Former UFC champion Henry Cejudo wasn’t happy when he heard that Dominick Cruz ripped Daniel Cormier’s commentary this week.
Cejudo and Cruz have a bit of history, stemming from their battle at FUC 249. Cejudo earned a second-round TKO win that didn’t come without controversy, as Cruz immediately protested the stoppage and claimed he was still defending himself.
Cruz made headlines earlier this week after he blasted Cormier’s commentary and accused him of “not doing his homework” when it comes to preparing for fights.
Cruz and Cormier have appeared to hash out their apparent differences shortly after the comments, but Cejudo took the chance to mock Cruz for the controversy. This came after Cruz appeared to falsely call Cormier a former Olympic Gold Medalist.
Shut your damn mouth Dominick Snooze 😴
You must've not done your homework when I slept you. Did you forget about my Olympic gold medal then?🥇
“Shut your d**n mouth Dominick Snooze,” Cejudo tweeted. “You must’ve not done your homework when I slept you. Did you forget about my Olympic gold medal then? Even [referee Keith Peterson] can’t save you from your boring a** commentary. There’s a reason you’re on the prelims!”
Henry Cejudo Has Hinted At A UFC Comeback
Cejudo announced his retirement in the Octagon at UFC 249 just minutes after beating Cruz. The former flyweight and bantamweight champion has hinted at a return to MMA in recent months, calling out fighters such as Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling.
Cruz is slated to face Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269, as he looks to continue to push forward towards another potential title shot. If Cejudo returns to the UFC, these two may potentially be on a collision course once again.
What are your thoughts on Dominick Cruz’s comments about Daniel Cormier’s commentary?
The weigh-in results for UFC 269: Oliveira vs. Poirier are complete, and we’ve got you covered with the intel below.
Tomorrow night, UFC 269 takes place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. On deck for fight fans are not one but two title fights when Charles Oliveira defends his lightweight championship against Dustin Poirier and Amanda Nunes defends her bantamweight title against Julianna Peña.
In addition to that double-header, Cody Garbrandt makes his flyweight debut against Kai Kara-France, ranked welterweights Geoff Neal and Santiago Ponzinibbio go at it, and “Sugar” Sean O’Malley brings the “The Suga Show” to Las Vegas when he battles Raulian Paiva.
You can check out our staff predictions for each of the above main-card bouts right here.
UFC 269 Weigh-In Results
One fight fell through when Matt Schnell was pulled from his flyweight bout against Alex Perez due to a medical issue. In a women’s flyweight bout, Priscila Cachoeira missed the flyweight limit and has been fined 30% of her fight purse as a result, but her bout against Gillian Robertson will proceed as scheduled.
The UFC hosted a live UFC 269 weigh-in show, which you can view right here. And you can catch the full card for UFC 269 as well as all the viewing information below, courtesy of UFC.com.
MAIN CARD (ESPN+ PPV, 10:00 PM ET)
Main Event – Lightweight Title Bout: Charles Oliveira (155) vs Dustin Poirier (154.5)
Co-Main Event – Women’s Bantamweight Title Bout: Amanda Nunes (134.5) vs Julianna Peña(135)
Welterweight Bout: Geoff Neal (170.5) vs Santiago Ponzinibbio (169.5)
Flyweight Bout: Kai Kara-France (125) vs Cody Garbrandt (126)
Bantamweight Bout: Raulian Paiva (135.5) vs Sean O’Malley (135.5)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, ESPN 2, 10:00 PM)
Featherweight Bout: Josh Emmett (145.5) vs Dan Ige (146)
Bantamweight Bout: Pedro Munhoz (135.5) vs Dominick Cruz (135)
Heavyweight Bout: Augusto Sakai (263.5) vs Tai Tuivasa (264)
Middleweight Bout: Jordan Wright (186) vs Bruno Silva (186)
EARLY PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass, 6:00 PM)
Middleweight Bout: Andre Muniz (185.5) vs Eryk Anders (185.5)
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Miranda Maverick (125) vs Erin Blanchfield (125.5)
Featherweight Bout: Ryan Hall (145.5) vs Darrick Minner (146)
Bantamweight Bout: Randy Costa (134.5) vs Tony Kelley (136)
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Gillian Robertson (125) vs *Priscila Cachoeira (129)
Be sure to keep it locked on MMANews.com tomorrow for full coverage of tomorrow night’s UFC 269 event!
Dana White is defending the pay scale of his UFC fighters.
Dana White is once again having to defend fighter pay. This topic has been at the forefront of many conversations lately. White and the UFC have been accused of not paying the fighters well enough. Many fighters have spoken out about wanting to be paid more or insinuating that boxers are in the higher pay bracket. White stated his case in a recent interview with Yahoo Sports.
“Yeah, definitely. Listen, when you talk about the elite, I’m putting on 44 fights in a year, right? And people are buying these pay-per-views, you know. 13 or 14 a year, watching all the other ones building, whatever. Then, when you look at what most of these guys make, most UFC fighters make more than boxers, okay?” White told Yahoo Sports.
“Most UFC fighters make more than boxers, especially at a lower level. Then, the guys, you know, the Khabibs, the Conors, the Rondas, you know, even the Jon Jones’, these guys make more than most of these guys that are fighting for big title fights. Don’t believe the bull***t. Don’t believe all the stuff you hear. These guys make a lot of money.”
It is commonly the prelim or lesser-known athletes that have been asking for money. It isn’t unusual for a fighter to call out White after a fight for a performance bonus, or cite that they have a very low bank account balance leading up to a fight. However, it is not always the up-and-comers who are unhappy with pay. Jon Jones was pubically asking to be paid what the high-level boxers get paid.
“You have these scumbags out there that know nothing about the business telling all the fighters, ‘Oh you are all being underpaid. You are not being paid enough money. You are not this.’ It goes on every f–king day. They literally know nothing about the business, or the pay, or how any of this st works. It’s all part of the game.”
Mike Brown has confirmed that Colby Covington’s leaked information surrounding the injury that forced Jorge Masvidal out of UFC 269 was correct.
In one of the most highly-anticipated grudge matches available in the UFC right now, Masvidal was set to face #3-ranked welterweight contender Leon Edwards at the final pay-per-view of the year this weekend. The story, which began backstage at a UFC London event in 2019, looked set to culminate on a stacked Las Vegas card.
Prior to the announcement, Covington, off the back of a second championship loss to Kamaru Usman, made his desire to face his former friend and teammate known. Masvidal’s withdrawal certainly provided him the means with which to further attack the Miami native and push for a 2022 clash with the 37-year-old.
Late last month, “Chaos” even claimed to have received leaked details about the injury that saw Masvidal vs. Edwards pulled from the December 11 PPV. After Masvidal suggested there’s no reason for him to discuss his injuries online during an interview with Ariel Helwani, Covington effectively took that decision out of his hands, claiming the BMF titleholder damaged his ribs in training.
Brown Explains Masvidal’s UFC 269 Withdrawal
Now, in an interview with ESPN MMA ahead of American Top Team star Dustin Poirier’s main event fight with Charles Oliveira, Mike Brown has confirmed that Covington’s information was accurate. The renowned coach revealed Masvidal suffered a “pretty tough rib injury” that made it impossible to make the UFC 269 date.
