MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Muhammad Thinks Beating Chimaev Is “Worth More” Than Any Ranked Win

    Belal Muhammad isn’t shying away from a possible fight with Khamzat Chimaev.

    Belal Muhammad is coming off what was arguably the biggest win of his career. He defeated former title challenger Stephen Thompson last weekend and now has his eyes set on a title shot.

    Muhammad believes he could be next for champion Kamaru Usman following the win and his most recent bump up the rankings. However, if that title shot doesn’t come right away, Muhammad has another plan to get him there.

    Khamzat Chimaev
    Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

    Muhammad thinks that a win over streaking Khamzat Chimaev would get him the momentum he needs to vie for the welterweight title. He explained his rationale to MMA Junkie.

    “He has the most hype in the division right now,” Muhammad said of Chimaev. “He has that (Conor) McGregor X-factor stardom right now, where the fans think he’s untouchable. The boss thinks he’s untouchable. They all think it’s just a matter of time before he becomes champion.

    “So for me, if I beat him, I steal all of his hype, and I think it’s worth more than beating anybody ranked in the division. Beating him is probably worth more than beating Colby Covington just because of all the hype he has right now.”

    It is true that Chimaev has a lot of hype surrounding him. He made a splash in the UFC when he won two fights back to back on Fight Island during the summer of 2020. He is now 4-0 in the UFC and undefeated as a professional. He is a fan favorite, and it seems like he is a favorite of Dana White as well. White has been high on Chimaev and has even expressed that no other fighter wants to fight him.

    “So in this game, it’s about momentum, it’s about hype, and it’s about who’s hot right now. He’s the hottest right now,” Muhammad said. “So beating him, I steal all that shine. I steal all that heat, so why wouldn’t I?”

    Muhammad isn’t the only man with this idea, Neil Magny has been asking for a shot at Chimaev as well. On the flip side, Chimaev has been asking for a shot at a ranked opponent. Muhammad is now sitting in the #5 spot in the rankings. If he wants to fight Chimaev, it seems likely that fight can be made.

    Do you think Belal Muhammad fighting Khamzat Chimaev is a good idea?

  • Dana White Non-Committal On Francis Ngannou Contract Talks

    The UFC and Francis Ngannou haven’t moved forward on a new deal, and UFC president Dana White doesn’t sound optimistic.

    Ngannou is slated to face Ciryl Gane for the unified heavyweight title in the upcoming UFC 270 main event. But Ngannou may be fighting for more than just a successful title defense to begin the new year.

    The heavyweight champion is fighting on the last bout on his current contract as negotiations appear to be headed nowhere. White has been at odds with Ngannou’s management, more specifically Marquel Martin, for months.

    Ngannou has blossomed into one of the biggest stars in the promotion after his knockout over Stipe Miocic at UFC 260. But during a recent interview with ESPN, White said Ngannou’s time with the UFC could be numbered.

    “These things happen,” White said of Ngannou. “Sometimes you don’t always come to terms with people. When you’re a fighter, you have to be careful who represents you. I don’t think he’s had the best representation.

    “Look, if you want to be with us, we’d love to have you. If you don’t want to be with us, no problem. It’s all good.

    “I think his contract, and this is off the top of my head, if he wins he still has time with us after this fight. He’d probably have one more fight.”

    Dana White, Francis Ngannou Have Had A Complicated Relationship

    This isn’t the first time that White and Ngannou’s sides haven’t seen eye-to-eye. Ngannou has been critical of the promotion’s treatment of its fighters, and more specifically the controversial fighter pay issue.

    It was a surprise to many around the sport when the UFC opted to make an interim heavyweight title bout between Gane and Derrick Lewis. This happened at UFC 265, just months after Ngannou became the new heavyweight champion.

    It would be surprising if White and the UFC decide to move on from Ngannou, especially if he loses to Gane and enters free agency. This would eliminate potential high-stakes fights with Jon Jones, a trilogy bout against Miocic, and other big potential fights in the heavyweight division.

    Do you think the UFC will sign Francis Ngannou to a long-term deal?

  • Gaethje: I’m F*cked If My Striking Isn’t Better Than Oliveira’s

    UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje knows it’s crucial he’s at his best on the feet when he challenges reigning champion Charles Oliveira for the title in 2022.

    Having secured his #1-contender status in his latest outing, a triumph over Michael Chandler in a Fight of the Year contender at UFC 268, Gaethje had a close eye on the UFC 269 main event earlier this month as his likely next opponent was decided.

    The December 11 headliner saw champion Oliveira defend his title against Dustin Poirier. “The Diamond” entered the fight off the back of two victories over former two-division champion Conor McGregor. He was unable to recreate that success, however, as “Do Bronx” upset the odds yet again, submitting the Louisianan in the third round to successfully retain the lightweight gold.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXZ8L7yPZva/

    Gaethje Hopes To Avoid A “World Of Trouble” Against Oliveira

    Even after eight straight wins, culminating in a memorable title crowning at UFC 262, many continued to doubt Oliveira leading into his defense against Poirier. That included Gaethje, who suggested the Brazilian was a “quitter” and refused to recognize him as champion until he defeated Poirier.

    Having accomplished the latter and evidently proven the former wrong, the reign of “Do Bronx” is well and truly established and will run into “The Highlight” next.

    Following UFC 269, Gaethje spoke to ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto. Acknowledging the well-rounded game of Oliveira, which saw him trouble elite striker Poirier on the feet at times, Gaethje knows he has to be at his best on the feet to ensure he makes the most of his advantages.

    If he’s not? Well, he’s “fucked.”

    “At the end of the day, if my striking isn’t better than his, I’m fucked, per se. That’s where I’m great,” Gaethje said. “I’m great at creating pressure, creating damage, and stopping takedowns. So ultimately, he is going to be trying to get it to the ground because I’m gonna find so much success in the striking department.

    Charles Oliveira, Michael Chandler

    “He is incredibly dangerous in the striking department, his knees, his elbows, his ability to create pressure, control distance; second to none. But I better be better, or I’m gonna be in a world of trouble.”

    With his power, speed, and endless pressure, there aren’t many better tests to Oliveira’s standup game than Gaethje. But the Brazilian finished Chandler on the feet this year and troubled Poirier with knees and elbows this month. The champ is certainly no slouch on the feet, something the #1 contender is well aware of.

    Will Gaethje be able to impose his will standing? Or will Oliveira grapple his way to victory like Khabib Nurmagomedov did against “The Highlight” in 2020? We’ll likely find out in 2022.

    Who do think will have their hand raised in the likely next lightweight title fight, Justin Gaethje or Charles Oliveira?

  • Cormier Criticizes Woodley For KO Meme Contest, Blames Jake Paul

    Daniel Cormier isn’t a fan of how Tyron Woodley has handled himself following his sixth-round knockout loss to Jake Paul.

