MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Volkanovski Still Hopeful Of Australia Defense Despite Djokovic Drama

    Despite the drama surrounding Novak Djokovic’s inability to play at this year’s Australian Open, UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski is still hoping to defend his title in his home country soon.

    Djokovic’s back and forth situation in Australia has been one of the biggest sports stories of 2022 so far. While the country requires individuals to be vaccinated prior to arriving, the tennis star traveled to the Oceanic nation believing he had a medical exemption that would allow him to play at the Australian Open without being vaccinated against COVID-19.

    The saga, which lasted over a week, has seen Djokovic denied the chance to defend his title and deported. The decision came despite a last-ditch appeal that the Serb’s camp hoped would reverse the visa cancelation struck on him by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke.

    Djokovic was initially granted a medical exemption to enter the country by two independent health panels after he tested positive for the virus in December, although it was later revealed he hadn’t observed self-isolation rules after contracting COVID-19.

    After Djokovic left Australia for Dubai at the weekend, the lengthy period of uncertainty was brought to an end but has left fans of the tennis star unhappy and the Australian government under scrutiny by some and supported by others.

    But despite the evident strict rules and guidelines for entering Australia, the country’s UFC champion doesn’t believe it’ll stop him from defending his gold in front of a home crowd soon.

    Discussing the globally-covered tennis drama during a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Volkanovski suggested Djokovic’s situation is a prime example of why the UFC hasn’t tried to organize a card in the country.

    Nevertheless, the New South Wales native expects the current rules and strictness surrounding the virus to die down in the coming months, paving the way for him to throw down in the Octagon with Australian cheers around him.

    “Obviously, I care. But I mean, we’re just in this situation just right now. I feel like that’s gonna change. I think things will move on. I’m still hopeful, obviously, of defending my belt, and I’m hoping that’s the one after this one (UFC 273) that we can do it. I think it’s gonna happen, I really do.

    “But yeah, (Djokovic) was a big story. I didn’t look too much into it but it was everywhere. But, that’s why, obviously, the UFC aren’t bringing it here. There’s a lot of hurdles to cross, so I think just time is what we need with all that.”

    Alexander Volkanovski
    USA Today Sports

    While he hopes for a home fight soon, Volkanovski will have to make do with the United States for his next outing.

    After Max Holloway was forced to withdraw from the pair’s scheduled trilogy clash for UFC 272 in March, the Aussie’s search for a new opponent landed him at the feet of featherweight veteran “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung. The pair are expected to collide at UFC 273 in April.

    While the location is yet to be made official, Volkanovski’s next defense is expected to go down at the VyStar Veterans’ Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

    Do you think Alexander Volkanovski could still defend the UFC title in Australia in 2022 despite the result of Novak Djokovic’s situation?

  • Jon Jones Eager To Learn About Gane & Ngannou At UFC 270

    Jon Jones has his eyes on the top names at heavyweight this weekend.

    The former UFC light heavyweight champion mentioned that he will be watching UFC 270 this weekend when heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou faces interim titleholder Ciryl Gane. While he doesn’t have a prediction for this weekend’s fight, Jones says he is looking forward to learning about each fighter.

    Jones hopes to gain knowledge about the two top heavyweights before he debuts in the division later this year.

    “Really have no clue who’s going to win, I’m just excited to watch the fight,” he said in a Twitter post on Tuesday. “Going to learn so much about [them] both of them no matter how it goes down.”

    Jones Hopes For Move To Heavyweight

    Jon Jones
    Jon Jones (Image Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

    Jones has long hoped to move up a division and fight at heavyweight in the UFC. He vacated his light heavyweight belt in 2020, citing his intentions to leave the division. Due to his longstanding success at light heavyweight and his level of notoriety in the sport, he would be likely to go straight into the title picture when moving to heavyweight.

    In a recent poll done by TSN reporter Aaron Bronsteter, 73 percent of respondents picked Jon Jones over Stipe Miocic or “Others” facing the winner of Ngannou vs. Gane.

    Jones is recognized by many as one of the most dominant fighters in UFC history. He was the promotion’s 205-pound champ for the better part of a decade, earning the belt in 2011 and holding it for years to come.

    Many recognize Jones as a fighter who has yet to truly be beaten. His sole pro loss came in 2009 when illegal elbows he landed against Matt Hamill caused a disqualification result.

    Would you want Jon Jones to join the title picture when moving up to heavyweight?

  • Gunnar Nelson Signs New Deal With The UFC, Teases Fight Announcement

    Gunnar Nelson will be coming back soon.

    Nelson, who last fought in September of 2019 where he lost to Gilbert Burns, has not been heard from for over two years. There has been little talk of his next fight, but the Icelandic fighter announced on social media he has inked a new multi-fight deal with the UFC. He also teased a fight announcement.

    “New multi-fight contract signed with the @ufc. Hopefully a fight announcement coming soon,” Nelson wrote on social media.

    Before the loss to decision loss to Burns at UFC Copenhagen, he suffered a split decision loss to Leon Edwards at UFC London in March of 2019. Before the back-to-back setbacks, he picked up a submission win over Alex Oliveira in a violent fight at UFC 231.

    Gunnar Nelson
    Image Credit: Dave Mandel of Sherdog.com

    Nelson has been in the UFC since 2012 and is 8-5 inside the Octagon, including headlining a card against Santiago Ponzinibbio, where he was knocked out in the first round. He does hold notable wins over Alan Jouban, Zak Cummings, Omari Akhmedov, and Albert Tumenov.

    Part of the reason why Nelson has not fought is due to injuries and back in December, he opened up about it to MMAFighting’s MMA Hour.

    “It takes a long time, and it can be so crippling,” Nelson said of the back-to-back rib injuries that have now kept him out of the cage for over two years. “They’re just terrible. It was at the top here, so the top ribs, so it affects the shoulder, it affects the breathing, it affects everything.”

    At this time, it’s uncertain the 33-year-old when he will fight again and who it will be against. However, the UFC London card serves as a likely date for Nelson to make his return back in Europe.

    Who would you like to see Gunnar Nelson fight in his return?

  • Gane Reveals What He Told Lewis Immediately After UFC 265 Fight

    Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane has revealed what he told Derrick Lewis after finishing him in the UFC 265 main event last August.

    2021 was a fantastic year for breakout star Gane. Despite only transitioning from Muay Thai to mixed martial arts in 2018, the Frenchman has built an unblemished 10-0 record, made it to the world’s premier MMA promotion, and had UFC gold wrapped around his waist in the space of just three years.

    After establishing his name with victories over Raphael Passoa, Don’Tale Mayers, and Tanner Boxer, Gane shot up the heavyweight ladder with three main event wins last year. At two UFC Fight Nights, “Bon Gamin” outpointed powerhouse Jairzinho Rozenstruik and veteran striker Alexander Volkov.

    When titleholder Francis Ngannou was unable to defend his championship at Houston’s UFC 265, Gane was drafted in to face Lewis for the interim belt. Making the most of his opportunity, the 31-year-old dominated “The Black Beast” for two-and-a-half rounds, before finishing him via TKO in the third frame.

    Gane Comforted Lewis In The Octagon

    As Gane set up a blockbuster unification showdown with “The Predator,” set for UFC 270 next weekend, Lewis was left wondering what could have been. The veteran knockout artist was visibly upset in the cage, something Gane acknowledged at the time.

    During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Gane revealed what he told Lewis when he went over to his defeated opponent in the Octagon inside the Toyota Center.

