MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Colby Covington Wants BMF Title Fight Against Jorge Masvidal In Miami

    Colby Covington has made it known he wants Jorge Masvidal next.

    Ever since Covington lost to Kamaru Usman at UFC 268 he called out Masvidal for his next fight and he even told “Gamebred” to pull out of his scheduled UFC 269 scrap against Leon Edwards. Of course, Masvidal did end up having to pull out, and now Covington wants to face Masvidal for the BMF belt in Miami.

    “Put that fuckin’ wack-ass BMF belt back on the fuckin’ line. Everybody knows who the real baddest motherfucker in this sport is,” Covington said to Submission Radio. “It’s Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington. Bring that fuckin’ belt out and lets fuckin’ do this shit: do The Ultimate Fighter whatever, tape for four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, and run this fight in Miami. It makes sense. 

    Colby Covington
    Colby Covington

    “Let’s go to American Airlines Arena. We could sell out that arena in seconds. And if we don’t go to American Airlines, we can go right up the street to BB&T Center, which is 30 minutes up the street. I’ll beat his ass in both arenas,” Covington continued. “We’ll go beat BB&T Center, go up to Broward County; then, go down to Miami-Dade County and beat his ass in American Airlines Arena. Fuckin’ little bitch Jorge.”

    Of course, both Covington and Masvidal live in Miami so having their grudge match in Miami makes a ton of sense. As “Chaos” says, the arena would almost surely sell out, and it would be a massive fight not just in the area but around the world and would likely sell a ton on pay-per-view.

    Whether or not a Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal grudge match is next is uncertain. Masvidal just recently came out and said none of the welterweights are signing the contract. However, if this deal gets done, it would be a highly-anticipated fight and the lead-up would be intense to say the very least.

    Do you think we see Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal next?

  • Manel Kape Says Foot Pedicures Helped Him Improve His Fighting

    UFC flyweight Manel Kape claims foot pedicures have caused big improvements in how he fights recently.

    The former RIZIN Bantamweight Champion had a rough start to his UFC run, dropping two bouts in early 2021. However, he has since made a name for himself and become ranked at flyweight with two finish wins.

    Kape claims getting pedicures has helped him get a grip on the UFC Octagon canvas, giving him a “good base” to land punches.

    “The problem is the skin [on my feet] is dead. The skin is very dead. They take all the skin [that’s] dead from my feet so my feet can stay fixed very well on the floor and don’t slide,” said Kape on Episode 352 of The MMA Road Show With John Morgan. “If you see other fights, even in Japan … I’m like in an [ice] rink.”

    After Rough Start, Kape Finished 2021 Strong

    Manel Kape
    Manel Kape (Photo: RIZIN FF)

    It’s clear that Kape’s improvements, which he partly attributes to pedicures, have been evident in the cage. Kape had initially struggled in the UFC, losing two consecutive bouts to start the year.

    Kape made his UFC debut in February, losing a unanimous decision to Alexandre Pantoja. He returned just a month later, dropping a razor-thin split decision to Matheus Nicolau.

    The Kape that many recognized from his RIZIN days has come out more recently. He has picked up two consecutive first-round finish wins since August. His first was a highlight-reel flying knee win over Ode Osbourne at UFC 265.

    Manel Kape stuns Ode' Osbourne with impressive flying knee - ESPN Video
    Manel Kape Flying Knee

    Kape most recently appeared earlier this month, putting away Zhalgas Zhumagulov with punches on December 4.

    The #14-ranked flyweight hopes he can earn a title fight after scoring two more wins in the promotion. Now training in Las Vegas, Nevada, the “Starboy” hopes the future will be bright.

    Do you think Manel Kape’s recent improvements will lead him to a title shot someday?

  • Derek Brunson Welcomes Charles Oliveira Into A Sacred Club

    Derek Brunson has welcomed UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira to join him in celebrating a successful 2021 for “the culture.”

    The culture that Brunson is referring to is that of blonde excellence. Since making the career-altering change to his hair color, Derek Brunson underwent a transformation: from overlooked gatekeeper into the seemingly unbeatable Blonde Brunson.

    Derek Brunson's tweet - "Built different ❗️❗️❗️ @HenryCejudo & @giga_chikadze here's some help with the Blonde Brunson flex , your one freebie! ???? " - Trendsmap
    Blonde Brunson

    Blonde Brunson made his UFC debut last year when he derailed the hype train of Edmen Shahbazyan with a TKO victory. Shahbazyan hasn’t quite been the same since, and neither has the MMA world after the arrival of Blonde Brunson.

    In 2021, Blonde Brunson has remained undefeated. First, he was able to silence “Big Mouth” Kevin Holland with a one-sided victory in March. He then outdid himself in his second consecutive main event by defeating Darren Till via rear-naked choke in the third round of another dominant performance in September.

    Blonde Brunson will enter 2022 looking to remain undefeated. But before he rings in the new year, Brunson took a moment to share his spotlight with a blonde brother from another mother, UFC lightweight champion Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXy3hDDrN6A/

    “One time for the culture . The culture went 4-0 in 2021 #undefeated #BlondeBrunson #BlondeCharles” Brunson posted on Instagram.

    Brunson also offered congratulations to Oliveira directly, who gladly accepted his membership into this sacred club. The lightweight champ even sealed this blonde alliance with a virtual fist bump.

    Image

    Charles Oliveira did not have a shabby 2021 run himself by any means. As Brunson referenced, Oliveira also went 2-0 this year. He first captured the UFC lightweight championship at UFC 262 by defeating Michael Chandler via TKO in a vacant title bout. He then followed that up by defeating Dustin Poirier in the UFC’s final pay-per-view bout of the year to retain the title at UFC 269.

    Now that Blonde Brunson has welcomed Oliveira into the blonde family this Christmas season, Brunson will now look to enter a sacred group that Oliveira is already in: the UFC champion’s club.

    To do so, he first must get past Jared Cannonier at UFC 271 on February 12 to remain undefeated and draw one step closer to capturing his own world championship—for the culture.

  • Derrick Lewis Feels Recent Win Didn’t ‘Erase’ Loss To Ciryl Gane

    Derrick Lewis hasn’t stopped thinking about his loss to Ciryl Gane just yet.

    Despite a highly successful first-round stoppage win against Chris Daukaus in the main event of UFC Vegas 45, Lewis hasn’t put his recent defeat to Gane in the past.

