Heading into this bout, Woodley is approaching things with a completely different mindset than the first fight. Speaking in a recent interview with Submission Radio, he said that he is going into this rematch very aware of the antics that Jake Paul will try to use, saying that he is already getting DMs from the YouTuber.
“I expect him to try to do something to ruffle my feathers. He’s a kid, you know what I mean? That’s what I’ve also gotta remember. There’s gonna be antics, he’s already started social media stuff, he’s sending me DMs,” Woodley said. “I’m already expecting that. But disrespect won’t be tolerated. So if they do that again, last time they got a warning, this time there’s gonna be action. So I don’t think that’s gonna happen. But I do expect shenanigans. I expect him to do some BS at the press conference.”
It will be curious to see how this press conference goes between Tyron Woodley and Jake Paul, and if there are any sort of altercations that happen as a result of it. That said, it does seem unlikely that either man would do something to put this fight in serious jeopardy, no matter what antics are being used.
Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley 2 goes down this weekend, December 18th, and you can watch the full interview with the former champ in the video below:
Despite giving props to Julianna Peña for her victory over Amanda Nunes, two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison is confident the newly-crowned UFC bantamweight queen wouldn’t be able to repeat it.
Nunes, Harrison’s American Top Team teammate, saw her 12-fight win streak and reign over the 135-pound weight class collapse in the co-main event of UFC 269 last weekend. Having defeated the likes of Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Holly Holm, and ascended the mountaintop of two divisions, it was the unlikely challenge of Peña that proved to be the David to her Goliath.
On fight night, Peña brought the heat to the “Lioness” on the feet, piecing her up with her jab, before forcing the action to the mat and securing her place on the throne with a submission triumph.
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Harrison, who considers Nunes to be a friend, as well as training partner, was in attendance for the demise of the 33-year-old’s dominance at bantamweight. In an interview with TMZ Sports, the unbeaten lightweight star expressed her sadness at seeing Nunes defeated.
“I was heartbroken, obviously, for my teammate and my friend. I have a lot of respect for Amanda. I help her train, I’ve trained with her, she’s helped me, you know, we’re teammates, I would consider her a friend, so first and foremost, I was heartbroken for her.”
Nevertheless, Harrison maintained that the loss wasn’t something we’d see often. The two-time Olympic gold medalist suggested Nunes would have no trouble dispatching Peña 90% of the time.
“I still think that if they fought 10 times, nine times out of 10 Amanda starches her. But sometimes it’s just not your night, no matter what yo do, no matter how hard you prepare, no matter how good you feel or how confident you are, sometimes things just don’t go your way. That’s the craziness of this sport.”
Harrison Promises Peña A “2-For-1 ATT Special If She Keeps Talking”
Harrison’s theory could well be put to the test in 2022. After Dana White confirmed the former champ has the option for a rematch on the table if she wants it, both Nunes and the newly-crowned titleholder suggested it makes sense. However, Peña could be facing more than just a “Lioness” if she continues down her current path.
Following her title crowning, Peña discussed the possibility of facing Harrison. Dismissing the threat of the Ohio native, “The Venezuelan Vixen” branded the PFL champ, who she said has only fought in the “B-leagues” the “lesser of the training partners” at ATT.
In response, Harrison said that if she’s not careful, Peña could be the recipient of a special offer out of the famed Florida-based gym.
“I think that she (Nunes) takes a little time off, she relaxes, she spends time with her family, with her daughter, with her wife, and then we get right back at it. I talked to her that night, I was like, ‘This puta’s about to get a 2-for-1 ATT special if she keeps talking.’”
Given their current weight discrepancy, which has the pair fighting 20 pounds apart, a Harrison vs. Peña matchup seems unlikely unless the UFC champ chooses to move up to featherweight. With that in mind, the more likely bout is seemingly a championship clash between the two ATT teammates.
With Nunes still in possession of the 145-pound gold, and Harrison’s free agency status leaving the door open for a move to the UFC, we could see the two friends collide down the line.
Do you agree with Kayla Harrison? Would Amanda Nunes beat Julianna Peña nine times out of 10?
Barring the unexpected, this match will be widely viewed as a #1-contender bout to determine who faces the winner of Adesanya/Whittaker 2, with one of the two men potentially acting as a replacement option for the main event.
Both Brunson and Cannonier have compelling arguments for a title shot. In Brunson’s case, he is currently riding an impressive five-fight winning streak, including most recently finishing former UFC title challenger Darren Till in September. For Cannonier, he was victorious in a bout in August in defeating Kelvin Gastelum, thus making it four wins out of his last five fights.
With this adjustment, here is the updated lineup for UFC 271:
UFC Middleweight Championship Bout: Israel Adesanya(c) vs. Robert Whittaker
Jared Cannonier vs. Derek Brunson
Alex Perez vs. Matt Schnell
Alexander Hernandez vs. Renato Moicano
Roxanne Modafferi vs. Casey O’Neill
Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Sergey Morozov
Mark Madsen vs. Vinc Pichel
Fabio Cherant vs. Carlos Ulberg
Orion Cosce vs. Mike Mathetha
Maxim Grishin vs. Ed Herman
Ronnie Lawrence vs. Mana Martinez
AJ Dobson vs. Jacob Malkoun
Who do you think will emerge victorious in this middleweight title eliminator between Derek Brunson and Jared Cannonier?
UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira has given the green light for his red-panty night.
Conor McGregor has let it be known that when he makes his return to the Octagon, he expects to be greeted with a world title shot. Being that McGregor is currently ranked down at #9 and has not won a fight since January 2020, not everyone is taking his expectation seriously. However, one of the only people whose opinion matters, Charles Oliveira himself, is very much on board with the idea.
“If I had the chance [in the past] to fight for the belt or fight Conor, everybody knows I’d fight for the belt,” Oliveira told MMA Fighting through translation. “That already happened, I’m the champion now. The champion has a name and his name is Charles Oliveira, Charles ‘do Bronx.’ If I had the chance to fight Conor for money today, I would. The belt is mine and continues being mine. We’ll continue building our legacy and making history.”
With Oliveira being the undisputed UFC lightweight champion, he certainly has a say in what is next for him. UFC President Dana White has already confirmed that the current plan is for Oliveira to defend his title against Justin Gaethje next. But if the choice were Oliveira’s, the champion insists that he’s no dummy and would opt for the cash grab.
