Sonnen is accused of assaulting six different hotel patrons, including one woman, during an altercation at the Luxor Hotel and Casino. The incident allegedly took place after an unidentified man made inappropriate gestures and comments towards Sonnen’s wife while at the casino.
Sonnen is due to appear in a Las Vegas court on April 27. He wasn’t arrested or put in jail after police responded to the scene and was briefly detained by officers.
Sonnen fought against some of the best in the UFC during his tenure with the promotion, including two fights against then-champion Anderson Silva and one against Jon Jones.
Sonnen hasn’t competed in MMA since he fought in Bellator back in 2019. Following back-to-back wins over Rampage Jackson and Wanderlei Silva, he suffered losses to Lyoto Machida and Fedor Emelianenko before calling it quits.
After his retirement, Sonnen has placed his attention on broadcasting, serving as a UFC analyst and MMA analyst at ESPN. He also has garnered a large following on YouTube, where he posts video segments and his thoughts on MMA hot topics on an almost daily basis.
Sonnen hasn’t commented publically on the charges since they were re-filed in Las Vegas.
What is your reaction to the latest Chael Sonnen legal issues?
The Professional Fighters League is set to return with a bang on April 20 as the light heavyweights and lightweights take center stage for PFL 1.
After a successful 2021 season, which came after the postponement of the previous lineup due to COVID-19, the PFL is looking to go even better with its fourth season in the sport.
To do so, the rising promotion has bolstered its ranks with a number of new faces, some of which will be on display right from the off when the 155 and 205lbers look to open the season with a bang next month.
The card, which was confirmed by the promotion on Tuesday, includes a host of widely-recognized names and intriguing clashes.
On the ESPN+ card, slated for 5:30PM ET, long-time UFC veteran Stevie Ray (22-9) will enter the cage for the first time since 2019. The Scotsman, who has faced the likes of Michael Johnson, Paul Felder, and Joe Lauzon during his 32-fight career, has come out of retirement for the 2022 PFL lightweight season. He’ll face Alexander Martinez (8-2), who went 1-2 in last year’s competition.
Elsewhere, former UFC middleweight Omari Akhmedov (21-7) hopes to make up for his unsuccessful PFL debut at last year’s finale when he opens his first full 205-pound season against former GCF heavyweight champion Viktor Pešta (18-6). Olivier Aubin-Mercier (13-5), meanwhile, will hope to keep his perfect PFL record intact as his season gets underway against a yet-to-be-announced 155-pound opponent.
At 9:00 PM ET, four quality bouts are set to grace ESPN and ESPN+. Clay Collard (20-9-1), who recorded a victory over Anthony Pettis last year before falling in the lightweight semifinals, will welcome renowned MMA veteran Jeremy Stephens (28-19-1) to the PFL cage. “Lil Heathen” has made the move over from the UFC, where he shared the Octagon with names like Josh Emmett, Renan Barão, Max Holloway, Yair Rodriguez, José Aldo, Frankie Edgar, and Charles Oliveira.
2021 PFL Light Heavyweight Champion Antonio Carlos Jr. (13-5-2) also has his pairing set. He’ll hope to follow in the footsteps of Kayla Harrison and record back-to-back titles. His journey to doing so begins against his compatriot Delan Monte (8-1). Another 2021 champion in action will be lightweight king Raush Manfio. To start his defense of last year’s championship on the right foot, “Cavalo de Guerra” has to dispatch South Africa’s Don Madge (10-3-1), who is riding a seven-fight win streak into this year’s season.
Finally, hoping to make up for a lackluster 0-2 arrival in PFL last year, former UFC lightweight champion Pettis (24-12) has been dealt the hand of Ireland’s Myles Price (11-7), who enters his first PFL season having not competed since a 2019 victory over Peter Queally under the Bellator banner.
The announced PFL 1 card is currently as follows:
5:30PM ET/ESPN +
Alexander Martinez vs. Stevie Ray (lightweight)
Robert Wilkinson vs. Bruce Souto (light heavyweight)
Omari Akhmedov vs. Viktor Pešta (light heavyweight)
Marthin Hamlet vs. Teodoras Aukstuolis (light heavyweight)
Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. TBA (lightweight)
Emiliano Sordi vs. Josh Silveira (light heavyweight)
9PM ET/ESPN & ESPN+
Clay Collard vs. Jeremy Stephens (lightweight)
Antonio Carlos Jr. vs. Delan Monte (light heavyweight)
Anthony Pettis vs. Myles Price (lightweight)
Raush Manfio vs. Don Madge (lightweight)
Which fight are you most looking forward to seeing go down at PFL 1 on April 20?
Bellator’s bantamweight grand prix has suffered a major blow as champion, Sergio Pettis suffered an injury and is now out of the tournament.
On Tuesday morning it was revealed by CBS Sports that Pettis was forced to withdraw from the field due to injury. He was supposed to fight Raufeon Stots in the opening round at Bellator 279 on April 23 in Hawaii. With Pettis out of the fight, Juan Archuleta will now face Stots on the card for the interim bantamweight title, which will be on the line throughout the grand prix.
Pettis’ injury was not disclosed but it is a massive blow for the grand prix as the eight fighters will now be fighting for the interim title. The champ is coming off a stunning KO win over Kyoji Horiguchi to defend his bantamweight title for the first time. He won the belt by decision after defeating Archuleta in May.
Along with Pettis being out of the Bellator bantamweight grand prix, it’s likely that Josh Hill will now enter the tournament. He was named the alternate after a vicious KO win over Jared Scoggins in December.
Raufeon Stots, meanwhile, is 17-1 and coming off a decision win over Magomed Magomedov in August. He’s currently 5-0 in Bellator with notable wins over Josh Hill, Keith Lee, and Cass Bell. His lone loss was a spinning backfist KO to Merab Dvalishvili.
