MMA News

Category: MMA

  • UFC Rankings Report: Nunes Drops Noticeably, “The Suga Show” Arrives

    The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC 269, and we’ve got the full report for you below!

    Men’s Pound for Pound: After Charles Oliveira’s submission victory over Dustin Poirier in the UFC 269 main event, the Brazilian advances three spots up to #5. Conversely, Poirier falls three spots to #8. 

    Women’s Pound for Pound: Valentina Shevchenko is now the #1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the women’s rankings following Amanda Nunes’ loss to Julianna Peña at UFC 269. Nunes falls down to #3, with strawweight champion Rose Namajunas (#2) also placed in front of her. Peña skyrockets up seven spots to #4 after her submission victory over Nunes. 

    Peña’s move up the ranks has caused Zhang Weili (#5), Jessica Andrade (#6), Holly Holm (#7), and Carla Esparza (#8) to move down. Katlyn Chookagian (#10) and Xiaonan Yan (#11) also dropped down in this week’s rankings.

    Strawweight: No Changes

    Women’s Flyweight: Cynthia Calvillo (#9) and Jessica Eye (#10) swap positions.

    Women’s Bantamweight: Amanda Nunes is now the #1 contender after the crowning of new champion, Julianna Peña. Holly Holm is now ranked #2, and Irene Aldana sits at #3. Additionally, Pannie Kianzad (#12) and Karol Rosa (#13) swap places in the rankings. 

    Women’s Featherweight: N/A 

    Flyweight: Sumudaerji (#12) and Amir Albazi (#13) swap places for the second consecutive week. 

    Bantamweight: Following his victory over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269, Dominick Cruz moves up two spots to #7 in the rankings. Marlon Vera made a big leap this week, jumping up three spots to #8 right behind Cruz. As for Munhoz, he dropped two spots to #10, and Marlon Moraes moved up one spot to #9. Frankie Edgar now sits at #11 after moving up two positions.

    Sean O'Malley
    Sean O’Malley (Image Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

    And finally, “The Suga Show” has arrived in the UFC rankings, with the self-proclaimed “Unranked Champ” now being stripped of that title after debuting in the rankings at #13 following his first-round TKO of Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.

    Featherweight: Josh Emmett moves up to #6, with Arnold Allen (#7) and Giga Chikadze each (#8) falling back one position.

    Lightweight: Justin Gaethje is now the #1 contender, with Dustin Poirier ranked at #2 after his loss to champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.

    Welterweight: No Changes

    Middleweight: André Muniz debuts in the rankings at #13 following his eighth straight victory and advancing his UFC record to 4-0 by submitting Eryk Anders at UFC 269. This has caused Chris Weidman (#14) and Kevin Holland (#15) to drop in the rankings.

    Light Heavyweight: No Changes

    Heavyweight: After earning another knockout at UFC 269 over Augusto Sakai, Tai Tuivasa returns to the heavyweight rankings, landing at #11. Meanwhile, Sakai (#12), Blagoy Ivanov (#13), Walt Harris (#14), and Sergei Pavlovich (#15) each drop this week.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here. 

    What are your thoughts on these updates to the UFC rankings following UFC 269?

  • Julianna Peña Dismisses ‘B-League’ Kayla Harrison, Harrison Responds

    New UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña has taken a shot at Kayla Harrison.

    In the co-main event of UFC 269, Amanda Nunes was set to defend her bantamweight title against Peña in a fight most expected Nunes to win with ease. Should the champ-champ have won, it’s likely she would’ve fought Harrison at featherweight in a highly-anticipated bout but Peña ruined those plans.

    Peña pulled off a surprising upset by scoring a second-round submission win. After the win, the new champion took a shot at Harrison, explaining why the two-time PFL champion is not on her radar.

    “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.”

    After Peña’s comments, Harrison then took to Twitter to respond.

    “Lawwwwwd. Don’t be doin this now Juliana!,” Harrison wrote on Twitter.

    Although Julianna Peña took a shot at Kayla Harrison, it is a moot point, as a fight between them will likely never happen. Even if Harrison signs with the UFC, she will compete at featherweight, while Peña is the bantamweight champ and is comfortable at 135lbs.

    However, some may consider Peña’s shot at Harrison to be a wise move, as it only adds to her name and popularity. Yet, in order for the new champ to remain the champ, she will need to beat Nunes again sometime next year. Harrison, meanwhile, remains a free agent.

    What do you make of Julianna Peña taking a shot at Kayla Harrison?

  • Darren Till Admits Interest In Facing “Ugly Motherf*cker” Uriah Hall

    After being called out by Uriah Hall multiple times, UFC middleweight contender Darren Till has admitted he’s interested in a fight with “Prime Time.”

    Till was last in action at UFC Vegas 36 in September. After going 1-1 at middleweight with a debut win against Kelvin Gastelum and a main event decision setback to former champion Robert Whittaker, “The Gorilla” hoped to stake his claim for a title shot against divisional veteran Derek Brunson.

    Instead, Till fell to his fourth defeat in five fights, and did so in devastating fashion. Inside Las Vegas’ Apex, the Englishman was dominated by Brunson, who’s firmly escaped gatekeeper status and become a genuine contender. He seemingly secured his place in a title eliminator against Jared Cannonier by submitting Till in the third round.

    Till Looks To Bounce Back in 2022

    Once considered a sure-fire future welterweight champion, defeats to Tyron Woodley and Jorge Masvidal saw Till pursue success at middleweight instead. Now with consecutive losses at 185 pounds, the future is uncertain for the Liverpool native. Nevertheless, “The Gorilla” hasn’t lost confidence and believes he’ll bounce back in his next appearance.

    While his opponent is yet to be decided, top-10 middleweight veteran Uriah Hall has made his desire to challenge Till clear on social media. The Jamaican-born American saw his own chance to break into the title conversation slip away earlier this year when Sean Strickland snapped his four-fight win streak in the UFC Vegas 33 main event.

    During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Till addressed the rumors surrounding his return. The 29-year-old suggested he could feature on the March UFC Fight Night Event that is expected to take place in London. He also acknowledged Hall’s callouts, admitting the idea of facing the #9-ranked “Prime Time” is interesting to him.

    “There’s a massive chance… There’s a big chance I’ll be fighting in London. We’ll see what happens with it and who it’s against. I know Uriah called me out. Let’s just see mate. I can’t say too much… Yeah, I’m interested (in facing Hall). I think he’s a good fighter. I think he’s an ugly motherfucker, but he’s not a bad fighter. Whatever, let’s see mate. I’ve got options.”

