MMA News

Category: UFC

Latest UFC news articles, interviews and more covering the world’s top Mixed Martial Arts promotion.

  • Maycee Barber: Modafferi Chose Favorable O’Neill Fight Over Rematch

    UFC flyweight Maycee Barber wishes Roxanne Modafferi wouldn’t have retired before a potential rematch against her.

    Barber is set to face Montana De La Rosa at an upcoming UFC Fight Night event on April 23. She got back in the win column with a decision win over Miranda Maverick in her last fight at UFC Vegas 32.

    Barber’s first setback in the UFC came against Modafferi at UFC 246, as she lost the fight via unanimous decision and suffered a gruesome leg injury. She had to be carried out of the arena by her teammates following the fight’s conclusion.

    Modafferi announced her retirement before her last fight at UFC 271 against Casey O’Neill. Despite losing via a split decision, Modafferi seemed content to have her MMA career come to a close.

    During an exclusive interview with MMA News’ James Lynch, Barber expressed some frustration regarding Modafferi’s opponent choice for her retirement fight.

    “I meant to make a post to congratulate Roxy on a great career,” Barber said. “Obviously as a fighter who fought her, and busted my knee up, I tried to get that fight back and asked for it back. But she was at the last fight of her career and she definitely wanted one that was gonna be in her favor, and I completely understand that.”

    Barber went on to explain why the Modafferi rematch being off the table going forward is a bit of a nuisance.

    “Yeah, I mean, part of you is like, as a fighter, it sounds like a loss. But at the same time, I know how that fight went out (against Modafferi). So it’s not like one, you know, if you go out and get beat down and you lose on a healthy body, and you’re like, ‘Dang, I lost, I wanna get that back.’ I know I was compromised and I know where my heart was and how my body was. Honestly, that was her fight to win. Good for her. I’m not gonna lose sleep over it.”

    The loss to O’Neill was Modafferi’s third straight on her way out of the sport. She last won against Andrea Lee last September via unanimous decision.

    Barber is looking to be a mainstay in the flyweight division for years to come, similar to her former rival Modafferi. She’ll look to continue her momentum later this year as she gets ready to make her 2022 debut.

    How do you think Maycee Barber will perform in 2022?

  • Burns Says He’s Getting Constant Messages To End Chimaev Hype

    Gilbert Burns is ready to end the hype associated with Khamzat Chimaev.

    Gilbert Burns has been atop the welterweight rankings for some time. He had a title fight against champion Kamaru Usman back in February of last year and has been trying to get back to that ever since.

    Burns has been gunning for almost all of the top five fighters in the rankings. Unfortunately for him, none of them have agreed to fight him. One man is interested, however, and that man is rising star Khamzat Chimaev.

    Chimaev burst onto the UFC scene in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. The UFC was doing a series of events in Abu Dhabi on Fight Island and Chimaev quickly became the star of that show. He fought twice on Fight Island in two weeks and won both by way of stoppages. He made another quick turnaround fighting two months later and kept the hype train moving. After falling ill from COVID, Chimaev took some time off, but fans haven’t forgotten his talent.

    Chimaev has been calling out ranked fighters left and right. He wants to quickly make his rise up the ranks and fight for the title soon. He has the backing of other fighters and fans around him. He might be the most hyped fighter on the roster at this point, and Burns is ready to stop that if they get the chance to fight.

    “I’m getting messages from everybody from everywhere,” Burns told The Schmo. “‘Finish that guy,’ ‘Stop the hype,’ and everything. I appreciate you guys. And tune in on April 9th. It’s not a done deal yet, but I believe it will be very soon. So tune in April 9.”

    The fight between these two has been rumored for quite a while now. Chimaev wants it because Burns is sitting in the number two spot and Burns wants it partly because everyone is high on Chimaev. This potential fight has a lot riding on it, with the winner potentially being next in line for champion Kamaru Usman.

    Do you think Gilbert Burns can end the hype behind Khamzat Chimaev?

  • Hill Explains Why A Fight Against Procházka Is A Promoter’s Dream

    Immediately after sleeping Johnny Walker in the UFC Vegas 48 main event, Jamahal Hill is already laying out plans for what would be the biggest fight of his career.

    Jamahal Hill once complained that the UFC was not promoting him as well as they are other fighters. With performances like what he turned in last night, he has done a fine job of promoting himself while making it harder for the UFC to not promote him to his liking as well.

    Shortly after the halfway point of the first round, Hill showed why he entered the bout as the favorite while putting to sleep any doubters that may have lingered, right alongside Johnny Walker.

    Now with back-to-back first-round KO wins and a top-10 ranking likely in his near future, Hill is already plotting his next move, not unlike other stars who masterminded their ascent into superstardom.

    The next phase of Hill’s self-rocketing push is facing another flashy KO artist and one who has captured the imaginations of MMA fans worldwide: Jiří Procházka.

    “Right now, like other than really the Jiří (Procházka) fight, not really,” Hill responded when asked of ideas for his next opponent during the UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference. “Nobody else is really, like, everybody else is tied up.

    “The reason I want Jiří so bad is ’cause I feel like that’s a fight that, like, from both ends, it would be a banger. It would be a banger. I think it would be promoted well, and I think not that many other people have that star ability. Like, I feel like I talk well, I feel like I dress well, I feel like I fight well, you know what I mean? So I feel like I got that swag, and I feel like he’s one of those guys, so, yeah.”

    It goes without saying that Hill’s wish is likely only plausible if Procházka were to lose his upcoming title fight against champion Glover Teixeira at UFC 274 in May. Should Procházka win, there would be quite a few potential opponents who are ranked higher than Hill that the promotion would probably select ahead of him.

    Still, Hill is climbing the ranks after another big KO, so if he is willing to fight someone not named Jiří Procházka for his next fight and earn yet another KO, then who knows, maybe he will get that dream fight that he’s looking for, whether or not “Denisa” possesses the light heavyweight gold.

  • UFC Vegas 48 Bonuses: Four Fighters Nab Performance Checks

    The UFC Vegas 48 bonuses have been released.

    The event took place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. Headlining the card was a light heavyweight clash between Johnny Walker and Jamahal Hill. This fight didn’t last long as it ended in the first round when Hill landed a right hand on the temple. 

    Walker was out right away as he fell back and landed up against the cage with impact. Hill with a big right hand on the ground for extra measure. 

    The co-main event saw more action between Kyle Daukaus and Jamie Pickett in a catchweight bout. 

    This fight saw Kyle get an early first round takedown into half guard while Pickket had him in a guillotine choke until he let it go. Pickett eventually scrambled to his feet so they ended up clinching. Kyle scored another takedown into half guard and tried taking his back, but this allowed Pickett to stand up. Moments later, Kyle got a third takedown into half guard and locked in the d’arce choke for the win. There was one second left on the clock. 