    Woodley has rolled with the punches since the devastating defeat, even going as far as hosting a fan contest on his Instagram for the best knockout meme. He ended up paying one fan $5,000 for a meme that went viral earlier this week.

    Woodley appears to be optimistic about his fighting future and is handling the loss on his terms. However, Cormier doesn’t like the optics of Woodley making fun of himself in light of the vicious knockout.

    Cormier explained his position during a recent episode of ESPN’s DC & RC.

    “It’s a bad look. And you know what’s worse? [What happened] after,” Cormier said of Woodley. “I don’t know what T-Wood was doing on social media. He pulls the knockout. He made a contest about [making memes of himself], it’s like Jake Paul is beating these dudes so bad, that they start to make fun of themselves.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Tyron Woodley Looks To Get Back To His Old Winning Ways

    Woodley took the fight on just days’ notice after Tommy Fury pulled out due to an injury. He was allegedly getting ready for a fight in January when the call came for a rematch with Paul.

    Woodley has appeared forward-thinking after the loss to Paul, hinting at a busy 2022. He’s planning on potential boxing and MMA fights as he approaches his 40th birthday.

    Woodley has had his fair share of struggles as of late. Before his back-to-back losses to Paul in the boxing ring, he lost four-straight bouts in the UFC before ultimately parting ways with the promotion.

    What are your thoughts on how Tyron Woodley has handled the KO loss to Jake Paul?

  • Michael Chandler: “Dustin Poirier Has Dismissed Me Since Day 1”

    Despite admitting he was perhaps too harsh with his assessment of Dustin Poirier’s decision to tap at UFC 269, Michael Chandler has claimed that “The Diamond” has been dismissive of him “since day one.”

    Like Chandler earlier this year, Poirier failed to dethrone UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 on December 11. The Louisianan, who entered his second shot at undisputed gold off the back of consecutive victories over Conor McGregor, was tipped by many to enter 2022 as the 155-pound titleholder.

    But in his way of doing so was an underdog who loves to upset the odds and show his championship mettle. After recovering from an early knockdown in the year’s final pay-per-view main event, Oliveira imposed his will on the ground in the second frame before forcing a tap in the third with a standing rear-naked choke.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXyt0VsRCO/

    In the aftermath of the incredible result, Oliveira’s former foe gave his take on the action, and he showed no sympathy for the losing party.

    Taking to Twitter, Chandler suggested Poirier had “quit” by tapping out. The former Bellator champion, who has made his desire to face McGregor in 2022 known, also questioned why the Irishman would consider another fight with “The Diamond” after seeing him “quit” at UFC 269.

    Expanding on that opinion in a recent interaction with MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, Chandler suggested those who tap out to chokes always have “more fight” left in them.

    “I think the hardest part with chokes is there are so many chokes out there, rear-naked chokes, or any choke that has been put on somebody, where you think you’re never gonna get out of it. That’s why we love this sport, too. People say, ‘He’s done, he’s done, he’s done,’ and you can’t believe when they get out of it. You hear it with Joe Rogan cageside, Jon Anik, DC, cageside, and they go bananas when guys get out of it because you never quite know how deep a choke is. I think there’s always a little more fight left before a tap can happen.”

    Chandler Admits He Was “Too Harsh”

    Chandler later acknowledged that he’d perhaps gone a little overboard with his ‘quitter’ branding. However, he also revealed an underlying bitterness between the pair, suggesting Poirier has been equally dismissive of him from the very start.

    “Yeah. I will admit, maybe I was a little bit too harsh, maybe the word ‘quit’ was not the right word to use. But I also think Dustin Poirier has dismissed me since day one. I don’t think Dustin Poirier’s a bad guy. I don’t think he thinks I’m a bad guy. But as a competitor, he called me and Charles fighting ‘fool’s gold.’ He dismissed me, saying he wouldn’t fight me in the UFC, even after I knocked out Dan Hooker. So he was just a little more dismissive of me.

    Dustin Poirier
    (via Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

    “I think he and I, I don’t think he’s a bad guy, I think he’s actually a great guy, I think he’s a phenomenal ambassador of the sport, but he and I, when it comes to the competition aspect of us both being fighters inside the same division, I think we both have a little bit of a bone to pick with each other.”

    While he made a slight backtrack on the terminology, the point remains the same for Chandler. Citing his own ability to avoid falling into a choke with Oliveira on his back and reverse position at UFC 262, “Iron” hinted that the former interim titleholder could have done more.

    “I also got my back taken by Charles Oliveira, he almost had that choke locked up, and I was able to fight out of it. So, I’ve been in that position, I was able to get out of it, so yeah. I will admit, I will concede that maybe using the word ‘quit’ was a little bit harsh, especially against one of the good guys, because people are probably gonna be like, ‘How are you gonna come for Dustin Poirier, man?’”

    While Poirier looks to regroup, something it initially appeared he’d be doing by preparing for a clash with Nate Diaz early next year, Chandler will be looking ahead to his own attempt to rebound in 2022.

    Having fallen to a unanimous decision in a Fight of the Year contender against Justin Gaethje last month, the veteran will be after another big name next, perhaps either Poirier or the returning McGregor.

    Do you think Dustin Poirier could have fought Charles Oliveira’s rear-naked choke more?

  • Rakić Wants To Become The Light Heavyweight Georges St-Pierre

    UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić may be best known for his striking, but he wants his grappling to resemble an all-time great.

    Rakić is slated to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in a potential No. 1 contender fight on March 26. He’s long called for the title shot but will get the next best thing in facing the recently dethroned champion.

    Rakić is mainly known to have elite kickboxing skills inside the Octagon, as evidenced by knockouts over Jimi Manuwa and Devin Clark.

    During an exclusive interview with MMA News’ James Lynch, Rakić revealed that fans shouldn’t sleep on his grappling ahead of the biggest fight of his career.

    Aleksandar Rakić Prepared For Everything With Jan Blachowicz

    “I’m gonna be ready to wrestle 25 minutes, I’m gonna be ready to grapple or to strike against him,” Rakić said. “It depends what Jan is gonna give me. This I’m gonna see in the first minutes or the first round or the second round. I’m gonna be prepared for everything, and I know for myself, I’m improving all of the aspects of the fight.

    “I want to be the next Georges St-Pierre, to be the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC roster in the light heavyweight division, and I’m in a good way for doing that.”

    Rakić is coming off of back-to-back wins over Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith. The 29-year-old light heavyweight contender has burst into title contention since making his UFC debut back in 2017.

    Living up to the wrestling prowess of Georges St-Pierre will not be an easy task for Rakić. St-Pierre is widely regarded as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time and one of the best grapplers in the sport’s history.

    However, one thing is clear when it comes to evaluating Rakić’s potential: he’s aiming to be one of the best light heavyweights in the sport. If he’s able to put on another impressive performance against Blachowicz, fans will start taking more notice of his wide-ranging skill set.

