MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Fighters React To Derrick Lewis Finishing Chris Daukaus At UFC Vegas 45

    Derrick Lewis vs. Chris Daukaus was a quick fight. 

    The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (December 18, 2021) at the UFC Vegas 45 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.

    This one didn’t last long. Lewis was in complete control as he landed some combos before they clinched. After they separated, Lewis hurt him with right hooks before unleashing with more strikes and Daukaus dropped. 

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

    Lewis was coming off a loss to Ciryl Gane by TKO in an interim heavyweight title fight at the UFC 265 PPV event. Before that, Lewis got a TKO win over Aleksei Oleinik in August 2020, beat Ilir Latifi by decision at the UFC 247 pay-per-view event on February 8, 2020, and then beat Curtis Blaydes by TKO at UFC Vegas 19. Before that, Lewis beat Blagoy Ivanov at the UFC 244 pay-per-view event from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York prior to him losing by second-round TKO to former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos in the headliner of UFC on ESPN + 4 on March 9, 2019 from Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. 

    Daukaus entered this fight with a 5-fight winning streak and a 12-3 pro-MMA record. Victories in his past five fights were over the likes of Danny Holmes, Parker Porter, Rodrigo Nascimento, Aleksei Oleinik, and Shamil Abdurakhimov. All of those fights ended in TKO/KO. 

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

    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1472394747113136128

    UFC Vegas 45 Results & Highlights: Derrick Lewis vs. Chris Daukaus, Stephen Thompson vs. Belal Muhammad

    MMA News has you covered with results, highlights, and post-fight tidbits from UFC Vegas 45. Be sure to keep checking the homepage for the latest news.

  • Fighters React To Belal Muhammad Dominating Stephen Thompson At UFC Vegas 45

    Stephen Thompson vs. Belal Muhammad was a one-sided fight.  

    The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (December 18, 2021) at the UFC Vegas 45 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.

    Thompson threw a lot of kicks to open the first round. Belal did tag him with a right hand. They did some cage fighting while in the clinch and Belal landed several good left hands. Belal did score a late round takedown where he got his back and dished out a lot of damage to the bell. In the second round, Belal scored two takedowns with the latter being the dominant position as he held him there while holding onto his right arm for a submission. Belal later dished out some punches. Belal went right back to the takedown in the third round. Thompson stood up then stuffed a takedown. Belal did get a takedown right after that. Belal got the decision win. 

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

    Thompson had gone 2-3 in his previous five outings heading into this fight. He suffered a unanimous decision loss to Darren Till in the main event of the UFC Liverpool event back in May 2018, a loss to former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis in the headliner of UFC on ESPN+ 6 by knockout in the second round, and a decision win Vicente Luque at the UFC 244 pay-per-view event from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. He rallied when he beat Geoff Neal at UFC Vegas 17 by decision. His most recent fight saw him get beat by Gilbert Burns by decision at UFC 264. 

    Muhammad had gone 8-1-1 in his last 10 fights all coming under the UFC banner with his lone loss to Geof Neal by decision in January 2019. He’s won last four fights over Curtis Millender, Takashi Sato, Lyman Good, and Dhiego Lima before going to a non-contest with Leon Edwards at UFC Vegas 21 in March 21. 

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

    UFC Vegas 45 Results & Highlights: Derrick Lewis vs. Chris Daukaus, Stephen Thompson vs. Belal Muhammad

    MMA News has you covered with results, highlights, and post-fight tidbits from UFC Vegas 45. Be sure to keep checking the homepage for the latest news.

  • Archives: Derrick Lewis Pummels Boxer In Gym For Trash Talking (2019)

    Two years before Derrick Lewis’ attempt to pummel Chris Daukaus tonight at UFC Vegas 45, he did just that to some poor chap who mouthed off to The Black Beast.

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 19, 2019, 8:07 PM]

    Headline: Derrick Lewis Pummels Boxer In Gym For Alleged Trash Talk (Video)

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    If you’re going to talk trash inside a gym, it would be wise to avoid doing so in front of Derrick Lewis.

    “The Black Beast” is known for his knockout power and he’s put that on display numerous times inside the Octagon. It isn’t unusual for knockouts to occur during sparring sessions between teammates. What is a little more rare is when an outsider talks trash and gets his or her comeuppance, although we have seen it before.

    Derrick Lewis Wrecks Boxer, Claims Trash Talk Sparked Incident

    Lewis posted footage on Twitter of a quick spar with a man who he claims to be a boxer who disrespected him for being an MMA fighter.

    “When a boxers said he will knock me out because I’m a mma fighter.”

    ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reached out to Lewis for some details on the gym incident and here’s what he was told.

    “Asked Derrick about this. He said a boxer at his gym was talking ‘a lot’ of smack about boxers vs MMA fighters. This happened yesterday. Lasted 1 minute, he said.”

    If anything, the incident may have given Lewis a chuckle as he prepares for Ilir Latifi on Feb. 8. Lewis vs. Latifi will be held on the UFC 247 card in Houston, Texas. “The Black Beast” resides in Cypress, Texas so he is sure to have fans inside the Toyota Center on his side.

  • Veteran UFC Ring Girl Brittney Palmer Talks Future With Promotion

    Tonight, UFC Octagon ring girl Brittney Palmer will complete another year with the promotion, and she doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.

    The 34-year-old Palmer made her debut in the Octagon back in 2005 and has been a key element of UFC cards ever since. She most recently earned the award of “Ringcard Girl of the Year” at the 2021 World MMA Awards.

    Palmer is also a prominent presence with many different brands around the world, including Reebok and W Hotels.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Palmer spoke about her future with the UFC and how long she plans on working events.

    Five Things You Didnt Know About UFC Ring Girl Brittney Palmer
    Brittney Palmer

    “Dana’s gonna have to drag me by my hair,” Palmer said. “Who knows? I just kind of live today, and today I’m working for UFC. So we’ll see.”

    Palmer, along with ring girls such as Arianny Celeste and Brookliyn Wren, has been an important part of the entertainment aspect of MMA. Palmer has also garnered quite the following on social media, with over a million Instagram followers on her page. She also has a degree in Art History from UCLA and has showcased her artwork in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City.

    Palmer will be present at the UFC Vegas 45 card tonight, which features a main event between heavyweight contenders Derrick Lewis and Chris Daukaus. Continuity is never a given when it comes to combat sports, but Palmer has proven to be one of the most continuous aspects of the UFC.

  • Askarov Calls On Adesanya To Convince “Son” Kara-France To Fight Him

    Askar Askarov is calling for a fight with Kai Kara-France.