    Peep the full list of performance bonus winners below.

    Jamahal Hill

    Kyle Daukaus

    Stephanie Egger 

    David Onama.

  • Fighters React To Jamahal Hill KO’ing Johnny Walker At UFC Vegas 48

    Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill was a memorable main event fight. 

    The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (February 19, 2022) at the UFC Vegas 48 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. Just minutes into the first round, Hill landed a right hand on the temple and Walker was out on his feet. Hill with a big right hand on the ground for extra measure. 

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

    https://twitter.com/UFC_CA/status/1495217848213463042

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

    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1495217874733916161

    Walker had been undefeated during his time with the Las Vegas-based promotion, but that changed when he was finished by Corey Anderson at the UFC 244 pay-per-view event from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. He previously picked up KO wins over the likes of Khalil Rountree Jr. and Justin Ledet, as well as Misha Cirkunov on March 2, 2019, at UFC 235 via TKO in the first round. He dropped a decision loss to Nikita Krylov in March 2020, but rebounded with a KO win over Ryan Spann in September 2020. In his previous fight, he lost to Thiago Santos at UFC Vegas 38 by decision. 

    Hill entered this fight with a 9-1-1 record. He earned his way to the promotion through Dana White’s Contender’s Series. He went to a no contest with Klidson Abreu at UFC on ESPN 9 then beat Ovince Saint Preux by TKO in December 2020. He lost to Paul Craig by TKO at UFC 263 and then beat Jimmy Crute by KO in December 2021. 

    UFC Vegas 48 Results & Highlights: Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC Vegas 48. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Fighters React To Kyle Daukaus Tapping Jamie Pickett At UFC Vegas 48

    Kyle Daukaus vs. Jamie Pickett was a solid co-headliner. 

    The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (February 19, 2022) at the UFC Vegas 48 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. The first round opened with Kyle scoring a dump takedown and getting into half guard. Pickett held onto a guillotine choke, but let it go. In the middle of the frame, Kyle got a takedown and took his back. A third takedown took place late in the round and Kyle locked in the d’arce choke for the win with a second left. 

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

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

    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1495212757599207426
    https://twitter.com/GroovyLando/status/1495212643514130435

    Daukaus went undefeated to earn a contract with the UFC after winning a fight on Dana White’s Contender Series and two bouts after that under the CFFC banner, both coming by submission. He dropped a decision loss to Brendan Allen in June 2020. This bout marked his promotional debut. He rebounded with a win over Dustin Stoltzfus at UFC 255 by decision before dropping a decision loss to Phil Hawes in May 2021. His previous fight against Kevin Holland ended in a no contest due to a clash of heads at UFC Vegas 38. 

    Pickett entered this fight with a 13-6 pro-MMA record and on a two-fight winning streak with decision wins over Laureano Staropoli and Joseph Holmes. 

    UFC Vegas 48 Results & Highlights: Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC Vegas 48. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Archives: Leave It To Mike Perry To Lose Skateboard In A Sewer (2019)

    Here’s a story about tonight’s BKFC 2 Knucklemania headliner Mike Perry doing Mike Perry things…accidentally.

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 3, 2019, 11:49 AM]

    Headline: Leave It To Mike Perry To Lose Skateboard In A Sewer

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    One minute Mike Perry was practicing an ollie, the next his skateboard fell down a sewer.

    It’s easy to see why Perry is in search of new hobbies. Known for being quite a unique character, Perry isn’t one to sit still. “Platinum” suffered a gnarly broken nose following his split decision loss to Vicente Luque last month. Perry is expected to take it easy to let the nose heal.

    Mike Perry’s Skateboard Falls Down A Sewer

    Perry’s efforts to start a new hobby in skateboarding didn’t exactly get off to an ideal start. On his Instagram page, “Platinum” posted a video revealing the dreadful fate of his skateboard.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B17OGaPAFKy/?utm_source=ig_embed

    “Watch this sh*t lmao can’t even practice new hobbies.”

    When Perry is eventually cleared to return, he’ll look to get back in the win column. Perry hasn’t been able to string together two straight wins since Sept. 2017. Since that time, “Platinum” has gone 2-4. He scored wins over Paul Felder and Alex Oliveira, but fell to Santiago Ponzinibbio, Max Griffin, Donald Cerrone, and Luque.

    While Perry has had a bit of a rough go inside the Octagon lately, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Some believe Perry should’ve been awarded the win against Luque. “Platinum” also has an exciting fighting style that is always fan-friendly and he’s not too shabby in the bonus department. It also helps to have a strong personality in the Endeavor era of the UFC.

  • Archives: Jamahal Hill: UFC Not Promoting Me Like Others (2021)

    Last year, Jamahal Hill stated that he did not feel the UFC was promoting him properly. Tonight, he finds himself in his first main event with the opportunity to sell himself to the world.

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 31, 2021, 9:34 PM]

    Headline: Jamahal Hill: UFC Not Promoting Me Like They Have Others

    UFC light heavyweight Jamahal Hill does not think the UFC is documenting his ascent the way they have done others before him.

    Khamzat Chimaev. Sean O’Malley. Maycee Barber. Mike Perry. Johnny Walker. These are just a few names who were considered “hype trains” shortly after their arrival in the UFC. There have been many others who have been given the red-carpet rollout to announce their disruptive arrival, sometimes prematurely, other times right on schedule, but rising UFC lightweight Jamahal Hill is still awaiting the same premium treatment after the hot start to his UFC career.

    The Contender Series graduate is 2-0 in the UFC (would be 3-0 if not for a marijuana-related no-contest), with one win being against contentious gatekeeper Ovince Saint Preux in December. Before and after being one of the select few to finish Saint Preux, Hill believes that the UFC has not given him the same love as some others who have shown high promise.

    “Here’s how I look at it: I see how the attention of how they shine the spotlight on certain things fighters do,” Hill recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “Things like that and that turn people up and blow them up and get the attention of the whole MMA world, that hasn’t happened to me. Even with the win over ‘OSP,’ that didn’t happen for me.

    UFC Vegas 16 video: Jamahal Hill stops Ovince Saint Preux with barrage of punches in co-main event - MMA Fighting
    Jamahal Hill lands a big left on Ovince Saint Preux. Image: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

    “And so the ‘OSP’ fight, I didn’t, I wasn’t promoted at all. I’ve seen this video, ‘prospects to watch,’ and I wasn’t even on that, co-main event and undefeated. You know what I mean? Little things like that. The spotlight isn’t shining on me like it is on other people. Which is cool. You know what I mean? ‘Cause at the end of the day, what I can do, my abilities, you can’t ignore it.”