“Jorge Masvidal was training like crazy, man. This guy was back to the laboratory as always, working his ass off, and he was in shape. I feel like we were just starting to begin to peak to the fight a little bit but I don’t know how many weeks we were out. Maybe four weeks out and he got a pretty good cartilage tear. A pretty tough rib injury and I know it was significant where you are not going to be training for like four to six weeks when you have a major tear like that. It was going to be impossible to go through with a fight at that point so we had to cut it.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Whilst fans have missed out on a bad blood fight between Masvidal and Edwards, for the time being, at least, the door has potentially been opened for “Gamebred” to settle his feud with Covington, perhaps even following a season coaching The Ultimate Fighter.
Would you like to see Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington fight in 2022?
Cody Garbrandt is set to make his UFC flyweight debut and that has rejuvenated him of sorts.
Garbrandt, the former UFC bantamweight champ, has been on a bit of a skid as he’s 1-4 since winning the title, with three of the four losses coming by knockout. In his last fight, he fought Rob Font in a Fight Night main event which the former champ says didn’t motivate him. He also says that made him not train and prepare as the way he should’ve for a fight against a skilled opponent in Font.
“This fight, if you’re comparing it to my last fight, I came here and was like, ‘Yeah, I feel good, I feel ready to go,’ but I didn’t prepare the way that I should’ve prepared, you know, for a five-round fight. And that’s the word that I hate to use is motivated. I was not motivated,” Garbrandt said at media day.
“This fight camp I’ve been inspired. I’ve been inspired this whole entire camp because it’s to do something that a few people have done. Yes, I’ve been a world champion, I’m a former world champion in a previous weight division; that’s a small percentage of humans being able to have that title to their name,” Garbrandt continued. “But even a smaller percentage of going to a different division and being a world champion as well, so I’m inspired by myself, but also a lot of people around me, for what’s about to take place Saturday, and that’s just the start of it.”
At UFC 269, Cody Garbrandt is set to face the sixth-ranked flyweight, Kai Kara-France in a very intriguing matchup. Garbrandt has never been the biggest bantamweight and the flyweight move has always been talked about. If all goes well on Saturday night, the next time he fights could be for the flyweight strap.
Do you think Cody Garbrandt will beat Kai Kara-France at UFC 269?
Amanda Nunes isn’t letting Julianna Peña’s trash talk get to her.
Amanda Nunes is on the top of many people’s “Greatest of all Time” lists. She is the current two-division champ and has beaten some of the best the UFC has ever had to offer. She now is preparing for her sixth bantamweight title defense against Julianna Peña. Peña has been very confident heading into this match up but that doesn’t seem to be phasing Nunes at all.
“She’s delusional,” Nunes told MMA Junkie. “What about her best friend, Miesha Tate? What about Sara McMann? Sara McMann almost beat her. Sara McMann give up in the fight. If she didn’t give up, she would’ve beat Julianna. I beat Sara McMann years ago. I feel like she can talk about whatever she wants. She has to do that to bring all the attention. I’m going to tell her she can have all the attention she wants because Saturday is my night. Nobody is going to take that belt from me.”
Peña is 2-2 in her last four fights, whereas Nunes has won 12 in a row in two different divisions. Nunes believes she has the answers for Peña no matter where the fight goes. Peña has scored only one submission victory since coming to the UFC and has won two fights by TKO in that time.
“She has all the holes, so I can finish her on the floor,” Nunes said. “Germaine (de Randamie) finished her. Germaine is a striker and finished Julianna Pena. My game is above all those girls she fought. I just need a mistake from her on the striking or on the floor.”
Nunes vs. Peña will serve as the co-main event on the stacked UFC 269 card. If Peña can win it will be the first time the bantamweight title has changed hands since 2016. Peña believes she can be the one to finally dethrone “The Lioness”.
Do you think Julianna Peña has what it takes to get past Amanda Nunes and win the belt at UFC 269?
Dana White explains why he feels the odds make sense.
We are one day away from the final UFC PPV of 2021. The main event features Charles Oliveira and challenger, Dustin Poirier, throwing down in a highly-anticipated scrap for the lightweight title.
Currently, oddsmakers slightly favor Poirier to win the main event at -160. This means that a $160 bet on “The Diamond” would net the bettor $100. The champion is an underdog at +140. So, $100 would net the bettor $140 if Oliveira pulls off the upset.
It may seem strange that a champion on a 9-fight win streak is the underdog, but Dana White thinks it makes perfect sense. He explained his reasoning to TSN.
“Yeah, that’s fair. I mean, when you look at Dustin, what he’s done, what he’s accomplished, he’s a bigger guy, I think he has the advantage on his feet. I think if it goes to the ground, obviously, Oliveira has the advantage. I think that’s a pretty good line.”
Charles Oliveira Getty Images
Is The Champ Getting The Respect He Deserves?
Poirier has won seven of his last eight fights. Not only does he have a high winning percentage, but the level of competition he’s beaten is also the who’s who of the division. Victories over Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, Eddie Alvarez, and Conor McGregor (twice) are just some names on the murder’s row Poirier has run through en route to this title shot. His lone loss in that time came at the hands of Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Oliveira is on a solid streak of his own and earned victories over Kevin Lee, Tony Ferguson, and Michael Chandler during his current run. While Oliveira did have issues in the cage early in his career, “Do Bronx” seems well past them at this point. White knows what Oliveira is capable of and feels that people are sleeping on the Brazilian submission specialist.
“No, he doesn’t get enough credit. And that’s one of the things. With some guys, it takes longer than others. Oliveira’s had a long, hard road. 28 of his 31 wins are by finish. He’s got a 90% finish rate, has the record for most finishes in the UFC, most submission wins in the UFC, most performance of the night bonuses, second-most post-fight bonuses in UFC history. I mean, the guy is an absolute stud. He’s just gotta keep grinding and knocking them down, and eventually, his day will come.”
Do you agree with the UFC 269 betting line for Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier?
Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz believes that in order to reach the top again, he’ll have to battle his own style, which he believes has become the norm in the division since he brought it to the Octagon over a decade ago.
Cruz is widely regarded as one of the greatest 135lbers of all time. Across a near-17-year career as a professional, “The Dominator” has achieved championship glory in both the WEC and the UFC, beaten the likes of Joseph Benavidez, Urijah Faber, Demetrious Johnson, and TJ Dillashaw, and experienced an eight-year unbeaten run that included 13 straight victories.
Despite going through a number of serious injuries and falling to Henry Cejudo last May after returning for the first time in nearly four years, Cruz’s desire to compete and be the best hasn’t faded away.
After re-entering the win column earlier this year with a decision success against Casey Kenney, the 36-year-old will look to climb further back towards the top when he faces fellow veteran Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269 this weekend.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXRDjZLFVlK/
Cruz Believes It’s Easier For Opponents To Prepare For His Style Now
During his prime, Cruz was untouchable. Up until a defeat to the then-undefeated Cody Garbrandt in 2016, nobody had cracked the code on how to defeat the Californian since 2008. Like many, the former two-time UFC titleholder put that down to his unique style.
However, Cruz doesn’t believe his techniques are as tough to deal with and as rare as they used to be. During an interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, “The Dominator” suggested his style has become “the norm” for most bantamweights in the current landscape, citing Cory Sandhagen as an example.
With that in mind, the #9-ranked contender believes it’s easier for his opponents to prepare for to face him than it ever used to be.