    What is your prediction for Aleksandar Rakić vs. Jan Blachowicz?

  • Bisping Urges Usman & Adesanya To Fight Despite Nigerian Connection

    UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping has called for UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman and middleweight king Israel Adesanya to fight, despite being compatriots.

    Usman and Adesanya are two of three African champions reigning over divisions in the UFC right now, the other being Francis Ngannou. The pair have been dominant since reaching their respective mountaintops, accumulating a combined eight title defenses.

    “The Nigerian Nightmare,” who boasts a perfect 14-0 promotional record, has seen off the challenge of Gilbert Burns and two each from Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington since his title-winning performance against Tyron Woodley in 2019.

    “The Last Stylebender,” meanwhile, has defended his gold against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, and Marvin Vettori since dethroning Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 two-and-a-half years ago. He’s also had a failed pursuit of two-division glory, with Jan Blachowicz adding the first blemish on his professional MMA record earlier this year.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CT_4mMXvfhN/

    Bisping Says Adesanya Needs “Fresh Meat”

    With both men dominating, the pool of contenders is certainly thinning, especially for the Nigerian-New Zealander. While Usman has the likes of Leon Edwards, Vicente Luque, and Khamzat Chimaev likely to challenge for the belt in the near future, Adesanya has beaten most top contenders at 185 pounds.

    The middleweight titleholder is set to run it back with Robert Whittaker early next year, but beyond that, aside from the winner of Derek Brunson vs. Jared Cannonier, it’s looking like slim pickings for Adesanya. With that in mind, Michael Bisping believes “The Last Stylebender” needs some “fresh meat” from below.

    During a recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast, “The Count” called on Usman and Adesanya to push past their reluctance to meet in the Octagon and battle it out in a superfight.

    “I think Usman Just needs to step up and fight fucking Israel Adesanya. I know they’re both from fucking Nigeria, right? So fucking what? So what? I don’t care. I don’t know how many people live in Nigeria, I’m going to guess 75 million. If Adesanya continues to lap everybody and certainly if he beats Robert Whitaker, he needs fresh meat. If Kamaru continues to win, c’mon! C’mon!” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    While Usman has already firmly shut down the idea of fighting his fellow Nigerian, both men are seemingly going to be pre-occupied for the first two quarters of 2022 anyway. While Adesanya looks to record a second victory over “The Reaper,” Usman will likely be making his next defense in the first half of the year, potentially opposite former opponent Edwards.

    But if both men continue their dominance, perhaps the idea of a dream Usman vs. Adesanya clash will be re-visited.

    How do you think a fight between Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya would play out?

  • Charles Oliveira Doubles Down On McGregor Interest, Targets May Bout

    UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira is set on facing Conor McGregor and has issued a date to the former two-division champ.

    In many people’s eyes, the lightweight division is the deepest and most stacked in the UFC. Oliveira has proven that he is the best and has beaten some of the best already.

    However, for his next bout, he wants to take on a man who hasn’t won at 155 pounds since 2016. Oliveira and McGregor have been going back and forth about fighting each other. Oliveira has set out a timeframe for this targeted match with McGregor as told to Sherdog.

    “May would be a wonderful date,” Oliveira said. “Conor challenged me asking a date, and tweeted Ireland vs. Brazil 2. Not only him, but also myself and all the world wants to see that fight.

    “So let’s make it happen. I’m waiting for him in May. It may be in welterweight, lightweight, or middleweight, with my title on the line or not. Just choose and I´ll be ready.”

    Conor McGregor began asking for a fight with Oliveira right after he became champion. He once again began his hounding when Oliveira beat Poirier. Oliveira accepted McGregor’s challenge, but there might be one man standing in the way.

    Justin Gaethje
    Justin Gaethje, Image Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    The UFC and Dana White have already expressed that Justin Gaethje would be the next man in line for the title shot. If that is the case, Oliveira says he will agree.

    “Gaethje was knocked out by Poirier, who I just submitted. He was almost knocked out by Chandler, who I beat via TKO, but I’m a UFC employee,” Oliveira said. “If they choose that I should fight Gaethje next, I’ll be ready too.”

    It seems unlikely that McGregor will receive a title shot after two losses in a row and returning from a leg break. However, he is the most popular fighter on the roster and his fights do sell the most tickets and pay-per-views, and the UFC has given McGregor other opportunities that the rest of the roster doesn’t get.

    McGregor’s timeline for return is unclear, so he may very well have to wait for his shot at Oliveira and the belt until after Gaethje has his shot.

    Do you think the UFC would give Conor McGregor an immediate title shot against Charles Oliveira upon return?

  • Watch: Lewis Sends A Message To Ex-Cop Daukaus After Traffic Stop

    Derrick Lewis had a direct message to his UFC Vegas 45 opponent Chris Daukaus after what he felt was a sketchy traffic stop.

    Heading into UFC Vegas 45, Derrick Lewis had one main goal. Sure, getting the dub, in general, is always essential. Breaking the UFC knockout record? Meh. The real primary objective for Lewis last weekend, in his own words, was to avoid getting Rodney King’d on national television by ex-police officer Chris Daukaus.

    “He’s gotta be a good guy because he is a police officer. I support the police department all over the world, ‘specially in Houston,” Lewis said. “I appreciate most of you all for letting me slide with speeding ticket here, and that’s why I appreciate you all, back the blue all day long. Whenever you fighting a police officer, you don’t wanna get Rodney King’d on ESPN, so you gotta go out there and fight hard, man. Do it for the people.”

    After Lewis was happy to legally assault the ex-cop in brutal fashion in a tribute to the ’90s police brutality victim King, he would very soon come in contact with the boys in blue again.

    Derrick Lewis Gets Pulled Over, Racks Up Another Dub

    As Lewis alluded to prior to the fight, Houston officers treat “The Black Beast” as a local hero, often being lenient with any traffic violations he may have committed.

    Such an incident was captured on video in Lewis’ Instagram Stories on Wednesday. When the traffic stop concluded, Lewis wanted Daukaus to know that he just pulled out another victory after implying that the ex-cop Daukaus had gone dirty. Peep it out below.

    In the video, Lewis is handed a warning by the officer for missing his front license plate. Lewis would brag about this resolution with his customary deadpan tone while addressing Daukaus.

    “Alright, Chris Daukaus. I’m still 2-0. He just gave me a warning. You tried it.”

    If Lewis’ suspicions are correct, he may want to quit while he’s ahead at 2-0 instead of poking the bear. Because regardless of your winning streak, if you keep Clashing with the law, the law always wins.

    What do you make of this second “victory” for Derrick Lewis?

  • Pennington Believes Fight Against Julianna Peña Is Years In The Making

    Raquel Pennington thinks her recent momentum in the UFC will ultimately lead her to a title fight.