    Although Jamahal Hill feels he has been shorted on the hype, he has been given his respect by the UFC rankings committee, with the 29-year-old making the list at #15 following his win over Saint Preux. Hill is now set to face Paul Craig, who is placed one spot above him at #14. Perhaps Hill will be keeping tabs on how he is being promoted in the build-up to the fight, but he will surely look to build on the hype in his next performance with a skill set that makes the job of the UFC marketing team a lot easier.

    Do you agree with Jamahal Hill? Has he been underhyped by the UFC?

  • (Archives) Bisping: Johnny Walker Is The Biggest Threat To Jones (2019)

    Three years ago, Johnny Walker was viewed as the biggest threat to Jon Jones’ rule over the UFC’s light heavyweight division. Since the following article was written, he has gone 1-3 in his last four fights. Tonight at UFC Vegas 48, Walker will be headlining against Jamahal Hill with an opportunity to remind the world of his potential.

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 19, 2019, 1:41 PM]

    Headlines: Michael Bisping: I Think Biggest Threat To Jon Jones Is Johnny Walker

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping feels Johnny Walker may have the best shot at dethroning Jon Jones.

    Walker has been making a name for himself in a short amount of time. Walker has only had three fights in the UFC, but there’s already buzz surrounding the 27-year-old Brazilian bruiser. All three of Walker’s UFC wins have come via KO or TKO. None of those bouts made it to the two-minute mark. He’s also riding a nine-fight winning streak and hasn’t lost since June 2016.

    Bisping Says Walker Is Credible Threat To Jones

    Bisping has responded to Jones saying that Walker isn’t quite ready for a title opportunity. “The Count” agrees, but he still believes that Walker may pose the toughest challenge for “Bones.” Here’s what he had to say on his Believe You Me podcast.

    “I think the biggest threat right now to Jon Jones is Johnny Walker. I think Johnny Walker gives him a lot of problems, but I understand it from Jones’ perspective. He’s still not well-known enough to the average MMA fan. He’s had a big splash, he’s had a few big wins in very, very quick time. And in fact, he’s injured right now because he injured himself with his post-fight celebration. That’s the most damage he takes in his fights, in his own f*cking celebrations.”

    Bisping went on to talk about the benefits of not hot-shotting Walker to a title opportunity.

    “But he’s not there yet. He needs another win or two. For one I think it would be rushing Johnny Walker and potentially bringing him on a little too far, too soon. And Jones is right. Another couple more wins, put him in a co-main event, even a Fight Night main event against a big name and then all of a sudden you’ve got a real star on your hands. And then that makes the pay-per-view bigger for everybody involved. So, I agree with Jones.”

  • Israel Adesanya Grills Whittaker On How He Thinks He Won Rematch

    UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya isn’t happy with how Robert Whittaker has handled the aftermath of their rematch at UFC 271.

    Adesanya earned a unanimous decision victory over Whittaker in their main event rematch at UFC 271. It was a back-and-forth competitive fight, but Adesanya earned the win on the judges’ scorecards.

    Despite the final result, some fans along with Whittaker himself had the fight scored the other way. Whittaker admitted he felt he won the fight during his post-fight press conference.

    Adesanya had a similar situation happen with another of his previous opponents, Marvin Vettori. During their post-UFC 263 banter, Vettori claimed that he felt he won the fight over Adesanya.

    During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Adesanya compared how Whittaker and Vettori handled their losses.

    “He and Vettori are sippin’ the same wine that Costa was sippin’,” Adesanya said.

    Adesanya went on to claim that he allegedly heard Whittaker’s team having the opposite opinion mid-fight.

    “But yeah, everyone’s entitled to their opinion. I’m not gonna try to change their opinion. But from what I’ve heard, his corner was telling him in the corner, like, ‘You’re losing this fight. You need to step up.’ That’s what I’ve heard. How the fuck you gonna think you won when your corner’s telling you you’re losing the fight?”

    Israel Adesanya Is Expected To Face Jared Cannonier Next

    Israel Adesanya’s next fight might be against Jared Cannonier later this year. Cannonier earned a gruesome knockout win over Derek Brunson on the UFC 271 main card, setting up a showdown for the middleweight title.

    Adesanya has previously expressed interest in a fight with Cannonier, and it appears that it’ll finally come to fruition. Before the win over Brunson, Cannonier had earned big wins over the likes of Jack Hermansson and Kelvin Gastelum.

    For now, it appears that any hope of a third fight between Adesanya and Whittaker is on hold. Whittaker will need to go on another win streak to potentially earn a third chance at Adesanya.

    How did you score Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2?

  • Archives: Mike Perry Details Night Of Drinking With Jon Jones (2018)

    Tonight, Mike Perry will compete at BKFC 2: Knucklemania against Julian Lane. If things go his way, he might hit the bars to celebrate after the event. In the following article, we get a glimpse into what it’s like to spend a night drinking with Mike Perry…and Jon Jones.

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JUNE 26, 2018, 2:58 PM]

    Headline: Mike Perry Details Night Of Drinking With Jon Jones

    Author: Jon Fuentes

    Mike Perry and Jon Jones aren’t just Jackson Wink teammates now, but it appears they’re drinking buddies as well.

    Platinum has since relocated from Florida to the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based mixed martial arts (MMA) gym as he prepares for his UFC 226 pay-per-view (PPV) clash with Yancy Medeiros on July 7th. Jones took the liberty of showing his new teammate around town.

    They wound up at a bowling alley where they had “like 100 shots of tequila” (via MMA Junkie):

    “He kept buying drinks, man,” Perry said on the “JW Raw” podcast. “I feel like he was buying shots and would look at me, and I would take the shot, and then he’d be like (throwing back the drink).”

    Jones and Perry would hit the town again the following night, but Bones declared that “We ain’t gotta go as hard as we did last night.”

    “I was like, ‘OK,’” Perry said. “He bought me a shot of something, and I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll take this one. Don’t buy me another one.’

    “He was buying drinks for all these people. It was like a big old shot. And I looked at him, and he’s holding his drink, and he’s putting it up to his mouth, and he tilts the cup a little bit. I see him do that, and I’m like, alright, he’s taking it.

    “So I took it, and then he goes, ‘Ah, man, I’m not even gonna.’ And I was like, ‘Aw, dang, bro! You’re getting me messed up out here!’”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bihzu3zgMo4/?utm_source=ig_embed

    What do you think about Jones and Perry getting their drink on together in Albuquerque? Let us know below!

  • Check Out Last-Minute Betting Odds For UFC Vegas 48

    The final UFC Vegas 48 betting odds are in for as this event is quickly approaching for the Las Vegas-based promotion. 