    “I said exactly what my feeling at this moment (was). Like, just, ‘I’m really confused, you’re in front of your fans, but it’s going to be okay, and I like you so much. You are really funny.’ I like this guy, really. Derrick Lewis is so (funny). I really like this guy,” said Gane. “And just good feeling, just good feelings. Like, ‘It’s going to be okay, you’re going to jump again into the cage and do very well,’ and he did it. So no, he’s really not finished and that’s why MMA and UFC is beautiful.”

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

    While Lewis rebounded in style last month by brutally knocking out rising contender Chris Daukaus in the UFC Vegas 45 main event, Gane has been training hard in preparation for his unification title fight against Ngannou.

    As well as being former teammates at Paris’ MMA Factory gym and the bitter feud between Ngannou and Gane’s coach Fernand Lopez, the champion’s current contractual uncertainty and boxing ambitions have provided a compelling story ahead of the opening UFC pay-per-view of 2022.

    Do you think Ciryl Gane has what it takes to survive Francis Ngannou’s power and leave UFC 270 as the undisputed champion?

  • Drew Dober Explains The “Deciding Factor” In Dariush/Makhachev Fight

    UFC lightweight Drew Dober has given a breakdown of the upcoming UFC Fight Night main event between top-five 155lbers Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev.

    Having shared the Octagon with both men, Dober is in a unique position to provide his thoughts on the highly anticipated matchup, which is expected to see the victor advance to challenge the champion later in the year.

    Dober faced Dariush back in March 2019. The Iranian-born American broke the Nebraska native’s three-fight win streak with a second-round triangle armbar submission.

    Almost two years to the day later, Dober faced surging Dagestani Makhachev at UFC 259. Like against Dariush, Dober was submitted, that time with a third-round arm-triangle choke. Those defeats represent two of only four submission losses in Dober’s 35-fight MMA career.

    In an exclusive interview with MMA News, Dober discussed what he expects to happen when the pair collide next month. The 33-year-old also spoke about his own return to action against Ricky Glenn in March, his current contract status, and how long he intends to continue fighting for.

    Dober: My Heart Says Dariush, My Head Says Makhachev

    Since a 2015 KO setback against Adriano Martins, Makhachev has looked unstoppable. During his active nine-fight win streak, the 30-year-old has defeated Nik Lentz, Arman Tsarukyan, Davi Ramos, and Thiago Moisés. Most recently, Makhachev brushed past the challenge of Dan Hooker with a brutal first-round kimura in Abu Dhabi.

    While he boasts more defeats on his record, Dariush’s recent form has been equally strong and his current seven-fight win streak is arguably more impressive than his upcoming opponent’s run of triumphs. Since defeats to Edson Barboza and Alexander Hernandez, Dariush has recorded highlight-reel KOs of Drakkar Klose and Scott Holtzman and shot into contention with decision wins against Diego Ferreira and Tony Ferguson.

    With that in mind, Dober believes Dariush will give Makhachev more problems than he’s ever faced in the UFC. The promotional veteran expects the February 26 main event to be decided by how well Dariush can implement his strategy against a patient Makhachev.

    “I think Beneil is going to give Islam the most problems,” Dober told MMA News. “It’s a super-tough fight for both guys. I think one of the cool things with Beneil is his strategy. He implements a good strategy and he’s able to adjust his strategy per round, and he’s a finisher. He can put you away with his hands or a submission.

    “I think the biggest takeaway is Beneil’s a risk-taker, and Islam is not. Islam will do everything he can to win the long game,” added Dober. “Beneil, he takes risks; sometimes it works out in his favor, and sometimes it doesn’t. I think that’s the deciding factor; Beneil’s strategy and his risk-taking ability… I feel like the determining factor is going to be Beneil’s strategy.”

    When asked for a prediction, Dober told MMA News that his heart and head are going different ways. While he would love to see Dariush have his hand raised, he acknowledges that the safer pick would be Makhachev.

    “It’s so hard. Like, my heart, here at home, my wife and I, we’re going for Beneil Dariush. We want him to win, man. I’m behind him wholeheartedly. But as far as being a betting man, I mean, you see less mistakes from Islam, and so Islam is the safest bet. But the heart’s pulling for Beneil,” concluded Dober.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXtKADJKVW-/

    While Makhachev might be the safer bet, that certainly won’t stop Dober and his wife from cheering Dariush on from home.

    Who do you think will have their hand raised on February 26, Beneil Dariush or Islam Makhachev?

  • Ngannou Names The Two Toughest Opponents He’s Faced In The UFC

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has named the two toughest opponents of his 13-fight UFC career to date.

    Ngannou is currently preparing for a blockbuster unification showdown with his former teammate and current interim titleholder Ciryl Gane. After the pair’s respective championship-winning performances in 2021, they’ll meet in the main event of this weekend’s UFC 270 pay-per-view.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CWo0AecBPon/

    “The Predator” will be riding a five-fight win streak into the opening PPV headliner of 2022. Since back-to-back losses to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis in 2018, Ngannou has been on a brutal and destructive tear. In a total cage time of less than 10 minutes, he’s knocked out Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Miocic.

    Given the number of opponents he’s slept in the first or second round in the UFC, it’s understandably not easy for the champion to discuss their skills and threats. Nevertheless, Ngannou believes there are two heavyweights that fit the bill as his toughest opposition inside the Octagon.

    Ngannou: Miocic Was By Far My Toughest Opponent

    In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the heavyweight king, as expected, gave the title of toughest opponent to the consensus divisional GOAT Miocic. But despite his only other defeat in the promotion coming against fellow KO artist Derrick Lewis, Ngannou actually named Curtis Blaydes as his second toughest test, despite getting the better of “Razor” twice.

    “I didn’t have the chance to explore (many of) them, how tough they are. [LAUGHS] Except Stipe. He’s by far my toughest opponent. If I wanted to bring somebody in, he’ll be Curtis Blaydes. My second fight in the UFC, and I was very surprised how he was moving for a wrestler and how he was able to mix things up. Those were my two toughest opponents that I had to experience.”

    Ngannou first had his hand raised against Blaydes at UFC Fight Night 85 in 2016. After 10 minutes of action, the furthest “The Predator” has gone into a fight and won, the contest was stopped prior to the third frame and went down as a TKO (doctor stoppage) victory for the Cameroonian.

    The second contest, a 2018 main event in Beijing, China, was much less competitive. On that occasion, Ngannou’s hands were too much for Blaydes, getting the job done after just 45 seconds. Nevertheless, Ngannou recognized Blaydes’ ability in their first meeting.

    “He was pretty good. He was tough. He was able to absorb punches. He was moving pretty good for a wrestler, and he had a level change, like, way around a fighter.”

    While Blaydes’ inclusion may come as a surprise, Miocic’s position in the top spot certainly won’t. At UFC 220 in 2018, Ngannou challenged the Ohio native for the title. But after being controlled and dominated for 25 minutes, the powerhouse was handed a unanimous decision defeat.

    Discussing his opening loss on MMA’s biggest stage, Ngannou said he underprepared and undertrained for the clash. Simply put, he believes he underestimated the step-up in quality he’d experience when facing a world-class champion.

    “My first fight against Stipe I clearly underestimated him. I didn’t understand how tough he was. Obviously, I wasn’t ready for that fight. Let’s just be honest. I wasn’t ready. It wasn’t time for me to fight for a title because even though I was a top contender, I was just doing this for five years and been seriously into it for just two years. I didn’t understand anything in the sport… I didn’t really know how to basically prepare a fight for that level, for a world-class (fighter), for a championship. I get everything wrong in that fight.”