“If I had the opportunity to fight Conor, I would definitely fight Conor. The belt is mine regardless. The division has to get by and wait a little bit. There’s nothing else to do. We have to think about our families, our children, think about what we can do down the line.”
Oliveira would have little sympathy for his lightweight peers if McGregor jumped the line because they weren’t willing to give him an opportunity before he became champion. That being said, Oliveira doesn’t intend on lobbying for the McGregor fight and will continue to be a company man and fight whomever the promotion wants him to, including #1 contender Justin Gaethje.
“That happened to me,” Oliveira said. “I was the No. 7 in the rankings and wanted to fight [top contenders] and they didn’t want to. The champion has a name now, we’re part of the same organization, and I’ll fight whoever the UFC puts against me. If they say it’s Conor, I’ll fight him. If they say it’s Justin, I’ll fight him. I just want to go home now and get some rest with my daughter and go back to the cage as soon as possible.”
What would be your reaction if Conor McGregor skipped the line to a title shot against Charles Oliveira?
UFC welterweight contender Vicente Luque has welcomed a fight against rising star Khamzat Chimaev, saying the decision to sign the contract would be “simple” for him.
Luque has been on an impressive rise up the 170-pound ladder. Since a 2017 loss to the #3-ranked Leon Edwards, the Brazilian has gone 10-1, defeating the likes of Niko Price, Bryan Barberena, Mike Perry, and Randy Brown, and losing to only Stephen Thompson.
Since his setback to “Wonderboy,” Luque has won four straight, including 2021 victories over former champion Tyron Woodley and then-top-five contender Michael Chiesa. His victory over “Maverick,” which came at UFC 265 in August, saw “The Silent Assassin” expertly reverse position to submit Chiesa with a D’Arce choke.
After his latest victory, Vicente Luque continued his callouts of fan-favorite Nate Diaz, with the Stockton native even appearing to publicly accept the fight. But with talk of that clash disappearing, the 30-year-old is now on the hunt for other potential foes, and he’s certainly not afraid of anyone, not even an undefeated brute outside the top 10.
After making a splash in the UFC last year, Khamzat Chimaev was forced to the sidelines with a bad bout of COVID-19. When he returned at UFC 267 in October, “Borz” immediately entered the rankings and the title conversation with a first-round domination of Li Jingliang.
During an Instagram live session, Luque started by praising his welterweight peer and acknowledged why there is so much hype surrounding his blossoming career. However, that doesn’t put him off entering the Octagon with Chimaev. The Brazilian said he’d have no problem accepting the fight and encouraged “Borz” to call out his name.
“I sure understand the hype behind it. He looks great in fights, he seems like a really strong guy. He goes in there and finishes every fight. So I understand the hype, I understand why the UFC wants to put you in big fights. Many people ask me about this fight (against Chimaev). And I’m here. If he mentions my name – because I didn’t hear him say my name – if he says my name and the UFC sends me the contract, I’m going to sign that contract. This is simple for me.
“But he didn’t mention my name. I think he said, ‘Anyone in the top.’ Well, when someone mentions my name and asks for this fight, I’m going to do it for sure. I think it’s a great fight, it’s an exciting fight. He’s a monster. He goes in there and tries to finish the opponent every second. It’s not much different from what I do. It would be a great fight, that’s for sure. If he wants to, if he warns the UFC and if they warn me, we’ll do it,” he concluded. (h/t ESPN)
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It’s perhaps unsurprising that one of the welterweights open to fighting Chimaev is Luque. “The Silent Assassin” has built a reputation as an always-game individual who doesn’t hesitate when it comes to accepting fights—unless it’s against his teammate Burns, of course.
Now that Luque has joined Neil Magny in calling out “Borz,” the idea that top contenders in the 170-pound weight class are avoiding him, a narrative pushed by many, including Derek Brunson, has perhaps lost its legs.
How do you think a fight between Vicente Luque and Khamzat Chimaev would play out?
Julianna Peña hopes her recent win over Amanda Nunes can teach doubters a lesson.
The newly crowned UFC Bantamweight Champion Peña is well aware that the fight world didn’t expect her to come out on top against Amanda Nunes at UFC 269. But after securing a shocking second-round rear naked choke submission win over the weekend, Peña is happy to tell everyone they made a mistake by not giving her a chance.
Peña attributes a large part of her success to a positive mindset heading into the fight. She says she had confidence from the start and was able to put aside the vocal skepticism that was placed upon her.
“The message to those people is that I just proved that it can be done, you know what I mean? It’s the power of the mind. It’s the power of your faith. And it’s the power of your desire and your willpower and your determination,” Peña said on The MMA Hour. “I know that people were sleeping on me. I know that people have tried to cast me and throw me in a box as this underdog. But I know one thing for sure. If you have two girls, whether they sit in the bottom of the seed or the top of the seed, if you have two girls that are willing and able to sign on the dotted line and fight, you have a fight.
“And as long as you fight and you go out there and prove how big your dog is, then that’s all that matters. Fighting in a steel cage is very simple. It’s a fistfight in a steel cage. Anything can happen, and anything is possible.”
Peña doesn’t want her win to just be a story about herself. Instead, she hopes that her victory can teach people to not count out others, or even themselves.
“The word ‘impossible’ literally is broken down to ‘I’m possible.’ And I have always believed in myself and my ability. I have just always been so loud about wanting a shot. Just somebody give me a shot. Give me an opportunity. Give me my chance. Everybody else has gotten their chances and no one will give me my chance. And that’s why I was so frustrated because I felt like I’ve been doing this for as long as the division has been open and screaming and kicking and punching and screaming for my shot and no one would give me the opportunity.
“So to finally get that opportunity and for all those people that were sleeping on me, I am very proud to say I woke you up, and I hope that this is a lesson learned for anybody that has ever doubted me or doubted themselves.”
Did you count Julianna Peña out before her fight against Amanda Nunes?
UFC lightweight veteran Diego Ferreira has revealed that he recently signed a new five-fight deal with MMA’s premier promotion.
