MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Justin Gaethje Changes Tone On Charles Oliveira After UFC 269 Outcome

    UFC lightweight contender and former interim champion Justin Gaethje is pivoting on his earlier remarks about Charles Oliveira.

    Oliveira shut down Dustin Poirier’s second attempt at a UFC lightweight title, submitting him in the third round. Oliveira survived an early barrage of strikes by Poirier to wear him down and show off his elite grappling prowess. Now, he’s looking ahead to a potential fight with Gaethje.

    Just weeks after Gaethje took shots at Oliveira in the media, going as far as labeling him a “quitter”, he now respects Oliveira’s place as the UFC’s lightweight king.

    This prompted responses from many around the UFC; including Poirier, who gave Oliveira plenty of credit ahead of their fight.

    Justin Gaethje Changes His Tone On Charles Oliveira

    During the UFC 269 post-fight show, Gaethje praised Oliveira for his performance against Poirier.

    “I absolutely loved it,” Gaethje said. “I will give no disrespect to Charles. He is now the undisputed champion and I cannot wait to fight him. I don’t care where or when.”

    While Gaethje has a newfound appreciation for Oliveira’s rise to the top of the heap, he thinks he has the approach to give the champion issues in a potential matchup.

    “I saw a competitor tonight,” Gaethje said. “I saw a dog and I can’t wait to break his face. He gets hit a lot.

    “He better pray and hope for the next however many days until our fight that he takes me down, gets his choke. Because if not, we see what happens.”

    When asked to give a prediction on how a fight with Oliveira would play out, Gaethje continued to keep it real.

    “He just won a championship. I should build it up,” Gaethje said. “At the end of the day, it’s me trying to knock him out versus him trying to get it to the ground. That’s who we are. That’s who he’s been. That’s who I am.

    “Whether it’s in Brazil, in America, preferably not Abu Dhabi. I’m all in. So I can’t wait.”

    Justin Gaethje Vs. Charles Oliveira Is A Fascinating Stylistic Matchup

    Gaethje vs. Oliveira has the potential to be one of the greatest lightweight title fights in recent memory. Both have proven to be tough as nails and have a balanced style on the ground and the feet.

    Gaethje is mostly known for the power with his striking but also has a solid wrestling background. Oliveira has very technical, opportunistic kickboxing to go with an other-worldly Jiu-Jitsu game.

    Gaethje is coming off his UFC 268 win over Michael Chandler that may have been the most exciting fight in 2021. While his stock is arguably higher than ever, a title fight between Oliveira and Gaethje could be an exciting fight for both sides, and it is one that Dana White has already confirmed is the current plan for the promotion.

    How do you think a Justin Gaethje vs. Charles Oliveira title fight would play out?

  • Flashback To Dana White Appearing On The Rock’s “Wake Up Call”

    Seven years ago today, UFC President Dana White was featured on The Rock’s reality television show Wake-Up Call in the series premiere on TNT.

    The one-hour show featured The Rock mentoring people who were struggling in their lives. The first and only season of the show featured eight episodes.

    In the debut edition that debuted seven years ago to this day, The Rock and Dana White attempted to give teenager Terrell Moore a shot at becoming a professional mixed-martial-arts fighter.

    You can find a clip of the trailer for the series premiere below.

    “I literally walked out on the job when I was 19 years old where I made good money because I knew I wanted to be in the fight business,” White said. “And there was no guarantees I was going to do anything in the fight business or ever make it. And my whole life I’ve been overcoming hurdles.

    “When I came up with the idea to buy the UFC, I went to the Fertitta brothers and pitched them this idea. We bought the UFC and it wasn’t some huge success story. We were $44 million in the hole before we turned this thing around. So I’ve had a ton of seven-buck moments in my life.”

    As White alluded to, the series was inspired by The Rock’s story of when he hit Rock Bottom with only $7 to his name, only to later become a multi-millionaire and global icon years later.

    The theme of the show is to follow the journey of other big dreamers who were being pushed by The Rock and sometimes other people who took life-changing risks before finding tremendous success.

    In 2021, Dana White is still finding success as the UFC President, which continues to turn a larger profit year after year. Meanwhile, The Rock has been named the highest-paid athlete in Hollywood on many occasions throughout his legendary and versatile acting career.

    Did you ever catch any episodes of The Rock’s Wake-Up Call series?

  • Flashback To When Fedor Dared Dana White To Let Him Fight Couture

    Fedor Emelianenko hasn’t thought too highly of UFC President Dana White for well over a decade now.

    The year was 2007. Fedor Emelianenko was the PRIDE FC world heavyweight champion for over four years strong and was days away from his 24th consecutive victory, with the then 1-0 Choi Hong-man pegged as the next victim.

    It was during this December that Dana White was quoted as saying the following:

    “I don’t think Fedor is a top-five heavyweight in the world, and I’m not saying that because I didn’t get Fedor. I’ve always felt that way about Fedor and I always felt Randy Couture would beat Fedor … Fedor is a farce.” 

    In a 2007 interview with MMA Weekly, Fedor was asked to respond to these comments, and the Russian legend was sure to include a daring proposal to Dana White in his retort.

    “Dana talks a lot and uses words lightly. Let Randy Couture fight me. Allow this fight that everyone wants to take place. Me, Randy and MMA fans all over the world want it. The only obstacle is Dana.”

    Fedor’s interest in fighting then-UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture was purely professional. Many people, Dana White included, have lamented the fact that the MMA world never bore witness to Fedor vs. Lesnar. However, a Russian icon in Fedor Emelianenko going against an American icon in Randy Couture in a champion vs. champion clash would have been pure money, and Fedor was convinced everyone wanted to see it. 

    “People want to see this fight and I want to meet him in the ring. I have the greatest respect for Randy and have always admired him. I am also thankful that he has such a high opinion of me.”

    As recently as two months ago, Fedor was still letting his thoughts on Dana White be known. The legend stated that White was selfish and lacks respect for fighters. That said, even though Fedor is incredibly still fighting, and winning, at age 45, don’t expect his swan song to include any high notes in the UFC.

    Who do you think would have won between Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture?

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  • Charles Oliveira Ready To Begin New LW Era After UFC 269 Win

    UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira feels he’s reeling in a new era in the division after he dispatched Dustin Poirier at UFC 269.

    It wasn’t easy for Oliveira early, as he suffered some hard blows to the head from Poirier in the opening minutes. But, he was able to land some hard shots to the body that began to fatigue Poirier quickly.