    Fresh off his UFC 269 victory, Kai Kara-France is flying high in the UFC flyweight division. He just knocked out former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt and is now looking for a shot at the title. However, while Kara-France has title aspirations, there is someone else who would like to take a shot at him, and that man is Askar Askarov.

    Askarov took to Twitter on Wednesday to make a call out to Kara-France. However, the way that Askarov took his shot was to target middleweight champion and Kara-France’s friend, Israel Adesanya. Now, he is asking Adesanya to get him a shot at Kara-France.

    “@stylebender give your son some encouragement you’re a great champion show him how is done if he can beat me no one can deny him,” Askarov wrote. “@kaikarafrance don’t be chicken.”

    Askarov is currently ranked #2 in the flyweight division. He came into the UFC back in 2019 when he had a split-decision draw with now-champion Brandon Moreno. Since that fight, he has won three in a row and could be on the shortlist of possible title contenders.

    Following his big win at UFC 269, Kara-France is only looking at the title. He wants an immediate shot at Moreno and could be willing to sit out until he gets it. Before appealing to Adesanya for his assistance, Askarov tried to entice Kara-France into a fight directly.

    “@kaikarafrance I want to give you a chance to fight contender fight I am number 2 you are number 6 let’s see if anybody from your country can beat anyone from Dagestan we all know what happened last time,” Askarov wrote.

    It is yet to be seen if this method of matchmaking on the part of Askarov will work. At this time, Kara-France and his team have not responded. However, this fight makes sense for both and could be a possible Fight of the Night contender.

    Do you want to see Askar Askarov take on Kai Kara-France?

  • Archives: Woodley Says The UFC Underpromotes Him Due To Race (2017)

    Tonight, Tyron Woodley will face Jake Paul in a rematch of their highly promoted bout from August. But before he was boxing YouTubers in specialty prize fights, he was the undisputed UFC champion. However, according to Woodley, you would have never known it by the way he was treated by the UFC.

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 19, 2017, 8:51 AM]

    Headline: Tyron Woodley: Race Responsible for Being “Worst-Treated Champ in UFC History”

    Author: Adam Haynes

    Tyron “T-Wood” Woodley believes that being an African-American in the UFC has worked against him and other fighters when it comes to promotional appeal.

    Woodley feels that the UFC can capitalize on stardom in an effort to convert more African-American fans from boxing and other sports to MMA.

    UFC’s welterweight champion is of the opinion that the UFC is not doing enough to promote both him and the sport as a whole to the African Americans, and feels as though the time has come for the franchise to do so:

    “I think I’m the only African-American fighter on the roster who can capture the market,” Woodley said. “Especially with Floyd Mayweather retiring and things like that. But you have to educate the community on what it is. Most people in the community, those people think that mixed martial artists are a whole bunch of crazy white guys kicking on each other and they sprinkle in a few brothers. That’s their thought. They don’t see it as karate, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, taekwondo, sambo. They don’t see it’s a beautiful art with so many martial arts combined in them.”

    Woodley’s frustration also stretches to another fighter he feels has not been promoted to the best of the UFC’s abilities, the current flyweight champion and pound-for-pound #1, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.

    The Missouri native brought questions [courtesy of ESPN] to the fore regarding black fighters (such as Johnson),  have not attained the level of superstardom which white fighters such as [Conor] McGregor and [Ronda] Rousey have:

    “The best pound-for-pound fighter, Demetrious Johnson, African-American male, completely a Tasmanian devil,”  “Why isn’t he getting the endorsements? Why isn’t he making the most money? What’s the difference? Think about it.”

    “I’m by far the worst-treated champion in the history of the UFC. Blatantly fact.”

    Woodley appears to be genuinely incredulous as to why the UFC have, as he feels, not made more of an effort to market him:

    “I’m a husband, I’m a father of four, I’m a gym owner,” Woodley said. “I’m an actor. I’m an analyst. I’m a stuntman. I’m a Christian. Every avenue you can take me, I’ve done it. I grew up in the projects. I grew up in gang banging. Family of 14 in a four-bedroom house and I made a choice to be successful. What is there not to market? I’m fighting like hell. I’m not doing performance-enhancing drugs in my life. Why would they not want to market me?”

  • Islam Makhachev Gets His Wish In The UFC 269 Main Event

    UFC lightweight contender Islam Makhachev’s hope for a matchup with Charles Oliveira is still alive following the champ’s win at UFC 269.

    Makhachev paid close attention to Oliveira’s win over Dustin Poirier in the UFC 269 main event. After a rough start to the fight, Oliveira found his groove with his grappling and would eventually earn the submission win.

    Charles Oliveira
    USA Today

    Islam Makhachev has catapulted to the lightweight title picture after a run of dominant performances. His most recent win over Dan Hooker at UFC 267 was arguably the most impressive of his career.

    Makhachev is mostly known for his Dagestan-style wrestling prowess in the Octagon, while Oliveira is known to have some of the most elite jiu-jitsu in UFC history. Leading up to UFC 269, Makhachev picked Poirier to beat Oliveira but was still hopeful for a grappling showcase against the defending champion.

    “I have Dustin in favor tonight, but want Oliveira to be there when I’m fighting for the title. Sambo vs. Jiu-Jitsu,” Makhachev tweeted pre-UFC 269.

    After Oliveira got the win, Makhachev congratulated the champion and teased a potential future matchup between the two lightweights.

    “Congrats [Charles Oliveira] just hold in there for me,” Makhachev said.

    Makhachev is likely just one win away from a lightweight title shot after winning nine in a row. He’s slated to face Beneil Dariush at a UFC Fight Night main event on Feb. 26.

    Both Makhachev and Oliveira have managed to go on dominant runs through the lightweight division, making a fight between the two elite lightweights almost inevitable. While Oliveira is expected to face Justin Gaethje next, Makhachev is waiting in the wings for a shot at the belt.

    Who do you think would win a fight between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira?

  • Archives: Derrick Lewis’ Hand Possibly Broken, Sex Ban Repealed (2018)

    Just as you never know what to expect with UFC Vegas 45 headliner Derrick Lewis today, the same applied three years ago and has always applied. The following is a bittersweet story about “The Black Beast” published three years ago.

    Be sure to watch Lewis compete tonight at UFC Vegas 45 against Chris Daukaus, where hopefully he’d be able to have a proper celebration, which wasn’t the case in the following the article.

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 20, 2018, 5:00 PM]

    Headline: Derrick Lewis’ Hand Possibly Broken, Wife Sex Ban Repealed

    Author: Ian Carey

    It’s been an up-and-down last few days for Derrick Lewis. While he scored an impressive 3rd round knockout in Austin Saturday night, he may have broken his hand in the process. Even worse, though, he is reportedly too banged up to keep good on promises he made during his now famous post-fight interview from the weekend.

