Former UFC fighter Mark Hunt has proposed a potential fight with UFC’s top figures to potentially drop his lawsuit against them.
Hunt has been in a legal battle with the UFC for years. He first took them to court over his 2017 bout against Brock Lesnar. He alleged that the promotion knew Lesnar was taking performance-enhancing substances but allowed him to fight Hunt anyway.
Hunt recently issued a statement online saying he is willing to drop his lawsuit if he loses a fight to Dana White, Frank, and Lorenzo Fertitta. On the flip side, he wants a win for him to mean UFC would pay talent they have “ripped off.”
“Mark the super Samoan vs Dana the parasite White Lorenzo Fertita and Frank Fertita,” Hunt began in an Instagram post. “5 rounds mma these losers @danawhite frank Fertita Lorenzo Fertita has sucked the life out of so many fighters him and his scum friends -u win I drop the law suit-I win u pay every fighter u have ripped off since @ufc started now who would pay to see that.”
Hunt Recently Ordered To Pay Nearly $400k In Legal Fees For UFC
The United States District Court in Nevada recently ordered Hunt to pay nearly $400,000 to cover UFC’s legal fees. The ruling for Hunt to pay legal fees was made months back and was uncovered recently by Combat Sports Law.
The order for Hunt to pay the fees was made due to a part of Hunt’s contract with the UFC, which allows them to be awarded money for “its attorney’s fees and costs” if they are the “prevailing party” in a lawsuit. UFC was able to dismiss numerous motions in the case.
“Because I find that UFC is entitled to attorneys’ fees and costs under the parties’ agreement, its request is reasonable, and its motion is ripe, I grant UFC’s motion in its entirety,” said the Nevada court in a document dated March 25th, 2021.
Light heavyweights Johnny Walker and Jamahal Hill are set to clash on Feb. 19 at UFC Fight Night 202 in Las Vegas.
MMAFighting.com broke the news today that the two would be added to the February fight night, which will be the fifth event of the 2022 year.
Walker, the 10th ranked light heavyweight, only fought once last year in a bout where he lost to former title challenger Thiago Santos via unanimous decision. Walker will be looking to get in the victory column for the first time in over a year. His last victory came on September 19, 2020, against Ryan Spann by KO.
It was also reported that Walker has signed a new six-fight contract with the UFC.
As for Hill, the #12-ranked light heavyweight, he will be looking to pick up his second win in a three-month span as he was victorious in his last fight against Jimmy Crute, who he knocked out in less than a minute at UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Aldo. Prior to his last victory, Hill tasted defeat for the first time in his career as he was submitted by Paul Craig.
A victory for either fighter should put them a step closer to a title shot, and this fight has the potential to be a fight of the night candidate.
Who do you think will win between Johnny Walker and Jamahal Hill?
Boxing star Amanda Serrano is game for a crossover fight with UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko if the UFC allows it to happen.
Serrano’s Most Valuable Promotions colleague Jake Paul made a recent offer to UFC president Dana White to retire from boxing if certain points are met. Paul has repeatedly called for White to increase UFC fighter pay and provide health care benefits to his athletes in exchange for an MMA fight with Jorge Masvidal.
While it’s fairly unlikely that White will agree to Paul’s demands, Serrano gave her two cents on the offer and proposed a UFC fight with Shevchenko.
I will gladly sign a one fight deal with the UFC to challenge Valentina for the Flyweight Championship if UFC agrees to Jake’s offer. Let’s make history.
“I will gladly sign a one-fight deal with the UFC to challenge Valentina for the flyweight championship if UFC agrees to Jake’s offer,” Serrano tweeted. “Let’s make history.”
White has accused Paul of using performance-enhancing drugs in his boxing career in a sharp response to Paul accusing him of cocaine use. Neither accusation has been backed up with much evidence, but Serrano seems interested in a matchup with Shevchenko.
Shevchenko is coming off of a dominant 2021, in which she dismantled top flyweight contenders Lauren Murphy and Jéssica Andrade. She has arguably cleaned out the flyweight division at the moment, making a matchup with Serrano somewhat feasible as a way to occupy Shevchenko’s time.
Serrano has captivated the boxing world with a 42-1-1 record, including a 28 fight winning streak. She also has an undefeated record in MMA, earning submission wins over Valentina Garcia and Erendira Ordonez.
Serrano most recently put on dominant boxing performances against Miriam Gutierrez and Yamileth Mercado in a pair of co-main events on Paul-led boxing cards. While it’s unclear if Shevchenko has any interest in boxing, it certainly seems that Serrano is intrigued by the idea of moving into her world in the UFC Octagon.
What MMA/Boxing crossover fights do you want to see in 2022?
Ranked bantamweight Ricky Simon thinks Sean O’Malley doesn’t want to face him despite a recent call-out.
Simon has expressed interest before in facing O’Malley. He likes the idea of the matchup, as “people want to see him tested against a wrestler,” and he also believes he has the striking to go along with it.
With that being said, Simon has given up hope on getting a fight against O’Malley. In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Simon was asked how good of a chance he thought he has of getting a fight against O’Malley. Here’s how he responded.
“I don’t think there’s a very good chance … I don’t think he wants to fight. I said his name after the interview, said everything, then he goes and tweets to [Adrian] Yanez. So I’m moving on.”
Simon Doesn’t Understand Why O’Malley Got Ranked Over Him
Image Credit: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Simon is currently sitting right next to O’Malley on UFC’s official rankings, giving further justification for booking the two. However, this ranking puzzles Simon, who doesn’t understand why the rankings are that way.
Simon expected his recent victory over Raphael Assuncao to make him enter the rankings at #12. But in the end, it was O’Malley who took that spot, leaving Simon down at rank #13.
“I beat the #12-ranked guy in the world and they moved him to #12 … I know there’s a lot that kind of goes into [the rankings], but it just feels like someone was messing with me at that point,” he said.
Are you be interested in ahypothetical fight between Ricky Simon and Sean O’Malley?
Update: This fight has now officially been booked for the March 12 UFC Fight Night card.
UFC featherweight Alex Caceres has revealed he’s been offered a March fight against fellow ranked contender Sodiq Yusuff.
Caceres, who has been a part of MMA’s premier organization since 2011, is undoubtedly in the form of his life. After going 9-10-1 in his first 20 outings in the Octagon, things began to click for “Bruce Leeroy,” who’s found consistency and form like never before.
Since a 2019 defeat to Kron Gracie, Caceres has built an impressive five-fight win streak, the longest of his professional career. Following victories over Steven Petersen, Chase Hooper, Austin Springer, and Kevin Croom, the 33-year-old broke into the featherweight top 15 with a memorable submission triumph against Seungwoo Choi last October.