Juan Archuleta, on the other hand, has not fought since his loss to Pettis to lose his bantamweight title. He won the vacant belt with a decision win over Patchy Mix in September 2020 after dropping back down to bantamweight.
With Stots now fighting Archuleta, Bellator 279 is as follows:
Raufeon Stots vs. Juan Archuleta – interim bantamweight title
Cris Cyborg vs. Arlene Blencowe- featherweight title
Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Patchy Mix – bantamweight grand prix
Jorge Masvidal may face a felony battery charge stemming from his altercation with Colby Covington outside a Miami restaurant.
Covington was outside of the Papi Steak Restaurant in Miami, FL when Masvidal allegedly attacked him with a punch to the mouth another punch to the left eye. According to a recently-released police report obtained by MMA Fighting, Covington suffered a fractured tooth and suffered an abrasion on his left wrist as a result of the assault.
During the altercation, Covington told Miami police that he heard Masvidal say “You shouldn’t have been talking about my kids”. Covington has repeatedly accused Masvidal of being a “deadbeat dad” to his kids and has mocked Masvidal’s past relationship with the mother of their children.
The investigation into the altercation is ongoing and if Covington can prove that Masvidal assaulted him, Masvidal may face legal action.
No charges have been filed against Masvidal yet and he has not been arrested for his alleged actions against Covington.
Masvidal was involved in a similar incident with Leon Edwards back in early 2019. After verbal banter turned into a sudden attack backstage, Masvidal didn’t face charges for the infamous “three-piece and a soda” assault on Edwards.
MMA News will keep you updated on any further updates on this developing story.
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has given his thoughts on the recent altercation between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.
Masvidal and Covington allegedly got into a fistfight outside of a steakhouse in Miami, FL on Monday night. Covington had been dining with YouTube podcasters The Nelk Boys when he was confronted by Masvidal as he was leaving the restaurant.
No arrests were made following the incident and the investigation is ongoing by local police.
“This is not how we conduct our selves in this house,” Usman tweeted.
Usman has referred to Masvidal and Covington as his “sons” after beating both of them twice. While both of his fights with Covington were closely contested, Usman earned a fifth-round TKO in their first fight followed by a unanimous decision win in their rematch.
Usman defeated Masvidal via a unanimous decision at UFC 251 in a short-notice clash before knocking him out in their rematch at UFC 261.
Usman later replied to a fan that alluded to the Masvidal/Covington brawl and promised “consequences” following the incident.
This is unacceptable. I will have a hard TALK with both when they get home 😤
“This is unacceptable,” Usman replied. “I will have a hard TALK with both when they get home.”
Usman is expected to defend his title against top contender Leon Edwards later this year. The UFC’s top pound-for-pound fighter has also flirted with the idea of facing boxing world champion Canelo Alvarez in a crossover fight.
Covington recently defeated Masvidal in their grudge match at UFC 272 via a unanimous decision. He could be on the verge of a potential third fight with Usman while Masvidal is looking to snap a three-fight losing skid in his Octagon return.
What are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman’s response to the incident involving Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal?
UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo is reportedly set to face familiar foe Brandon Moreno in the first title defense of his second reign.
Per Ariel Helwani’s Substack, the promotion have settled on the pair, who have shared the Octagon three times across the past year-and-a-half, as the next championship clash at 125 pounds.
The tetralogy, which is being targeted for July, will represent the flyweight division’s fourth consecutive championship collision between Moreno and Figueiredo.
UFC has decided to go with Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 4 for the UFC flyweight title next, sources say. The hope is to do it in July. https://t.co/ZA38Pj1mWv
After seeming unstoppable following two brutal victories over the now-retired Joseph Benavidez, as well as first-round opening defense against Alex Perez, Figueiredo hoped to close out 2020 with a fourth comfortable triumph when he met Moreno at UFC 256.
While he left Las Vegas’ Apex with his reign in tact and the gold still in his possession, it was far from an easy night for the Brazilian, whose win streak was halted thanks to the Mexican’s grit to fight for a majority draw. That, as expected, forced a rematch between the elite flyweight duo six months later.
After top contender Alexandre Pantoja couldn’t make the UFC’s desired December date, Figueiredo was given an immediate chance at redemption, which went down one month later than planned on January 22 earlier this year. In a five-round war at UFC 270, the Brazilian chose power over volume, a strategy that paid off in the form of a unanimous decision verdict and the sound of ‘and new’ in front of a Moreno-supporting California crowd.
Usman/Edwards 2 & Figueiredo/Moreno 4 In International Fight Week?
If the targeted July date comes to fruition, fans may be in store for a blockbuster championship double-header. The UFC 276 pay-per-view appears set to go down from Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena during International Fight Week on July 2.
“The Nigerian Nightmare” is currently recovering from hand surgery, but both Ali Abdelaziz And UFC President Dana White have identified July as the likely return of the 170-pound king.
Kamaru Usman had surgery to repair a ligament in his hand, his manager Ali Abdelaziz told @marc_raimondi.
Abdelaziz said Usman is targeting a return for International Fight Week at UFC 276 in T-Mobile Arena on July 2. pic.twitter.com/MQqd9srmJf
While we would expect Darren Till and Khamzat Chimaev to be up to no good in the gym, it turns out the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas isn’t safe, either.
While their interactions on social media and hilarious Instagram Live session had teased a budding ‘bromance’ between the two UFC stars, not many would have been expecting the pair’s link up to have gone as well as it has.
Having spent so much time in each other’s company, it’s unsurprising there are some hilarious tales to be told. One of those was revealed last week, and it perhaps won’t please UFC staff…
When asked to disclose the craziest thing he’s done alongside “Borz,” the Liverpudlian suggested that would have to stay behind closed doors.