    After finding his rhythm with his grappling in Round 2, he was able to get Poirier’s back in Round 3 and sink in a standing rear-naked choke to earn the finish. Oliveira extended his UFC record with 15 total submission wins in his tenure with the promotion.

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov congratulated Oliveira on Twitter following the win, despite picking Poirier earlier in the week. During his UFC 269 post-fight press conference, Oliveira spoke about whether Nurmagomedov’s endorsement of Poirier motivated him and what it means to build his legacy.

    “I don’t care what people think,” Oliveira said. “He was a great fighter, a great champion, he had his legacy. But now, history and legacy have a new name, and it’s Charles Oliveira. There’s no thought about [a fight with Nurmagomedov] getting away, it’s all that we could do.”

    Charles Oliveira Will More Than Likely Face Justin Gaethje Next

    After finishing Poirier, Oliveira is now looking ahead to another potential challenge in the form of former interim champion Justin Gaethje. Following his win over Michael Chandler at UFC 268, Gaethje called for the next title shot and appears to be in the driver’s seat for the next opportunity.

    Oliveira and Gaethje have had their fair share of tension in recent weeks, with Gaethje questioning Oliveira’s heart if the two were to meet in the Octagon. However, Oliveira has silenced the doubters once again with his win over Poirier and will plan to do the same against Gaethje shortly.

    What were your thoughts on Charles Oliveira’s win at UFC 269?

  • Flashback To Conor McGregor’s 13-Second KO Of José Aldo At UFC 194

    Six years ago today, Conor McGregor made the giant leap from rising star to megastar, and it only took him 13 seconds.

    UFC 194 was headlined by the featherweight unification title bout between undisputed champion José Aldo and Conor McGregor. The build-up remains, to this day, one of the most contentious of all time due to the relentless provocation of Aldo by The Notorious One.

    Here is an extended look at the build-up of what was arguably the most anticipated fight in the history of the featherweight division and of 2015.

    The Play-By-Play

    Below is a look at the live play-by-play provided by MMA News during the UFC 194 event (h/t Matt Boone):

    Round 1: The first two “holy sh*t I can’t believe this is happening” fights delivered lots of action, drama, and storytelling. Now, it’s time for the real deal. The main event. The one everyone has been waiting for. To UFC’s credit, they did not stall or do much hype bullsh*t at all. They went from Rockhold and Weidman interviews to Conor McGregor’s entrance in just a few minutes.

    “Notorious B.I.G.” by The Notorious B.I.G. plays as “The Notorious” Conor McGregor wraps up in the Irish flag and makes his walk to the Octagon. Can he really get it done against the best in the world, or is he just really good? We’re about to find out!

    McGregor settles in the cage as the camera pans and “Run This Town” by Jay-Z, Kanye West & Rihanna plays as the only UFC 145-pound champion in history, José Aldo, begins his walk to the cage. The dude looks ready as hell, folks. Bruce Buffer does his thing. Seconds, people. SECONDS away. McGregor is introduced and takes to the center of the cage like a boss. Aldo is introduced and swings side-to-side with his head down the entire time like a killer.

    Staredown time. Aldo walks up with his head down and continues what he was just doing. McGregor just stares at him. Here we go!

    Holy shit, it’s over. McGregor face-planted Aldo with his first shot. One follow-up. Aldo was out stiff, face-first. Ladies and gentlemen, “The Notorious” Conor McGregor is the real deal. He did what he said he was going to do again.

    Conor McGregor def. Jose Aldo via knockout (punch) at 0:13 of Round 1 to become the new undisputed UFC Featherweight Champion.

    Note: 13 seconds folks. Prior to Bruce Buffer’s official decision, we saw José Aldo with a towel covering his face crying. Poor guy. McGregor meanwhile is doing the “make it rain” hand gesture sitting on top of the cage. McGregor says he feels sad for Aldo but precision beats power. We see replays of the knockout again.

    The Live Reaction

    Check out this video the UFC put together of the live reaction to this historic KO:

    The Aftermath

    After this ascent to megastardom, Conor McGregor would take it up even another level when he became the first-ever simultaneous multi-division champion when he defeated Eddie Alvarez for the UFC lightweight championship at UFC 205.

    Today, McGregor is ranked #9 in the UFC’s lightweight division and continues to set records and accumulate wealth inside and outside of the Octagon. Meanwhile, José Aldo has been unable to reclaim UFC championship gold but is currently experiencing a career resurgence that has him ranked #3 in the bantamweight division.

    As for that contentious build-up, these two former enemies have been exchanging mutual respect recently, with McGregor even coming to Aldo’s defense after Khabib Nurmagomedov questioned his current skill level.

    What was your reaction to Conor McGregor’s historic 13-second knockout of José Aldo at UFC 194?

  • Dustin Poirier Uncertain Of Future After UFC 269 Loss

    If anybody can come back from adversity, it’s Dustin Poirier, but that’s not the question Poirier will be confronting in the coming days.

    At UFC 269, Dustin Poirier entered the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada as a man with a second chance. Two years ago, Poirier contested for the undisputed lightweight title for the first time, and he lost via rear-naked choke to then-champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    UFC 242 results: Khabib Nurmagomedov submits Dustin Poirier to retain
    Image Credit: Per Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports

    In his second attempt at undisputed gold yesterday against Charles Oliveira, he would fall victim to the same hold in the same third round.

    During the UFC 269 post-fight press conference, a brave and visibly emotional Poirier was asked about his future. The veteran is unsure what the future holds, but he is certain that if he chooses to be right back challenging for the world title again, he would.

    However, he is still unsure if that will happen for reasons that go deeper than his abilities.

    “I can do anything I put my mind to,” Poirier told reporters. “I can fight for another belt. I can go on another streak. I can claw, and climb, and get back to wherever I wanna be. It’s just, do I want to? That’s the question I have to look in the mirror and answer. Do I want to do it again? Do I want to go down that road again?

    Dustin Poirier
    Dustin Poirier (Photo: Chris Unger/Zuffa)

    “And that answer will come in the next couple days, next couple weeks. I just need to let this pass and see what’s next for me. But if it’s in my heart and that’s what I wanna do, I’ll be here again fighting for another world title.”

    Dustin Poirier has proven time and time again that he can pull himself up by the bootstraps and get right back to work, whether it’s in the middle of a taxing battle or if it’s after a major setback in the form of a loss. Poirier has hinted at retirement earlier this year, but leading up to this fight he sounded much more certain about sticking around.

    However, those plans were uttered with the expectation that he would be the undisputed lightweight world champion. Now that he has come up short for the second time, it sounds as though everything hangs in the balance for Dustin Poirier, and fans will have to wait and see what the future holds for this living legend.