Having entered the 145-pound ladder at #15, Alex Caceres will be hoping to begin his 2022 by climbing further towards the featherweight elite. It appears he could have the chance to do so against the #12-ranked contender, Sodiq Yusuff.
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Caceres revealed the promotion has offered him a fight with the Nigerian-American, who is 4-1 in the UFC after his decision loss to Arnold Allen in 2021. Despite admitting his team have been looking at “Super” as a potential opponent for a while, “Bruce Leeroy” says he ultimately doesn’t care who he faces.
“We’re trying to book March 12, it’s not for sure, there’s no papers signed yet, but it’s an opponent we’ve been looking at for a while, and we tried to solidify that matchup before, but we’re trying to get Sodiq Yusuff… They offered that to me, so I just said, ‘Yeah.’ I don’t really care (who my opponent is), honestly.”
If the fight comes to fruition, a victory for Caceres would be huge in cementing his status as a genuine contender at 145 pounds. For Yusuff, meanwhile, a win would get his charge back on track and ensure he’s still seen as one of the hottest prospects in the promotion.
How do you think a fight between Alex Caceres and Sodiq Yusuff would play out?
UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane agrees with Francis Ngannou that their leaked past sparring sessions were to his benefit.
Gane is set to face Ngannou for the UFC’s unified heavyweight title at UFC 270. The heavyweight slugfest will help ring in the new year for the promotion as the first pay-per-view main event of 2022.
Recently leaked sparring footage from Gane and Ngannou’s time together at MMA Factory in France has increased speculation for how the fight will play out. Ngannou has recently voiced his displeasure for the leaked clips, alluding that the footage made Gane look better than he is.
“It’s true that in that clip – I’m not going to lie – it was a soft sparring and I could confidently develop my game,” Gane said. “There were other sparring sessions where he [Francis Ngannou] had more the edge. One time it was me, one time it was him. To say that he was far ahead, no, it’s not necessarily true. But it’s true that this particular clip made me look good.” (h/t LowKickMMA)
Ciryl Gane, Francis Ngannou Have A Complicated Relationship
While Gane and Ngannou appear to have mutual respect for one another ahead of their matchup, there has been tension between the two sides. Ngannou has a fractured relationship with his former coach, Fernand Lopez, who has helped direct Gane’s rise to the top of the heavyweight division.
Lopez has accused Ngannou of being a bad teammate during his time at MMA Factory and allegedly failing to pay an annual fee to train at the gym. Ngannou and Gane also had an awkward run-in backstage while both attended UFC 268.
While it’s debatable who got the better of the exchanges in their past sparring sessions, Gane and Ngannou will put it all on the line in their highly anticipated heavyweight battle.
What is your prediction for the UFC 270 main event?
UFC bantamweight Ricky Simon has responded to Michael Bisping calling him a ‘little s**t’ after their uncomfortable UFC Vegas 45 interview.
Simon most recently earned a big win over bantamweight veteran Raphael Assuncao at UFC Vegas 45, knocking him out in the second round. After the bout, Bisping falsely stated that this was Simon’s first win over a ranked opponent, which seemed to irk Simon.
Bisping appeared to set up Simon for another callout of Sean O’Malley after the two had exchanged words and expressed interest in a fight in the past. While Simon ended up calling out O’Malley, the setup didn’t go as planned.
“He goes, ‘I’ve beaten ranked guys before,’” Bisping said. “I said, ‘Well, you definitely weren’t ranked,’ because he wasn’t ranked. He was trying to make me look silly. I’m literally relaying the information that I was told to say [by the producer].
“So how about you direct your venom at him and tell him not to be such a little sh*t.”
Bisping’s response raised eyebrows on social media, with many feeling that he didn’t take responsibility for the minor blunder. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Simon reacted to Bisping’s latest comments regarding their awkward post-fight encounter.
Ricky Simon Responds To Michael Bisping’s ‘Little S**t’ Comment
“Maybe he didn’t want to be corrected,” Simon said. “I mean, is there a rule that I’m not allowed to correct him on-air or something? I don’t know if there is, maybe I should’ve said something after, but this is my life. This is what I put everything into. Everything that I do is to wake up in the morning and get better at this specific sport.
“And I have the receipts: I’ve fought a ranked guy before. I beat a ranked guy. I was ranked before. I just thought that I would clear that up.”
Simon has now won four-straight fights and is quickly rising in the stacked bantamweight division. Following back-to-back losses to Rob Font and Urijah Faber, he has rebounded nicely and appears set to possibly earn a big-name opponent for his next fight.
There were plenty of off-kilter post-fight interviews in the UFC in 2021, but Simon and Bisping’s odd moment is probably near the top of the list. Regardless, it’ll be interesting to see if Simon and Bisping bury the hatchet at some point.
What was your reaction to the awkward Ricky Simon/Michael Bisping interview?
The following article was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Two Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2020, 10:52 PM]
HEADLINE: Justin Gaethje Responds to Dana White’s Accusations
After taking the time to ponder who and what Dana White was referring to when he stated he has been turning down fights, Justin Gaethje has come up with some answers as well as a response to the UFC President’s accusations.
Despite the fact that Conor McGregor and Justin Gaethje were both available and right next to one another in the rankings, the UFC decided to go with Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone in an unofficial, one-sided #1 contender fight in the direction of Conor McGregor instead of a McGregor/Gaethje pairing. What’s more, even though the fight is taking place at 170 lbs, McGregor would leapfrog Justin Gaethje for a lightweight title shot if he gets past Cerrone.
Dana White explained this by obtusely stating that Justin Gaethje “knows what’s going on.” More recently, Dana White became more specific, stating that Gaethje has been turning down fights. After catching wind of Dana White’s remarks and racking his brain, Gaethje has drawn a conclusion for what White is referring to.
“I’ve been trying to figure out what he’s talking about,” Gaethje said on a recent appearance on MMA Tonight. “I know when he did that interview not too long ago when he kept saying, ‘Justin Gaethje knows what’s going on, he knows what’s happening,” I literally had no idea what he was talking about. So it was pretty crazy.
“But I was just thinking about it with my dad, talking about it with my dad, and I’m pretty sure it was…they offered me Tony Ferguson when Tony Ferguson fought Cowboy in June. And they were looking for a replacement for that fight in May, in the beginning of May. And I told them that wasn’t enough time, but if they pushed it back a little bit farther, I would take that fight.
“Then, they asked if I wanted to fight Tony on the Abu Dhabi card, and I said yes, and (Ferguson) said no,” Gaethje continued. And so I took the Cowboy fight just after that. And then just recently, I believe he offered me Charles Oliveira in Brazil or Dan Hooker in New Zealand all while the champion did not have a fight and McGregor was coming back and still looking for a fight. As far as I know, that’s what the deal is. I don’t know.”
