UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman is doing his part to help the rise of MMA in his native Africa.
Kamaru Usman is arguably the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC at this time. He tops the UFC’s Pound-For-Pound list and has not lost a fight in eight years. Not only is he the total package inside the Octagon, but he is also a great advocate for the sport outside the Octagon. Since becoming UFC champion, Usman has been pushing for a surge of MMA in his native Africa. Now, he has inspired a new MMA promotion to be held in Lagos.
According to The Cable, 54, a new mixed martial arts promotion, will be holding it’s first event. Usman will be involved in this event and has even begun promoting it on his social media.
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This event is being billed as the first of a series of “Premiere MMA” events. This event will feature five fighters from Nigeria and five athletes from other parts of Africa.
“54 announces the first-ever face-off fight night in Africa’s most-populated city, Lagos as it brings mixed martial art fighters to slug it out in a bid to leave an impeccable MMA imprint in Nigeria and by extension, the African continent,” a press release stated.
Usman and his other fellow African champions, Francis Ngannou, and Israel Adesanya have been campaigning hard for the growth of the sport within Africa as a whole. They have all been pushing to start promotions like this one, help with training, and give other resources to the people of Africa. Usman and Ngannou have also been pushing for the UFC to hold an event there in the future.
The first “54” event will take place at 8 pm at the Lagos Continental Hotel on January 7, 2022. There is no information on how to watch the event at this time.
What do you think of Kamaru Usman helping start this promotion in Nigeria?
UFC fans will have to shell out a little extra to enjoy pay-per-views (PPVs) this year.
It isn’t cheap to be a UFC fan these days. Fans of the UFC have to pay more to watch the events than almost any other sport out there. And now, early reports indicate that the prices will be going up again. According to Mark La Monica of Newsday Sports, the ordering price of a UFC PPV will be increasing to $74.99 this year.
PPV prices for UFC events on ESPN+ will be $74.99 this year.
Not only did the price per PPV event rise, but the price of an ESPN+ subscription has gone up from $89.98 to $99.98 per year. The subscription will get you access to all Fight Night cards but not PPV events.
Just recently, Conor McGregor was bragging about the number of PPV buys he has done in his career. Additionally, Dana White is notoriously boastful about the UFC’s ability to sell-out crowds and put up amazing numbers for their big events. Even with records being broken, the prices continue to rise while fighters complain about their pay.
The increase will begin later this month when the first PPV event of 2022 takes place. UFC 270 goes down on Jan. 22 and features a heavyweight championship clash between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane live from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Will you be willing to hand out $74.99 per PPV in the new year?
Recently, O’Malley spoke out about the call out he received from the former bantamweight champion and why now is not the right time for him to accept a bout with Garbrandt.
“Dude, Cody (Garbrandt) wants–he’s not getting that fight (with me),” O’Malley said on his podcast, The TimboSugarShow. “When he said it, you could see in his voice (sic), ‘Oh, I want, uh’ – but that fight’s not happening. It doesn’t make sense for him to say that. I wonder if that’s CTE. He’s been knocked out five (four) times in the last two years (five years). That fights not happening, at least, not next. He needs to – it just doesn’t make sense, dude. It just literally doesn’t make sense.”
Garbrandt expressed interest in O’Malley following his failed flyweight debut at UFC 269. Since bantamweight seems like the next logical option for Garbrandt, maybe O’Malley could be an interesting choice.
Despite O’Malley saying he is no longer interested, he has been looking for a ranked opponent to face. His recent win over Raulian Paiva put him in the top fifteen for the first time in his career. Garbrandt is no longer ranked at bantamweight since he dropped to 125 pounds, but he could very well find himself back there with one fight at 135 pounds.
O’Malley is very popular and has been called out by several fighters following his last win. If he is not interested in Garbrandt anymore, he should have no trouble finding a ranked fighter to face next.
Who would you like to see Sean O’Malley face next?
UFC middleweight contender André Muniz has pitched two potential locations and opponents for his first Octagon appearance of 2022.
Muniz has quickly developed into one of the most promising rising 185lbers and one of the most dangerous men in the UFC on the ground. “Sergipano,” a 3rd-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Otávio Duarte, is 4-0 on MMA’s biggest stage, a record that includes three armbar submissions.
After back-to-back wins on Dana White’s Contender Series, Muniz earned an opportunity in the UFC, one that he has grabbed with both hands; hands that are capable of some terrifying things when they get hold of a limb.
After starting on the right track with a decision triumph against Antônio Arroyo and showcasing his submission skills in the UFC for the first time in his victory against Bartosz Fabiński, the Brazilian went from prospect to serious contender in his third appearance.
Muniz was matched up with the legendary Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza, regarded as one of the best submission grapplers in the promotion’s history, at UFC 262 last May. In an incredible performance, Muniz sunk in a unique armbar in the opening round, one that brutally (and audibly) snapped the arm of his compatriot.
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Muniz Targets Home Crowd Or Hostile Crowd
After a clash against fellow rising middleweight Dricus Du Plessis fell through, Muniz secured his second win of 2021 at UFC 269 against 13-fight promotional veteran Eryk Anders. How did he do it? You guessed it, with an armbar.
Ranked #13 at 185 pounds, Muniz will be hoping to break into the top 10 in 2022 and maybe even stake his claim for a shot at divisional gold. With that in mind, he knows what he wants from the UFC next.
“I hope that now, with these submissions (against Souza and Anders), that the UFC will give me a top 10 or even a top five (opponent),” Muniz told MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn. “I’d like to end the year in a top-five position. Maybe Darren Till.”
Muniz went on to suggest he’s hoping for a clash with “The Gorilla” in the Liverpudlian’s home country. The UFC is reportedly targeting the March 19 card as its return to London, England. While a host of European names and UK stars have had matchups booked for that date, it still lacks a main event. Perhaps the promotion will go down the Muniz vs. Till route.
If that doesn’t come to fruition, Muniz has his sights ready to divert to another international venture for the UFC, this time to his own home nation. Reports suggest the promotion is targeting a return to Brazil for a pay-per-view on May 7. Muniz said it would be “amazing” to fight in Rio de Janeiro against an opponent ranked higher than him. He named top-10 stalwart Uriah Hall as a potential foe.
