Darren Till and Khamzat Chimaev are helping out the less fortunate.
Darren Till is looking to improve his fight skills. He has been training in Stockholm, Sweden with Khamzat Chimaev. The two have been posting pictures of themselves together and have quickly become one of the most liked new UFC friendships. Till is known as a bit of a joker on social media and seems happy to be a part of Chimeav’s training crew.
Recently, Till and Chimaev took their new friendship outside the gym to make a difference in the Stockholm community. The video was posted by FrontkickOnline that shows Till and Chimaev handing out meals to people in need. They handed out food and drinks alongside fellow Swedish fighter Reza Madadi to the people in Stockholm.
This isn’t the first time Chimaev was seen doing something like this. He likes to help those in need when he can. He was seen giving food to a homeless man when he was in Vegas preparing for his fight against Gerald Meerschaert.
Both men have been training together at Allstar Training Center in Stockholm. Neither man has a fight on the schedule at the moment, but there have been some talks.
Chimaev has been rumored to be fighting Gilbert Burns in his next time out but nothing is official at the moment. Chimaev has been eagerly wanting a top-ranked opponent and if the deal with Burns can be done, he would put himself in a great position with a win.
As for Till, he has had some trouble lately. He has lost two in a row and four of his last five. Till was at one time recently considered the top prospect in the welterweight division and fought for a title. He has since fallen off a bit and began trying his skills at middleweight. He is now ranked eighth at middleweight and could be looking to improve upon this position with the help of Chimaev and the team.
What do you think of Darren Till and Khamzat Chimaev’s friendship?
Rua earned the UFC light heavyweight title after defeating Lyoto Machida at UFC 113. He would go on to lose the belt to Jon Jones in his first title defense at UFC 128.
St. Preux has spent time at light heavyweight and heavyweight since losing in an interim title fight against Jones at UFC 197. He has lost three of his last four fights in the cage, including most recently against heavyweight contender Tanner Boser last June.
St. Preux and Rua have previously battled in the Octagon in their tenures with the promotion. St. Preux knocked out Rua in just 34 seconds in a UFC Fight Night event in late 2014.
St. Preux went on to earn dominant wins over Patrick Cummins and Rafael Cavalcante before losing to Jones for the interim light heavyweight belt.
Both Rua and St. Preux are looking to get back in the win column before their respective careers come to a close. UFC 274 will be headlined by a lightweight title fight between Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje.
What is your prediction for Shogun Rua vs. Ovince St. Preux?
Anthony Smith has continued to take shots at Luke Rockhold.
After Smith fought Jon Jones, Rockhold began blasting “Lionheart” for being a bad middleweight that was able to get a title shot. That began a feud as Smith told him to move up so they can fight. And after Rockhold did move up and got KO’d by Jan Blachowicz, their rivalry only increased.
Now, as Rockhold is angling to face Paulo Costa next time out, Smith doesn’t think it is a good idea, as he thinks the former champ would get knocked out.
“He’s not able to stay awake at work… He falls asleep on the job all the time. But it’s just like he sucks now. And ok that’s a lie,” Smith said on Michael Bisping’s podcast (via Sportskeeda). “I don’t want to put it out there like that. I think he’s very skilled. He’s super dangerous, he’s got insane kicks, he’s got good power, he’s an insane wrestler, he’s a fantastic guy on top. But defensively, he’s not good enough to beat anybody worth a f**k.”
Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Given both Smith and Rockhold do not have a fight booked, perhaps this recent trash-talk will allow this fight to happen. It would be a big fight, as it could headline a Fight Night card or be on a pay-per-view, as the two don’t like one another. However, Rockhold has made it clear he isn’t interested in fighting at light heavyweight.
Anthony Smith is coming off a submission win over Ryan Spann, which was his third win in a row as he also beat Jimmy Crute and Devin Clark. He’s currently ranked fourth at light heavyweight while Luke Rockhold has not fought since UFC 239, where he was KO’d by Jan Blachowicz.
Do you agree with Anthony Smith’s harsh assessment of Luke Rockhold?
As of now, Jorge Masvidal has no plans to get in the ring with undefeated Youtube Star turned boxer, Jake Paul.
On March 5, MMA fans get to see what could be the grudge match of the year. Masvidal will take on rival and former American Top Team training partner Colby Covington.
The main event is hyped by pre-fight tension. And when Masvidal fights, there has to be a big check involved. And according to Masvidal, Paul does not have the lucrative pull to book a fight with him.
The #6 welterweight has fought many big names and made a lot of money in his 50-fight career. Unless the payout is massive, Masvidal considers a fight with Paul a waste of his time.
“I’ll fight him right now, you know, on my way to the gym. But I prepared my whole life to fight the best of the best. He’s not the best of the best… I’m not doing charity. You’re selling 70,000 PPVs, there’s nothing to talk about. He had a street team handing out free tickets at the event for people to go to the event…” said Masvidal in his interview with Audacy.
Both times, Masvidal predicted Woodley would defeat Paul. After beating him a second time, the Paul brother called out ” Gamebred” and his former opponent Nate Diaz.
Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley, Photo Credit: Chris O’Meara/Associated Press
Even then, Masvidal’s main argument for the rejection was that Paul simply cannot afford him. That being said, once Paul’s numbers go up, Masvidal claims he will gladly take on the Ohio-born boxer.
Jake has done a lot in the past months with remaining undefeated and promoting one of the most anticipated women’s boxing matches ever between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor. Perhaps a more lucrative future is ahead and he will one day gain Masvidal’s attention to settle their conflict in the ring.
What are your thoughts on Jorge Masvidal not wanting to fight Jake Paul?
Jamahal Hill has come to Johnny Walker’s defense against Ben Askren.
Following his win at UFC Vegas 48, Jamahal Hill has been riding high. His opponent, Johnny Walker, however, has not been. Walker has been taking many shots from internet trolls regarding his loss and memes of his knockout have been circulating. Walker and his fiancée both issued statements asking fans to leave them alone and to address the hardships that come after a public loss like Walker experienced.
Fighters being trolled is not new, unfortunately. Many times when a fighter loses via knockout, the image of them on the Octagon floor becomes viral. One man who knows this feeling well is Ben Askren. He became the subject of such ridicule when he lost to Jorge Masvidal. Now, he has taken to Twitter himself to mock Walker and his response to the situation.
We all know what we signed up for. Fighters need to quit being little babies about people making fun of them on twitter. https://t.co/enn2bpTWwj
“We all know what we signed up for. Fighters need to quit being little babies about people making fun of them on Twitter,” Askren wrote.
Jamahal Hill Claps Back At Askren
This message by Askren was following Hill coming to the defense of Walker. He put out his own message to fans warning them about the effects of their words and asking people to be kind. Askren did not embrace this message, instead took to mocking it instead.
To this end, Hill did not back down. He shot back at Askren in a series of his own Tweets.
If you knew what u signed up for why did u retire after a year in the ufc? U couldn't handle the heat and ran!! I don't need fans to love me, I love me some me!! But your a bitch if your ok with ppl harassing your family.. I would expect u to understand a alphas mind!! https://t.co/RQ9nlVKhCf
“If you knew what u signed up for why did u retire after a year in the ufc? U couldn’t handle the heat and ran!!” Hill wrote. “I don’t need fans to love me, I love me some me!! But your a b–ch if your ok with ppl harassing your family. I would expect u to understand a alphas mind!!”
These two continue to go back and forth. Askren is no longer fighting, and it is unlikely that this feud will amount to anything, but Hill has been relentless in his attack on Askren.
And your a curly headed fuck ctfu 🤣 bro sit your 2k scanned face having, Will Ferrell lookin, sleepbag body built, 40 year old virgin joke having ass tf down somewhere!! I'll really roast your crimson chin having ass!!! 🤣🤣 https://t.co/M4G4g0vYHo
The UFC Vegas 49 weigh-in results are in, and we’ve got the scoop for you down below!
At UFC Vegas 49, Bobby Green will have quite the first-time main event experience when he takes on Islam Makhachev. Both fighters made weight for their 160 lbs. catchweight bout. Ironically, although it was Green who is stepping in on short notice, he came in two pounds lighter (158) than Makhachev (160).
Not unlike these two athletes, all but one fighter successfully made weight today. The lone exception being Rong Zhu, who came in four pounds over the lightweight limit ahead of his bout against Ignacio Bahamondes. As a result, Zhu was fined 40% of his fight purse and the bout will proceed as scheduled.
The night’s co-main event will feature Wellington Turman taking on Misha Cirkunov. Another fight to watch will feature MMA News’ #71-ranked fighter of 2021, Arman Tsarukyan, who will be taking on the surging Joel Álvarez, who enters with a three-fight win streak with 16 of his 19 career wins by submission.
As for his lightweight peers, Green has instructed themto take notes on how a gangster approaches the fight game both inside and outside of the cage, even against someone as dominant as Islam Makhachev.
UFC Vegas 49 Weigh-In Results & Viewing Information
UFC Vegas 49 takes place Saturday, February 26, 2022, from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. The entire card will stream on ESPN+, with the preliminary card kicking off at 4 PM ET and the main card starting at 7 PM ET.
Detroit Urban Survival Commander, Dale Brown surprised everyone when he was in Joaquin Buckley’s corner.
Brown was considered a joke to many on social media for his defense techniques, but Buckely wanted to see it first-hand. After going to Brown and working with him, he began gaining respect for him and ended up having him in his corner for his UFC Vegas 48 fight against Abdul Razak Alhassan.
Buckley ended up winning the fight by split decision and Brown says the KO artists used some of his techniques in the scrap.
“I will say he did use some techniques that are associated with my training,” Brown said to TMZ Sports.
With Dale Brown now being 1-0 as a cornerman, he says other UFC fighters have reached out about him training them.
“We’ve had several just the past couple of days reaching out, emailing, texting, trying to reach out and see if they can come by the facility and see what we can do to coordinate and collaborate,” Brown said.
However, even though several UFC fighters have reached out to him, Brown says he will only work with Buckley, as he is loyal to him.
“We’re #teamBuckley so that’s not gonna happen,” Brown said.