    Ngannou clearly learned a thing or two about Miocic in 2018. Three years later, he knocked the 39-year-old out to finally reach the top of the heavyweight mountain.

    He’ll hope to stay there this weekend when he faces Gane, a technical and unique heavyweight whom many believe will be in the toughest opposition conversation for Ngannou come January 22.

    Do you think Francis Ngannou will leave UFC 270 as the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion?

  • Jake Paul Hints At Announcement Related To Fighter Pay

    Jake Paul is teasing an announcement related to Dana White and fighter pay.

    Paul has taken shots at White for not paying his fighters enough money and not providing them health care or benefits. It has gotten the attention of the UFC president, who responded to Paul in a video on social media.

    Now, just recently, UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou said he wouldn’t fight for the UFC again on his current contract.

    “No, I will not fight for $500,000, $600,000 anymore,” Ngannou said to ESPN. “I mean, it’s over. It’s over. I just did this. I took this fight for a personal reason, and I want to make sure that regardless, even if it’s unfair, I have been wrongly treated, I can make my case to say I have completed the eight fights. But no.”

    To no surprise, that got the attention of Jake Paul who took to social media to let Dana White know he is working on something big.

    “give this man what he wants Dana. such a f****d company to be apart of… I got something coming soon,” Paul wrote on social media.

    Although many MMA fighters have criticized Jake Paul, he has been vocal in wanting to help fighters get paid more. He donated to former UFC fighter, Sarah Alpar’s GoFundMe to help with her training.

    Paul has also offered to retire from boxing and take an MMA fight in the UFC if White ups the minimum amount of pay to $50,000 a fight. However, that still has not happened, so by all outward appearances, the YouTuber-turned-boxer will continue to be an advocate for fighter pay in an attempt to get UFC fighters to make more money.

    Jake Paul is coming off a sixth-round KO win over Tyron Woodley back in December, which improved his record to 5-0.

    What do you make of Jake Paul being an advocate for fighter pay?

  • Khamzat Chimaev: I’m More Brazilian Than Gilbert Burns

    UFC welterweight Khamzat Chimaev is still waiting for his next booking in the Octagon, but the mental games have already begun with Gilbert Burns.

    Chimaev most recently defeated Li Jingliang at UFC 267, in arguably the most dominant performance of his career to date. He is undefeated in his professional career and has earned four-straight finishes in the UFC.

    Chimaev has remained active on social media as he awaits his next opponent. One name who has constantly been at the top of the discussion is Burns, a former title challenger who beat Stephen Thompson at UFC 264.

    Despite the two exciting welterweights not having any obvious bad blood between them, Chimaev is already making attempts to get into Burns’ head. During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Chimaev aimed at his next potential adversary.

    “Everybody is talking about me, but nobody wants to fight with me because we kill everybody,” Chimaev said. “For me, it doesn’t matter. Gilbert Burns talked about Brazil.

    “I’m more Brazilian than him because my coach is Brazilian. I’m a blue belt under Alan ‘Finfou’ (Nascimento). I know many times my coach smashed (Burns), too, on the mats. We are going to choke him out. A ‘Finfou’ blue belt against a black belt. “

    “I like this guy, actually. He’s a funny, nice guy. I want to fight with him. But in war, brother, I can’t be nice with somebody. I want to eat everybody. Take my money. Take my belt. I’m so hungry. When I talk about fighters, I’m hungry. I hope I will fight in Brazil, as well. Nice country. Nice people.” (h/t MiddleEasy)

    The two sides had verbally agreed to fight in April, but it’s unclear whether or not that’ll come to fruition. If Chimaev and Burns seek a fight in Brazil, they may get their opportunity as the promotion plans a return to the country at UFC 274 in May.

    Both Chimaev and Burns have title ambitions, with Chimaev seeking his first title shot and Burns wanting revenge against Kamaru Usman. A formal fight booking could come sooner rather than later.

    How do you think a Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns fight would play out?

  • Ciryl Gane Applauds Francis Ngannou’s Boxing Aspirations

    Ciryl Gane doesn’t mind UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou speaking about a possible crossover fight with boxer Tyson Fury.

    Ngannou and Gane have had quite the buildup to their showdown at UFC 270. While the two heavyweights haven’t gone at each other directly in the media, Ngannou’s issues with Gane’s coach Fernand Lopez are well-publicized.

    Ngannou and the UFC appear to still be at a crossroads regarding a new contract. His fight with Gane is the last bout on his deal if he loses his heavyweight title at UFC 270.

    Ngannou and Fury recently went at it on social media regarding a possible boxing match, but Gane doesn’t believe Ngannou is overlooking him. During a recent interview with Mirror and others, Gane reacted to Ngannou’s recent comments regarding a move to the boxing ring.

    “This is a smart move, this is a new move. Everybody knows you have more money in this game [boxing] for a long time, so yeah this is a smart move,” Gane said. “I think Francis is a smart guy, he talks about that and he talks about the future but he’s focused on the present. He knows he has a challenge with me, so I think he takes me serious.” (h/t Mirror)

    Gane is widely regarded as one of the most diverse strikers in the UFC, with incredible movement for a heavyweight. He could potentially give Ngannou all kinds of issues in their matchup.

    The two giants briefly trained together at MMA Factory in France before Ngannou was kicked out by Lopez due to allegedly being a bad teammate and not paying fees. Sparring footage of Gane and Ngannou has leaked during the pre-fight theatrics.

    If Ngannou is overlooking Gane, it’s clear that Gane would be the beneficiary. In what UFC president Dana White has called arguably the biggest heavyweight fight in years, both men look to cement themselves as potentially an all-time UFC great.

    What is your prediction for UFC 270?

  • Francis Ngannou Converting Half Of UFC 270 Purse To Bitcoin

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou intends to invest half of his purse from UFC 270 into Bitcoin and plans on giving a portion to fans.

    Ngannou is set to face interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane in the UFC 270 main event. This will be his first fight in the Octagon since earning the belt against Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 last year.

    MMA journalist Ariel Helwani was the first the report the news via his Instagram page.

    In addition to converting half of his purse into cryptocurrency, Ngannou will also partner up with Cash App to giveaway $300,000 worth of Bitcoin to fans through his Twitter and Instagram pages.

    Ngannou’s reported purse conversion comes just weeks after former UFC title challenger Kevin Lee announced that he would be paid exclusively in Bitcoin for his fights in Eagle FC. He signed with the promotion last month after being let go by the UFC.

    Ngannou joins a long list of current and former athletes who are dipping their toes into the world of cryptocurrency. Former UFC welterweight Ben Askren along with NFL stars Aaron Rodgers and Odell Beckham Jr. are just a few of the names involved in Bitcoin.

    Ngannou’s fight against Gane could be his last with the UFC, as he and the promotion are still working to come to terms on a new deal. While UFC President Dana White has remained optimistic that a deal can get done, Ngannou has voiced his displeasure with how he’s been treated by the promotion in recent months and years.

    It’s unclear if Ngannou’s partnership with Cash App and cryptocurrency will be a long-term deal or a short-term one, but it’s clear that Bitcoin is continuing to make waves in the world of sports.

    What is your reaction to Francis Ngannou converting a portion of his purse to Bitcoin?

  • Curtis Blaydes: I’m Still Better Than Derrick Lewis

    UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes believes that, despite his knockout loss last year, he’s still better than Derrick Lewis.