    Lewis had informed media recently that his wife, April, had hit him with a sex ban following comments the heavyweight made regarding Ronda Rousey in a previous post-fight speech. He expressed his desire to win on Saturday so he could buy her something nice and hopefully end the ban.

    Well, he won his fight and the ban has been lifted but he’s a little too banged up to make good on his post-fight promises.

    Derick Lewis is Too Banged Up

    April informed TMZ reporters recently that Lewis is a little too banged up at the moment to celebrate the end of her ban.

    “The ban is over. I’ve been trying to get him all day, but he’s tired,” April told reporters.

    “I don’t got it in me, man — I’m hurtin’ … I can’t put in a half-assed performance, lay there like a starfish,” Derrick chimed in.

    Derrick Lewis’ Broken Hand

    Lewis might not only be on the injured list regarding his marital obligations, however. If his hand is broken as he believes it to be, Lewis will be out 6-8 weeks.

    “I haven’t got X-rays on it or anything yet, but I just feel like it’s broken,” Lewis said. “I’m waiting on the UFC right now. They’re supposed to give me a doctor close by to see and get X-rays and hopefully get a cast,” he continued.

    Lewis also explained why he’s hoping to get his hand dealt with as soon as possible.  “Hopefully before this weekend because I want to go to the rodeo for the cook-off. Before they start the rodeo, I’m going to be a guest judge; a celebrity guest judge for all the food and stuff.”

  • WATCH: UFC Vegas 45 Post-Fight Press Conference Live Stream

    The UFC Vegas 45 post-fight press conference will be live once the action concludes.

    In the headliner, Derrick Lewis vs. Chris Daukaus will collide in a heavyweight clash. UFC Vegas 45’s co-main event will see a clash between Stephen Thompson and Belal Muhammad. More action will also be featured on the main card as Amanda Lemos shares the Octagon with Angela Hill. 

    The fighters from both the main and co-main events are expected to attend the post-fight press conference barring any hospital visits. Of course anyone else on the card who has a breakout performance could also attend the presser.

    MMA News will be providing live coverage of the UFC Vegas 45 card. Be sure to check back here for the post-fight presser with a tentative start time of 10:15 p.m. ET.

    Let us know your big takeaways once the UFC Vegas 45 post-fight press conference.

  • Dustin Poirier Reveals The Most Heartbreaking Part Of UFC 269 Title Loss

    Dustin Poirier has opened up on his raw emotions and reflections following his heartbreaking loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.

    Dustin Poirier made his UFC debut 10 years ago, defeating Josh Grispi at UFC 125 in what was his featherweight debut. From that night forward, his rollercoaster UFC journey has been filled with many ups and downs, and he is grateful for it all.

    That said, there’s no denying that Poirier would prefer if this journey would have been paved in champion gold at some juncture. Unfortunately, he fell short in his two attempts at seizing that ultimate prize, first to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 and then this past weekend to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.

    Appearing on The MMA Hour recently, Poirier was candid about one aspect of his UFC 269 performance that particularly bothered him.

    “The second round, trying to get a stand-up instead of maybe attacking with my jiu-jitsu and trying to create space,” Poirier said. “Going into this fight, I thought that if I was put in a bad position, I was gonna hold it out and take over in the later rounds was my mindset. 

    Charles Oliveira defeats Dustin Poirier via third-round submission at UFC 269 - The Athletic
    Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier

    “And obviously, [Referee Herb Dean] wasn’t gonna stand us up. And I just held on, kept holding on. I should’ve created space. I don’t know. Hindsight’s 20/20. There’s a lot of stuff I can say and look back on. And I’m not sure, but I’m just so much better than that. Everybody says that when they lose, but I know I am. It just sucks man because it’s one of those things, like, you maybe never get that opportunity again to call myself world champion. And to underperform?

    “You know, I owed it to myself—this one was for me. It wasn’t for the money. It wasn’t for proving anything. It was for me. And I fuckin’ fumbled, man. It hurts.”

    Dustin Poirier Reveals What Hurts The Most About UFC 269 Loss

    Dustin Poirier arrives home to hero's welcome from daughter Parker after smashing Conor McGregor at UFC 257

    Tactical analysis aside, the one thing that makes Poirier feel worse than anything else is the nonfulfillment of a post-fight moment he envisioned would last a lifetime for someone who means the world to him.

    “The real thing that sucks for me, man, my daughter was there for this one,” an emotional Poirier said. “I really wanted to win and dedicate this world championship to my daughter and just show her that [Emotional Pause]—it hurts, man…” Poirier stated, unable to complete his thought.

    “I really wanted to become the world champion and show tell that she can do anything she sets her heart out (to). That was important to me,” Poirier later concluded.

    There is no doubt that Poirier’s daughter has a father she can be very proud of, regardless of a championship label or lack thereof being attached to the family name. In addition to the fact that he has proven to be an elite fighter regardless, his philanthropical work in and of itself is an even better example for his daughter to follow than any success in hand-to-hand combat.

    Poirier’s The Good Fight Foundation continues to change lives across Louisiana and beyond, and that’s about as good an example as any father can hope to present to his child.

    What do you believe the future holds for Dustin Poirier after his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269?

  • Check Out Last-Minute Betting Odds For UFC Vegas 45

    The final UFC Vegas 45 betting odds are in for as this event is quickly approaching for the Las Vegas-based promotion. 

    The event is here, and it goes down tonight (Saturday, December 18, 2021) from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.

    Derrick Lewis vs. Chris Daukaus in a heavyweight bout will headline the show. In the co-main event, Stephen Thompson vs. Belal Muhammad in a welterweight bout will take place.

    Rounding out the main card is Amanda Lemos vs. Angela Hill in a women’s strawweight fight, Mateusz Gamrot vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira in a lightweight bout, and Cub Swanson vs. Darren Elkins in a featherweight bout. 

    According to oddsmakers, Thompson is a -140 favorite over Belal, who is a +180 underdog. Other odds for the main card include Lewis being a +120 underdog against Daukaus, who is a -140 favorite. Here are the full betting odds: 

    MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

    Chris Daukaus (-140) vs. Derrick Lewis (+120)

    Stephen Thompson (-220) vs. Belal Muhammad (+180)

    Amanda Lemos (-365) vs. Angela Hill (+280)

    Ricky Simon (-275) vs. Raphael Assuncao (+220)

    Mateusz Gamrot (-180) vs. Diego Ferreira (+155)

    Cub Swanson (-200) vs. Darren Elkins (+170)

    PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

    Gerald Meerschaert (-225) vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (+185)

    Raoni Barcelos (-280) vs. Victor Henry (+225)

    Justin Tafa (-335) vs. Harry Hunsucker (+260)

    Sijara Eubanks (-180) vs. Melissa Gatto (+155)

    Charles Jourdain (-200) vs. Andre Ewell (+170)

    Raquel Pennington (-190) vs. Macy Chiasson (+160)

    Don’Tale Mayes (-195) vs. Josh Parisian (+165)

    Jordan Leavitt (-115) vs. Matt Sayles (-105)

  • Archives: Thompson Says He’s Got Tyron Woodley’s Number (2017)

    Tonight, both Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson will be in action four years after the publication of the following article. Woodley will look to leave no doubt that he is better than Jake Paul while Thompson will be competing against Belal Muhammad at UFC Vegas 45. The two also made headlines earlier this week for having some level of involvement in the Netflix series Cobra Kai.