With Buckley beating Alhassan with Brown in his corner, he improved to 14-4 as a pro and is riding a two-fight winning streak. He’s also 4-2 inside the Octagon. But with him getting the win, perhaps he goes back to the D.U.S.T. commander next time out. As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and Buckley had success against Alhassan so perhaps he runs back his exact same corner for his next fight.
What do you make of Dale Brown saying other UFC fighters have reached out to train him?
Islam Makhachev plans on chatting it up with Booby Green on the canvas at UFC Vegas 49.
Islam Makhachev will be headlining the upcoming UFC Vegas 49 card this weekend against Bobby Green. There has been a lot of talk about Makhachev and his position in the UFC lightweight rankings lately. On Saturday night, it will be Makhachev who plans on doing the talking once the two hit the mat.
“We’re gonna talk inside the cage. I’m gonna take him down, then tell him, ‘Hey, let’s go. Get up. Yeah, I’m gonna talk,” Makhachev explained during media day (MMA Junkie). “He gonna talk with me when we beginning, striking, but when I’m gonna take him down, I’m gonna ask him a couple questions.”
Makhachev is undefeated in his last nine fights. His last three wins all came by submission. He is excellent on the ground and is the protégé of one of the greatest wrestlers in UFC history, Khabib Nurmagomedov. And Makhachev shows just how much he’s learned whenever he is in the cage. Makhachev is often compared to Nurmagomedov in terms of fighting style, and Green also sees another resemblance.
Green Responds To Makhachev’s Plans
Bobby Green, Image Credit: Hans Gutknecht/Los Angeles Daily News
“I think that’s kinda dope. I think it’s dope,” Green said. “Say what you gotta say, brother. Nobody’s holding you back from your words. Say what you say. You are kinda stealing from your big brother Khabib. That was his shit. So you jockin’ his swag.”
Green is stepping into this fight with Makhachev on short notice. Makhachev’s original opponent, Beneil Dariush, was injured and Green decided to make the quick turnaround and fight. He last secure a win just 12 days ago when he defeated Nasrat Haqparast by unanimous decision at UFC 271. Green has been in the UFC since 2013 and has dealt with his fair share of wrestlers. He was never been submitted in his UFC career.
Do you think Makhachev’s takedown-and-talk strategy will have an effect on Bobby Green?
UFC wildman Tai Tuivasa may just have a goal besides beer-swelling and indiscriminate banging after all.
Tai Tuivasa isn’t your conventional fighter. In fact, the man just plain isn’t your conventional human being.
Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa, Ladies & Gentlemen, Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Indeed, there is only one “Bam Bam,” and he is the embodiment of the phrase, “I’m here for a good time, not a long time.”
As someone who exudes such a lax outlook on life, he hasn’t been one to care much about things most fighters tend to, such as rankings or titles. Instead, his priorities have been on shoey drinking, walk-out-song mastery, and banging it out with whoever is placed in front of him, damn the results and torpedoes.
After his latest KO, which came at the expense of the KO king Derrick Lewis at UC 271, Tuivasa reinforced his carefree attitude when it comes to the world title picture. Now weeks later, “Bam Bam” seems willing to squeeze in title-chasing to his list of high-level priorities.
Our Andrew Starc posed the question if Tuivasa is a legitimate title contender or the UFC’s joker. Turns out, the answer may very well be both.
“I’ll be walking around with it (the belt) on my waist like a clown. I’ll be that old clown at the pub telling everyone how great he was when I was young. It’s going to happen. It will happen,” Tuivasa told ABC News.
“As long as you have a crack, what’s the worst that can happen? You might lose. That’s it.”
As Tuivasa has always said, he’s willing to “bang on” with anyone, and yes, that includes the man often referred to as the scariest man in UFC history and current heavyweight titleholder, Francis Ngannou.
“That’s why I do this stuff, the challenge. Obviously, I do it to get paid, but I love the challenge, that aspect of fighting,” Tuivasa said. “It’s happened to me, I’ve lost as well, and the person you lose to always has that feather in their hat. It’s something you go after – or I do, anyway.”
Dana White has confirmed that he considers Tai Tuivasa to be in the world title picture. It would be difficult not to when the Aussie now finds himself ranked #3 in the division.
That said, Tuivasa might be one more win away from the banger of his life: a must-see scrap against Francis Ngannou or whoever the champion may be that’s standing in the way between “Bam Bam” and a championship shoey.
Can you imagine Tai Tuivasa becoming YOUR UFC heavyweight champion of the world??
UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev has offered a specific prediction for the Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje title fight expected for UFC 274.
Makhachev may well be next in line to fight for the title after Gaethje with a win this weekend. The Russian was scheduled to have been facing Beneil Dariush in a supposed title eliminator, but Dariush was forced to withdraw with an injury last week.
Instead, Makhachev will face UFC veteran Bobby Green, who has stepped in as a late replacement. Yet, the 30-year-old will still be expecting a title shot with a win. Most questions towards Makhachev have turned from his main event this weekend to instead who he could be expecting to face for the title in the near future, Oliveira or Gaethje?