    Blaydes, a perennial name in the group of elites at heavyweight, had his title charge stalled in 2021 at the hands (or sole right bomb…) of Lewis. In the main event of UFC Vegas 19, the pair collided with a likely championship opportunity on the line.

    Heading into the contest, Blaydes carried the momentum of a four-fight win streak that included triumphs over former UFC champion Junior dos Santos and former Bellator titleholder Alexander Volkov. “The Black Beast,” meanwhile, had knocked out Alexei Oleinik in his prior outing.

    Despite starting well, Blaydes was rendered unconscious in the second frame after changing levels straight into a brutal uppercut. With the victory, Lewis joined Francis Ngannou as only the second man to beat Blaydes and went on to challenge for interim gold against Ciryl Gane.

    Now, in an exclusive interview with MMA News, Blaydes has looked back on his 2021 setback, his hopes for 2022, the heavyweight debut of Jon Jones, and revealed who hits harder out of Lewis and Ngannou.

    Blaydes Believes He Has “More Skills” Than Lewis

    While Lewis was dominated by Gane at UFC 265 last August, Blaydes got back on track a month later at UFC 266. Against another KO artist in Jairzinho Rozenstruik, “Razor” shut down the power opposite him, as he’d intended to do seven months earlier against Lewis, and secured a comfortable unanimous decision victory.

    With his position in the top five cemented and his name back in the title conversation, Blaydes is ready to make another surge to the top, one he believes shouldn’t have been stalled by “The Black Beast.”

    Speaking to MMA News’ James Lynch, Blaydes claimed he is “still better” than Lewis despite the result in February 2021. Ultimately, the 30-year-old believes he boasts more skill than the powerhouse, who Blaydes says defeated him the only way he could, a one-and-done KO blow.

    “I don’t lose to bums, and he ain’t a bum. I know that. I think, stylistically, I should have won that fight,” said Curtis Blaydes. “He won the one way he could win. I took a bad shot, he caught me, but otherwise, apart from that, because I’ve re-watched the fight, he lost that first round, he was on his way to losing that round, and I rushed it and paid the price. That’s always gonna annoy me because I do believe, I know I lost, but I do believe I’m still better than Derrick Lewis. I think I have more skills than him, more ways to win. I’m better athletically. He’s just really good at what he does, which is getting the knockout.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CUXx5GdAGE2/

    Having knocked out Chris Daukaus in December, Lewis will once again fight down the rankings in his next bout as his search for “fun” and pressure-free matchups continues. At UFC 271 next month, he’ll face fellow entertaining hard-hitter Tai Tuivasa.

    Meanwhile, Blaydes will seemingly need to wait for some other fights to play out before his next opponent is set. Targeting an April return, “Razor” believes he could face the loser of this weekend’s unification showdown between Ngannou and Gane.

    Who would you like to see Curtis Blaydes enter the Octagon with next?

  • Volkanovski: You Duck Zabit, Get Suspended, Lose & Want A Title Shot?

    UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has slammed top-five contender Yair Rodríguez for calling for a title shot despite his inactivity and recent defeat.

    Volkanovski was initially set to share the Octagon with Max Holloway for the third time. After dethroning “Blessed” in 2019 and immediately defending the title against him seven months later, “The Great” set the score at 2-0 in his rivalry against the 145-pound GOAT contender.

    After Holloway rebounded with mightily-impressive victories over Calvin Kattar and Rodríguez in 2021, he earned a chance at redemption and a third shot at adding the first blemish to Volkanovski’s record. However, just days after the fight was announced for UFC 272, Holloway was forced to withdraw after aggravating a previous injury.

    Following the news, it didn’t take long for a host of fighters to throw their names into the hat to replace the Hawaiian. Among them were former two-division UFC titleholder Henry Cejudo, Giga Chikadze, and Josh Emmett.

    Despite returning to the UFC after a lengthy layoff last November and falling to defeat Holloway, Rodríguez also called out the champ, and he did so in a particularly hostile manner.

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

    “Do I really need to raise my hand @danawhite ? Heal up quick champ @blessedmma @alexvolkanovski I had respect for you before, but now, fuck you! You little bitch you know I’m next”

    Volkanovski: Yair Callout “Blows Me Away”

    Volkanovski’s mindset and attitude as featherweight king have always been clear to see: whoever is the best, the top contender, and deserving of a title shot, will get a title shot. Judging by that criteria, it’s understandable why the Australian was surprised at Rodríguez ‘s callout, especially the aggressive nature of it.

    During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Volkanovski listed all the reasons why the Mexican was never going to get the shot, including his 2020 USADA suspension, his failed matchups with Zabit Magomedsharipov, and his recent loss to Holloway.

    “One thing that surprises me and what annoys me, is the way he (Rodríguez) acted about it as if it was a no-brainer that he should be the next in line,” said Volkanovski. “And then starts carrying on and swearing and saying, ‘I had respect and fuck you,’ and all that. Are you serious? Let’s remember, let me bring you back, let’s be real for a second. Over two years you were pretty much running from Zabit? I didn’t wanna bring that up but you put me here. So, you’re running from Zabit, pulling out, you’re getting suspended from USADA, you’re being a diva and the UFC had so much hassle with you. It was a bunch of chaos.

    “The UFC ain’t gonna take that’s serious. And then, let’s remember, he just lost. I don’t get it, I really don’t get it. You haven’t fought for how long, then you’re coming off a loss, and then you get angry at me because I don’t sit there and call you out.”

    Rodríguez initially rejected a fight with Zabit in 2018, which led to his release, albeit a brief three-week one. The pair were then scheduled to clash multiple times, with “El Pantera” pulling out due to injuries.

    Shortly after his UFC Vegas 8 bout with the Russian fell through, Rodríguez was handed a six-month suspension for failing to notify USADA of his whereabouts and being unavailable for testing. After eventually returning at UFC Vegas 42 a couple of months ago, the Mexican fell on the wrong side of a unanimous decision verdict against Holloway.

    Given all those factors, Volkanovski is baffled by Rodríguez ‘s callout. He encouraged the #3-ranked contender to say it to his face if his remarks were truly how he feels and not just an attempt to hype up the matchup.

    “It just blows me away. The way that some of these people (act),” added Volkanovski. “I don’t mind the guy. Whether he just thought that was his way of getting the title shot, maybe, I don’t know. But if he’s being real… Mate, if you’re gonna carry on like that, say it to my face. Or was it just trying to get the shot and build a bit of hype, I don’t know. But if that’s really what you feel about it, bring that same energy person as well. I didn’t do anything wrong. You’re the one who didn’t fight for over two years and who is coming off a loss.”

    With Rodríguez and a host of other names failing to secure a shot at Volkanovski’s title, the champion now appears set to defend his gold against divisional veteran “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung at UFC 273 in April.

    Do you agree with Alexander Volkanovski? Was Yair Rodríguez wrong for calling the champ out like he did?

  • Tate Reflects On How Her Cornering Impacted Vieira Fight Outcome

    Miesha Tate has reflected on her recent UFC main event loss and has some thoughts on what could have been done differently.

    In 2021, Tate made her return from retirement to compete in MMA. The former UFC bantamweight champion won her first fight against Marion Reneau but later lost a main event fight to Ketlen Vieira in November 2021.