“If I can’t hook them to put me against Darren Till in England, it would be great, it would be amazing to fight in Rio(de Janeiro) against somebody ranked ahead of me. Who knows, maybe a Uriah Hall or somebody like that. That would be amazing.”
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Some fighters get excited by the prospect of a delivering a winning-performance in front of their home crowd and making the walk to the Octagon with fanfare and cheers. Others relish in the chance to spoil a homecoming in an opponent’s backyard and walk to the cage amidst a chorus of boos.
Muniz’s 2022 targets are ambidextrous in that regard…
Would you rather see André Muniz face Darren Till in England or a high-ranked opponent like Uriah Hall in Brazil?
The beef between Francis Ngannou and former coach Fernand Lopez continues to grow.
The UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has a date set to defend his title against his old training partner Ciryl Gane. The matchup is arguably one of the most anticipated heavyweight title fights in a long time. Now, the growing animosity between Ngannou and Gane’s head coach Fernand Lopez is adding even more drama to this bout.
The Cameroonian was unhappy with the clip that was released and called it misleading. According to Lopez, however, Ngannou could have been made to look much worse. And now, he is willing to release the entire length of training footage.
“That footage didn’t tell the whole story of what happened in training,” Lopez told Low Kick MMA. “There were so many opportunities where they got the better of each other in sparring, so we couldn’t have manipulated the footage. He didn’t want me to release the whole footage because, in that specific training, Francis Ngannou ate a knee shot to the liver and got dropped. Stopped the whole training. These are facts. Francis was on his backside. If he’s saying this isn’t true, I’ll release the whole footage. But, my content manager didn’t want to release it because we have privacy in the gym. When guys train in your gym, they expect things to stay in the gym.”
Everything will soon enough be settled inside the Octagon. The real fight will be taking place on Jan. 22 at UFC 270. At that time, all sparring footage will become obsolete and the truly better man and fighter will be crowned as the UFC heavyweight champion.
Do you think Francis Ngannou has what it takes to defeat Ciryl Gane at UFC 270?
Anthony Pettis is getting ready to return to action for the 2022 season.
With the new year upon us, the next season of PFL is right around the corner. The 2021 season was a great success for PFL. During the offseason, they added a number of well-known fighters to the roster, one of which was former UFC champion, Anthony Pettis.
Pettis has now confirmed that he will be back again and joining PFL for the 2022 season. He spread the news on his personal Twitter page.
Pettis is most well known for his tenure with the UFC. He was with the organization from 2011, and in his ten years there won the lightweight title. He successfully defended it once before losing it to Rafael dos Anjos. He decided to walk away from the UFC in 2021 following two consecutive wins. He then announced his move to PFL as one of the biggest signings.
Pettis’s first season with PFL was filled with great expectations that he did not quite live up to. He lost both of his PFL bouts last season and did not make it to the playoffs. Pettis along with the rest of the lightweight division will be looking to battle it out for the big $1 million prize that awaits the winner of each division.
Some believe that his career could be coming to an end, but he is not ready to walk away yet. In addition to his skills inside the cage, Pettis is also beginning a career outside the cage. Pettis has recently opened his own MMA fight promotion called Showtime FC. As he approaches this next season, Pettis has already achieved so much in the sport and is still gaining more success.
How do you think Anthony Pettis will fair in the next season of PFL?
While Charles Oliveira may have proven him wrong at UFC 269, Justin Gaethje is hoping to flip the script when he gets his title shot later this year.
The Oliveira vs. Gaethje matchup was almost certainly confirmed at UFC 269. “The Highlight” effectively secured his place opposite the champion in 2022 by putting on a Fight of the Year candidate with Michael Chandler. After three rounds of action, the former interim titleholder was awarded a unanimous decision and overtook Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush in the race for the #1-contender spot.
His opponent was decided in the final pay-per-view main event of 2021, which pitted champion Oliveira against challenger Dustin Poirier. While many expected “The Diamond” to secure a third victory of the year and experience his first undisputed title crowning, the Brazilian continued to upset the odds, this time by submitting Poirier in the third frame and recording his first successful defense.
Having recovered from an early knockdown to deliver an imposing performance against Poirier, who some branded the “uncrowned champion,” many have suggested Oliveira has firmly proved Gaethje wrong. While admitting that to be the case at the moment in an interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, “The Highlight” intends on proving himself right when his own title shot arrives next year.
“I never said Charles Oliveira would quit in the first or second round,” Gaethje said. “The times I’m talking about is deep, deep in the fight when, you know, it gets rough, it gets hard… We’ll see. He’s proven me wrong up to this point. But, you know, my job will be to prove myself right when I step in there with him and make him quit.”
Gaethje Targets May/July Title Shot
In terms of timeframe, Gaethje suggested the contest is likely to go down in the second quarter of 2022, highlighting May as the earliest possibility.
“Even by entertainment standards, which are pretty low, I’m next,” Gaethje said. “How could I not be? … I would say earliest May, latest July.”
Per @raphamarinho, the UFC is planning a return to Brazil, likely for their May pay-per-view, which had taken place in Brazil in May of 2018 and 2019 and was scheduled for May in 2020 (cancel due to the pandemic) https://t.co/QdLiLiDE9m
Given his desire to dethrone Oliveira in the champ’s home country of Brazil and the recent reports suggesting a return to the South American nation in May, it seems logical we’ll be seeing Oliveira’s second title defense headline that card if it comes to fruition.
While the hometown hero would be looking for perhaps the most memorable victory of his career, Gaethje would be hoping to spoil the party on foreign soil.
How do you think the fight between Justin Gaethje and champion Charles Oliveira will play out?
WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury and UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou have never been more interested in fighting one another.
If Francis Ngannou fails to come to terms with the UFC, it appears he has a big boxing matchup ahead of him once he becomes a free agent. Ngannou and the UFC are in the middle of tense contract negotiations, with Ngannou’s current deal with the promotion set to expire after his upcoming unification bout against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. If Ngannou loses, he will be a free agent. If he wins, White recently stated that Ngannou would be contractually obligated to fight with the promotion again.
Ngannou has recently stated that in order for him to re-sign with the UFC, he must be granted the freedom to box. When mentioning potential opponents, Fury was among the names “The Predator” listed as being on his radar.
“Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder. I would like to test myself to that level,” Ngannou said during an interview with TMZ Sports. “It’s not the same sport, although I’m the champion, I’m in the top in this division. At the end of the day, it’s just about like trained hands, trained punches, having a good delivery system to produce bombs, and I’m sure that if I deliver my own punch, it’s pretty good, I can make some damage.”
Fury’s Response Sets Off Trash-Talking Twitter Exchange With Ngannou
Image Credit: John McCoy/Getty Images
Thursday, Tyson Fury took to Twitter to get a very early jump start on promoting the very hypothetical matchup.
“How about MMA rules with boxing gloves? I can do you that favor,” Ngannou wrote.
you want to come in to my world calling me & wilder out to a boxing match. what i can guarantee you would be knocked out & also paid your highest purse to be so! so have a think 🤔 https://t.co/JtOgcydYCJ
“you want to come in to my world calling me & wilder out to a boxing match. what i can guarantee you would be knocked out & also paid your highest purse to be so! so have a think,” Fury said in his latest retort.
After I handle business on Jan. 22 I'll fight you under any special rule set you want. In a ring, an octagon or a phone booth. https://t.co/twRhBnFwwH
“After I handle business on Jan. 22 I’ll fight you under any special rule set you want. In a ring, an octagon or a phone booth,” Ngannou assured.
Today isn’t the first time Fury expressed interest in boxing Ngannou with MMA gloves. Last summer, prior to Tyson Fury’s victory over Deontay Wilder in their trilogy fight, “The Gypsy King” went back-and-forth with Ngannou in the media in a similar fashion as they did today. Speaking to Michael Bisping for BT Sport, Fury said that he’d have a boxing match with Ngannou inside a cage with MMA gloves on (via MMA.uno).
“Yeah, I would fight one of those guys, I would fight Ngannou with the little gloves on in a cage, but no grappling and all that, just boxing. Cage boxing. That will be good, right? I would fight these guys, but you know it’s a totally different sport. It is like cricket and tennis. They both have bats or rackets but it is something totally different. If I fight Ngannou in a wrestling match, I am not a fighter, so they are going to take me to the ground like James Toney and they are going to tear me to pieces.”
MMA News will keep you posted if there is any progress made on this fight ever becoming a reality or if these two behemoths continue to trade barbs on Twitter.
Who do you think would win in a boxing match with MMA gloves between Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury?
Nate Diaz still wants to fight Dustin Poirier one day, even if it isn’t a sanctioned fight.
On Tuesday, Poirier said on Teddy Atlas’ podcast that he had agreed to a short-notice fight against Diaz. He wouldn’t reveal what card it was for, but many assumed it would be UFC 270 on January 22 in Anaheim or UFC 271 in Houston, as both cards could use the boost.
“Honestly – another thing that kinda got that flame going is a couple of days ago, I got a phone call – but I can’t talk about it,” Poirier said. “It’s a very short notice thing. Something I would hate to do is stack things against myself and take a fight on short notice, but, we’ll see what happens, man. I don’t want to give too much ‘cause I don’t know what I can say. No contract has been signed yet, but if this goes go through, I’m gonna take it. I said yes, now we’re waiting on him.”
After Poirier revealed that, many thought the fight was nearly official, yet reports then came out that the fight wouldn’t be happening anymore. Diaz then took to Twitter to say he talked to the UFC, but they didn’t want the fight.
Now, after years of the two taking shots at one another, Nate Diaz took to social media to say he will fight Dustin Poirier whenever and wherever.
“Still gonna fight u somewhere,” Diaz wrote in a since-deleted tweet along with the image below.
Nate Diaz hasn’t fought since UFC 263 in June, where he lost a decision to Leon Edwards. It was his second loss in a row after suffering a TKO doctor stoppage loss to Jorge Masvidal for the BMF belt in the main event of UFC 244. He also is on the final fight of his UFC contract, which could play a role as to why the Poirier fight never came to fruition.
Who do you think would’ve won, Nate Diaz or Dustin Poirier?
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the booking of Alex Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway III.
Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway (Image Credit: Louis Grasse/PxImages & Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Yesterday, we learned that Alex Volkanovski will be tasked with beating Max Holloway for the third time when the two meet at UFC 272.
The first time Volkanovski defeated Holloway was in 2019 at UFC 245. Volkanovski was able to win a relatively comfortable decision to capture the featherweight title in Las Vegas, Nevada, three years ago.
The rematch, however, would come with quite a bit of controversy, with many (arguably most) scoring the UFC 251 rematch in favor of the former champ, Max Holloway. Nevertheless, as they say, there are only three opinions that matter, and those were swayed in the direction of the Australian.
Since that loss, Holloway has earned another crack at Volkanovski with back-to-back Fight of the Night-winning victories, first over Calvin Kattar followed by a win over Yair Rodríguez.
So what did The Pulse of MMA have to say after this trilogy bout was announced? Find out down below!
Max won both those fights. I’m surprised Volk is getting a 3rd fight
Likely. Max hurt volk in rd 1 and 2, yet despite having the superior chin and cardio he couldn’t convincingly win another rd against a “point fighter who only has weak leg kicks”. Idk how his fans ignore this and just preach that max was robbed.
This fight is A LOT of pressure on Max! If he loses a 3rd time, he’ll have to move up or hope Volk loses. The fight makes sense, though, Max didn’t get an immediate rematch this time. He beat two tough contenders and EARNED it
Dustin Poirier has always been up for new ventures, and now that includes owning his own whiskey company.
Poirier already has a hot sauce company, but on Wednesday evening, Poirier announced he has created his own whiskey called Rare Stash, and it got an immediate buzz from fans. Many thought that, by making it, Poirier was taking a shot at his rival, Conor McGregor, who also has his own whiskey company in Proper No. 12.
“What’s up man, I just want to say thank you to all my fans across the world, thank you for the love and support over the years,” Poirier said in the video. I’m excited to introduce you guys to my Rare Stash, check it out.”
With Poirier having his own whiskey business, it is another flow of income for him, as after his title fight loss to Charles Oliveira, he hinted he may retire. If he does decide to hang up the gloves, he now has the whiskey money and the hot sauce money coming in.