Makhachev: I Think Oliveira Will Submit Gaethje
Getty Images
At the media day for UFC Vegas 49, Makhachev says he is expecting to face Oliveira in his next fight past this weekend. When asked for his prediction on how the Brazilian defends his title, the Russian went into specifics.
“I think he’s gonna finish him. I think he gonna striking with him first round. And after, he gonna take him down. I think he’s gonna choke him,” said Makhachev.
It appears that the #4-ranked lightweight is envisioning a path to victory similar to that of Oliveira’s last title defense against Dustin Poirier. Although, it is best believed Gaethje will have some choice words for Makhachev’s prediction once he is informed of the contender’s answer.
Gaethje fell short to a submission loss the last time he fought for the title when he took on the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov. Khabib coaches and mentors Makhachev, so that may well have influenced his prediction.
Do you agree with Islam Makhachev and see Charles Oliveira submitting Justin Gaethje?
As we approach fight week for UFC 272, the trash talk between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal is ramping up as expected.
Since the grudge math between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal has been announced, all of the trash talk has been coming from Masvidal. In fact, “Gamebred” even released an exposé of Covington’s alleged secrets. Gamebred has had other choice things to say about his ex-buddy, and now Covington has begun to fire back now that his training camp has all but wrapped up.
In an interview with Yahoo Sports released Thursday, Covington would again mention Masvidal’s ex-wife, this time as an example of why he is convinced Masvidal won’t be able to keep up with his cardio at UFC 272.
“I think people know what he’s widely known for,” Covington said when asked about Masvidal’s skill set. “He’s got some fast-twitch muscle fibers. He’s able to explode at any moment.
“But he’s a two-pump chump, just like his ex-wife used to tell me. So he can’t last with me. He’s gonna gas out in that Octagon. I’m gonna make him quit in front of the world, and it’s gonna be the same time that happened every time we fought behind closed doors. The only difference is now it’s gonna be on pay-per-view and a live audience. So it’s a beautiful thing. I can’t wait.”
For his part, Covington used the same evidence of bedroom performance to illustrate why he feels his endurance in the cage is second to none and why only one man has been able to push him to the brink.
“Not too often,” Covington responded when asked about needing to dig into extra gas-tank reserves. “The most trouble I ever had was in the bedroom when I’m putting 10 rounds of four-star cardio together. Not very often there’s a fighter that can push me to that limit. Me and Usman, he was able to get me to that limit, and brought out the best in me, and I brought out the best in him. So I’m looking to do round 3.”
Before Covington can get to round 3, he will need to get past Masvidal next Saturday. Even still, he might need at least one other victory if he is to earn a third opportunity against UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.
Masvidal is also on the same path, as he too wants a third shot at Usman. But as his racy comments reveal, Covington isn’t concerned about his ability to outpace and outlast Jorge Masvidal in the race back to title contention.
What are your thoughts on these latest provocative comments from Colby Covington toward Jorge Masvidal?
UFC lightweight Bobby Green says beating Islam Makhachev at UFC Vegas 49 isn’t the only challenge on his mind this weekend.
Green will step up on short notice for the injured Beneil Dariush to face Makhachev in the UFC Vegas 49 main event. This comes just weeks after he defeated Nasrat Haqparast via a unanimous decision at UFC 271.
Green has proven to not be afraid to speak his mind, especially when it comes to his opponents. He’s a brash trash talker inside the cage and has made some of his recent opponents look foolish with his showmanship.
“With Islam, he does what he does,” Green said. “But to be honest, it’s kinda boring. Even when he’s getting finishes, it’s still been boring. And so my whole thing is entertainment, excitement. So he can be championship material, but it’s just fuckin’ boring. Nobody wants to see it Nobody cares. I fall asleep watching his fights. And then it’s like, ‘Oh, there’s the finish.’ So they can show a bunch of finishes, which is cool. But it was sleeping, it was boring, it was lackluster.”
(via Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Green went on to elaborate and hint that he prides himself on putting on signature performances, not just earning monumental victories.
“So that’s the real test: is making somebody that boring exciting. How can I do that? Can I do that? Can I pull that one out of my ass? Let me see what I can do. I think I can do it.”
The winner of the UFC Vegas 49 headliner could quite possibly emerge as the top lightweight title contender and could face the Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje winner later this year.
What is your prediction for Bobby Green vs. Islam Makhachev?
MMA reporter Ariel Helwani has responded to the backlash he has received for his controversial interview with Bryce Mitchell earlier this week.
On Monday’s installment of The MMA Hour, Bryce Mitchell came on the show two weeks out from his upcoming fight against Edson Barboza at UFC 272. Instead of talking about the fight or anything MMA-related, Mitchell shared his views on a wide range of topics.
The underlying theme of each topic was that Mitchell is willing to fight to the death to defend his freedom and that of others from government tyranny, such as forced vaccines or any possibility of the government trying to take away the right to bear arms. Mitchell also made other claims in the segment, including stating that many mass shootings in the United States are inside jobs in an attempt to ban guns.
The segment lasted for roughly half an hour and was the subject of some public criticism. As the host of the program and interviewer involved, Helwani took some flack for allowing the segment to continue for as long as it did.
Ariel Helwani Reacts To Backlash From Mitchell Interview
On his Substack page, Helwani addressed the fallout from the interview at length.