    You can view Dustin Poirier’s full UFC 269 post-fight press conference scrum below.

  • Amanda Nunes Reacts To Stunning UFC 269 Loss To Julianna Peña

    UFC superstar Amanda Nunes has spoken out on social media for the first time since her bantamweight title loss to Julianna Peña.

    Nunes got off to a strong start against Peña at UFC 269, dropping her with a big right hand just minutes into the fight. However, Peña was able to survive the early onslaught and come out strong in the second round.

    After a wild flurry of strikes by both women on the feet, Peña earned a hard takedown and quickly got Nunes’ back with relative ease. Peña secured the stunning victory with a rear-naked choke to pull off the monumental upset.

    Just minutes after the loss, Nunes spoke with Joe Rogan about what went wrong against Peña.

    “Nothing was surprising at all,” Nunes said in her Octagon interview. “I knew she was going to come forward. Just today, I checked out. I need to work on a couple of things and fix it, get back in the gym, and come back soon. Congratulations to Julianna, she’s a warrior.”

    Amanda Nunes Posted A Family Picture Following UFC 269

    The day after the loss, Nunes took to Instagram to thank her fans and share a picture with her family and coach.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXY9r6jLBU3/

    “Thank you so very much everyone!” Nunes said. “Life goes on.”

    Nunes’ loss to Peña was undoubtedly one of the most stunning upsets in combat sports history. Nunes has dominated the competition for years and earned both the bantamweight and featherweight titles, which has defended simultaneously.

    Before losing to Peña, Nunes hadn’t lost a fight since her defeat to Cat Zingano at UFC 178. This would be the turning point in her career as she would go on a 12-fight winning streak against some of the best female fighters in the UFC.

    An immediate rematch is certainly warranted for Nunes, assuming that she wants to run it back right away with Pena. For now, she’s looking ahead to a bounceback in 2022.

    What should be next for Amanda Nunes?

  • O’Malley Slams Cormier’s ‘Amateur’ Commentary: “Don’t Say Stupid S**t”

    You can add Sean O’Malley to the list of Daniel Cormier’s commentary critics.

    Last week, Daniel Cormier was the subject of criticism for his performance as a UFC commentator by his own colleague, Dominick Cruz. Cormier and Cruz later hashed things out to some degree with the aid of mediator Michael Bisping. Cormier would then go on to call Cruz’s UFC 269 victory over Pedro Munhoz alongside Joe Rogan and Jon Anik without missing a beat.

    However, there is another fighter who competed at UFC 269 who has something to say about Cormier’s commentating skills or perceived lack thereof.

    “Suga” Sean O’Malley defeated Raulian Paiva to kick off the pay-per-view and was then asked how the fight played out relative to his expectations during the post-fight press conference. Here is what O’Malley said in response.

    “I did see [the Paiva fight] playing out like that. And I want to thank myself for looking at the clock and seeing how much time was left because some people, Daniel Cormier—my last fight, he’s like, ‘Oh, my god! He’s looking at the clock!’ It’s like, what are you talking about, dude? Of course. 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. 

    Kris Moutinho O'Malley
    PHOTO: MMA FIGHTING

    “So that kinda bugged me (that he) kept bringing that up. ‘Oh, he looked at the clock! Oh, he looked at the clock!’ It’s like, dude’s a double-champ. It’s like, where’s your IQ, your fight IQ? You think LeBron James is gonna fuckin’ drive the ball down and not look at the clock? It’s amateur…

    “Don’t say stupid shit,” O’Malley later added about Cormier’s commentary.

    O’Malley Shares Theory To Explain His Perception Of DC’s Commentary

    In the above comments, O’Malley is referencing his UFC 264 victory over Kris Moutinho in July. Cormier pointed out that O’Malley was repeatedly looking at the clock during the fight, with the implication being that O’Malley was tiring to Moutinho’s relentless forward pressure.

    The more O’Malley thought about it, he eventually landed on a theory that could explain Cormier’s commentary.

    “I’ve always felt like DC wants me to lose,” O’Malley said. “I don’t know. I could be completely wrong. I just sat down with him the other day. It’s not like he doesn’t like me personally. I just feel like he kinda wants to see me lose. I don’t know what it is, if I remind him of a young Jon Jones—but for some reason, I feel like he wants me to lose.”

    O’Malley would taper these criticisms by saying there’s a chance he is being overly sensitive and is way off base. He also confessed that he himself would be terrible at the gig and that UFC commentators have a very difficult job to do.

    Commentary aside, O’Malley has now moved to 15-1 as a professional and is now on a three-fight winning streak. As O’Malley awaits his next fight, perhaps now he and Cormier could hash out these criticisms in the public eye with or without the aid of Michael Bisping.

    What are your thoughts on these comments from Sean O’Malley regarding Daniel Cormier’s commentary?

  • Archives: Reliving The Cancellation Of UFC 233 (2018)

    On this day three years ago, UFC 233 joined UFC 151 and UFC 176 as the only two UFC pay-per-views to be cancelled. Below you’ll find our coverage of the announcement the moment it came through.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 12, 2018, 2:43 PM]

    Headline: UFC 233 in Anaheim Scrapped, Fights Being Rebooked on Other Events

    Author: Damon Martin

    UFC 233 scheduled for Jan. 26 in Anaheim, Calif. has been scrapped after the UFC failed to secure a main event for the upcoming show at the Honda Center.

    UFC officials announced the news on Wednesday.

    “UFC today announced that the UFC 233 pay-per-view event scheduled for January 26 is postponed,” UFC officials wrote in a statement. “All bouts previously slated for UFC 233 are being rescheduled for upcoming cards. The February 10th pay-per-view event at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Australia will remain titled UFC 234: Whittaker vs. Gastelum. Tickets for UFC 234 sold out within minutes.

    “UFC’s 2019 event calendar will still feature 12 Pay-Per-View events. Additional details about the postponed pay-per-view will be announced at a later date.”

    While the UFC is using the language ‘postponed’, UFC 233 has been scrapped completely, although the promotion does still plan on 12 total pay-per-view cards for 2019.

    Plans for the main event for UFC 233 were constantly evolving after the flyweight title fight between Henry Cejudo and T.J. Dillashaw was moved from the Anaheim card to Brooklyn to headline the first UFC on ESPN+ card on Jan. 19.

    The UFC hoped to schedule a welterweight title fight between Tyron Woodley and Colby Covington but the reigning champion at 170 pounds was still recovering from thumb surgery and wasn’t certain he could compete as early as Jan. 26.