    If the bout does get booked to headline the March 19 card in London, Till will be joining a host of other British fighters on the card. That includes Jack Shore, Mike Grundy, Molly McCann, and the debuting Muhammad Mokaev.

    Would you like to see Darren Till and Uriah Hall headline the UFC’s return to London?

  • Dominick Cruz Shares His One Regret About Viral Cormier Criticisms

    Dominick Cruz regrets his viral comments criticizing Daniel Cormier’s performance as a color analyst—sort of.

    Prior to UFC 269, one story that made headlines across the MMA media was the critical remarks made by Dominick Cruz regarding Daniel Cormier’s job preparation as a color analyst. Here is a portion of what was said during the UFC 269 pre-fight media scrum.

    “I watch (Jon) Anik do so much homework leading up to a fight. Like, people have no idea how much homework he has to do to be prepared for that, and the most kudos, for me, goes to him. He leads us in the broadcast with how he talks. When it comes to DC, I usually mute it. I love DC, he’s my friend, but to me, from my experience, he doesn’t do the homework. He wants to get in and out, get the job done, make his money.”

    Cruz and Cormier later had a face-to-face dialogue to hash things out within hours of Cruz’s comments going viral. Cormier would then go on to serve as one of the commentators for Cruz’s UFC 269 bout against Pedro Munhoz, which saw the former bantamweight champion pick up his second consecutive win.

    Dominick Cruz Shares One Regret About His Viral Comments

    Dominick Cruz Daniel Cormier
    Photo via Facebook – Dominick Cruz

    Now a week removed from his comments and with the chaos of a PPV fight week now behind him, Dominick Cruz appeared on Monday’s installment of The MMA Hour hosted by Ariel Helwani.

    During the interview, Cruz was asked if he has any regrets about his comments. If he could do it again, Cruz would have said the same thing, but there is one thing he would have changed.

    “I don’t regret what I said because I hadn’t eaten in three days, I hadn’t drank in two days. They asked me questions, I spoke from my heart. And I don’t really regret what I said because it wasn’t mean. It was very loving. But what I regret, I guess, is where I said it. Maybe I shouldn’t have said it there because then that allowed the media to take it and do whatever they wanted with it.”

    As he did in the face-to-face discussion with Cormier, Cruz accused the media of manipulating his words for the sake of clicks. He would then clarify the point he was attempting to make when expressing the criticisms. According to Cruz, it was more about asking key, job-related questions as opposed to outright dressing down his partner.

    “You and me both know I love Cormier. You love Cormier. How do you not love Cormier?” Cruz asked Helwani. “He’s got the personality of gold. I get that. This was a completely different question we had. This was about job and what is your job? ‘Not everyone needs to do it your way, Dom.’ I hear you.

    “The point is, what is the job of a color analyst? Not my job. Not what is my job as a color analyst. What is your job as a color analyst? Well, is it just to know off the top of your head what these guys do? Put yourself in their position, Cormier. Would you want someone to watch film before you fight, or would you want them to not? That was the only question I asked. All the other defense came from whatever else it came from. I simply asked questions.”

    Cruz stated that he was satisfied with Cormier’s commentating performance during his UFC 269 bout with Pedro Munhoz. As someone who knows full well how difficult the job of an MMA color analyst is, the bantamweight legend appreciates, more than anything, whenever someone’s best effort is made while sitting at the desk.

  • Israel Adesanya Goes Nuts Watching Kai Kara-France’s UFC 269 Win

    UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya loved watching his teammate, Kai Kara-France score a violent knockout at UFC 269.

    Kara-France welcomed former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt to the UFC flyweight division in brutal fashion, overwhelming him on the feet and dropping him early for the finish.

    City Kickboxing continues to be arguably one of the best gyms in the world, and Adesanya was hyped watching his teammate score an incredible win.

    Watch Israel Adesanya’s Live Reaction To Kai Kara-France’s Win

    Kara-France’s win over Garbrandt propels him into the flyweight title picture, as he has now won back-to-back fights after a brief losing skid. He could potentially serve as the backup to Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo 3 next month at UFC 270.

    As for Adesanya, he appears set to defend his middleweight title against the man who he took it from, Robert Whittaker. The rematch between Adesanya and Whittaker appears has been announced for UFC 271 in February.

    Adesanya has become arguably just as big of a star outside of the Octagon as he is inside of it. He has a YouTube channel, Freestylebender with over 600,000 subscribers, and has also amassed over 5.5 million followers on Instagram.

    Adesanya has developed into one of the most prominent personalities in combat sports today, and Kara-France may not be too far behind him following his wild knockout at UFC 269. Both men are names to watch in 2022.

    Who would you like to see Kai Kara-France fight next? What’s your prediction for Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2?

  • Chris Daukaus: Derrick Lewis Has More Power Than Francis Ngannou

    In the heavyweight realm, fighters hit hard, but some hit harder than others.

    Rising contender Chris Daukaus (12-3) took to MMA on SiriusXM to discuss his upcoming bout with Derrick Lewis this weekend at UFC Vegas 45. According to Daukaus, the Houston slugger hits harder than the current UFC heavyweight champion. 

    “I think he’s got more power than Francis Ngannou,” proclaimed Daukaus. 

    While it’s hard to qualify punching power, there’s no debate that Lewis hits like a Mack truck to the face. Of his 25 victories in mixed martial arts, 20 of those have ended via knockout. “The Black Beast” has been utterly outclassed more than once before detonating a single fist on his opponent’s jaw and ending the fight. 

    Francis Ngannou, though, is no slouch in the power department. With 16 victories to his name, Ngannou earned 12 of them with his punches. Many outlets gave the Cameroonian “KO of the Year: honors back in 2017 for his astonishing finish of Alistair Overeem. 

    Yet, Daukaus is no stranger to turning off another man’s lights himself. The Philadelphian has finished every UFC fight thus far with strikes. His last outing saw him TKO Shamil Abdurakhimov at UFC 266.

    Derrick Lewis vs. Chris Daukaus is scheduled for UFC Vegas 45 on December 18. There, the behemoths will meet in a five-round main event. 

  • PFL Announces “Challenger Series” To Scout Up-And-Coming Talent

    The PFL has announced a Dana White’s Contender Series-like show that will begin in 2022 and give MMA prospects an opportunity at a contract.

    The PFL Challenger Series will debut on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, and will stream on Friday nights exclusively on FuboTV. Prospects will have the chance to duke it out and impress a guest panel that will change from week to week and will feature celebrities such as NFL stars Ray Lewis and Todd Gurley, and boxing legends such as Mike Tyson.