“I can not say on the mic [LAUGHS]. I’ll be surprised if we make it through this year though,” joked Till. “He told me he wants to come back to Liverpool and train and live.”
However, there was one moment Till was willing to narrate, and it perhaps demonstrates the kind of shenanigans most would expect from the pair’s ventures.
“I’ve got a brilliant story that I think is funny. So, we’re training at the UFC PI in Vegas, and obviously, all fighters eat free and stuff like that, but they have a fridge full of like, protein drinks and monsters and like, these nice milk drinks they do,” recalled Till. “So me and Khamzat were getting our food the other day and he looks at me, and he’s got like, his big UFC bag, and he goes—starts just ruffling everything into his UFC bag.
Khamzat Chimaev
“So the next day, I was coming out to the changing rooms and I heard one fighter say to his friend, ‘F*cking hell, I’ve been coming here everyday for the past week and there’s no drinks [LAUGHS]. So yeah, there’s a good story. He’s probably messaging me right now.”
I think we can expect the UFC to add some additional cameras around the drinks fridge moving forward…
Are Darren Till and Khamzat Chimaev the best duo in MMA right now?
It’s safe to say that Sean Strickland is not a fan of Colby Covington.
After Covington defeated Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272, he was asked in an interview about his thoughts on Strickland, and ‘Chaos’ was dismissive saying he didn’t know who he was and wondered if Strickland was a girl.
After catching wind of the comments, Strickland took to his Instagram to blast Covington for his comments. (h/t MMAMania)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYNoO8P3f2/
“I thought [Donald] Trump’s c—k would of been too deep in your mouth for you to speak …” Strickland’s caption to an Instagram video read. “Just because someone can fight doesn’t mean their not a coward.. @colbycovmma Look what happened when you got called out for being a troll you ran away and pulled out your phone. You’re a f-cking Karen.
“Covington, you like to run your f—king mouth,” Strickland continued. “You didn’t run your mouth when I seen you now you run your mouth now on the internet. Bro, we all see what [Fabricio] Werdum did to you. Werdum walked up to you, f—king punked you, you ran away and you pulled out your phone and recorded him like a f—king Karen, bro. You’re a f—king embarrassment. Yeah, I’ll be honest with you, you’re a good fighter but like, as far as a man, you’re f—king pathetic.”
Of course, the Werdum incident he is talking about was when he allegedly threw a boomerang at Covington in Australia and it caused quite a scene. It also shouldn’t be a surprise to see Sean Strickland take a shot at Covington, as he is also vocal about a lot of things.
Although Strickland is taking a shot at Covington, it seems unlikely they will ever fight. Strickland is at middleweight and seems comfortable there while Covington is a welterweight. However, he has talked about wanting to face Israel Adesanya, so maybe he’ll consider moving up to face Strickland first prior to ideally challenging Adesanya.
Would you like to see Sean Strickland fight Colby Covington?
UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall has offered fellow contender Tai Tuivasa the chance to pop a certain alcohol-related cherry of his.
If anyone was uncertain of Aspinall’s credentials as a member of the heavyweight elite in the UFC prior to this past weekend, it stands to reason they aren’t anymore.
Having breezed past “Drago” and risen five spots to #6 in the rankings, Aspinall has set his sights on a member of the top five, and a charismatic and entertaining one, at that.
After calling out the #3-ranked Tuivasa in his Octagon interview, Aspinall channeled his inner “Bam Bam” by chugging some beer on his way to the back. But one thing was missing… a shoe.
Aspinall: Only Tuivasa Can Take My Shoey Virginity
In less than a year, Tuivasa’s brand as a fighter has expanded into the shoey business. What started after a victory over Greg Hardy last July at UFC 264 has quickly become a mainstream topic, and even a profitable one for the Australian powerhouse, even if the UFC did keep the most recent shoey celebration at UFC 271 off our screens…
Given the questions directed towards Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis ahead of their clash last month, it seems inevitable that shoey talk will be an integral part of the 29-year-old’s pre-fight buildups from now on. And while a clash with Aspinall is far from official, the drinking practice is already on the agenda.
“I’m a shoey virgin at the moment, but if Tai wants to do one, I will,” confirmed Aspinall. “Big shout out to Tai for doing his thing with the shoey. I started seeing that he’s making money off that as well so, respect man.”
When MMA journalist Oscar Willis wanted in on the shoey action then and there, Aspinall revealed there’s only one man who can pop his shoey cherry.
“I’ll only do one with Tai… When Tai comes to the UK, Tai will pop my cherry,” said Aspinall.
While the prospect of post-fight shoeys is always a bonus for the fans in attendance, the one constant that’s remained alongside Tuivasa’s celebrations is his brutal knockouts that have come prior to them.
With Aspinall now experiencing a similar rise up the heavyweight ranks and recording a victory over a high-ranked perennial contender, a matchup with Tuivasa is sure to bring fireworks if it comes to fruition.
UFC London: Aspinall vs. Tuivasa later this year anyone?
How do you think a fight between Tai Tuivasa and Tom Aspinall would play out? Would we see “Bam Bam” complete another victory shoey?
Stephen Thompson is not sold on Conor McGregor moving up to face Kamaru Usman.
There has been some talk lately about Conor McGregor wanting to move up to welterweight and challenge champion Kamaru Usman for the title, that talk is coming from McGregor himself.
The former dual champion at 145 and 155 pounds is looking to make another jump when he is cleared to return to the UFC. McGregor has fought at 170 pounds before and although that might not be his natural weight class, he is confident he can hang with the best.