“In short, I don’t regret the way I handled it,” Helwani began. “A very small amount of people said I should have ended it earlier, and I can see their point, but that thought never really crossed my mind, to be honest.
“My main objective, once it was clear he didn’t want to talk MMA, was to show the audience that two people who don’t agree on any of this stuff can still shake hands (virtually) and walk away from the conversation with respect.
Bryce Mitchell
“Again, to be clear, I don’t agree with the vast majority of what he said. But I am also not really offended or persuaded by anything he said, either. It was so out there, how could I be? Honestly, I felt like he was doing a good job of his discrediting his theories on his own. I mean, when a cab driver in Vegas is your best source ….”
Helwani admitted that there were some things he wishes Mitchell had not said, though he did not specify which comments he was referring to. However, none of those things warranted silencing “Thug Nasty” from speaking unfiltered, which Helwani says his show is all about: providing a platform for the fighters to do and say as they please.
Helwani also noted that today’s online climate is toxic and divided enough as it is, so he felt it was important to show that there still can be civil discourse, even if two sides are standing on opposite sides of the aisle.
And even though the segment was far different from what was expected, he doesn’t hold any hard feelings toward Mitchell for going rogue.
“Am I mad at Bryce because it was very clear that this was intent when he agreed to come on the show? Not really. (And it is important to note that I asked him to come on, not vice versa. Of course, I invited him on to talk about his fight at UFC 272 against Edson Barboza, but alas.) I always try to see the good in people. Maybe that’s naive but I prefer to view people through that lens than to immediately dismiss and hate, which happens too often these days,” Helwani continued.
Ariel Helwani, Image Credit: Paige Bethmann, Vox Media
“I also don’t think he hijacked the show. I didn’t let him grab the mic. I felt like I was in control throughout. I enjoy the challenge of trying to steer a ship because, let’s be real, that could have been worse, believe it or not.”
Helwani went on to state that if he could go back and be placed in the same situation again, he wouldn’t handle it any differently. He also revealed that Mitchell texted him after the segment to show his gratitude.
“Would I do the same thing again? Yes. I didn’t endorse any of it, and I wasn’t rude to the guest,” Helwani continued. “Bryce texted me this afterwards:
‘Thank you for participating. I have so much respect for you bro. And I mean it when I said I will fight side by side with you when the next war comes. My brother.’
“I thought that was nice.”
How do you think Ariel Helwani should have handled the controversial Bryce Mitchell segment? Do you think he handled it well? Or is this all much ado about nothing?
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has revealed what moment allowed Julianna Peña to take over in the UFC 269 co-main event.
2022 is representing a fresh challenge for Nunes. For the first time since 2015, she’s entered the new year off the back of a defeat. While she was coming off a loss to then-fellow contender Cat Zingano seven years ago, this time around she’s looking to rebound after having one of two belts she held last year snatched from her grasp.
After extending her two-division rule with a dominant first-round submission over Megan Anderson last March, Nunes was tasked with returning to 135 pounds to defend her bantamweight strap for the first time since 2019. In her way of completing another year with champ-champ status and extending her win streak to 13 was Peña.
While most expected “The Venzuelan Vixen” to represent a small hurdle for the “Lioness,” she turned out to be a 10-foot wall that stood firm in the face of the consensus female GOAT.
But despite citing those struggles as reasons behind her setback, Nunes also gave credit to the newly crowned bantamweight titleholder. During a media scrum earlier this month, the 33-year-old pinpointed one punch early in round two as the turning point in the contest.
“I got caught in the beginning of the second round. I don’t know if it was a jump-in, overhand, I don’t know what the move was. But for me, it looked like a jump overhand. It got me right here [points to behind left ear],” said Nunes. “It’s like, that was the end. I was not able to recover after that. I told Nina (Nunes) like, I felt dizzy, because I never got caught before. If you’re asking me how getting caught feels, I never would’ve answered because I never got caught before. So when I got caught, I lost everything; I lost my balance, my visual was a little bit blurry, too, and from that moment, everything went downhill.
“When I got on the floor, I was already done,” Nunes continued. “From watching the fight, and how everything was played in my head after I got caught, yeah. Everybody say I was tired and everything, okay, (they) look at me and say, ‘Your timing was off;” yeah, I didn’t train well for the fight. Of course, you think I showed up 100%? But I did get caught. She really connected a good one and I wasn’t able to recover.”
Having apparently become the first woman to really catch Nunes and badly wobble her in the striking realm, Peña will look to repeat the feat when she puts her gold on the line in a rematch against the Brazilian later this year.
UFC middleweight Darren Till believes compatriot and heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall has what it takes to become the next British champion in the promotion.
In just two years in the UFC, Aspinall has grown from debutant to headliner and established himself as one of the promotion’s top prospects. After signing off the back of three consecutive finishes, the English powerhouse has not slowed down since arriving on MMA’s biggest stage.
Having extended his record to 11-2, his active win streak to seven, his unbeaten UFC record to 4-0, and maintained his 100% finishing rate, many are predicting big things in the sport for Aspinall. One of those holding the Manchester native in high regard is teammate Darren Till.