    The UFC then began scrambling to try and find all sorts of alternatives to fill the void for the main event but nothing ever came together.

    With that, the UFC decided to cancel UFC 233 completely with the fights from that card being shifted to different events in the near future.

    There’s no word on where the fights will end up but sources say the UFC has started reaching out to managers to begin talks on moving the bouts to nearby events in January, February or March.

  • Diaz and McGregor Take Shots At Dustin Poirier Over “Embarrassing” Loss

    Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor both had something to say about Dustin Poirier’s loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.

    In last night’s UFC 269 main event, Dustin Poirier and champion Charles Oliveira went to war to solidify who was the best lightweight in the world. It was Oliveira who had his hand raised in the end to log his first successful title defense. Poirier was gracious and classy in defeat, but grace was not something extended to the Louisianian by two familiar faces to him, Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor.

    First, Diaz took an indirect shot at nemesis Conor McGregor in his reaction to the outcome of the UFC 269 main event.

    “How Conor let Dp fuck him up hella times he sucks”

    It’s up for interpretation if the “he” is in reference to McGregor or Poirier, but judging by the overall context, it would seem the insult could apply equally to either gentleman.

    Poirier had more pressing issues to deal with at the moment than what Nate Diaz had to say about him, but McGregor continues to have plenty of time to fire back at his rival while also launching an indirect shot at Poirier in this instance.

    “you lanky string of piss he got lumped around and got lucky twice. That’s it. Is what it is. Embarrassing night for him alright. That closed guard game. Wtf was that. Wow! Shocking. All good happy Sat night horse yupya it’s proper twelve day tomorrow 12/12. New Paddy’s Day!,” McGregor said in response to Diaz.

    Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier have been linked together in the past. The two were supposed to fight at UFC 230 in 2018, but that fight fell apart, with both fighters pointing the finger at the other as far as who was to blame for the collapse.

    Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier have fought three times, with Poirier getting the better of McGregor twice, as Diaz alluded to in his tweet. The last time Poirier and McGregor competed against one another was at UFC 264. At the close of this trilogy bout, McGregor suffered a gruesome leg injury that resulted in a Poirier TKO victory via doctor’s stoppage.

    What do you make of these remarks from Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor about Dustin Poirier’s UFC 269 loss?

  • UFC 269 Bonuses: Six Fighters Nab Performance Checks

    The UFC 269 bonuses have been released.

    The event took place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.. Headlining the card was a clash between Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier in a lightweight title bout. This fight saw a wild first round that had both fighters get hurt, a brief takedown by Charles, and a lot of striking. The second round was dominated by Charles, who got a takedown, moved to full guard, and rained down elbows for a few minutes. Charles finished the fight with a standing rear-naked choke in the third round to retain the title. 

    The co-main event saw more action between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena in a women’s bantamweight title bout. 

    This fight saw Pena shock the world. In the first round, Nunes looked good and dropped her twice thanks to a leg kick and then a punch. Pena went for a takedown, but was stuffed and Nunes took her down where she even took her back. In the second round, history was made as Pena came out swinging. Nunes pushed forward and they had a very entertaining exchange where both were landing and eating shots. Pena scored a takedown and got the back of a tired Nunes before applying a rear-naked choke for the win. 

    With there being six fighter performance bonuses, there was no “Fight of the Night” honors. Peep the full list of performance bonus winners below.

    Tai Tuivasa

    Bruno Silva

    Sean O’Malley

    Kai Kara-France

    Julianna Pena

    Charles Oliveira

    Were the right choices made for the UFC 269 bonuses?

    UFC 269 Results: Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier, Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 269. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2 Official For UFC 271

    The Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker rematch has now officially been announced for UFC 271 in the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, officially putting an end to the initial report that the bout would take place at UFC 270 in January.

    Image

    It is worth noting that Adesanya reacted to the announcement with a cap, which is modern slang for “lying.”

    Adesanya’s reaction could mean nothing, he could be trolling, or it could be a sign that all is not what it seems.

    Here is what Adesanya’s manager Eugene Bareman said about the rematch with Robert Whittaker just last week:

    “Rob and his people, his wonderful manager, can’t secure this fight and they’re panicking,” Bareman said in an interview with Submission Radio. “So, they put out these stupid tweets and this and that. It’s like, mate, just relax, boys. Just train. That’s all we’re doing. You guys do the same. Let us handle the business because you guys are incapable. That management team’s incapable.

    Israel Adesanya Robert Whittaker
    (via Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

    “So, we’ll just handle the business side of things, and if this is the direction that the fight is going to go, towards Robert, then we’ll secure it for you. We’ll do your job for you. But stop with the social media stuff. Like, that doesn’t mean anything, it doesn’t do anything. It just shows your insecurity about the fight. Don’t worry. We’ll sort the fight out.”

    Assuming the UFC has, in fact, locked in the bout, it will be a rematch from the 2019 bout between Adesanya and Whittaker that saw Adesanya capture the middleweight strap due to a second-round KO/TKO.

    Adesanya has gone on to successfully defend the title against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, and Marvin Vettori to prove he is the top dog at 185 pounds at the moment.

    As for Whittaker, he brought himself right back into a title fight by stringing together three straight wins over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum.

    MMA News will keep you posted on any further on this story and if there is any “capping” happening in connection to it.

    Who do you think wins this rematch: Israel Adesanya or Robert Whittaker?

  • Dana White Says Amanda Nunes Will Get Peña Rematch If She Wants It

    Amanda Nunes may have lost for the first time in seven years, but she still is in the driver’s seat of what happens next at the top of the bantamweight division.

    At UFC 269, Julianna Peña stunned a public that bet Amanda Nunes up to be a -1000 favorite heading into the co-main event. Not only did Peña pull off the upset, but she was able to get the finish within two rounds.

    UFC 269: Amanda Nunes stunningly CHOKED OUT by Julianna Pena in one of biggest upset wins in MMA history - thejjReport
    Julianna Pena, Amanda Nunes

    The finish was convincing. And although “doubt” would be an understatement regarding what Peña was up against coming into the fight, she managed to leave none about who deserved to have their hand raised at UFC 269. Indeed, odds aside, Julianna Peña proved to be the better woman on the night of December 11, and her bulletproof confidence was rewarded with bantamweight gold.

    Peña vs. Nunes 2 Already In The Works?

    However, be all that as it may, Julianna Peña may just have to turn around and do what no one has ever done before: defeat Amanda Nunes twice. All that needs to happen to place this task in front of her is “The Lioness” saying the word.

    “It’s a big rematch if [Nunes] wants it,” White said at the UFC 269 post-fight press conference.