There are some people who are doubters of McGregor and his skills, however. One man who believes that McGregor would have no shot at beating Usman is Stephen “Wonerboy” Thompson. Thompson spoke about this on his podcast.
Stephen Thompson (Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa)
“[McGregor’s] going to get demolished [by Usman]. Yeah, he’s going to be a big fight, a big payday but you’re going to get demolished,” Thompson said via Sportskeeda. “Dude, I love you Conor but you put on the weight like that and you’re fighting a dude at 170 [pounds]. I mean you got to try and put some weight on to become a real 170 [pounder]. I mean, look at Kamaru, look at the biceps and shoulders on that guy. [And] he’s got both attributes, he’s got cardio for days and he’s one of the top wrestlers in the welterweight division.”
Thompson has fought some of the best the UFC welterweight division has to offer. He has been in some wars and has fought in two title fights. He knows as well as anyone what it takes to compete in the welterweight division. McGregor’s two fights at 170 pounds were a loss against Nate Diaz and a win against Donald Cerrone.
Having three losses in a row at lightweight, this move could be a new beginning for McGregor. He is currently out dealing with the recovery of his leg injury he suffered his last time in the Octagon. At this point, a timetable for his return is unconfirmed, but he is expected to be back in action by early fall.
How do you think Conor McGregor would fare against Kamaru Usman?
UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has looked back on his response to Max Holloway’s injury and subsequent recovery, describing his remarks as “silly.”
After securing a decision victory over Yair Rodriguez in a FOTY contender last November, a win that secured his second headlining triumph of 2021, Holloway appeared set for a third crack at adding the opening blemish to Volkanovski’s UFC record, a feat he’d failed to manage in 2019 and 2020.
In January, it was announced the pair would headline UFC 272 this month. But after agitating a previous injury, “Blessed” was forced to withdraw, paving the way for “The Korean Zombie” to step in for the Australian’s next defense, which was moved to UFC 273 in April.
@BlessedMMA wants to be the backup fighter for the fight he was originally scheduled to fight.🤦🏻♂️ so in other words…he was never injured. Just hoping he doesn’t have to fight me or fight me while I’m preparing for someone…but hey “if you ain’t cheating you ain’t trying”😆…NO
After many came out in support of Holloway, suggesting the former titleholder would never create an excuse to pull out, Volkanovski has now admitted his tweet was out of line.
Volkanovski Walks Back Holloway Accusations
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Volkanovski was asked whether he’d received any more information about Holloway’s apparent willingness to be the backup fighter for UFC 273.
In his response, “The Great” took the opportunity to address his previous remark. Volkanovski admitted he let his frustration and confusion get the better of him, something he says he’s been working to avoid moving forward.
“I didn’t get clarification (on Holloway’s willingness to be backup for UFC 273). Obviously, I heard about it, and obviously, it was frustrating,” said Volkanovski. “At the time, you know, I really wanted that fight. So once he got injured after they’d already announced it early, it was all a little bit confusing and frustrating. So you’ve seen my frustration. I wanted to tweet and get that—have a little shot at Max and his fans. But that was the only reason, which was pretty silly on my behalf, to be honest. That just shows you where my head was at back then. That’s something that I’ve really been working on lately.
Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway (Image Credit: Louis Grasse/PxImages & Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“I bring that up just purely because, as you could see, it obviously, things that I’d say—I don’t know if he (Holloway) even asked for that (backup slot), let’s be real,” added Volkanovski. “That could’ve just been, I think it was Brett Okamoto who put it out there? I was like, ‘What, how is this gonna work? As if we’re gonna have out trilogy on a late-replacement.’ So I was a little frustrated. But for me to even let it get to me, and we don’t even know the real story behind it, it just shows me how much I was diving into the wrong sh*t, if that makes sense? I felt like I had to say something about it when I didn’t even know if it was true.”
With Holloway seemingly ready to go in April and beyond, it stands to reason the victor of next month’s PPV main event will be standing opposite the Hawaiian in the Octagon soon after.
If Volkanovski manages to secure his third title defense and 21st consecutive MMA victory in Jacksonville next month, the much-awaited trilogy should be a go.
It was the moment Kayla Harrison’s dream was shattered. Sitting cageside at UFC 269, the two-time PFL women’s lightweight champ watched in disbelief as monumental underdog Julianna Peña took the back of Amanda Nunes, sunk in a rear-naked choke, and forced the Baddest Woman on the Planet to tap.
For months, speculation had been rife that Harrison, at the time testing free agency, would soon sign with the UFC, face Nunes, and perhaps become the first to dethrone the seemingly unbeatable Brazilian. But as she watched Peña beat her to it, Harrison knew that the opportunity of her career—to defeat the GOAT and thereby claim the title for herself—had just passed agonizingly by.
Kayla Harrison’s hilarious reaction to Nunes getting beat #UFC269
Perhaps Nunes’ defeat factored into her decision. The massive spectacle (and payday) that a matchup with the Brazilian promised is now a far less attractive prospect. That aside, it seems there are other compelling reasons why Harrison may have made the right decision—both financially and for her long-term career.
Why Staying In The PFL Is Good For Harrison’s Career
As inexperienced Kayla is, the opponents thrown her way in the PFL are even more so. Her last opponent, Taylor Guardado, had a pro MMA career spanning less than two years and four fights when the duo met in October last year. Her opponent before that, Genah Fabian, had just five fights. And if Harrison’s opponents aren’t inexperienced, they have worryingly checkered records. When she fought Mariana Morais in May last year, the Brazilian was 16-10.