Having trained alongside Aspinall at Liverpool’s Team Kaobon gym for years, Till has had, and continues to have, a first-hand look at the heavyweight’s progress and development. According to “The Gorilla,” Aspinall is likely to join Michael Bisping in the limited club of British UFC champions.
“He’s so sharp mate. Honestly, it’s a beauty to watch,” Till told Bisping and Anthony Smith during an appearance on the Believe You Me podcast. “You come in in the mornings and he’s doing his routine pad work with coach Colin, and you see him sparring… Not to discredit any of these guys, but he’s just—I mean, me and Tom don’t really spar each other anymore; we just know each other to a T, but it’s just how fast and quick he is, and his thinking.
“Honestly, his striking, his whole game, but his striking is just impeccable, it really is; it’s a beauty to watch,” Till added. “I’m very confident that Tom is probably going to be the next British champion before anybody else. He’s just on a roll—his confidence, his humbleness.”
Till Expects Aspinall To Record A 1st-Round Finish At UFC London
Despite the step-up in competition facing his teammate next month, Till has no doubts about who will get their hand raised at the O2 Arena.
“Not to discredit Volkov, but I think he’s (Aspinall) gonna finish Volkov in the first round,” Till predicted. “From what I’m seeing, training-wise, he’s so motivated—he’s in every day, he’s training hard, he’s getting pushed by the right people, and I just want him to do well.”
First Main Event ⭐️ First With Fans 🏟 First Top 10 Opponent 👊
Miesha Tate is the big winner of Celebrity Big Brother.
Things are going pretty well for Miesha Tate. She is back in the UFC, she has a fight booked, and she just won a huge prize on a reality show. Tate was among ten other celebrities as she battled through various competitions to be the remaining member of the Celebrity Big Brother household. As the big winner, Tate took home $250,000.
After her win, Tate sat down with ET Canada to discuss how she is feeling.
“I’m just trying to take it all in,” Tate explained. “I can’t believe that I did that, but I managed to get through that. What a crazy journey.”
Tate had to endure living in a house with strangers while competing with them to be the last one standing. During the course of the show, there were some surprises and times when Tate had to learn on the fly. She was taken aback by some of the goings-on.
“One thing I know as a fighter is that it’s very different when you’re in it, in the Octagon and you are fighting,” she said. “As opposed to watching it from the outside. I feel like I need to gain both perspectives. I think I was very naive in all of it, in the way I entered the game, the lack of preparedness on my part, and not really looking at things in a different light or big picture.”
Gegard Mousasi could be the next MMA fighter to move to boxing.
Gegard Mousasi has had a long and successful MMA career. From the UFC to now in Bellator, Mousasi isn’t closing the door on new opportunities. He is getting ready for his Bellator middleweight title defense against Austin Vanderford. That fight will go down at Bellator 275 this Friday night.
During a Q and A with the media prior to the event, Mousasi explained how he would like to try out boxing. He also has a very big name in mind if he does.
“We were aiming for Anderson Silva because of Showtime and boxing and he was boxing,” Mousasi told the media via MMA Junkie. “I wanted to do something different, but I don’t know. I want to do it, but it is up to them. Boxing because MMA [he] is a bit too old. Boxing he is doing well, he beat a former champ I think. And I think it is something different. Or they give me another fighter, a boxing fighter, but I think Anderson is a bigger name.”
Silva was a longtime UFC champion. He is known in some circles as the greatest fighter of all time. With a reputation like that, he is bound to be the target for many other fighters, no matter the sport.
After his UFC career came to a close, Silva decided to make his way to the squared circle. He has had four professional boxing fights so far, winning three of them, including most recently going 2-0 in 2021, with an upset win over Julio César Chávez Jr. and defeating fellow UFC legend Tito Ortiz. Silva is showing that he still has the skill and drive to continue fighting, even if it is in another manner.
Although both Silva and Mousasi spent the majority of their careers in the UFC at the same time, in the same division, they never fought each other. They do have some former opponents in common, so it would be interesting to see who would get the win between them.
Taking the opportunity to fight in the boxing ring seems fashionable at this point. Lately, a few former MMA fighters have been taking their talents to the ring in order to continue their careers and make some money. Silva is still a draw and having him face any other MMA fighter would be entertaining, especially if it is the current Bellator middleweight champion.
Would you like to see a boxing match between Anderson Silva and Gegard Mousasi?
Extended, unedited footage of Jon Jones’ latest arrest has been released.
Last September, hours after Jones was inducted into the fight wing of the UFC Hall of Fame for his 2012 classic against Alexander Gustafsson, he was arrested on charges of battery domestic violence and injuring/tampering with a vehicle. Tuesday, footage of the arrest became public.
In the video, officers complete a body search of a handcuffed and visibly emotional Jon Jones.
“This is so humiliating. I got the Hall of Fame tonight. And then you gonna put me on this by walking down the street,” Jones said.
Moments later, Jones could be heard shouting with a quivering voice, “I hate you!” and calling the arresting officers “nerds.” He then demands to know the names of the officers, pleads with them not to hurt him, and accuses them of racial profiling.