    As far as their own personal history goes, Woodley and Thompson fought one another in the UFC two times. The first encounter at UFC 209 resulted in a majority draw. Prior to their UFC 209 rematch, which Woodley would go on to win, Thompson believed he had “The Chosen One’s Number.”

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

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 10, 2017, 11:52 PM]

    Headline: Stephen Thompson: ‘I’ve Got Tyron Woodley’s Number’

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    The welterweight title rematch between champion Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson is finally official. After trading barbs and talk of big money fights, the two finally reached a deal to scrap once again at UFC 209.

    “Wonderboy” and “The Chosen One” went to war at UFC 205 in New York City in November. Thompson took an incredible amount of punishment, but was never out of the fight. They went the distance and the fight was ruled a majority draw. Both men earned a “Fight of the Night” bonus.

    Woodley still argues that he was the clear winner in their first encounter and that in the rematch, he’ll prove that he is the better fighter. Thompson has other plans (via MMAJunkie Radio):

    “There’s going to be no doubt in everybody’s mind who the winner of that fight is going to be, and that’s going to be me.”

    Before agreeing to fight “Wonderboy” again, Woodley tried to secure a super fight with Nick Diaz. When that didn’t materialize, he aimed for middleweight champion Michael Bisping. Thompson criticized Woodley for trying to settle for a draw.

    “He wants to fight everybody else but me is what it seems like. We did fight to a draw last time, which, in my eyes, we might as well have not even fought at all. It almost seems like he’s happy with a draw, and he’s OK with it. In my eyes, as a champion, I wouldn’t be happy with that.”

    Thompson believes he has the champion figured out. The challenger is confident that he will walk away with only his hand raised and gold around his waist.

    “I know I can hit him, and I can hit him with some power. I’ve got his number, man. Next time we step out there, I can just go out there and do my thing.”

    UFC 209 takes place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 4.

  • Nate Diaz Lays Down Two Conditions For McGregor Trilogy Fight

    Nate Diaz has laid out two conditions under which he will share the Octagon with Conor McGregor again.

    The last time Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor faced one another was five years ago at UFC 202. Since that bonafide classic, the two have never let up on continuing fighting on social media. It seems only a matter of time until the never-ending Twitter spats between these rivals culminate in a trilogy fight. Or is it?

    Conor McGregor has stated that a trilogy fight with Diaz is sure to happen at some point. Diaz, however, isn’t so sure. In fact, he has shared two specific terms that must be met before he would ever agree to compete with the Irishman again.

    “I’m not fighting Conor until his leg grows back and he beats some people so we know he can even fight still till then Can I get on January card @ufc Thanks.”

    Diaz is facetiously referencing the leg injury McGregor suffered in his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 that brought an end to the bout. McGregor would immediately undergo surgery after the event and is expected to return next year after a relatively speedy recovery.

    McGregor and Diaz are still deadlocked at 1-1, with Diaz surprising the world but not himself with his submission victory over McGregor at UFC 196 and then McGregor edging out a decision over Diaz at UFC 202.

    Nate Diaz has one fight remaining on his contract. There were rumblings this week that the UFC would like for that one fight to be against Conor McGregor, but if Diaz’s terms are to be taken seriously, then the UFC should start making other plans. One option that has just emerged is none other than Dustin Poirier, who has exchanged mutual interest with Diaz in making that elusive fight a reality.

    How do you believe Conor McGregor will perform when he returns to the Octagon?

  • Priscila Cachoeira Adresses Eye-Gogue Incident At UFC 269

    Priscila Cachoeira headlined some news following her loss last Saturday night to Gillian Robertson at UFC 269, and it wasn’t for good reasoning.

    Cachoeira found herself back in the losing column after she got submitted by Robertson in the last second of the first round to open up the prelims.

    Her loss wasn’t controversial, but it was what she did inside the Octagon that caused some backlash and scrutiny. As Robertson secured her rear-naked choke on Cachoeira, Cachoeira tried to escape by eye-gouging Robertson.

    https://twitter.com/jedigoodman/status/1469807640540712962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1469807640540712962%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalfkicker.com%2Fpriscilla-cachoeira-claims-eye-gouge-wasnt-intentional%2F

    Cachoeira claimed she didn’t eye-gouge on purpose and didn’t know she did so when it happened.

    “It wasn’t my intention to [gouge] her eye when she was on my back. I didn’t know it was going in the direction of her eye,” Cachoeira said. “My intention was to go for her neck and push it. That was my intention, but I was desperate, almost snoring, and it’s a matter of survival, right? I want to get it off. But it wasn’t my intention to hit her eyes. Never.” Cachoeira told MMA Fighting.

    Cachoeira has received a lot of negative backlash following her actions. Joe Rogan called her out on the broadcast while Robertson was more stunned by the officiating.

    Cachoeira could be on the brink of being released from the UFC following her actions Saturday night and also losing four out of her last six fights. Cachoeira also missed weight by three pounds and forfeited 30% of her purse. Cachoeira says she is regretful of her actions and vows it won’t happen again.

    “I’ll fix my mistakes,” Cachoeira said. “I apologize once again for what happened. It won’t happen again. It was a matter of survival, right? But I didn’t know I was gouging her eyes. She was on my back, how would I know? If I had to suffer any punishment, it would come at that moment.”

    Do you believe Priscila Cachoeira should be punished for eye-gouging Gillian Robertson at UFC 269?

  • Sean Strickland: I Want To Take Jack Hermansson’s Soul & Watch Him Bleed

    Sean Strickland has intense emotions about his upcoming main event fight against Jack Hermansson.

    Strickland’s fight against Hermansson is still two months out, but he already has intense emotions about how the bout could play out. The rising middleweight contender said recently that when he meets Hermansson in UFC’s February 5th headliner, he hopes to “take everything” from Hermansson, including his “soul.”

    The ranked middleweight mentioned his violent plans in a recent interview.