PHOTO: ESPN
Sure, Harrison has looked impressive, having ended seven of her twelve fights in the first round. But whether she can defeat someone like Amanda Nunes, whose 14-year, 26 fight career has mostly taken place in the UFC, is highly debatable. Fighting Nunes or Peña now would certainly be in their favor, and if Kayla were to lose, it would irreparably damage her star power. Fighting them after a few more years growing as a mixed martial artist in the PFL will surely be in Harrison’s.
And why not stay and work on her game in the PFL, where she’s made $2 million by winning the lightweight tournament in the last two years? And now with her new contract, Harrison is reportedly the highest-paid female mixed martial artist of all time. Despite the UFC offering Harrison a “first-of-its-kind” deal during her free agency, even its president, Dana White, believes the easy, more-than-generous paydays she earns in the PFL are too good to give up.
“They pay her an obscene amount of money to fight over there,” White said of Harrison’s PFL stint in October. “If I was her, I’d stay right where she is and keep picking off the people over [there]. When you come here [chuckles], Amanda Nunes is no joke; Shevchenko is no joke; Rose Namajunas—these are all the best women in the world, the best female fighters in the world.”
The Personal Reasons Keeping Kayla Harrison In The PFL
Part of the reason why Harrison made the decision, it seems, is because she’s motivated by conflicting ambitions. Yes, she wants to prove she’s the best. But having recently acquired legal guardianship of two children, her quest for GOAT status has become complicated by the need for financial security.
“Three years ago, I would have said legacy,” Harrison said of her ambitions in a February interview with ESPN. “That’s all I give a shit about. My advisers, they care about security. Obviously, I have two kids now, so for me, as hard as it is, security comes first. I have to make sure. There’s no guarantees in this life. There’s no certainties. I could snap my neck tomorrow and never fight again. Security is important. But if I can find a way to have security and continue to build my legacy, I think that’s a winner.”
The question is: can Harrison have her cake and eat it too?
Kayla Harrison (Image Credit: PFL MMA)
The Less Travelled Road To GOAT Status In The PFL
Having been given assurances by the PFL, Kayla Harrison earnestly believes that she’ll get the big, legacy-building fights while fighting in the promotion. And one matchup that she feels will help her on the road to GOAT status is with Bellator featherweight champ Cris Cyborg, which PFL founder Donn Davis has promised to aggressively pursue through a cross-promotion.
“When I talked to Donn, and one of the things that really sort of put my worries about my legacy to rest, was he was like, ‘Listen, ‘I don’t care if we have to do this on the Moon, I don’t care if we have to cross-promote, co-promote, we’re going to make this fight happen. This is the fight to make happen,’” Harrison told The Underground this month. “I was like, ‘Well, hell yeah, it is. Let’s go.’”
Unlike the UFC, which is notoriously unwilling to stage a cross-promotion fight, there’s a good chance that Bellator will, having previously done so with Rizin Fighting Federation in 2019. But even if Harrison were to land a big-money fight with Cyborg, defeating her would by no means confer GOAT status in the eyes of fans.
So, is Harrison sacrificing her prime years in a promotion that many, including Peña, regard as the ‘B-Leagues?’ There’s certainly an argument for that. But by staying in the PFL for a few more years, Harrison will emerge a much more complete fighter. And if she does enter the UFC in the future, she’ll undoubtedly have a much more realistic chance of becoming the greatest of all time.
What do you think? Was staying in the PFL the right move for Kayla Harrison?
Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett could be on to bigger and better fight opportunities ahead.
UFC London was full of star power and great finishes. Many hometown fighters saw big wins, including Paddy Pimblett.
A victorious Paddy Pimblett
Pimblett was coming into UFC London with high expectations. He is a rising star and has gained a huge number of fans since joining the UFC. With all eyes on him, he was able to get the impressive win and could have just sealed a bright future ahead of him in the UFC.
“That was quick. I don’t know. I mean, his numbers say yes. His numbers say yes. He could headline a Fight Night,” White said.
Pimblett made his second walk to the Octagon at UFC London. His first-round submission win over Kazula Vargas was his second win in the UFC and although he is still a newcomer people are calling his name.
Pimblett was in the Cage Warriors organization before coming to the UFC. He did have the opportunity to headline two events when he was a champion in Cage Warriors, one at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, proving he can rise to the occasion.
There is no doubt many fans in attendance were there to see Pimblett. The noise was booming when he was walking to the cage and when he won. Pimblett has shown he can handle the spotlight and the pressure of headlining an event, so perhaps the next time the UFC is in the UK, it could be Paddy “The Baddy” at the top of the card.
Do you think Paddy Pimblett is ready to headline an event?
Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani thinks that while we’re still a wide distance from the goal line, the ball for a potential Conor McGregor vs. Jake Paul fight is now in play.
Jake Paul has wanted a fight against Conor McGregor seemingly ever since he entered the world of professional boxing two years ago. Whenever speaking of his dream opponents, McGregor’s name has never been far from his lips.
The same can’t be said about the other side, though. Not only has McGregor never expressed interest in fighting Paul, but he’s always ignored him whenever smack talk from the YouTuber was tossed in his direction.
Part of that equation changed recently when McGregor finally responded to Paul after the 5-0 boxer criticized his boxing technique. Though the Irishman didn’t say much—one word to be exact—that word (“jackass”) along with some interpretable thawing on the Dana White front has Ariel Helwani believing that a McGregor/Paul fight could eventually happen.
“I maintain that Dana likes Jake Paul. I maintain that Dana would want to do business with Jake Paul,” Helwani began on his program The MMA Hour. “I maintain that we are closer than ever—this is how the Mayweather thing started—to this fight actually happening. Now does it ultimately happen? No, but I believe it is more of a thing than it was six, eight months ago.