Ferreira, the current #12 contender in the 155-pound weight class, is set to be in action for the third time this year next weekend at UFC Vegas 45. On the final UFC card of 2021, the Brazilian will face rising prospect Mateusz Gamrot, who’s jumped onto the scene with victories over Scott Holtzman and Jeremy Stephens, the latter of which came via a brutal kimura submission in July.
Ahead of the main card clash, MMA News’ James Lynch spoke with Ferreira about a variety of topics, including his upcoming opponent, the recent shoulder injury that saw him withdraw from a scheduled bout against Grant Dawson, and his latest training camp.
During the interaction, Ferreira updated MMA News on his current contractual situation in the UFC. The 36-year-old revealed he recently put pen to paper on a new deal that will see him compete in the Octagon at least a further five times.
“I think I have five more. (I) just signed (for) five more. Yeah, just re-signed my contract, I think I have five more if I’m not wrong. I just talked to coach Sayif (Saud) to see, but I already re-signed again, five more fights… (it feels) super. It feels, I gotta say, it feels like they really watch out for me, and now I just need to go over there and impress… To get there is easy, to stay in there, to stay between the sharks and the lions, it’s tough. I really enjoyed to get re-signed and have another chance. I gotta put everything on the line.”
Ferreira Hopes To Snap Losing Skid On December 18
When he enters the Octagon with Gamrot next Saturday, Ferreira will be hoping to avoid an 0-3 record in 2021. In his first appearance of the year, the Brazilian faced surging contender Beneil Dariush for the second time. In a competitive affair, the Iranian-born American fell on the right side of a split decision. Dariush now sits at #3 in the division and is preparing for a likely title eliminator against Islam Makhachev.
Ferreira fell to consecutive losses for the first time since 2015 three months later when he was TKO’d by the returning Gregor Gillespie. Despite back-to-back setbacks, Ferreira entered the year on a six-fight win streak, which included a victory over former champion Anthony Pettis. He’ll be looking to re-find that form this weekend ahead of an important 2022.
Having only lost to Dariush, Gillespie, and Dustin Poirier in his 21-fight career, Ferreira remains one of the most battle-tested names in the lightweight rankings, and represents a challenge that won’t be easy for the likes of Gamrot, who are looking to forge their own path towards the top 10 with victories over the division’s stalwarts.
Who would you still like to see Diego Ferreira face in the UFC?
Top-10 flyweights Alex Perez and Matt Schnell will meet on February 12.
As announced in a UFC press release, former title challenger Alex Perez will compete for the first time in over a year when he takes on Matt Schnell at UFC 271. This will be the fifth time this fight has been booked this calendar year. The latest attempt to see this fight was for this past weekend’s UFC 269. However, Schnell had to withdraw due to medical reasons.
Alex Perez (24-6) last competed at UFC 255 against then-flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Perez earned this shot by defeating three consecutive opponents, including two finishes in a row over Jordan Espinosa (triangle choke) and Jussier Formiga (TKO). Perez fell short in his bid to unseat Figueiredo, but the 29-year-old will march forward onto his next assignment in veteran Matt Schnell.
Matt Schnell (15-6) has had mixed results as of late, going 2-2 in his last four bouts. In his most recent contest, Schnell fell to Rogério Bontorin at UFC 262 in May. From 2017-2019, Schnell enjoyed a four-fight winning streak with victories over Marco Beltrán, Naoki Inoue, Louis Smolka, and Jordan Espinosa. 8 of Schnell’s 15 career wins have come by submission.
The main event for UFC 271 has been announced to feature middleweight champion Israel Adesanya defending his title against former champion Robert Whittaker in a rematch of their 2019 showcase inside the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.
With this addition, here is the updated lineup for UFC 271:
UFC Middleweight Championship Bout: Israel Adesanya(c) vs. Robert Whittaker
Alex Perez vs. Matt Schnell
Alexander Hernandez vs. Renato Moicano
Roxanne Modafferi vs. Casey O’Neill
Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Sergey Morozov
Mark Madsen vs. Vinc Pichel
Fabio Cherant vs. Carlos Ulberg
Orion Cosce vs. Mike Mathetha
Maxim Grishin vs. Ed Herman
Ronnie Lawrence vs. Mana Martinez
AJ Dobson vs. Jacob Malkoun
MMA News will keep you updated on all the latest updates concerning the UFC 271 event.
UFC lightweight contenders Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev are it again on Twitter, this time regarding McGregor’s planned title shot.
McGregor and Makhachev, to the surprise of no one, are not exactly the best of friends. McGregor has had arguably one of the most intense beefs in UFC history with Makhachev’s teammate, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
But things turned up a notch in light of McGregor’s recent claims that he’s going to get an immediate title shot upon his Octagon return. He’s still recovering from a leg injury he suffered against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 and is planning a return bout for some time in 2022.
McGregor has called out lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in recent days, with the champion responding that he could be ready to go as soon as this weekend. Makhachev, who is arguably just one win away from a title shot in his own right, blasted McGregor for attempting to cut the line.
Conor McGregor, Islam Makhachev Could Be On Collision Course in 2022
McGregor remains adamant that he’s in the thick of things in the UFC lightweight title picture, despite losing back-to-back fights to Poirier. He is currently listed as the No. 9 UFC lightweight in the latest rankings.
Makhachev, at No. 4, is slated to face Beneil Dariush in a lightweight showcase in February. He has won nine fights in a row and is coming off of arguably the best performance of his career against Dan Hooker at UFC 267.
A UFC pay-per-view featuring McGregor and Makhachev could potentially happen sooner rather than later, and will certainly stoke the flames of McGregor’s hostility towards Dagestanis. Depending on who the promotion opts to match McGregor up with in his return, he could face Makhachev shortly.
Who do you want to see Conor McGregor fight next in his return?
UFC heavyweight Tai Tuivasa has provided some reasoning behind his UFC 269 walkout this past weekend in Las Vegas.
After viciously knocking out Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, and Greg Hardy, all of whom fell in the first round, Tuivasa had his chance to rise further up the rankings at the final pay-per-view of the year on Saturday night.
With another memorable finish, Tuivasa did just that, sleeping Augusto Sakai in an awkward position against the cage. The victory saw another shoey takeover in front of a sold-out crowd, secured a second consecutive Performance of the Night bonus for Tuivasa, and helped “Bam Bam” move up to #11 in the heavyweight rankings.