Justin Gaethje would then theorize that Dana White’s decision to make the McGregor/Cerrone fight is a result of White answering to powers that be even higher than himself. He believes that White is not intentionally trying to damage Gaethje’s name or lob personal attacks against him but is simply following orders to put McGregor in a position to rematch Khabib Nurmagomedov as soon as possible.
Justin Gaethje still has no opponent lined up and is relegated to watching both UFC 246 and UFC 249 from the sidelines at the moment. In his most recent bout, he knocked out Donald Cerrone in the first round at UFC Vancouver, only to watch Donald Cerrone go on to headline UFC 246 opposite Conor McGregor in a little over two weeks from now.
What are your
thoughts on Justin Gaethje’s response to Dana White’s accusations?
With over an hour of conversation, naturally, any other random topic is liable to come up. Such was the case when O’Malley was asked if he has ever had to get violent with a fan or civilian.
According to the rising star, the closest thing to it is when a stranger challenged him to a spar and wound up…well, you read it.
“He didn’t believe that I was a fighter. Tim [Welch] worked at this UFC gym, so they had a ring, and we brought him over there, not in like a mean way, he wanted to fight me, not fight, he wanted to spar. I fucking kicked him in the body and he shit all over the mat. Literally shit all over the mat. But we didn’t know, we kept going, kept fighting; I stepped in it, stepped in his shit. It was horrible.
“I step in it, we finish the round, and then Tim was like, ‘There’s shit,’ and we thought it was by dog, ’cause we recorded the video. I wish we still had it, dude. It was probably seven or eight years ago… In the video you can see, we thought it was my dog, my little dog was there, so I ended up cleaning it up because I thought it was my dog. We watched the video back; you can see the shit come out of his shorts… That was the only time anyone ever kind of wanted to fight me and didn’t believe that I was a fighter.”
We recently ran a story about Khabib Nurmagomedov having a mildly similar incident, where he was prepared to fight an overzealous fan who wouldn’t take no for an answer when requesting a photo. Luckily for the fan and for our readers, there was no violence or feces involved in that incident.
Years have passed since this stomach-turning sparring session, and O’Malley is now a 27-year-old superstar in the making. By the end of the year, O’Malley may find himself with more random incidents with strangers, whether in a gym, at Walmart, or anywhere else the “Suga Show” rolls through.
But most of all, fans are always eager to see The Suga Show featured in an actual MMA fight, which includes a full clean-up crew ready to assist whenever their duties are needed.
On this day five years ago, the MMA world was still eager to see a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. In this article, Khabib does everything in his power to make the fight happen before it was ultimately booked as an interim lightweight title bout at UFC 209, which he had to pull out from due to weight-cutting complications.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Five Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2017, 4:59 PM]
HEADLINE: Khabib Nurmagomedov Willing To Pay Tony Ferguson to Fight
Author: Adam Haynes
Khabib Nurmagomedov took to social media this morning to offer Tony Ferguson a cash incentive to fight.
Conor McGregor may be the lightweight champion of the world, but there is a strong case to suggest that no one is more deserved of a title shot than “The Eagle”. Nurmagomedov is currently the #1-ranked lightweight in the UFC, and intends to secure a showdown with “The Notorious” by ensuring a clear path is made to a bout with the Irishman.
A much-anticipated bout between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson hit the skids last week after it emerged that Dana White had called it off on the grounds of a dispute over pay from the American’s camp. White is reluctant to negotiate on a contract that has recently been signed by Ferguson, suggesting that “El Cucuy” should honor the existing terms of their agreement. White [via Fox Sports] insisted:
“We were trying to make that fight — Tony said he will not do that fight unless he makes the same exact money that Khabib makes. Khabib has a different deal. That ain’t happening. Count that out.”
“He has a contract that he just signed, not long ago. I honor every contract no matter what it is. I get into some (expletive) deals, too. You’ve got a guy who’s making tons of money but he was a champion, but that was the deal I cut. I cut that deal and I signed it and I’ve got to live with my deal.”
Hey @TonyFergusonXT if the @ufc don't want to pay you I'll pay you 200k extra on your purse let's make this fight now you have no excuse
Nurmagomedov has handled this latest setback accordingly, offering $200,000 dollars to Ferguson from his own pocket. It appears that Russia’s premier UFC star will not entertain the idea of fighting anyone else other than Ferguson, going as far as suggesting that he is being kept from reaching the top via clandestine politics by the UFC top-brass. “The Eagle” took to Instagram recently to confirm that his sights are firmly set on the 155lb throne:
“This message to UFC — it is clear to everyone that you hiding Conor from me. But stop lying to your fans like I don’t want fight with Aldo, I’m ready to fight with anyone in my division. Give me relevant fight, so you won’t be able to hide the belt from me after. But not the fight, where people say after my victory: he is too small, Khabib too big for him etc”.
While there are many fights out there for the sambo-expert, not many can deny his credentials as a worthy challenger to McGregor. With the Dubliner having all but confirmed his temporary hiatus from the octagon for the foreseeable future, Nurmagomedov knows that he must remain active and solidify his status as the next man in line for a title shot. A victory against Tony Ferguson will surely stake his claim for a “red panty night”, and propel him closer to the fight which many believe is long overdue.
The following article was published on this day three years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2019, 11:24 AM]
HEADLINE: Archives: McGregor Sends Jon Jones Gift After UFC 232 Win (2019)
Author: Jon Fuentes
Jon Jones is back. “Bones” made dominant work of Alexander Gustafsson this past weekend (Sat. December 29, 2018) at UFC 232. The two main evented the pay-per-view (PPV) with their rematch from their legendary 2013 title fight. While their first fight went all five rounds, Jones finished Gustafsson in the third round via TKO in their rematch. Now, he’s once again the 205-pound champion of the world.
It looks like former “Champ Champ” Conor McGregor has offered Jones a congratulatory gift. Per Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole, “The Notorious” has sent Jones and his team a few bottles of Proper 12 Whiskey to celebrate the occasion:
“Ran into @jonnybones in the hotel lobby and he said @TheNotoriousMMA sent him and his team a bunch of Proper 12 whiskey!”
Ran into @jonnybones in the hotel lobby and he said @TheNotoriousMMA sent him and his team a bunch of Proper 12 whiskey!
This certainly might not be the best gift to offer Jones at the moment. Jones has had some issues with drugs and alcohol in the past, which have greatly affected his career inside the cage. McGregor received a lot of criticism for this on Twitter. He even responded to one fan, who called the Irishman a ban influence.