    The celebrity guest panel will not decide the official outcomes of the fights themselves but will play a significant role in determining which fighters will earn PFL contracts. Fans will also have the opportunity to voice their opinions during the broadcasts regarding fight decisions and who should get an opportunity in the league.

    Contract winners will be entered in the league’s 2022 tournament for a chance at $1 million.

    The PFL Continues To Change The MMA Landscape

    “PFL Challenger Series is not your father’s contender series,” PFL Founder and Chairman Donn Davis said in a statement. “The winner of the PFL Challenger Series can become a real-world Rocky story, going from an unknown pro to World Champion holding a $1 million check in the same year.”

    The PFL has added multiple new elements to how the sport of MMA is viewed, and with the level of competition it has added over the past few years. Big names such as Kayla Harrison, former UFC standout Antonio Carlos Jr. and others have made their mark on the league.

    The new Challenger Series will add another angle to the league’s future and send the message that the PFL is here to stay for many years to come. It’ll be interesting to see the level of talent they’ll add through this program.

    What are your thoughts on the PFL Challenger Series?

  • Peña Responds To Backlash For Saying She’s The UFC’s 1st Mom Champ

    Newly crowned women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña has responded to the backlash she received for comments made following her UFC 269 title win.

    After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, Julianna Peña served as an inspiration for many people. Peña entered her fight against Amanda Nunes as a +670 underdog, with Nunes cracking four figures as a -1000 favorite.

    However, it wasn’t the upset aspect that Peña noted as being historic about her victory. That, as she told reporters after the fight, would be her becoming the first birthing mother to become a UFC champion.

    “The UFC absolutely needs to create a new belt for me It needs to be ‘The Baddest Mom on the Planet,’ Peña said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “And you know, I’m not trying to take away anything from Amanda. She’s a wonderful mother. But I gave birth to my daughter, and I know that I feel like, for giving birth, I am the first mom champ. And that, to me, is also a little feather in the cap.”

    Julianna Peña Reacts To Backlash

    Many considered Peña’s remarks to be distasteful, with her being accused of minimizing, if not disqualifying Amanda Nunes as a mother because she did not give birth to her daughter.

    When MMA reporter Ariel Helwani congratulated Peña on becoming the first UFC champion who gave birth to a child, he also caught some flack. This caused him to post a follow-up tweet to clarify why he feels Peña’s achievement should be celebrated.

    “FTR, I’m not trying to diminish anyone. Cmon. Just noting, given my immense respect for what women go through during and post-pregnancy, that this is a first and very much worth commending. That’s it. I know there are many ways to be a mom and they all deserve love + respect,” Helwani tweeted Saturday night.

    Helwani would have Peña on as a guest of Monday’s installment of The MMA Hour to respond to the backlash herself. First, Helwani defended Peña from the criticism she’s received and doubled down on his belief that her achievement as the first birth mother to win UFC gold is something to be celebrated.

    “Yes, it is, and my words were 1,000% misinterpreted,” Peña said. “I’m not trying to take away from Amanda as a mom-champ by any means. But what I meant to say is, you’re pregnant for 10 months, actually. And your body goes through massive changes. I went to my doctor’s appointment. I was almost 42 weeks pregnant at this point, and they’re like, ‘We gotta get this baby out now! STAT! Right now!’

    “They rushed me to the ER. And I got my guts ripped open. I’m literally (lying) on the table and looking at my guts on the side. They gut me like a fish; they stuffed it all back in. If it wasn’t for Mercier Therapy, I wouldn’t have been able to get back into the Octagon. And I think that that process of healing, and taking my actual time to do that Mercier Therapy, and taking the time to heal my body and get to fighting and be able to perform at my peak is a lot. And it says a lot to be able to do that after giving birth.”

    In the interview, Peña praised both Amanda and Nina Nunes for being great parents and reiterated that Amanda Nunes is a legitimate mom champ. That said, Peña believes she offers her own unique, inspirational story as a champion.

    “And I’m not, by any means, trying to take away from Amanda at all. All I was simply saying is that when I gave birth, I had to put my body through the trenches to get back to this point that I’m at right now. And it’s something that should be celebrated. But I, by no means, want to take away from Amanda’s accomplishments at all. She is an incredible mom-champ. She was an incredible champion. She did so much for the sport. But I am the new champion right now, and that is the light that I want to stay in.”

    Julianna Peña is expected to rematch Amanda Nunes sometime in 2022.

    What are your thoughts on Julianna Peña’s comments?

  • The Pulse of MMA: Fans React To Julianna Peña’s Upset Of Amanda Nunes

    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 result of UFC 269’s co-main event that saw Julianna Peña upset Amanda Nunes.

    Julianna Peña def. Amanda Nunes via Submission

    Amanda Nunes entered the UFC 269 co-main event as a -1000 favorite against Julianna Peña. After a strong first round, Peña would stand and trade with Nunes, getting the better of the “The Lioness,” much to the surprise of the audience in attendance. That shock would then quickly expand when Peña made the victory official with her rear-naked choke submission in the second round.

    Here is one look at a stunned crowd’s reaction, including many fighters in attendance who could not believe what they just witnessed.

    We also covered fighters’ Twitter reactions to this stunning upset immediately after the event.

    But what about The Pulse of MMA? What were the reactions to the fans of our great sport after witnessing such a monumental moment! You can find the raw, unfiltered commentary on the crowning of a new UFC bantamweight champion below.

    https://twitter.com/wehaveagronk/status/1469896782377324550
    https://twitter.com/bromachenko/status/1469896097820721152
    https://twitter.com/DamnitChristoff/status/1469904822174375937
    https://twitter.com/MartialMind1/status/1469895227418812417

    Want to weigh in on the sport’s biggest stories? Be sure to follow us on Twitter and let your voice be heard!

  • Michael Bisping Thinks Amanda Nunes Wins Julianna Peña Rematch

    Michael Bisping likes former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes’ chances in an immediate rematch against Julianna Peña.

    Nunes’ loss to Peña was arguably one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history. After some brief success early on in the fight, Nunes looked gassed in Round 2 and let Peña dictate the pace on the feet. Peña would then secure a big takedown and eventually lock in the submission for the win.

    Nunes’ loss to Peña snapped an incredible run in the UFC in which she won titles at both bantamweight and featherweight. The defeat snapped a 12-fight winning streak and was her first loss since UFC 178 against Cat Zingano.