Brutal, right? So brutal that you’d be hard-pressed to find a scarier finisher who vibes to ’90s pop music on his way to the Octagon.
Before erupting the T-Mobile Arena at UFC 264 by knocking out Hardy, the Australian looked to intimidate the former NFL defensive end by walking out to… Spice Girls. Yep, Spice Girls. But who can fault the method when we saw a 6 ft 5 in, 260 plus-pound behemoth crumple unconscious to the canvas? Maybe we should all be listening to “Wannabe.”
After the disappointment of Tuivasa’s clash with Sakai initially being set for the small APEX facility passed thanks to the fight’s transfer to UFC 269, the question on everyone’s lips? What would Tuivasa walk out to this time?
When one MMA media member tried to draw the answer out at media day, the 28-year-old wasn’t biting. Instead, he promised another “banger.”
“I’ve always got a banger on the way. Definitely, now the crowds are back, they’re always gonna get better with the crowds. I’ve got one up my sleeve. You should just wait till Saturday and we’ll pump it then.”
When Saturday came, what were we treated to? A 1997 classic from Aqua, “Barbie Girl.” Nothing confuses the brain quite like a huge heavyweight capable of shutting anyone’s lights out strolling between the barriers to a song played at the birthday parties of most five-year-old girls.
Maybe that’s the secret? Lure his opponents into a false sense of security and get them distracted by singing along to goofy songs in their heads? Or maybe Tuivasa is just an entertaining, charismatic, and fun-loving individual who doesn’t take life too seriously. If everything we’ve seen about “Bam Bam” is true, it’s certainly the latter.
Some Choose Rock, Some Choose Rap, Tuivasa Chose Aqua
During his appearance at the UFC 269 post-fight press conference, which came after he performed enough shoeys on his way to the back to floor a university fresher at their first party, Tuivasa was asked what made him choose to serenade the Vegas crowd with a dose of ‘Barbie Girl’.
His response? As hilarious as you’d expect.
“I’m a barbie girl. You know what I mean?”
After the initial laughter died down, the Australian knockout artist suggested everyone loves a bit of Aqua.
“You can’t tell me you don’t love that song! Come on! Everyone! When that comes on, you know you’re boppin’. The crowd loved it, I loved it, and the rest is history.”
Ultimately, that’s the best bit about Tuivasa. Fans love nothing more than knockouts. But what’s better? A funny individual who is able to entertain and draw a smile out of full arenas and those watching at home before flat-lining his opponent inside the Octagon. It truly is the best of both worlds.
With everyone loving and enjoying his style, including himself, who would want him to change his ways? Well, maybe Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai.
At just 28, it stands to reason we have a whole lot of Tuivasa walkouts left to experience, and if he continues his current form, perhaps we’ll see him making his way to the Octagon to face Francis Ngannou or Ciryl Gane with ‘Blue’ by Eiffel 65 over the speakers. We can only dream…
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If you’re an Aqua fan, a “Barbie Girl” like Tuivasa, want to pretend you’re “Bam Bam” walking to the Octagon, or want to imagine the heavyweight powerhouse doing a shoey in the back of a pink convertable, we’ve attached the music video below for your listening pleasure.
Don’t say MMA News doesn’t have you covered when it matters!
What song would you like to see Tai Tuivasa walk out to for his next fight?
Oliveira survived an early barrage from Poirier in the first round to eventually earn another submission victory inside the Octagon. He gassed Poirier out in Round 3 and sunk in a nasty standing rear-naked choke to successfully defend his lightweight title.
The moments after a UFC win are some of the most satisfying that an MMA fighter can have. Unfortunately, Oliveira’s moment of triumph quickly turned into a panic after one UFC fan in the crowd stole his glasses as he was making his way out of T-Mobile Arena.
Charles Oliveira Has Glasses Snatched During Celebration
“He stole it, he wanted to take it and wear it,” Oliveira said. “We got it back. The security guys from the UFC took it back.”
Oliveira can now see clearly into the future, where he looks ahead to a potential lightweight showdown with Justin Gaethje in 2022. While the UFC hasn’t formally announced that Oliveira vs. Gaethje will happen next, UFC President Dana White has agreed that it’s the fight to make at 155 pounds.
Who would you like to see Charles Oliveira fight next?
UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou is moving on from the idea of a Jon Jones fight happening anytime in the near future.
Ngannou was widely expected to make his first title defense against Jones earlier this year, but contract negotiations never materialized as Jones remained at odds with the UFC brass. After months of speculation as to who Ngannou would fight next, the UFC opted to make an interim title bout between Ciryl Gane and Derrick Lewis, in which Gane was the victor.
Ngannou will face Gane in a heavyweight title unification bout at UFC 270, but that hasn’t calmed talks of a potential bout with Jones. During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Ngannou appeared to dismiss Jones’ targeted return for as soon as April.
“Personally I don’t really care about that anymore,” Ngannou said. “There is a lot of talk about Jon Jones. He says a lot of things, yet we are still here. I wasn’t even expecting to fight someone other than Jon Jones after the Stipe (Miocic) fight, but here I am. It’s almost 10 months away, I’m going to fight Ciryl Gane which wasn’t in the picture, in the landscape at that moment at all.”
Jon Jones Could Face The Ciryl Gane/Francis Ngannou Winner
UFC president Dana White has been relatively vague about Jones’ plan to return, stating that he isn’t even thinking about the former light heavyweight champion until 2022. After the long hiatus, Jones could still get an immediate title shot against either Ngannou or Gane.
One caveat in the mix is Jones’ ongoing legal issues stemming from his recent arrest in Las Vegas. He was arrested on battery domestic violence and vehicle tampering charges after allegedly assaulting his fiance at a casino. It’s unclear if this will impact his fighting future.
Ngannou’s latest chapter in his heavyweight career will begin nearly a year after he knocked out Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 for the belt. If he’s able to get past Gane, a matchup with Jones could be back in the mix.
Do you think we’ll ever see Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones?
Dominance MMA CEO Ali Abdelaziz has offered UFC lightweight Tony Ferguson a grappling match against long-term rival Khabib Nurmagomedov.