McGregor responded by saying, “I prefer the term “influential”. But McGregor soon made the decision to delete the Tweet:
After rebounding with a main event victory over a Dan Hooker in 2020, a bout awarded the Fight of the Night honours and widely considered a Fight of the Year contender, Poirier re-visited his rivalry with a certain “Notorious” Irishman in 2021.
Having leveled the score in the feud by becoming the first man to knock McGregor out at UFC 257, Poirier was seemingly in line for a shot at the vacant belt. Instead, he chose another money fight with the former two-division champion, one that ended with trilogy glory for the Louisianan.
But while most expected him to close out a spectacular year with title success, the formidable underdog presence of champion Charles Oliveira stood in his way. In the final pay-per-view main event of the year, “Do Bronx” submitted Poirier in the third round, a heartbreaking case of déjà vu for the perennial contender.
Following his latest setback, Poirier was unsurprisingly de-motivated and deflated. He even suggested he may never fight at lightweight again and claimed no potential fight excited him anymore. However, the thought of a clash with veteran fan-favorite Nate Diaz soon brought a glimpse of motivation back for the 32-year-old.
But while both parties appeared to accept the fight for early 2022, a stall in negotiations has seemingly left Poirier back in an uncertain crossroads in his career. That’s much to the confusion of Felder, who believes the Diaz fight was a no-brainer.
“It should be done (Poirier vs. Diaz). That should have written itself right then and there after Dustin lost that fight to Charles Oliveira. He needs a fun fight… He just needs to go out there against somebody and not be worried about titles, not have the pressure. Even a Conor McGregor fight I think is too much for him right now. Just go out there against another top dog, somebody who’s been around for a while, and try to get a W, and if not, go get paid, make people see it. I think he needs a light-hearted fight, not that any of them are easy, but he needs one with no title implications on the line.”
While all parties appeared to agree a fourth Poirier vs. McGregor clash is inevitable soon after UFC 264, the Irishman certainly isn’t short of other options and looks to have his sights set on Oliveira’s lightweight gold. Apart from that, potential bouts with Michael Chandler and Max Holloway also offer intriguing possibilities for McGregor’s comeback.
For Poirier, the options aren’t as clear heading into the new year. He’s previously teased a switch to welterweight, and with his potential departure from the 155-pound division, perhaps we’ll be seeing a grudge match between “The Diamond” and his former teammate Colby Covington in the near future, although that would certainly veer away from the type of fights Felder believes Poirier should be pursuing.
Do you agree with Paul Felder? Would a fourth fight against Conor McGregor be too much for Dustin Poirier at the moment?
On this day five years ago, the MMA world was eager to see a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. In this article, Ferguson discussed where things stood on his end before the fight was ultimately booked as an interim lightweight title bout at UFC 209, which Nurmagomedov had to pull out from due to weight-cutting complications.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Five Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2017, 6:13 PM]
Headline: Tony Ferguson: ‘I’ve Outperformed my UFC Contract’
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans have been clamoring for a lightweight clash between no. 1 ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov and no. 2 ranked Tony Ferguson. The negotiations hit a snag and both men played the blame game. “The Eagle” claimed Ferguson wouldn’t sign on for a March bout, while “El Cucuy” said Nurmagomedov turned down a fight for January.
Ferguson appeared on The MMA Hour and made it clear he has no love for Nurmagomedov:
“I think everybody needs to realize that the gloves are still off. I don’t like this guy [Nurmagomedov]. I think my style of fighting is so much better than his. I’m not even gonna get into numbers, but my numbers speak for themselves as far as finishing people and I’ve got nine consecutive victories. I’m just a much better fighter than this dude.”
Both men are vying for a shot at Conor McGregor’s title and feel these deserve a shot. While they both agree on wanting better contracts with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), “El Cucuy” wants it to be known that they aren’t buddies.
“I don’t talk to the guy. I’m not his best friend. We took a picture just so I could size the guy up. We’re gonna fight, that’s what it is. The things have to be right, they have to be on good terms.”
Ferguson said he was ready to compete against Nurmagomedov in January, that obviously isn’t going to happen. “El Cucuy” explained what went down.
“When he didn’t want to sign on the dotted line because he had too many boo-boos or he didn’t want to do it in my hometown, I was like whatever I’m gonna take a little break and see what’s up.”
There’s been lot of talk about Ferguson’s contract with the UFC. “El Cucuy” wants more money but UFC President Dana White wants him to honor the contract he signed “not too long ago.” Ferguson believes his work has exceeded the current terms.
“I have a contract, but I’ve outperformed that contract. I want equal terms, I want to be compensated for this particular bout. The UFC has a long history of changing a fighter’s compensation for a particular bout. We’ve just seen this for UFC 207 with Ronda. I got a phone call saying, ‘hey you made weight with jeans on’ and it wasn’t even a ceremonial weigh-in. I got an earful on it.”
Three years ago, Jon Jones defeated Alexander Gustafsson to once again become the UFC light heavyweight champion. As you’ll find out in the following article, it wasn’t all laughter and celebration for him after his victory, however. Jones did not take kindly to post-fight questions regarding past drug test issues.
The following story is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2019, 10:59 AM]
Headline: Michael Bisping Says Jon Jones Wasn’t Pleased With FOX Sports Interview
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Michael Bisping says Jon Jones wasn’t too happy with him and FOX Sports higher-ups following UFC 232.
Jones emerged victorious at UFC 232. He took on Alexander Gustafsson for the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship. “Bones” won the bout via third-round knockout. When Jones was interviewed by the FOX Sports panel, there was some tension, and “Bones” even apologized on air for being a bit fired up.
Bisping Reveals Jones’ Off-Air Rant
Bisping recently took to his “Believe You Me” podcast and claimed that Jones was none too pleased during the commercial break:
“On the weigh-in show, we had to interview Jon Jones. And of course every time we do this, we at FOX Studios obviously is a well-polished machine. It’s not like Believe You Me, everything is planned with a fine-tooth comb. It’s proper TV, so they have to know, the producers, what questions are gonna be asked. So they tell us what questions to ask, they give us on little printed out cards.
“The only thing is, I don’t care asking difficult questions. And I asked Jon Jones some questions, which apparently he didn’t like. After the fight, we interviewed him again and when we were on commercial break he was talking f*cking sh*t to whoever the powers that be were at FOX. ‘That motherf*cker Michael Bisping gonna be asking questions again with that dumb sh*t.’”
The questions Bisping asked were related to Jones’ past drug testing issues. Jones hasn’t taken too kindly to PED-related questions and even apologized to a journalist after he blasted her for one of those questions.