    “I think it’s going to be a kickboxing match. I think we’re going to stand and bang. Obviously, it’s a fight, anything happens, but like the fourth round I want to f*cking take his soul,” Strickland said to MMA Junkie. “I want to take everything from him. I want to watch him bleed. I want to watch him hurt. The fourth round I really just want to f*cking put it on him.”

    Jack Hermansson Provides Big Challenge For Sean Strickland

    Sean Strickland
    Sean Strickland

    While confident in his words and planning to bring violence, Strickland undoubtedly has a big challenge ahead of him, as Hermansson is a tough contender in his own right.

    Hermansson has won three of his last five bouts. His recent losses have come against big names in the division like Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori. His last appearance was in May, where he beat prospect Edmen Shahbazyan on the judges’ scorecards.

    A win for Strickland will continue his quick and successful rise up the 185-pound division. Strickland won his first UFC main event in July, defeating Uriah Hall on scorecards. The fight was his fourth victory since returning in the fall of 2020.

    Strickland envisions a victory next year, potentially setting him up for a fight against the UFC middleweight champion. He expects the result of his fight, along with an upcoming clash between Derek Brunson and Jared Cannonier, to determine who is next in line for champion Israel Adesanya.

    Who is your pick for the early February main event? Sean Strickland or Jack Hermansson?

  • Claudia Gadelha Declares Retirement From MMA, Departs UFC Roster

    Former UFC title challenger Claudia Gadelha has reportedly indicated her intention to retire from MMA.

    Gadelha recently notified the UFC of her plan to stop competing in the sport, per a report from Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting. The recent story explained that Gadelha is no longer on the UFC roster after informing the promotion that she doesn’t plan to continue fighting.

    The 33-year-old fighter is leaving the UFC roster with a promotional record of seven wins and five losses. Her MMA record as a whole currently sits at 18 wins through 23 appearances.

    She most notably challenged for the UFC Strawweight Championship in 2016, fighting to a unanimous decision loss against Joanna Jędrzejczyk. The fight was heavily promoted, as they coached on The Ultimate Fighter in the lead-up, and they headlined the live Season 23 finale.

    Looking Back At Gadelha’s Career

    Claudia Gadelha
    Image Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    Gadelha has fought as a pro since 2008. After putting together an undefeated record of 11 consecutive wins, she signed with the UFC in 2014. She went on to become one of the more active strawweight fighters in the following years.

    She notably earned a first-round submission win against Karolina Kowalkiewicz in 2017. This made her only the second woman at that time to beat the former title challenger.

    Gadelha took a loss in her last fight in November 2020 to Yan Xiaonan. She had momentum in the division before then, however. Her two previous fights were victories over veteran fighters Randa Markos and Angela Hill.

    Gadelha has yet to comment on her departure from the UFC roster, although she has acknowledged the news on social media and updated her Instagram bio to say “Former UFC Fighter.”

    How will you remember the career of Claudia Gadelha?

  • UFC Vegas 45: Lewis vs. Daukaus Weigh-In Results & In-Depth Preview

    The weigh-in results for UFC Vegas 45: Lewis vs. Daukaus are in, and we’ve got the results along with a preview for tomorrow night’s event for you below.

    The weigh-ins are complete for UFC Vegas 45, and three fighters have missed weight. In Justin Tafa’s case, he made history by becoming the first heavyweight to ever miss weight. Greg Hardy initially missed weight at UFC Vegas 12 last year, but he was able to successfuly make weight on his second attempt. Tafa, however, did not return to the scales after weighing in at 267 pounds, which is one pound over the heavyweight limit.

    Macy Chiasson also missed weight for her featherweight bout against Raquel Pennington, coming in at 148.5 pounds, 2.5 pounds over the limit. Meanwhile, Sijara Eubanks’ struggles on the scale continue, with the flyweight weighing in 1.5 pounds over the flyweight limit ahead of her bout against Melissa Gatto.

    UFC Vegas 45 takes place from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The entire card will stream on ESPN+, with the prelims starting at 4:00 PM ET and the main card beginning at 7:00 PM ET.

    UFC Vegas 45 Preview & Faceoffs

    The final card of 2021 goes down tomorrow night in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the main event, top-10 heavyweights Derrick Lewis (#3) and Chris Daukaus (#7) will slug it out. When these two big boys exchange fire, former police officer Daukaus will do so cautiously because of the power he knows Lewis possesses.

    All the while, Lewis will be swangin’ and bangin’ and doing everything he can to avoid being MMA’s answer to Rodney King. Should he be successful, he’d like to move on to the next challenge, two-time UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic.

    In his previous bout at UFC 265 against Ciryl Gane, Lewis admits that the pressure of vying for a UFC title in his hometown got to him. Tomorrow night, there will be a sparse and relatively quiet Apex crowd ready to behold another Black Beast explosion. Should Lewis earn another knockout tomorrow at Daukaus’ expense, he will stand alone as the UFC knockout record-holder.

    Check out the face-off between these two heavyweights below.

    In the co-main event, top-10 welterweights Stephen Thompson (#5) and Belal Muhammad (#10) will do battle. When Thompson first learned that this fight was booked, the UFC veteran was absolutely elated. He expects a fun, honest scrap between himself and Muhammad, unlike the way he feels his fight with Gilbert Burns went at UFC 264.

    Should Thompson come out on the losing end, Muhammad believes that should earn him the same opportunity that Thompson has had on two separate occasions: fighting for the world title. If not, a bout with the highly touted Khamzat Chimaev would also suffice for the Chicagoan.

    Here is the final face-off between these two ranked welterweights.

    Here are the other face-offs for tomorrow night’s main card bouts!

    Amanda Lemos vs. Angela Hill

    Raphael Assuncao vs. Ricky Simon

    Diego Ferreira vs. Mateusz Gamrot

    Cub Swanson vs. Darren Elkins

    This is a battle between two hardened UFC veterans. Cub Swanson recently revealed that there are some people in his inner circle that believe he should stop fighting. However, he hopes that big performances like the one he expects to turn in tomorrow will show them that he still has plenty left to offer the sport. Check out the face-off between these to battle-tested featherweights below.

    UFC Vegas 45 Weigh-In Results

    Below, you can find the full lineup for UFC Vegas 45 as well as the weigh-in results, courtesy of UFC.com.