    The event is here, and it goes down tonight (Saturday, February 19, 2022) from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.

    Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill in a light heavyweight bout will headline the show. In the co-main event, Kyle Daukaus vs. Jamie Pickett in a catchweight bout will take place.

    Rounding out the main card is Parker Porter vs. Alan Baudot in a heavyweight fight, Jim Miller vs. Nikolas Motta lightweight bout, and Joaquin Buckley vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan in a middleweight bout. 

    According to oddsmakers, Hill is a -250 favorite over Walker, who is a +200 underdog. Other odds for the main card include Pickett being a +200 underdog against Daukaus, who is a -250 favorite. Here are the full betting odds: 

    Main Card (7 PM ET, ESPN+)

    Jamahal Hill (-250) vs. Johnny Walker (+200)

    Kyle Daukaus (-250) vs. Jamie Pickett (+200)

    Parker Porter (-250) vs. Alan Baudot (+200)

    Nikolas Motta (-180) vs. Jim Miller (+155)

    Joaquin Buckley (-145) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (+125)

    Preliminary Card (4 PM ET, ESPN+)

    Jonathan Pearce (-350) vs. Christian Rodriguez (+260)

    David Onama (-145) vs. Gabriel Benitez (+125)

    Jessica-Rose Clark (-190) vs. Stephanie Egger (+160)

    Chas Skelly (-220) vs. Mark Striegl (+180)

    Diana Belbita (-110) vs. Gloria de Paula (-110)

    Chad Anheliger (-290) vs. Jesse Strader (+230)

    Mario Bautista (N/A) vs. Jay Perrin (N/A)

  • WATCH: UFC Vegas 48 Post-Fight Press Conference Live Stream

    The UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference will be live once the action concludes.

    In the headliner, Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill will collide in a light heavyweight clash. UFC Vegas 48’s co-main event will see a catchweight clash between Kyle Daukaus and Jamie Pickett. More action will also be featured on the main card as Parker Porter shares the Octagon with Alan Baudot.

    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 48 card. Be sure to check back here for the post-fight presser with a tentative start time of 10:15 p.m. ET.

    Let us know your big takeaways once the UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference.

  • Kayla Harrison Admits Amanda Nunes’ ATT Departure “Sucks”

    Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has given her thoughts on the departure of consensus female MMA GOAT Amanda Nunes from the American Top Team gym.

    At the start of 2022, Nunes made wholesale changes to her team, preparation, and future camps. With the goal of opening her own personal training space, the former two-division titleholder left ATT and longtime head coach Mike Brown.

    The move came after she fell to her first defeat in 13 fights and since a 2014 setback to Cat Zingano. The woman who’s appeared to make Nunes re-think her strategy and situation is Julianna Peña. At UFC 269 in December, “The Venezuelan Vixen” achieved what most believed to be virtually impossible: dethroning the “Lioness.”

    Joining a shocked sold-out crowd and fighters’ area inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, as well as millions watching at home, in disbelief was Harrison.

    While the likes of Michael Chiesa and Miesha Tate celebrated, Harrison was left with one word on her lips: “F*ck.”

    In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Harrison discussed the feelings she went through after watching her teammate, who she’d helped prepare for the title defense, emphatically submitted in the UFC 269 co-main event.

    “I was shocked. Everyone was making assumptions about it, but to be honest with you, Amanda was a teammate of mine, she was someone that I helped train for this fight,” said Harrison. “When I said I bleed ATT, I meant it. I wanted her to win. I was shocked. I was as shocked as the rest of the world. I was heartbroken for her.”

    The two-time Olympic gold medalist and unbeaten MMA lightweight continues to bleed ATT and assured Nunes after the shock result that they’d go back to work in the gym and make things right.

    But with the Brazilian seeking fresh pastures, Harrison’s time going toe-to-toe with Nunes on the mats is over, something she says “sucks.”

    Harrison: I Got A Lot Better Training With Nunes

    Further into her interview with Marc Raimondi, Harrison gave her reaction to Nunes’ decision to part ways with ATT, the gym she’d been a part of throughout her development from defeat to Zingano in 2014 to dominant double champion in 2021.

    First and foremost, the sport’s most sought-after free agent wished her former teammate well for the future and suggested the Brazilian had to do whatever she felt was best for her and her family.

    “At this time, my thoughts (on her departure) are, you’ve gotta do what you think is best for you and your family. I wish her the best of luck. That’s it.”

    Despite understanding the reasons behind Nunes’ exit, Harrison admitted she was disappointed to no longer have the chance to develop and sharpen her tools by training alongside a woman most regard as the greatest of all time.

    “I mean, it sucks cause like, she’s still one of the best. That one loss doesn’t change that,” Harrison continued. “So to not be able to train with her does suck. I think that every time I went with her, it helped me. I think it helped her as well.

    “Whether you wanna admit or not, guys talk about Colby (Covington) and Jorge (Masvidal), the ego, I have it too, so I wanna win those exchanges, I wanna win those rounds, I wanna push her, she wants to push me. I got a lot better in the times that we trained together. So to miss out on that is a bummer, for sure,” concluded Harrison.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CX36ML5lINh/

    While Nunes focuses on a stint coaching this year’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter ahead of her rematch with Peña, Harrison’s future is still unclear.

    While most expected the undefeated star to be a future challenge for Nunes after UFC 269, the Brazilian’s defeat has perhaps delayed any chance of that and slightly hampered its appeal.

    Nevertheless, with Nunes still holding 145-pound gold and a move to the UFC seeming inevitable sooner or later for Harrison, perhaps sooner given the apparent breakdown in negotiations with the PFL, it appears likely another clash of former ATT teammates is going to go down in the future.

    Would you like to see former teammates Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes share the Octagon down the line?

  • Strickland Wants To “Sodomize” Self-Defense Guru Dale Brown In Brawl

    UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland isn’t a fan of the internet sensation and self-defense guru Dale Brown.

    Strickland is fresh off his win over Jack Hermansson at UFC Vegas 47. He appears to be just one step away from a middleweight title shot following the victory and could get a No. 1 contender fight next.

    But the added success inside the cage hasn’t tampered Strickland’s ferocity outside of it.

    Brown has accumulated a large following on social media due to his unique self-defense instructional videos. He’ll also reportedly be in Joaquin Buckley’s corner during his fight against Abdul Razak Alhassan at UFC Vegas 48.

    During a recent Instagram post, Strickland called out Brown for a fight should they run into each other while Brown is in Las Vegas.

    “This Detroit tactical guy, he’s in fucking Vegas,” Strickland said. “I don’t really have anything against him besides he’s a fucking fraud, He’s probably a big, old fucking pussy.