“I can do anything I put my mind to. I can fight for another belt, I can go on another streak, I can claw and climb and get back to wherever I want to be,” Poirier said. “It’s just, do I want to? That’s the question I’ve got to look in the mirror and answer. Do I want to do it again? Do I want to go down that road again? That answer will come in the next couple days or couple weeks.”
Dustin Poirier, as mentioned, is coming off the title fight submission loss to Oliveira in the main event of UFC 269 for the lightweight strap. Prior to that, he had back-to-back wins over Conor McGregor in 2021. Those victories made Poirier a big star, especially due to the fact he became the first person to KO the Irishman back in January.
What do you make of Dustin Poirier creating his own whiskey?
Rising UFC lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett says Charles Oliveira’s victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 has given him the confidence that he could do the same in a fight against “The Diamond.”
Having joined the UFC roster in 2021, Pimblett now has the privilege of having a front-row seat alongside his fellow stars at pay-per-view events. He made full use of that treatment for the final PPV card of last year, headlined by Oliveira’s first title defense.
Pimblett Fancies His Chances Opposite “The Diamond”
In the eyes of most, the win cemented Oliveira’s place as the best lightweight in the world right now. A victory over Poirier, a heavy favourite heading into the clash and the consensus best 155lber leading into UFC 269, certainly seems worthy of securing that title. However, one future star in the division had a different takeaway from the result.
During a recent appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, “The Baddy” suggested Oliveira’s ability to take Poirier’s back and lock in a submission has convinced him he’d be able to find the same success against the former interim titleholder.
“I went with Poirier over Oliveira. And lad, after watching that fight as well, I’m watching that thinking, ‘Lad, if Oliveira can do that to you Dustin, I can.’ It’s mad like, when you watch (it), MMA math doesn’t work, but when you watch fights, you’re just like, ‘Wow, if he can do that and get in that position, then fucking I can.’”
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While Pimblett certainly has a long way to go before he joins the same conversations as Poirier, he is highly touted by many. That includes by his fellow Englishman Bisping, who believes he has the confidence and mindset to one day become a champion on MMA’s biggest stage.
Sean Strickland’s actions are every bit as untamed as his words based on newly leaked footage from a sparring session turned black.
The lights that were shut off were from the poor fellow who found himself on the wrong end of a barrage from the #7-ranked middleweight. In an eight-second clip that was leaked on social media Wednesday, Strickland can be seen going full-go in a sparring session against an overwhelmed partner who would soon be rendered unconscious after a perfectly placed head kick. Peep it out down below.
This is not the first time Strickland has been seen in viral training footage. Last year, a video was leaked that captured the middleweight losing his cool with grappling partner Orlando Sanchez.
Indeed, there never seems to be a dull, pedestrian moment whenever Sean Strickland is on the scene. And as far as his unordinary sparring sessions are concerned, even when there isn’t leaked footage, there are still stories to tell.
Just yesterday, we ran a story where Strickland gave a brief summary of what it feels like to be sparring the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion himself, Francis Ngannou.
“You know, I would like to think that I fucked Francis up, but I really think that he’s very nice… He’s a good dude, man. I was actually sparring him the other day and I told Francis, ‘You’ve never experienced this in your life, but when I spar you and you’re throwing punches at me, like, I genuinely have fear. You’ve probably never felt that in your life.’ But Francis is a great guy. He throws hard, I trust him not to hurt me. Anytime he fucking wants to bang, dude, I welcome it.”
When he’s not allowing Ngannou to “bang” with him, he instead occupies his time by banging sparring partners’ domes with flush head kicks into la-la land. Hopefully, the gentleman on the wrong end of Strickland’s onslaught will not suffer any long-term, lingering effects from his knockout experience.
Strickland’s intense preparation is being put to use leading up to his February bout against #5-ranked Jack Hermansson. With a victory, that would make six straight for Strickland, not counting the KO dub he just earned on his poor sparring partner in the above video.
Would you be open to a sparring session against UFC wildman Sean Strickland?
UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has responded to Marlon Vera after “Chito” criticized a video of “Sugar” giving out money to strangers.
O’Malley and Vera’s feud has been well-documented across the past year-and-a-half. The rivalry began when they met inside the Octagon at UFC 252 in August 2020. Inside the opening round, the Ecuadorian handed O’Malley his first professional MMA loss.
But while many praised the #12-ranked bantamweight for passing on $100 to other individuals who were perhaps in more need of it than him, “Chito” had a different view. Taking to Twitter, he branded O’Malley a “piece of shit” for recording the good deed.
“U don’t need a camera guy to help people. you piece of shit,” he tweeted.
O’Malley Fires Back
As you’d expect, O’Malley has since responded to his foe’s comments. In a recent episode of his podcast, the Montana native slammed Vera, suggesting he wouldn’t have given the same charitable donations back to the community as he has.
O’Malley added that Vera showed his true colors by speaking out against his video and insisted he still felt good about his money-giving venture despite his fellow ranked bantamweight’s opinion.
“Giving out money. Some people didn’t like it,” O’Malley said. “This one guy (Vera) tweeted something like, ‘You can give money out, you don’t need a cameraman,’ something stupid… He said camera guy, I’m like, well, first of all, it’s my sister, she’s a girl, don’t be sexist. Girls can record videos, too. Some people have no respect.
“‘I thought it was pretty fun. I enjoyed it. I had a good feeling in my heart, giving money to those people. Most of them were like, ‘Oh my god, dude, I needed this.’ I still feel like a good person… It doesn’t matter what someone thinks. I think he got a lot of hate for it. I’m like, ‘Dude, you look like an idiot. Why would you say that? I’m helping people.’ I guarantee I gave more to my people than he ever has. My people, random people, there’s just no way he’s done that… Super weird. I think it just shows true colors.”
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Since his setback against Vera, O’Malley has been back to his best. With three victories in 2021, “Sugar” recorded three finishes, earned three post-fight bonuses, and broke into the bantamweight top 15.
With “Chito” on a similar run having beaten Davey Grant and Frankie Edgar, it seems we could be seeing the pair run it back sooner rather than later. O’Malley has previously claimed the rematch is inevitable, and as both continue rising the ranks, it’s hard to imagine them not meeting in the cage again.
Do you think Marlon Vera was wrong to criticize Sean O’Malley’s charitable video?