    Main Card

    Main Event – Heavyweight Bout: Derrick Lewis (265) vs Chris Daukaus (235.5)

    Co-Main Event – Welterweight Bout: Stephen Thompson (170.5) vs Belal Muhammad (170.5)

    Women’s Strawweight Bout: Amanda Lemos (115) vs Angela Hill (115.5)

    Bantamweight Bout: Raphael Assuncao (136) vs Ricky Simon (135.5)

    Lightweight Bout: Diego Ferreira (156) vs Mateusz Gamrot (155.5)

    Featherweight Bout: Cub Swanson (145.5) vs Darren Elkins (145.5)

    PRELIMS

    Middleweight Bout: Dustin Stoltzfus (185.5) vs Gerald Meerschaert (185.5)

    Bantamweight Bout: Raoni Barcelos (135.5) vs Victory Henry (136)

    Heavyweight Bout: Justin Tafa (267)* vs Harry Hunsucker (238.5)

    Women’s Flyweight Bout: Sijara Eubanks (127.5)** vs Melissa Gatto (125)

    Featherweight Bout: Charles Jourdain (145.5) vs Andre Ewell (145)

    Women’s Featherweight Bout: Raquel Pennington (145) vs Macy Chiasson (148.5)***

    Heavyweight Bout: Don’Tale Mayes (256.5) vs Josh Parisian (262)

    Lightweight Bout: Jordan Leavitt (155.5) vs Matt Sayles (155.5)

    MMA News will have you covered with all the UFC Vegas 45 results and highlights tomorrow night!

  • Dana White Walks Back Claim That No Welterweight Wants Chimaev Fight

    Dana White may have prematurely stated that nobody wants to fight Khamzat Chimaev.

    Dana White’s job is to be a promoter. He is maybe the best fight promoter on the planet, and the way he is able to hype fights and fighters is arguably second to none.

    Lately, he has been riding high on Khamzat Chimaev. The rising welterweight star is looking to be the next big thing in the UFC, and it seems White can get on board with this notion. In fact, White recently came out to claim that no other welterweight on the roster would take a fight with Chmiaev.

    “Khamzat Chimaev is one of the baddest dudes that I’ve ever come across. He is literally willing to fight anyone,” White said to MMA Junkie just a few weeks ago.“Nobody wants to fight this guy. Everybody wants to get out on social media and say this or that. But when it really comes down to it, nobody is trying to fight Khamzat Chimaev. I don’t blame them.”

    This is all well and good to hype up one of the most interesting and fastest-rising fighters on the roster, but his statement was not 100% true. Although many possible opponents have turned down Chimaev, like Nate Diaz, there is one man who has been shouting from the rooftops for a fight with the Swedish powerhouse.

    “And that’s unfair for me to say because that is true. Neil Magny would take that fight today,” White clarified to Daniel Cormier on his YouTube channel.

    Magny has been calling for Chimaev for months. He has been active on Twitter looking for a fight and even had the idea of matching up with him this month. Although that date is no longer possible, now that White has publicly admitted to being aware of Magny’s eagerness, perhaps the fight can finally be put on the books in 2022.

    Do you think Neil Magny would be able to beat Khamzat Chimaev if they are matched up?

  • Miesha Tate Praying Not To Fight Friend Julianna Peña, Open To 125

    Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate is hoping to avoid a fight with her friend and reigning 135-pound titleholder Julianna Peña and could move down to flyweight to do so.

    Last weekend, Peña proved the likes of Chael Sonnen and Cris Cyborg right and blew the minds of the rest of the MMA community by dethroning the seemingly unstoppable Amanda Nunes. Ahead of the UFC 269 co-main event, the challenger’s confidence and self-belief were branded as “delusional” by the champ and many fans, some of whom were left with shocked faces inside the T-Mobile Arena.

    After a strong opening round for Nunes, “The Venezuelan Vixen” flew out the gate in the second, taking the fight to the “Lioness” on the feet. After hurting the Brazilian, Peña dragged her to the mat and forced a quick tap, completing one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

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

    Tate Could Pursue A Different Belt

    Since the incredible result, talk has turned to Peña’s reign and future opponents. However, one of the biggest names in the division and a former titleholder doesn’t appear willing to face the newly-crowned champion if she works her way back to the belt.

    Miesha Tate, a good friend and occasional training partner of “The Venezuelan Vixen,” is expecting Peña to retain the gold in her likely rematch with Nunes. With that could come a tricky scenario.

    Despite maintaining aspirations of having a UFC strap wrapped around her waist again, “Cupcake” told MMA Junkie that she would rather avoid entering the Octagon with Peña. Tate even suggested she could pursue Valentina Shevchenko’s flyweight gold instead.

    “A lot can change between now and then, so I have to win and do my job so I think what really I’ve got to do is win and focus on that. If Julie’s still the champion by the time that I get there, then I think that’s a conversation we have at that time. I’ve probably got to get two wins until I’m looking at a championship fight, at least, so I’ve got to focus on me and I’m going to continue to cheer on Julie and pray that we don’t ever have to fight each other.

    UFC Champ Miesha Tate and TUF Winner Julianna Pena. | Miesha tate, Good looking women, Female fighter
    Julianna Peña, Miesha Tate

    “I know that Julianna can make 125 and I can make 125. There’s also those things too. It’s not out of the question for either of us to go hunting Valentina (Shevchenko) at some point. There’s lots of dynamics. I know she really wants that fight too so we’d have to see what happens if everything continues to play out in that direction. There’s always that possibility of us going to 125 for either of us too.”

    As Tate mentioned, she’s likely a few wins away from arriving at the crossroads she’s fearing. After returning from retirement earlier this year with a victory over Marion Reneau, the former champ’s title charge was stalled last month in a main event loss to Ketlen Vieira. Now sat at #7 in the rankings, Tate will be after a couple of wins over top names before entering contention again.

    But while stating her trepidation at moving down a division and her desire to remain at bantamweight, the 35-year-old admitted a transition to the 125-pound weight class is not out of the question while Peña is on the throne.

    “It’s something I’ve definitely thought about, but I definitely don’t want people thinking that I’m running at 135,” Tate said. “I hate the idea of leaving a division on a loss. It really bugs me. Something really bothers me about that, leaving the division on a loss. It’s something I’ve thought about, but at the same time, I feel like I need more time to digest all of that. It’s not out of the question by any means, but it would be a long process to get down to 125. I’ve been pretty vocal that I’m not a fan of big weight cuts, so I would probably have to do some things to change my body to get down to that weight, but it’s not something that’s way out in left field.

    Miesha Tate unretires against Marion Reneau at UFC on ESPN 26 | Las Vegas Review-Journal
    Miesha Tate

    “It’s definitely something I feel like it would be an option. I just have to decide to. I’m definitely leaning toward staying at 135 especially given the change-ups, but it’s definitely not something out of the question.”

    While the situation is something to think about for the future, former champ Nunes will be looking to save the pair from the hassle of avoiding a matchup with each other by immediately reclaiming the title. The Brazilian has the option of a rematch and appears more than willing to run it back with the first woman to beat her since Cat Zingano in 2014.

