however, Thompson lost his 2021 fights decisively, first to Gilbert Burns and then to Belal Muhammad, both by unanimous decisions.
Nevertheless, Thompson still holds a win over our #59-ranked fighter, Jorge Masvidal, and also holds recent wins over two other names on our list: Geoff Neal and Vicente Luque. In addition to that, at this point, Thompson has proven to be a legend in our sport and has been competing against the very best of the best since circa 2013, including a TKO victory over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
Heading Into 2022: After back-to-back losses and now pushing 40, Thompson may very well be in a must-win situation in 2022. One name who has thrown out his name as a potential opponent is Sean Brady.
#57: Merab Dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili, Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Reasoning Behind Ranking: From the second a Merab Dvalishvili fight begins, his message to his opponent is unmistakable: “Welcome, my son, welcome to The Machine.” And from one part to the other, the machine operates nonstop. It doesn’t tire, malfunction, and it damn sure doesn’t break.
After beginning his UFC career at 0-2, Dvalishvii hasn’t looked back, turning in seven consecutive wins, including arguably the comeback of the year over Marlon Moraes at UFC 266.
One of the 𝑪𝑹𝑨𝒁𝑰𝑬𝑺𝑻 fights of the year 🤯@MerabDvalishvil is your final nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
Heading Into 2022: Merab Dvalishvili enters 2022 ranked #6 at bantamweight. During his win streak, he has picked up victories over Casey Kenney, former UFC title challenger John Dodson, Cody Stamann, and the aforementioned Marlon Moraes. Up next? Does it matter? Whomever the machine feeds him will be prepared to be spat out.
#56: Paulo Costa
Paulo Costa
Reasoning Behind Ranking: The last two years haven’t been kind to Paulo Costa, which makes this position very debatable if not controversial. First, Israel Adesanya made short work of the Brazilian at UFC 253 with an easy second-round KO. Then, Costa lost his next bout to Marvin Vettori after questionable fight-week conduct regarding his weight cutting.
Still, it’s important to remember that one of those two losses came against one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the promotion, and the other fight against Vettori might have won Fight of the Night if Costa’s fight-week antics didn’t all but disqualify him from that honor.
Regarding our criteria, one would be hard-pressed to find many fighters on the UFC roster, let alone the middleweight division, who would be considered more likely to win a fight by oddsmakers and pundits. The reason for that is fairly obvious: Costa has consistently marched forward like a terminator set to “Eraser Mode.” 11 of his 13 wins have been by knockout. And in terms of résumé and body of work, Costa has notable wins over Uriah Hall, Johny Hendricks, and of course, the great Yoel Romero, among others.
Heading Into 2022: Paulo Costa remains a top-5 middleweight directly at #5. There is currently no word on who will be his next opponent. At the moment, the larger story is about which division he will be competing in moving forward. Costa’s management insists that he will remain at middleweight while Dana White has mandated the Brazilian move up to light heavyweight after his latest scale issues.
#55: Yair Rodríguez
Yair Rodríguez, Image Credit: PHOTO BY ESTHER LIN / MMAFIGHTING.COM
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Much like Paulo Costa, Yair Rodríguez hasn’t given our panel much to work with in terms of recent wins. But also like Costa, based on the eye test and likelihood to win a fight, Rodriguez has proven to be among the best in his division, especially considering that he is still only 29 years old.
Rodríguez also holds a quietly impressive résumé, with wins over names like Dan Hooker, Alex Caceres, B.J. Penn, Jeremy Stephens, and one of the most memorable knockouts in MMA history that came over someone higher on our list, The Korean Zombie, Chan Jung Sung.
Has Rodríguez been inactive over the past couple of years? Sure. But when he returned, Rodriguez made a Panther’s dash back to the Octagon in giving Max Holloway the toughest fight he’s had in years with the exception of current champion Alexander Volkanovski. In fact, a very strong case can be made that Rodríguez/Holloway was the 2021 Fight of the Year.
Heading Into 2022: Yair Rodríguez is currently ranked #3 at featherweight. Will the mysterious featherweight contender fight in 2022? If so, against whom? You’ll want to stay glued to MMA News for the latest update because, love him or hate him, Rodríguez has proven to be must-see TV and has earned respect with his blood spilled inside the Octagon.
#54: Rob Font
Rob Font, Image Credit: AP Photo/Gregory Payan
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Despite losing his most recent fight against the great José Aldo last month, Font has won four of his last five fights, including over former champion Cody Garbrandt and former title challenger Marlon Moraes. Additionally, he defeated another ranked bantamweight in Ricky Simon as well as the current Bellator bantamweight champ, Sergio Pettis.
In terms of overall performance, although Font does have five losses on his record, by street rules, one could argue that he has never truly tasted defeat because he’s never been turned into a metaphorical chalk outline via KO or TKO.
Heading Into 2022: Entering 2022, Rob Font is ranked #5 in one of the deepest divisions in the UFC. After his war with Aldo, he may decide to sit out for a while and bide his time before making his Octagon return.
#53: Belal Muhammad
Belal Muhammad, Image Credit: Zuffa LLC
Reasoning Behind Ranking: One of the quietest ascensions over the past two years has been Belal Muhammad. Muhammad began his UFC run at 1-2 and has had his share of close fights since then. It is perhaps for these reasons that many are overlooking the fact that he has won 10 of his last 11 bouts, sans the No-Contest result against Leon Edwards last March.