UFC women’s flyweight Erin Blanchfield described her UFC 269 fight with Miranda Maverick as “easier” than she thought it would be.
At the final pay-per-view of 2021, two of the UFC’s top female prospects collided, both looking to move closer to a spot in the 125-pound rankings.
24-year-old Maverick was about as highly touted as they come, and entered last summer 2-0 in the UFC following victories over Liana Jojua and Gillian Robertson. After a controversial split decision loss to Maycee Barber, a result most disagreed with, “Fear The” Maverick was hoping to rebound by halting the charge of a fellow future star on December 11.
Blanchfield, meanwhile, had made her way to the UFC and established herself as rising name at the age of just 22. After back-to-back Performance of the Night performances under the Invicta FC banner, “Cold Blooded” debuted on MMA’s biggest stage with a win against Sarah Alpar last September.
At UFC 269, it was the younger of the two prospects who made her way further up the mountain. By securing a dominant unanimous decision triumph, Blanchfield moved closer to the group of contenders and put the rest of the weight class on notice.
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Blanchfield Promises To “Keep Surprising People”
In the eyes of many leading up to the blockbuster year-ending PPV, Blanchfield was the underdog and was expected to make way for the division’s hottest prospect. Ultimately, that couldn’t have been further from reality. With a flyweight record seven takedowns and some hard shots on the ground, Blanchfield imposed her will with ease.
During her appearance at the post-fight press conference, “Cold Blooded” suggested the only thing that really surprised her was how easy the contest was. Given the hype surrounding Maverick and her muscular build, Blanchfield understands why her opponent was favored. However, she promised to keep upsetting the odds on her way to the top.
“I’m pretty happy with it. I wish I could’ve hit her a little bit more. She was good at holding my wrist and stopping my ground and pound that I like. But you know, the fight felt pretty smooth, it went the way I wanted it to, so I’m happy with it.
“I think her striking, she had decent fakes. But other than that, everything felt easier than I thought it was gonna be, honestly. I mean, I know everyone picked her to win, but I feel like that’s probably just because she looks a little more muscular. I don’t look like I should be able to be this strong and beat these people. But I know I can and I have the technicality and the ability to do so. I’m gonna keep surprising people until I’m champ.”
Blanchfield was initially scheduled to face Barber on December 11, but “The Future” was forced to withdraw. With Barber sat at #13 in the rankings, we could well see that clash re-arranged in 2022.
For Blanchfield, it would provide the chance to secure her place on the divisional ladder. For Barber, it would give her the opportunity to cement herself as the top flyweight prospect.
What did you make of Erin Blanchfield’s latest performance? Do you see her as a future champion?
The UFC Bantamweight Championship will be unified later this year, as current champ Aljamain Sterling will meet interim titleholder Petr Yan at UFC 272.
The matchup gives Yan the chance to reclaim the undisputed bantamweight title. But on the other side, it gives Sterling the opportunity to get another win and override his most controversial victory yet.
Sterling became champion in March 2021 as a fourth-round illegal knee landed by Yan disqualified him from their title fight. This result caused the belt to change hands and gave Yan his first loss since joining the UFC.
While Sterling’s title win in 2021 was controversial, it came after a respected run up the bantamweight rankings. He picked up five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2020, including two submission victories.
He has yet to compete since he earned the belt in the first quarter of 2021.
Sterling Suffers Injury, Yan Earns Interim Belt In Late 2021
Photos via Instagram @espnmma @petr_yan
UFC has attempted to re-book the fight in two different instances, although it has fallen off a card for various reasons. A previous iteration of the bout lined it up to take place on UFC 267 in October. That fight was later scrapped due to Sterling suffering health complications following neck surgery.
Yan still competed on that card, using the opportunity to further solidify himself as the rightful challenger for Sterling’s belt. He went five rounds against Cory Sandhagen at that event, defeating him via decision to become the interim UFC bantamweight champion.
A win for Yan would begin his second title reign as bantamweight champ. His first run started in 2020 after he defeated former featherweight champion José Aldo.
Now that they are booked to meet again, who do you see as the winner?
Former UFC welterweight Kevin Lee believes the promotion is heavily pushing Khamzat Chimaev in order to draw Khabib Nurmagomedov out of retirement.
Not many fighters have burst onto the scene quicker than Chimaev, yet alone twice in two years. In 2020, “Borz” established his name with consecutive victories over John Phillips and Rhys McKee in the space of just 10 days, marking a modern UFC record.
In his US debut a few months later, Chimaev showed his mettle at middleweight by knocking out divisional veteran Gerald Meerschaert. The fact he was booked to face elite contender Leon Edwards soon after his three unranked wins showed just how high the UFC was on the Chechen-born Swede.
But after a tough battle with COVID-19, which almost saw him retire from the sport, Chimaev’s rise was put on hold. His battle with the virus left him on the sidelines for over a year. When he returned, he immediately brought back the hype he accumulated the year before.
Against ranked opponent Li Jingliang at UFC 267, Chimaev secured his place on the welterweight ladder and even jumped into title contention in the eyes of many by brutally choking out “The Leech.”
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Lee Senses A UFC-Chimaev Masterplan
One man who hasn’t been impressed with Khamzat Chimaev is former interim lightweight title challenger Kevin Lee. The 29-year-old revealed he’s yet to board the rising star’s hype train because he hasn’t seen him do anything worthy of it.
“The Motown Phenom” recently signed for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC following his release from the UFC. He’s now suggested his former promotion’s desire to bring his new boss back to the Octagon has led to Chimaev’s push.
During an appearance on The Schmozone podcast, Lee suggested Dana White and the promotion are trying to play on Khabib’s ego by attempting to build another Dagestani brute to greater heights in the sport, something he believes could draw “The Eagle” back for more.
“The Khamzat push, I think is to kind of make up for the gap that Khabib had. I think if they feel like he can get bigger than Khabib, they may be able to play with Khabib’s ego a little bit. As humble as Khabib wants to say he is, he’s got an ego, too. I think if somebody is to be looked at as above him in his own community, then maybe he might make that comeback, and then they’ll make a whole lot of money off him. I think that’s probably the push.”
Khabib is widely regarded as one of, if not the, greatest of all time. The 33-year-old built an incredible unblemished 29-0 record across his illustrious career, a résumé that includes the names of Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Rafael dos Anjos, Al Iaquinta, Edson Barboza, and Justin Gaethje.