    If Nunes doesn’t recapture the bantamweight throne, though, and Tate records a few triumphs over names like Irena Aldana; Holly Holm; and Aspen Ladd, who’s made her desire to face Tate known; perhaps we’ll be seeing “Cupcake” making a tough cut down to flyweight before her career is done.

    How do you think Miesha Tate would fare against flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko?

  • Cub Swanson Says Inner Circle Wants Him To Stop Fighting In The UFC

    UFC veteran Cub Swanson may have had many struggles in recent years, but he feels he still has a lot to prove in the Octagon ahead of UFC Vegas 45.

    Swanson is slated to face Darren Elkins tomorrow night at UFC Vegas 45 and will look to get back in the win column after falling to Giga Chikadze earlier this year. While Swanson has been a mainstay in the featherweight division, he’s taken a lot of damage in losing five of his last seven bouts.

    Despite the recent struggles and being arguably past his physical prime at 38 years old, Swanson still feels he provides challenges for many up-and-coming 145-pound prospects.

    During a recent interview with the Desert Sun, Swanson addressed his UFC future and what motivates him at this point in his career.

    “It’s my decision, and it’s not like I’m washed up. It’s kind of annoying,” Swanson said when asked about people telling him to stop fighting. “I’m getting the feeling that people don’t want me to fight anymore. I take that into consideration because of my fans. So every fight, I’m trying to have the best performance to prove that I’m doing the right thing.

    “I still feel like I’m getting better.”

    Swanson made his UFC debut back in 2011 against Ricardo Lamas, losing via second-round submission. He would go on quite the run with six-straight wins before losing to top contenders Frankie Edgar and Max Holloway.

    When Swanson has ended up on the losing side of things, it’s usually against a high level of competition. His most recent loss to Chikadze showed how the current generation of featherweight prospects is arguably passing the veterans in the division.

    Swanson will have the opportunity to calm the critics this weekend at UFC Vegas 45 and prove that he’s still a force to be reckoned with in the promotion.

    What are your thoughts on Cub Swanson’s UFC career?

  • Covington Does Not Give “Son” Woodley Permission To Fight Jake Paul

    Colby Covington won’t be paying any attention to Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 this Saturday.

    In the main event of a Showtime pay-per-view in Tampa at the Amalie Arena on Saturday, Paul and Woodley will be running it back. The two fought back in August where Paul won by split decision, but Woodley rocked the YouTuber-turned-boxer badly and nearly finished him. Now, ahead of the rematch, the tagline is “Leave No Doubt.”

    Although the original fight was Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury, the Woodley rematch is as if not more intriguing. Yet, for Covington, he has no interest in seeing the fight again and has informed the YouTuber that his “son’ Woodley was not granted his permission to attend this event.

    Tyron Woodley Jake Paul
    Photo via Instagram @showtimeboxing

    “The thing about that, you know, is Snake Paul knows that I didn’t sign off on my son Tyron Woodley to go out there and fight, but he went out there and he should have won that first fight, but obviously he was paid off to not finish Jake Paul,” Covington said to Submission Radio. “I’m not signing off on the second fight, Jake Paul, to let my son Tyron Woodley come back. No one cares about it, the fight’s on a week’s notice ’cause Tyson Fury pulled out or, whatever, that boxer over in the UK.”

    Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley have a documented history together. After a feud that ran for years, the two finally met in the Octagon last year, where Covington picked up the dominant victory.

    Although Jake Paul has a massive following and does sell, Colby Covington certainly has a point that the rematch with Tyron Woodley is not as hyped. Part of that is due to the fact the fight was made on short notice.

    Regardless, count Covington as one of many MMA fighters who won’t be tuning into Paul-Woodley 2 on Saturday night in Tampa on Showtime.

    Will you be watching Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 on Saturday?

  • Thompson: GSP Is The Welterweight GOAT Unless Usman Beats Me

    Stephen Thompson believes Kamaru Usman needs to get past him in order to surpass Georges St-Pierre as being the greatest UFC welterweight of all time.

    There has been a growing debate over who is the greatest welterweight of all time, Georges St-Pierre or Kamaru Usman? Thompson states GSP is the current GOAT but can think of one way that Usman can surpass him.

    “I think he can. I think he’s there. I think if he keeps doing what he’s doing, and gets past me, he will definitely be there. He’s gotta get past me,” said Thompson in an interview with RT Sport.

    Thompson, now 38 years old, is not losing hope for another title run and a chance to fight Usman. Thompson fought Tyron Woodley in back-to-back title fights in 2016 at UFC 205 and then four months later at UFC 209. Thompson fell short in both fights but was very close to touching gold the first time, as Woodley retained the belt with a majority draw.

    UFC 205 results: Tyron Woodley retains title in majority draw with Stephen Thompson | MMA Junkie
    Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

    Thompson was on the brink of a potential third title shot, but that slipped away as he lost to Gilbert Burns this past July at UFC 264. Prior to his loss, Thompson was on a two-fight win streak over Geoff Neal and Vicente Luque.

    A win over the 10th-ranked welterweight in Belal Muhammad in this Saturday night’s co-main event could get Thompson a step closer to one final title shot. Usman has already beaten three out of the top five welterweights (Colby Covington twice, Gilbert Burns, Leon Edwards), so the only other fighters that he would need to beat are Vicente Luque, who lost to Thompson before, and Thompson.

    Thompson believes a win this weekend can warrant enough for a title shot and that until Usman is able to be victorious over him, GSP is still the GOAT.

    “He’s running out of guys,” Thompson said. “They’re running out of guys to put up against him, and I know if I go out there and do what I need to do against Belal Muhammad, then I’ll be able to get that shot very soon. But until then, GSP will always be number one, for sure.”

    Georges St-Pierre currently has the most title wins in welterweight history with 12 compared to Usman’s 6. GSP also has the most wins in the division (19) while Usman has the record for most consecutive wins (15). Additionally, GSP has five finishes out of his 12 title-fight victories compared to Usman’s three finishes out of his six title-fight victories.

    Do you think Kamaru Usman can surpass GSP as the welterweight GOAT?

  • Derrick Lewis Doesn’t Want To Get “Rodney King’d” On ESPN

    It’s not a “Black Beast” fight week without some memorable quotes. 

    Derrick Lewis is known for his quick wit and vicious knockout power. Put a microphone in front of him, and the Houston native shines. So it’s no surprise that ahead of his main event bout with Chris Daukaus, a former police officer, that Lewis brought up his opponent’s past occupation at the press conference(h/t Sportskeeda). 

    “He’s gotta be a good guy because he is a police officer. I support the police department all over the world, specially in Houston. I appreciate most of you all for letting me slide with speeding ticket here, and that’s why I appreciate you all, back the blue all day long. Whenever you fighting a police officer, you don’t wanna get Rodney King’d on ESPN, so you gotta go out there and fight hard, man. Do it for the people.”