    Lewis returned to the win column on Saturday with his win over Daukaus. Before then, he was finished in an interim UFC heavyweight championship bout against Gane at UFC 265. The fight over the summer was a hard loss for Lewis, as he was nearly shut out by Gane before getting stopped in the third round.

    Lewis was asked if his recent win “erased” his title-fight loss during Saturday’s post-fight press conference. In response, Lewis mentioned the location of the fight as an important factor.

    “I think it really didn’t erase anything because I prefer to get the win in Houston than get the win in the APEX. So it didn’t erase anything. I’m still [gonna] be thinking about it at night.”

    What’s Next For Lewis?

    Derrick Lewis
    Derrick Lewis, Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

    If Lewis wants to pick up a win in front of his home state of Texas, he might be able to do so early next year. UFC is currently planning on hosting an event (UFC 271) on February 12th from Houston. When asked if he would want to get on that card, he said he would take a fight if it is only three rounds.

    The win on Saturday night put Lewis back on the right track. The win showed his ability to stop the fast-rising momentum of Daukaus, becoming the first man to beat him in a UFC fight through five bouts.

    Lewis has now won four of his last five bouts. This includes a notable upset victory over Curtis Blaydes from the start of this year.

    What do you think is next for Derrick Lewis?

  • Sean O’Malley Names The Only UFC Fighter Everyone Loves

    While Sean O’Malley may split opinion among the combat sports community, “Sugar” believes there’s one UFC fighter who certainly does the opposite.

    O’Malley’s rise to stardom has been relatively rapid. That’s immediately one reason why a portion of fans dislike the charismatic rising bantamweight. That, coupled with his confident and outgoing personality, means many actively root against the 27-year-old. That was no different when he returned to action earlier this month at UFC 269.

    Having rebounded from his first professional MMA loss with back-to-back third-round finishes against Thomas Almeida and Kris Moutinho earlier this year, the Montana native hoped to make it three from three inside a sold-out T-Mobile Arena at the year’s final pay-per-view. In the main card opener, he did just that, brutally knocking Raulian Paiva out before the close of the opening round.

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

    O’Malley Says Everyone Loves A Bit Of “Bam Bam”

    Video: Tai Tuivasa does a shoey spiked with Dustin Poirier's hot sauce - MMAmania.com
    Tai Tuivasa

    Having been content facing unranked opposition, “Sugar” will seemingly receive the pay bump he’s been after in the near future and be up against top opposition in 2022. But despite continuing his rise and easily dispatching of Paiva, who many thought would give him trouble, O’Malley certainly still has his fair share of doubters in the community.

    According to the 27-year-old, that’s a good thing. During the UFC 269 post-fight press conference, O’Malley was asked whether it frustrates him when fans and pundits pick little things to criticize him about. In his mind, he wouldn’t be the star he is without being disliked by a large portion of the UFC fanbase. He suggested there’s only one man truly loved by everyone, and that’s Tai Tuivasa.

    “That means I’m doing it right. If everyone just loved me, then I probably wouldn’t be as big as I am. I think there’s only probably one person that everyone loves and that’s Tai Tuivasa. I think he’s the only one. How could you not like that guy? But for me, I could see how people don’t like me. But I guarantee they watched me tonight. I guarantee they did not turn the TV, they didn’t get up to go to the bathroom, they probably weren’t even eating or drinking. I bet they were locked into that TV when I was fighting.”

    Like O’Malley, Tuivasa was also in action at UFC 269. If fans didn’t go for a toilet break during the O’Malley vs. Paiva clash, hopefully, they didn’t do it for the Tuivasa vs. Sakai fight earlier in the night.

    If they did, they’d have missed a combination of “Barbie Girl” by Aqua, a brutal knockout, and multiple shoeys…

    Whether it’s the combination of vicious KO power and hilarious ’90’s pop walkouts, or the combination of in-Octagon performance and post-fight shoeys, or all three combined, fans love Tuivasa and the energy and entertainment he brings on fight night.

    But as well as being as loved as O’Malley says, “Bam Bam” is also a fast-rising heavyweight with time on his side. At just 28, the Australian has already established himself just outside the top 10 and is riding a four-fight win streak following triumphs over Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy, and Sakai.

    We’ve certainly got many more years of KO’s and cheesy walkout songs in front of us.

    Do you agree with Sean O’Malley? Is Tai Tuivasa the one fighter universally loved?

  • Oliveira Calls Gaethje Phony After Backstage Run-In, Gaethje Responds

    Charles Oliveira would have liked Justin Gaethje to keep the same trash-talking energy when the two came face to face backstage at UFC 269.

    Heading into UFC 269, Gaethje did not like Oliveira’s chances in his UFC 269 title defense against Dustin Poirier. Frankly put, he believed Oliveira was someone who had “too much quit in him” to be recognized as champion until he proved him wrong by beating a dog like Poirier.

    And that he did.

    Charles Oliveira
    © Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

    Charles Oliveira surprised quite a few people with his impressive performance at UFC 269, not just because he won, but the way he did it: toughness, resilience, and yes, a refusal to quit.

    Following the fight, Gaethje had no problem walking back his words in light of the new evidence he had just been presented with. He admitted that the Oliveira he saw in that Octagon was, in fact, a true competitor with championship resolve. He even had the opportunity to share that respect with the champion backstage.

    Oliveira was courteous and receptive to Gaethje’s gesture, but apparently, he was wondering inside his head who this man was and what he did to the trash-talking American leading into the event.

    To further confuse the champion, he says Gaethje’s remarks after their run-in switched up yet again, solidifying his view that Gaethje is duplicitous.

    “The guy is talking a bunch of crap the entire time, and when we meet face-to-face he says he has all the respect for me and what I do — and two minutes later he’s saying he’ll break my face and saying a bunch of stuff,” Oliveira told MMA Fighting.

    “These guys hype things up and try to sell the fight with something they are not. If you’re a humble guy, if you’re a respectful guy, you have to sell the fight that way. If you’re a guy that talks crap, you have to sell the fight talking crap the entire time — to my face and behind my back.”

    Justin Gaethje Responds To Oliveira’s Remarks

    Shortly after Oliveira’s remarks became public, Justin Gaethje took to Twitter to offer the following response:

    “@CharlesDoBronxs it’s called respect you fool and we are in the breaking faces business. My respect that night was just as real as my intention to take everything from you in your country @ufc#uhvaimorrer“

    The closing hashtag of the above tweet translates to “You’re going to die” in Portuguese, a chant commonly associated with Brazilian fans towards foreign fighters.