    “But that being said, I want to be proved wrong. I want to think you’re a fucking ninja. I want you to disarm me and kick my ass. So I will make you an offer. Cause I think you’re a fucking fraud. Monday, come to the gym. We could fucking spar. We could use plastic knives. We could use real fucking knives. I guarantee I will fucking sodomize you with whatever you pick.

    “You should man the fuck up and show everybody you’re such a fucking bad-ass, but you’re probably going to be a pussy and ignore this. So continue to be a fraud, get people killed.” (h/t MiddleEasy)

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CaGxn2olNF8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    UFC fighters such as Kevin Holland and Derek Brunson have criticized Strickland for how he handles himself in and out of the Octagon. Strickland also published a nearly violent road rage incident on social media just months ago and also said that he would take pleasure in killing someone in the cage.

    Brown has yet to respond to Strickland’s video, and it’s unknown if he’ll take him up on the offer to fight while he’s in Las Vegas.

    Who do you want to see Sean Strickland fight next?

  • Vanessa Demopoulos Names UFC Fighter Who Would Be A Good Stripper

    UFC strawweight Vanessa Demopoulos believes that Johnny Walker would make the best stripper out of current UFC fighters.

    Demopoulos is a former dancer herself and quit stripping just before her recent and first win inside the organization at UFC 270. The American had previously been performing pole dancing for a 13-year stint.

    Following that victory at UFC 270 where she submitted her opponent Silvana Gomez Juarez in the first round, she grabbed the attention of fans when the 33-year-old showcased her acrobatic ability. She performed the splits in the center of the Octagon before jumping into the arms of Joe Rogan in jubilation following her win.

    She has now spoken on who she believes would make the best stripper out of the current roster of fighters within the UFC.

    Demopoulos: Johnny Walker Has A “Stripper Vibe To Him”

    Johnny Walker
    Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    Speaking to Fansided MMA’s podcast ‘Jab, Cross, Hook‘, Demopoulos claimed Johnny Walker would make the most out of a career in the industry.

    “I feel like Johnny Walker has a little bit of a stripper vibe to him,” Demopoulos said. “He’s got the personality, he’s always dancing, he’s got the moves. Definitely Johnny Walker, he’s on the best stripper list.”

    Johnny Walker is set to make his UFC return this weekend coming off his main event loss last time out against fellow countryman Thiago Santos back in October.

    The Brazilian is taking on Jamahal Hill in the main event of this weekend’s UFC Vegas 48 card and will be looking to now gather some momentum inside the light heavyweight division. Walker has struggled for consistency as of late, but a win over rising prospect Hill would most definitely see the 29-year-old back on track.

    Meanwhile, Demopoulos herself will be looking to gather some momentum now off the back of her win as she establishes her name in the organization. Her jaw-dropping victory last time out was enough to earn the strawweight a ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus ensuring an extra $50,000 to her paycheck that night.

    Who do you think would make the best stripper out of the current crop of UFC talent?

  • Daukaus On Fighter Pay Debate: “Does Everyone Want $1 million?”

    UFC heavyweight Chris Daukaus doesn’t believe Francis Nagnnou’s efforts to increase fighter pay will result in bigger purses for all.

    The seemingly never-ending fighter pay debate has divided opinion among the UFC’s biggest stars. On one side of the aisle, the likes of Ngannou, Jon Jones, and Paulo Costa have fiercely voiced their salary grievances. On the other side, Valentina Shevchenko, Kevin Holland, and Darren Till, among others, have publicly defended their employer’s remuneration practices.     

    Other than perennial Dana White agitator Jake Paul—who’s made inflaming the fighter pay debate his pet project in recent months—there’s been no more vocal critic of the UFC than Ngannou. The 35-year-old, who’s been locked in protracted contract negotiations with the UFC for some time, has publicly declared he “would not fight for $500,000 or $600,000 anymore.” Ngannou has also consistently argued for more equitable contract terms.

    Under his present contract, Ngannou is precluded from fighting outside of the UFC and therefore can’t test the market for higher pay. The Cameroonian, it seems, is willing to remain inactive for 12 months so as to annul his contract, and thereafter pursue a big-money superfight with heavyweight boxing champ Tyson Fury. As it happens, Ngannou is set to have knee surgery, taking his willingness to be inactive out of his hands.

    Francis Ngannou

    Chris Daukaus Explains Why He Thinks Fighter Pay Won’t Increase

    The argument goes that if the UFC’s biggest stars continue to pressure the franchise for better pay, a trickle-down effect will see bigger purses for all. But in an exclusive interview with MMANews, Ngannou’s heavyweight peer Chris Daukaus explains why that theory is flawed. The 32-year-old says that arguments for better fighter pay fail to take into account simple market economics.

    “No, no,” said Daukaus when asked if Ngannou speaking out will lead to better pay for all fighters. “Because, I mean, when they were all figuring out who was gonna fight for the heavyweight belt before, Jon Jones said he won’t fight Francis for anything less than $10 million, and then Derrick Lewis tweeted out like, ‘I’ll fight him for eight.’ That’s us fighters. If you won’t do something for $10, I’ll do it for $8 because I know I’m gonna get that opportunity.”

    Daukaus is also skeptical of the figure Ngannou claims to receive from the UFC each fight but doesn’t fault the champ for desiring a bigger paycheck. 

    “Plus, let’s be real, Francis isn’t only making $600,000,” continued Daukaus. “He’s not. That’s just not the way it goes. He’s definitely getting paid a lot more than that. I think he wishes that he got paid more. Everyone wishes that they got paid more. That’s just natural.”

    Personally, Daukaus says that he’s content with how he’s been treated by the UFC and notes that while it would be ideal for fighter pay to increase across the board, certain economic realities must be appreciated.

    “I really don’t know what it’s going to take for us to get paid better,” said Daukaus. “I’m extremely happy with my pay scale, my everything, especially with the last two main events. I’m extremely happy with that. I mean, I don’t know what people want. I don’t know what fighters want. Does everyone want $1 million to fight? That’s just not the way it is. So I don’t know what the hell’s gonna happen with it.”

    What do you think? Do you agree with Chris Daukaus’ take on fighter pay?

  • UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill Preview, Weigh-In Results, & Face-Off

    The weigh-ins for UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill have wrapped up, and we’ve got the results for you below.

    UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill takes place tomorrow night from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the main event, #10-ranked Johnny Walker will look to get back on track by defeating #10-ranked Jamahal Hill.

    This main event features two of the best KO artists in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. 7 and Hill’s 9 career victories have come by KO as well as 15 of Walker’s 18 wins. Combined, these two highlight reels have a combined 81% finish rate.