In fact, Muhammad is unbeaten in his last seven fights, including a one-sided victory over our #58-ranked fighter, Stephen Thompson. With this level of consistency, Muhammad has proven that his success is 0% luck and rather 100% reason to Remember the Name.
Heading Into 2022: If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Muhammad over the years, it’s that he is willing, eager, and ready to fight anyone, anywhere, and on any amount of notice. That said, even though he is now ranked #5 at welterweight, I wouldn’t expect him to guard his spot with caution but instead continue to throw himself toward the wolves without reservation.
#52: Alexandre Pantoja
Alexandre Pantoja
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Coming in at #52 is #3-ranked flyweight Alexandre Pantoja. Pantoja’s 2021 campaign was a successful one, with the Brazilian going 2-0 on the year, including a Performance of the Night-winning victory over Brandon Royval at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Gastelum in August. In terms of his career, many, many men have been left grounded by “The Cannibal,” with Pantoja gnawing at their records with a total of 17 of his 24 victories of his own coming by way of finish, including his rear-naked choke victory over Royval.
Pantoja has won six of his last eight bouts, and we would be remiss if we didn’t point out that he holds two victories over current champion Brandon Moreno (one official, one TUF/amateur). Suffice it to say, that was highly factored into our body of work/résumé category.
Heading Into 2022: There’s not too many places for Pantoja to go but either a title shot or title eliminator. In fact, Pantoja was originally scheduled to face the aforementioned Moreno in a championship bout, but Pantoja was forced to withdraw due to injury. Will he be returning to a title shot in 2022? Or will he have to take another fight?
It is unclear how long Pantoja will be sidelined, but in the meantime, the upcoming bout between Askar Askarov and Kai Kara-France could serve as the title eliminator to settle who is next for the winner of Moreno/Figueiredo III.
#51: Alexander Volkov
Alexander Volkov, Image Credit: Zuffa LLC
Reasoning Behind Ranking: When it comes to dues paid, Alexander Volkov is one of the most established fighters on our list. With a total of 43 fights to his name and experience across multiple top-tier promotions, “Drago” has seen pretty much everything this game has to offer.
In terms of his body of work and résumé, he holds wins over names like Fabricio Werdum, Roy Nelson, Blagoy Ivanov, and most recently over Marcin Tybura at UFC 267. And in terms of recency, he has won three of his last four fights and is firmly in the heavyweight title picture ranked #5 in the division.
From a skillset and likelihood-to-win standpoint, Volkov has an extremely impressive finish rate of nearly 75%. And with 22 of those 34 finishes coming by knockout, Drago has shown that despite his usual technical and patience approach, he packs a very legitimate bang.
Heading Into 2022: Alexander Volkov’s only losses in the UFC have come against names that remain very much relevant in the division: interim champion Ciryl Gane, #4-ranked Curtis Blaydes, and KO king and #3-ranked Derrick Lewis. Also, despite his many years of experience, Volkov is still only 33 years old, which is considered a relatively vibrant age in the heavyweight division.
So 2022 will reveal if this veteran will move up or downward from his #5 position. Because with the many new faces and active veterans in the division, it’s difficult to see him remaining firm without movement in one direction or the other.
Stay tuned to find out who is next on the MMA News Top 100 Fighters Of 2021 in Part 6!
Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou and interim champ Ciryl Gane are continuing to talk about each other’s fighting style leading up to their main event.
Thursday on his YouTube channel, Ngannou was asked about middleweight champion Israel Adesanya’s fighting style, to which Ngannou responded by taking a jab at Gane. Ngannou compared the two’s similar kickboxing styles and stated that Adesanya is a better version of Gane.
“He’s (Adesanya) a great guy, the best striker in the game, definitely,” said Ngannou. “Because when you look at his style, he just does everything that Ciryl does but in a better way.”
Ngannou stated that he even tried to get Adesanya to come help train with him in preparations of facing a kick-boxing-styled heavyweight in Gane. Ngannou claims that the reason he couldn’t get “The Last Stylebender” over was due to the strict travel restrictions where Adesanya resides in New Zealand.
“By the way, I (tried) to get him for this training camp, but travel restrictions with New Zealand wasn’t really helpful for us,” said Ngannou “But he would have loved to come here and help me for the striking part of the game, the footwork and everything.”
Gane and Adesanya are some of the highest-leveled kickboxers in the UFC, with names like Stephen Thompson, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Valentina Schevchenko, and many others being up there with them.
Ngannou and Gane are just a few weeks away from finally fighting for the heavyweight championship, which will be held on January 22nd. Ngannou (16-3) will be looking to make his first title defense since securing UFC gold when he KO’d Stipe Miocic at UFC 260. As for Gane, he will be looking to take the word “interim” off of his current title and become the undisputed heavyweight king with a win over Ngannou.
Who do you think has the better kickboxing style between Ciryl Gane and Israel Adesanya?
Five years ago, a 24-year-old Marlon Vera let Jimmie Rivera hear it after Rivera pulled out of their fight. Little did young “Chito” that Rivera would pull out of a fight between them again three years later at UFC 247.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 9, 2017, 9:46 PM]
Headline: Marlon Vera Says Jimmie Rivera Is ‘Not A Real Man’
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
The biggest opportunity fell in the lap of Marlon Vera recently. He was called upon to replace Bryan Caraway at this Sunday night’s (Jan. 15) UFC Fight Night event in Phoenix, Arizona. His opponent was to be No. 6 ranked bantamweight Jimmie Rivera.