    Looking back on the fight, Tate feels she never showed urgency despite being down on scorecards against Vieira. Here’s what Tate said about the fight during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour:

    “I think what ended up happening is that the corner was very chill and I stayed very chill the whole fight. I kinda didn’t get that feedback of like, ‘Hey, now’s the time to go.’ And it’s just tough. It was a tough dynamic,” she said. “It was a learning situation. I look at that fight as a bit of a sophomore slump. If it was any fight that I was gonna lose in my comeback, that was the fight to lose.”

    Tate will get the chance to return to the win column later this year. She is set to move down to flyweight, meeting Lauren Murphy on May 14th.

    Tate is already a decorated MMA fighter that had a title reign in the UFC. She most notably earned UFC’s 135-pound belt in 2016, securing a fifth-round rear-naked choke submission win against Holly Holm.

    She lost the belt in her next appearance, dropping it to Amanda Nunes at UFC 200. Nunes would go on to hold the belt until late 2021.

    Do you agree with Miesha Tate’s assessment of her loss to Ketlen Vieira?

  • Sterling Throws O’Malley’s ‘Not Big Enough’ Remark Right Back At Him

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling has responded to Sean O’Malley’s claim that he and Petr Yan aren’t “big enough” to headline a pay-per-view.

    Sterling is finally set to defend the 135-pound strap for the first time since winning it via disqualification last March. He was initially scheduled to face interim titleholder and arch-rival Yan in a unification bout at UFC 272.

    After Max Holloway withdrew from his trilogy with Alexander Volkanovski and the featherweight champ’s next defense was pushed back to UFC 273 in April, the bantamweight grudge match went with it.

    Despite the bitter rivalry between the two elite 135lbers, which began with Sterling’s title crowning at UFC 259 and picked up when he withdrew from UFC 267 last October, the promotion was seemingly unwilling to have the two bantamweight titleholders main event the March PPV in the absence of Volkanovski’s 145-pound defense, something Yan believes Sterling is firmly at fault for.

    During a recent episode of his podcast, #12-ranked contender O’Malley commented on that, suggesting the occupiers of his weight class’ gold simply aren’t big enough to headline a pay-per-view, something he believes is a problem given that bantamweight is one of the most stacked divisions in the UFC.

    Sterling Tells O’Malley To “Fight Somebody, Bro”

    In a fashion similar to what we’ve come to expect at 135 pounds, Sterling has now responded to “Sugar,” and he certainly didn’t mince his word.

    During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, “Funk Master” told O’Malley that if he wants to keep talking, he needs to fight a “real” contender, something he pointed out didn’t end well for the 27-year-old at UFC 252 in 2020.

    “O’Malley’s gonna do what O’Malley does, which is talk,” said Sterling. “He talks a big game, but we come to find out that he’s a lot of talk, a lot of bark, and no bite. The last time he tried to bite off more than he can chew, what happened? He did the broke-leg dance…

    Sean O'Malley
    Sean O’Malley (Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)

    “So O’Malley, if you wanna keep talking like this, step up to the plate and fight somebody—I don’t want to say ‘good’—but fight somebody that’s a contender, a real contender so we can see how good he really is. Ricky Simon’s been calling him out, Merab’s [Dvalishvili] been calling him out, a lot of guys been calling him out—[Brian] Kelleher’s been calling him out. Fight somebody, bro. Fight somebody.”

    Despite later admitting that O’Malley’s point wasn’t wholly wrong, Sterling claimed it’s on the UFC to create a card with him and Yan at the top worthy of the price tag, rather than relying on one bout to sell it to the fans. The bantamweight champ concluded by suggesting nobody would pay top dollar for just an O’Malley headliner.

    “I do think O’Malley had a point in possibly saying that maybe we probably couldn’t headline a card by ourselves, but that’s not on us. That’s on the UFC to put together a fight card that’s worthy of customers to pay a $70 price tag to pay for,” added Sterling. “I think that’s pretty black and white. You can’t just rely on one fight to be the main fight for—I mean, I don’t know a lot of people who are gonna pay $70 just to watch one fight…

    “I’m pretty sure if it was just Sean O’Malley and a bunch of other guys that are up-and-coming, not really any type of notoriety, people aren’t paying $75 to watch Sean O’Malley fight, either. So I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about in that regard. So if the UFC puts together a great card with top-10 fights and matchups that mean something, people are gonna pay. So it doesn’t really matter who’s headlining. The UFC is the UFC. If it’s a good fight card, people are gonna pay to tune in to watch it.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CYLfci5rx4x/

    While it may not be a main event, Sterling and Yan are still set to collide on the pay-per-view stage later this year and will look to settle their score for good.

    For the New York native, the rematch represents the opportunity for him to legitimize his reign and cement his place on the throne. For the Russian, UFC 273 offers the chance to regain the undisputed title he firmly believes he never should have lost. The build-up is certainly set to be a heated one.

    Do you agree with Aljamain Sterling’s response to Sean O’Malley’s comments?

  • Kattar Responds To Chikadze Saying He’d Beat Him 9 Times Out Of 10

    UFC featherweight contender Calvin Kattar has responded to Giga Chikadze’s claim that he’d beat “The Boston Finisher” nine times out of 10.

    For Chikadze, the one exception came in the opening UFC main event of 2022 this past weekend. “Ninja” faced top-five 145lber Kattar in what was the Methuen native’s first appearance since his brutal defeat to Max Holloway last January.

    Despite having a tough and proven name who represented the biggest challenge of his career to date in front of him, a lot of Chikadze’s focus and attention during fight week appeared to be elsewhere. After Alexander Volkanovski was left needing a challenger to his title after the withdrawal of Holloway, the Georgian threw his name into the hat and repeatedly accused the champion of running from him.

    But on Saturday night, Kattar made him pay for looking past him, something he warned Chikadze he’d do beforehand. Across five rounds, “The Boston Finisher” bruised and bloodied the #8-ranked contender’s face on his way to a dominant unanimous decision triumph.

    In the aftermath of the entertaining headliner, Chikadze turned heads on a Facebook Live when he suggested he’d be the one with his hand raised nine times out of 10 against Kattar.

    “I feel like if I would fight with this guy 10 times, 9 I would win,” Chikadze said. “That would be the one I would lose and that was last night. It is what it is. I made mistake and I’m paying now with it. It’s all good. Guys, I’m unbreakable. Remember this shit, Georgians always unbreakable. This is how we fight, until the fucking end.”

    Kattar Responds With Class

    Hearing those comments from a man you’ve just beaten the face off for 25 minutes would understandably elicit a strong response from most members of the UFC roster. But for Kattar, the only response was class.

    During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Kattar said he hadn’t taken Chikadze’s comments personally. Instead, the #5-ranked featherweight wished his fallen opponent a quick recovery and encouraged the Georgian to handle the loss well.

    “No, no, it’s different when you hear people in person in interviews, but I don’t take it personal, man,” said Kattar. “It’s whatever, you know, wish him a speedy recovery, bounce back. I told him all you can do now is make the next guy pay. That’s exactly what I did. And hopefully, he responds to the loss well. It doesn’t sound like it’s going that way early, but hopefully  he just understand that—honestly he can understand whatever he wants. For me, it helped me to just focus on the things that I can control and focus on the comeback but not so much really the last one.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CYrkHx7PerX/

    Having rebounded in style following a year away from the Octagon, Kattar will now look to continue his charge to the title, which was stalled by Holloway in 2021. Next up on his road to the top will likely be either Yair Rodriguez or Brian Ortega, who are coming off losses to the top-two featherweights in the division.