As he gears up for his second consecutive UFC main event, a clash of 185-pound contenders against Jack Hermansson on February 5, “Tarzan” has been preparing at the renowned Xtreme Couture gym under the tutelage of Eric Nicksick. Among his training partners is a certain “Predator.”
“That dude will literally spar anybody in our gym,” Nicksick said. “He calls Francis out every sparring session. He loves to spar Francis because he goes ‘I want to feel as close to death as possible and I want to have that fear of God in my heart every time I spar a guy like Francis Ngannou.’ So sure, we throw him in there and let him get some rounds with Francis.”
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Strickland discussed his experience sparring the Cameroonian behemoth while speaking to combat sports journalist Helen Yee. The #7-ranked middleweight contender suggested Ngannou cannot relate to the level of fear he feels while standing opposite the heavyweight titleholder in the gym.
“You know, I would like to think that I fucked Francis up, but I really think that he’s very nice… He’s a good dude, man. I was actually sparring him the other day and I told Francis, ‘You’ve never experienced this in your life, but when I spar you and you’re throwing punches at me, like, I genuinely have fear. You’ve probably never felt that in your life.’ But Francis is a great guy. He throws hard, I trust him not to hurt me. Anytime he fucking wants to bang, dude, I welcome it.”
Not much can prepare a fighter for an opponent’s power better than training with the biggest power-puncher in the world. And from trading blows with “The Predator” donning the 16oz gloves, Strickland certainly has respect for the power Ngannou possesses.
In a tweet on Wednesday, “Tarzan” admitted a shot from the heavyweight behemoth with 4oz gloves would send him to sleep.
Everyone ask me how do I do with francious lol!! I will tell you that I do really well with him with 16 Gloves in the GYM lol!!! bottom line is you put 4 ounce gloves on him in a FIGHT and he touches me once and I will go to dreamland!!!! LOL
“Everyone ask me how do I do with francious lol!! I will tell you that I do really well with him with 16 Gloves in the GYM lol!!! bottom line is you put 4 ounce gloves on him in a FIGHT and he touches me once and I will go to dreamland!!!! LOL.”
Ngannou Is Gearing Up For A Crucial Unification Showdown At UFC 270
While Strickland is preparing for a main event contest with Hermansson, Ngannou’s work in the gym is going towards his upcoming unification showdown with interim champ Ciryl Gane.
Since ascending the heavyweight mountain last March with a knockout victory over Stipe Miocic, Ngannou has been on the sidelines, watching on as his former teammate emerged triumphant in two main events and had interim gold wrapped around his waist.
Chael Sonnen has been impressed by Jake Paul’s young boxing career, and he sees some likenesses to that of former UFC champion Conor McGregor.
Paul is fresh off his sixth-round knockout over another former UFC champion, Tyron Woodley, to remain undefeated in the ring. In 2021, he earned back-to-back wins over Woodley along with a vicious knockout of Ben Askren.
There’s no question that Paul has great ambitions in boxing, as evidenced by recent callouts of Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, and McGregor. While he has been criticized for his lack of true boxing competition, he seems intent on continuing the ‘MMA vs. Boxing’ storyline.
During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, Sonnen explains what he thinks so highly of Paul despite being just a few fights into his boxing career.
“Jake Paul had a crazy idea that he’s going to go into a sport of which he does not belong with no amateur pedigree, no golden gloves, no lineage within the family, like you know, my uncle fought, my grandpa used to box in the Army, nothing like that,” Sonnen said. “He’s going to do well, and he’s going to headline shows with Olympians and world champions on the card. They are going to open. He is going to be the marquee fight. That is ridiculous. He did just that. Jake Paul is calling his own shots the way Conor McGregor used to do when Conor was getting his come up and then he’s seeing them through.”
Chael Sonnen Sees Eerie Parallels Between Jake Paul, Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor, Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Sonnen went on to point out how McGregor used to defy the odds with his fight predictions, which is similar to what Paul is doing now.
“Remember ‘Mystic Mac’ and he had a crystal ball? Conor was not only calling the stoppages, he was calling the rounds. And then once he calls the stoppages and he calls the rounds, he starts calling the technique that he’s going to stop them with. Remember when he was doing that? Jake Paul is doing the same thing.”
McGregor has dabbled into the boxing world once before when he fought Floyd Mayweather back in 2017. Despite losing via TKO, he impressed many with his ability to transition well to another sport.
Paul has claimed that he makes more than McGregor, who topped the Forbes Top 100 list in 2021. He has also teased McGregor on social media and in multiple interviews, and a big-money fight between the two of them may not be far-fetched.
Renowned MMA voice and UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik has revealed the biggest question he wants answered in the promotion this year.
MMA’s premier organization had a host of memorable moments in 2021. From the return of fans and memorable knockout wins for Kamaru Usman and Rose Namajunas at UFC 261, to the remarkable championship wins for 42-year-old Glover Teixeira and underdog Julianna Peña in the final quarter, last year certainly delivered in droves.
One constant over the top of each pay-per-view moment and occasional UFC Fight Night classic was the voice of Jon Anik. Not only has the Boston native become a fan favorite in the sport, but he’s also established himself as one of the hardest-working and knowledgeable personalities involved in MMA.
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With that in mind, not many are better placed to discuss the upcoming year for the UFC. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, Anik was asked for his “burning” question heading into another 12 months of competitive and enthralling action inside the Octagon.
His answer centered around one man: Khamzat Chimaev.
Khamzat Chimaev. Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
“I mean, people bang on me and Dana [White] because they think there’s some agenda with Khamzat Chimaev. We’re just going by what we’ve seen with our own eyes. My big question was how many times could he make 170 pounds? Was he long for this division? And, even though the [UFC 267] weight cut was a little bit dicey, I have more conviction now in his ability to make the weight than I did before. I just do.
“It seems like his coaches have him of a singular mind that he’s chasing welterweight contention and not gonna be dicking around at middleweight. So yeah, my burning question is: Is Khamzat Chimaev as elite he seems to be? As strong and dangerous as he seems to be? And can he work himself into a fight with a guy in Kamaru Usman who is something like 15-0 in the UFC and one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of all time? That’s sort of at the tip of my tongue right now.”