    During the UFC 269 pre-fight press conference, Peña was actually asked about this scenario of an immediate rematch when it was all completely hypothetical. Here is what she had to say:

    “Yes, an immediate rematch, and when I win that fight, I will be 11-2 in the division, which is a better bantamweight record in the history of the bantamweight division.”

    If this remains Peña’s stance, then all that’s left is the green light from Amanda Nunes. MMA News will keep you posted if and when that immediate rematch becomes a work in progress.

    Do you think there should be an immediate rematch between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Peña?

  • 7 Takeaways From UFC 269: Oliveira vs. Poirier

    UFC 269 featured two title fights that crowned a new queen of the women’s bantamweight division and a current champion proved himself as worthy of holding the title he won earlier this year.

    There was a lot to take away from UFC 269, here are some things that stood out.

    O’Malley vs. Garbrandt?

    During the pre-fight press conference, Sean O’Malley and Cody Garbrandt went after each other, even though they both had their own fights with other people at UFC 269 to worry about. Still, O’Malley seemed to think it would be a good idea for them to square up at the press conference for a future event. Is this something you want to see?

    Lost One 

    Alex Perez
    Image Credit: Jeff Sherwood of Sherdog.com

    It happens enough these days, bookmakers should start laying odds on what fight will get pulled from a card, and for what reason. After the weigh-ins, the UFC announced that the flyweight bout between Matt Schnell and Alex Perez was canceled due to medical issues with Schnell.

    The Savage Gets Back in The Win Column

    Gillian Robertson was on a two-fight losing streak going into UFC 269. If that wasn’t enough fuel to pick up a win, her opponent Priscila Cachoeira missed weight and they fought at a catchweight. Robertson scored the first submission and finish of the night to get back in the win column and did it with Cachoeira fighting dirty. Losers never win, and Robertson proved that here. Check out Robertson’s submission finish and doing it while Cahcoeira was poking her in the eye.

    Kai-Kara France

    UFC 269 results: Kai Kara-France spoils Cody Garbrandt's flyweight debut with massive TKO win - CBSSports.com
    Kai Kara-France. Image Credit: Jeff Bottari

    France stopped Garbrandt in his tracks for Garbrandt’s flyweight debut, leaving questions for Garbrandt’s future but opening doors for France. With his first-round finish of the former bantamweight champion, France made it known he has his eyes on Brandon Moreno and Deivison Figueredo. Either fight would make a great future match-up for him. 

    Dominick Cruz

    UFC 269 tweets: Pros react to Dominick Cruz comeback win, Daniel Cormier commentary controversy - MMA Fighting
    Dominick Cruz, Image Credit: MMA Fighting

    Cruz made news for his criticism of Daniel Cormier’s broadcast style on fight week and that may have taken away from the fact that regardless of how anyone handles a mic, Cruz can still manage the cage better. It’s obvious he does just as much homework for fights as he does for his broadcast duties. Cruz fought and won against a very tough Pedro Munhoz to pick up a decisive victory. If there’s a fight to make, maybe he and Jose Aldo could headline a card in 2022.

    And New!

    UFC 269 results, highlights: Julianna Pena scores shocking upset of Amanda Nunes to claim title - CBSSports.com
    Julianna Pena, Image Credit: Chris Unger

    A huge underdog, Julianna Peña came in with nothing but heart and a great jab that would hand Nunes the loss that would cost her the title, and crown The Venezuelan Vixen the new bantamweight champion. Peña was a +650 underdog and when the going got tough, Peña’s resolve would be the fuel that won her the title. 

    And Still!

    UFC 269 results: Charles Oliveira taps Dustin Poirier to retain title
    Charles Oliveira. Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports

    Diamonds are tough but “Do Bronx” is tougher as Charles Oliveira proved that he can stand with the tougher, more damaging fighter the likes of Dustin Poirier. Oliveira’s chin was definitely tested in this fight, especially in round one but if there were a physical demonstration of “being like water,” Oliveira definitely did it to Poirier when he scored the submission victory. 

    There’s obviously more to take away from this event than what is listed here especially with it being the last one of 2021. New challengers for various titles, up-and-coming fighters looking to get in the top 15, and potential rematches to make. The UFC certainly closed their pay-per-view schedule well.

    What did you take away from the event? Better yet, what would you like to see in 2022?

  • Fighters React To Charles Oliveira Submitting Dustin Poirier To Retain Lightweight Title At UFC 269

    Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier lived up to expectations with the lightweight title on the line. 

    The two fighters met in a title bout on Saturday night (December 11, 2021) at the UFC 269 pay-per-view event from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    The first round was madness. Poirier stunned him right out of the gate before they clinched. Charles got a brief takedown before Poirier popped right back to his feet. They had a fun exchange before Poirier dropped him only to let him back up. Charles went for a takedown and got it to start off the second round. Poirier did get back up, but when Charles went for an arm submission, it led to Charles rolling on top in half guard and landed some big elbows. Charles finished the fight with a standing rear-naked choke in the third round to retain the title. 

    Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:

    https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1469903999017132035

    Let’s see how the fighters reacted to the outcome of this fight: 

    https://twitter.com/LaurenMurphyMMA/status/1469905300144721920
    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1469905337310318595

    Poirier went on a six-fight winning streak including back-to-back wins over Conor McGregor – a KO win at UFC 257 and then a doctor stoppage win at UFC 264. Before that, he got a win over Max Holloway by a hard-fought unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 236 to earn a title shot. He lost by submission to UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at the UFC 242 show from The Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. In his previous outing, he got a decision win over Dan Hooker on June 27, 2020. 

    Entering this fight, Oliveira had been on a hot streak that included nine consecutive victories. In his previous bout, he won the lightweight title when he beat Michael Chandler by TKO at UFC 262. Before that, he got 

    a decision win over Tony Ferguson at the UFC 256 pay-per-view event. He previously choked out Kevin Lee at the UFC Brasilia event in March 2020, got wins over Jared Gordon by KO at the UFC Sao Paulo event from the Ginásio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a TKO win over Nik Lentz at the UFC Rochester event from the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York on ESPN+. 

    UFC 269 Results: Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier, Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 269. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Fighters React To Julianna Pena Tapping Amanda Nunes To Win Women’s Bantamweight Title At UFC 269

    Julianna Pena shocked the world when she defeated Amanda Nunes to win the UFC women’s bantamweight title.