    The rising bantamweight contender mentioned Saturday that she thinks her recent campaign will continue with a successful 2022 that could include a title shot. This statement comes after her recent victory over Macy Chiasson at UFC Vegas 45.

    “I feel like this is my time. This year coming up is my year. I was born to be a world champion. This isn’t an easy sport and I’m truly talented in it,” said Pennington during her post-fight media scrum. “And it’s just about making shifts lately. And here I am. And I’m not injured.”

    Pennington Targets Bantamweight Champ Peña

    Raquel Pennington
    Image Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    Pennington wants to fight UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña next. Peña earned her belt just last week, scoring an upset win over Amanda Nunes.

    Pennington did take a brief trip up to featherweight for this week’s fight, but that was only due to the short-notice nature of the booking. Pennington has expressed interest in fight at both 135 and 145-pounds, but she still has her sights set on bantamweight first and foremost.

    When discussing a potential fight against Peña, Pennington brought up the history between them, reflecting on how they both fought on the same season of The Ultimate Fighter.

    “I remember years ago Dana [White] always thought that me and Julianna [Peña] would be the ones to meet up in the finale for The Ultimate Fighter. My fight with Jessamyn Duke, I took a lot of injuries in there and we won Fight of the Season. It was a great fight, but in that short period of time, I had no time to heal. I went into my semi-finals fight with a broken hand. My journey has been different. But hey, maybe we’ll align for a world title now.”

    We don’t know currently what’s next for the new champ Peña. The champ recently cited her interest in facing Germaine de Randamie and Valentina Shevchenko, or possibly facing Nunes in a rematch.

    Do you think we’ll see Raquel Pennington challenge for a title in 2022?

  • Nina Nunes Weighs In On Julianna Peña’s “Mom Champ” Remarks

    Nina Nunes has weighed in on the “mom champ” controversy that involves her wife Amanda Nunes and Julianna Peña.

    A comment made via social media by Nina Nunes this week supports Amanda’s claim that not giving birth to her child shouldn’t take away her status as the first “mom champ” of the UFC.

    The issue stems from a comment Peña made after capturing the UFC bantamweight championship earlier this month. She said at the UFC 269 post-fight press conference that she gave birth to her child, claiming that makes her the first actual “mom champ” instead of Amanda Nunes.

    In a recent comment from Nina Nunes, she wanted the world to know that Amanda not giving birth to her child doesn’t take away her status as a mother. She also shared an anecdote about how Amanda helped her during the childbirth process when they welcomed their first child in 2020.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXrk2YmOflm/

    “Not many know this, but I had a HORRIBLE delivery. I lost a lot of blood and went into shock. Amanda [Nunes] took care of Raegan and I for the first week of her life and everyday after,” she said in a recent Instagram post. “She is her MOM and a Champion. Any [woman] out there who play the role of a mother, in any form, is a MOM. Thank you for being the best MOM Raegan could have.”

    The controversial remark from Peña has caused a stir in recent days. Amanda Nunes commented on the claim earlier this week, sharing a similar sentiment to what Nina Nunes said in her post.

    “I may not have birthed my Daughter. If I wanted to I could have,” Nunes said. “I chose to watch from the outside. After going through the IVF procedure with Nina. It was truly heartbreaking to see many women break down in the waiting room knowing they would never be able to carry their own and have to take another direction. This doesn’t not make these women any less of a MOM than Nina or I. As a MOM champion as well, I feel this needed to be said, [Julianna Peña].”

    Soon after the UFC 269 press conference, Peña clarified her remarks in an interview. Peña emphasized that she wanted to shine a light on how pregnancy caused “massive changes” to her body and that she didn’t mean to take anything away from Nunes when stating this.

    What are your thoughts on the “mom champ” controversy between Julianna Peña and the Nunes family?

  • Peña Responds To “Ronda Rousey Wannabe” Harrison’s Warning

    If Kayla Harrison was expecting a retraction from Julianna Peña, she may be miffed when she discovers a harsh double-down of disrespect instead.

    After Julianna Peña completed her unexpected transition from underdog to champion, she became the belle of the media ball, taking part in numerous interviews covering a wide range of topics. One of those topics was highly coveted free agent and two-time PFL lightweight season winner Kayla Harrison.

    Kayla Harrison
    Kayla Harrison (Photo: Instagram @JudoKayla)

    Given the fact that Harrison is in the middle of her free agency, that means the possibilities are endless and every high-level female competitor might have to field a question about the Olympian at some point.

    When the topic of Harrison arrived at Peña’s mantel, she treated it and Harrison’s achievements like yesterday’s rubbish.

    “I think she’s the lesser of the training partners for her and Amanda Nunes,” Peña told MMA Junkie. “If that’s the case and I just took out Amanda, I don’t know what kind of position that would put her in. But she’s been fighting the B-leagues. I’ve been fighting in the UFC, I’ve been fighting at the top of the division. I’m fighting in the biggest league of this sport so I’m not paying too much attention to what she’s doing down there.”

    When Harrison became aware of these comments, she issued a warning to Peña, cautioning the new champion to watch her words and to not bite off more than she can chew.

    She also discredited Peña’s victory over Nunes to some degree when she stated that Nunes would “starch” Peña 9 times out of 10. And if that’s not enough, Harrison capped off her retort by letting it be known that she could beat Peña with just one arm.

    Julianna Peña Responds To Kayla Harrison’s Warning

    Pregnant Julianna Pena explains decision to put UFC career on hold - MMA Fighting
    Julianna Peña

    In an interview this week with BBC Sport, Peña was anything but “careful” with her words. By Harrison’s standards, it would be more accurate to say that “The Venezuelan Vixen” was speaking outright recklessly.

    “Who is this Ronda Rousey wannabe?” Peña asked, still befuddled at the mere mention of Harrison during her interview.

    Peña would then let Harrison know just how unafraid of her warning she was by offering the lightweight a warm invitation to unchartered territory.

    “Kayla is not on my radar. I don’t even think she can make 135lbs, but if she wants to make the weight, pack your stuff and come on over here, honey.”

    Peña would then reiterate that, in the meantime, her focus is not on Harrison or anyone other than Amanda Nunes, whom Peña is expected to rematch in a bout Dana White believes will be the biggest women’s fight in UFC history.

    Do you think Kayla Harrison will attempt to take Julianna Peña up on her invitation?

  • Jon Jones Laughs At Hager Missing Out On “Opportunity Of A Lifetime”

    Jon Jones got a good kick out of Jake Hager’s recent comments about slow-rolling the negotiations to compete against one another in a grappling matchup.

    Last month, Jon Jones dropped some “breaking news” on his Twitter page. In a since-deleted tweet, Jones announced he would be competing against Jake Hager in a professional grappling match hosted by FURY Pro Grappling on December 9. Hager, however, accused Jones of jumping the gun.

    “First of all it’s @AEWonTNT and undefeated @BellatorMMA heavyweight Jake Hager, secondly no terms have been discussed or contract signed. We can talk if terms are right.”