And just like that, the opportunity was gone.
Rivera claimed the reason he pulled out of the fight was in fear of coming off like a bully. Vera told BloodyElbow.com that “El Terror’s” only fear was fighting something that isn’t as bad as he thought:
“I think 100 percent he is (scared). Not because I’m the best in the division, but probably he accepted the fight without knowing who I am, and then when he watched my clip, he was expecting a tomato can. When he watched the fights, he probably found out I’m not a tomato can. I have two losses in the UFC, but both of those fights were very close.”
Vera was left confused by Rivera’s explanation for removing himself from the Phoenix card.
“All of the things he said is completely bizarre. It’s stupid, and it’s immature. All of the things he said show to the world how unprofessional this dude is. What this guy did, that’s why he’s not going to be remembered.”
“El Terror” teaches kids in New York City at Team Tiger Schulmann’s. Vera argues that Rivera’s unprofessional actions should prevent him from doing so.
“This guy said he teaches kids. I also teach kids in the gym. When I teach kids, I tell them that a real man keeps his word. To me, words mean more than a contract. This guy shouldn’t be teaching kids, because he’s not a professional. He’s not a real man. Every single fighter in the world wants to fight. You get a fight and the next day say, ‘I don’t want to fight.’ That’s proof you are not a real man.”
UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is already thinking about the pursuit of ‘champ-champ’ status after his first title defense.
Oliveira wrapped up his stellar 2021 by defeating Dustin Poirier at UFC 269, further cementing himself as the lightweight king. He earned the then-vacant title over Michael Chandler at UFC 262 after Khabib Nurmagomedov retired.
Oliveira has found a home at 155 pounds after an up-and-down tenure at featherweight. But, he has previously stated that he would entertain the idea of moving back down to 145 if a title shot was available.
“I really thought I couldn’t drop to 145 anymore,” Oliveira said, “But this last weight cut, I was really [close to] 155 before the fight with this work we’ve been doing, with lots of water in the body, and we believe we could easily make 145.
“If I had the opportunity to go straight for the 145 belt, I’d move down to fight. Also, if I had the opportunity to go straight for the 170 belt, I’d also move up to fight, but I believe it’s more viable to [drop down] to 145 instead of going to 170 at this moment.”
Kamaru Usman is widely expected to face Leon Edwards next but has taken out most top contenders. Volkanovski recently had his Max Holloway trilogy canceled and is awaiting a new opponent for UFC 272.
Oliveira is widely expected to face Justin Gaethje for his next lightweight title defense, but a money fight against Conor McGregor might be possible as well. Oliveira is looking ahead to a potentially active 2022.
Do you think Charles Oliveira could become a UFC double champ?
The following story was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
On This Day Two Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 9, 2020, 9:23 AM]
Headline: Mike Perry Takes Heat For Using N-Word In Social Media Beef With Michael Jai White
Mike Perry is defending himself after taking heat for using the N-word.
Perry hasn’t been one to shy away from controversy. “Platinum” is known for being outspoken and some have said his personality is an acquired taste. Some, however, believe that Perry has gone too far with his insult towards actor and martial artist Michael Jai White.
Mike Perry Gets Flak For Saying N-Word, Responds
Perry recently took to Twitter to challenge White to a “backyard bare-knuckle” fight.
I just feel like #KimboSlice would beat the fuck outta @MichaelJaiWhite and his tone in the video really bothered me. He should fight me backyard bare knuckle because I would like to learn this “prison movie technique” he was talking about #PPV#Or#For#Free 🤷🏼♂️
“I just feel like #KimboSlice would beat the fuck outta @MichaelJaiWhite and his tone in the video really bothered me. He should fight me backyard bare knuckle because I would like to learn this ‘prison movie technique’ he was talking about #PPV #Or #For #Free.”
White fired back at Perry with an offer of his own.
Maybe if MP learned my “Prison Movie Technique” he wouldn’t be ranked #20?😏I got no time for playground callouts Brother but holla when you come thru and maybe I’ll have time to give you a personal demo. Just DM me Bro. It really ain’t that hard! https://t.co/kxKdE5BTzO
“Maybe if MP learned my ‘Prison Movie Technique’ he wouldn’t be ranked #20? I got no time for playground callouts Brother but holla when you come thru and maybe I’ll have time to give you a personal demo. Just DM me Bro. It really ain’t that hard!”
Perry would go on to question what credibility White has when it comes to world-class competition.
What’s your world class rank ? I’m the real deal. I know it. I leveled up the intensity of the whole sport soon as I hit the world stage. You fight on playgrounds in your movies. Fight me in a pro fight and let the world watch. @danawhite ‘s backyard . https://t.co/8CrmWsNURT
“What’s your world class rank ? I’m the real deal. I know it. I leveled up the intensity of the whole sport soon as I hit the world stage. You fight on playgrounds in your movies. Fight me in a pro fight and let the world watch. @danawhite ‘s backyard .”
Things took a turn when Perry used the N-word in an attempt to goad White into a fight.
Perry caught flak for his use of the N-word from fans and even UFC strawweight Angela Hill.
White people using ‘nigga’ to insult a black person, I don’t give a fuck what your intentions were, it ain’t right. The few times I’ve run into Perry during fights he’s seemed cool, this isn’t cool. https://t.co/4PnQ5vHKVl
“White people using ‘nigga’ to insult a black person, I don’t give a fuck what your intentions were, it ain’t right. The few times I’ve run into Perry during fights he’s seemed cool, this isn’t cool.”