    In 2022, these two lightweights will have an opportunity to settle their differences and most likely exchange some very real respect between one another afterward. Dana White has confirmed that Gaethje is next up for a title shot. And even though Oliveira has openly stated he’d rather be fighting Conor McGregor, he also says he will not stand in the way of the Gaethje matchup the UFC currently has planned.

    What do you make of this exchange between Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje?

  • Darren Till Loves Covington’s ‘Act’ Because It ‘Upsets So Many People’

    While many do not like the schtick of Colby Covington, Darren Till does not feel the same.

    Till is known for having an off-kilter sense of humor, which has gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion. Covington is not too dissimilar to that, with his outlandish behavior dividing MMA fans around the world, leaving some to criticize his comments and others embracing the schtick.

    Speaking on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, Till explained that he fell into the latter category, enjoying the way Covington acts. Although, it is not just because he finds it funny. He also enjoys the way that the top welterweight contender is able to get under people’s skins and offend them in ways that he aspires to himself.

    “I mean, I love Colby, I love his act, I love his fighting style. Striker-wise, I don’t think he’s the best striker, but I think he’s a phenomenal fighter. I’m a fan… I see past all the act and everything and you know what, mate? I f*cking think it’s absolutely hilarious. You know why? Because it’s upsets so many people and I just think, ‘Wow,’” Till said (h/t LowKickMMA).

    It goes without saying that a lot of people do not share the same ideology as Darren Till when it comes to the schtick of Colby Covington. To be fair to those concerns, he has said some things that are, at best, a little risqué; and at worst, crossing lines that some feel should not be crossed in a competitive format.

    Love him like Till or hate him like Jorge Masvidal and many others, there is simply no denying the skills that Covington possesses. Considering the fact that he is the only person to come anywhere near beating welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in the UFC, on two different occasions no less, makes him one of the best 170lb fighters in the world, regardless of the things he says.

    Check out the full video with Darren Till below:

    https://youtu.be/-JxiXQsHk-E

  • Edwards Responds To “Deluded” Masvidal After Public Callout

    UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards has responded to Jorge Masvidal’s claims that he can’t find an opponent for his return to the Octagon.

    Masvidal was originally booked to be in action earlier this month at UFC 269 against arch-rival Edwards. In a grudge match over two years in the making, “Rocky” was set for his chance to exact revenge on “Gamebred” for the pair’s famous backstage altercation at a UFC London event in 2019.

    A month prior to the year’s final pay-per-view, Masvidal withdrew due to an injury, later confirmed to MMA News by Colby Covington to be a rib issue. But the two-time welterweight title challenger is seemingly back to fitness and rallying for a fight, something he suggested is proving to be difficult.

    Masvidal slammed “bitches” like Edwards and Colby Covington for not wanting to sign contracts agreeing to face him. “Rocky” has already announced his intention to wait for a title shot following his failed clash with Masvidal. Covington, meanwhile, has made his desire to face Masvidal, his former friend and teammate, well known.

    Edwards Laughs Masvidal Off

    In the aftermath of Masvidal’s public callout and re-emergence onto the welterweight scene, Edwards took to Twitter to respond. In a short and simple post, the #3-ranked contender laughed his foe’s claims off, describing him as “deluded” in the process.

    “This motherfucker is deluded [LAUGH]”

    Back-and-forth between Edwards and Masvidal surrounding accusations of ducking a fight against the other existed for the best part of two years. When the pair finally had a bout booked, it seemed their score would be settled. With the cancelation and Edwards’ decision to set his sights back on Kamaru Usman, it appears we’re set for more social media and interview exchanges between the two instead.

    For Masvidal, his two most public options appear to be a clash of former friends with Covington or an unlikely crossover to the boxing ring to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. “The Problem Child’ has been making Masvidal offers since his second victory over Tyron Woodley this month.

    Would you like to see the Leon Edwards vs. Jorge Masvidal matchup revived? If not, who should “Gamebred” face in 2022?

  • Kayla Harrison Pays Up After Losing Nunes/Peña Wager

    Kayla Harrison had to pay up to UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad after losing her bet that her American Top Team teammate Amanda Nunes would defeat Julianna Peña at UFC 269.

    Prior to UFC 269, Kayla Harrison, said that she felt Nunes will be ready to “murder” Peña come fight night. As we now know, that is far from what took place inside the T-Mobile Arena on December 11. Instead, Peña pulled off a monumental upset.

    One person who wasn’t happy to see this unfold was Kayla Harrison. After Harrison made her prediction in October, Belal Muhammad responded to her by simply stating, “No, she’s not,” to which Harrison responded by daring Muhammad to make things interesting with a bet.

    “Wanna make a bet, homie?” Harrison asked. Muhammad accepted the bet and laid down his terms. 

    “Ok when Julianna wins you have to do live Instagram karaoke with a song of my choice,” Muhammad proposed. Harrison soon accepted and told Muhammad what was on the table should she win the bet.”

    “Ok done. And when @Amanda_Leoa wins you have to wear the outfit of my choice to a fight.”

    “Deal,” Muhammad replied.

    Kayla Harrison Pays Up With Karaoke

    When Kayla Harrison made this wager with Muhammad, little did she know that she would end up in a growing feud with Peña after the fight. The two have exchanged words after Peña dismissed the “B-League” Harrison as a potential opponent. Peña would then double-down on that disrespect earlier this week when she branded Harrison a “Ronda Rousey wannabe.”

    On Thursday, there was no trash talk coming back from Harrison this time. No, the only thing belted out from this Olympian’s mouth was the sweet sounds of Celine Dion. Check out Harrison’s karaoke performance and wager pay-up below.

    You’re welcome, and Merry Christmas.

    Will you be looking out for Kayla Harrison’s debut karaoke album?

  • Marvin Vettori Promises Bisping He’ll Dethrone “PED User” Adesanya

    UFC middleweight Marvin Vettori has responded to compliments from Michael Bisping about his championship credentials, promising that he’ll be the one to dethrone “PED user” Israel Adesanya.

    Vettori has already failed to strip Adesanya of his gold on one occasion and failed to have his hand raised at two attempts against “The Last Stylebender.” After falling to a split decision to the Nigerian-New Zealander in 2018 when both were relatively new to the UFC, “The Italian Dream” fought his way to the top, earning a title shot following victories over Karl Roberson, Jack Hermansson, and Kevin Holland.