“You’ve gotta think, when I was champion of this division, everything that I was doing, kinda, even in the WEC, I was the first to bring stance switch, hands-down head movement, just a unique, artistic-looking style that people didn’t necessarily understand. That looks like the norm now in my division… Sandhagen fights that way, Demetrious Johnson fights that way, (Kyoji) Horiguchi fights that way; the list could go on of people that fight with their hands down, switching stance, using footwork, utilizing the entire Octagon to move and not be hit, to hit and not be hit, mixing in takedowns; these are all the norm now.
“So, with that being the norm, I don’t stand out so much. I do, but I don’t. My style is still mine, I’m not exactly like anybody, it’s not a linear, conventional style, of course, but it’s not as… there’s more guys to prepare these people that I’m fighting that can move like me for them than ever before because people have watched me be champion. I didn’t lose for a decade. People watched me… that’s just the normal now.”
Cruz will look to show that nobody puts his style on display quite like him when he enters the Octagon during this Saturday’s preliminary card. But Munhoz, a highly-touted contender who’s never quite reached the heights many tipped him to, will represent a stiff test, and will be hoping to bounce back from a defeat to another legend in José Aldo earlier this year.
Do you think Dominick Cruz will have his hand raised tomorrow night at UFC 269 against Pedro Munhoz?
UFC 269 is now one sleep away, and to get you more hype for the event than you already are, we’ve got some staff predictions ready to serve up for ya!
Perhaps the most stacked card of the year from top to bottom will close out the 2021 PPV docket. UFC 269 will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view, with the main card beginning at 10:00 PM ET, the ESPN2 preliminary card kicking off at 8:00 PM, and the early preliminary card starting at 6:15 PM.
The main event will see Charles Oliveira defend his lightweight championship for the first time when he takes on fellow UFC veteran Dustin Poirier. The co-main event will feature the consensus greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time, Amanda Nunes, taking on the fearless Julianna Peña for the women’s bantamweight championship.
Also on the main card, top-15 welterweights Geoff Neal and Santiago Ponzinibbio will go at it, and we’ll also see former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt make his flyweight debut against Kai Kara-France. And kicking off the pay-per-view will be “The Suga Show” when “Sugar” Sean O’Malley faces Raulian Paiva.
UFC 269 Staff Predictions
MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 269 updates. Staff members Clyde Aidoo, Andrew Ravens, Harvey Leonard, and Ed Carbajal have provided predictions for the main card. Here is the full main card lineup for tomorrow night:
Clyde Aidoo: Raulian Paiva is not a “can” by any means. He is on a three-fight winning streak, including a win over another strong prospect in Kyler Phillips. And overall, he is 3-2 in the UFC.
However, even though he isn’t a “can,” he is a great stylistic matchup for O’Malley because he has proven to be very hittable with suspect defense. With O’Malley’s three-inch reach advantage and cleaner boxing skills, this may come down to if Paiva is able to come back like he did against Phillips or if O’Malley will be able to punch ad nauseam as he did against Kris Moutinho. I’m banking on the latter. (Prediction: Sean O’Malley)
Andrew Ravens: Sean is back on track after some setbacks, but now, his next challenge will be a tough one in Paiva, who is riding a three-fight winning streak. Sean has faced and mostly defeated better competition than Paiva, which gives him an edge. I’ll take Sean getting a third-round TKO win. (Prediction: Sean O’Malley)
Harvey Leonard: I see this fight playing out relatively similar to O’Malley’s victory over Moutinho earlier this year, albeit with a better defense on the end of his punches. With his usual high volume, I’d expect “Sugar” to have his way with the Brazilian and use his reach advantage to full effect. While I don’t think it’s as set of a deal as many, and Paiva boasts the counter-striking and jiu-jitsu skills to cause an issue, I believe an upset is unlikely. (Prediction: Sean O’Malley)
Ed Carbajal: This should be an interesting fight. O’Malley’s grappling is underrated because he usually wins by knockout, but we have seen him wear down when fights go long, especially in his last bout against a short-notice Kris Moutinho. Most of Paiva’s wins come by decision, so unless O’Malley’s fame is distracting him from imposing his ectomorph reach on his opponents, it’s hard to pick against him here. (Prediction: Sean O’Malley)
Consensus: 4-0 O’Malley
Kai Kara-France vs. Cody Garbrandt
Kai Kara-France, Cody Garbrandt
Clyde Aidoo: No one really knows what to expect from Garbrandt at flyweight. Will he revert back to a brawl-heavy approach in an attempt to bully smaller opponents? That may actually be the smart move because Kara-France is one of if not the most technical striker in the division, so making the fight dirty could be the right path for Garbrandt. Because it’ll be difficult for Garbrandt to outpoint France, and France hasn’t been knocked out since 2012.
I think Kara-France is going to be tough enough to get to the scorecards here, and in a close fight where one fighter is technically superior, I’m going to lean in that direction. I think Kara-France will be a watered-down version of Rob Font here against “No Love.” (Prediction: Kai Kara-France)
Andrew Ravens: Garbrandt finds himself in a really interesting spot, especially after the UFC just cut ties with Kevin Lee, who had also been struggling over his last few fights. Kai is someone that Garbrandt should beat, but if Cody doesn’t show up in the right mindset, he could lose and then the possibilities are wide open. Garbrandt takes a calculated approach and gets it done in 15 minutes. (Prediction: Cody Garbrandt)
Harvey Leonard: This should be an entertaining standup battle. While I can picture a Munhoz-esque brawl in the pocket resulting in Kara-France finishing Garbrandt, I don’t think there’s a good enough chance of that happening to go against the former champion. This should be a tough flyweight debut, but one in which “No Love” has the skill and power edge to get the job done and advance towards the title. (Prediction: Cody Garbrandt)
Ed Carbajal: Someone is getting knocked out in this fight. Who that will be? Well, we’ll have to tune in, but looking at recent losses and losses via knockout, Garbrandt seems the most vulnerable. Since both men like to pick up wins by knockout, they could forego that and test their grappling skills against one another, but bonuses don’t usually go to decisive grapplers. (Prediction: Kai Kara-France)
Consensus: 2-2 Pick ’em
Geoff Neal vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
Geoff Neal, Santiago Ponzinibbio (Image Credits: Chris Unger/Alexandre Schneider/Zuffa LLC)
Clyde Aidoo: This may be the closest fight on the main card, if not the entire event, which is saying a lot given how stacked the lineup is. I think this bout is going to come down to which individual is more likely to make a fight-ending mistake. I think that would be Ponzinibbio. Meanwhile, Neal is slicker on the feet and also tougher to put away.
I don’t see Ponzinibbio prioritizing footwork and elusiveness, which is why one big opening could be costly. I see Neal taking advantage of that or maybe just winning the fight with the heavier firepower and ability to withstand more punishment. (Prediction: Geoff Neal)
Andrew Ravens: These two enter this fight in different positions, as Neal has lost his last two fights while Ponzinibbio had a bump in the road with a loss only to rebound with a decision win. Both are really talented, but with Neal being desperate, I think he pulls out all of the stops to get his hand raised once again and stop the losing streak from continuing with a decision win. (Prediction: Geoff Neal)
Harvey Leonard: This should be yet another intriguing contest on the feet and one that is very tough to call. Despite losing two on the bounce, Neal fell to high-ranked opponents and should be a lot more competitive this weekend. But Ponzinibbio was an elite contender before his layoff, and I’ve not seen anything to suggest that’s changed since he returned. Any fighter can get caught like he did against Jingliang, and to bounce back with a victory over the previously unbeaten Baeza in a FOTY contender was mightily impressive. I expect the Argentine to narrowly outpoint Neal. (Prediction: Santiago Ponzinibbio)
Ed Carbajal: Neal is coming off of two losses and if the news of his November legal troubles is an indicator of his focus, fans will know for sure when he faces Ponzinibbio. Ponzinibbio coming off of a win likely wants to keep that going and will look to test Neal’s resolve. It will boil down to who wants it more. I’m leaning Ponzinibbio here. (Prediction: Santiago Ponzinibbio)
Consensus: 2-2 Pick ’em
Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Peña
Amanda Nunes, Julianna Pena
Clyde Aidoo: Julianna Peña is being criminally underlooked in this fight, and it doesn’t make any sense. On paper, Amanda Nunes has been unstoppable ever since winning the bantamweight title at UFC 200 five years ago. Meanwhile, Peña is only 2-2 in her last four fights.