    Derrick Lewis
    Derrick Lewis (Photo: Instagram @UFC)

    For those who may not be in the know, Rodney King is a black man who was excessively beaten by police officers after a traffic chase in 1991. The four officers accused of excessive force were freed without punishment, causing the city of Los Angeles to erupt in riots and chaos.

    Lewis and Daukaus will meet in the main event of UFC Vegas 45 this Saturday. Daukaus will be looking to make it five straight wins since joining the UFC in 2020. His last outing saw him TKO Shamil Abdurakhimov at UFC 266. 

    The bout will be Lewis’ first return to the Octagon since failing to capture interim gold against Cyril Gane at UFC 265 in August.

    Who wins between Chris Daukaus and Derrick Lewis this weekend?

  • Stephen Thompson Explains Why He’s So Grateful For Muhammad Fight

    UFC welterweight contender Stephen Thompson is set for his second fight of 2021 this weekend, and he’s glad it’s coming against a “good person” like Belal Muhammad.

    This time last year, Thompson was gearing up to face fellow top-10 welterweight Geoff Neal in the main event of UFC Vegas 17. In a vintage performance on the feet, “Wonderboy” pieced up “Handz of Steel” on his way to a comfortable unanimous decision win, a triumph that firmly placed Thompson into title contention.

    Fast forward a year and it’s a different story. Thompson will be heading into the final card of this year hoping to resurrect his championship aspirations and re-enter the win column following a disappointing setback at the hands of fellow former title challenger Gilbert Burns at UFC 264 in July.

    In his way will be #10-ranked welterweight Belal Muhammad, who’s coming off a controlling victory over Demian Maia at UFC 263. “Remember The Name” will likely look to stifle Thompson’s incredible kickboxing skills in a similar way to Durinho’s approach.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXRprtqPa0g/

    Thompson Was Over The Moon To Accept Muhammad Fight

    In a sport where animosity and trash talk is prevalent, many find it refreshing to have a matchup fueled by respect and comradeship every now and then. Passionate back-and-forths can be entertaining, but some would argue it often goes too far, take the build-up to Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 3, for example.

    One man who couldn’t be more opposite to McGregor in terms of conduct and pre-fight respect is Stephen Thompson. The reason behind his title of the UFC’s “NMF” was on full display while he discussed his upcoming fight during an appearance on Submission Radio. After admitting his relief at finding an opponent before the end of the year, “Wonderboy” didn’t have anything but nice words to say about Muhammad.

    “The UFC came to us and was like, ‘Hey, how does Belal Muhammad sound?’ This was about several weeks back (from the start of November), and I was in shape. I’m like, ‘Dude, thank you Belal, thank you.’ That’s what was going through my head, ‘Let’s make this happen.’ I love Belal Muhammad. He’s been trying to have me on his dang podcast forever, and I feel bad… every time it happens, something always messes up on my end.

    “I love the guy, man. I’m so happy that he wanted to take this fight because I wanted another fight in this year. I’ve been out the past few years with injuries, so it’s been fairly difficult for me to get in there… I’m just excited to face off against a guy like Belal Muhammad, and he’s funny, man. I think he’s great; good fighter, good person, good personality, and we’re gonna put on a show for the fans, for sure.”

    While this clash represents a crucial step in Thompson’s desire to mount a final run for the title and can perhaps be described as a must-win bout in that sense, it also represents a huge opportunity for Muhammad.

    After winning four straight, the 33-year-old had a similar chance to jump towards the top five in a March main event against Leon Edwards. After eye pokes led to a disappointing and painful no contest on that occasion, “Remember The Name” will aim to join the welterweight elite with a victory inside the Apex this Saturday.

    Who do you think will have their hand raised in the UFC Vegas 45 co-main event, Stephen Thompson or Belal Muhammad?

  • Derrick Lewis Targets Stipe Miocic Clash With Victory Over Daukaus

    UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis is hoping to book an Octagon meeting with Stipe Miocic when he faces Chris Daukaus this weekend.

    Despite his recent setback, Lewis is seemingly as eager as ever to throw down inside the cage. “The Black Beast” opened his year with one of the most brutal knockouts of 2021. In a February main event, he slept top contender Curtis Blaydes with a vicious uppercut. Given his prior wins against Aleksei Oleinik, Ilir Latifi, and Blagoy Ivanov, Lewis had set himself up for a title shot.

    After Francis Ngannou’s inability to make the Houston-held UFC 265 pay-per-view in August, Lewis had to settle for an interim title fight against surging Frenchman Ciryl Gane. The hometown hero story didn’t play out that night, with the 36-year-old falling in the third round after failing to connect with “Bon Gamin” much during the contest.

    Keen to re-enter the win column, Lewis will fit a third fight into a year for the first time since 2018 when he collides with rising heavyweight Chris Daukaus in Saturday’s UFC Vegas 45 main event.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXbc-Z0MIZm/

    Lewis Targets “One Of The Best Of All Time”

    While he’s certainly got a stiff test in front of him in Las Vegas this weekend, Lewis isn’t one to shy away from looking into the future. He did exactly that during UFC Vegas 45 media day on Wednesday.

    Lewis discussed his aspirations for 2022 if he can secure a rebound victory against Daukaus. After stating he’d like to be back fighting for gold by the end of the year, “The Black Beast” suggested he can arrive there by facing and beating “one of the best of all time” in Stipe Miocic, who, despite their long tenures in the UFC, Lewis has never faced.

    “I would like to fight for the title at the end of next year,” Lewis said. “That would be great. You know, get through Daukaus, God willing, I come out with the win, I would like to fight Stipe next. I believe he’s top five, so I believe that I should be fighting top-five guys in the division. Nothing against Stipe or nothing like that.

    Stipe Miocic
    Stipe Miocic

    “You know, I don’t feel like I have nothing to prove. It’s just a guy that I’ve never fought. I know he’s like one of the best of all time. You know, I ain’t shit, so I just want to just fight him just because. That’s all. No disrespect or anything like that.” (h/t MMA Junkie)

    Of course, to build a path to Miocic, Lewis will have to get past Daukaus, who will be no easy task. The 32-year-old has gone 4-0 in the UFC since arriving in 2020. After first-round knockouts against Parker Porter, Rodrigo Nascimento, and Aleksei Oleinik, Daukaus jumped up the rankings with a mightily impressive second-round TKO against Shamil Abdurakhimov at UFC 266.

    Nevertheless, Lewis’ power will be the dangerous threat it always is, and “The Black Beast” will be hoping to KO his way to the consensus heavyweight GOAT tomorrow night.

    How do you think a fight between Derrick Lewis and Stipe Miocic would play out?