Do you think Jon Jones is mishandling PED-related questions, or is he right to be upset?
Cody Garbrandt is maintaining a positive mindset despite suffering a brutal loss.
Garbrandt suffered a brutal knockout loss at UFC’s final pay-per-view event of 2021, getting stopped in the first round by Kai Kara-France. Despite this, the former UFC bantamweight champion recently talked about the future of his career, proclaiming that he still has a lot to give.
“When it’s over, I say it’s over. Not the fans, not Dana, not anybody but me. When I know and I understand that I don’t have it anymore, I don’t have what it takes to push myself and train to be prepared to go out there and give my best shot to win, then I’ll be done,” said Garbrandt on his latest episode of the Rollin With The Homies podcast.
“I can honestly say that, and I have a good support system around me that’ll be like, ‘Look, let’s look at something else.’ But that’s so far down the road. I’m 30 years old, I still have a lot left in the tank to do. We’ll make the corrections, we’ll figure it out.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
Garbrandt Struggling Since Title Reign
Garbrandt’s recent loss at UFC 269 continued a long streak of unfortunate results. The former UFC bantamweight champion has only won once in his past five appearances. His sole victory since dropping his belt was an emphatic win in 2020, scoring a walk-off knockout against Raphael Assuncao.
Garbrandt was making his debut at the flyweight class just last month. He made weight for his fight and is still open to competing at that weight class again.
His recent success is in great contrast to earlier years in his career. Garbrandt became a UFC champ in 2017, putting together a stellar performance against Dominick Cruz to take the 135-pound belt.
Garbrandt was undefeated at the time, boasting 11 pro wins when heading into his first title fight.
Jake Paul and Dana White have entered the new year by picking up their feud right where it left off in 2021.
Days ago, Dana White made Jake Paul the following proposal: He would agree to get randomly tested for cocaine over the next 10 years if Paul agreed to get randomly tested for steroids over the next two years. This came after White shot down Paul’s request to box Jorge Masvidal or other UFC-contracted fighters such as Nate Diaz and Kamaru Usman.
As expected, Paul released a response to Dana White as he always does when White mentions his name. Paul expressed that he is not only willing to be drug tested, but he is attempting to resolve the fighter pay issue he’s been advocating for over the past year.
You can view Paul’s counterproposal below.
Happy new year @danawhite. Here is a real challenge for you…
I will immediately retire from boxing and fight Jorge Masvidal in the UFC if you agree to: pic.twitter.com/bJScDVITvL
Paul requested that the minimum pay per fight gets increased to $50,000, that fighters receive 50% of annual revenues, and that fighters receive long-term health care after retirement.
Paul went on to provide a deadline of five days for Dana White to accept his proposal and that the above conditions must be implemented by March 31, 2022, at which point Paul would retire from boxing, enter USADA, and fight Jorge Masvidal in the UFC. Paul then closed by encouraging UFC fighters to stand up for themselves to make a change in the UFC fighter pay structure.
Dana White & Jake Paul Accuse One Another Of Challenge Dodging
After Paul’s challenge was posted, Dana White released the following video response.
“Jake, you never responded to the challenge. You publicly stated that I use cocaine. I do not. So I told you you could randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years. I believe that you’re a cheater, and I believe that you use steroids. So I want to randomly steroid test you for the next two years.
“And that thing that you came out with today, nobody on Earth thinks that you really wrote that. You’re too stupid. And for those of you that don’t know, if you’ve ever watched one of his fights and you see when they do the staredown, the guy that’s standing in the middle with the warlock nose and the big warlock wart on his face— apparently, that’s his manager. And that guy used to be an accountant for me. And let’s just say this: He no longer works for me, and I think he’s a scumbag.
“But if you two think that you can do it better than we do, we’re doing this whole thing wrong, you can treat the fighters better than we do, knock yourself out. Go start your own business. It’s easy to do. Get the warlock on it! The warlock can get it started for ya.
“What you and the warlock should be focused on is your business. You’re tanking. You can’t sell pay-per-views. Yeah, you’re calling out Jorge Masvidal ’cause he’s a pay-per-view superstar…Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, Mike Tyson: These are all superstars. You’re not. You can’t sell pay-per-views. So you do whatever the hell you want to do. I’m ready to roll, buddy. I don’t use cocaine. Do you use steroids? Let’s do this, Jake.”
Early Sunday morning, Jake Paul would release the following video in response, where he also accused White of dodging the challenge put forth.
In sum, Jake Paul continued to double down on Dana White’s alleged cocaine use while roasting him in general, he expressed that his willingness to be USADA tested as part of his proposal covers White’s steroid-test challenge, and he denied using steroids. Paul also continued to criticize White for his treatment of fighters and claimed to be a bigger draw than Jorge Masvidal, using his mother’s Instagram activity compared to Masvidal’s as an example.
All in all, it appears we are at an impasse. It doesn’t appear as though Paul would like to be drug tested unless White meets his terms in restructuring the UFC’s business model as it specifically pertains to the treatment and pay of its fighters. Meanwhile, White says Paul should start his own fight business if he believes he can do it better and is calling on the YouTuber to stop avoiding his original proposal.
Ironically, White has claimed that Paul already wanted to sign with the UFC in the past but was rejected. That further supports the likelihood that the only interactions that will be done between White and Paul will be on social media and in the media as a whole.
Should there be any additional responses from Paul or White, we’ll be sure to bring you the dirt right here on MMANews.com.
What do you make of Jake Paul’s proposal to Dana White?
UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Peña knew what she was signing up for when she agreed to battle Amanda Nunes at UFC 269.
Nunes was expected by many to run through Peña in their matchup. Instead, the fiery Peña proved to be a game opponent in the opening minutes and came out with a barrage of punches in Round 2.
After exhausting Nunes, Peña secured a hard takedown and sunk in the rear-naked choke for the victory. It was arguably the biggest upset in UFC history.
Nunes didn’t look like her usually dominant self in the eyes of many. She looked sluggish and fatigued after just minutes of action in the Octagon.
During a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia, Peña said she wasn’t surprised by what Nunes brought to the cage and believes Nunes’ place in MMA history is secure in spite of her UFC 269 loss.
“Honestly, that’s the hardest I’ve ever been hit, and those leg kicks really hurt me,” Peña said. “A lot of her shots were very powerful, they were the strongest that I have ever felt. She is the GOAT for a reason, and she is considered and still will always be considered the greatest of all time, so I literally took those shots, and I thought, ‘Holy cow, I just got hit by a Mack Truck.’ I knew, though, that I had to weather the storm in order to keep the grind on her and to get the win. So I wasn’t deterred at all by the power that I felt.”