    The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (December 11, 2021) at the UFC 269 pay-per-view event from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    In the first round, Nunes dropped her twice – once with a leg kick then a jab. Pena tried to go for a takedown, but that didn’t work. Nunes got a takedown and even had her back at one point. Pena had her in a kimura for a bit, but the round ended. In the second round, Pena came out swinging and they had an unbelievable exchange for a few minutes. Nunes got tired. Pena clinched with her up against the fence before taking her down and locking in the rear-naked choke for the win. 

    Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:

    In her previous fight, Nunes retained the featherweight strap over Megan Anderson by first-round submission at UFC 259. Before that, she retained the bantamweight strap over Felicia Spencer at the UFC 250 pay-per-view event got a decision victory over Germaine de Randamie at UFC 245 by decision and another impressive victory at the expense of former champ Holly Holm at the UFC 239 pay-per-view event. Nunes knocked out Cris Cyborg in the first round in the co-headliner of UFC 232 to win the UFC women’s featherweight title on December 29, 2018, at The Forum in Inglewood, California. With that win, Nunes became a two-division champion as she’s the champ of the women’s bantamweight and featherweight divisions.

    Pena entered this fight with a 10-4 pro-MMA record and had gone 2-2 in her last four fights to get here. She lost to Valentina Shevchenko by submission in January 2017 before getting a decision win over Nicco Montaño, but dropped a loss to Germaine de Randamie by decision in October 2020. She rebounded with a submission win over Sara McMann. 

    Let’s see how the fighters reacted to the outcome of this fight: 

    UFC 269 Results: Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier, Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 269. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • WATCH: UFC 269 Post-Fight Press Conference Live Stream

    The UFC 269 post-fight press conference will be live once the action concludes.

    In the headliner, Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier will collide in a lightweight title clash. UFC 269’s co-main event will see a clash between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena in a women’s bantamweight title bout. More action will also be featured on the main card as Geoff Neal shares the Octagon with Santiago Ponzinibbio. 

    The fighters from both the main and co-main events are expected to attend the post-fight press conference barring any hospital visits. Of course anyone else on the card who has a breakout performance could also attend the presser.

    MMA News will be providing live coverage of the UFC Vegas card. Be sure to check back here for the post-fight presser with a tentative start time of 12:15 a.m. ET.

    Let us know your big takeaways once the UFC 269 post-fight press conference.

  • Dustin Poirier Looks To Join The List Of Inspiration Champions At UFC 269

    UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier is hoping emulate the success of inspirational champions like Michael Bisping and Robbie Lawler at UFC 269.

    Inspirational is certainly an appropriate word to use to describe Poirier’s career. From dropping out in the ninth grade after repeatedly getting into trouble to challenging for gold on MMA’s biggest stage, not many fighters have forged an unlikely path to success like the Lafayette, Louisiana native.

    After hitting the form of his life with with victories over Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, and Max Holloway, Poirier entered a 2019 clash with then-UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov as the interim titleholder. The submission loss felt like a crushing end to his journey to the top. But the story wasn’t to end that night in Abu Dhabi.

    Now over two years later, “The Diamond” has recorded a win against Dan Hooker, equaled his score with Conor McGregor by becoming the first man to knock him out, and secured a trilogy victory over the Irishman. Poirier now has his sights back on the title, which he’ll challenge for this weekend in the final pay-per-view main event of the year.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXPwyBlM97F/

    Poirier Hopes To Join Illustrious Company

    In his way on December 11 will be reigning champion Charles Oliveira. As far as shocking and heart-warming championship wins go, not many fit the term better than “Do Bronx.” In his 28th outing in the UFC, the Brazilian had gold wrapped around his waist for the first time after an incredible comeback against Michael Chandler.

    Discussing his fellow veteran’s success at UFC 269 media day on Wednesday, Poirier admitted it felt “special” to see Oliveira reach the top. Citing the triumphs of some other legends, “The Diamond” said his goal on Saturday will be to join the list of inspirational champions who overcame the odds.

    “For sure, man. I’ve been watching that guy a long time. We both been in the same waters: ‘45, ’55 for the last decade in the UFC. And there’s a list of guys that when they won the belt was really special. He’s on that list, Bisping’s on that list, Robbie Lawler’s on that list. Underdogs. Of course everybody’s fighting against adversity, but the guy who were counting out a couple times and made it happen. And I’m trying to add my name to that list. That’s the goal here this weekend.”

    After a lucrative year of money fights with MMA’s biggest superstar, Poirier will look to close his 2021 with a championship crowning inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. For those rooting for the lightweight with the most inspirational journey to the title, this is a tough duo to choose between.

    Are you backing Dustin Poirier to dethrone Charles Oliveira this weekend at UFC 269?

  • Sean O’Malley Says Fight With Yan Would Be The Biggest In BW History

    Sean O’Malley is already sure he will have a shot at the bantamweight title.

    Sean O’Malley might be the most popular man in the UFC bantamweight division. His personality and style have earned him a large fanbase. Although he is not yet ranked in the stacked division, he knows that he will fight for the title one day. If he has his way, that title fight will be against Petr Yan, the current interim champ.

    “I’m gonna fight for the title, 100%,” O’Malley told BT Sports. “I’m gonna beat the guys I need to beat to fight for the title, and it’s gonna be me vs. Petr. I truly believe that will be the biggest fight in bantamweight history.”

    O’Malley has been on a roll since coming to the UFC. His debut of the Dana White’s Contender Series immediately turned heads. He was awarded a contract and jumped into the difficult bantamweight division with both feet. He stacked up four wins in a row before suffering his first loss. Now with a two-fight win streak under him, O’Malley is looking to take on Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.

    O’Malley may not be fighting ranked opponents yet, but he is certainly ready to call them out. He has been calling for a rematch with the one man to hand him a loss, Marlon Vera. He has also recently beefed with former champion Cody Garbrandt. Although Garbrandt is now at flyweight, O’Malley is still looking for that fight and the two were involved in a near altercation at the UFC 269 media day.

    Talking will only get O’Malley so far in the UFC. He must show that he is ready for ranked opponents before looking for his ideal title fight against Yan. UFC president Dana White claims that O’Malley isn’t quite ready for the top fifteen just yet. Also, Yan will have to beat Aljamain Sterling to solidify his championship status. A lot must go right for O’Malley to get his wish, but down the road a bit it could be possible.

    Do you think O’Malley will ever fight for the bantamweight title?

  • Archives: Garbrandt Storms Off Joint-Interview To Look For Cruz (2016)

    Cody Garbrandt has always been a bit of a hothead, and fans at home caught a live glimpse of this in 2016.