Perry isn’t likely to apologize anytime soon.
You have to make a big deal out of this. A white man said that to you because you straight up being one. Y’all can’t act like you don’t hear me. It was bull shit he was trying to slander a real gangsta so people would think he more than an actor. For #FLA we say #FOH
“You have to make a big deal out of this. A white man said that to you because you straight up being one. Y’all can’t act like you don’t hear me. It was bull shit he was trying to slander a real gangsta so people would think he more than an actor. For #FLA we say #FOH”
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler still has championship ambitions, but he’s got his eyes on a teammate who may beat him to it.
Chandler fell short in a Fight of the Year contender against Justin Gaethje at UFC 268. Despite the defeat, Chandler earned plenty of respect and support from the UFC fanbase and is a big name in the lightweight division. He also had to apologize to his wife afterward for the sheer brutality of the contest.
Chandler trains down at Sanford MMA alongside some of the top UFC talents, including Gilbert Burns and, formerly, Kamaru Usman. But one particular teammate of his, Ian Garry, has impressed him since joining the gym last year.
“We had a couple of conversations and then I was like, okay, obviously the talent is there, you know?” Chandler said. “His body type, his confidence in himself, the part of the world that he comes from – he’s a young, brash Irishman who does not lack confidence in any area of his life. And that’s something I’m attracted to as well. Even as a 35-year-old – a guy who has been in the game for a decade longer than he has – I still try to remember myself as that young, hungry, nothing-to-lose kind of guy.
Ian Garry
“And I think my fight style shows it, my attention to detail shows it because I want to live a champion lifestyle. And it’s just awesome to see these guys come in and even Ian himself, I think his game is on a trajectory to the moon. I think he will be world champion in the next couple of years.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Before signing with the UFC, Garry made waves by earning the then-vacant Cage Warriors welterweight title over Jack Grant at CW 125. Coincidentally, this is the same promotion where his fellow countryman, Conor McGregor, began his rise to stardom.
Garry made a nod to McGregor during his post-fight interview at UFC 268, alluding to his “We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over” quote.
Chandler and Garry are in different weight classes but could benefit from one another in training. Both men could be in the title conversation by the end of 2022.
Heading into 2019, Cris Cyborg had just suffered her first MMA loss since her debut in 2005 when Amanda Nunes shocked the world by knocking her out at UFC 232 in December. As her contract was coming to its end, many wondered if there would be a rematch or if Cyborg would even remain with the promotion.
In the following article, her coach sounded confident that she’d remain with the UFC. Nine months later, however, she signed with Bellator MMA and has been dragging Dana White and the UFC frequently ever since.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 9, 2019, 3:21 PM]
Headline: Coach: Cyborg Isn’t Leaving The UFC
Author: Jon Fuentes
Former UFC women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg is nearing the end of her UFC deal. Cyborg’s deal will expire in March, and there’s a real possibility she could leave the promotion.
The former Invicta FC champ has teased a career in boxing. She could even test herself in other promotions such as Bellator MMA, or even ONE Championship. Cyborg’s last Octagon appearance was a shocking one, to say the least.
She co-headlined UFC 232 from California opposite Amanda Nunes. Nunes made quick work of Cyborg, knocking her out in under a minute. With the win, Nunes became the first-ever female “Champ Champ” in UFC history. Heading into the fight, Nunes was already the 135-pound champion. With the defeat, and Dana White shooting down an immediate rematch opportunity, many are skeptical about Cyborg’s future.
Her coach, Jason Parillo, was recently interviewed by MMA Junkie. Parillo seems confident that Cyborg isn’t going anywhere, and will remain with the UFC:
“We’re not going to leave the UFC,” Parillo said. “We’re going to stay there, plug away and get back the title that Cris had. She has the time and ability to do it.”
“If we could get a fight between now and March, that would be wonderful, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen. The negotiations are obviously the manager’s job, and I just want the best for Cris.”
What do you think about Cyborg’s coach saying she won’t leave the UFC?
The original story was published on this day five years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
On This Day Five Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 9, 2017, 9:21 AM]
Headline: Meryl Streep Says MMA is Not an Art, Scott Coker & Fighters Disagree
An unlikely name has entered the realm of mixed martial arts (MMA) overnight. Renowned actress Meryl Streep accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement award last night (Jan. 8, 2017) at the 74th Golden Globe Awards. During her speech, Streep gave MMA a mention, although it wasn’t a flattering one.
Here is what she said:
“Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners. And if we kick them all out you’ll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts.”
This prompted responses from some MMA fighters and even Bellator President Scott Coker chimed in. He offered Streep an invitation to see Bellator 170 live in Inglewood, California (via Twitter). Here is his invitation:
“Meryl,
I’m a lifelong fan of your work but also a lifelong martial artist who happens to promote mixed martial arts around the world.
The global sport of mixed martial arts celebrates male and female athletes from all around the world who work years tirelessly honing their craft and- yes- art. They come from every country and every walk of life. We at Bellator support them and honor their skill.
Please be my guest at the LA Forum on January 21st and you will see that Mixed Martial Arts is truly artistic – which will feature fighters from all over the world competing at a world class level.
Scott Coker
President Bellator MMA”
Others weren’t as kind in their responses. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight Tamdan McCory was none too pleased with Streep’s words:
Rozenstruik and Tybura were both in the heavyweight title discussion before recent losses. Rozenstruik fell to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 266 while Tybura lost just weeks later at UFC 267 against Alexander Volkov.