Julianna Peña, Amanda Nunes Could Be On Track To Battle Again
Amanda Nunes, Julianna Pena, Image Credit: Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
However, Nunes has hinted at taking some time off, and it’s unclear as to when we’ll see these two square off once again. Things took a heated turn after the fight when Peña claimed the title of the UFC’s first “mom champ,” much to the chagrin of Nunes and others.
After one of the most remarkable moments in modern MMA history, the Peña/Nunes rivalry appears to just be getting started.
What is your early prediction for an Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Peña rematch?
Ciryl Gane has never allowed himself to be affected by racism.
Ciryl Gane is something of a renaissance man. He is a superb technical fighter and interim UFC champion only three years into his professional career; he has gone on record in stating he is a terrific basketball player and soccer player who was recruited by scouts as a potential professional; and as it turns out, “Bon Gamin” is also something of an intellectual.
In a recent appearance on Clique TV, Gane was asked directly if he had experienced racism. You can find his response in the video clip below.
Don't let yourself get angered by people and things that are not worth it.
In the video, Gane states that he has experienced racism, but he never lets it affect him because it is merely a form of foolishness. Furthermore, he has had no desire to become violent when faced with racism due to violence serving no purpose against such foolishness.
Indeed, racism is a mindless, immortal beast that is born from foolishness and can be found anywhere. In fact, at the most recent UFC event, welterweight Belal Muhammad spoke about an experience with a racist fan during his UFC Vegas 45 bout against Stephen Thompson.
Instead of worrying about fools from the past or any others that may emerge in the future, Gane has more meaningful issues to concern his wits with and certainly more significant matters to fight about. He will do just that when he faces UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a few weeks at UFC 270 live on pay-per-view.
Do you think Ciryl Gane’s response to racism is something others should look to follow?
McGregor is currently expected to return this year following leg surgery, but that may not be until sometime in the summer. That leaves Chandler with a wide potential gap between opponents, with his most recent fight being the November classic against Justin Gaethje at UFC 268.
However, according to Tony Ferguson, Chandler has already agreed to fight against him. So when Chandler once again began lobbying on social media for a fight against McGregor in McGregor’s return, Ferguson decided to interject.
There’s My Bitch!!! @MikeChandlerMMA The Brass @danawhite@ufc Relayed Your Message Saying You Would Be Ready For Me April/June. Looks Like Your Trying To Delay That Ass-Whoopin’ I Owe Ya For Cutting In Line Kid- It’s Wrestling Season MF, Man Up- Champ pic.twitter.com/Er26dEMDx6
“There’s My Bitch!!! @MikeChandlerMMA The Brass @danawhite@ufc Relayed Your Message Saying You Would Be Ready For Me April/June. Looks Like Your Trying To Delay That Ass-Whoopin’ I Owe Ya For Cutting In Line Kid- It’s Wrestling Season MF, Man Up- Champ,” Ferguson wrote.
Chandler would then issue the following response soon after.
Oh Tony. There’s only a handful of guys in this game I truly respect…you’re one of them. Only because of your tenure, not your stature or your current presence in the division. I’ll beat you from bell to bell. Pray for a merciful ref. We shall see if this fight happens.
“Oh Tony. There’s only a handful of guys in this game I truly respect…you’re one of them. Only because of your tenure, not your stature or your current presence in the division. I’ll beat you from bell to bell. Pray for a merciful ref. We shall see if this fight happens.”
Why Ferguson vs. Chandler Next Makes Sense
Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler
Last month, Ferguson claimed that he had received the El Cucuy signal, thus hinting that his next opponent had been determined. Now, it looks as though Ferguson may have been referring to Michael Chandler.
This bout would come with a backstory, as it was Ferguson who famously coined the phrase “Dana White Privilege” in reference to Chandler “skipping the line” to a title shot due to being in White’s good graces. Chandler would go on to lose that title fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 262.
Both fighters are currently on skids, with Chandler dropping two straight and Ferguson losing three in a row. Between that fact and their placement in the lightweight rankings being only two spots apart, there is certainly some logic behind the potential fight.
MMA News will keep you updated on if there is any legitimacy to this fight pairing and, if so, when and where it will take place.
Would you be interested in seeing Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson in 2022?
It’s now been one decade since Brock Lesnar retired in the Octagon after losing to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141.
In a rare UFC pay-per-view main event that did not feature a world title on the line, Brock Lesnar made his return after a long struggle with diverticulitis to face Alistair Overeem in The Reem’s promotional debut. After a perfectly placed liver kick, Lesnar crumbled to the canvas, and Overeem was quick to follow up with some strikes to complete the academic ending.
After the fight, a fan in attendance captured Lesnar’s Octagon interview in which he vowed not to fight again.
With rumors swirling following Brock Lesnar’s retirement at UFC 141 that he would likely make a return to the WWE at some point in 2012, it wasn’t shocking that UFC President Dana White was questioned about where Lesnar stood with the company following the announcement.
“When you retire, he retires under contract. I have no idea (how long the contract is). Listen, I’ve had my moments with Brock Lesnar but I’ve had a great relationship with him and we’ll figure it out, no big deal. Never had a situation with a guy where we haven’t done the right thing,” White said.
Lesnar would indeed return to the WWE in April of 2012 and has competed in the WWE off and on over the past 10 years, mostly working as a part-time performer during this span.
He also would compete in the Octagon after all at UFC 200. Lesnar defeated Mark Hunt via unanimous decision, but that win was overturned to a no-contest after Lesnar tested positive for clomiphene.
There were talks of Lesnar potentially returning to fight Daniel Cormier following a UFC 226 post-fight altercation, but Lesnar would instead remain with the WWE and retire from MMA again in 2019.
The embedded video is posted under the protection of Fair Use for the purpose of news reporting and analysis. The copyright owner may contact us to have it removed.
UFC lightweight Beneil Dariush has revealed he wanted to stay active and fight a low-ranked opponent this month rather than wait for a top contender in 2022.
Dariush is currently sitting at #3 in the 155-pound rankings. Having gone 0-2-1 between 2017 and 2018 thanks to losses at the hands of Edson Barboza and Alexander Hernandez, not many would have expected to see the Iranian-born American entering the top five just three years later.
To do so, Dariush had to build an impressive seven-fight winning streak that includes victories over Thiago Moisés, Drew Dober, Diego Ferreira, and Tony Ferguson. After dominating “El Cucuy,” the 32-year-old entered contention and, in the eyes of many, earned a title shot.
With Justin Gaethje seemingly waiting in the wings for the victor next year, Dariush will need to add another name to his résumé to book an opportunity for the belt. He’ll have the chance to do just that on February 26 when he headlines a UFC Fight Night with surging Dagestani Islam Makhachev.