    During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, Bisping broke down his thoughts on a Nunes/Peña rematch and what went wrong for Nunes at UFC 269.

    “I think she’ll come back and I think she’ll fight Julianna Peña and I think she beats Julianna in a rematch,” Bisping said. “In that first round, she outclassed Julianna. She was the better person, she put her down twice, she controlled her in the clinch, she controlled her on the ground. It was a good round for Nunes but she got tired. She got tired, you could clearly see it. And also she showed a little naivety, she showed a little lack of experience, she showed a little – she didn’t show the best fight I.Q.

    “When you’re in a fight – and I’ve been there many times – when you’re in a fight, you’re in the UFC, you go in there and it’s a big fight, a main event or whatever, there’s thousands of people and you’re the f*cking star and things don’t go your way and BANG you get caught with a shot and you’re rocked, what we saw Nunes do – and it’s commendable and the crowd loved it and they’re all screaming and cheering – she just stood there swinging back and forth,” Bisping continued. “What Nunes should have done was be a little bit more crafty. She should have got on her bike, use her footwork to be a little bit more elusive, dance around the octagon a little bit, get your equilibrium back…

    “Nunes probably beats her in the rematch. I’m not taking away from what she did. I honestly believe Nunes will beat her in the rematch.”

    Amanda Nunes Seems Focused On Julianna Peña Rematch

    Just days after her loss to Peña at UFC 269, Nunes took to Instagram to formally accept Dana White’s offer of an immediate rematch.

    While Peña stated that she’s certainly interested in a Nunes rematch, she’s also voiced his desire to avenge previous losses to Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine de Randamie.

    White has all but confirmed an immediate rematch between Nunes and Peña, and it’s expected to be what’s next in the bantamweight title picture. It’s unclear when it’ll happen, but it seems like a Nunes/Peñarematch is inevitable.

    How do you think Julianna Peña vs. Amanda Nunes 2 would play out?

  • Dominick Cruz Open To José Aldo Fight Following UFC 269

    Former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz is open to continuing his rise back to the top with a fight against top-five contender José Aldo.

    Cruz was in action for the second time in 2021 this past weekend. After rebounding from his return loss against Henry Cejudo with a split decision victory over Casey Kenney at UFC 259 in March, “The Dominator” hoped to end the year by moving further up the rankings and setting himself on a win streak with a triumph over Pedro Munhoz.

    With a classic Cruz performance, he accomplished both at UFC 269. After recovering from an early knockdown, the top-10 contender composed himself and entered the flow that’s brought him so much success across his illustrious career. After three rounds of action inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, Cruz was awarded a unanimous decision win.

    Cruz: “I’m Going Up Towards The Title”

    Having gotten past the #8-ranked bantamweight, Cruz will now be looking to fight up the rankings yet again as his pursuit for a third dose of UFC title success goes on. One name that interests many fans is José Aldo. Like Cruz, “Junior” is a former champion and a legend of the sport.

    The Brazilian was in action last weekend in the UFC Vegas 44 main event. Against top contender Rob Font, Aldo proved he’s capable of a surge back to the top with a five-round decision victory. His latest success followed wins against Munhoz and Marlon “Chito” Vera. Having risen to #3 on the bantamweight ladder, Aldo is targeting a title eliminator against TJ Dillashaw next.

    Given Aldo’s position in the rankings, it’s perhaps not surprising that Cruz would be more than willing to clash with the fellow legend. During the UFC 269 post-fight press conference, “The Dominator” said he certainly wouldn’t turn down a clash with the 35-year-old.

    “Yeah I mean, I’m not gonna say no to a Aldo fight, just because, you know, that moves me closer to the title. Aldo’s a legend in the sport. I have nothing but respect for all these guys. So, I’m trying to go, you know, I’m going up towards the title… I’m not gonna say no to anything.”

    It appears much more likely Cruz could be matched up with Aldo’s latest beaten foe Font over the in-form Brazilian. If he’s to fight up the rankings, the former champ’s potential options are limited to either Font, Merab Dvalishvili, Cory Sandhagen or a rematch with Cody Garbrandt, who unsuccessfully tested the flyweight waters this past weekend.

    Either way, it’ll be intriguing to see how Cruz fares against some of the top-ranked opponents in the division. If he could get past Font or Sandhagen, Cruz’s name would firmly arrive in the title conversation.

    Who would you like to see Dominick Cruz face next?

  • Sonnen: Amanda Nunes “Quit” During “Mental Beating” At UFC 269

    Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Amanda Nunes’ shocking defeat to Julianna Peña was a “mental beating,” not a physical one.

    In one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, Peña secured her place on the bantamweight throne in the final pay-per-view co-main event of the year this past weekend. Heading into the contest, Nunes was unbeaten since 2014, held both the 135-pound and 145-pound titles, and had defeated the likes of Valentina Shevchenko, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm across a 12-fight win streak.

    Peña, meanwhile, was 2-2 in her last four fights after suffering defeats to Shevchenko and Germain de Randamie. Nevertheless, “The Venezuelan Vixen” boasted unwavering confidence throughout fight week, something that crossed over into the octagon on Saturday night.

    After dropping the opening round, Peña came out in the second ready to shock the world. Taking the attack to the “Lioness” on the feet like nobody before her, the 32-year-old rocked the Brazilian and wore her out. After dragging her to the mat with ease, Peña forced the tap in seconds with a rear-naked choke.

    Sonnen: “Julianna Was In A Terrible Position”

    Very few predicted Nunes’ bantamweight reign would come to an end inside the T-Mobile Arena on December 11. One man that did was former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight Chael Sonnen. The 44-year-old branded the matchup as “the most likely upset” of the former champ’s entire career and a “stylistic disaster” for Nunes.

    With his prediction ringing true, Sonnen has discussed the incredible result. The analyst suggested Nunes “quit” against Peña, who he doesn’t believe was in a position where she should have been able to secure a victory at the time.

    “I got to tell you man, that was a different fight. We’ve seen upsets before… If you take Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas, where Mike is trying to get up and he just can’t beat the count or when Ronda Rousey got her head kicked into the third row but she didn’t want it to happen. This was totally different. Amanda flicked it. That was 100% mental beating, zero percent physical. That submission wasn’t there… That was not a move, that was absolutely not a fighting technique. Julianna was in a terrible position and Amanda quit!” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Off the back of one of the most remarkable underdog successes in the promotion’s history, talk has now turned to what the future holds for both the newly crowned bantamweight queen and the fallen “Lioness.”