Rozenstruik has traded wins and losses since his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in just 20 seconds at UFC 249. He’s earned wins most recently against Junior dos Santos and Augusto Sakai.
Tybura was arguably the hottest heavyweight contender before a loss to Volkov. He had won five fights in a row over the likes of Ben Rothwell, Greg Hardy, and Walt Harris.
The full card for UFC Vegas 49 has yet to be announced, but the card will be headlined by top lightweight contenders Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev. The winner of that matchup will more than likely be next in line for the 155-pound title.
Before losing to Blaydes, Rozenstruik had called for potential matchups with the likes of Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic at heavyweight. Both men remain sidelined and are expected to return at some point in 2022.
As for Tybura, he remains a potential dark horse in the heavyweight division. Previous wins over Stefan Struve and Andrei Arlovski helped propel him into the heavyweight rankings.
Rozenstruik is listed at No. 6 and Tybura is slated at No. 9 in the latest UFC heavyweight rankings. The winner of this matchup could get a Top-5 opponent next.
Amanda Nunes and Chuck Liddell have one thing in common. They are both all-time great UFC champions. One thing they do not have in common? A penis.
The following story is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 9, 2017, 10:13 AM]
Headline: Bruce Buffer: ‘Amanda Nunes is Chuck Liddell Minus The Penis’
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announcer Bruce Buffer has a way with words.
The world of mixed martial arts (MMA) and sports, in general, was buzzing when Ronda Rousey’s bid for a second run with the women’s bantamweight title was derailed in 48 seconds by champion Amanda Nunes. “The Lioness” was dominant while “Rowdy” didn’t showcase any improvements from her brutal knockout loss to Holly Holm in Nov. 2015.
Buffer recently appeared on The Pony Hour podcast (via Bloody Elbow) and talked about Nunes’ first successful title defense. Despite Rousey’s performance, Buffer believes she took the bout very seriously:
“I thought (Rousey) was focused, she just got her ass handed to her. She came into Vegas, on Monday or Friday previous, weighing 135 lbs, instead of coming in on 150 or whatever, and having to lose 15 lbs in 5 days. That’s focused! She came in for the kill.”
With Nunes’ punching power, Buffer compared the 135-pound queen to UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell. There is one significant difference, however.
“In the case of Amanda Nunes, who is like Chuck Liddell with a clitoris. It’s like — and minus the penis — this is a woman who can move back and forward, who doesn’t punch and hit you in the face, she punches through your head. She’s probably going to hold that belt for a long time.”
Many have provided their theories as to why Rousey hasn’t improved in the sport. Some shoulder the blame on her coaches while others feel she was overrated to begin with. Buffer offered his take on what has gone wrong.
“She came in being told, in Holly’s case, that she was invincible. Wrong!” Buffer exclaimed. “Nobody is invincible. Okay? She came into this next fight, without any improvement to be seen in the 48 seconds that we saw. Flat-footed, no head movement, walking into a devastating striker to fight her fight. Bad judgment!”
UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić took a subtle dig at former UFC fighter turned commentator Paul Felder on Twitter.
Rakić is set to face former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz later this year in his return to the Octagon. He most recently defeated Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith in a pair of massive light heavyweight wins.
Rakić has never been afraid to speak his mind, especially when it comes to the UFC commentary team and their supposed bias. He most recently took a shot at Daniel Cormier after Dominick Cruz criticized his fight commentary leading up to UFC 269.
“Just say what you gotta say,” Felder said. “Is this a third-grade crush? Tell me you don’t like my commentary and I’ll tell you some of your fights suck.”
In a series of since-deleted tweets, Rakić said he tends to mute the UFC broadcasts when commentators such as Felder are at the desk. Felder took exception to this and even responded to Rakic in the middle of a fight card.
Rakić has emerged as one of the more outspoken light heavyweight contenders, as evidenced by his recent back-and-forths with Jiří Procházka. Rakić could get the next 205-pound title shot with another impressive win in the Octagon.
Felder also has a history of not letting trolls and critics go unchallenged. He’s notorious for putting harsh critics of his commentary on blast and often engages in Twitter back-and-forths.
What are your thoughts on the UFC commentary team?
The conversation surrounding fighter pay has continued into the new year as expected. Earlier this week, Sean O’Malley stated that he understands why Dana White doesn’t provide better pay for the fighters who do not draw well. On this day five years ago, we ran a story where UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn gave all fighters a bit of advice.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 9, 2017, 7:40 PM]
Headline: BJ Penn to Fighters: ‘Make Yourself The Money Fight’
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Hall of Famer B.J. Penn knows a thing or two about marquee fights.
“The Prodigy” competed against Georges St. Pierre in a super fight at UFC 94. Penn was the reigning lightweight champion, while “Rush” held the welterweight title. The pay-per-view (PPV) buy rate was estimated at 920,000. Penn’s base salary was $125,000.
A lot has changed since that time and the money has increased. For example, Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis got paid $150,000 to show for their interim title fight at UFC 206. The PPV was only estimated to have done 150,000 buys. Those certainly aren’t buys you’d expect for a super fight, yet both men got paid more than Penn did back in 2009.
Reigning lightweight champion Conor McGregor has played a significant role in some fighters’ change in thinking. With the amount of money “Notorious” makes ($3,500,000 base salary for UFC 205), many competitors, including Tyron Woodley, have tried holding off potential contenders in favor of big money fights.