    In the UFC 263 main event in June this year, Vettori re-visited his rivalry with Adesanya. While he was able to take the champ the 25-minute distance, which was more than both Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa had managed, the 28-year-old was comfortably beaten on the scorecards.

    But the Trento native’s hopes of returning to contention couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. After showing his toughness by accepting a light heavyweight clash against an overweight Costa, Vettori put his power and chin on full display across five rounds with “The Eraser” at UFC Vegas 41. Thanks to a pressing volume and some clean lands, Vettori jumped to #2 in the rankings with a unanimous decision victory over the Brazilian.

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

    Discussing that performance during a recent Q&A on his YouTube channel, Bisping, a former 185-pound titleholder and current color commentator, suggested Vettori would be the current middleweight king if it wasn’t for the presence of Adesanya.

    “If it wasn’t for Israel Adesanya right now, he’d (Vettori) be the champ, definitely… He’s the next best guy at 185 in my opinion, he’s doing tremendous things. I’m a friend of Marvin’s, I think he’s tremendous. That fight he had against Paulo Costa was sensational. I called that fight, I was right there, he won that fight fair and square but Paulo Costa had a lot of success and some of the shots that Marvin ate, some of those kicks and punches and the power that Costa has, Marvin took every single fucking one of them.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Vettori Responds With A Promise

    Upon seeing Bisping’s take, Vettori took to Twitter to respond. After showing his appreciation for “The Count,” the top contender made a promise. He assured Bisping that he’ll still be the one to end Adesanya’s reign, despite failing to do so six months ago.

    He also slammed the reigning titleholder, accusing him of using performance-enhancing drugs, a sentiment that began to be shared after Adesanya’s right pectoral muscle became noticeably swollen.

    “Appreciate it @Bisping Im still gonna show you I will dethrone this PED user very soon.”

    While he undoubtedly impressed in his last outing and established himself as one of the top contenders, it’ll likely be a while until Vettori has another chance at having middleweight gold wrapped around his waist.

    Adesanya is next set to run it back with former champ Whittaker at UFC 271 in February. On the same card, Derek Brunson and Jared Cannonier are expected to collide to determine the next number one contender.

    With his reluctance to serve as backup for Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2, it seems “The Italian Dream” will be spending 2022 looking to secure another championship opportunity for the following year.

    Do you think Marvin Vettori has what it takes to beat Israel Adesanya if the pair run it back down the line?

  • Chimaev & Muhammad Engage In Drawn-Out Twitter Battle

    Khamzat Chimaev and Belal Muhammad may or may not fight one another in the Octagon, but they have already engaged in a drawn-out Twitter battle.

    Belal Muhammad has gone unbeaten in his last seven fights. Heading into this past Saturday’s UFC Vegas 45 event, Muhammad’s latest win had come over legendary grappler Demian Maia at UFC 263. This earned the Chicagoan a headliner opposite Stephen Thompson in what was arguably the most difficult test of Muhammad’s career.

    He aced it with flying colors.

    UFC: Belal Muhammad decries 'drunken hick screaming racist words' in win over 'Wonderboy', and demands a title shot | South China Morning Post
    Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

    For his reward, he moved up a few grade levels up to the #5 ranking in the welterweight division. While Muhammad firmly believes reigning champion Kamaru Usman is in need of some fresh challenges, he’d also be willing to fight undefeated juggernaut Khamzat Chimaev, despite Borz being ranked six spots beneath him at #11.

    In fact, Muhammad has stated that a victory over Chimaev would be more valuable than beating any other ranked opponent. It’s not often that a fighter in the top 5 calls out someone outside of the top 10 with so much gusto.

    Yet, despite the rarity of this occurrence, Borz isn’t taking the callout all that seriously based on the following tweet published Thursday.

    “When you got a finger in your eye you gave up, how you even gonna think to fight me? Bullshit boy,” Chimaev asked with a series of crying laughing emoji beside his rhetorical question.

    Khamzat Chimaev Continues Trolling Muhammad

    This was among many other shots Chimaev launched Muhammad’s way in yesterday’s Twitter barrage.

    https://twitter.com/KChimaev/status/1474052890847240199
    https://twitter.com/KChimaev/status/1474053173543419906

    Belal Muhammad Fires Back

    Not one to stand idly by and get bullied, @bullyb170 clapped back.

    “Didn’t You retire because you had a cold? Don’t worry Friend I got some nyquil for you,” Muhammad posted prior to the following barrage of his own:

    Seeds Planted For Potential Welterweight Showdown?

    The only fight that Belal Muhammad did not win in his last seven fights was against Leon Edwards in March, a fight Chimaev referenced in one of his memes. The bout was ruled a no-contest when Muhammad was unable to continue following a gruesome accidental eye poke from Edwards in the second round.

    Khamzat Chimaev has been on the hunt for his next opponent ever since making easy work of Li Jingliang at UFC 267. Both he and Dana White have been very public about the struggles they’ve faced in finding a willing opponent for the rising star.

    Chimaev’s Twitter exchange with Muhammad could be planting the seeds for a 2022 collision between the two welterweights. Or, it could merely be trash-talking done just to pass the time with no UFC fights on the horizon for the MMA community anytime soon.

    Friday morning, Chimaev dropped yet another meme of Muhammad for good measure, this time of a more festive nature.

    Do you believe Belal Muhammad vs. Khamzat Chimaev is the fight to make?

  • Nate Diaz Makes An Accusation Against The “Paul Sisters”

    Nate Diaz is happy to do some light trolling with the Paul brothers.

    Diaz recently addressed Jake Paul in a social media post, claiming that he isn’t concerned about the celebrity-turned-boxer. He claimed that Paul and his brother Logan recently hired security to follow him around at a boxing event.

    Diaz was in attendance last weekend for an event that was headlined by Jake Paul. The main event saw Paul score a knockout win, stopping former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley in the sixth round.

    Diaz was there to support Chris Avila, a former Bellator fighter who picked up a decision victory against Anthony Taylor.

    Thursday, Diaz posted a photo of him posing with two security guards at the event along with his accusation against the Paul brothers in the captions.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CX2GEN_PQce/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “The Paul sisters hired this security team to make sure I wouldn’t get to them, like I was actually trying too, but it’s alll good with u guys I don’t take this fight thang with u2 serious.you guys playing boxing with wrestlers who can’t box or lil a** Floyd and that’s not cool bruh but it’s good,” said Diaz via Instagram. “I’m a real fighter from the real fight game so don’t trip so hard when you see me fellas let’s just be friends it’s good.”