However, what the paper doesn’t tell you is that styles make fights. Peña is arguably the best wrestler in the division; has never been dropped, broken, or dominated; and most importantly, she gets better as fights progress while Nunes has struggled later in fights in the past. Nunes may very well be the most dangerous first-round fighter in the UFC, but if Peña can weather the storm, which I believe she can, then I see her pulling a Cat Zingano and getting the better of Nunes on the mat. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Andrew Ravens: Another title defense for Nunes, and it comes against yet another worthy challenger. Peña is one of the best in the division but doesn’t have a real chance against the champion. Nunes is on a different level from anyone else, and while Peña could shock the world on Saturday night, I, like the rest of the people interested in this fight, don’t see it happening. So I have Nunes going the distance to get the decision win. (Prediction: Amanda Nunes)
Harvey Leonard: While Nunes is still dominating and defending her titles, there’s no logic or sound reasoning to a prediction against her, especially when it’s in favor of a contender who’s 2-2 in her last four outings and who’d likely not have the opportunity had she not brought some trash talk to the table. Is Peña more capable of an upset than Spencer and Anderson were? Perhaps. Is she massively better to the point where can spring an upset? Almost certainly not. (Prediction: Amanda Nunes)
Ed Carbajal: It’s hard to pick against Nunes, who has been so dominant at this point in her career. Still, Peña seems hungry enough to give Nunes a challenge. Details of Nunes positive COVID test from the original booking begs the question of how sick was she? And was it bad enough to affect her preparation? Chances are, she’s probably fine and ready to defend at UFC 269. (Prediction: Amanda Nunes)
Consensus: 3-1 Nunes
Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier
Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira
Clyde Aidoo: Whenever you’re dealing with a submission ace like Charles Oliveira, there is never any real comfort level to pick against him, especially as his striking continues to catch up to his grappling skills year by year, fight by fight.
Nevertheless, I think Poirier has just a little bit more tools in the toolbox and that, more importantly, his fight IQ has fully caught up to his physical gifts to create a more consistent, cage-aware Poirier. No longer the overzealous fighter he was in his past, I think the combination of fight IQ and true grit will truly see Poirier get paid in full to close out UFC’s 2021 PPV year. (Prediction: Dustin Poirier)
Andrew Ravens: Poirier is one of the best fighters in the division, but I think part of the reason that he is being so hyped up and even has the oddsmakers backing him is due to him beating the biggest star in MMA, Conor McGregor, in back-to-back fights. McGregor isn’t the best fighter in the division, so that needs to be factored in.
Whatever Oliveira has done to change his style and go on such an impressive winning streak is what people should focus on. I have Oliveira getting it done by decision to retain. (Prediction: Charles Oliveira)
Harvey Leonard: I firmly believe Oliveira is being massively and unfairly underrated heading into this fight. However, I still believe he may struggle to keep hold of his title this weekend. While ‘Do Bronx’ showed the grit and toughness that many doubted he had to come back against Chandler, I’m not sure a finisher like Poirier will give him the chance to do so.
I find it difficult to believe “The Diamond,” with his pressure and volume, won’t find a way to hurt the champion at some point. When that happens, I think he’ll get the job done. (Prediction: Dustin Poirier)
Ed Carbajal: Both fighters are in their relative prime and both are riding win streaks against some pretty well-established fighters. Still, this might be a battle that is decided by durability. Poirier may hold more losses than Oliviera, but his are not as finish-heavy as Olivera’s are. By that, I mean Oliveira has been finished more than Poirier. Four of his eight losses came by way of knockout, something Poirier is good at. (Prediction: Dustin Poirier)
Consensus: 3-1 Poirier
That’ll do it for our UFC 269 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the UFC 269 undercard below.
UFC 269 takes place this Saturday, December 11, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the main event, Charles Oliveira will defend the lightweight championship against Dustin Poirier. The co-main event will see the GOAT, Amanda Nunes, taking on the confident Julianna Peña.
Also going down on the main card will be top-15 welterweights Geoff Neal (#12) and Santiago Ponzinibbio (#14) battling it out, as well as former UFC bantamweight champion Cody “No Love” Garbrandt facing Kai Kara France. And the main card will kick off with “The Suga Show” when “Sugar” Sean O’Malley faces Raulian Paiva.
Each of the above fighters was present during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference. Here were some of the most memorable moments and exchanges from the event.
UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier is “90% sure” he’ll fight at welterweight in the UFC before he retires or leaves the promotion.
Having arrived on MMA’s biggest stage as a featherweight and fought there until 2015, Poirier has found immense success since his move up to 155 pounds. In the near-seven years since, “The Diamond” has gone 12-2 (1 NC). After racking up a trio of consecutive wins against Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, and Eddie Alvarez, Poirier had his first shot at gold in the former of an interim title clash against Max Holloway.
Following a victory over “Blessed,” Poirier fell short of becoming undisputed champ when he faced the undefeated great Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019. But since the crushing defeat, the Louisianan has fought his way back to the top in mightily impressive fashion.
Following a Fight of the Night decision triumph over Dan Hooker last summer, Poirier turned the tables on his rivalry with Conor McGregor, defeating the Irishman twice in 2021 to flip the score from 0-1 to 2-1.
After a lucrative year, Poirier will look to close it out by securing his place on the lightweight throne this weekend. To do so, he’ll have to get past reigning titleholder Charles Oliveira.
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Poirier Sees A Future At 170 Pounds
Despite undoubtedly being at the top of his game as a lightweight, talk of a possible move up to the welterweight division has long existed, largely due to his very public feud with ex-teammate Colby Covington, who has challenged for the 170-pound title on two occasions.
During a recent interview with RT Sport MMA, Poirier was asked whether he sees a victory at UFC 269 this weekend leading to an immediate bulk up to welterweight, or if he anticipates having to defend the title first, a scenario which would likely see him run it back with the consensus number one contender Gaethje.
“I don’t like to look that far ahead. Saturday night has to happen first, but right off the bat, I would think I’ll have to defend the belt… I mean, the whole top-10 rankings system in the UFC at lightweight is tough guys. There’s a lot of guys on long win streaks. There’s some up-and-comers, some new guys to the mix. There’s a lot of opponents that could be my potential next opponent, so we’ll see, man. I don’t like to look that far ahead.”
Despite intending to remain at lightweight for the immediate future, Poirier did provide a decent portion of hope to those desiring to see a welterweight Poirier before he departs the sport. According to “The Diamond,” there’s a strong chance he’ll compete as a 170lber before his time in the UFC is up.