Penn isn’t thrilled with the new craze. He told FOX Sports that fighters should become the attraction rather than beg to face one:
“I’ll tell you this, I’m not the guy to go out there and say ‘oh give me this money fight, give me that money fight. I look at all these guys doing that and I’m like why don’t you go knock out 100 guys and become the money fight yourself? “(Expletive) (expletive).”
“The Prodigy” will come out of retirement on Sunday (Jan. 15) to face soaring prospect Yair Rodriguez. The bout will be headlining the next UFC Fight Night card. It’ll be Penn’s second fight in the featherweight division. A win over “El Pantera” would be his first in over six years. The action takes place inside the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. The main card will begin at 10 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).
Former UFC bantamweight champion Miesha Tate may consider a run at flyweight, but she’s ruling out a potential gig on OnlyFans.
Tate most recently fell to Ketlen Vieira last November via a unanimous decision, after dominating her UFC return against Marion Reneau. She returned to the Octagon after retiring following her loss at UFC 205 in 2016.
There has been some speculation as to what Tate may do with her career. She’s hinted at a potential move to 125 pounds to challenge for another UFC title but is also still pursuing a run at bantamweight.
But one fan was interested in whether or not Tate would ever join the adult site OnlyFans.com as a side gig, and the former UFC champion shut that idea down quickly.
Miesha Tate has managed to accumulate quite the following on social media despite her prior absence from fighting. As of the publishing of this story, she has earned 2.1 million followers on her Instagram page and is also increasingly active on her YouTube channel.
The biggest win of Tate’s UFC career came when she pulled off a remarkable comeback win over Holly Holm for the bantamweight title at UFC 196. She went on to lose the title to Amanda Nunes at UFC 200 before her pre-retirement loss to Raquel Pennington.
Tate appears to be rejuvenated in this next chapter of her career, but fans shouldn’t expect any mature content from the star athlete.
Long before Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor was announced, the two superstars were already involved in an inter-sport feud, as captured in the following story.
The following article was published on this day six years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Six Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 9, 2016, 9:00 AM]
Headline: Conor McGregor Calls Out Floyd Mayweather Over Racism Comments
Author: Eric Lynch
Conor McGregor has officially called out undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather, saying the two “can organize a fight no problem.”
McGregor recently wrote a message on his Facebook page mostly addressing the media and apologizing for a photo of him with a rifle, but the note also took aim at Mayweather. McGregor responded to an interview Mayweather did in December, where the boxer said he feels the media favors McGregor over him due to racism.
“I don’t really know the McGregor guy, never seen him fight,” Mayweather told FightHype.com. “They say he talks a lot of trash and people praise him for it, but when I did it, they say I’m cocky and arrogant. So biased! Like I said before, all I’m saying is this: I ain’t racist at all, but I’m telling you racism still exists.”
McGregor, who is fresh off a 13-second knockout victory over Jose Aldo at UFC 194, fired back at “TBE” on Friday. He told Mayweather not to bring race into his success and made it clear he’s willing to fight over it. McGregor also took the opportunity to say he feels Mayweather only deserves 20% of the revenue from their potential fight, as McGregor’s last pay-per-view event may have had twice as many sales as Mayweather’s last fight against Andre Berto in September.
Here’s what the UFC featherweight champion had to say on Facebook about Mayweather:
“Floyd Mayweather, don’t ever bring race into my success again. I am an Irishman. My people have been oppressed our entire existence. And still very much are. I understand the feeling of prejudice. It is a feeling that is deep in my blood. In my family’s long history of warfare there was a time where just having the name ‘McGregor’ was punishable by death.
“Do not ever put me in a bracket like this again. If you want we can organise a fight no problem. I will give you a fair 80/20 split purse in my favour seen as your last fight bombed at every area of revenue.
“At 27 years of age I now hold the key to this game. The game answers to me now.”
Related: Video: Floyd Mayweather Takes Shots At Randy Couture & MMA
Back in August, McGregor felt confident that both he and Ronda Rousey could defeat Mayweather in a hypothetical scenario.
“In a real fight I would dismantle him in seconds,” McGregor told The Guardian. “Ronda Rousey would dismantle him in seconds – 100%. When you don’t know how to grapple you don’t stand a chance. For us, it’s like playing with a baby. People who don’t understand the sport cannot understand how vulnerable they are. There are always clinches and Ronda is a judo Olympian. She would throw Floyd on his head in a second. Me? I would knock him out. Cold.”
Related: Ronda Rousey Also Says She Could Beat Floyd Mayweather In A No-Rules Fight
Conor McGregor will reportedly be challenging UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of UFC 197 on 3/5 in Las Vegas.
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has brought with him a zero-tolerance policy for hate entering 2022.
Known for his cool-and-collected disposition, Usman took some time out to address one or two of his all-star haters in a Snapchat Story. On this occasion, rather than playing it cool, “The Nigerian Nightmare” delivered a message that was downright chilling (h/t The Mirror).
“Whomever you are watching my story, please just choke yourself. 2022 started and your life is centered around others,” he wrote in the story. “Better yet, kill yourself. Having fun watching my life and not yours,” Usman posted to his Snapchat Story along with a middle finger emoji.
While it is unknown what was said to draw out this response from Usman, the current pound-for-pound king seemed to recognize the looming controversy that could await when suggesting a fan take their own life. Consequently, Usman would then tone down his rhetoric a couple of notches while still getting a similarly stern message across.