    While a rematch certainly appears to be the obvious choice, Peña revealed she’s also hoping to get back the losses she suffered against Shevchenko and de Randamie, both of which she believes she had in the bag before making “amateur mistakes.”

    If either of those happen, Nunes would seemingly look to defend her featherweight title. Whilst a super-fight with two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has likely lost some momentum as a result of Nunes’ defeat, you’d be hard-pressed to find a fan or pundit not interested in seeing the two teammates collide still.

    Do you agree with Chael Sonnen? Did Amanda Nunes quit at UFC 269?

  • Covington Says Poirier Lost To Oliveira Due To “Quitter Mentality”

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington believes former teammate Dustin Poirier lost his title fight against Charles Oliveira due to his “quitter mentality.”

    In the UFC 269 main event this past weekend, Poirier fell short of reaching the lightweight mountaintop for the second time in just over two years. Having failed to unify his interim title against Khabib Nurmagomedov back in 2019, “The Diamond” worked his way back to the top step of the lightweight ladder this year with back-to-back victories over former two-division champion Conor McGregor.

    But in a painfully similar fashion to his submission loss against “The Eagle” in Abu Dhabi, Poirier was forced to tap out and watch his title hopes collapse yet again. Despite knocking down Oliveira, the Louisianan was unable to take advantage, and appeared to fatigue before falling to a third-round rear-naked choke.

    Covington Wasn’t Surprised By Poirier’s Loss

    The result was yet another heart-breaking culmination of Poirier’s inspirational journey. But while many have attempted to console him and send words of support his way, one man was certainly not going to follow suit.

    Poirier’s former American Top Team teammate Colby Covington recently discussed the 32-year-old’s defeat to “Do Bronx” during an appearance on Submission Radio. After refuting the idea that Poirier’s two victories over McGregor were impressive, “Chaos” slammed what he perceives to be a “quitter mentality” the former interim lightweight titleholder has inside the Octagon.

    “Just the quitter mentality of Dustin. He’s always been like that. He doesn’t like to work hard. Living off of beating Conor McGregor. What’s the big deal about beating Conor McGregor anymore these days? I mean, he has a great legacy, he did some great things in the past; the guy made a lot of money, he doesn’t have that same drive anymore. So beating a guy like that is not gonna mean you’re gonna be some world-beater and the best in the world.

    “That’s what I saw. I figured he was gonna gas out and he was eventually gonna quit, and that’s what he did. Just like in the Khabib fight, he quits, he puts his head on the mat, and he leaves his neck open so he can get rear-naked choked. (I) wasn’t surprised. I told everybody… ‘Charles Oliveira, he’s gonna look like a D-1 All-American wrestler and take down Dustin, and beat him.’ That’s exactly what I predicted and that’s what happened.”

    Like Poirier, Covington has also failed to win gold in two attempts between 2019 and 2021. After being finished by Kamaru Usman at UFC 245, the #1-ranked welterweight had his second shot at the title last month at UFC 268. Despite taking “The Nigerian Nightmare” the distance, Covington didn’t do enough to earn the nod on the scorecards.

    While most expect Covington to settle his rivalry with former friend Jorge Masvidal next year, the 33-year-old has also consistently taken aim at Poirier and encouraged the former featherweight to challenge him at welterweight. Having suggested he’d pursue a move up to 170 pounds after winning and defending the lightweight belt, perhaps Poirier’s recent setback will see him commit to the move sooner.

    Do you agree with Colby Covington’s take on Dustin Poirier’s UFC 269 loss to Charles Oliveira?

  • Ryan Bader vs. Valentin Moldavsky Heavyweight Title Fight Headlines Bellator 273

    Ryan Bader will finally be defending his heavyweight title again.

    Bellator announced on Monday that Bader will defend his heavyweight title against the interim champ, Valentin Moldavsky in the main event of Bellator 273 on January 29. The event will take place at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona and air live on Showtime.

    Ryan Bader (28-7) has not fought at heavyweight since September of 2019 where he fought Cheick Kongo to a No Contest. Since then, he suffered a knockout loss to Vadim Nemkov to lose his light heavyweight title. “Darth” was then in the light heavyweight grand prix where he beat Lyoto Machida in the opening round before suffering a 51-second TKO loss to Corey Anderson in the semifinals.

    Ryan Bader

    At heavyweight in Bellator, Bader is 3-0 with one No Contest and won the vacant title after winning the grand prix. In the opening round, he knocked out King Mo in 15 seconds before winning a decision over Matt Mitrione. In the finals, he knocked out Fedor Emelianenko in 35 seconds to win the belt.

    Valentin Moldavsky (11-1) is undefeated in Bellator and is the pupil of Emelianenko. In his last fight, he earned a clear-cut decision over Tim Johnson to win the interim heavyweight title. He’s 6-0 in Bellator with notable wins over Roy Nelson, Javy Ayala, and Linton Vassell. Prior to signing with Bellator, he competed in RIZIN and beat Karl Albrektsson among others.

    Along with Bader vs. Moldavsky, Bellator announced former bantamweight champion, Darrion Caldwell will take on TUF: Latin America 2 featherweight winner and UFC veteran, Enrique Barzola. The fight will serve as Barzola’s Bellator debut, as he went 6-3-1 in the UFC and was not re-signed by the promotional after a draw against Rani Yahya back in March of 2020.

    Who do you think will win, Ryan Bader or Valentin Moldavsky?

  • Dana White Teases Big Pay Raise For Sean O’Malley After UFC 269

    UFC President Dana White has big plans for bantamweight prospect, Sean O’Malley, following his latest finish over Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.

    O’Malley found his range with his striking just minutes into the fight and pressured Paiva against the fence right away. After throwing a barrage of combinations, O’Malley landed a hard right hand that dropped Paiva to the canvas, ending the fight.

    White, like many around UFC circles, has been impressed with O’Malley’s recent run of knockouts inside the Octagon. During his UFC 269 post-fight press conference, White hinted at a potential pay raise for O’Malley and a step up in competition.

    “When you talk to him, two things: He wants to get paid and he wants to fight higher-level competition,” White said. “Looks like we’re going to have to pay him, get him some fights.”

    Sean O’Malley Is A Potential Bantamweight Superstar

    It didn’t take long for O’Malley to garner the attention of White following his incredible first-round knockout over Alfred Khashakyan on Season 1 of Dana White’s Contender Series. He’s looked dominant ever since, with the lone blemish on his record coming against Marlon Vera at UFC 252.