“I’m not sure (who I could face at welterweight), we’ll see. Like we just said, getting my hand raised Saturday night, I’m gonna stay here at 55 and fight again. I don’t know when that move to welterweight will be. But I’m pretty sure, I would say I’m 90% sure that before everything is said and done, that I will fight at 170 pounds in the UFC.”
Before thinking too hard about another move up in weight, Poirier will have to get past Oliveira in the UFC 269 main event. While many continue to underestimate “Do Bronx” and discredit his championship status, Poirier isn’t taking him lightly and knows the threat he poses to his title aspirations.
Who would you like to see Dustin Poirier face if he eventually makes the move up to welterweight?
Cody Garbrandt is willing to serve as a backup once his UFC 269 fight is finished.
Cody Garbrandt knows what it is like to have that UFC belt wrapped around his waist. The former bantamweight champion is now looking to add another belt to his mantle. Garbrandt decided to make the drop-down to flyweight and will be making his divisional debut this Saturday at UFC 269. Even though this is s huge moment for him, he can’t help but be ready for another opportunity.
During UFC 269 fight week Garbrandt was asked if he would be willing to be on hand and serve as the backup fighter for the upcoming title bout between champion Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo. This is what he told reporters during a media scrum.
“Oh, 100%. That’s what I told Dana, well not Dana, but I was speaking to some media prior to coming here and I said, ‘Hey, we might, on Monday morning, walk in the office and do some business.’ So if that’s what they want me to do,” Garbrandt explained. “Like I said, first and foremost I’m focused on Kai Kara-France and mauling him on Saturday night, and letting the rest fall into place.”
Garbrandt will be taking on #6-ranked Kai Kara-France at UFC 269. Kara-France has been making his way up the flyweight division since he joined the UFC back in 2018. If Garbrandt can pull out the win against the tough New Zealander, he could find himself in the top five and in a good position to fight for the title very soon. His resume as a former champ will help his case when asking for a title shot and being the backup is a good position to be in.
In the past, Figueiredo has seemed to have trouble making the 125-pound flyweight championship weight limit. If he were to miss weight and Garbrandt was on hand he could get the shot he is looking for. Either way, Garbrandt needs a win on Saturday and to come out to the bout without injury. Moreno and Figueiredo are set to clash for the third time at UFC 270.
Do you think Garbrandt has what it takes to win UFC gold in the flyweight division?
UFC President Dana White says Sean O’Malley won’t fight top bantamweights until he’s ready, something he doesn’t believe “Sugar” is yet.
Despite being only four years into his career on MMA’s biggest stage, a period interrupted by a two-year absence thanks to an injury and a USADA suspension, O’Malley has consistently been criticized by a portion of fans for not entering the Octagon with a ranked opponent.
After a highlight-reel knockout of Thomas Almeida in March and a record-breaking striking performance against Kris Moutinho in July, the 27-year-old looked set to fight his first top-15 name in the form of Raulian Paiva. However, the Brazilian’s time at the bottom-end of the rankings was short-lived.
Despite falling to his first professional loss last year against Marlon “Chito” Vera, and only picking up victories against unranked opponents since, O’Malley hasn’t shied away from calling out high-level bantamweights. That includes Dominick Cruz and Pedro Munhoz, who will face each other below O’Malley on this weekend’s card, despite their places in the top 10.
White said that, unless your name is Khamzat Chimaev, fighters can’t move up the rankings as fast as fans expect O’Malley to. In the UFC President’s eyes, “Sugar” isn’t ready yet.
“It has nothing to do with his contract. I mean, he’s not ready. You guys wanna throw him to the wolves. You don’t move somebody that fast, unless they’re Khamzat Chimaev. Khamzat is a guy you feel comfortable moving that fast. I mean, O’Malley just lost a couple fights ago. Talking about bigger fights and all that shit, this is a tough fight for him on Saturday night.
“In his last fight he looked incredible, he put on a clinic. I think because O’Malley’s so popular and whatever, you’re always gonna have the critics that give this kid shit. He’s a tough kid, he’s fun, he’s exciting to watch, but he’s making his way, you know, the way you’re supposed to. You don’t just turn O’Malley around and throw him against killers. That’s not how it works.”
White’s latest comments go hand-in-hand with remarks O’Malley made at UFC 269 media day on Wednesday. The Montana native denied avoiding ranked opponents, and said he simply faces whoever the UFC offers him. If he had control of who he faces, O’Malley said he’d be fighting the likes of Cruz and Munhoz next.
While he’ll have to get past the tough test of the in-form Paiva instead, a big-name opponent could be waiting in the wings for O’Malley in 2022 if he’s victorious on Saturday night.
Who would you like to see Sean O’Malley fight in 2022 if he defeats Raulian Paiva at UFC 269 this Saturday?
UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley still considers himself undefeated in MMA ahead of his fight against Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
O’Malley’s lone defeat in the UFC came courtesy of Marlon Vera at UFC 252. It was a controversial TKO finish in which O’Malley suffered a nasty injury and ended up leaving the UFC Apex on a stretcher after injuring his leg.
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, O’Malley opened up on why he still considers himself undefeated despite the Vera loss.
“Yeah, I mean, that fight, I didn’t feel like I lost because his (Vera) skills were better,” O’Malley said. “I don’t think he truly, truly thinks he won that fight. The way that fight played out. it’s a rare occasion that that happens. Look at how many times I got kicked in the leg last fight against Kris (Moutinho), how many times I got kicked in the leg against Thomas (Almeida); you didn’t see my whole leg go completely numb from their toes or their shins.”
“It was a crazy thing that happened,” O’Malley continued. “I don’t feel like, mentally, I lost that fight. I go out there, have a rematch, and he beats me in a decision or finishes me fair and square, I have no issue saying I lost the fight. I lose in sparring, I lose in grappling. I’m not worried about losing. I just don’t feel like I lost that fight and a lot of people hate that I say that.”
Sean O’Malley Remains One Of The Top UFC Prospects
O’Malley has managed to rebound nicely from his loss to Vera, earning back-to-back finishes over Kris Moutinho and Thomas Almeida. His fight against Moutinho, in particular, opened many fans’ eyes as to how dominant O’Malley can be in the striking department.
Despite the strong start to O’Malley’s MMA career, he has yet to enter the UFC bantamweight rankings. This is mostly due to his level of competition to date, but that could change sooner rather than later.
O’Malley has recently called for a fight against Dominick Cruz next, as both get ready to compete on the same card. If he’s able to get past a tough Paiva at UFC 269, he could finally earn a spot in the stacked bantamweight rankings.
What are your thoughts on Sean O’Malley’s comments?
Former champions José Aldo and TJ Dillashaw could be on a collision course at bantamweight, and UFC president Dana White wants to book it.
Aldo and Dillashaw are undoubtedly two of the top bantamweights in the world at the moment after each earned wins this year. UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling will more than likely face Petr Yan in a rematch next, which opens the conversation to who could be the next top contender.
In a division that is stacked from top-to-bottom, Dillashaw and Aldo have managed to beat some of the top guys to earn a spot in the title picture.
“I love it,” White said. “Yeah, I love it. That’s a fun fight. And it’s #2 versus #3. Do that fight, see who gets the next title shot.”
José Aldo Vs. TJ Dillashaw Would Surely Be A No. 1 Contender Fight
Aldo most recently dominantly defeated Rob Font in the UFC Vegas 44 main event. In a matchup of two elite strikers, Aldo proved that he remains on top of his game despite being the promotion for many years.