A clash between the former interim champ and the longest 155-pound titleholder in UFC history is regarded as one of the most desired fights that got away. The pair were booked against each other on five separate occasions.
After injuries and health issues on both sides saw meetings at The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale, UFC on FOX 19, UFC 209, and UFC 223 collapse, the promotion made one last attempt to put on the blockbuster matchup at UFC 249 last year. After COVID-19 restrictions forced “The Eagle” out, the fight appeared forever doomed.
That seemed confirmed when Justin Gaethje ended Ferguson’s unbeaten run and went on to challenge Khabib at UFC 254. After the Dagestani defended the title for the third time against “The Highlight,” he announced his retirement from active competition.
Has Abdelaziz Breathed Life Into The Doomed Ferguson/Khabib Matchup?
While the feud between Ferguson and Khabib has continued over social media since the Russian officially hung up his gloves and vacated the belt earlier this year, fans have watched their exchanges with the acceptance that they’ll never see the pair share the Octagon together.
However, renowned MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz seems to believe there’s another route that could lead to “El Cucuy” and “The Eagle” competing against each other. Taking to Twitter, the Egyptian-American sent a message to Ferguson, asking him if he’d face Khabib in a grappling match.
@TonyFergusonXT what do you think about doing a grappling match with the Eagle in the future? I’m not picking on you, I’m serious. @TeamKhabib
“@TonyFergusonXT what do you think about doing a grappling match with the Eagle in the future? I’m not picking on you, I’m serious. @TeamKhabib”
Despite having impressive grappling credentials, Ferguson has been dominated on the ground in his last two fights, both of which featured gruesome submission locks.
In his loss to Charles Oliveira last year, the 37-year-old was stuck in an incredibly sunk-in armbar towards the end of the opening round. Earlier this year at UFC 262, Dariush appeared in to manufacture a similar fight-ending opportunity, this time in a kneebar. Despite surviving both, Ferguson fell on the wrong side of decisions in both outings.
Khabib, meanwhile, is regarded as one of the best grapplers in UFC history. As well as barely losing a round during his career, “The Eagle” submitted Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, and Michael Johnson in the UFC.
How do you think Tony Ferguson would fare in a grappling match against Khabib Nurmagomedov?
The medical suspensions have been released following last Saturday’s UFC 269 event, and four fighters face a six-month layoff.
UFC 269 included one title retention in the main event and one new champion crowned. There were a total of six fighters who took home performance bonus checks for the action-packed night. If you missed any of the action at all, you can find all the results and highlights right here.
Now that the dust has settled, there’s always the grim outlook of injuries sustained and potentially long layoffs. Four fighters could be out for six months if they do not receive medical clearance, including “Suga” Sean O’Malley.
Charles Oliveira suspended until 01/11/22. No contact until 01/02/22
Dustin Poirier suspended until 01/11/22. No contact until 01/02/22
Julianna Peña suspended until 01/11/22. No contact until 01/02/22
Amanda Nunes suspended until 01/26/22. No contact until 01/11/22
Geoff Neal suspended until 01/11/22. No contact until 01/02/22
Santiago Ponzinibbio suspended until 01/26/22 for right eye laceration. No contact until 01/11/22
Kai Kara-France: No suspension
Cody Garbrandt suspended until 01/26/22. No contact until 01/11/22
Sean O’Malley must have x-ray and MRI of right hand/base of thumb. If positive, he must be cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 06/10/22. Minimum suspension no contest until 01/11/22, no contact until 01/02/22
Raulian Paiva suspended until 01/26/22. No contact until 01/11/22
Josh Emmett suspended until 01/26/22. No contact until 01/11/22
Dan Ige suspend until 01/11/22. No contact until 01/02/22
Dominick Cruz: No suspension
Pedro Munhoz must have x-ray of right foot If positive, must be cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 06/10/22. Minimum suspension no contest until 01/26/22, no contact until 01/11/22
Tai Tuivasa: No suspension
Augusto Sakai suspended until 02/10/22 for left upper lip laceration. No contact until 01/26/22
Bruno Silva facing no suspension
Jordan Wright suspended until 01/26/22. No contact until 01/11/22
André Muniz: No suspension
Eryk Anders: No suspension
Erin Blanchfield: No suspension
Miranda Maverick must have x-ray of left foot. If positive, she must be cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 06/10/22. Minimum suspension no contest until 01/11/22, no contact until 01/02/22
Ryan Hall suspended until 01/26/22 for right eye laceration. No contact until 01/11/22
Darrick Minner: No suspension
Tony Kelley must have left shoulder cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 06/10/22. Minimum suspension no contest until 01/11/22, no contact until 01/02/22
Randy Costa suspended until 01/26/22 for left eye laceration. No contact until 01/11/22
Gillian Robertson suspended until 01/11/22. No contact until 01/02/22
Dominick Cruz comes to the defense of his former foe Cody Garbrandt following UFC 269.
UFC 269 was filled with amazing finishes and great performances from top to bottom. Two men who put on a show were Dominick Cruz and Kai Kara-France. Kara-France put a beating on former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt and could have ended his promising run in the flyweight division. Cruz, however, doesn’t believe that the KO should be the end of the road for Garbarandt.
“I know that Cody is a champion,” Cruz said during UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “Obviously, in his heart and mind. I think he will get back on track. He is still very young. Cutting down to 125 is, I don’t even know how that’s possible for him, but he made it work and he said it was easy so I think he’ll be fine. Just give the guy some time and let him find his bearings with his team or whatever he needs to find. I got nothing but faith in the guy.”
There is a history between these two. Back in 2016, it was Grabrandt that defeated Cruz and took away his bantamweight belt. There was quite a bit of animosity between the two of them leading up to the fight. During the fight, it was clear that Garbrandt was quite comfortable and began mocking Cruz with dance moves. Now, five years later, Cruz, coming off a win at 135 pounds, is coming to the defense of Garbrandt, who is now riding a two-fight losing streak.
Garbrandt decided to make the move down to 125 pounds in order to try his hand at another title. Now with the loss to Kara-France, the future is unknown for Garbrandt. Curz believes that he could still continue at flyweight, but perhaps he will move back up and find himself face to face with Cruz once more.
Do you think Cody Garbrandt should remain at flyweight desire his loss to Kai Kara-France?