    O’Malley has rebounded nicely since his first professional loss, earning three-straight wins over Paiva, Kris Moutinho, and Thomas Almeida. While the UFC has appeared cautious in their plans for O’Malley’s gradual rise in competition, he’s remained vocal in his desires to compete against the best but has stated that should come with a pay raise, as White alluded to.

    Leading up to his fight against Paiva, O’Malley called out top bantamweight contenders like Dominick Cruz and Petr Yan.

    O’Malley hasn’t debuted in the bantamweight rankings yet but has managed to land on three-straight main cards in the UFC. It’s clear that the promotion thinks O’Malley can be a pay-per-view star for years to come, but it’s unclear how fast his potential rise to the title will be.

    Who would you like to see Sean O’Malley fight next?

  • Daniel Cormier Responds To Sean O’Malley’s Criticism Of His Commentary

    Sean O’Malley became the latest fighter to criticize Daniel Cormier’s commentary, and Cormier has issued a response.

    In the lead-up to UFC 269, Dominick Cruz blasted Cormier for not doing his homework and studying fights for his commentary role. He claimed ‘DC’ was just in it for the money.

    It was a surprise to hear Cruz say that, but other fighters have also criticized Cormier, but more so for being biased. For instance, Justin Gaethje blasted the former champ-champ for saying Islam Makhachev deserved a title shot after his win over Dan Hooker.

    In O’Malley’s previous fight against Kris Moutinho at UFC 264, Cormier said O’Malley kept looking at the clock, which meant he was tired. However, ‘Suga” said he was looking at the time to see how much time he had left to get the stoppage.

    “Yeah, I’m gonna look at the clock. If I didn’t look at the clock, I wouldn’t know how much time I have left. I landed a big shot. I  don’t know much time I got left. I gotta know, should I empty my tank and try to take this dude out, or should I wait and have the rest of the fight—save my energy,” O’Malley said at the UFC 269 post-fight press conference.

    After hearing about O’Malley’s criticism, Cormier took to social media to praise Suga about his performance and also issue a response to his comments.

    “SugaSeanMMA great win tonight, you and I spoke this week you could have told me that! It was simple I wouldn’t have done anything but took you criticism. You looked great tonight!,” Cormier wrote.

    As of right now, Sean O’Malley has not responded to Daniel Cormier’s comments on Twitter. Whether or not he will is to be seen. Regardless, O’Malley got the first-round TKO win over Paiva at UFC 269 to pick up the biggest win of his career.

    What do you make of Sean O’Malley criticizing Daniel Cormier’s commentary?

  • Amanda Nunes Accepts Rematch Against Julianna Peña

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes is all-in on an immediate rematch against Julianna Peña following UFC 269.

    Nunes had early success against Peña in their showdown at UFC 269. However, this was short-lived as Peña was the more aggressive fighter in round 2. After landing a series of devastating strikes, Peña changed levels and secured a rear-naked choke for arguably the greatest upset in UFC history.

    Almost immediately after Peña’s win, many around the UFC community already began to speculate about an immediate rematch with Nunes. UFC president Dana White said in his UFC 269 post-fight press conference that if Nunes wanted it, she’ll get an immediate second chance against Pena.

    After getting word of White’s comments, Nunes responded via an Instagram post just days after the event.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXbl4W_PS62/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “You think I’m going to go out unbalanced,” Nunes said. “I undoubtedly accept the rematch. Give me a little time to get my shit together and I will be back better than ever.”

    Amanda Nunes Isn’t The Only Name On Julianna Peña’s Radar

    Shortly after her win over Nunes at UFC 269, Pena was already looking ahead to what could be next in her title reign. While she iterated that she’s open to a rematch with Nunes, she’s also interested in avenging previous losses to Germaine de Randamie and Valentina Shevchenko.

    Shevchenko had previously hinted at a trilogy with Nunes after two close losses, but that appears to be on the back burner for now. A bantamweight showdown with Peña could be a very intriguing fight for the fans and both women.

    It’s unclear how much time off Nunes will need as she works her way back to the Octagon. In the meantime, it wouldn’t be surprising if the promotion looks at booking Peña against either Shevchenko or De Randamie next.

    How do you think a Julianna Peña vs. Amanda Nunes rematch plays out?

  • Chandler Questions Why McGregor Would Fight ‘Quitter’ Poirier Over Him

    Michael Chandler doesn’t see why Conor McGregor would fight Dustin Poirier again after UFC 269.

    After Chandler suffered a hard-fought decision loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 268, he called out Conor McGregor. It certainly would be a very entertaining fight and a scrap that does make some sense. Yet, the Irishman made it clear he wanted a title shot when he returned, but after Poirier lost to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 for the belt, many thought McGregor-Poirier 4 might happen next.

    However, for Chandler, he doesn’t think McGregor would fight a quitter in Poirier next time out.

    “I would never ever quit… I went out on my shield after being separated from consciousness congrats to Oliveira,” Chandler wrote.

    “The way I see it…the whole world wants to see me rematch 2 out of the 3 fights I’ve had in the @ufc … that’s how you come in and make a statement. I’d never QUIT. Congrats to Oliveira… punch your ticket with Gaethje this summer and I’ll see you at the end of 2022.”

    “I make ill-advised decisions at times,” Chandler wrote. “But I’m there to put y’all on the edge of your seat so you miss me when I’m gone. I promise you will. Most of these guys are here to “play MMA.”

    Although Michael Chandler knows he isn’t getting a title shot, he still is campaigning for the fight against Conor McGregor. He went on to explain why he deserves the crack at the Irishman more than Poirier does.

    “Why would the biggest name in the sport come back and fight a guy who QUIT over a guy who is the second most electrifying guy in the division?,” Chandler added.

    There is no question Chandler wants the McGregor fight, but so does the rest of the lightweight division. It most likely will come down to who the Irishman wants to fight, but a McGregor-Chandler fight would be massive if it happened.

    Would you like to see Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor?

  • Conor McGregor Sets Sights On Charles Oliveira Fight Upon UFC Return

    Conor McGregor has doubled down on his expectations of receiving a title shot upon his UFC return by getting an early start on hyping a fight against Charles Oliveira.

    At UFC 269, Charles Oliveira logged his first successful lightweight title defense when he submitted Dustin Poirier in the main event. UFC President Dana White has confirmed that Justin Gaethje will be next up for Oliveira, and Gaethje is already salivating at the future showdown.

    However, according to Conor McGregor, there is an X-factor in the 2022 lightweight title equation.