Dillashaw recently returned from a lengthy USADA suspension to squeak out a split decision win against the always-dangerous Cory Sandhagen in July. After undergoing recent knee surgery, he’s been sidelined and is anticipating a return sometime early next year.
Aldo and Dillashaw at one point were considered two of the top fighters in the world, as both men earned titles at featherweight and bantamweight, respectively. White sounds just as pumped up as nearly everyone else for a potential matchup between the two.
How do you think a TJ Dillashaw vs. José Aldo fight would play out?
Julianna Peña has some serious goals in her UFC 269 title fight with Amanda Nunes, and getting the belt is secondary.
Peña is looking to accomplish what man believe to be an insurmountable task when she faces off against Nunes in the co-main event of this weekend’s UFC 269. She hopes to be the first person to get a win over the champ-champ since 2014, ending her 12-fight unbeaten streak.
This is the first opportunity Peña has had at getting a UFC title, and while that may be intimidating to some, it is not even the primary focus that she has heading into the fight.
Speaking to ESPN, she explained that she is more focused on performing at her best and doing the things that she believes will lead to her fighting her best fight, with the title being a secondary factor in her focus.
“If I get a belt at the end of the night, that’s cute. But at the end of the day, it’s about challenging myself, and taking this opportunity, and seizing the moment. And no one’s gonna hand you anything in this life. You gotta go out there and get it. And that’s my job, and it’s my opportunity. And I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I feel like I got everything to gain, nothing to lose, and the pressure is mostly on her,“ Peña said.
“But for the most part, I just have to stick to the task at hand, focus on the level of intensity that I’m bringing, and realize that I’m a serial killer. And on that night, my heart is black, I don’t have a heart, and I’m going in there to kill or be killed.”
This is certainly an admirable mindset from Julianna Peña as she prepares for what is undoubtedly the biggest fight of her MMA career. Of course, she has a lofty test ahead of her and will be going up against one of the best to ever do it in Amanda Nunes, but it seems clear that the Venezuelan Vixen is prepared to give it her all.
Bantamweight star Sean O’Malley has disputed the idea that he chooses his fights and has been avoiding ranked opponents in the UFC.
Despite becoming one of the most recognizable names in MMA’s premier promotion, O’Malley is yet to enter the Octagon with a top-15 name. Since returning from a USADA suspension in 2020, which came after he built a 2-0 record in the UFC, “Sugar” has been impressive, albeit against opposition outside the rankings.
As well as highlight-reel knockouts of veteran Eddie Wineland and once highly-touted prospect Thomas Almeida, O’Malley has secured TKO wins against José Alberto Quiñónez and, most recently, Kris Mountinho. While a first-round loss to Marlon Vera last year briefly stalled his rise and blemished his record, O’Malley has re-railed his hype train in emphatic fashion since.
The 27-year-old will hope to record his third success of 2021 and move closer to the top of the division this weekend when he faces the formerly-ranked Raulian Paiva. The pair will open a stacked UFC 269 main card inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
During an appearance at UFC 269 media day on Wednesday, O’Malley seemed to walk back those claims. Citing his callouts of former champion Dominick Cruz and Cody Garbrandt, and top-10 contender Pedro Munhoz, the Montana native disputed the narrative he’s avoiding ranked foes. He even suggested that if he had control over who he enters the cage with, he’d be facing a top contender next.
“I do remember saying that (I wouldn’t fight ranked opponents yet). I feel like that was quite a bit of fights ago that I wanted to make more when I fought. But I’ve also called out Cody Garbrandt, Pedro Munhoz, Dominick Cruz, I’ve called out the ranked guys. So it’s not necessarily I wanna get paid more to fight ranked guys. At this point, it’s just like, you know, I’ve called them out. I just haven’t got those fights. I don’t pick my fights, clearly. If I picked my fights, I’d be fighting one of those guys.
“They offered me Paiva, who was ranked #15, I didn’t know that at the time, until after I accepted and they said, ‘Oh, he’s ranked,’ and then couple days later he wasn’t. I think the idea that I just pick my fights is a little bit… it’s not exactly true. They offered me Paiva, I said, ‘Yes.’ Does that mean I pick my fights? I don’t know, I didn’t say, ‘Hey, I wanna fight Paiva.’ The whole , ‘I pick my fights and I’m not gonna fight someone tough until I get paid,’ is not necessarily true.”
Before turning his attention to a potential big-name opponent in 2022, O’Malley will first have to get past the challenge presented by the in-form Paiva. The Brazilian will carry a three-fight win streak into this weekend’s event, and will be looking to steal the show by upsetting the odds at the final pay-per-view of the year.
Who would you like to see Sean O’Malley face in 2022 if he defeats Raulian Paiva this weekend at UFC 269?
UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley has confirmed he was “100% serious” when he expressed his willingness to face Petr Yan at UFC 267 in October.
The Abu Dhabi-held card’s co-main event was originally set to see 135-pound champion Aljamain Sterling run it back with Yan for his first title defense. However, after suffering from lingering issues in his neck as a result of the surgery he underwent earlier in the year, “Funk Master” was forced to withdraw a month out from the event.
After first-choice replacement Rob Font turned down the opportunity to fight for the interim title having only just recovered from a bout of COVID-19, the promotion turned to Cory Sandhagen. Despite coming off a loss against TJ Dillashaw, most accepted “The Sandman” as the right man to join Yan on Yas Island.
In a five-round war, Sandhagen fell short of having gold wrapped around his waist for the first time. Putting his boxing skills on display once again, Yan looked as good as ever and left the Octagon with the interim belt.
O’Malley: “I Looked At That Fight As A Win-Win”
Before Sandhagen’s place on the UFC 267 card was confirmed, one unlikely name staked his claim for interim championship shot. O’Malley, who’s yet to face a ranked fighter in the promotion, made his willingness to challenge “No Mercy” in Abu Dhabi known.
“Oh 100% (serious). I would hate to take a short-notice fight, you know, I prefer not to, but I looked at that fight as a win-win. I’m always in somewhat decent shape, you know, you’re not always in fight shape but it was four or five weeks out, so I had time to get into pretty good shape. I was gonna go out there and give it my all for as long as I could. Losing to Petr Yan wouldn’t be that big of a loss. I think it’d make for even a better rematch after I would earn that back.
“But yeah, I was 100% serious. I know Cory was the front man, who I believe deserved the shot over me, but I didn’t know if, in that moment, he was healthy and able to. I know Rob Font had Covid. TJ (Dillashaw) was out. I would’ve 100% taken that fight if they’d offered me it.”
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With the UFC not needing his services on October 30, O’Malley turned his attention to a different opponent, one more suited to his current positioning on the bantamweight ladder. In the UFC 269 main card opener this Saturday, “Sugar” will face Raulian Paiva.
While the Brazilian is undoubtedly tough, as he showed in his last outing against Kyler Phillips, most expect O’Malley to record another victory and continue his path towards the top. Perhaps with a strong 2022, the rising star won’t be far from a clash with Yan.
How do you think Sean O’Malley would have fared against Petr Yan at UFC 267?
UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje believes reigning 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira will have to finish Dustin Poirier early in order to keep hold of the title at UFC 269.
The opening challenge to his reign will come from Poirier, widely considered the be the greatest lightweight on the planet right now. Riding two victories over Conor McGregor into Saturday’s headliner, “The Diamond” will be looking to secure his place on the 155-pound throne at the second time of trying.