    Jones seemed to then pull the plug on any conversation by turning his attention to someone and quite literally anyone else, by issuing an open challenge to another ‘big boy’ to grapple with him.

    Then, in a recent appearance on the Throwing Down podcast, Hager spilled the details on why he publicly pumped the brakes on Jones’ announcement, and he also left the door wide open for their grappling match to still take place (h/t MiddleEasy).

    “I was at dinner one night and got the phone call from my head coach, Josh Crabtree, and he said, ‘What’s up, man, I got a great situation for ya. You should say yes before I even tell you what it is.’ Alright, I love Josh, he’s the man, I’m like ‘Yes!’ He tells me and I’m still like yes, let’s make it happen.

    Bellator 214 results, highlights: Jake Hager earns first-round submission win in MMA debut - CBSSports.com
    Copyright: Los Angeles Daily News

    “So, as far as I know, we were waiting (on) the negotiations and (finalizing) everything. He jumped the gun a little bit, made that Twitter announcement, we hadn’t had anything signed. I know my response was harsh, but you gotta get my name right and my company name right.”

    Jon Jones Scoffs At Jake Hager’s Comments

    Weeks after these comments were made by Hager, Jon Jones offered this amused retort.

    “you can’t gloat about turning down a grappling match with the goat. You had the opportunity of a lifetime, now you’re doing interviews about what you would’ve done,” Jones posted on Twitter on Tuesday night.

    Jon Jones last fought in May 2020 in an extremely close victory over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. Meanwhile, Jake Hager competes in Bellator’s heavyweight division and also wrestles for All Elite Wrestling as a member of Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle faction.

    MMA News will keep you posted on any additional updates on this potential grappling match between Jon Jones and Jake Hager.

  • Dana White: Peña/Nunes 2 Will Be The Biggest Women’s Fight Of All Time

    UFC President Dana White believes the likely rematch between newly-crowned UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes will be the “biggest women’s fight of all time.”

    The first fight certainly staked its claim for an achievement of its own, being one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Heading into the clash, Nunes was the dominant two-division champion who hadn’t lost since 2014, was on a 12-fight win streak, and had defended the 135-pound strap five times, a reign that included victories over Ronda Rousey and Valentina Shevchenko.

    But none of that mattered on fight night. In the UFC 269 co-main event, Peña proved her doubters wrong and shocked the world inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. After making it through the opening round, “The Venezuelan Vixen” turned the heat up in the second, trading with the “Lioness” on the feet. After hurting Nunes, Peña forced her to the ground and submitted her, completing a memorable underdog triumph.

    White Has Big Aspirations For The Rematch

    In the aftermath of the incredible result, all three necessary parties seemingly agreed that a rematch is the logical next step. Given her lengthy and dominant reign over the bantamweights until 2021, it seems fair Nunes be given an immediate chance for redemption. After Dana White confirmed the option of a rematch is there if she wants it, the Brazilian accepted via a post on Instagram.

    With that in mind, it stands to reason we’ll be seeing Peña and Nunes standing opposite each other in the Octagon again in the first half of 2022. While most will expect the second bout to be much bigger than the first given what we saw, the UFC President believes it will surpass every other women’s fight in the sport’s history.

    “The Peña rematch with Nunes will probably be the biggest women’s fight of all time,” White told ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto. “That rematch will be the biggest women’s fight of all time.”

    That title, as acknowledged by White, is currently held by the UFC 193 main event between Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey. The contest, another contender for greatest upset of all time, saw “The Preacher’s Daughter” end the unbeatable aura of Rousey with a second-round knockout.

    How Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm changed WMMA forever
    Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm

    With 1.1 million pay-per-view buys, the event sits alongside UFC 207: Rousey vs. Nunes as one of the two best-selling events headlined by female fighters in the UFC. Despite that, White insists Peña vs. Nunes 2 will be bigger in every single way.

    “Every way that it can possibly beat it, it will. I don’t think it. I know it. It will crush that fight.”

    With what’s at stake for Nunes, Peña’s desire to further legitimize her place on the throne, and the champ’s now-proven ability to sell a fight in the build-up, there’s certainly a chance White’s claim could come true.

    Do you think Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Peña 2 will be the biggest fight in the history of women’s MMA?

  • O’Malley Feels Woodley Ruined His Legacy With KO Loss To Jake Paul

    Ranked UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley thinks the legacy of Tyron Woodley took a massive hit this weekend.

    Like most of the combat sports world, O’Malley tuned in on Saturday night to see Woodley box Jake Paul for the second time. The active UFC fighter witnessed Paul pull off a sixth-round knockout, flooring Woodley with a wailing overhand right.

    Jake Paul KOs Tyron Woodley with thunderous right hand in rematch
    Image Credit: AP

    O’Malley described his viewing experience, mentioning how the knockout caught him off guard after a fairly slow-paced fight before then.

    “I was watching them on my laptop with my eyes kind of shutting. It was the sixth round getting closer to the end of the fight. It looked like it was probably gonna go all eight [rounds] and it was a close fight,” said O’Malley on Episode 168 of the TimboSugarShow. “I didn’t really know who I had necessarily winning each round. But, out of f*cking nowhere, [Paul] slept him… bad!”

    O’Malley Says Woodley’s Legacy Has Been Damaged

    Jake Paul, Tyron Woodley
    Jake Paul, Tyron Woodley, Credit: AP Photo

    Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champion, has now lost two boxing bouts to Paul. O’Malley sees the outcome as something that has damaged his reputation greatly. However, he also mentioned its important how Woodley feels about the loss.

    “Dude, it completely destroyed his f*cking legacy,” said O’Malley, who just pulled off a win two weekends ago at UFC 269.

    O’Malley compared the outcome to Ben Askren’s loss to Paul. He mentioned how Askren seemed comfortable with losing, even after it happened. However, he also said that not just anybody can feel that way about a loss.

    “That could affect Tyron Woodley big time, or he could just be completely unattached to that and still be happy. That’s a f*cking skill that you have to require.”

    Did Tyron Woodley’s loss to Jake Paul damage his legacy?

  • Katie Taylor Open To Crossover Boxing Fights With Cyborg, Holm

    Katie Taylor has been on a roll in her career in the boxing ring so far, and she has her eyes on superfights with Cris “Cyborg” Justino and Holly Holm.

    Taylor is 20-0 in her professional career with six knockouts, having most recently defeated Firuza Sharipova to defend her five lightweight titles. She’s also been in talks to potentially fight fellow boxing star Amanda Serrano in 2022.

    But Taylor has big plans for her future in the ring, which includes potential crossovers against the likes of Justino and Holm. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Taylor addressed the prospects of MMA-Boxing crossover fights and continuing to make history.

    “I know there was mention of those fights,” Taylor said. “But I don’t think we ever seriously talked about it. Obviously, their names came up over the last few years and there’s still huge possibilities that those fights can happen.