    What did you make of Giga Chikadze’s comments after his loss to Calvin Kattar?

  • Francis Ngannou Teases Big Surprises Ahead Of Ciryl Gane Matchup

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou may have some surprises in store for Ciryl Gane during their clash at UFC 270.

    Ngannou will make his first heavyweight title defense against the interim champ Gane to kick-off 2022. This is his first fight in the Octagon since earning the belt over Stipe Miocic in a vicious knockout at UFC 260 last year.

    Ngannou has always been known for his knockout power, but his takedown defense and overall grappling showed big gains in his last fight. While he’ll always be a striker first, he’s looking to prove that he’s not one-dimensional in his approach.

    During a recent interview with MMA journalist Megan Olivi, Ngannou tells fans to expect the unexpected at UFC 270.

    “I’m cooking something that I’m gonna surprise people with. They think they have seen a lot of my tools, and I’m coming up with something. Having those short fights never really (gave) me an opportunity to showcase what I’m capable of. And I think this might be the opportunity, and I’m getting ready for that, January 22. It’s gonna be like a (completely) different fighter in the best way.

    Francis Ngannou
    Francis Ngannou (Image Credit: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

    “Obviously, the power’s still gonna be there. I won’t take that off. It’s a good thing to always have in your pocket in case you need it. Because even though I want to really (put on a show), I won’t say no to a knockout, even if it comes in the first minute. So January 22, you’re gonna understand why I’m the champ.”

    Ngannou will more than likely need a balanced approach to his fight with Gane. A former teammate of his at MMA Factory, Gane has shown a diverse skillset in recent wins over Derrick Lewis and Junior dos Santos. His movement has been compared to that of a modern-day welterweight.

    Things have become tense between Ngannou and his former coach Fernand Lopez, but Gane recently assured fans that there’s no bad blood between the two heavyweight titans. If the recent buildup and interviews are any indication, Ngannou and Gane look to put on an all-time classic at UFC 270.

    What is your prediction for Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane?

  • Alex Pereira Claims He Made Israel Adesanya Cry Following Knockout

    UFC middleweight Alex Pereira says he made champion Israel Adesanya cry after knocking him out during their time competing in Glory Kickboxing.

    Pereira is coming off an impressive UFC debut at UFC 268, as he finished Andreas Michailidis with a flying knee and punches in Round 2. Pereira, a former multi-division kickboxing world champion, signed with the UFC last year in a full-time transition to MMA.

    To go along with his incredible combat accolades, he’s also the only man ever to finish Adesanya in any sport. He defeated Adesanya via unanimous decision in 2016 before knocking him out in the rematch in 2017 at Glory of Heroes 7.

    During an interview with PVT’s Marcelo Alonso, Pereira revealed how he shook Adesanya’s confidence following the finish.

    “I don’t know if with his friends, right, with the people close to him, he’s that arrogant guy, that annoying guy, because every time I met the guy, it was all that arrogance, that ego, he was always like that,” Pereira said. “Since our first fight in China, he was a guy who pissed me off a lot, from the weigh-in to the fight. Even losing, when there was the rematch here in Brazil he made a post that I don’t really remember, but it was something like ‘I’ll have to beat Pereira in his backyard and then run out of the favela’. It was something like that, right?

    “I only saw him at the weigh-in and the fight. After the fight I saw him crying outside in Ibirapuera. Sitting on a low wall with his trainer – that’s it.” (h/t SportsKeeda)

    Pereira and Adesanya could be on a collision course once again in the UFC. Adesanya will face former champion Robert Whittaker in a rematch at UFC 271, but the door remains open in the middleweight title picture.

    Adesanya has also previously said that he expects to meet Pereira once again, this time in the Octagon.

    If Pereira can continue his winning ways, he could earn the opportunity to defeat Adesanya for the third time. But this time, Adesanya will have more tools at his disposal in MMA.

    Do you think we’ll see Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya in the UFC?

  • Ngannou Felt As If He Was Fighting Miocic In His Mind During UFC 226

    The fight with Stipe Miocic took a toll on Francis Ngannou’s mind.

    Francis Ngannou is the UFC heavyweight champion and is a force to be reckoned with. He is lined up for his first title defense against interim champion Ciryl Gane, but in the leadup, Ngannou can’t help but think back to his first shot at the title, his 2018 loss to Stipe Miocic. Ngannou reminisced about this while speaking with Daniel Cormier.

    “The whole Derrick Lewis fight, I was [thinking] like, ‘OK, don’t rush. I mean, I remember in the Octagon in front of Derrick Lewis, was telling myself, ‘Don’t rush. Calm down,” Ngannou said. “Don’t rush. Don’t rush. You have all the time. You have all the time. Until three rounds.”

    The loss against Miocic at UFC 220 was the first of Ngannou’s UFC career. The loss put a halt to the hype train that Ngannou had been riding up until that point. The knockout machine was put through five tough rounds against Miocic, unlike any fight he had been in up to that point. It seemed that the mental toll it took on him continued through his next fight.

    Derrick Lewis believes Francis Ngannou
    Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

     “I swear to God, at the end of the fight, I thought it was like maybe the second round or something,” He explained. “I wasn’t even there. Because I was still fighting Stipe in my mind. I was just like, “Calm down, you’re gonna cut him. You’re gonna have time. Take your time.’ So time was going by, and I wasn’t realizing how fast time was going. I was like, ‘I’m good’ until like, ‘Oh, this is the end?’ I was even surprised.”

    The loss to Miocic and Lewis are the only two stains of Ngannou’s UFC resume to this point. Ngannou got back on track against Curtis Blaydes and racked up four more wins. He found his way back up to Miocic, and this time would not be denied. Ngannou is the champ now and plans to stay there for quite some time. He will have his first test as champ on Jan. 22 at UFC 270.

    What do you think of Ngannou’s mindset and the toll the fight with Stipe Miocic took on him?

  • Covington Backs “Efficient” Gane To Show Ngannou’s Quit At UFC 270

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington has given his prediction for the upcoming UFC 270 heavyweight main event between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane.

    Covington, who knows a thing or two about championship headliners, will no doubt be watching intently like the rest of the MMA community when two of the world’s best heavyweights meet inside the Octagon. The collision is fueled by gym drama, a contractual dispute, and a clash of styles.

    Ngannou, the reigning champion, will be defending his gold for the first time on January 22. He won the belt in a rematch with Stipe Miocic last March. However, he’s been on the sidelines ever since, embroiled in a public feud with the UFC over his treatment and current deal.

    While “The Predator” has been occupied by matters away from the cage, Gane has been climbing the ranks and putting himself in position to dethrone his former MMA factory teammate. With three main event wins in 2021, “Bon Gamin” extended his unblemished record to 10-0 and had interim gold wrapped around his waist as an unbeaten fighter.

    Covington: Gane Will Wear Ngannou Down

    The first pay-per-view main event of 2022 will pit together the classic heavyweight style versus the new breed. The question is, can Ngannou’s immense power get the better of Gane’s technical skill and hit and not be hit mindset? Colby “Chaos” Covington has provided his answer.

    Speaking to combat sports journalist Helen Yee, the former interim welterweight titleholder suggested Gane will be able to use his footwork and efficient style to tire out “The Predator,” who will no doubt be looking to wind up for a big KO shot throughout.

    “That’s a tough one (to predict). I think Ciryl will get him. I think that his footwork and the way he moves around, kickboxes, and he’s really efficient with his energy. He’s not like, looking to load up and knock you out like Francis is. I think he’ll wear Francis out.”