    Conor McGregor Sets His Sights On Charles Oliveira

    Last month, Conor McGregor caught many by surprise when the #9-ranked contender said he would be challenging for the lightweight title when he returns to action in 2022. Now that the UFC 269 dust has settled, McGregor again inserted himself into the lightweight title picture.

    “So what date am I fighting Oliveira?” McGregor asked Monday morning. He would then begin promoting the fight as a future international incident in the tweet below.

    McGregor would also share an image of himself in the gym with a UFC world title around his waist and a poster of himself hoisting up two UFC titles at UFC 205 in the background.

    It seems McGregor may be expecting to skip Justin Gaethje in the lightweight title queue since he singled out Oliveira instead of generalizing a title shot being next for him.

    Many would expect a fourth fight between McGregor and Dustin Poirier after the Irishman’s adamance at receiving a rematch following his doctor’s stoppage loss at UFC 264. With Poirier not capturing lightweight gold, there is nothing standing in the way of immediately booking that fight again, an idea that Dana White has expressed interest in.

    Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor
    Image Courtesy of MMA Junkie

    McGregor has not won a fight since January 2020 and is 1-3 in his last four outings. Thus, a world title shot upon his return would seem to be a tough sell on principle, even if not at the box office.

    McGregor has also mentioned other bouts awaiting him in his near future. And with the noticeable weight gains he’s made during his post-surgery layoff, a welterweight run doesn’t seem at all out of the question, either, something else the Irishman has teased in the past.

    As of Monday, however, McGregor only has one name and one name only on his mind: undisputed UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.

    Do you think we’ll be seeing Charles Oliveira vs. Conor McGregor in 2022?

  • Claressa Shields Threatens To Sue Jake Paul & Team For Defamation

    Claressa Shields is willing to take the fight to Jake Paul beyond the boxing gym and into the court of law.

    This Saturday, Jake Paul returns to pay-per-view when he meets Tyron Woodley in a rematch of their August clash. However, the YouTuber may have another fight on his hands if he and his representatives are not mindful.

    Last week, Jake Paul’s management team BAVAFA Sports made a shocking claim. They stated in a tweet that Claressa Shields requested to be placed on the undercard for Jake Paul events on multiple occasions. This was a curious revelation seeing as how adamantly Shields has refused to ever even consider doing such a thing in the past.

    In fact, it was her open dismissal of that very idea that sparked a feud between herself and Paul, which included the YouTuber mocking her after her first MMA loss and Shields later challenging Paul to a $100,000 sparring match.

    Once Shields saw the tweet from Paul’s management team, she issued a warning about making such claims.

    “Somebody bout to get sued for lying on my name. Can’t wait to call my lawyer tomorrow morning.”

    “Never have I ever. I’m bout Sue @jakepaul & his team for defamation and of character cause I ain’t never asked to be on no undercard of no YouTuber!”

    “@BAVAFASports y’all bout to get sued! Because Claressa Shields ain’t never asked to be on Jake Paul undercard. You sound crazy as hell! My lawyer will be reaching out though! Use my name for clout. I’ll use your name for a check losers”

    After a fan stated that Shields was continuously being disrespected, the Olympic gold medalist put an end to the discussion with some strong closing remarks.

    “They bout to have to write a check they ass gonna hate having to cash. Because you talk trash but lying on me is another story! I’m a BIG BOSS WITH A BIG LAWYER!”

    Claressa Shields will be competing again on January 29 against Ema Kozin in a boxing match. Her MMA return has not yet been set, though she plans to compete again in 2022 following her loss to Abigail Montes in October.

    Do you believe Claressa Shields has a potential legal case against Jake Paul and his representation for defamation of character?

  • Sean O’Malley Live Reacts To Cody Garbrandt’s UFC 269 KO Loss

    UFC bantamweight prospect Sean O’Malley was in the middle of an interview when he saw Cody Garbrandt get knocked out in his flyweight debut.

    O’Malley and Garbrandt went at it earlier during UFC 269 fight week at the pre-fight press conference, as the two went back-and-forth on the mic and also nearly brawled on stage. O’Malley and Garbrandt were rumored to potentially fight last year, but negotiations never materialized.

    Many felt that Garbrandt was the more confident trash talker during the press conference, but O’Malley ended up getting the last laugh after Garbrandt suffered a brutal knockout against Kai Kara-France.

    Check out O’Malley’s reaction to Garbrandt’s loss below.

    “Oh, Cody. Cody just got knocked out. Sucks for him, deuces,” O’Malley said. “Some people just aren’t built for this.”

    Sean O’Malley Later Changed His Tone On Cody Garbrandt

    O’Malley and Garbrandt clearly have some disdain for each other, but O’Malley appeared to reverse course during his post-fight press conference. When asked if he saw Garbrandt’s fight, O’Malley took the chance to praise him just minutes after roasting him in an earlier interview.

    “Cody’s also a legend in his own right,” O’Malley said. “And I’m not gonna sit up here and say anything negative about him. He’s probably gonna have a rough couple days, couple weeks, whatever it’s gonna be.”

    O’Malley remains with only one defeat in his professional career after knocking out Raulian Paiva at UFC 269. It was arguably the toughest test of his UFC tenure, which he passed with flying colors.

    O’Malley has been criticized for the level of competition he’s faced so far at bantamweight. He has yet to crack the bantamweight rankings, as UFC president Dana White recently said he isn’t ready for top-level opponents.

    As for Garbrandt, his UFC future remains unclear. His flyweight debut obviously didn’t meet his expectations and he’s suffered a series of brutal knockouts in four of his last six fights.

    O’Malley and Garbrandt had once been considered two of the top bantamweight prospects, but it appears the two of them might be heading on different paths in the UFC. O’Malley could earn a spot soon in the bantamweight rankings while Garbrandt is still looking to get back on the winning side of things in the UFC.

    What do you think is next for Sean O’Malley and Cody Garbrandt?

  • Nate Diaz Praises Julianna Peña In Response To UFC 269 Homage

    They say that real recognize real, and if that is the case, then Nate Diaz certainly recognized the real upset that Julianna Peña got at UFC 269.

    In what is being considered arguably the biggest upset in MMA history, Peña was able to submit who many consider the greatest female fighter of all time by tapping Amanda Nunes out in the second round of their bantamweight title contest.

    Following this victory, while speaking to Joe Rogan in her post-fight interview inside the Octagon, the newly crowned champion said that she was not surprised, quoting the famous interview that the younger Diaz brother gave when he submitted Conor McGregor on short notice.