UFC fans could see more of Nate Diaz in the coming year after MMA reporter Ariel Helwani reported that the Stockton native’s contract has been extended.
Diaz hasn’t fought since his unanimous decision loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 263 earlier this year. He previously had one more fight left on his contract, but it appears that more fights may have been added to his deal for the same price tag.
Diaz hasn’t signed any new deal yet for more money, but that could be in the works in the coming months. Helwani reported the news via a post on his Substack page.
“Sounds like the UFC is moving on from Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nathan Diaz fight and, as a result, have extended Diaz’s contract,” Helwani said. “I think they knew that would happen and were hoping to buy time for when Conor McGregor is ready to return later this year,” the report states.
“Diaz hasn’t signed any new deal yet, so that, too, is a fascinating story to watch next year.”
Nate Diaz Has Called For Fights Against Top Contenders
Diaz and the UFC have been at a bit of a crossroads in terms of his potential next opponent. It had been speculated that Diaz would fight rising welterweight Vicente Luque next, but negotiations didn’t move forward.
Diaz has also hinted at a potential fight with Tony Ferguson, although it’s unclear what Ferguson’s plans for his return are. Ferguson last fought against Beneil Dariush at UFC 262 and has lost three straight bouts.
The UFC also offered Diaz a fight with Khamzat Chimaev, which he turned down and called Chimaev a “rookie”. Diaz’s extension could also potentially open the door to a trilogy with Conor McGregor as soon as next year.
Diaz has blossomed into a UFC pay-per-view star and could return to the Octagon sooner rather than later.
Who would you like to see Nate Diaz fight next in the UFC after having his contract extended?
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s MMA promotion Eagle FC will debut in the U.S with a few former UFC fighters.
Following his retirement from MMA competition in 2019, Khabib Nurmagomedov hasn’t strayed too far from the sport. He is still coaching the next wave of Dagestani fighters and has even opened his own MMA fight promotion. His Eagle FC is based out of Russia but is planning to begin holding shows in the United States next year. The very first event already has a location in Miami FL, and now has a headliner.
As first reported by ESPN, former UFC heavyweight Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva was scheduled to take on Tyrone Spong in the main event. However, Silva will no longer be taking part in the event and has been replaced by Russian heavyweight Sergei Kharitonov (30-8) to face Spong.
Silva, who is 42 years old, has not won an MMA bout of any kind since 2015. Although he has still been active he has now lost six in a row, five of which were by KO or TKO. Silva’s last fight was in June against Quentin Domingos for Megdan Fighting.
Nurmagomedov promised that he would be bringing Eagle FC to the States and with it some former UFC and Bellator athletes. Former UFC lightweight champion Rashad Evans will also be competing on the card.
Evans will be coming out of retirement for this Eagle FC card. He will be fighting at Lightheavyweight according to MMA Junkie. His opponent is not determined at this time.
Towards the end of Evans’ UFC career, he was on a five-fight losing streak against top opponents. His last bout was a 53-second knockout loss to Anthony Smith at UFC 225. Following his retirement, the former light heavyweight champ was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
This Eagle FC event will be taking place on Jan. 28 at FLX Arena in Miami, FL. The event will be shown on UFC Fight Pass.
Will you be tuning in to watch Eagle FC on Jan. 28?
The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC 269, and we’ve got the full report for you below!
Men’s Pound for Pound: After Charles Oliveira’s submission victory over Dustin Poirier in the UFC 269 main event, the Brazilian advances three spots up to #5. Conversely, Poirier falls three spots to #8.
Women’s Pound for Pound: Valentina Shevchenko is now the #1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the women’s rankings following Amanda Nunes’ loss to Julianna Peña at UFC 269. Nunes falls down to #3, with strawweight champion Rose Namajunas (#2) also placed in front of her. Peña skyrockets up seven spots to #4 after her submission victory over Nunes.
Peña’s move up the ranks has caused Zhang Weili (#5), Jessica Andrade (#6), Holly Holm (#7), and Carla Esparza (#8) to move down. Katlyn Chookagian (#10) and Xiaonan Yan (#11) also dropped down in this week’s rankings.
Women’s Bantamweight: Amanda Nunes is now the #1 contender after the crowning of new champion, Julianna Peña. Holly Holm is now ranked #2, and Irene Aldana sits at #3. Additionally, Pannie Kianzad (#12) and Karol Rosa (#13) swap places in the rankings.
Women’s Featherweight: N/A
Flyweight: Sumudaerji (#12) and Amir Albazi (#13) swap places for the second consecutive week.
Bantamweight: Following his victory over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269, Dominick Cruz moves up two spots to #7 in the rankings. Marlon Vera made a big leap this week, jumping up three spots to #8 right behind Cruz. As for Munhoz, he dropped two spots to #10, and Marlon Moraes moved up one spot to #9. Frankie Edgar now sits at #11 after moving up two positions.
Sean O’Malley (Image Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
And finally, “The Suga Show” has arrived in the UFC rankings, with the self-proclaimed “Unranked Champ” now being stripped of that title after debuting in the rankings at #13 following his first-round TKO of Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
Featherweight: Josh Emmett moves up to #6, with Arnold Allen (#7) and Giga Chikadze each (#8) falling back one position.
Lightweight: Justin Gaethje is now the #1 contender, with Dustin Poirier ranked at #2 after his loss to champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
Welterweight: No Changes
Middleweight: André Muniz debuts in the rankings at #13 following his eighth straight victory and advancing his UFC record to 4-0 by submitting Eryk Anders at UFC 269. This has caused Chris Weidman (#14) and Kevin Holland (#15) to drop in the rankings.
Light Heavyweight: No Changes
Heavyweight: After earning another knockout at UFC 269 over Augusto Sakai, Tai Tuivasa returns to the heavyweight rankings, landing at #11. Meanwhile, Sakai (#12), Blagoy Ivanov (#13), Walt Harris (#14), and Sergei Pavlovich (#15) each drop this week.
New UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña has taken a shot at Kayla Harrison.
In the co-main event of UFC 269, Amanda Nunes was set to defend her bantamweight title against Peña in a fight most expected Nunes to win with ease. Should the champ-champ have won, it’s likely she would’ve fought Harrison at featherweight in a highly-anticipated bout but Peña ruined those plans.