Credit: Complex
“Conor responding to the tweet, Dana talking about it, not closing the door, talking weight and all this stuff—this would be the biggest fight in combat that can be made right now. It would do well over two million buys. And you can just see the interest building. You can see the wheels turning. You can see people starting to warm up to it, the important people. So again, I’m not saying it’s happening; it’s not happening. I’m just saying we continue to inch closer to it happening—inch closer, inch closer, appearance here, a question there, an answer there, an open door here.”
Dana White has always maintained that he has no interest in doing business with Jake Paul. However, to Helwani’s point, White recently only questioned if Paul could make it down to 170 to fight McGregor as opposed to outright shutting the door in the YouTuber’s face per usual.
But what’s most telling to Helwani is the subtle yet noticeable change in behavior from The Notorious One.
“And then to me, the biggest thing was Conor directly responding. Because in the past, he always ignored, interviews—always deflected. A back-to-back MMA/boxing would be just gigantic. Will the UFC be willing to pay Jake Paul what he’s making in boxing? I mean, they could afford it. Do they want to set that precedent? I don’t know…If everyone puts their ego aside, there’s just a gigantic amount of money to be made.
Image Credit: Jake Paul’s Instagram
“Now we do dismiss the size. Jake fights at around 190. Conor just barely makes 170. That’s significant. It’s really significant. But I just feel like we are closer than ever. Now when I say ‘closer than ever,’ do I mean we’re on the goal line? No. We might be on the five-yard line as opposed to being in the end zone just starting off. But I feel like there’s something happening here. That’s all I’ll say. I feel like we are inching, inching, inching, ‘inching—inching’ being the operative word—ever so slowly.”
The last time the fight was proposed by Paul, it was for a UFC fight against McGregor. If Paul won, White would agree to Paul’s list of terms geared towards improving UFC fighter pay and benefits. If McGregor won, Paul would donate his entire fight purse to UFC fighters making less than $50,000 per fight and never speak of the UFC again.
It bears noting that Helwani is merely speculating and not reporting any actual talks for a McGregor/Paul bout taking place. However, if this far-fetched pairing actually does materialize, you’ll most certainly get the scoop right here on MMANews.com.
What do you think are the chances we’ll see Conor McGregor and Jake Paul fight in any capacity?
Best friends turned sworn enemies Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington reportedly extended their UFC 272 fight to a 6th round inside a Miami restaurant Monday night.
Following the grudge match between Masvidal and Covington at UFC 272, it instantly became clear that there was still animosity between the two former pals.
The beef continued with Covington gloating about his unanimous decision victory over Masvidal via relentless trolling and insults towards Masvidal long after the end of their contest. As for Masvidal, he did not mince words when he said that should he ever cross paths with Covington on the streets of Miami, he would still try to break his face.
Colby Covington With Custom-Made “King of Miami” Belt
Covington issued similar remarks. After once again proclaiming himself to be the “King of Miami,” he banished Masvidal from the city and warned that if Masvidal disobeyed the order to vacate, he would get “sparked” as a penalty.
As it happens, both men reportedly had an opportunity to back up their words Monday night.
Masvidal & Covington Reportedly Brawl In Restaurant
According to the initial report from Andy Slater of FoxSports640, Masvidal and Covington fought inside Papi Steak restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida. Video soon emerged of Covington in the aftermath of the alleged brawl with several police officers nearby. You can view that video below.
In the above video, Covington could be heard asking how Masvidal found out where he was. The man he was speaking to, identified as social media influencer Bob Menery, responded by informing Covington that he is all over the internet.
Word of Covington hanging out with the Nelk Boys did, in fact, make its rounds over the web Monday and is what most likely tipped Masvidal off to Covington’s location.
Team Masvidal React To Alleged Altercation
There are currently no reports indicating any arrests were made following the alleged altercation; yet, Masvidal still proposed a mug-shot challenge, if you will, in order to settle who was the victor of round 6.
“I’m calling this the ‘Show Your Face Challenge.’ What’s up? I’m from Dade County. You talk that shit, you gotta back it up. That’s how my city rolls, man,” Masvidal said.
Masvidal’s manager, Malki Kawa, would also hop on social media to imply that Covington’s face was indeed “broken” to the extent of a missing tooth.
I’m hearing that a someone not from miami who says he’s the king of it is missing a tooth. Can someone confirm this? I need the video asap.
“I’m hearing that a someone not from miami who says he’s the king of it is missing a tooth. Can someone confirm this? I need the video asap.”
Coincidentally, Masvidal shared a story prior to UFC 272 where he once invited Covington to a sushi restaurant to settle their differences. Judging from all appearances, the former buddies opted to resolve matters over some beefy steak instead.
MMA News will keep you updated on this developing story and provide any video of the alleged brawl between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington the moment it becomes available.
Chael Sonnen believes Charles Oliveira should thank Tony Ferguson because without him, he wouldn’t have gotten the title shot.
At UFC 256 in December of 2020, Ferguson stepped up to face Oliveira on just a few weeks’ notice. It was an intriguing matchup as ‘El Cucuy’ was linked to Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler before that. However, because he wanted to fight, Ferguson took the fight against Oliveira who was ranked below him. With that, Sonnen says Oliveira should be thanking Ferguson for the opportunity.
“One real cool move that Tony did, he did it for Charles Oliveira and I’ve never heard Charles thank Tony, he may have thanked him but I didn’t hear it,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel (via Sportskeeda). “Oliveira was a really good fighter but he couldn’t get on a docket with one of the stars of the division. Tony was a star of the division, got up in the loft, threw the ladder down behind him so Charles could climb up.
Tony Ferguson vs. Charles Oliveira, UFC 256
“Charles gets done with Tony, Tony has gotta figure out what he’s gonna do, Charles goes into a world title fight, the rest is history – but Charles does not have a world title fight let alone a world championship if it’s not for Tony Ferguson,” Sonnen added.