    It seems That Nate Diaz caught wind of this homage and decided to pay his respects back. Posting to Twitter, Stockton’s own praised Peña for being able to score this massive upset victory, while displaying both of their interviews side by side, noting the similarities between the two situations.

    “When you know you know…Congratulations to @VenezuelanVixen #beast ?” Diaz wrote.

    Nate Diaz is correct in noting that Julianna Peña was a beast in her title-winning fight against the highly revered Amanda Nunes. That being said, the biggest difference between her win and his is that while he took his fight on super short notice against a McGregor who was fresh off of a title victory at featherweight, she dethroned a long-standing champion who has been dominating two weight divisions for years.

    Nevertheless, it is great to see Diaz showing Peña some respect in return for the tip of the cap that she gave in his direction. The only thing that is certain in the sport of mixed martial arts is that absolutely nothing is certain, and it is hard to deny that they are both proof of that.

  • Julianna Peña’s Victory Lap Includes Circling Back To Three Opponents

    Newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Peña is ready and willing to fight whomever the UFC puts in front of her, but there are three names she specifically has in mind.

    At UFC 269, Julianna Peña pulled off the upset of the year and one of the biggest upsets in UFC history when she submitted Amanda Nunes in the co-main event. UFC President Dana White has already expressed interest in booking a rematch between the two if Nunes wants it. But what about the new champ?

    “The Venezuelan Vixen” did not hesitate to commit to the idea.

    “We can do it next week, I’m free next month, two months from now. Whenever they want to do it, I’m ready,” Peña said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “In all fairness, I’ve been in camp for a year. I really think my daughter deserves some well-deserved mommy time, a little vacation. After that, definitely. If she wants to do a rematch, we can do a rematch.”

    Julianna Peña Eyes Two Other Rematches

    Julianna Pena eyes quick turnaround after submission loss to Germaine de Randamie at UFC Fight Island 4 - MMAmania.com

    The outside world did not have much faith in Julianna Peña heading into UFC 269, but there was one thing most everyone could agree on about her: she was not short on confidence.

    Therefore, it should come as no surprise that she sees herself remaining in full control of whom she fights next outside of an Amanda Nunes rematch. And if she has it her way, not only will she give a rematch, but she will also receive two rematches to avenge her only losses in the UFC.

    “I think that there’s some rematches that I want to do. I would like to go down and challenge Valentina Shevchenko. I would love to get that rematch against Germaine de Randamie. I would love a rematch, if that’s what she wants, against Amanda Nunes. Those are the rematches that I have in my peripheral.”

    Peña’s loss to current women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko took place in 2017 via armbar in what was then a #1-contender bout. And last year, Peña dropped a fight to former featherweight champ Germaine de Randamie via third-round guillotine.

    Below, you check out the start of Julianna Peña’s victory lap around her naysayers in this Octagon interview following her UFC 269 upset of Amanda Nunes.

    How do you think Julianna Peña would fare if this rematch tour comes together?

  • Dominick Cruz Seeks Rematch With ‘Dork’ Henry Cejudo After UFC 269

    Just minutes after his impressive win over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269, Dominick Cruz had a familiar foe on his mind for his next outing.

    Cruz got out of some early trouble against Munhoz and showcased his elite footwork and striking for the unanimous decision win. It was a vintage Cruz performance in many eyes as he looks to push towards another potential title shot.

    Following his win over Munhoz, Cruz called for a rematch with Cejudo nearly two years after his loss at UFC 249. Cejudo would retire immediately following the fight and has remained inactive ever since.

    “I’d prefer to fight Cejudo again,” Cruz said to reporters following UFC 269. “I needed more time to get going. I don’t want to make excuses, I pushed for that fight. I got five weeks and sparred 10 fights leading up to that fight following my shoulder surgery. With this version of me, it’s a different fight with him. He’s an Olympian, knows how to fight, but still a little dork though.”

    Dominick Cruz Lost Controversially To Henry Cejudo

    Dominick Cruz Henry Cejudo Keith Peterson
    Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

    Cruz fell at UFC 249 via TKO after taking a barrage of hard ground-and-pound strikes from Cejudo. Cruz appeared to be still making an effort to defend himself, but referee Keith Peterson stopped the fight, much to the dismay of the former champion.

    Cejudo has hinted at a potential comeback at either bantamweight or featherweight. He most recently called out Alexander Volkanovski for a featherweight title shot and an opportunity to become a three-division champion.

    If Cejudo ends up coming back and Cruz keeps up his current winning streak, the two could be on a collision course once again in the stacked bantamweight division. For now, it appears that apparent beef between the two former champions doesn’t appear to be fading away anytime soon.

    Would you want to see Dominick Cruz vs. Henry Cejudo 2?

  • Dana White Clarifies Rumored Michael Chiesa Incident At UFC 269

    UFC President Dana White explained what went down with welterweight fighter Michael Chiesa following Julianna Peña’s win at UFC 269.

    Word quickly spread on social media that Chiesa was involved in a scuffle with security personnel at T-Mobile Arena while attempting to get into the Octagon to celebrate his former teammate’s win over Amanda Nunes. Peña pulled off arguably the greatest upset in UFC history with her submission of the legendary Nunes.

    It wasn’t surprising that Chiesa wanted to be involved in the post-fight celebration with Peña, but it was surprising how he went about it. During his UFC 269 post-fight press conference, White clarified what led to Chiesa being escorted out of the arena.

    “How do I say this without embarrassing this guy?” White said. “[Chiesa] had a little too much to drink this evening. When she won, he freaked out and tried to jump into the Octagon and fell down on his face, cut his eye, and busted his eye open, then was arguing with the police that he needed to get in the Octagon and be with her ’cause that’s his teammate. They dragged him out, got him outside, and calmed him down in the back, and I went back and talked to him for a minute, and we’re all good.” 

    Michael Chiesa 'very happy' for Poirier, thinks trilogy with McGregor makes most sense - Bloody Elbow

    Chiesa has become one of the top UFC analysts on Fight Night broadcasts and remains an active UFC welterweight. While he’s dropped his last two fights against Sean Brady and Vicente Luque, he remains focused on a bounceback in 2022.

    Chiesa and Peña are two of the most notable MMA talents to fight out of Spokane, WA, as both fought at Sikjitsu Gym together. They’ve been close friends since Peña won The Ultimate Fighter in 2013.

    For now, it appears that White and the UFC brass won’t seek to punish Chiesa further for his actions at UFC 269.

    What are your thoughts on the Michael Chiesa incident at UFC 269?