Chimaev Broke Back Onto The Scene In 2021
Jon Anik’s answer is understandable. Chimaev is one of the most exciting and talked-about rising stars in the UFC today.
“Borz” immediately made an impact when he debuted in 2020. With a perfect 3-0 record and a trio of triumphs recorded in the space of just 66 days and across two weight classes, many branded Chimaev the breakthrough fighter of the year.
After a battle with COVID-19 saw multiple bookings with top contender Leon Edwards fall through, and even brought up thoughts of retirement, Chimaev’s rapid surge was stalled. But he certainly hit the accelerator when he returned to the cage late last year.
At UFC 267, the Chechen-born Swede faced ranked contender Li Jingliang. Having committed to a title charge at welterweight, the clash with “The Leech” represented his first step towards contention. Not only did he extend his unbeaten record, Chimaev brutally choked out a tough opponent and established himself as a threat to the 170-pound top 10.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMv0dRopmj/
While Chimaev’s next step is unclear, 2022 is set to be a huge year for him. Like Jon Anik said, the next 12 months will define whether the hype surrounding “Borz” is for good reason.
Whether it’s Gilbert Burns, Belal Muhammad, or even Colby Covington, Chimaev’s next Octagon outing will be crucial in defining his place in the UFC. Should he emerge victorious, we’ll likely see him challenge for gold before 2022 is out.
What do you think is the most intriguing question in the UFC this year? Do you agree with Jon Anik?
UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier has revealed the supportive message his wife and boxing coach gave him following his defeat to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
Poirier’s incredible journey towards the top in the UFC has always seemed destined to end in championship glory. But after two attempts at ascending the 155-pound mountain, “The Diamond” has failed to capture gold and now sits at a crossroads in his career.
After making his way back to the belt following his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019, many expected Poirier, who some branded the “uncrowned champ,” to close out his 2021 with a memorable title-winning performance at the final pay-per-view of the year.
In his way was Oliveira, an underdog who has continued upsetting the odds and defying the narrative about his title credentials. Having won the vacant belt with a remarkable comeback against Michael Chandler earlier in the year, “Do Bronx” was tasked with a ferocious Louisianan for his first title defense.
Given the work he’d put in to earn a second crack at the title, which saw him record a victory over Dan Hooker and two wins against Conor McGregor, Poirier’s current state of mind is unsurprising. Alongside his immense disappointment has been a self-admitted dose of de-motivation and confusion at what lies ahead for his future.
Does he want to go through another resurgence to the title? Does he want to simply enter the Octagon for fun fights? Does he still enjoy the art of fighting? Those were all questions he said he has to ask himself during an appearance on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas.
“I’m still trying to figure it all out… (I’m having difficulty) seeing the (silver) lining of what I’m gonna learn from this, what is the lesson from this one. And also, looking in the mirror and asking myself, ‘What happens next?’ That’s the big question… If I’m out of the title picture, am I fighting to get myself back there? Or am I fighting for a pay check? Am I fighting because I love to get into fights? That’s the big question I have to answer. I’m still trying to process everything.”
Luckily for Poirier, whatever path he chooses to follow, he’ll certainly have the unwavering support of those closest to him, including his wife of 12 years and high school sweetheart Jolie Poirier.
As a part of his entire mixed martial arts journey, Jolie has seen and experienced the highs and lows of the sport. With that in mind, it’s unsurprising she has been supportive of Dustin since his latest setback, as “The Diamond” revealed to Atlas.
“Her (My wife) and my boxing coach told me the exact same thing. They both said they’re behind me 100 percent, whatever I wanna do moving forward, and that with the right mindset, I can beat anybody in the world. They both told me the same thing.”
Poirier vs. Diaz: On! Off? On! Off?
While his motivation to mount another title charge may have dwindled and his future at lightweight could be non-existent, the one matchup that has consistently had Dustin Poirier excited over the past few days and weeks has been a clash with Nate Diaz, something originally set to happen way back in 2018.
After an initial December back and forth and apparent agreement to fight in January or February appeared to collapse at the negotiation stage, it seemed that bounce-back opportunity was off the table for Poirier.
Anthony Smith believes Jake Paul does care about fighter pay and wants to make a difference.
Ever since Paul has started to take boxing seriously and began boxing ex-UFC fighters he has brought up fighter pay and how Dana White doesn’t pay his fighters enough. Originally, many thought Paul was only doing that to help sell his fights and get in a rivalry with White. But for Smith, he believes Paul is being sincere.
Does Jake Paul really care about fighter pay? 👀 Anthony Smith thinks so….
Listen to what Smith (@lionheartasmith) had to say alongside @DinThomas
“I think he’s being honest, I think he does care. Here’s the deal, we have had these movements where people talk about fighter pay, it is also people it benefits,” Smith said on his radio show on Sirius XM. “In the history of the sport we have had people come from the outside and they want to seem like they are some savior and they are going to come in and save us and help us. At the end of the day, every single one of those guys has had their own end game at the end of it. Jake Paul has nothing to gain here, so I do believe it and it does sound genuine because it is a pain in the ass and it’s hard to do and he’s still attacking it.
Image via YouTube – Graham Bensinger
“He is continually bringing it up for months and months and months and he’s not letting it go… I think he actually cares and he has shown that,” Smith continued. “Even when he fought Tyron the first time he gave Tyron that little bump in pay, took some of his money, and gave it back to the other fighters so those guys got paid. The easiest way to see if someone is being true and honest is are they willing to put their money where their mouth is and he’s already pulled money out of his own pocket.”
At this point, it is hard to disagree with Anthony Smith that Jake Paul doesn’t care about fighter pay. After all, as Smith says, Paul has taken money out of his own pocket to help the cause. He has also been so vocal about it for months and even donated to Sarah Alpar so she could train full time.
Like it or not, Smith believes what Paul is doing will keep happening for quite some time and perhaps will eventually make a difference.
Do you think Jake Paul really cares about fighter pay?
Despite his form and rise up the light heavyweight division, Paul Craig is staying firm on his plan to hang up his gloves before he turns 35 in November.
Since a knockout loss to Alonzo Menifield in 2019, a setback that left him 3-4 in the UFC, Craig has found the form of his life. In his last five fights, the Scot has gone 4-0-1. Aside from a split draw against Mauricio Rua, “Bearjew” has recorded wins over Vinicius Moreira, Gadzhimurad Antigulov, Jamahal Hill, and defeated Rua in their rematch.