Ohhhh yes. Beneil Dariush (@beneildariush) vs. Islam Makhachev (@MAKHACHEVMMA). Seven fight win streak vs. Nine fight win streak. Five-round main event, UFC Fight Night on Feb. 27, per sources. Big one. pic.twitter.com/xETKmx8l27
Dariush’s first walk to the Octagon in 2022 will mark his return after just over nine months away from the cage. After his triumph at UFC 262, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt was left high up in a lightweight landscape that didn’t seem to have a place for him at the time.
Speaking to ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, Dariush described his frustration at struggling to find an opponent for the end of 2021 and said he’d always planned on fitting a third appearance into this calendar year.
“It was actually not ideal for me. I was hoping to fight this December. And man, being top five, I didn’t realize how much drama there is, man, what a drama show, dude. So, I told Ali (Abdelaziz) I wanna fight December.”
Dariush also revealed that he’d originally been offered a fight against Makhachev after the 30-year-old’s main event win in July. The UFC wanted to book the pair for a meeting at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi. With Dariush not ready and the UFC unwilling to keep the matchup together for December, the #3-ranked contender was left without an opponent.
With that in mind, Dariush says he was more than happy to lower his sights to a top-10 or even a top-15 opponent for this month. That request, however, was not approved by his manager Ali Abdelaziz.
“I was still expecting to fight in December. So I’m talking to Ali and Ali’s like, ‘Yeah, we’ll see, we’ll see.’ I mentioned to him like, ‘What if we fight someone top 10 or top 15?’ And he like, freaked out. He’s like, ‘You fire me if you’re gonna do this, like, get outta here.’ And then my wife overhead and she started freaking out and then my coaches (as well)… It’s so much drama. It’s no joke.”
Six years ago today, we covered Joe Rogan breaking down what would be needed in order for Ronda Rousey to defeat Holly Holm after her lopsided loss at UFC 193. Once a believer that Rousey could defeat half of the men’s bantamweight roster and Floyd Mayweather, after witnessing “Rowdy’s” first MMA loss, Rogan’s tone shifted.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On this day six years ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 1, 2016, 9:45 AM]
Headline: Joe Rogan Says Rousey Needs “Massive Overhaul” If She Wants To Beat Holm In Rematch
Author: Matt Boone
While there is still a lot of talk about the fight after the fact, it is UFC commentator Joe Rogan who continues to be the most vocal about the potential rematch between Ronda Rousey and UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm.
Rogan recently spoke with BloodyElbow.com and said Rousey needs to replace Edmond Tarverdyan.
“Ronda’s got to go to a camp that has the full arsenal,” Rogan told Stephie Haynes of Bloody Elbow. “She’s got to go to a Firas Zahabi or a Matt Hume, or someone like that, in my opinion. If I was talking to her, that’s what I would tell her. I’d say, ‘You can’t just train with a judo coach and Edmond holds the pads for you.’
“Edmond has definitely done some great things for her boxing technique, that can’t be denied. Her combinations when she hits the pads are very impressive, but there are other elements that come with striking. It’s not just about throwing your hands and having the technique look good.”
Rogan elaborated, explaining why he feels Rousey needs a “massive overhaul” if she wants to have a chance at winning her title back from the former multiple-time women’s boxing champion.
“I think she needs someone who will objectively assess her game as an outsider, not someone like Edmond, who trained her from the beginning with mitts; she needs someone else, as well. She needs someone who is going to be able to look at the big picture of her overall MMA game, and then rebuild.
“She’s gonna need a massive overhaul. When we talk about MMA being high level problem solving, Holly Holm solved the problem. She had all the answers and she got a f*cking A+.”
Rogan, who juggles a stand-up comedy career with his UFC announcing duties, knows what it takes to make it in both worlds. The biggest factor that allows him to be both a celebrity and fight announcer is the fact that he doesn’t have three or four month camps and an insane amount of media obligations for his UFC announcing gigs. It is this reason why Rogan insists “Rowdy” Ronda needs to decide whether she wants to be a “gigantic celebrity” or “the best fighter on the planet.”
“The other advice to Ronda Rousey is you’ve got to figure out what you want to do. Do you want to be a gigantic celebrity or do you want to be the best fighter on the planet? Because if you want to be the best fighter on the planet, you have to pursue that only. I think with this movie bullshit, she could pull it off with some of the girls with all these distractions and all this nonsense, but I don’t think they allow her the amount of resources–mental, physical, everything…all of the above–that she’s going to need at her disposal to be the very best that she can be.
“You don’t want to be good enough, you want to be the best that you can be. I don’t think she was the best that she could be. In my eyes, she was not properly prepared for that fight, whether physically or technically.”
Following his entry into the bantamweight rankings, Sean O’Malley has his sights set on fights against a number of UFC legends across the next few years.
O’Malley closed out a perfect 2021 with his third finish in as many pay-per-view fights on the year. The 27-year-old’s impressive year began with a rebound win against once highly-touted Brazilian Thomas Almeida at UFC 260, which followed his first loss in MMA against Marlon Vera in 2020.
Setting himself back on a winning streak, O’Malley succeeded his Almeida triumph with a record-breaking striking performance against promotional newcomer Kris Moutinho at UFC 264. That TKO victory saw O’Malley matched up with the formerly-ranked Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
In the aftermath of his victory in the UFC 269 main card opener, O’Malley has kept his cards close to his chest in regards to who he’d like to face next. He followed the same attitude during a recent appearance on My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox.
The Montana native said he hopes to return to the Octagon in April or May at the latest, but the ‘who’ aspect of that scenario isn’t on his mind right now.
“As far as who’s next, I don’t know, dude. I’m excited right now, to not have a date or an opponent in mind… Right now, I’m not even gonna talk to the UFC about who’s next or what’s next… I’m gonna fight who they offer me, just like they have been… I’d say latest April, maybe May (for my next fight). As far as who, I don’t really care right now. Whoever it is, everyone’s gonna watch.”
Despite not divulging into talk of his immediate future, O’Malley did line up some legends he’s expecting to face within the next couple of years. They include arguably the featherweight GOAT, two former bantamweight champions, and the current interim 135-pound titleholder.
“Aldo would be a trip dude. That would be wild. I really think my path’s gonna cross with [José] Aldo, Dominick Cruz, Petr Yan, TJ Dillashaw; like, all these legends, I’m gonna fight one day. It just depends on, you know, they don’t have a ton more years left. I still got a long time left, so if I do wanna fight those guys, it’s gonna have to be within the next couple years. So yeah, I can see all those big matchups happening.”