    It’s unknown whether the Pauls truly hired security to follow around Diaz, or if it’s another lighthearted jab being thrown by the witty UFC legend. Either way, it doesn’t seem like the MMA talent plans to cross over and face Jake Paul anytime soon.

    All recent activity from Diaz indicates that he wants to continue his MMA career. Earlier this month, Dustin Poirier and Diaz mutually expressed interest in fighting. However, public comment from Diaz has led people to believe negotiations on that fight might have stalled.

    Diaz last competed over the summer, going five rounds against welterweight prospect Leon Edwards in a unanimous decision loss.

  • Blanchfield Knows She’ll “Definitely” Prove Shevchenko Isn’t Unbeatable

    According to UFC women’s flyweight prospect Erin Blanchfield, nobody is “unbeatable” in the cage, including dominant champion Valentina Shevchenko.

    Not many UFC prospects are as highly touted and promising as Blanchard. At just 22 years of age, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt has fought nine times as a professional, had her hand raised on eight occasions, and established her name in the world’s premier MMA promotion.

    After a debut win against Sarah Alpar earlier this year, which came after back-to-back triumphs in the renowned Invicta FC organization, Blanchard was matched with fellow rising star Miranda Maverick. The pair clashed at UFC 269 last weekend, and on the grand pay-per-view stage, “Cold Blooded” demonstrated why she’s a threat to the rest of the 125-pound weight class.

    Blanchard rag-dolled Maverick for the majority of the contest, taking her down seven times and landing over double the amount of strikes as her 24-year-old flyweight peer. With a dominant unanimous decision victory, Blanchard showed why she’s a name to watch at flyweight.

    Blanchfield Thinks She Will Be The Champ’s Kryptonite

    Valentina Shevchenko
    Valentina Shevchenko (Photo: Josh Hedges for Zuffa LLC)

    Like many in the combat sports community, Blanchard, whose only career loss came by way of a controversial decision against Tracy Cortez in 2019, believes she has what it takes to make her way to the title. But not only that, she thinks she can be the one to end the dominant reign of Valentina Shevchenko.

    In a recent interview with The Schmo, Blanchard reminded fans that no athlete is “unbeatable,” perhaps taking inspiration from Julianna Peña’s upset victory over Amanda Nunes on December 11. The 22-year-old is confident that, even if no one else in the division is capable of doing it, she can beat “Bullet.”

    “I feel like everyone thinks Valentina is unbeatable, but that’s not true about anybody. And I don’t know if there’s anybody, like, right now, that’s gonna beat her until I get there, but I know I definitely will.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    With Nunes losing one of her belts, Shevchenko perhaps now leads the way as the most dominant female titleholder in the UFC. The Kyrgyzstani has built an eight-fight win streak since a split decision loss to Nunes in 2017. Across that period, “Bullet” has ascended the flyweight mountain; defended the title six times; and beaten the likes of Jessica Eye, Jennifer Maia, Jéssica Andrade, and Joanna Jędrzejczyk.

    Unlike those names, Blanchard hopes to reach the top and add a fourth blemish to the incredible record of Shevchenko.

    Can you see Erin Blanchfield being the one to dethrone Valentina Shevchenko in the future?

  • Atlas Reveals The One Thing Lewis Needs To Fulfill Superstar Potential

    Teddy Atlas sees superstar potential in UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis but has identified some room for growth in his already dangerous striking style.

    The legendary boxing trainer recently praised and critiqued the ranked UFC fighter on his podcast. Atlas spoke about Lewis after watching him dispose of heavyweight contender Chris Daukaus at last weekend’s UFC “Fight Night” card. The first-round finish put Lewis back into the win column after losing an interim title fight to Ciryl Gane in August.

    Atlas liked what he saw from Lewis but also mentioned one thing he thinks can elevate his striking even more: a solid jab.

    “One thing I would start with him [is] just give him a good reliable jab,” said Atlas on a recent episode of his podcast The Fight. “Just give him that phone-pole jab that George Foreman had that destroyed the late, great Joe Frazier […] Lewis can have something like that. That alone could improve him significantly.”

    Outside of the cage, Atlas was complimentary of the way Lewis presents himself. He mentioned his gift of gab has already amassed him a following and could carry him up to an even more popular spot someday.

    “Lewis is a smart guy. Forget about his power, that guy has a great personality. He can be a superstar […] He’s got a following already, it can get bigger,” said Atlas.

    Lewis is known for being a funny and laidback fighter. Along with his meme-heavy personality online, “The Black Beast” is witty on the mic during interviews. His most viral moment came after a fight against Alexander Volkov. After a brutal knockout win, Lewis took off the outer layer of his fighting shorts, stating, “My balls were hot.”

    Do you agree with Teddy Atlas? Would a jab change how Derrick Lewis fights for the better?

  • Le Batard: Ngannou Negotiations Prove White Has Become What Hates

    Former ESPN broadcaster Dan Le Batard is re-igniting his feud with UFC president Dana White in light of his recent Francis Ngannou comments.

    When asked about Ngannou’s future with the UFC, White seemed indifferent by some in regards to contract talks with the heavyweight champion. Ngannou is fighting on the last bout of his deal against Ciryl Gane at the upcoming UFC 270 pay-per-view.

    This raised eyebrows around the MMA community, as it would be quite a surprise in the new year if the UFC doesn’t re-sign Ngannou. After getting word of White’s comments, Le Batard took the opportunity to criticize the UFC headman.

    “The courageous are too disposable when you’ve gone this corporate, everyone from the broke to the best,” Le Batard said in a tweet. “Like many of its combatants, this gritty sport rose from nothing as an underdog. But you’ve become what you pretend to abhor, [Dana White]. You are The Establishment now.”

    Dana White And Dan Le Batard Have Went At It In The Past

    This isn’t the first time that Le Batard and White have traded barbs. In a 2020 interview, Le Batard grilled White on a variety of UFC-related topics, including fighter pay and the business model of the promotion as a whole. This led to both sides getting pretty fired up by the end of the conversation, and White agreeing to a charity fight with Le Batard.

    The fight never came to fruition, but White and Le Batard have continued to raise tensions between them.

    It’s unclear if the UFC will ultimately agree to a new deal with Ngannou, but that hasn’t stopped various pundits from aiming at White the UFC brass for how they’ve handled negotiations with the company’s biggest stars.

    Do you agree with Dan Le Batard’s comments about Dana White?