    Known for his unorthodox movement and unpredictability, Johnny Walker has been considered to be one of the wildest and most entertaining fighters in the UFC. However, in his last fight, we saw a much more conservative approach in his fight against Thiago Santos. Walker lost that bout and has now promised to return to the “explosive” and “unpredictable” Johnny Walker of old.

    Jamahal Hill has stated that he is more than ready for either side of Walker, whether it’s the “wild” version or the “calculated” version. Hill is 9-1 as a pro and his only loss came against Paul Craig at UFC 263, with Hill suffering a dislocated arm towards the end of the contest. Hill was able to bounce back from that loss with a first-round KO of Jimmy Crute last December.

    You can view the face-off of tomorrow night’s headliners below.

    All but one fighter made weight today. The lone fighter to miss was Gabriel Benitez, who came in two pounds over the featherweight limit ahead of his fight against David Onama. Benitez is being fined 30% of his fight purse and the bout will proceed as scheduled.

    UFC Vegas 48 kicks off at 4 PM ET, with the main card beginning at 7 PM. The entire card will be available exclusively on ESPN+. You can view the full card and weigh-in results below, courtesy of UFC.com. You can also catch the UFC’s fight-by-fight preview for the card right here.

    UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill Weigh-In Results

    MAIN CARD (7PM ET, 4PM PT, ESPN+)

    Main Event – Light Heavyweight Bout: Johnny Walker (206) vs Jamahal Hill (205)

    Co-Main Event – Catchweight (195-lb) Bout: Kyle Daukaus (193.5) vs Jamie Pickett (194)

    Heavyweight Bout: Parker Porter (263) vs Alan Baudot (256)

    Lightweight Bout: Jim Miller (156) vs Nikolas Motta (154.5)

    Middleweight Bout: Joaquin Buckley (183) vs Abdul Razak Alhassan (186)

    PRELIMS (4PM ET, 1PM PT, ESPN+)

    Featherweight Bout: Gabriel Benitez (148)* vs David Onama (144.5)

    Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Jessica-Rose Clark (135.5) vs Stephanie Egger (135) 

    Featherweight Bout: Chas Skelly (146) vs Mark Striegl (145) 

    Women’s Strawweight Bout: Diana Belbita (116) vs Gloria de Paula (115.5) 

    Bantamweight Bout: Chad Anheliger (135) vs Jesse Strader (135)

    Featherweight Bout: Jonathan Pearce (145.5) vs Christian Rodriguez (146)

    Bantamweight Bout: Mario Bautista (135.5) vs Jay Perrin (136)

    Be sure to keep it locked right here on MMANews.com tomorrow night for full coverage of tomorrow night’s UFC Vegas 48 event!

  • Jimmy Crute To Miss Rest Of 2022 Due To Knee Reconstruction

    UFC light heavyweight Jimmy Crute’s 2022 in the cage will end before it even began due to a necessary knee reconstruction operation.

    Crute announced the news on his Instagram page.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-t8BIPwLg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “Absolutely gutted to announce that I will be out for the rest of the year,” Crute said. “I need a knee [reconstruction]. I have been putting this off for years but I have sustained too much damage over the last few fights and it has finally come to the point that if I don’t get it fixed it could turn into a career ending injury. I am obviously very disappointed but at the same time a challenge like this is also exciting. It gives me 9+ months to work on other aspects of training and life and come back 100% refreshed and injury free. Thank you all for the continued support. I’m not going anywhere and the Bendigo express is still in full motion.”

    Crute has lost back-to-back fights to Anthony Smith and Jamahal Hill over the past year. His loss to Smith at UFC 261 was due to a doctor’s stoppage after injuring his left leg. It’s unclear if the reconstruction is on the same leg that Crute injured.

    Crute’s loss to Hill at UFC Vegas 44 came by knockout in just 48 seconds.

    Crute had once been touted as one of the top light heavyweight prospects in the UFC following wins over the likes of Michal Oleksiejczuk and Paul Craig. He earned a shot in the promotion after an impressive first-round knockout over Chris Birchler on Dana White’s Contender Series.

    For now, Crute will look ahead to 2023 and work to bounce back in a big way in the Octagon. At 25 years old, he has plenty of time to get back on track in his UFC career.

    What is your reaction to Jimmy Crute missing all of 2022?

  • ATT Owner Says Masvidal/Covington Beef Was Unfixable

    The bad blood between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will finally be settled at UFC 272.

    At this point, many people know about the feud between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington. They were friends, training partners, and roommates. They used to train together at ATT, one of the most famous MMA gyms in the U.S. The gym is or was home to many top fighters from the UFC to Bellator and boxing. With that many high-quality athletes, there are bound to be some butting heads, however, the beef between Covington and Masvidal was unable to be reconciled.

    The owner of ATT, Dan Lambert spoke about what led to Covington being asked to leave the gym when he spoke to MMA Junkie.

    “Yeah, it got toxic. And it got to the point where it was affecting the gym,” Lambert said. “We’ve had lots of fighters in this gym over the past 25 years. We’ve had people that love each other, we’ve had people that don’t like each other. But we’ve always been able to separate that, keep some professionalism in the gym and not let it affect the team. And their situation, it just got to the point where it was affecting people inside the gym, and I couldn’t keep it under control. And at one point, we had to tell both of ’em to leave.”

    Masvidal has continued to train at ATT while Covington has found his new home elsewhere. It seems the fact that Masvidal “won” the gym in their friendship divorce is the fuel that he is continuing to add to the trash talk fire. Masvidal recently uploaded a message to Covington bragging about the gym and how Covington got kicked out.

    “We try to address situations immediately when we see ’em comin’. It’s one of our benefits for being around for a long time,” Lambert said. “We’ve dealt with a lot of the issues before and learned from things we did right and things we did wrong. This one just kinda—it just kept growing, and growing, and growing. And we tried to find solutions inside the gym to make it work, and we just weren’t successful in doing that. And it finally got to a point where it boiled over and we had to do something drastic. And at that point, we told both guys to leave the gym just ’cause it was out of control.”

    Since his departure from ATT, Covington has been training at MMA Masters in Miami. He left ATT in May of 2020 and since then, has had two fights in the UFC with his new training camp: a win over Tyron Woodley in September 2020 and the recent loss to the champion Kamaru Usman in November of last year.

    Do you think Colby Covington and his new gym will beat Jorge Masvidal and ATT at UFC 272?

  • Michael Chandler On UFC 268 Classic: I Out-Gaethje’d Gaethje

    Michael Chandler is taking some time to reflect on his loss at UFC 268.