“Let me clear this up, I know that was tough. It was 4am in the morning, it was a little slizzered and obviously, I typed that the wrong way,” he said in the video.
“Let me rephrase this for that hater, you know who you are, that particular hater there’s one of you or maybe two of you that keeps watching my story so you can have something to hate on.
“Choke yourself, it’s me saying it now, choke yourself. For the rest of my fans, my real fans I love and appreciate you guys, I always have and always will.”
It wasn’t all talk of hate and violence. The Nigerian-American also had a more appreciative message for his fans and supporters.
“I love my fans even those that (hate) because you truly only wish you could be me.”
Usman showed more patience during the build-up to his most recent fight against rival Colby Covington. Covington tried everything under the sun to get under Usman’s skin, including repeatedly referencing his father’s stint in prison. And yet, Usman let it all slide off his shoulders prior to defeating Covington for the second time at UFC 268, where the two enemies temporarily squashed their beef with a partial embrace.
What do you make of these remarks from Kamaru Usman?
Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo believes the UFC 266 main event between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega is the “greatest fight” in MMA history.
At the start of one of the most memorable sets of final pay-per-views a year has seen in the UFC, reigning featherweight titleholder Volkanovski met with top contender Ortega in the September 25 headliner. The pair were originally set to clash at UFC 260 six months prior, but a positive COVID-19 test forced the Australian out.
In the end, the pair coached the 2021 return of The Ultimate Fighter. Whilst it certainly wasn’t the most thrilling season of the show, it did add an extra pinch of animosity and helped build the matchup more heading into their eventual showdown at UFC 266.
But even in defeat, we saw why “T-City” has a spot among the elite at 145 pounds, with two tight submission attempts in the third round providing one of the most memorable frames in history.
Cejudo Believes Volkanovski vs. Ortega Had Everything
In the eyes of many, the UFC 266 main event was certainly a top contender for the Fight of the Year, in the conversation with the likes of Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler at UFC 268, Max Holloway vs. Yair Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 42, and Jiří Procházka vs. Dominick Reyes at UFC Vegas 25.
But while many didn’t have Volkanovski’s one and only defense of 2021 in their top spot for the year, one former UFC champion had it there and more. Cejudo, who held both flyweight and bantamweight gold simultaneously during his UFC career, believes the memorable September five-rounder was not only the FOTY, but the greatest fight in the history of mixed martial arts.
“The one I really like the most, I’m going to have to go to with Alexander ‘The Average’ (Volkanovski) and Brian Ortega,” Cejudo said on his podcast with The Schmo. “That isn’t, to me in my eyes, the Fight of the Year, but this is the greatest fight in my eyes in mixed martial arts history. It displayed striking, defense, escaping from submissions, takedowns, takedown defense, I mean, it was everywhere.” (h/t BJPenn.com)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYXgZgqpeu3/
Having extended his win streak and featherweight reign with victory over Ortega, Volkanovski is now in need of a next challenger after Max Holloway had to withdraw from their UFC 272 bout.
As fate would have it, Cejudo, who has been lobbying to fight Volkanovski for several months, has thrown his name into the ring as a potential short-notice replacement. If selected, maybe Cejudo will be the one on the other end of an all-time classic against Volkanovski.
Giga Chikadze isn’t happy with Alexander Volkanovski after the featherweight champion alluded to ‘The Korean Zombie’ getting the next title shot.
Volkanovski was originally supposed to fight Max Holloway in their trilogy at UFC 272 before Holloway reaggravated an injury in recent days. Chikadze is slated to face Calvin Kattar in a UFC Fight Night main event on Jan. 15 and could potentially get a title shot if he wins.
After Holloway pulled out, the UFC and Volkanovski immediately began looking for potential replacements. Chan Sung Jung, otherwise known as ‘The Korean Zombie’, is reportedly at the top of the list, along with possibly Yair Rodriguez.
This appeared to irk Chikadze, who is coming off a dominant win over Edson Barboza. He aired his frustration in a recent Twitter rant.
Giga Chikadze Roasted Alexander Volkanovski On Twitter
@alexvolkanovski The chump Picking up all the easiest link in a division Zombie and specially Rodriguez he’s suck I will handle my business on Saturday and I’m gonna kick your midget head ass back Singapore or Ireland whatever you from@danawhite@seanshelby
Volkanovski most recently defeated Brian Ortega at UFC 266 via unanimous decision, in one of the most gritty performances of 2021. Before that, he had earned back-to-back wins over Holloway inside the Octagon.
It’s still unknown who will get the short-notice bout at UFC 272, but Chikadze appears ready and willing to step up if he can get past Kattar.
UFC heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa fought at the same event as rising bantamweight star Sean O’Malley twice in 2021, a trend he hopes continues this year.
Like O’Malley, Tuivasa has been in fine form as of late. He’s built a destructive four-fight win streak that has seen him climb to within one spot of the top 10 at heavyweight.
Since a submission loss to Sergey Spivak in 2019 added a third straight loss to his skid, “Bam Bam” has knocked out Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy, and Augusto Sakai.
Tuivasa’s other 2021 win, a first-round KO against Greg Hardy at UFC 264, provided another memorable moment inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, with members of the crowd pouring their beers into their shoes and either chugging it themselves, or giving it to a victorious Tuivasa as he made his way to the back.