  • Julianna Peña Speculates Amanda Nunes Is Relieved Without The Belt

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña thinks Amanda Nunes may not be too disappointed to no longer be on the throne of the 135-pound division.

    Peña pulled off arguably the greatest upset in UFC history by submitting Nunes at UFC 269. After throwing a barrage of punches in the second round, she scored a massive takedown before sinking in the rear-naked choke for the championship win.

    Peña has begun to enjoy the fruits of her labor now that she is the new bantamweight queen, but is still processing her historic victory. As she begins her title reign, she feels that Nunes may feel a bit of relief now that she doesn’t have the belt.

    During a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, Peña elaborated on her speculation of what Nunes could be going through after the fight.

    “I think a gigantic weight has been taken off of her shoulders,” Peña said. “She doesn’t have to carry that belt anymore with all that pressure. The machine has been building her for seven years as this unbeatable phenom. And if you don’t beat somebody in 10 seconds, then you look almost less than. So I think that that weight that has been lifted off of her shoulders is a really great feeling for her.”

    A rematch between Peña and Nunes is more than likely to happen next after both publically called for a second bout to take place. Nunes is planning on taking some time off before returning to the Octagon to face Peña.

    Before she lost her bantamweight title, Nunes had arguably been the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world with title wins at 135 and 145 pounds. She had won 12 straight fights, with her last loss coming against Cat Zingano at UFC 178 in 2014.

    What are your thoughts on Julianna Peña’s comments?

  • Henry Cejudo: Khamzat Chimaev Would Destroy Colby Covington

    Henry Cejudo thinks that Khamzat Chimeav would give Colby Covington a run for his money and then some.

    Henry Cejudo was one of the most successful fighters in the UFC when he was actively fighting. Having won two titles in two different divisions, Cejudo was a master of his craft. Now that he is retired, he is actively helping other fighters find the type of success he had during his reign.

    Taking a look now at the welterweight division, Cejudo had some assessments for the athletes at 170 pounds, in particular, Khamzat Chimeav.

    Henry Cejudo Heaps High Praise On Khamzat Chimaev

    Khamzat Chimaev
    Khamzat Chimaev

    Cejudo, like many people, is a big fan of Chimaev and what he has been able to do in his four fights with the UFC. Cejudo believes Chimaev would easily beat almost any man in the UFC welterweight division, and he spoke a bit about this on The Triple C & Schmo Show.

    “I am super high on that dude,” Cejudo said. “I believe that he would destroy Colby [Covington]. I believe that he would destroy the majority of the people at 170 pounds. The only one that can beat Chimaev is Kamaru Usman. But I think everybody else, I think he takes to school. No joke.”

    Chimaev has been calling for a fight with a ranked opponent. He had been turned down by a few people, including Nate Diaz. However, now it seems there is rising interest coming from a few top ten fighters. Most recently, Belal Muhammad expressed interest in stopping the hype train that is Chimaev. Also, Neil Magny has repeatedly challenged Chimaev.

    “I think Chimaev at 185 pounds, especially against a style like Stylebender, I think it’s an easy fight for him,” Cejudo said. “He’s big, he’s nasty, he’s ferocious. When people praise and talk about wrestling like he does, it just makes you dangerous. He’s gonna get on top of you, Khabib style, and he’s gonna hurt you. Chimaev is dangerous and I understand why nobody in the 170-pound weight division wants to fight the damn man.”

    Chimaev has four straight wins in the UFC so far. He has stopped each of these four opponents in less than two rounds. It is no wonder why many people, Cejudo included, think Chimaev has what it takes to make a run at the title.

    Cejudo has seen some great fighters up close during his career, including having taken down one of the greats Demetrious Johnson. Now, Cejudo gets to see greatness on a daily basis as he is helping to train some of the best in the sport, including Jon Jones and Weili Zhang.

    Do you think Khamzat Chimaev would defeat Colby Covington if they faced off now?

  • Sean O’Malley Walks Back Previous Callout, Doesn’t Care Who’s Next

    Rising UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley doesn’t appear to be fussed about who his first appearance of 2022 will come against.

    Talk of O’Malley’s future opponents has intensified following his latest victory inside the Octagon. Having rebounded from his first loss in MMA with stoppage victories over once highly-touted Brazilian Thomas Almeida and tough debutant Kris Moutinho earlier this year, “Sugar” looked to make it three for three in 2021 when he opened the UFC 269 main card opposite Raulian Paiva.

    Despite undoubtedly facing a step-up in competition and a formerly-ranked bantamweight, O’Malley looked at his best and finished the Brazilian with a vicious combination shortly before the end of the first round.

    O’Malley Targets March/April Return

    Prior to his seventh consecutive pay-per-view outing, O’Malley had singled out fellow surging bantamweight striker Adrian Yanez as a potential future opponent. When discussing his route to the title, “Sugar” even listed the 28-year-old as his next step after knocking out Paiva.

    Despite that, O’Malley appears open to facing whoever the UFC puts in front of him. During the UFC 269 post-fight press conference, O’Malley was asked whether he still had Yanez on his radar, and while reiterating his targeted March return, the Montana native said he has no one in particular in mind for his next fight.

    “I fought three times last year, three times this year. I feel like every day, I just have a fight coming up. So I’m just gonna enjoy this and try to not book a fight and just enjoy being with my family and my little princess. And I’m sure I’ll fight in March, April. Who will it be? I don’t know. Doesn’t really matter. As long as the Suga Show is fighting, I don’t really think people care too much who I’m fighting.” 

    While a fight with Yanez would certainly provide fireworks and see one man establish themselves as perhaps bantamweight’s hottest prospect, the UFC may choose to build both men up separately. All that said, Yanez does still remain an option for O’Malley as well, as he reiterated on Thursday.

    Adrian Yanez, Davey Grant & Adrian Yanez
    Adrian Yanez, Davey Grant & Adrian Yanez (Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

    Given their previous exchanges, many have suggested O’Malley fight Cody Garbrandt next, especially after the former champ’s attempts to succeed as a flyweight took a hit this past weekend. “Sugar” has also made his desire to exact revenge on Marlon Vera known, so perhaps “Chito” could be convinced to fight down the rankings in a PPV slot against O’Malley.

    Nevertheless, whoever O’Malley is matched up with next year should provide for an exciting contest and aid the 27-year-old’s rise up the 135-pound ladder.

    Whom would you like to see Sean O’Malley face next?