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Gaethje Backs Poirier’s “Heart And Will”
The narrative heading into the second lightweight championship main event of 2021 has largely centered around the idea that Poirier is the “uncrowned champion” of the division, and that Oliveira has a tough night ahead of him. That’s a sentiment that’s consistently been shared by top contender Gaethje.
Repeating his doubts about the Brazilian’s grit and toughness, Gaethje suggested Oliveira has to finish Poirier before the third round to have any chance at victory. Should the fight reach the championship rounds, a depth “Do Bronx” has never dived to, the #2-ranked contender believes the Louisianan will have his hand raised.
“If they get into some grappling situations, I think Poirier can get finished in the first two or two-and-a-half rounds. But I think after that, most fights come down to heart and will. There is something special about Poirier when it comes down to that department you know. He has made all the money but it’s very special when you find someone who is not here just for the money and he is one of those guys. So I don’t see him losing in the heart and will department of this fight.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Oliveira has consistently maintained that he’s being underrated and unfairly written off ahead of UFC 269, both in terms of his ability to beat Poirier and his willingness to engage in a five-round war. On December 11, he’ll have the chance to prove Gaethje and a sizable chunk of the combat sports community wrong.
Do you agree with Justin Gaethje? Does Charles Oliveira need to finish Dustin Poirier early at UFC 269 in order to keep hold of the lightweight title?
UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier has admitted that the chapter of his career with former two-division champion Conor McGregor will never “be closed.”
Poirier and McGregor have shared the Octagon three times. Their first clash came way back in September 2014 when the two highly-regarded prospects met at UFC 178. In one of the best examples of the Irishman’s trash talk working to great effect, Poirier was finished in the opening round.
Nevertheless, Poirier believes the Irishman is capable of getting back to his best inside the Octagon. During an interview with Morning Kombat’s Brian Campbell, “The Diamond” said McGregor has what it takes to make his way back to the top.
“I’m not really looking at him. I’m looking at the next challenge, the lightweight title. But, you know, if anybody can pull it back together and get back on top, he’s definitely one of those guys that could. It’s up to him. He’s in control of his destiny, of whatever he’s gonna do.”
When asked whether he believes his own journey with McGregor has come to an end, Poirier suggested that chapter of his career will likely never be over.
“I don’t think so. I don’t think the chapter will ever be closed.”
Having previously failed to reach the 155-pound mountaintop against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019, “The Diamond” will hope to finally secure his place on the throne by de-seating “Do Bronx” in this weekend’s main event. If he does so, perhaps a fourth fight for gold with McGregor will be waiting in the wings for 2022.
Would you like to see Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor fight for a fourth time next year?
Kevin Holland is ready to answer Chael Sonnen’s call and fight Nick Diaz.
Sonnen recently spoke in a video on his YouTube channel, saying that he had heard rumors that the UFC was interested in booking a fight between Holland, who was forced out of his November rematch with Kyle Daukaus, and Diaz, who lost his return fight against Robbie Lawler. He also suggested that it could take place at welterweight, which is where Holland has decided to move.
“‘Tommy from the Bronx’ just reached out to me, told me something. I said, ‘Is this public?’ And he said, ‘You can share it.’ It had something to do with Nick Diaz vs Kevin Holland. (I was) a little bit surprised by it, only because Nick Diaz is such a megastar, but what do you do with him?” Sonnen said.
Now, it is unclear who Sonnen’s source was, but it seems that they might have been on to something. Holland posted to his Instagram shortly after Sonnen’s video. Holland shared a side-by-side photo of him and Diaz, as well as a clip of him slapping an opponent in a similar way to the slap that made the Diaz brothers famous, saying that he was down for the fight.
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“Smack man smack man yeah that’s me!!!! Let’s Go BUCKO #illdoit” Holland wrote.
He spoke to MMAJunkie as well, saying that this was something that he has been wanting since before he was actually in the UFC. Moreover, he said that he and Nick Diaz had some sort of altercation, so he would like the opportunity to settle the score.
“I been waiting to slap the slap man since I was on (Dana White’s) Contender Series,” Holland said, in a text. “We had a little run-in. I think it’s a fight the fans will want the commentators to just shut up and listen to the punches landing and our mouths flapping.”
It is safe to say that Kevin Holland vs Nick Diaz would be an entertaining fight. It will be curious to see if this is a direction that the UFC chooses to go in or if they choose to make different matchups.
Former UFC champions and current broadcast colleagues Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz sat down to have an open dialogue about Cruz’s brutally honest and very public feedback about Cormier’s commentating.
This Saturday at UFC 269, Dominick Cruz will be competing against Pedro Munhoz in a high-level bout between two veterans ranked in the bantamweight division’s top 10. But that’s not the story Cruz made headlines for yesterday. Instead, that would be his harsh take on Daniel Cormier’s job performance as a UFC commentator/analyst.
During a media scrum ahead of UFC 269, here is what Cruz had to say about his broadcast partner:
“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,” Cruz said with a chuckle.
“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. I think he cares about us, but it’s just different. He doesn’t do the preparation from my experience. He might now. I’m hoping that he watches some film this time, on me, so he knows what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. But I’m not going to hold my breath on that, for sure.”
Cormier & Cruz Have Face-To-Face Conversation About Cruz’s Criticisms
Dominick Cruz, Daniel Cormier
Soon after Cruz’s comments spread like wildfire throughout the MMA media, Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz had a sit-down conversation that was published on Cormier’s YouTube channel. What follows is a full recap of their conversation.
The conversation began with Cormier attempting to nonchalantly have an interview about Cruz’s upcoming fight. Cruz, having already established his frank nature, preferred to skip the formalities and relative small talk and address the elephant in the room. Cormier politely implied that such conversations are better left private, to which Cruz proposed they speak ‘privately in public.’
Cormier disagreed, stating things that are discussed privately should remain behind closed doors. Cruz asked who made that rule and stated that he was merely holding Cormier accountable out of love. Cruz used the analogy of Cormier holding his children accountable if they do something wrong and that it’s all out of love. Cormier replied that it’s only love in Cruz’s mind.
Cormier: What do you hold me accountable for?
Cruz: Not watching film.
Cormier: Dominick, there’s different ways to prepare for a fight than watching film. It’s not singular.
Cruz: It’s not part of it?
Cormier: It’s not singular. I do watch film. I watch film every single time. Do I watch fights to the extent that you watch fights? No…I will openly sit here and say that I don’t watch fights to the extent that Dominick Cruz (watches it).
Cormier concluded that because he doesn’t combat Cruz’s opinions, Cruz thinks they must be true. He would then tell Cruz to his face that he violated their trust as colleagues and friends.
Cormier: It’s like, Dominick Cruz, I’ve watched you for years. I’ve watched you. I’ve studied you. But that’s the thing, though, because I don’t combat your opinions, you continue to build on those opinions. And honestly, can I say something? Can I tell you something right now as a friend?
Cruz: Please.
Cormier: It was wrong of you to say what you said this morning.
Cruz: Oh, so I’m wrong?
Cormier: Because it was not fair of you as a colleague to do that publicly. You should tell me. That is a blatant mistrust of friendship and as a colleague.
Daniel Cormier Offers Criticism To Dominick Cruz In Return
At this point and to keep things fair, Cruz urged Cormier to give him an honest performance review as well.
Cormier: I think you’re a fantastic analyst.
Cruz: Why?
Cormier: Because you’re prepared, I think you enjoy the fights, and you love your job.