    Covington also cited Ngannou’s loss to Miocic at UFC 220 in 2018 as evidence the champ has quit in him, something he believes “Bon Gamin” will show come January 22.

    “We’ve seen in the past that Francis has that quit in him. The first Stipe fight he had a lot of quit in him, and he put his head down and you could just see he gassed out. All that muscle, you need a lot of oxygen to get to that muscle. My official prediction, I think Gane gets the heavyweight title.”

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

    Having already joined the likes of Cain Velasquez, Israel Adesanya, and Khabib Nurmagomedov in the elite club of undefeated titleholders, Gane will look to go one step further later this month by becoming the first French-born undisputed champion in UFC history.

    Do you agree with Colby Covington’s prediction for Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane?

  • Chael Sonnen Applauds Masvidal For Risking It All In Covington Fight

    Chael Sonnen has praised Jorge Masvidal for taking the very risky fight against Colby Covington.

    In the main event of UFC 272 on March 5, Masvidal and Covington will finally settle their differences. It’s a highly-anticipated bout as they used to be roommates and close friends; however, they had a massive falling out and have taken shots at one another for years now.

    For Sonnen, he says he is surprised “Gamebred” took this fight, as it is a tough matchup for him coming off two losses in a row and with very high stakes.

    “In all fairness, I really got to show respect to Masvidal because this is a career-ending fight,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel (via Sportskeeda). “It is that big of a deal, there will be that much attention and that much focus and that much hatred going into this battle. Jorge, who is the second biggest draw in combat [sports] right now who’s coming off of two defeats.

    Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington
    Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington

    “If he goes out there and he gets taken down and he gets mauled for 25 minutes, it is going to take a lot of luster off of the shine that is the second biggest draw [in MMA], the BMF, Jorge Masvidal. It’s a big deal and Jorge signed up anyway. God damn, I respect that,” Sonnen concluded.

    Jorge Masvidal was a massive star in 2019 as he scored a KO win over Darren Till, the flying knee KO over Ben Askren, and a TKO win over Nate Diaz to win the BMF belt. Since then, however, he has lost two straight to Kamaru Usman for the belt, including the last being by KO, which many viewed as the knockout of the year in 2021.

    If Masvidal loses to Covington, it would be three straight and would likely signal the end of his time as a top contender. It would also hurt his damage as a superstar, which is the chief reason Chael Sonnen is praising Gamebred for taking this scrap.

    Are you surprised Jorge Masvidal accepted the fight against Colby Covington?

  • Figueiredo On Anaheim, CA: “I Go There To Take Brandon Moreno’s Head”

    UFC flyweight Deiveson Figueiredo says he’s going to take 125-pound champion Brandon Moreno’s head off when they meet for the third time at UFC 270.

    In 2020, Figueiredo ascended the flyweight mountaintop and looked set for a long reign on the throne. “Deus Da Guerra” brutally finished Joseph Benavidez twice to win gold. The second win was required after the Brazilian missed weight the first time, leaving the title vacant until the summer rematch.

    After comfortably defending his title against Alex Perez, Figueiredo established himself as one of the most dominant and imposing champions in the UFC. But then came Moreno. In their December 2020 Fight of the Year contender, the Mexican fought to a draw, securing a second opportunity in mid-2021.

    At UFC 263 last June, Moreno dominated Figueiredo and choked him out in the third round. The heart-warming crowning saw “The Assassin Baby” become the first Mexican-born fighter to earn champion status in the UFC.

    Moreno was initially primed to defend his belt for the first time against former rival Alexandre Pantoja. However, when the #3-ranked contender wasn’t ready for December, the initial targeted date, Figueiredo secured his much-desired shot at redemption. The pair will meet again later this month in the UFC 270 co-main event.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CVY_1xfPR4y/

    Figueiredo Promises The Return Of A “Killer” At UFC 270

    Given the emphatic nature of his defeat to Moreno last year, Figueiredo should perhaps feel fortunate to find himself in a position to challenge for the belt immediately. Many, including the champ, believed he needed to register a victory over another top contender before jumping back to the front of the queue.

    Nevertheless, with his chance for revenge secured, Figueiredo intends on taking full advantage. During an interview with The Schmo, the Brazilian claimed he’ll take Moreno’s head off when they meet on January 22.

    “You know, my second fight (with Moreno) I was not good. I did not feel good. But now, with new training, I’m gonna be great,” Figueiredo said via translator Wallid Ismail. “I’m gonna take Brandon Moreno’s head off. This fight is going to be a wonderful fight. I’m very motivated… It’s gonna be the revenge, it’s gonna be big revenge… I’m gonna take his head off and I’m gonna make him pay.”

    Discussing how the trilogy contest will differ from the 2021 rematch, Figueiredo suggested Moreno makes a lot of mistakes, something he believes he’s been able to identify during his time at Fight Ready with Henry Cejudo.

    That, coupled with better preparation and his belief that the weight cut will go a lot smoother, makes “Deus Da Guerra” confident he’ll leave California’s Honda Center with gold around his waist again.

    “Brandon Moreno does a lot of mistakes… this fight’s gonna be completely different. Because now (I have) more time to train, to lose the weight in the right way… This is going to be historic because this is going to be the revenge…

    “I’m going to fight in California, It’s going to be a different place. I’m very confident the people of California are gonna like me because they like my style. I’m a killer. I go there to take Brandon Moreno’s head.”

    While Moreno and Figueiredo will complete their trilogy in the UFC 270 co-main event, the headliner will see another blockbuster clash. In a heavyweight unification bout, champion Francis Ngannou will face interim titleholder and former teammate Ciryl Gane.

    There aren’t many better matchups to set the stage for a main event like that than an animosity-filled trilogy bout…

    Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 270, Deiveson Figueiredo or Brandon Moreno?

  • Amanda Nunes Exits American Top Team Following UFC 269 Loss

    Amanda Nunes is making a change following her upset loss to Julianna Peña at UFC 269 last month, as the former double-champion has decided to exit American Top Team.

    At UFC 269, Peña shocked the world when she submitted Nunes to become the new UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Following the loss, Nunes immediately expressed interest in running it back.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXbl4W_PS62/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=626c4c55-2d7a-4383-a4b0-9e47711c5d6f

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

    Now, according to a Combate report, part of that process of getting everything together will include Nunes exiting American Top Team.

    Nunes joined the gym in 2014 as a 9-4 professional. The following year, she began a run that saw her go undefeated for six years, with a 12-0 record, world championships in two weight classes, and multiple title defenses in both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. That record under ATT remained unblemished up until UFC 269 last month when Nunes dropped her bantamweight title to Peña.

    Coincidentally, prior to the first cancellation between Nunes and Peña, Peña questioned whether Nunes really had COVID-19, partially because she heard that Nunes had not been training at ATT ahead of the fight. Her conversation with gym owner Dan Lambert only further convinced Peña that Nunes was MIA at ATT last summer. Ultimately, the fight would get rebooked for UFC 269, where Peña took home the bantamweight gold.

    Julianna Pena saw Zac Efron staring at her before UFC shocker
    Getty Images

    Now, as she did in 2014, Nunes will look to restart with another clean slate by creating her own team. There is currently no word on if any of the coaches at ATT will be working alongside her in this new project. It was also reported that Amanda’s wife Nina Nunes will be exiting ATT for this new gym as well.