    “If they’re the fights that people want to see, I’d absolutely love to be involved.”

    Holm on paper would likely provide a tougher test for Taylor than Justino, as she accumulated a 33-2 record before transitioning to MMA. While Justino has elite striking, she has yet to fight in the boxing ring despite Bellator CEO Scott Coker confirming that boxing promoters have been interested in her.

    For now, Taylor awaits her next fight in the ring, which likely could come against Serrano, who won this weekend on the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 card.

    How do you think Katie Taylor would match up with the biggest names in women’s MMA?

  • Rakić Claims He’s “Much Hungrier” Than Blachowicz

    UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić believes he’s “much hungrier” than his upcoming opponent and former champion Jan Blachowicz.

    Rakić has spent much longer on the sidelines than he wanted, but it appears he’ll finally have the chance to secure number one contender status when he returns to action in the first quarter of 2022. The Austrian last entered the Octagon at UFC 259 in March, where he defeated former title challenger Thiago Santos by way of a unanimous decision.

    After challenges sent the way of fellow top-five Jiří Procházka fell on deaf ears and an apparent rematch with Anthony Smith fell through after an injury for “Lionheart,” Rakić’s next outing was finally confirmed. He’ll meet European peer Blachowicz in the main event of a UFC Fight Night scheduled for March 26.

    Following the announcement, Rakić spoke to MMA News’ James Lynch to discuss his upcoming fight with the Polish behemoth, his rivalry with Czech knockout artist Jiří Procházka, his experience training with Khamzat Chimaev, and his feud with former opponent Smith.

    Rakić Targets Title Shot By Slaying A Former Champion

    While Rakić has certainly been impressive in his UFC tenure to date, which most believe should see him unbeaten at 7-0 given the controversial nature of his split decision loss to Volkan Oezdemir, Blachowicz will be no easy path to go through to reach the top step at 205 pounds.

    Before losing his belt to Glover Teixeira at UFC 267, the Pole had experienced an unlikely resurgence and title crowning. Having became champion after upsetting the odds against Dominick Reyes last year, Blachowicz recorded a successful defense by adding the first blemish to the record of middleweight king Israel Adesanya.

    Rakić told MMA News he’s expecting a motivated Blachowicz come March 26. However, given the fact he’s yet to feel what it’s like to sit on the top step, “Rocket” believes he’ll be “much hungrier” when the pair enter the cage together.

    “I’m thinking that he’s gonna come with the extra motivation to our fight and to be a better version, you know. To beat a guy even more hungry than before and more willing to get the belt back, it’s gonna be awesome. He was already on the top, he knows how it feels. I was never on the top and I was never a champion. So I am much hungrier than him, that I can say.”

    Nevertheless, Rakić acknowledges the challenge he has in front of him. Hailing from a central European country himself, the 29-year-old is aware of the toughness Blachowicz has inside him. With that in mind, the Austrian will be preparing for war as he looks to secure a title shot for later in the year.

    “I have a great team and we’ve been watching Jan for a while now… He’s a tough guy. He’s from Poland; from this area, guys are really tough. He’s coming not to lose, he’s coming for everything. But I am from the same area. I’m the same…I’m gonna be right on point on the 26th of March to get the W and to secure my title shot.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXWW0DMpUsz/

    With Teixeira and Procházka expected to collide for the gold in the second quarter of 2022, likely April or May, according to the Brazilian, it stands to reason the winner of Rakić vs Blachowicz will be fighting the champ in the back end of 2022.

    Who do you think will have their hand raised in the March 26 UFC Fight Night main event, Aleksandar Rakić or Jan Blachowicz?

  • Jake Paul & Jorge Masvidal Publicly Negotiate Potential Fight

    Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal have publicly begun negotiations for a potential fight.

    Last weekend, Jake Paul left no doubt who was the better man in his trilogy with Tyron Woodley when he knocked out “The Chosen One” in the 6th round. One man who was in attendance to witness the violence was Jorge Masvidal, who has a history with both men.

    Masvidal’s and Woodley’s friendship dates back years from their time shared at American Top Team. “Gamebred” became acquainted with Paul in the lead-up to the Paul/Askren bout April, with the MMA vet giving the YouTuber a few pointers in a loose training session.

    That alliance would deteriorate ahead of the first fight between Paul and Woodley after Masvidal predicted Woodley would make easy work of Paul. This prompted Paul to brand Masvidal a “hoe” who easily switched up, perhaps unaware of Woodley’s and Masvidal’s friendship that long predated his acquaintance with the Miamian.

    After Paul knocked out Woodley, he addressed Masvidal and Nate Diaz in his in-ring interview, stating that the two BMFs were shook from what they witnessed and wanted no part of a fight with him. Masvidal has since responded to the quasi-callout, stating that Paul could not afford him.

    Jake Paul Throws Out An Initial Offer To Masvidal

    Tuesday, Paul put Masvidal’s assumption about his budget to the test by throwing out an initial offer to “Gamebred.”

    “Masvidal is like, ‘I only fight the best people or I fight for money, and you’re neither one of those,’” said Paul on the IMPLAUSIVE podcast. “Masvidal, I’ve got an offer for you right now: $5 million guarantee, plus percentage of pay-per-views.

    “That’s the most you would have ever made in a fight, ever. So now you can’t say, ‘I either fight the best, or I fight for money.’ … Let’s make it happen.”

    Jorge Masvidal would soon respond with a counteroffer.

    “1. The ufc isn’t gonna let me go for chump change. 2. Make that 20 guaranteed plus Ppv and I’m sure the ufc will be ok with it as long as I break them off their fee and then I’ll gladly break your face.”

    “If the ufc still says no because the money is still too low then come over to the ufc, sign a 1 fight deal and we can stipulate I can only box in the cage. If i do anything other than that I will forfeit my purse to you. Come on over and get paid and laid out.”

    These negotiations are being made despite the public knowledge that Dana White’s skin crawls at the very thought of Jake Paul and he has assured that he will never do any business with him. Then again, even the wealthiest of men have a price. Time will tell if Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal can find Mr. White’s.

    Do you think there’s any chance we see a boxing match between Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal?

  • Tony Ferguson Mocks Charles Oliveira For Not Being Able To Finish Him

    Tony Ferguson is looking to run things back with champion Charles Oliveira.

    Fresh off his UFC 269 win over Dustin Poirier, Oliveira was bound to get some call-outs from the rest of the lightweight division. With a successful title defense under his belt, Oliveira’s status as the champ is more solid than ever.

    Oliveira has been called out by the likes of Justin Gaethje and Conor McGregor, but one callout that may be surprising is that from Tony Ferguson. Ferguson had a reminder for the new champion after his UFC 269 submission victory.

    Ferguson isn’t exactly the most logical next choice for Oliveira. Ferguson is currently on a three-fight losing streak. He has dropped down to number seven in the official UFC lightweight rankings. His last win was against Donald Cerrone back in June of 2019.