“I think she’s the lesser of the training partners for her and Amanda Nunes,” Peña told MMA Junkie. “If that’s the case and I just took out Amanda, I don’t know what kind of position that would put her in. But she’s been fighting the B-leagues. I’ve been fighting in the UFC, I’ve been fighting at the top of the division. I’m fighting in the biggest league of this sport so I’m not paying too much attention to what she’s doing down there.”
After Peña’s comments, Harrison then took to Twitter to respond.
“Lawwwwwd. Don’t be doin this now Juliana!,” Harrison wrote on Twitter.
Although Julianna Peña took a shot at Kayla Harrison, it is a moot point, as a fight between them will likely never happen. Even if Harrison signs with the UFC, she will compete at featherweight, while Peña is the bantamweight champ and is comfortable at 135lbs.
However, some may consider Peña’s shot at Harrison to be a wise move, as it only adds to her name and popularity. Yet, in order for the new champ to remain the champ, she will need to beat Nunes again sometime next year. Harrison, meanwhile, remains a free agent.
What do you make of Julianna Peña taking a shot at Kayla Harrison?
After being called out by Uriah Hall multiple times, UFC middleweight contender Darren Till has admitted he’s interested in a fight with “Prime Time.”
Till was last in action at UFC Vegas 36 in September. After going 1-1 at middleweight with a debut win against Kelvin Gastelum and a main event decision setback to former champion Robert Whittaker, “The Gorilla” hoped to stake his claim for a title shot against divisional veteran Derek Brunson.
Instead, Till fell to his fourth defeat in five fights, and did so in devastating fashion. Inside Las Vegas’ Apex, the Englishman was dominated by Brunson, who’s firmly escaped gatekeeper status and become a genuine contender. He seemingly secured his place in a title eliminator against Jared Cannonier by submitting Till in the third round.
Once considered a sure-fire future welterweight champion, defeats to Tyron Woodley and Jorge Masvidal saw Till pursue success at middleweight instead. Now with consecutive losses at 185 pounds, the future is uncertain for the Liverpool native. Nevertheless, “The Gorilla” hasn’t lost confidence and believes he’ll bounce back in his next appearance.
During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Till addressed the rumors surrounding his return. The 29-year-old suggested he could feature on the March UFC Fight Night Event that is expected to take place in London. He also acknowledged Hall’s callouts, admitting the idea of facing the #9-ranked “Prime Time” is interesting to him.
“There’s a massive chance… There’s a big chance I’ll be fighting in London. We’ll see what happens with it and who it’s against. I know Uriah called me out. Let’s just see mate. I can’t say too much… Yeah, I’m interested (in facing Hall). I think he’s a good fighter. I think he’s an ugly motherfucker, but he’s not a bad fighter. Whatever, let’s see mate. I’ve got options.”
If the bout does get booked to headline the March 19 card in London, Till will be joining a host of other British fighters on the card. That includes Jack Shore, Mike Grundy, Molly McCann, and the debuting Muhammad Mokaev.
Would you like to see Darren Till and Uriah Hall headline the UFC’s return to London?
Dominick Cruz regrets his viral comments criticizing Daniel Cormier’s performance as a color analyst—sort of.
Prior to UFC 269, one story that made headlines across the MMA media was the critical remarks made by Dominick Cruz regarding Daniel Cormier’s job preparation as a color analyst. Here is a portion of what was said during the UFC 269 pre-fight media scrum.
“I watch (Jon) Anik do so much homework leading up to a fight. Like, people have no idea how much homework he has to do to be prepared for that, and the most kudos, for me, goes to him. He leads us in the broadcast with how he talks. When it comes to DC, I usually mute it. I love DC, he’s my friend, but to me, from my experience, he doesn’t do the homework. He wants to get in and out, get the job done, make his money.”
Cruz and Cormier later had a face-to-face dialogue to hash things out within hours of Cruz’s comments going viral. Cormier would then go on to serve as one of the commentators for Cruz’s UFC 269 bout against Pedro Munhoz, which saw the former bantamweight champion pick up his second consecutive win.
Dominick Cruz Shares One Regret About His Viral Comments
Photo via Facebook – Dominick Cruz
Now a week removed from his comments and with the chaos of a PPV fight week now behind him, Dominick Cruz appeared on Monday’s installment of The MMA Hourhosted by Ariel Helwani.
During the interview, Cruz was asked if he has any regrets about his comments. If he could do it again, Cruz would have said the same thing, but there is one thing he would have changed.
“I don’t regret what I said because I hadn’t eaten in three days, I hadn’t drank in two days. They asked me questions, I spoke from my heart. And I don’t really regret what I said because it wasn’t mean. It was very loving. But what I regret, I guess, is where I said it. Maybe I shouldn’t have said it there because then that allowed the media to take it and do whatever they wanted with it.”
As he did in the face-to-face discussion with Cormier, Cruz accused the media of manipulating his words for the sake of clicks. He would then clarify the point he was attempting to make when expressing the criticisms. According to Cruz, it was more about asking key, job-related questions as opposed to outright dressing down his partner.
“You and me both know I love Cormier. You love Cormier. How do you not love Cormier?” Cruz asked Helwani. “He’s got the personality of gold. I get that. This was a completely different question we had. This was about job and what is your job? ‘Not everyone needs to do it your way, Dom.’ I hear you.
“The point is, what is the job of a color analyst? Not my job. Not what is my job as a color analyst. What is your job as a color analyst? Well, is it just to know off the top of your head what these guys do? Put yourself in their position, Cormier. Would you want someone to watch film before you fight, or would you want them to not? That was the only question I asked. All the other defense came from whatever else it came from. I simply asked questions.”
Cruz stated that he was satisfied with Cormier’s commentating performance during his UFC 269 bout with Pedro Munhoz. As someone who knows full well how difficult the job of an MMA color analyst is, the bantamweight legend appreciates, more than anything, whenever someone’s best effort is made while sitting at the desk.
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya loved watching his teammate, Kai Kara-France score a violent knockout at UFC 269.
Kara-France welcomed former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt to the UFC flyweight division in brutal fashion, overwhelming him on the feet and dropping him early for the finish.