In his most recent appearance, Craig surged to just one spot outside the 205-pound top 10 by becoming the first blemish on Hill’s record. The surging prospect had been on a tear prior to his clash with the 34-year-old, but that came to an end in brutal fashion.
At UFC 263, Craig forced Hill to the ground and inflicted a gruesome injury after locking in a tight armbar. After a dislocated elbow apparently wasn’t enough for the referee to step in, Craig unleashed an onslaught of punches and elbows to bring the TKO finish.
Since his Performance of the Night-worthy victory last summer, Paul Craig has had a frustratingly-long layoff. The #11-ranked contender was initially set to face two-time title challenger Alexander Gustafsson in London. After the Swede got injured and the card moved to America, Craig opted to wait for the matchup to be re-booked.
With Gustafsson still out late last year, the UFC booked Craig against top-10 light heavyweight Nikita Krylov. This time, the issue was on the Scot’s end. That fight fell through after he was unable to obtain a visa to travel to the US in time.
Despite a one-fight 2021 and back-to-back canceled fights, Craig has not altered his retirement plans. Speaking to Sky Sports, “Bearjew” revealed he’s still hoping to call time on his career before he turns 35. To meet that target, the 34-year-old will have just 11 months to make his final impact in the UFC.
“I’m 34 years old. I’m losing my hair. I made this kind of deal with myself that I’d like to get to 35. That’s my number and I’ve only got a year left on that… Last year was a nightmare with everything that happened. But I’m still kind of firm on that number of 35. I just don’t see the point of taking damage, for not being at my best.”
Craig’s revelation comes in a division where age truly seems to be just a number. With a champion over 40 and the most recent former titleholder just about on the younger side of it, it’s perhaps surprising Craig is considering retiring so soon. However, the Airdrie native won’t let himself become another exploited past-his-prime fighter.
“We’ve got Jan Blachowicz (ex-champion) who’s 38. We’ve got the new champion (Glover Teixeira) who’s 42. But I don’t want to be the guy who’s being used. I’ve used people, used their fame, but I don’t want to be the person being used. But… you ask my coach, you ask my family, they’ll probably tell you I’m fighting until I’m 42.”
Despite having one eye on a future beyond active MMA competition, Craig’s hunger and drive to enter the Octagon has clearly not dwindled, and he’s looking ahead to his return to action in 2022. The submission specialist believes he could be fighting in March, likely on the UFC Fight Night card targeted for London, England.
“I love fighting. I love the fear of the unknown. I love the walkout, the music. I love it, win, lose or draw, the pageantry that goes along with MMA. It’s going to be March. There’s rumblings that it’s potentially going to be London.”
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While it would be disappointing to see Craig say farewell to the sport this year, it’s always good to see fighters prioritize their health and wellbeing. That’s especially true when we’ve seen many legends continue throwing down in the Octagon when their time appeared to have been up long before.
Would you like to see Paul Craig continue fighting beyond 2022?
On December 26th, Sterling made a post that was a parody conversation between him and “Russians.” This mock conversation saw him imply the Russian he was talking to was cheating, with the Russian replying “I know but c’mon, dude. You know what’s up already.”
After the post received backlash, Sterling made a post to clarify that his sights aren’t actually set on Russians. Instead, it’s still on Yan only.
For the record, I do not think every Russian fighter or athlete cheats. Just like every American, Brazilian, Chinese, or any other nationality of athletes, you have the clean and dirty ones.
Personally I think Cheotr Yan is a dirty cheat. Maybe I’m wrong but I highly doubt it. https://t.co/NFWdQC4RGi
“For the record, I do not think every Russian fighter or athlete cheats. Just like every American, Brazilian, Chinese, or any other nationality of athletes, you have the clean and dirty ones,” said Sterling via Twitter. He then used a play on words to imply Yan cheats, saying “Personally I think Cheotr Yan is a dirty cheat. Maybe I’m wrong but I highly doubt it.”
Sterling Destined To Cross Paths With Yan Again
Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling Face-Off, Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Sterling became the UFC Bantamweight Champion last year after defeating Yan. The fight ended in a controversial fashion, as Yan disqualified himself with a knee to Sterling’s head while he was deemed a grounded opponent.
Yan has since returned and defeated Cory Sandhagen to become the interim UFC Bantamweight Champion. His interim title status lines him up to face Sterling in a title unification belt sometime down the line. For now, though, it isn’t known when that fight will actually happen if it is in fact what’s next for the top of the bantamweight division.
Do you think Aljamain Sterling genuinely believes Petr Yan is a cheater? Or do you think he is just trying to get in the head of the interim champ and his fans?
Ranked Bellator welterweights Neiman Gracie and Logan Storley will headline the promotion’s February 19th event, as announced Tuesday.
The fight between Gracie and Storley headlines Bellator 274, which will see the promotion return to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, USA.
While known for his grappling skills, Gracie showed his striking in September when stopping Mark Lemminger in the second minute of action. That win put him back on the right track after suffering a loss to Jason Jackson five months prior.
Storley will be competing in his first-ever Bellator main event. He has fought in the promotion since 2017, picking up seven wins through eight appearances. He was given his sole pro loss came in 2020 against Yaroslav Amosov. Just one fight later, Amosov defeated Douglas Lima to become the new Bellator Welterweight Champion.
Storley returned to the win column in August, defeating Dante Schiro via split decision.
Bellator Unveils Nine-Fight Card For February
As of this week, Bellator has nine bouts in total set for their return to the Mohegan Sun Arena. Promotional veteran Andrey Koreshkov is scheduled to appear in the co-main event. He will face Mukhamed Berkamov, who is riding a long winning streak and coming off a successful Bellator debut.
Looking lower on the card, veteran names like Georgie Karakhanyan and Adam Piccolotti are also set to appear.
Also on the prelims, viewers will see a clash of two prospects when flashy fighter Mandell Nallo meets former LFA Lightweight Champion Nick Browne.
Full Lineup:
Main Card (Showtime/9 p.m. ET)
Welterweight Main Event Bout: Neiman Gracie (11-2) vs. Logan Storley (12-1)