    Oliveira defeated Ferguson at UFC 256 right before he went on to win the lightweight title. If Ferguson had won that bout, he could be the one holding the belt right now. Oliveira won by unanimous decision and that is the basis that Ferguson is running on when he claims Oliveira was unable to finish him.

    Tony Ferguson Hints At Looming Return

    Even though Ferguson probably won’t see Oliveira again anytime soon, it is a bit of a relief for Ferguson fans to see that he wants back in the Octagon. His last fight was in May, and he has been unclear of what his future plans were. He later sent out a tweet that could be an indicator of an incoming fight announcement.

    This message from Ferguson is a bit cryptic like most of his tweets, but he does have a trophy and number one medal in there, maybe insinuating a title shot. If he can string together a couple of wins over top-ranked opponents, then perhaps he will find his way to the lightweight title and a fight with Oliveira.

    Do you want to see Charles Oliveira and Tony Ferguson run it back?

  • UFC Rankings Report: Muhammad Cracks Top 5, LW Gets New Face

    The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC Vegas 45, and we’ve got the full report for you below!

    Men’s Pound for Pound: No Changes

    Women’s Pound for Pound: Lauren Murphy (#13) and Mackenzie Dern (#14) swap positions.

    Strawweight: Following Claudia Gadelha’s retirement, Tecia Torres (#7), Michelle Waterson (#8), Amanda Ribas (#9), Amanda Lemos (#10), and Virna Jandiroba (#11) each moved up. At the bottom of the rankings, Jessica Penne (#13) and Brianna Van Buren (#14) move up one position, and Luana Pinheiro (#15) debuts in the rankings.

    Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo (#6) and Joanne Wood (#7) swap positions, as do Jessica Eye (#9) and Cynthia Calvillo (#10).

    Women’s Bantamweight: Raquel Pennington (#7) and Miesha Tate (#8) swap places after Pennington’s submission victory over Macy Chiasson at UFC Vegas 45. 

    Submission! Watch Raquel Pennington tap Macy Chiasson with slick guillotine - UFC Vegas 45 - MMAmania.com

    Women’s Featherweight: N/A 

    Flyweight: Amir Albazi moves up two positions to #11 while Tim Elliott (#12) and Sumudaerji (#13) drop one spot.

    Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley moves up one spot to #12, and Ricky Simon’s KO victory over Raphael Assuncao has Simon appearing in the rankings at #13 and Assuncao falling three positions down to #15. 

    UFC Vegas 45 video: Ricky Simon scores vicious knockout of Raphael Assuncao, calls out Sean O'Malley - MMA Fighting
    Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

    Featherweight: No Changes

    Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot debuts at #12 in the rankings following his TKO victory over Diego Ferreira at UFC Vegas 45. Because of the loss, Ferreira drops three spots down to #15. 

    UFC Vegas 45: Mateusz Gamrot stops Diego Ferreira With Knee To Ribs
    Mateusz Gamrot def. Diego Ferreira, Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

    Welterweight: Belal Muhammad is now ranked #5 after his dominant victory over Stephen Thompson at UFC Vegas 45. The loss drops Thompson two spots down to #7. Meanwhile, due to Muhammad’s ascension, Neil Magny (#8), Sean Brady (#9), and Michael Chiesa (#10) each fall back one position.

    Middleweight: Kevin Holland (#14) and Chris Weidman swap places yet again. Though it should be noted that Holland has decided to make a move down to welterweight henceforth. 

    Light Heavyweight: No Changes

    Heavyweight: The rankings remain the same following Derrick Lewis’(#3) first-round KO of Chris Daukaus (#7) at UFC Vegas 45. 

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here. 

    What are your thoughts on these updates to the UFC rankings following UFC Vegas 45?

  • Alex Pereira To Make UFC Return Against Bruno Silva On March 12

    A potential barnburner between UFC middleweights Alex Pereira and Bruno Silva is in the works for an upcoming March 12 Fight Night event.

    MMA Junkie was among the first to report news of the booking.

    Pereira, a former Glory kickboxing world champion who signed with the UFC this year, is coming off of his promotional debut win over Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268. He landed a vicious flying knee followed up by a barrage of punches to secure the second-round finish.

    Pereira will face a step up in competition against Silva, who has been on a tear with seven-straight wins in M-1 and the UFC. He has won all seven bouts by knockout, including most recently against Jordan Wright at UFC 269.

    The two sides have verbally agreed to the bout ahead of an anticipated formal announcement by the promotion.

    Alex Pereira Looks To Continue His Rise In MMA

    Pereira is well known for being the only man to ever knock out Israel Adesanya in either kickboxing or MMA. During his time in Glory, he earned the light heavyweight and middleweight world titles before making the move to the UFC and MMA.

    Along with his kickboxing accolades, Pereira had put on impressive performances in smaller MMA promotions such as Legacy and Jungle Fight. He registered quick knockouts over the likes of Marcelo Cruz and Thomas Powell.

    The card will be headlined by a light heavyweight showdown between top contenders Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankalaev. The venue and location have yet to be determined for the event.

    What are your thoughts on this UFC middleweight matchup?

  • John Kavanagh Responds To Firing Calls After McGregor’s Losses

    SBG Ireland headman John Kavanagh isn’t losing sleep over calls for him to be terminated following UFC star Conor McGregor’s recent struggles.

    Kavanagh has most recently been the target of UFC commentator and former fighter Michael Bisping, who called for Kavanagh to be let go by McGregor’s inner circle.

    It all started when Kavanagh seemed more jovial than many believed he should’ve been after McGregor suffered a TKO loss via doctor’s stoppage to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Bisping went as far as to say that Kavanagh should be “fired immediately” after his reaction.

    During a recent interview with The Mirror, Kavanagh responded to Bisping’s comments along with overall calls for him to step aside as McGregor’s coach.

    “I wouldn’t say I was hurt, I wasn’t going, ‘Oh, no, Bisping said something’, that’s his opinion and everybody is welcome to their opinion,” Kavanagh said. “I’m always self-critical but if I’m being 100 percent honest, it’ll be the people closest to me saying something – I have a lot of very honest people around me – that’ll be what makes me really stand up and think.

    “So look, things are looking up and to Bisping I’d say ‘thanks very much for the constructive criticism’, keep it coming and we’ll keep trying to improve.”

    Kavanagh also feels that Bisping’s remarks are an example of a larger pattern of SBG Ireland being held to a different standard because of McGregor’s fame.

    “So we’re judged under a different set of rules to everybody else, and that’s fine because we also get a lot of benefits from the 2,000lb gorilla that is Conor,” Kavanagh said.

    “We get a lot of attention here, lots of great opportunities, my fight team gets to be involved with big shows.