“I came from my Hall of Fame ceremony, and I’m black, and I have my friends, and I did nothing to you!” Jones said. “Hang me. Hurt me and kill me.”
When asked if he’d been drinking, Jones snapped back, “A black man can’t drink?!”
Moments later, Jones again proclaimed his hatred for the officers and violently headbutted the police vehicle. It is at this point that Jones was placed in the squad car as he begged the officers not to hurt him. While in the back of the vehicle, Jones can be heard saying that he has anxiety and asking for the officers to open the window.
In December, Jones was ordered to pay a restitution fee of $750 for damages caused to the vehicle. The domestic violence charge brought against him was dismissed, with Jones being required to attend anger management counseling.
After this arrest, Jones vowed to ‘remove alcohol from his life forever.’ Last November, he marked 60 days of sobriety.
Jones is expected to make his heavyweight debut later this year, with rumors being that his first opponent in the division will be Stipe Miocic.
You can view the full, 20-minute unedited footage below (h/t MMA Junkie)
The term “Legendary Polish Power” is now exclusive to former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz.
Blachowicz was slated to face Aleksandar Rakic next month but pulled out due to an injury. The matchup is expected to be rescheduled for later this year.
Blachowicz has kept busy in his personal life after losing the belt to Glover Teixeira at UFC 267. He appears as motivated as ever to reclaim the light heavyweight throne and is having some fun in the process.
One element that has made Blachowicz particularly unique in MMA circles is his incredible power with his standup. He has showcased the ability to end the fight with one punch, as illustrated by finishes over Luke Rockhold and Dominick Reyes.
In a recent tweet, Blachowicz shared to his fans that he has trademarked the phrase “Legendary Polish Power” for his use alone.
Despite the loss to Teixeira, Blachowicz appears in good spirits ahead of his UFC return. He’s looking to get back in the light heavyweight title picture if he can get past a top contender in Rakic.
Do you think Jan Blachowicz will get the UFC light heavyweight title back in 2022?
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has provided an update on how he’s dealing with the split from his fiancée.
Jones posted on his social media earlier this week that he and his long-time fiancée, Jessie Moses, have recently called it quits. This comes just months after Jones’ alleged battery domestic violence incident with her at a Las Vegas hotel.
Jones was also arrested that night on vehicle tampering charges for headbutting the hood of a police vehicle. He recently plead no contest to the battery domestic violence charges in exchange for having them dismissed and paying for the vehicle damage.
It’s not yet clear what officially ended the partnership, but one can deduce that the incident in September may have been the icing on the cake.
“No way my guy, the story is far from over,” Jones replied to a fan. “I’m wise enough to know that we all go through seasons in life. I’ve had many great ones and several bad ones. I’m excited for the next one, about to be heavyweight champion of the world, capable of so many things, loved.”
UFC lightweight Bobby Green is happy to fill in for Beneil Dariush at UFC Vegas 49 after Dariush stepped up for him earlier in their careers.
Green is set to face rising lightweight contender Islam Makhachev in the UFC Vegas 49 main event. Green most recently earned a unanimous decision win over Nasrat Harparast just days ago at UFC 271.
Dariush pulled out of his originally scheduled main event bout with Makhachev after suffering an injury in his training camp. The UFC quickly moved to find a replacement, with Green raising his hand without hesitation.
“Dariush filled in for me for a fight where I got hurt,” Green said. “So Dariush, heal up, get better, I got your back. You filled in for me, now I filled in for you. We’re even.”
Green is likely referring to when he and Dariush were supposed to square off at UFC 222 in 2018 before Green pulled out with an injury. Dariush would stay on the card and face Alexander Hernandez, suffering a first-round knockout.
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Green has won back-to-back fights over Haqparast and former lightweight title challenger Al Iaquinta after suffering defeats to Rafael Fiziev and Thiago Moises. He made his UFC debut against Jacob Volkmann back at UFC 156.
Before suffering an injury, Dariush appeared to be on the verge of a title shot in the lightweight division. He has won seven straight including recent dominant wins over Tony Ferguson and Scott Holtzman.
It’s unclear how long Dariush will be sidelined as he recovers from his injury. But for now, Green is ready and willing to fill the void and help save the UFC Vegas 49 card.
What is your prediction for Bobby Green vs. Islam Makhachev?
UFC featherweight contender Chan Sung Jung, otherwise known as ‘The Korean Zombie, plans to utilize his old rival for Alexander Volkanovski.
Jung has been training at the growing Fight Ready gym in Arizona, alongside former UFC champions such as Jon Jones and Henry Cejudo. He has also come across Brian Ortega, a former rival of his who recently fell to Volkanovski at UFC 266.
Jung plans to use all resources he can to prepare for arguably the biggest fight of his career against Volkanovski. During a recent interview with The Schmo, Jung hinted at working with Ortega in the lead up to his fight with Volkanovski.
“I’d love to pick his brain a little bit,” Jung said. “I know he went back to California yesterday, so I’m looking for him to come back so we can talk about it a little more.”
Jung earned the next title shot after winning three of his last four fights in the Octagon. He most recently put on a dominant performance against Dan Ige last June after falling to Ortega in a lopsided defeat.