    Tonight, both Cody Garbrandt and Dominick Cruz will be competing at UFC 269, but much has changed since their 2016 bout. For one thing, neither man is in the top 5 at bantamweight anymore. In Garbrandt’s case, he isn’t even in the division at all.

    But five years ago, Garbrandt had all the momentum in the world and an undefeated record. He also had a deep animosity for then-champion Dominick Cruz ahead of their UFC 207 bout. Don’t believe me? Look no further than the following article we ran five years ago.

    The following article is presented in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 28, 2016, 8:38 PM]

    Headline: Video: Garbrandt Storms Off Joint-Interview With Cruz, Goes Looking For Him

    Author: Matt Boone

    Well, tensions are definitely rising, folks!

    During their latest split-screen joint television interview, UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz and Team Alpha Male contender Cody “No Love” Garbrandt reached their boiling point.

    Featured above is an excerpt from the joint interview, which aired via The Fight Network based out of Canada, and saw Garbrandt threaten to leave and find Cruz, who he mentioned was only one room over from where he was currently sitting.

    At that point, Garbrandt took his microphone off and apparently went in search of the reigning UFC 135-pound champion.

    One day he won’t have to look for Cruz is this Friday, as Garbrandt becomes the latest member of the Team Alpha Male camp to try and dethrone the UFC’s longtime 135-pound champion when the two meet in the co-main event of Friday’s UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey pay-per-view event.

    UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey takes place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, airing live on pay-per-view this Friday, December 30th. Join us here at MMANews.com on Friday evening for live round-by-round results coverage of the UFC 207 pay-per-view.

    For more of The Fight Network’s coverage of UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey, visit their official website at FightNetwork.com.

  • Archives: McGregor’s Tweet Elicits Strong Response From Oliveira (2021)

    The following is an article from earlier this year, featuring one-half of tonight’s UFC 269 headliners and current lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. The article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MAY 16, 2021, 7:01 AM]

    Headline: Conor McGregor’s Tweet Elicits A Strong Response From Charles Oliveira

    For the second straight pay-per-view, Conor McGregor let the winner of the main event know that he was coming for his championship belt.

    When Conor McGregor put Kamaru Usman on notice that he was coming for his welterweight title after UFC 261, Usman accused him of “clout chasing,” stating that McGregor knew full well he didn’t really want to fight him. Others have also accused McGregor of this in the past whenever he would react to a big performance from another fighter soon after an event had concluded.

    In this case, McGregor’s post-UFC 262 tweet is fairly safe from this suspicion due to the relevancy the main event had to his own short-term future.

    “Congrats to Olivera on becoming the 11th UFC lightweight champion. Wonder who Twelve is…” McGregor wrote.

    The usually even-keeled Charles Oliveira issued the following response to McGregor after soaking in his newly won UFC lightweight championship over Michael Chandler.

    “Conor, worry about Dustin,” Oliveira advised through an interpreter at the UFC 262 post-fight press conference. “Conor, since you’re so tough: First of all, you beat Dustin, and then you come over to Brazil and I’m going to put you on your ass. First he’s got to get past Dustin. He’s one of these guys that just talks a lot. He’s got to beat Dustin first.”

    Charles Oliveira’s come-from-behind victory over Chandler matched the Brazilian’s path to the title shot in the first place: It was hard-earned and full of adversity. The fact that the UFC all-time submission holder got it done with his hands is a testament to how far he’s come as a mixed martial artist since debuting in the UFC at only 20 years old more than a decade ago.

    Oliveira was willing to fight whoever was put in front of him along the way, so he is not committed to the idea of fighting Conor McGregor despite his fired-up response. Instead, he’s decided to stick to his job of showing up and winning.

    “I battled hard to get here,” Oliveira said. “Everyone’s talking about who it’s going to be next – Poirier or Conor. I’ll leave that my manager, and I’m going to go home and rest.”

    How do you think a fight would go between new UFC undisputed lightweight champion Charles Oliveira and Conor McGregor?

  • Julianna Peña: “There’s No Such Thing As An Underdog”

    As she prepares to face dominant two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes, bantamweight contender Julianna Peña has suggested there’s “no such thing as an underdog.”

    The oddsmakers and most in the MMA community would certainly have something to say about that, with not many believing Peña has much of a chance at dethroning the “Lioness” this weekend at UFC 269.

    Peña, who currently sits at #3 in the 135-pound rankings, has gone 2-2 in her last four appearances. But while defeats to current flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko and inaugural featherweight titleholder Germaine de Randamie have prevented a winning streak from developing, “The Venezuelan Vixen” certainly gave a good effort in both contests. Until making some mistakes, Peña believes she was well on her way to two victories, a theory that’s hard to argue against.

    She’ll look to avoid committing similar errors inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. If she does make them, a killer like Nunes, who is unbeaten since 2014 and has defended the bantamweight title five times, will likely pounce.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CTN9oocjfoq/

    Peña: “No One Is Ever Giving Me A Fair Shake”

    In a scenario that Nunes has admitted is a fresh experience for her, Peña has attacked her first title shot with aggression and trash talk. To go along with that, “The Venezuelan Vixen” has boasted an air of confidence that not many would associate with a rival of the Brazilian champion.

    During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, Peña gave some insight into her attitude and positive mindset, citing faith and self-belief as the tools behind her immense confidence.

    “I have an unwavering amount of faith in God and making sure that I’m doing everything that I need to do in order to get my hand raised. So I did all the work and then I have this unwavering faith and belief in myself. I almost feel like it’s a David vs. Goliath type situation, where all these chips are stacked against me, and I just know that at the end of the day, I have faith in God and I have faith in my abilities and I have faith in my skillset. I think that that strong mentality has carried me through in all of my fights.”

    Her confidence, however, hasn’t been enough to convince too many people of her ability to dethrone Nunes. That’s in spite of her consistent claims that fans and pundits are “sleeping on her.”

    Despite still sitting as a heavy underdog heading into the final pay-per-view of the year, Peña denied that status, saying underdogs don’t exist.

    “If you just look at any of the media or anything that the commentators say, no one is ever giving me a fair shake. They’re always considering me an underdog and they’re always counting me out. I was counted out on The Ultimate Fighter, no one thought I was gonna win. I ended up winning a show that was one of the toughest competitions in sports.

    “When Amanda fights me, she’s not gonna be thinking, ‘Oh, she’s just some underdog.’ I don’t think that’s gonna be playing through her mind. So it doesn’t matter, there’s no such thing as an underdog. We’re going to go get into a fistfight in a steel cage, and there’s not much more I can say to it other than keep it simple.”