    Michael Chandler came to the UFC with the mission to become a champion. After losing to Charles Oliveira in a vacant title fight at UFC 262, he hit a second roadblock in that mission when he lost recently to Justin Gaethje.

    The fight between Chandler and Gaethje at UFC 268 was considered to be a title eliminator match to see who will face champion Charles Oliveira next. Unfortunately for Chandler, he was eliminated from that discussion. Now, he is taking some time to look back at what went right and what went wrong in the cage with Gaethje.

    Chandler is a seasoned vet. He knows when he was been in a good fight and when he has been in a bad one. He feels that the fight against Gaethje, although a loss on paper, was a good one for him. However, after Gaethje downplayed the entertainment value of the classic by calling it ‘boring,’ Chandler explained to CBSSports.com why Gaethje might feel that way.

    “I think in Justin Gaethje’s mind, I think he was disappointed in his performance and when that comes about, it can play tricks on your mind that it was a boring fight because there are a lot of times when we as fighters get done with our fights and we see the fight differently in our head or we remember how we felt after the fight right away,” Chandler said. “Then you go back and watch it and realize it was a much more exciting fight or a much more dominant fight. Case in point, my fight against Benson Henderson years ago. I lost the fifth round, so I felt like I lost the entire fight. I was just so disappointed by the way the fight came to a close after that fifth-round win. Really, I spent the first four rounds dominating him on a lot of people’s scorecards.

    Chandler: I Out-Gaethjed Justin Gaethje

    Michael Chandler Justin Gaethje
    Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

    Chandler was happy with the bout, although not the outcome. It was a brutal fight in which both men ended up being sent to the hospital afterward. Chandler has mentioned that he has no desire to fight in that manner again in his career again, but he still believes the quality of his performance and the fight can’t be denied.

    “So I think what happened there was, I think Justin Gaethje was a little bit disappointed in his performance,” Chandler said. “Not to mention the fact that he did drop me and wasn’t able to finish me. Not to mention the fact that I think I out-Justin Gaethje’d Justin Gaethje in some of those exchanges. I think there is no doubt it was definitely not a boring fight. The Fight of the Year awards on everybody’s cards solidifies that. Maybe we’ll share the Octagon again and we’ll give the fans another treat. We’ll see.”

    Chandler is putting the Gaethje fight behind him and is looking ahead to new opportunities. He has a rumored fight in the works against Tony Ferguson. And although the fight is not official yet, a win there could have Chandler right back in the mix. As for Gaethje, he is next for the champ Charles Oliveira later this year.

    Where do you rank the fight between Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje all time?

  • Watch: O2 Arena Ripped Apart By Storm Weeks Before UFC London

    It appears the UFC’s long-awaited return to London, England may have hit another roadblock in the form of Britain’s worst storm in decades.

    On March 19, MMA’s premier promotion is set to host a card in England’s capital for the first time since 2019. After an attempt to cross the Atlantic proved unsuccessful last September, the UK audience has finally had an event officially confirmed, one that sold out in minutes.

    But an extreme weather event may be about to throw a spanner in the works. As Storm Eunice causes havoc across the British Isles and delivers record-breaking gusts, damage is inevitable. What most probably hadn’t banked on, though, was the roof of the O2 Arena being torn off…

    https://twitter.com/BJFHubbard/status/1494650273549201408

    While it’s uncertain how serious the damage is and what a potential repair timeline will look like, the storm continues to rage on. With that in mind, it’s unlikely the venue will remain in its current state, with further destruction expected.

    It’s impossible to tell at this stage whether UFC London will be affected. However, with WBC Cruiserweight World Champion Lawrence Okolie set to make his second defense against challenger Michel Cieslak next weekend at the O2, we can expect the status of the March 19 UFC Fight Night to become clearer towards the end of the month.

    The O2 Is Set To Host A Stacked British Showcase

    Having been kept to US-based events and Abu Dhabi-held cards since the COVID-19 pandemic caused havoc in 2020, the UFC has understandably pulled out all the stops ahead of its return to overseas events.

    As well as the presence of top UK names and prospects like Tom Aspinall, Arnold Allen, Paddy Pimblett, Paul Craig, and Molly McCann, well-known international fighters like Dan Hooker, Ilia Topuria, Nikita Krylov, Gunnar Nelson, and Alexander Volkov are also set to enter the cage inside London’s O2 Arena.

    With a host of exciting matchups set, fans will certainly be hoping any more damage to the host venue as a result of Storm Eunice is limited.

    Listed below are the fights currently expected to go down on March 19 in London, England:

    Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall (heavyweight main event)

    Dan Hooker vs. Arnold Allen (featherweight)

    Paul Craig vs. Nikita Krylov (light heavyweight)

    Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Sergei Pavlovich (heavyweight)

    Jack Shore vs. Timur Valiev (bantamweight)

    Paddy Pimblett vs. Kazula Vargas (lightweight)

    Gunnar Nelson vs. Claudio Silva (welterweight)

    Nathanial Wood vs. Liudvik Sholinian (bantamweight)

    Ilia Topuria vs. Jai Herbert (lightweight)

    Makwan Amirkhani vs. Mike Grundy (featherweight)

    Molly McCann vs. Luana Carolina (women’s flyweight)

    Cody Durden vs. Muhammad Mokaev (flyweight)

    Cory McKenna vs. Elise Reed (women’s strawweight)

    Which UFC London fight are you most looking forward to on March 19?

  • Adesanya Slams Abdelaziz For “Disgusting” Talk Of Usman Fight

    Israel Adesanya has slammed Ali Abdelaziz for comments he recently made about a superfight between the UFC Middleweight Champion and the reigning welterweight king, Kamaru Usman.

    Adesanya and Usman are currently two of the most dominant champions in MMA’s premier promotion. The pair have enjoyed a similar rise up the ladder of their respective divisions, culminating in championship glory and multiple defenses.

    “The Last Stylebender” has recorded two wins over top contender Robert Whittaker and defended his title against Paulo Costa, Yoel Romero, and Marvin Vettori. Meanwhile, “The Nigerian Nightmare” has seen off two challenges each from Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, along with one from former teammate Gilbert Burns.

    With nine defenses between them and limited remaining challengers to their individual reigns, many have suggested the next logical step is a blockbuster showdown between the two Nigerian compatriots.

    (We also recently discussed another possible opponent for Israel Adesanya’s next fight).

    But owing to their national connection and both men’s desire to avoid dethroning a fellow African titleholder, the matchup seems unlikely. Usman even recently claimed it would take a $100 million offer to force him into the Octagon with Adesanya.

    Despite that, Usman’s manager, Dominance MMA Management CEO Abdelaziz, is still harboring hope of it coming together. He’s even suggested that if the pair are “real brothers,” they’d agree to make each other some money by sharing the cage.