Volkanovski earned the title over Holloway at UFC 245 before defending it against him at UFC 251. The rematch was controversial, and some believe Holloway deserved to get the win on the scorecards.
Regardless, Jung will get the next featherweight title shot and an opportunity to become the first Korean-born UFC champion. He’ll look to shock the world at UFC 273, with potentially the help of his former adversary Ortega.
What is your prediction for The Korean Zombie vs. Alexander Volkanovski?
UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal thinks a win over former American Top Team teammate Colby Covington will earn him a title shot.
Masvidal will face his friend-turned-foe Covington in the main event of UFC 272. The two top welterweights will settle their ongoing beef in the Octagon in a matchup set for five rounds.
Masvidal and Covington are both looking to get back into the welterweight title picture after losses to Kamaru Usman. Covington most recently fell to Usman via unanimous decision at UFC 268, and Masvidal is coming off back-to-back losses to Usman at UFC 251 and UFC 261.
Masvidal and Covington’s chances at another shot at Usman appear to be on life support after falling short in multiple opportunities. But during a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Masvidal sounded optimistic about what a win over Covington would do for his title shot odds.
“He’s got the number-one ranking, so it’s gotta do something, right?” Masvidal said. “Because those rankings, as much bullshit that I think they are, he does have the number one. So there’s no denying me. If I’m number one, there’s no denying me, and that’s it. What has to happen has to happen.”
Masvidal was supposed to face Leon Edwards at UFC 269 before pulling out with an injury. He is fully recovered from his injury and appears ready to potentially make another run at the belt in 2022.
Before his back-to-back losses to Usman, Masvidal earned finishes over Ben Askren and Darren Till, along with a doctor’s stoppage win over Nate Diaz. He remains one of the UFC’s biggest stars and will look to capitalize on another main event opportunity at UFC 272.
What is your prediction for Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington?
UFC middleweight Robert Whittaker says he feels he won a minimum of three rounds in his recent UFC 271 loss to Israel Adesanya.
The former UFC middleweight champion lost the fight via unanimous decision after a competitive back-and-forth fight against the man who captured his belt back in 2019. Whittaker began the fight on the back foot but picked up the pace as the fight went on yet fell just short on the judges’ scorecards.
Many believe the Australian had done enough to win the fight having mixed in takedowns and octagon control in a tactical approach many expected from Whittaker. The 31-year-old was visually disheartened to hear the verdict from Bruce Buffer after a grueling five-rounds against Adesanya.
Whittaker: “I Thought I Had, At A Minimum, Won Three Rounds”
Robert Whittaker, Image Credit: Getty Images
Speaking to Submission Radio, Whittaker reflected on his disappointment of coming short in his battle against Adesanya.
“There’s that underlying current of disappointment that I didn’t get the nod,” Whittaker explained. “That I didn’t get the W that I believe I should have. But in saying that, on the back of it though, I have that satisfying feeling of that I went in there and took it to him. I believe I made a great account of myself and I really really took it to him to the point where I’m satisfied with my performance I guess.”
Whittaker was defeated in his first fight with Adesanya in the 2nd round and was motivated to at least showcase he is capable of defeating the champion at UFC 271. He did so in taking down ‘The Last Stylebender’ four times throughout the fight. He feels that those takedowns along with his striking edged him at least three rounds.
“I thought I had, at a minimum, won three rounds. That’s why I wasn’t fighting with a sense of a guy with his back against the wall. But yeah, it is what it is. I think every time we threw hands, I got the better exchange of the strikes, as well as the introduction of the takedowns. So I was confident,” Whittaker said.
Whittaker has recently opened up on his interest in facing Marvin Vettori in his next fight, meaning a return to the Octagon could soon be around the corner for the former champion.
Do you agree with Whittaker that he won at least three rounds? Or do you feel as though Adesanya rightfully retained his title?
Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk is ready to return to the title picture and not take a tune-up fight for her 2022 debut.
Jędrzejczyk has been inactive since UFC 248 in early 2020 when she lost in a split decision to then-strawweight champion Zhang Weili. Before that, she had won two of her previous three to get back into the thick of things in the strawweight division.
Some fans may believe that the two-year layoff that Jędrzejczyk has taken from the Octagon may be to her detriment. But she remains as poised and confident as ever ahead of her planned return to the cage later this year.
“People are like, ‘Oh, you should get an easy fight.’ There’s no easy fights in the UFC, especially this whole sport,” Jędrzejczyk said. “And the strawweight division, the women’s division is growing up. So the fight is a pleasure. And the hardest part is done so many weeks before, and it’s the training. So I never train easy. I always train hard…so I prefer to get the big fight and the money fight, and (I’m) patiently waiting, preparing here. And I will just be getting stronger and better.”
As for who Jędrzejczyk will face in her Octagon return, that remains unclear. Jędrzejczyk recently claimed that she had been offered a world title fight but opted not to sit out for the required time.
A rematch with Zhang Weili would certainly make sense for both women. Following her win over Jędrzejczyk, Weili went on to lose back-to-back fights to Rose Namajunas in 2021.
Who do you want to see Joanna Jędrzejczyk fight in her return to the cage?
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