After Charles Oliveira dominated Tony Ferguson for three rounds, he got the title shot against Chandler in May, on the same card Ferguson lost to Beneil Dariush. Oliveira ended up scoring a second-round KO to win the vacant belt and has since defended it with a submission win over Poirier.
Although Oliveira has cemented his status as the current best lightweight in the world, Sonnen hopes the Brazilian thanks Ferguson. He will have the chance to do so again as they will once again be on the same card as Oliveira will headline UFC 274 on May 7 against Justin Gaethje while Ferguson will take on Chandler in the co-main event.
Do you agree with Chael Sonnen that Charles Oliveira should thank Tony Ferguson?
Nevertheless, while the event was unbelievably successful for the UFC, both in terms of fights and performances, and gate and revenue, Dana White believes there’s one thing that could have made it even better.
“The only thing that kills me tonight is that it would have been awesome for the main event to be Leon and (Kamaru) Usman,” said White. “That would have been incredible here. That was the only thing tonight that’s missing, if tonight is missing anything.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
White Reiterated Edwards’ #1 Contender Status
After a 10-fight unbeaten run, Edwards has firmly secured a rematch with Usman and a shot at 170-pound gold in the eyes of many. While White confirmed as much earlier this year, he reiterated it during UFC London fight week while in the #3-ranked welterweight’s home country.
During BT Sport’s Fight Week Live, White and Edwards were in attendance to answer questions from analysts and fans. When the topic of the Englishman’s potential championship opportunity came up, the UFC kingpin once again confirmed Edwards’ place as the number one contender.
“He absolutely deserves the next title shot, and yes, I’m wishing for nothing but good luck for Edwards this year, he’s had a rough run,” said White. “Usman, we’re waiting for his hand to get cleared. His hand gets cleared and he’s got the fight.”
Former UFC heavyweight Stefan Struve has become the latest current or former fighter to make the transition to broadcasting.
Struve hasn’t fought in the UFC Octagon since his first-round loss to Tai Tuivasa at UFC 254. He had lost five of his last six fights, including defeats to the likes of former champion Andrei Arlovski and Alexander Volkov.
But despite Struve’s recent struggles outside of the cage, he’s making great strides outside of it as his MMA career comes to a close.
In a recent tweet, Struve shared photos of him covering UFC London and introduced his social media following to his next career venture.
“I’m happy to announce that at the beginning of this year the opportunity came up to start working for [EuroSport Netherlands] and [Discovery Plus Netherlands] as an analyst, commentator, and reporter,” Struve shared. “Great way for me to stay involved in the sport I love.”
This piece of news is exciting for Struve, who announced his retirement from MMA last year following a stem of recent health issues. He later revealed that he had been dealing with an inner ear issue for the better part of a year and that training camps only made the injury worse.
Struve made his UFC debut back at UFC 95 following brief stints in M-1 and a series of regional promotions in the Netherlands. During his UFC tenure, he earned massive wins over the likes of former champion Stipe Miocic and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Struve will look to join the ranks of Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen, and others who have made the transition to the broadcasting world. He is the latest example of a former UFC fighter who has achieved success in other areas after fighting.
Which former UFC fighter, like Stefan Struve, is your favorite broadcaster?
Former UFC bantamweight Jimmie Rivera has signed with Bare Knuckle FC and will make his promotional debut on May 6.
Rivera’s opponent for his first fight in bare-knuckle boxing is expected to be announced later this week.
BKFC announced the signing in a press release and on their social media that Rivera will fight at the upcoming BKFC 25 event in Orlando, FL. He becomes the latest former UFC fighter to make the move to BKFC along with Chad Mendes, Paige VanZant, and Mike Perry.
Rivera last fought in the UFC Octagon in Feb. 2021, losing a unanimous decision to Pedro Munhoz. Before that, he lost two of his previous three fights to Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling back in 2019.
Rivera’s last UFC win came against Cody Stamann in July 2020 when he earned a unanimous decision victory and appeared on the path to bouncing back in the division. He was scheduled to fight at the recent Triller Triad Combat 2 event last month before the card was postponed.
It’s not yet clear what division Rivera will compete in BKFC, but he’s fought at bantamweight for the majority of his MMA career. After falling short of a title on The Ultimate Fighter: Season 14 at featherweight, he went on to win 13 straight fights and, in the process, make it back to the UFC.
Recently, Triller Fight Club announced they have formed an agreement to buy Pillow Fighting Championship.
Triller Fight Club has become a massive combat sports sensation. The promotion has reportedly sold millions in their unique PPV events.
Triller Triad Combat headlined legendary European heavyweight boxer Kubrat Pulev and UFC veteran Frank Mir in its inaugural event late last year. In the same year, the promotion hosted the Jake Paul and Ben Askren fight in which anticipating fans witnessed the YouTube star finish the MMA fighter in under two minutes.
Jake Paul and Ben Askren at Triller, Photo Credit: Getty Images
Through Triller, MMA, and boxing, fans get to see fights they didn’t think possible. And not only does Triller deliver boxing and MMA bouts, but they also host wrestling, football, and music entertainment events.
The promotion has acquired a number of championships and recently bought the Pillow Fighting Championship (PFC).
The PFC is mostly what it sounds like—two opponents fight each other with pillows. Think of it as a safer alternative to the violence of MMA, which sees most fighters a bloody mess by the end of the first round.
The family-friendly competitive sport of pillow fighting features matches with strict rules, a specialized pillow, and opponents skilled in martial arts and Boxing. However, the PFC is not only for adults. Parents can sign their children up to participate in events.