    American Top Team is one of the most renowned MMA gyms in the world. Over the years, it has hosted former UFC champions Tyron Woodley, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Junior dos Santos, and Andre Arlovski. Today, it is still the home to names like Dustin Poirier, Jorge Masvidal, Kayla Harrison, and reigning light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira.

    What do you make of Amanda Nunes’ decision to exit American Top Team after eight years?

  • Katlyn Chookagian Becomes A Free Agent After UFC Vegas 46 Win

    Katlyn Chookagian fought out her contract at UFC Vegas 46 on Saturday night.

    Chookagian was rematching Jennifer Maia where she picked up another decision win in a solid performance. It was Chookagian’s 10th UFC win, which all have come by decision, and cemented herself as one of the top contenders at flyweight. However, after her win, she revealed that was the last fight of her deal and the UFC declined to offer a new contract before the scrap.

    “This was the last fight on my contract, and usually when you have one more, they renegotiate your contract,” Chookagian said at the post-fight press conference. “So when they offered this fight, I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m up for negotiation for a new contract,’ and they were like, ‘Oh no, we want you to fight this [contract] out.’

    “That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to cut me, but it’s usually not good news. Hopefully with this performance, I’d like to think they want to keep me. I want to stay here. So hopefully I proved that tonight,” Chookagian continued.

    Image Credit: Katlyn Chookagian Instagram

    Katlyn Chookagian is currently ranked second at women’s flyweight and is on a three-fight winning streak. Before beating Maia for the second time, she defeated Viviane Araujo and Cynthia Calvillo. She’s currently 10-4 in the UFC and has fought for UFC gold once losing by TKO to Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 247.

    With her not being under contract, the hope for Chookagian is to reach a deal soon which would lead her to get another crack at the belt.

    “I think the UFC needs to re-sign me before I think about [a title shot],” Chookagian said. “I’m on a three-fight win streak, all top-five opponents, so I would hope they re-sign me. They didn’t want to extend my contract before this fight, so hopefully I proved I belong here. I’m No. 2 in the division. I’ve been No. 2 or No. 1 for three or four years since the division started. I have as many wins as Valentina [Shevchenko]. I’ve beaten probably more top-10 fighters than any other fighter in the UFC, male or female. This is my 14th fight. I think all but two, maybe three, were all top-10 opponents.

    “So I think I earned my spot here in the UFC,” she concluded. “So hopefully I get that call next week. I just hope that I’m still a UFC fighter after this performance… I’m a fighter. I’ll keep fighting no matter what, but I want to stay in the UFC, for sure.”

    Do you think the UFC will re-sign Katlyn Chookagian?

  • Kattar Warned Chikadze About Overlooking Him Prior To UFC Vegas 46

    At UFC Vegas 46, Calvin Kattar decimated Giga Chikadze and spoiled any hopes the Georgian had of fighting for the title next.

    Prior to and during fight week, much of the talk had surrounded Chikadze’s calls for a championship opportunity. After Max Holloway withdrew from his scheduled trilogy clash with Alexander Volkanovski, “Ninja” was one of the first to throw his name into the hat to replace “Blessed.”

    When “The Korean Zombie” was touted as the likely candidate to face the champion next, Chikadze claimed he’d lost respect for the champion and even suggested Volkanovksi would be his easiest opponent inside the 145-pound top 10. But through all that talk, one man is being forgotten: Calvin Kattar.

    This past weekend, “The Boston Finisher” brutally beat and bust open Chikadze’s face across five rounds. With vicious elbows and clinical boxing, Kattar won every round on the judges’ scorecards and made amends for his own beating at the hands of Holloway last January.

    Don’t Overlook Kattar

    With the result, Kattar shot back towards contention and stalled the surging rise of Chikadze, who was previously riding high off the back of a main event win against Edson Barboza.

    But while many had expected “Ninja” to move past Kattar and stake his claim for a title shot, the message from fans and pundits since Saturday’s headliner has been: Don’t look past what’s in front of you. That message had already been said loud and clear at UFC Vegas 46 media day last Wednesday.

    After asserting that Chikadze’s focus on gold and exchanges with the titleholder had no effect on him, Kattar warned the #8-ranked contender that setting his sights on anyone other than him would be a “big mistake.”

    “No, not one bit man. I can’t really control that, so I try not to put too much energy into it. Only thing I can control is me and my opponent Saturday night. For him to be focusing on anybody else would be a big mistake,” Kattar said.

    Given the state of Chikadze’s face after 25 minutes of action, it’s safe to say Kattar’s warning was well placed…

    While his toughness has never been in doubt, Kattar certainly had his title credentials and place among the featherweight elite questioned following his defeat on Fight Island last year. But at UFC Vegas 46, “The Boston Finisher” answered those questions with sharp elbows and crisp punches.

    With a relieving rebound win after a year away from action, Kattar will now look to carry his momentum into another big fight, perhaps this time against a fellow top-five contender. Two men currently stand out as possible next opponents.

    Brian Ortega was the last man to challenge for the title and could provide a thrilling matchup with Kattar. While he’d be looking to rebound and stay in the title conversation, the Methuen native would hope to book a date with the champ by defeating the two-time title challenger

    Yair Rodriguez is also in a similar situation. He returned last November and despite performing well against Holloway, he missed out on the chance to challenge Volkanovski after a narrow defeat on the scorecards. With both losing to Holloway in 2021, a clash between Kattar and Rodriguez makes sense.

    Who would you like to see Calvin Kattar face next?

  • Blaydes: Miocic’s Win Over Ngannou More Impressive Than UFC 260 KO

    Curtis Blaydes is not giving Francis Ngannou heavyweight GOAT status just yet.

    With a very exciting heavyweight title fight coming up on Jan. 22, featuring champ Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane, another heavyweight is giving his thoughts on the division. Curtis Blaydes sat down with MMA News to discuss what he makes of the champion and the rest of his possible competition.

    Blaydes spoke a bit about the differences between Ngannou and former champion Stipe Miocic. Blaydes isn’t ready to give the title of GOAT to Ngannou just yet and even feels that Miocic’s win over Ngannou was more impressive to him than Ngannou’s win over Miocic.

    “No, no. That still goes to Stipe… Ngannou has not done enough, in my opinion, to be the greatest ever,” Blaydes said. “He’s very, very good, but when we’re talking the GOAT, you have to start to nitpick, and I’m gonna nitpick,” said Blaydes. “He’s lost rounds. Like, he got owned when he fought Stipe the first time. That wasn’t a good look. He got owned. I’ve never seen, even when Stipe lost, he never got owned. Like, he got knocked out by Ngannou; at heavyweight, anybody can get knocked out.

    “I’m a lot more impressed by decisions. I know that’s weird to say, that a unanimous decision is more impressive than a knockout, but at heavyweight, anybody can get knocked out,” added Blaydes. “That’s just what heavyweights do. But for you to skillfully beat a guy for five rounds, that’s very impressive. I’ve yet to see a Ngannou do that. He hasn’t had to do that yet, but I don’t think he has that ability. I don’t think he wants to be in the Octagon for five rounds. He knows that’s not how he wins.”

    Blaydes is currently ranked fourth in the heavyweight division. He has only lost one fight in his last six and holds wins over Alexander Volkov and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Blaydes could find himself next in line for a title shot if Ngannou wins.

    Of course, there are other people in the mix, as Jon Jones’ heavyweight debut is looming and Stipe Miocic is still in the picture as well. Perhaps Blades could be matched up with Miocic sometime soon.

    What do you think about Blaydes’ perception of Miocic and Ngannou?