    Conor McGregor, John Kavanagh Have Worked Together For Years

    McGregor has been at SBG Ireland with Kavanagh since before he became one of the UFC’s biggest superstars. His time with the gym stems from his title wins in Cage Warriors before ultimately making the move to the UFC.

    McGregor hasn’t won in the Octagon since his first-round finish over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246. He has lost three of his last four fights overall, with defeats to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Poirier(2).

    As of now, it seems like McGregor doesn’t have any plans to move away from his roots with Kavanagh and SBG Ireland. As he gets ready to make his UFC return in 2022, he’ll look to get back in the win column with Kavanagh in his corner.

    What are your thoughts on John Kavanagh’s response to Michael Bisping?

  • Poirier Reveals Why Oliveira Loss Hurt More Than Title Defeat To Khabib

    Despite the heartbreak of his 2019 defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier has revealed why his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 hurt more.

    Ahead of this year’s final pay-per-view, many branded Poirier the “uncrowned champion” and expected “The Diamond” to leave Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena with the 155-pound gold wrapped around his waist. His form had suggested that was a big possibility.

    Since his submission setback against “The Eagle,” Poirier had won three straight. Following a decision triumph over Dan Hooker in a 2020 Fight of the Year contender, the Louisianan re-visited his rivalry with 2014 opponent Conor McGregor. After becoming the first man to knock the Irishman out in January this year, Poirier secured the trilogy win when the pair met again at UFC 264 in July.

    But when he set his sights back on the belt, it was a familiar story for “The Diamond.” Despite early success, the 32-year-old found himself tapping out in the third round yet again. This time it was a Brazilian underdog on his back, rather than a Dagestani brute.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXyt0VsRCO/

    Poirier: “I Could’ve Done More”

    Both of Poirier’s title losses felt like heartbreaking ends to an inspirational journey to the top. But for the former interim champion, one hurt a lot more than the other.

    During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour in the week after his crushing defeat, Poirier detailed the difference between the two championship failings. Against Khabib, the Louisiana native felt he did everything possible to have his hand raised and was simply beaten by the better man. But he was left with a feeling of what could have been against “Do Bronx.”

    “In the Khabib fight, I felt like I was bested. I did everything that I could and I lost. This one, I feel like I could’ve done more. And that hurts. That’s something I have to deal with. I could’ve been smarter. I could’ve been more in the moment. I could’ve been more locked in. And I could’ve been the world champion.”

    The next step is unclear for Poirier. “The Diamond” has understandably had his motivation dented, and revealed he may never even fight at lightweight again. However, one name that got him excited about the idea of competing again was former foe Nate Diaz.

    But despite going back-and-forth on social media and both seeming to agree on a clash for early next year, negotiation issues appear to have derailed the booking for now.

    For the time being, at least, it appears Poirier’s mind is set on fun fights, rather than another push for gold.

    Do you think UFC 269 was Dustin Poirier’s last chance to become an undisputed champion?

  • Claudia Gadelha Says Concussion-Like Symptoms Led To Retirement From MMA

    Claudia Gadelha has explained why she announced her retirement from MMA.

    Gadelha last fought back in November of 2020 where she suffered a decision loss to Yan Xiaonan. Since then, many wondered when she would return to the Octagon.

    Then last week, the Brazilian announced her retirement from MMA. According to Gadelha, she retired due to concussion-like symptoms.

    “I don’t want anybody to think that I’m sad because I’m very happy with what’s going on in my life right now,” Gadelha said in an Instagram video (via MMAFighting). “In November of 2020 after a fight I had a really bad concussion and I had a post-concussion syndrome, which is the symptoms of a concussion for a long period of time. So I suffered with the symptoms for a little while.

    “It was very frustrating because my headaches were like a knife stabbing the back of my head. I was very nauseous, almost throwing up, feeling very, very bad. I couldn’t even go for a walk, couldn’t train, it was very frustrating,” Gadelha continued.

    According to Claudia Gadelha, she realized she was going to retire a couple of months back. Since her last fight, she has had to go to the hospital multiple times due to her concussion-like symptoms.

    Claudia Gadelha
    Claudia Gadelha, Image Credit: Getty Images

    “I had to rush to the hospital in the beginning of my concussion twice,” Gadelha said. “I ended up in the emergency room twice and I’m here in Las Vegas by myself and my family’s in Brazil, it was during COVID so I couldn’t fly to Brazil to go be with my family because it was like in the beginning of the concussion so I couldn’t fly and my parents couldn’t come here because of COVID. I had to spend a lot of time by myself during the concussion and that was very, very frustrating.

    “With that being said I started thinking about not fighting anymore. I had a lot of feelings of, ‘OK, I’m gonna go back, I’m gonna beat this time of my life and I’m gonna go back and fight,’ and then other times I would just feel like I shouldn’t be fighting anymore because I had so many other opportunities in life,” Gadelha continued. “I took a little bit more time and went back to the gym and tried to train and I started getting hit in the head and having anxiety from getting hit in the head and being afraid of going back to work where I was in the beginning of the concussion. I did a lot of brain treatments to get healthier and I was so afraid of going back to what it was and then a lot of other opportunities showed up in my life.”

    With Claudia Gadelha now retired, she will now be working with the UFC to help acclimate Brazilian fighters to life in the United States. She is helping both to translate and to educate them on “the business side of fighting” while continuing her own studies regarding health, nutrition, and performance.

    Gadelha retires with a professional record of 18-5 and fought for UFC gold once where she challenged former nemesis Joanna Jędrzejczyk in 2016.

    What do you make of Claudia Gadelha retiring?

  • Kamaru Usman Invites Anthony Joshua To Train Grappling Together

    UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman wants boxing star Anthony Joshua to come train with him to iron out his clinch work.

    Usman’s stock has skyrocketed over the past few years, and most notably in 2021, as arguably one of the most dominant UFC champions ever. He’s most recently earned knockouts over Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal along with a unanimous decision win over Colby Covington.

    Usman has become a major fixture in the world of combat sports, as further evidenced by his recent invitation to Joshua to work on his wrestling. After watching a clip of Joshua getting some wrestling training in, Usman offered his services to the heavyweight boxing star.

    “Ah ah my brother, you for call me nah,” Usman commented in ‘Pidgin English’. “Dis is my specialty.”

    Usman has most recently teased a potential money fight against boxing champion Canelo Alvarez in due time. Once thought of as a grappling specialist, Usman’s striking has vastly improved over his past few wins in the Octagon.

    Joshua is set for a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk in 2022. He had been on track to face Tyson Fury before losing his heavyweight titles to Usyk earlier this year and activating his rematch clause.

    This isn’t the first time Joshua has been seen training in MMA during his boxing camps. He most recently trained with former UFC middleweight Luke Barnatt and has enhanced his knowledge of the sport as a whole.

    Usman and Joshua could learn a lot from one another, and it’ll be interesting to see if these two stars work together in the gym.

    What are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman offering to train boxers in grappling?