Kara-France’s win over Garbrandt propels him into the flyweight title picture, as he has now won back-to-back fights after a brief losing skid. He could potentially serve as the backup to Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo 3 next month at UFC 270.
Adesanya has become arguably just as big of a star outside of the Octagon as he is inside of it. He has a YouTube channel, Freestylebender with over 600,000 subscribers, and has also amassed over 5.5 million followers on Instagram.
Adesanya has developed into one of the most prominent personalities in combat sports today, and Kara-France may not be too far behind him following his wild knockout at UFC 269. Both men are names to watch in 2022.
Who would you like to see Kai Kara-France fight next? What’s your prediction for Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2?
In the heavyweight realm, fighters hit hard, but some hit harder than others.
Rising contender Chris Daukaus (12-3) took to MMA on SiriusXM to discuss his upcoming bout with Derrick Lewis this weekend at UFC Vegas 45. According to Daukaus, the Houston slugger hits harder than the current UFC heavyweight champion.
📽️ "I think he's got more power than Francis."@ChrisDaukausMMA discusses his December matchup with 'extremely dangerous opponent' Derrick Lewis w/@jimmysmithmma on Unlocking the Cage🛑
“I think he’s got more power than Francis Ngannou,” proclaimed Daukaus.
While it’s hard to qualify punching power, there’s no debate that Lewis hits like a Mack truck to the face. Of his 25 victories in mixed martial arts, 20 of those have ended via knockout. “The Black Beast” has been utterly outclassed more than once before detonating a single fist on his opponent’s jaw and ending the fight.
Francis Ngannou, though, is no slouch in the power department. With 16 victories to his name, Ngannou earned 12 of them with his punches. Many outlets gave the Cameroonian “KO of the Year: honors back in 2017 for his astonishing finish of Alistair Overeem.
Yet, Daukaus is no stranger to turning off another man’s lights himself. The Philadelphian has finished every UFC fight thus far with strikes. His last outing saw him TKO Shamil Abdurakhimov at UFC 266.
Derrick Lewis vs. Chris Daukaus is scheduled for UFC Vegas 45 on December 18. There, the behemoths will meet in a five-round main event.
Newly crowned women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña has responded to the backlash she received for comments made following her UFC 269 title win.
After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, Julianna Peña served as an inspiration for many people. Peña entered her fight against Amanda Nunes as a +670 underdog, with Nunes cracking four figures as a -1000 favorite.
However, it wasn’t the upset aspect that Peña noted as being historic about her victory. That, as she told reporters after the fight, would be her becoming the first birthing mother to become a UFC champion.
“The UFC absolutely needs to create a new belt for me It needs to be ‘The Baddest Mom on the Planet,’ Peña said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “And you know, I’m not trying to take away anything from Amanda. She’s a wonderful mother. But I gave birth to my daughter, and I know that I feel like, for giving birth, I am the first mom champ. And that, to me, is also a little feather in the cap.”
When MMA reporter Ariel Helwani congratulated Peña on becoming the first UFC champion who gave birth to a child, he also caught some flack. This caused him to post a follow-up tweet to clarify why he feels Peña’s achievement should be celebrated.
FTR, I’m not trying to diminish anyone. Cmon. Just noting, given my immense respect for what women go through during and post-pregnancy, that this is a first and very much worth commending. That’s it. I know there are many ways to be a mom and they all deserve love + respect. 🙏
“FTR, I’m not trying to diminish anyone. Cmon. Just noting, given my immense respect for what women go through during and post-pregnancy, that this is a first and very much worth commending. That’s it. I know there are many ways to be a mom and they all deserve love + respect,” Helwani tweeted Saturday night.
Helwani would have Peña on as a guest of Monday’s installment of The MMA Hour to respond to the backlash herself. First, Helwani defended Peña from the criticism she’s received and doubled down on his belief that her achievement as the first birth mother to win UFC gold is something to be celebrated.
“Yes, it is, and my words were 1,000% misinterpreted,” Peña said. “I’m not trying to take away from Amanda as a mom-champ by any means. But what I meant to say is, you’re pregnant for 10 months, actually. And your body goes through massive changes. I went to my doctor’s appointment. I was almost 42 weeks pregnant at this point, and they’re like, ‘We gotta get this baby out now! STAT! Right now!’
“They rushed me to the ER. And I got my guts ripped open. I’m literally (lying) on the table and looking at my guts on the side. They gut me like a fish; they stuffed it all back in. If it wasn’t for Mercier Therapy, I wouldn’t have been able to get back into the Octagon. And I think that that process of healing, and taking my actual time to do that Mercier Therapy, and taking the time to heal my body and get to fighting and be able to perform at my peak is a lot. And it says a lot to be able to do that after giving birth.”
In the interview, Peña praised both Amanda and Nina Nunes for being great parents and reiterated that Amanda Nunes is a legitimate mom champ. That said, Peña believes she offers her own unique, inspirational story as a champion.
“And I’m not, by any means, trying to take away from Amanda at all. All I was simply saying is that when I gave birth, I had to put my body through the trenches to get back to this point that I’m at right now. And it’s something that should be celebrated. But I, by no means, want to take away from Amanda’s accomplishments at all. She is an incredible mom-champ. She was an incredible champion. She did so much for the sport. But I am the new champion right now, and that is the light that I want to stay in.”
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the result of UFC 269’s co-main event that saw Julianna Peña upset Amanda Nunes.
Julianna Peña def. Amanda Nunes via Submission
Amanda Nunes entered the UFC 269 co-main event as a -1000 favorite against Julianna Peña. After a strong first round, Peña would stand and trade with Nunes, getting the better of the “The Lioness,” much to the surprise of the audience in attendance. That shock would then quickly expand when Peña made the victory official with her rear-naked choke submission in the second round.
Here is one look at a stunned crowd’s reaction, including many fighters in attendance who could not believe what they just witnessed.
But what about The Pulse of MMA? What were the reactions to the fans of our great sport after witnessing such a monumental moment! You can find the raw, unfiltered commentary on the crowning of a new UFC bantamweight champion below.
Beats Nunes and quotes Nate “I’m not surprised motherfuckers”. Imagine Nunes beats Pena in the rematch quotes Conor “ suprise surprise the queen is back”. That will be epic😂