  • Aleksandar Rakić Blasts Jiří Procházka For Allegedly Dodging Him

    UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić feels that a battle in the Octagon between him and Jiří Procházka is inevitable.

    Rakić and Procházka seemed as though they were on a collision course for months after the two of them have gone back-and-forth in the media. Rakić, in particular, has made his critical opinions of Procházka perfectly clear.

    Rakic has accused Procházka of ducking him in the past and is doubling down on those claims as he gets ready for his next appearance in the Octagon. During an interview with MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun, Rakić reiterated what’s next for him and is temporarily closing the door on a fight with Procházka.

    “Jiri, I cannot take this clown seriously you know. I don’t care about him. My focus is on Jan Blachowicz and on March 26 and I don’t care about this guy,” Rakić said. “I don’t care about him and this fake samurai sh*t that he’s doing and just focusing on Jan Blachowicz. My goal is to stay active and this was not so possible this year, but finally, I got the opportunity to fight again and that’s for the No. 1 contender to fight next for the belt.”

    As stated above, Rakić will be facing former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz on March 26. Meanwhile, Procházka is widely expected to fight the newly-crowned champion, Glover Teixeira at a later date. He most recently dispatched Dominick Reyes in a UFC main event earlier this year.

    There’s clearly no love lost between Rakić and Procházka, and the two of them could meet sooner rather than later depending on how their next fights play out.

    Who do you think would win in a bout between Aleksandar Rakić and Jiri Procházka?

  • Amanda Nunes Inks Deal with Armadillo Studios for Gaming Partnership

    Amanda Nunes will be a part of a slot game.

    Armadillo Studios aims to capture Nunes’ successful career by creating a fun and engaging slot for casino players worldwide to enjoy.

    Razvan Haiduc the CEO of the company, says he’s excited to reach the deal with Nunes and build on her career. The game is set to hit the market in the second half of 2022.

    “As a fan of MMA myself, I’m very excited to be working with Amanda. Her global presence is huge, and we are ready to use it to provide some well-needed gender balance to the Casino vertical,” Haiduc said about the deal with Nunes. “Armadillo Studios has ambitious plans for 2022, and our tie with Amanda is the first step in the right direction. This branded game is set to hit the market in the second half of 2022 and we are confident it will be a massive success.”

    From Amanda Nunes’ Twitter

    Amanda Nunes, meanwhile, says she is thrilled to sign this deal.

     “I’m thrilled to be involved in this awesome project. Having a brand-new slot title made from scratch in my image by a US game studio is an exciting adventure and rare opportunity. I hope that sports fans all over the world will be just as excited as I am and curious enough to take it for a spin,” Nunes said.

    Nunes is coming off a shocking submission loss to Julianna Peña at UFC 269 to lose her bantamweight title. It’s considered one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, as Nunes was the two-division champion and was considered the best female fighter of all time.

    Before the loss to Peña, she submitted Megan Anderson at UFC 259 earlier this year to defend her featherweight strap. In her career, she holds notable wins over Valentina Shevchenko, Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey, and Holly Holm among others.

    Will you play Amanda Nunes’ slot game?

  • Paul Finds Masvidal’s Asking Price Hilarious Based On Presented Data

    Jake Paul can only laugh at Jorge Masvidal for turning down his $5 million offer because it was not enough money.

    After Paul knocked out Tyron Woodley on Saturday night, he called out several UFC fighters like Nate Diaz and Masvidal. After the fight, “Gamebred” released a video saying he fights either the best in the world or for the most money, and Paul’s $5 million offer is not that.

    However, Robert Littal of Black Sports Online posted on social media about Masvidal’s career estimating earnings, which he claims is a total of $4 million.

    “Jorge Masvidal says the $5 million Jake Paul offered him for a boxing match is chump change. In 50 MMA fights Masvidal has made a total of $3.5-4 million in his career.”

    To no surprise, Jake Paul saw the tweet and just laughed about it seeing what Jorge Masvidal has allegedly made in his career.

    Although Littal claimed Masvidal only made $4 million, that is not necessarily true. For years now in most regions, the pursues of UFC fighters have not been released, so it is not certain how much he has made.

    Along with that, the pay-per-view bonuses and other UFC under-the-table bonuses are also not included, as fighters like Daniel Cormier have claimed the UFC has given him $1 million after some fights due to the promotion being high on those bouts.

    Jake Paul, as mentioned, is coming off a highlight-reel KO win over Woodley to improve his record to 5-0. Who he will fight is uncertain, as he has called out several fighters, but there is no question that whoever he faces next will be another big pay-per-view.

    Jorge Masvidal, meanwhile, does not have his next fight booked. He was set to return at UFC 269 against Leon Edwards, but an injury forced him out of the fight.

    What do you make of Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal’s back-and-forth?

  • Aspen Ladd Chalks Up Miesha Tate’s Criticism as “Trying To Get Views”

    Aspen Ladd thinks Miesha Tate’s criticism of her was for personal gain.

    Aspen Ladd is still defending herself from the criticism thrown her way. Following her last outing at UFC Vegas 40, she took some judgment from fans and media because of the way her coach/boyfriend spoke to her during the fight.

    One of the loudest voices sending shade Ladd’s way was former UFC Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate.

    Miesha Tate
    Miesha Tate (Image Credit: Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

    Ladd and Tate have been involved in multiple occasions of beef over the last few months. Ladd has her theory on why Tate has been going in on her.

    “I think she looks at the world through the lens of her own experiences,” Ladd said to MMA Fighting. “I mean, we all do. I think she had a very, very negative experience with her past relationship and it became very public for a while. She was with a coach for a very long time and there was a lot of he said, she said going on there. And who knows? I don’t know.”

    Tate spoke out about Ladd and her missed weight for her UFC Vegas 38 bout. She called Ladd a cheater and then went off on her again following the incident at UFC Vegas 40. Tate cited having a similar situation with a coach as a significant other and that is why she spoke out about Ladd’s situation.

    “She tends to comment on when other people are a little bit down and I’m not a fan of that style of being a person,” Ladd explained. “She’s trying to get views. It’s the world that we’re living in now, and media, social media, all of it, it’s like, ‘Well look at me.’ She’s trying to do something to garner that, and that’s totally fine, especially when it’s someone you want to fight—as long as they back up what they’re saying.”

    This growing animosity between Ladd and Tate would make for a great fight. Ladd has been pushing to set up a bout with Tate ever since she returned from her retirement. However, Tate is not interested. She has stated that she does not want to face Ladd inside the Octagon until Ladd has proven she can get her weight-cutting issues under control.