Cruz pushed Cormier to provide negative feedback as well so that this aspect of their reviews would not be one-sided. Cormier would oblige.
“I think you can be a bit dry,” Cormier offered.
When Cruz disagreed with that assessment, this visibly flabbergasted the former double champion.
At this point, a third man joined the conversation to “mediate,” a fellow colleague and former UFC champion, Michael “The Count” Bisping.
Jeff Bottari | Credit: Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Not long after joining the convo, Bisping told Cruz that he was in the wrong for sharing those thoughts publicly. He also revealed that Cormier used to pay someone to assist him with research, but he stopped this arrangement so that he could process the information himself and also save money.
Cormier was asked to explain more about the researcher, and his testimony did not seem to bolster his case all that much.
Cormier: So I had a researcher that I would pay to give me all my notes, and I would go and call the fights.
Cruz: So how is that watching film?!
Cormier: But then I would watch the fights still, but the guy would give me all the background stuff and all that.
Cruz: Why? That’s your job.
Before Cormier could respond, Bisping interjected and explained on his behalf that he didn’t pay the researcher to do all the research and film study, only some of it.
Towards the end of the conversation, Cruz blamed the media for not providing the full context for his criticism. He also clarified that he never stated Cormier was a bad commentator.
In any event, although Cruz still did not understand why Cormier and Bisping believe his comments would have been better kept private, he did make sure to throw in some positive feedback to his partner as well.
“But this stuff that we’re talking about is much more fun ’cause now, the media can’t create some dark picture that I don’t appreciate you as an analyst. Because this is the truth: I do appreciate you as an analyst. I do. I think that you’re an Olympic gold medalist and you bring a different repertoire in that vision that I don’t have.”
Cruz did not backtrack on his criticisms of Cormier’s research skills, however, and Cormier would ultimately bring the conversation to a close, expressing that things went off the rails.
You can view the full conversation for yourself below. You can also watch Dominick Cruz’s full media day press scrum to judge for yourself if his comments were taken out of context.
UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira knows his best path to victory against Dustin Poirier could come with his grappling at UFC 269.
Oliveira earned the lightweight title by defeating Michael Chandler earlier this year. After getting into some trouble on the feet early in the fight, he rebounded in Round 2 to earn a TKO victory to get the vacant belt.
Oliveira is best known for his other-worldly grappling prowess, with a UFC record of 14 submissions during his time with the promotion. He’s found a true home at lightweight after an up-and-down tenure earlier in his career at featherweight.
Oliveira is ready for all scenarios for his matchup with Poirier. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Trocacao Franca podcast, Oliveira’s coach, Diego Lima, spoke about the matchup on the ground.
“We have someone who’s very afraid of Charles’ ground [game],” Lima said. “In my opinion, Poirier doesn’t want to take this fight to the ground. People that watch Charles’ fights and Poirier’s fights will say, ‘F*ck, Poirier better keep this fight on the feet.’
“That’s the reality. One thing is for sure, this fight won’t go to the judges.”
Charles Oliveira Faces Dustin Poirier In His First Title Defense
While Poirier is most commonly known for his boxing, his grappling isn’t anything to devalue as well. He’s showcased his vastly improved ground game in fights against McGregor, Anthony Pettis, and others.
Oliveira and Poirier don’t appear to have any bad blood between the two of them, but all respect will be thrown out of the cage when they square off in the UFC 269 main event.
What is your prediction for Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier?
Just because Dominick Cruz does commentary with Daniel Cormier does not mean he likes his broadcast partner’s style.
In addition to his career inside the Octagon, Cruz has made a name for himself as a well-established commentator, albeit with a mixed review amongst fans. While some appreciate his extremely technical breakdowns, others feel that he can be a bit confrontational in the booth, oftentimes being seen having miniature arguments with the other commentators during events.
One of the people that he seems to take regular issue with during broadcasts is fellow former champion Daniel Cormier. Speaking to media ahead of his return to action at UFC 269, in which Cormier will be commentating his fight with Pedro Munhoz, Cruz explained that while he loves DC as a person, he could do without his commentary.
“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,” Cruz said with a chuckle.
Dominick Cruz, Daniel Cormier, Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports
“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. I think he cares about us, but it’s just different. He doesn’t do the preparation from my experience. He might now. I’m hoping that he watches some film this time, on me, so he knows what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. But I’m not going to hold my breath on that, for sure.”
That being said, Dominick Cruz knows that he is not perfect when it comes to his work as a commentator, even though he works hard to be. However, he says it all comes down to how each person looks at things, and he does not take things personally, whether other commentators and fighters agree with him or not.
“Honestly, I’m never perfect. There’s a roster of, I don’t know, 400-600 fighters, and not everybody is going to agree with what I say either. It’s all perspective in there. And DC, he’s a gifted athlete. I think (Michael) Bisping does a lot of homework. I think he watches a lot of film. I think there are certain people that watch the film, and I count that because I do the film study. The reason I do the film study is it’s bigger than me,” Cruz said.
“I really don’t call or text any of them, because they’re just doing their job. They’re seeing it how they see it, it’s their interpretation. It doesn’t make it fact, and I know they’re doing the best they can, honestly.”
It certainly seems like Dominick Cruz is simply giving his honest assessment of how he thinks Daniel Cormier does as a commentator and is not coming from a place of a personal beef. That said, it will be interesting to see if Cormier gives his response to these comments while working commentary for UFC 269 .
Geoff Neal may have recently been arrested on a DWI and weapons charge, but he is not letting that distract him from his fight at UFC 269.
It was recently reported that Neal had been arrested in the early hours of Thanksgiving Day and was facing misdemeanor charges of DWI and unlawful carrying of a weapon. While he was released on bail several hours later, this did cause a bit of concern about the future of his UFC 269 fight with Santiago Ponzinibbio, which was scheduled to take place just 16 days after his arrest.
Now it has become clear that Neal will still fight at UFC 269 and was tasked with speaking to media ahead of this contest. Here, he opened up about what happened for the first time since his arrest. He did not want to comment much on the specifics but cleared the air on some issues.
“No comments on what really went down,” Neal said during the UFC 269 media day (h/t MMAFighting). “I haven’t been charged with any crime yet.
“Pretty much they had probable cause, and instead of doing the Breathalyzer, I chose to do the blood [test]. So I’m waiting on the results to come back on that and we’ll go from there.”
Photo courtesy of Collins County Sheriff’s Department
As far as the weapons charges go, Geoff Neal explained the gun found with him was registered to him legally. He felt that the reports about the situation were somewhat misleading, and were blowing things out of proportion.
“It was just a one-night thing,” Neal said. “Just decided to kick back and relax with my girlfriend. Had a few drinks and then there’s a situation that happened and then cops got involved. I did have my weapon on me. My weapon, it’s legal. It’s licensed in my name. They made it look like I had a MAC-10 in my lap, driving around drunk or something.
“It’s not as serious as they make it out to be. It’s not like I was drunk off my ass, hungover, just running the streets. It was a one-time thing.”
That said, there are fans of Geoff Neal, who may be concerned about his focus on training ahead of this fight, considering how far along he was in training camp when being arrested for a DWI. He assures that there is no reason to be concerned and that it was a one-time thing that was not indicative of how hard he trained.
“Not really [a distraction],” Neal said. “It is what it is. I’m the dumbass that did that so I’ve got to deal with it.”
Geoff Neal will be returning to action this weekend against Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC 269. Only then will fans be able to tell what impact, if any, this incident has had on him.