To face those names, O’Malley will have to make a surge for the top 10 in his next outing. Whoever it’s against, “Sugar” can be sure people will watch, especially given the interest his clashes with unranked names had in 2021.
Which top-10 bantamweights would you like to see Sean O’Malley face in the near future?
Five years ago today, we ran a story about then-champions Michael Bisping and Tyron Woodley agreeing to fight one another. Unfortunately, that day never came.
Today, Bisping is happily retired and competed for the last time in November 2017 in a loss to Kelvin Gastelum. Woodley is no longer in the UFC and has lost back-to-back boxing matchups to Jake Paul, including a devastating knockout that occurred last month.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 1, 2017, 10:37 PM]
Headline: Michael Bisping & Tyron Woodley Want Catchweight Bout
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOvGaFWhRNL/
Fight fans may soon have a mega bout to look forward to, though it may not be what they were expecting. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title holders Michael Bisping and Tyron Woodley may be going toe-to-toe down the road.
Bisping holds the middleweight strap, while Woodley is the welterweight ruler. The two happen to be colleagues for the UFC panel on FOX Sports. The next likely challenger for “The Count” is Yoel Romero, while “The Chosen One” will probably have another date with Stephen Thompson.
Neither bout has been signed and Woodley has made it a point to try to get fights that will draw big money. He’s called out Nick Diaz, Georges St. Pierre, and has ruffled feathers with lightweight king Conor McGregor.
“The Count” is no stranger to big fights himself. Bisping has traded leather with the likes of Anderson Silva, Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, and of course Luke Rockhold. Could “T-Wood” be next?
On his Instagram account, Bisping shared a conversation he and Woodley had backstage at UFC 207. The two were talking about a potential fight at 180 pounds. Bisping said he currently weighs more than “little guy” Woodley.
While one may assume the video was all in good fun or a troll post, Woodley said, “I’m a hundred percent serious, dead ass.” The two shook hands at the end of the video and agreed to a May date. They also agreed to not put their titles on the line.
Woodley’s last bout was a majority draw against “Wonderboy” at UFC 205 in New York City. “The Chosen One” retained his title and while the fight was a draw, it was clear he did the most damage. Bisping’s last fight was a war with Dan Henderson. The middleweight champ survived two knockdowns to keep his gold and remain unbeaten on UK soil.
UFC welterweight Colby Covington has taken aim at fan-favorite siblings Nick and Nate Diaz, branding himself the real “west coast gangster” over the Stockton natives.
Despite entering the UFC way back in 2014, Covington is yet to cross paths with either Diaz brother. However, that hasn’t stopped him from frequently insulting both men during interviews and interactions. That didn’t change when “Chaos” spoke exclusively to MMA News.
Nate currently has just one fight left on his UFC contract. After defeat at the hands of top-five contender Leon Edwards in his last outing, it appeared the Stockton star was on a collision course with surging Brazilian Vicente Luque. “The Silent Assassin” has consistently called Diaz out across the past year, and he was finally met with a response following his first-round submission victory over Michael Chiesa in August.
However, with Diaz citing negotiation issues, that matchup looks to be off the radar for now. But Diaz is certainly not out of options, and Covington made it known he’d even be interested in facing the unranked fan favorite.
“Chaos” told MMA News he’d “annihilate” Nate and send him packing out of the UFC. For that reason, Covington doesn’t believe Nate would accept him as the opponent for his final contracted fight. The 33-year-old suggested neither Nick or Nate would accept a clash against their “daddy.”
“Yeah, it interests me. But I’m not gonna waste my breath or get my hopes up that that fight is gonna happen,” Covington said. “They’re never gonna fight me. Those guys, they know who daddy is. They know who runs the west coast. I was born in Sacramento, grew up in Oregon my whole life. I’m the only west coast gangster out of those three names. They’re Stockton soy boys. I’m raw American steel-twisted sex appeal.
“I don’t think Nate’s gonna fight, I don’t know what they’re gonna do with him. He’s only got one fight on his contract. Of course, he’s not gonna accept me on the last fight of his contract, I’ll annihilate that guy, I’ll leave him for, literally, dead, he’ll have nothing left in the tank. I know he wants to get out of his UFC contract so he can go make some money elsewhere. No chance any of those guys are fighting me.”
Covington Believes Nick Diaz Is “Completely Washed Up”
The topic then diverted to the older Diaz brother. Nick recently arrived back on the MMA scene with a highly-anticipated return to the Octagon at UFC 266. Prior to the September pay-per-view, the 38-year-old hadn’t been in action since a 2015 bout with the great Anderson Silva.
Discussing the result, Covington told MMA News that Diaz’s return went exactly as he’d expected. According to the #1-ranked welterweight, the veteran doesn’t have the discipline or commitment to make a successful comeback to the sport.
“Exactly what I expected, James. I heard the rumors, the guy’s not disciplined, man. Nick Diaz has no discipline. He was a good fighter at one point in his career, at one point in time; he wasn’t a great fighter, he was a good fighter, he was a brawler, he was in there, he would stay in there, but the guy let himself go, James. He’s in Vegas every week, partying, doing drugs, drinking heavy alcohol, just fucking losing control of his life, man.
“I knew what was going to happen. I knew he was gonna get knocked out by Robbie and that’s what happened. Look at his gut, dude. He looks so out of shape, man. That’s a retirement body, that’s a dad bod, and he should definitely just hang it up. He has a pretty good legacy, it’s average, but I don’t wanna see that guy get hurt… He couldn’t even go three rounds. They went to the third round and he literally just took a knee. He was done. He had nothing left. He came out there and threw everything he had at Robbie, all that weak shit he was throwing. There’s nothing behind those punches.”
Ultimately, Covington thinks UFC 266 signaled the end of Nick’s in-Octagon career, a sentiment shared by many in the combat sports community.
“It’s sad to see, man…. He was a talent, but talent can only go so far. You gotta work hard every single day, you gotta stay committed to the grind. You can’t cheat the grind, there’s no cutting corners in this sport… That guy’s completely washed up. His career is absolutely done, and I don’t think we should ever be talking about Nick Diaz ever again.”
But while Nick is potentially at the end of the road in the sport, Nate will throw down in the UFC cage at least one more time. Given his ongoing toughness and competitive abilities, which saw him nearly knock out the consensus #1 contender Edwards in June, it seems unlikely Nate’s active career will come to an end if he chooses to depart MMA’s biggest stage.
While the 36-year-old’s potential last Octagon dance is unlikely to come against Covington, it appears the former interim titleholder won’t be hanging up the phone if Dana White and the UFC come calling.
How do you think a fight between Colby Covington and Nate Diaz would play out?