    Adesanya To Abdelaziz: Are You My Brother?

    It’s safe to say Abdelaziz’s comments haven’t gone down well with the reigning middleweight king…

    During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Adesanya responded to the suggestion he and Usman should ditch their allegiance in the name of money-making.

    “The Last Stylebender” slammed Abdelaziz’s view as “disgusting,” and suggested Usman’s manager wouldn’t push for the superfight if he really was a fellow “African brother.”

    “The way [Abdelaziz] did it was just disgusting. I usually express that the way we do it in our gym and the code that we have,” said Adesanya. “And like I said, me and Kamaru definitely feel the same way. What’s the point? This is bigger than us. Kids are gonna look at us generations from now and be like, ‘Those guys from Nigeria, they did that. They ruled this whole thing till they left, and they left on top’—same with Francis as well.

    “[Abdelaziz] always comes up to me, ‘My brother, African brother!’ this and that. So I’m like, if you’re supposed to be a brother brother, why you trying to be selfish now and look at the dollar signs?” Adesanya concluded.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Q4wIyACBU/

    Given Adesanya’s reaction, it seems it would take a spectacular falling out in order to make him share the Octagon with Usman. With that said, it appears both men will have to look to light heavyweight if they’re to achieve two-division success.

    While the Nigerian-New Zealander has already failed in that quest once, his manager Eugene Bareman recently hinted that another attempt could be on the cards if his man can get past Jared Cannonier later this year.

    Meanwhile, “The Nigerian Nightmare” recently revealed he’d considered moving up to 205 pounds to challenge Jan Blachowicz when the Polish Powerhouse sat on the throne. It remains to be seen if the 170-pound titleholder will ever consider that jump again.

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

  • Rockhold Open To Hunting For Costa’s ‘Wine-Affected Liver’ In June

    Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is raring to go and targeting a return to the Octagon this summer.

    Rockhold hasn’t been in action since a brutal 2019 knockout loss to Jan Blachowicz at UFC 239. With consecutive devastating losses to the Polish powerhouse and Cuban destroyer Yoel Romero, it’s understandable why the 37-year-old has taken a hiatus from the sport.

    But last year, Rockhold committed to a return. He was set to share the cage with rising contender Sean Strickland last November at UFC 268. That clash fell through when the former 185-pound titleholder suffered a herniated disc.

    But with his recovery going well, the Californian recently teased a comeback. In a post uploaded to Instagram, Rockhold can be seen hard at work in the ring. In the accompanying caption, he seemingly hinted towards a potential showdown with #5-ranked contender Paulo Costa.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZu0J1lBAy9/

    “Wine night in June”

    The caption appears to be in reference to Costa’s infamous post-fight revelation following his loss to Israel Adesanya in 2020. The Brazilian put his defeat down to the fact he’d consumed an entire bottle of wine the night before UFC 253.

    While Rockhold was keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the post during a recent appearance on Submission Radio, he did confirm that a clash with “Borrachinha” is an option if the right terms are met.

    “It’s an option. It’s a very viable option. If terms are met, you know, we could have a dance.”

    But that dance certainly won’t be happening if Costa experiences more weight issues. Ahead of his last appearance, a unanimous decision defeat to Marvin Vettori last October, the Brazilian arrived at fight week massively overweight and unable to make the middleweight limit. As a result, the headlining fight was contested at 205 pounds.

    While “The Italian Dream” went through with the bout and ultimately had his hand raised, Rockhold has assured Costa and the UFC that he wouldn’t have the same attitude to a weight miss.

    “Yeah, I’m not here to fight f*cking cheaters,” Rockhold asserted. “If weight is met (the fight could happen) unless too much wine is consumed, you never know. Weight has to be made. Weight has to be met. There are too many weak-ass people trying to get advantages. I’ve killed myself to make weight and f*cking do things right. Can’t say the same for the rest of them. I ain’t gonna do that again. I ain’t gonna fight a guy who misses weight purposely to gain an advantage. F*ck no… It’s weak-minded. It’s a very similar thing to excusing a loss to drinking too much wine the night before a world title fight.”

    Rockhold Hopes To Show Costa & His Liver The Door

    Ultimately, if Costa can prove that he’s able to make the 186-pound limit for non-title middleweight bouts, Rockhold is open to sharing the Octagon with the former title challenger, suggesting it would be a “fun fight.”

    Admitting his dislike for Costa, the former champ claimed the Brazilian’s “disrespect” for the sport of MMA motivates him to dispatch “The Eraser” inside the cage. Channeling his inner Hannibal Lector, Rockhold revealed his desire to feast on Costa’s ‘wine-affected’ liver.

    “He’s a guy that I don’t like. I think (he) disrespects the sport,” said Rockhold. “That motivates me to f*cking correct it. It’s a guy who’s obviously, you know, top-ranked, somehow., someway; when he can’t even make weight. If anything, he should be ranked in the 205-pound division. I don’t care for the guy, I’ll tell you that. I think it’s a fun fight. I think I can go show him the door. I think you have a guy who f*cking wants to make excuses on wine and weight. His liver’s obviously affected, so let’s go munch on it,” concluded Rockhold.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CMGONO3gicc/

    Having seen a 42-year-old Glover Teixeira and 38-year-old Blachowicz deliver title-winning performances in recent years, it seems Rockhold is fancying his chances for another run for gold.

    With the veteran targeting a June return, perhaps he can share the card with Adesanya’s next title defense, expected to be against Jared Cannonier in the same month.

    If Rockhold can deliver an impressive performance against a powerhouse like Costa, maybe “The Last Stylebender” will have a new contender to deal with.

    How do you think a fight between Luke Rockhold and Paulo Costa would play out?

  • DUI & Reckless Driving Charges Against UFC Legend BJ Penn Dropped

    Charges of DUI and reckless driving against UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn have been dropped by the state after a summons to appear in court went unserved.

    The charges stem from a 2021 incident in Honokaa, Hawaii, where the police officers arrested Penn for driving under the influence and in a “reckless manner.” The arrest was made after Penn was allegedly behaving belligerently at a Honokaa business. The charges were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the state could elect to refile them at a later date.

    BJ Penn has had other run-ins with the law in recent years. He was also investigated for a DUI in 2020 after being hospitalized following a car accident. No charges were filed at the conclusion of the investigation.

    Penn has also been involved in his share of public fights, including a 2015 brawl outside of a bar that led to an arrest. He was later involved in another bar fight in 2019 that led to his UFC release.

    BJ Penn is a former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion. He holds victories over names like Matt Hughes, Renzo Gracie, Sean Sherk, among others. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2015.

    Most recently, Penn has expressed plans to run for governor of Hawaii.