    If Peña manages to have her hand raised against the consensus female MMA GOAT, it would represent one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, and everyone loves an underdog (or an existing Peña-approved equivalent).

    How do you think Julianna Peña will fare against reigning two-division champion Amanda Nunes at UFC 269?

  • Archives: When Dana White Shut Down O’Malley vs. Garbrandt (2020)

    Tonight at UFC 269, both Cody Garbrandt and Sean O’Malley will be in action. They won’t be facing one another, however. In fact, they won’t even be fighting in the same division.

    Despite the Twitter beef between the two men, the odds of them fighting are farther apart than ever before, even though the two squared up in the pre-fight press conference earlier this week.

    Also earlier this week, UFC President Dana White openly stated that O’Malley is not ready to fight “top” opponents, even though O’Malley himself says he would have loved to have fought a higher-ranked opponent, with Garbrandt being among that list.

    Just as Dana White is against O’Malley facing “top” opponents now, he felt the same way last year.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JUNE 17, 2020, 10:28 AM]

    Headline: UFC President Dana White Shuts Down Cody Garbrandt vs. Sean O’Malley Talk

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    UFC president Dana White doesn’t feel it’s the right time to book Cody Garbrandt vs. Sean O’Malley.

    O’Malley and Garbrandt have been throwing some verbal jabs ever since UFC 250. Both men scored spectacular one-punch knockouts that earned them performance bonuses. They then got into a fun back-and-forth over who had the better finish. Then, O’Malley expressed his belief that he can knock Garbrandt out. Obviously, “No Love” disagrees.

    Dana White Puts a Halt To Garbrandt vs. O’Malley

    O’Malley is still quite young in his pro MMA career. While many are calling for him to get a step up a competition, a bout with a former UFC bantamweight champion as dangerous as Garbrandt might be too soon. That’s the belief White shared during his appearance on The Schmozone Podcast (h/t BJPenn.com).

    “The problem is, you take a Sean O’ Malley…first of all he has been off for a couple of years, young kid, just coming in, like where does he goes from here? You got to give this kid a few more fights before he gets to Cody Garbrandt,” White said. “If he fought and beat Cody Garbrandt, then he’d break into the top five, and very few people in their careers break into the top five.”

    O’Malley’s pro MMA record sits at a perfect 12-0. He’s coming off a highlight reel knockout over Eddie Wineland. It’s the “Sugar” show’s eighth win by way of knockout.

    As for Garbrandt, he put a halt to his flyweight plans after knocking out Raphael Assuncao. “No Love” now aims to work his way back to the bantamweight title picture. Defeating Assuncao put Garbrandt back in the top five 135-pound rankings.

    While Garbrandt vs. O’Malley probably won’t take place at this time, don’t rule it out in the future. If O’Malley ends up living up to the hype and Garbrandt continues to bounce back, we may very well be seeing “No Love” vs. “Sugar.”

  • Sonnen Questions McGregor’s Physique Change: ‘You’re Not Training’

    Chael Sonnen is not convinced that the recent physique transformation of Conor McGregor is a good thing.

    McGregor has been on the sidelines since breaking his leg in the trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier, working to recover from this devastating injury. However, he recently showed that he has made some big gains in this downtime, showing off a massive frame for the former featherweight and lightweight champion.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CW-lAT3JoWC/

    While some people looked at this as a sign that McGregor is jacked and potentially looking to permanently move to welterweight, Sonnen is not so convinced. Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, the American Gangster said that this could actually be a bad thing and could potentially be a sign of the Irishman not training as much as he is trying to make people think.

    “Conor is chiseled, man. There’s clothing people that pay Conor to wear their stuff. He’s got this fantastic build. That picture of him at 190 [lbs], I can’t give those same compliments. He looked like he was extremely bloated,” Sonnen said (h/t MiddleEasy). And when somebody weighs 190 – that’s used to weighing 155, 175; what you have to wonder is how. How did you get this big? Why? The answer to me seems redundantly obvious.

    “You’re not training. You cannot train the way you need to prepare in MMA, which we’re well aware. We are well aware that Conor is not. He’s got the hurt leg and he’s not doing what he is used to. He’s not jumping rope. He’s not running. He’s not pulling the sled. He’s not sparring. We get it. He’s having to do other exercises. But that’s always important to know because that’s what Sean’s talking about.

    “If you’re not doing our sport, who gives a damn what you weigh? If your calorie deficit to intake got so far out of control, that you’re bigger than you’ve ever been, that’s not a good thing,” Sonnen added.

    The only way to know if Chael Sonnen is right is to wait and see how Conor McGregor looks when it comes time to get ready for a fight. That said, it certainly appears that the former champ-champ is actively training the best he can, at least according to his social media.

    Watch the full video with Chael Sonnen below:

  • Flashback To Peña Letting Rousey Know Who Was BW’s Biggest “Bully”

    UFC 269 headliner Julianna Peña has never been one to bite her tongue.

    Tonight, Julianna Peña will look to back up her hefty pre-fight talk when she takes on Amanda Nunes in the UFC 269 main event. One might even say that Peña has been attempting to bully Nunes ahead of their bout. Of course, Nunes has never been one to back down, and we saw that in the UFC 269 pre-fight press conference.

    Nevertheless, Peña has always been assertive and strong-willed, even when women’s MMA was synonymous with alpha female “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey.

    Ronda Rousey
    Image Credit: Getty Images

    In 2015, Peña came to Arianny Celeste’s defense against the “bully” Ronda Rousey, and she didn’t stop there. She returned with some more choice words for the then UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion.

    During an appearance on Submission Radio in March of 2015, Peña shared her thoughts on a potential match against the former 135-pound champ.

    “Where I would hold the advantage is that I would not be mentally broken before the fight ever started, which I feel is sometimes to me – in my opinion – what seems to be the case with these other women that are facing her,” said Pena.

    Julianna Pena, Ronda Rousey
    Julianna Pena, Ronda Rousey

    “They already look dead upon arrival when they’re in the cage with her and I refuse to be shaken,” Pena continued. “I’ve been bullied my whole life and I just feel like she’s been a bully, and I feel like in the sense that I’m the bully and I’m a bigger bully than she can imagine, and I think that I would also have the advantage in the sense that I’m not afraid wherever the fight goes.”

    In the same aggressive fashion that Peña called for a fight against Amanda Nunes, she was equally as vocal about potentially facing Ronda Rousey for years. However, that “battle of the bullies” never materialized.

    Fortunately for us, though, the fight between Peña and Nunes has and will go down in a matter of hours at UFC 269.

    Who do you think would have won a fight between Julianna Peña and Ronda Rousey?