    Would you like to see Aspen Ladd and Miesha Tate fight?

  • Masvidal Calls on Paul, McGregor, Covington or Edwards to “Sign The Contract”

    Jorge Masvidal is no longer holding back and is calling out some potential opponents.

    Jorge Masvidal is gearing up for a fight. Although he doesn’t have one name in mind, he is now calling for a bunch of fighters to answer his call.

    Masvidal has taken to his Instagram to make a few call-outs while filming a video of himself skiing. In the post, he expresses his feeling about a few of the most popular fighters today and asks for them to sign a contract.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXzQiVqII-J/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=6eed3bde-7f5e-4880-b089-9c23b7fbe793

    “I’m off the injury list and these little b—hes don’t want to sign the contract. The contracts have been handed,” Masvidal said (via Sportskeeda.) “It’s in their f—ing face, they know I’m off the injury list. I’m trying to get some paychecks, but in the meantime, since I can’t rip these b—hes up, I’m going to rip these mountains up.”

    Masvidal did have a fight lined up with Leon Edwards for Dec. 11; however, Masvidal was forced out of that fight after suffering from an injury. He claims he is healed up now and could entertain rescheduling with Edwards.

    Masvidal is one of the most wanted fighters on the UFC roster at this time. He seems to have his choice of multiple opponents. He named a few top prospects while on top of the mountain.

    “You little pu–ies got to blurt my name out, then actually sign the contract. From that little actress that works at Disney Channel [Jake Paul], forgot his name, he just fought. To the little b—h that sells cheap-a-s whiskey [Conor McGregor] to the fragile motherf—-er that’s always getting his face broken [Colby Covington] – all you little b—-hes can get it, man,” Masvidal said. “The one who’s in England that was talking s–t [Leon Edwards], you too, man. Come on, one of you sign the dotted line. Let’s go. Yes, I’m going to embarrass you and knock you the f–k out.”

    The most likely options from this bunch seem to be Covington and Edwards. As mentioned, Edwards had agreed to face Masvidal earlier this year and could very well agree to do so again, especially with champion Kamaru Usman asking for time off.

    Another possible scenario is Masvidal and Covington being paired together, perhaps even coaching opposite each other on a season of The Ultimate Fighter. This is something that they both have expressed interest in.

    Whichever option should come to light, fans will be happy to see Masvidal healed up and ready to get back to work.

    Who from this list would you like to see Jorge Masvidal face next?

  • Sean O’Malley Calls For Future Boxing Match Against Gervonta Davis

    Sean O’Malley is looking to box Gervonta Davis in the future.

    Davis is a decorated boxer who holds titles in multiple weight classes, including reigning as the WBA lightweight and the WBA super-lightweight champion. He also vacated the IBF and WBA super featherweight belts in August of this year.

    Although Davis is a massive name in the sport, partly due to him being Floyd Mayweather’s protégé, Sean O’Malley wants to test himself against “Tank” in the future. This request comes even though Davis has hinted at an MMA fight in the past, which “Suga” doesn’t believe.

    “When he said that he’s from the hood, that’s how he would wrestle. That was the funniest f**king thing ever. If he actually grappled with someone, like he said, he’d come to MMA,” O’Malley said on the Full Send podcast (via Essentially Sports). “If he took one class at a f**king amateur gym, he would be like what the f**k, I would never do that. It’s funny to see how delusional he is to think he could come into an MMA fight and be successful at all against an elite-level fighter.”

    Sean O'Malley
    Sean O’Malley (Image Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

    With Sean O’Malley doubting Gervonta Davis would take an MMA fight, Suga does admit he wants to box him. He’s confident he has the striking and unique footwork to pose some problems for boxers like Davis.

    For O’Malley, he believes a fight with Davis could be as big as McGregor-Mayweather, but they both need to win a few more fights.

    “But for me to box Gervonta, that’s a massive fight someday, like that’s a massive f**king fight someday,” O’Malley said. “That’s a Floyd-Conor fight someday potentially if we’re on the same path. We haven’t done enough, he hasn’t done what Floyd has done, I haven’t done what Conor has done. But if it keeps going. I don’t see my career going any different, I’m going up. I could see him keep beating people, too. It could be a massive boxing fight someday.”

    Would you like to see Sean O’Malley box Gervonta Davis?

  • Muhammad Thinks Beating Chimaev Is “Worth More” Than Any Ranked Win

    Belal Muhammad isn’t shying away from a possible fight with Khamzat Chimaev.

    Belal Muhammad is coming off what was arguably the biggest win of his career. He defeated former title challenger Stephen Thompson last weekend and now has his eyes set on a title shot.

    Muhammad believes he could be next for champion Kamaru Usman following the win and his most recent bump up the rankings. However, if that title shot doesn’t come right away, Muhammad has another plan to get him there.

    Khamzat Chimaev
    Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

    Muhammad thinks that a win over streaking Khamzat Chimaev would get him the momentum he needs to vie for the welterweight title. He explained his rationale to MMA Junkie.

    “He has the most hype in the division right now,” Muhammad said of Chimaev. “He has that (Conor) McGregor X-factor stardom right now, where the fans think he’s untouchable. The boss thinks he’s untouchable. They all think it’s just a matter of time before he becomes champion.

    “So for me, if I beat him, I steal all of his hype, and I think it’s worth more than beating anybody ranked in the division. Beating him is probably worth more than beating Colby Covington just because of all the hype he has right now.”

    It is true that Chimaev has a lot of hype surrounding him. He made a splash in the UFC when he won two fights back to back on Fight Island during the summer of 2020. He is now 4-0 in the UFC and undefeated as a professional. He is a fan favorite, and it seems like he is a favorite of Dana White as well. White has been high on Chimaev and has even expressed that no other fighter wants to fight him.

    “So in this game, it’s about momentum, it’s about hype, and it’s about who’s hot right now. He’s the hottest right now,” Muhammad said. “So beating him, I steal all that shine. I steal all that heat, so why wouldn’t I?”

    Muhammad isn’t the only man with this idea, Neil Magny has been asking for a shot at Chimaev as well. On the flip side, Chimaev has been asking for a shot at a ranked opponent. Muhammad is now sitting in the #5 spot in the rankings. If he wants to fight Chimaev, it seems likely that fight can be made.

    Do you think Belal Muhammad fighting Khamzat Chimaev is a good idea?