As well as two knockouts and two Octagon shoeys, another constant for Tuivasa’s 2021 was the presence of fellow entertainer Sean O’Malley. Like the Australian heavyweight, “Sugar” recorded triumphs at both UFC 264 and UFC 269.
“Yeah, me and Sean, we talk, and it’s good that we’ve been fighting on the same card the last few times,” Tuivasa told Ariel Helwani on a recent edition of The MMA Hour. “Like I say, he’s a showman as well, so it’s good we’re on the same card. We give the fans what they want.”
With their performances last year, both men achieved an impressive 100% bonus record. Out of their five combined appearances, The UFC dished out an additional $250,000. They’ll be hoping for similar success in 2022, and if they believe in lucky charms, both men will be pushing to be on the same card given their results in 2021.
Unless O’Malley is booked swiftly, Tuivasa will be making his first 2022 appearance on a card that will not feature “The Suga Show.” That is because, as of yesterday, it was revealed that Tuivasa will be facing another showman, Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis at UFC 271 next month.
Would you like to see Sean O’Malley and Tai Tuivasa fighting on the same card again this year?
As of this writing, Anthony Smith never was able to get a hold of Luke Rockhold at Walmart. But here’s a story where he expressed a willingness to do just that, even naming his preferred isle for the desired altercation.
The following article is published in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 8, 2019, 6:57 PM]
Headline: Anthony Smith Would Fight ‘A**hole’ Luke Rockhold At Walmart
Author: Jon Fuentes
Anthony “Lionheart” Smith is currently expected to be Jon Jones’ next challenger for the 205-pound title. However, it appears he could already have another opponent at light heavyweight lined up as well.
Recently, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold took aim at Smith. Hyping his eventual jump to 205 pounds, Rockhold is also eying a fight with Jones. However, with talk of Jones likely facing Smith next, Rockhold said “Bones” should quit wasting his time with fighters like “Lionheart.”
Speaking to Luke Thomas on Sirius XM Fight Nation Smith got the opportunity to respond. Smith is unsure what he did to provoke Rockhold to speak his name, but one thing is for sure, he certainly isn’t a fan (via MMA Mania):
“For Luke to come and start talking about me, first of all, you’ve been knocked out two of your last three times. Yoel Romero almost f*cking decapitated him. He’s coming off a loss and he can’t even make it to his next fight,” Smith said.
“So who is he to talk about anybody else in the UFC? He’s the most arrogant prick I’ve ever seen or heard speak in my life. And I’ve never done anything to that dude. I’ve never even literally shook his hand. I just don’t know where his sense of arrogance comes from.
“I fought four times in 13 months or something, got three bonuses. What are you doing? You’re not doing sh*t. You’re sitting on the sidelines, limping around.”
Fight Rockhold At Walmart
For the time being, Smith will focus on preparing for a likely title shot against Jon Jones. But if he were ever to run into Rockhold in public, say somewhere like Walmart perhaps, there could be trouble:
“I don’t understand how you can just disparage someone so bad that, number one, has done nothing to you, and number two, is highly-regarded as one of the hardest-working and most devoted guys in the sport,” Smith said.
“I’ve never attacked him, I just don’t get it. I will fight that guy anywhere. I will fight that guy in aisle five of Walmart.”
UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis is hoping to avoid fights like the UFC 265 main event for the remainder of his career in the Octagon.
After falling to back-to-back losses versus then-champion Daniel Cormier and former titleholder Junior dos Santos, Lewis found the form of his life on the way back to the top of the division.
Between late 2019 and early 2021, “The Black Beast” secured victories over Blagoy Ivanov and Ilir Latifi on the scorecards and knocked out Alexei Oleinik and Curtis Blaydes with his devastatingly-powerful hands. That four-fight win streak cemented his spot as number-one contender, a status that was expected to see him challenge former opponent Francis Ngannou for the gold.
But with the UFC’s desire to have Lewis headline Houston’s UFC 265 pay-per-view, and the champion’s inability to make that date, Ciryl Gane was drafted in for a contest for the interim title. In an incredibly disappointing night in front of a home crowd, Lewis was comfortably controlled and beaten throughout, falling to a third-round TKO.
For Lewis, it was a relief to return to the atmosphere and setting of a building he described as “perfect” for him. Not only did his December win, which saw him break the record for most KO triumphs in UFC history, provide an instant rebound from his August failing, but it made his future clearer.
During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Lewis suggested he is finished with the high-intensity fight weeks and pressure-loaded matchups. For the rest of his career, he’s targeting fun and easy-going fights.
“This last fight helped me. (It was) a big experience difference, coming into this fight. I just really wanted to go into a fight week and not have pressure on myself, and it felt great. I plan on doing that for the rest of my career now. I can just go out there and just have fun. I feel like I don’t have to prove anything. That’s one of the reasons I wanna fight Stipe (Miocic) next.”
Discussing his experience leading up to his main event clash with Gane at UFC 265, Lewis admitted the pressure put on him was too much for him to handle. To put his nerves into perspective, “The Black Beast” revealed he’d even tried to acquire marijuana to calm him on fight day.
“I don’t wanna experience that ever again. It was too much pressure. To the point where I was really calling people up like, ‘Let me get some weed off you so I can relax my nerves,’ during fight day; that type of pressure. Never felt it that bad… It felt embarrassing.”
With his latest remarks, it seems like it’s victory dances, cup-throwing, and a laid-back attitude for Lewis moving forward. If that means more brutal KOs, not many fans will be complaining, that’s for sure.
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