Competitors in the Pillow Fight Championship, Photo Credit: FightPFC / Getty Images
Acquiring the PFC makes another big-money move for Triller this year. They also announced buying a huge stake in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. The recent acquisitions follow their purchase of Fite, which happened last year.
Are you excited for PFC’s first event under Triller Fight Club?
UFC President Dana White gave out nine post-fight bonus checks following UFC London, but UFC featherweight Arnold Allen stood out most to him.
White had a lot to choose from when it came to deciding who would get the post-fight bonus checks, so he opted to give out bonuses to the nine fighters who picked up finishes. This included Allen, who blitzed Dan Hooker in the opening seconds of the fight en route to a first-round TKO victory.
Arnold Allen vs. Dan Hooker, UFC London
Allen seized his opportunity in the UFC London co-main event slot and has now won 11 in a row in his MMA career. His TKO of Hooker was his first stoppage victory since 2018 when he submitted Mads Burnell.
During his UFC London post-fight press conference, White tabbed Allen as his choice if he was forced to give out just one Performance of the Night bonus check.
“I’d have to go with Arnold,” White said. “He just beat the s**t out of f**ing Hooker, who just moved down a weight class to fight in a lower weight class, and he did it within seconds of the first round, it’s crazy.”
Allen wasn’t the only UK fighter who shocked the masses at UFC London. Tom Aspinall, Paddy Pimblett, and Molly McCann all picked up massive wins on the main card.
Allen picked up four straight unanimous decision wins over Sodiq Yusuff, Nik Lentz, Gilbert Melendez, and Jordan Rinaldi before his stunning performance at UFC London. He used his post-fight interview to call out Calvin Kattar for a fight later this year.
Allen’s performance puts him right in the thick of things in the featherweight title picture. After drawing quite the reaction from his fellow UFC colleagues, he could face a top featherweight contender for his next UFC outing.
With his 10-0 record and fast ascension up the UFC ladder, the anticipation for Chimaev’s fifth walk to the Octagon is high. And while fans are now looking forward to that appearance next month, it turns out if alternate plans had come to fruition, we’d be discussing another concluded Chimaev fight this week.
This past weekend, MMA’s premier promotion returned to the UK for the first time since 2019. Thanks to memorable victories for Tom Aspinall, Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Ilia Topuria, and Paul Craig, the event will undoubtedly go down as one of the best of 2022.
But according to the #4-ranked Vicente Luque, fans could have seen a crucial welterweight bout go down towards the top of the card.
During a recent interview with The AllStar, the Brazilian claimed to have accepted an offer from the UFC to share the Octagon with Chimaev in London. While he’s unsure the reasoning for the matchup ultimately not coming together, Luque assured that he was more than willing to scrap with the Chechen-born Swede inside the O2.
“I did get offered to fight Chimaev in London,” Luque revealed. “And I told the UFC that I was ready for that. I think Belal (Muhammad) was also offered that fight as well. But it didn’t work out… I don’t really know why it didn’t. They offered me the fight and I said I would take it. I don’t know if there was some sort of issue with Chimaev or if they wanted to wait and make the fight at another moment.”
While White believes a title clash between English contender Leon Edwards and reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman is the only thing that could have made UFC London any better, it’s hard to deny that a Luque vs. Chimaev fight would have also added something to the memorable event.
Crucial April Outings On The Horizon For Vicente Luque & Khamzat Chimaev
With both sitting inside the welterweight top five and riding impressive win streaks, their UFC Fight Night main event will be crucial in determining a future challenger for the champion.
Meanwhile, after missing out on the chance to fight in his home continent for whatever reason, Chimaev’s attention will now solely be on the toughest test of his career to date.
A week prior to Luque vs. Muhammad, “Borz” will look to join them at the top of the division when he faces former title challenger and #2-ranked contender Gilbert Burns. The pair will meet on a stacked UFC 273 pay-per-view card set for Jacksonville, Florida on April 9.
The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in favor to dismiss the lawsuit Ernesto Joshua Ramos filed against Dana White.
In 2020, White was named in a lawsuit for allegedly going back on a deal in which White’s name would not be revealed in the involvement of a sex tape. The lawsuit came after Ernesto Ramos, personal trainer and real estate agent, served 366 days in federal prison for extortion.
The FBI arrested Ramos in early 2015 for extortion attempts. He pleaded guilty to threatening to publicize tapes of White and a woman having sex in a hotel room during a UFC event in 2014.
Reportedly, the woman in the tapes was a Las Vegas stripper and Ramos’ girlfriend, who inconspicuously recorded her and White together with her cellphone. Her name was not revealed in the suit and there were no charges filed against her.
In 2016, the district court judge dismissed the lawsuit against White after his lawyers debated there was no agreement made between White and Ramos. Ramos hired a new team of lawyers and sought to appeal the decision.
And now, three Nevada Supreme Court judges decided to uphold the prior court’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit. The judges claim Ramos did not present any information to prove the court was wrong in their decision.
In addition, they disagree with the validity of the contract made to keep White’s name a secret in exchange for $450k. However, Ramos denies demanding money from White to buy his silence but that it was for him to plead guilty.
For now, White can relax and continue to focus on UFC matters. However, Ramos’ attorney Ian Christopherson is appalled by the Nevada Supreme Court’s decision and is seeking a second opinion of the case from the whole court.
What are your thoughts on the lawsuit against Dana White being dismissed by the Nevada Supreme Court?
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya and middleweight contender Darren Till appear to not be as cordial as once previously thought.
Till was in attendance to corner his friend, heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall, in the main event of UFC London. Following Aspinall’s first-round submission of Alexander Volkov, Till jumped on top of the cage with Aspinall to bask in the energy of the raucous London crowd.
After watching the fight and the celebration, Adesanya wasn’t happy watching Till join in the post-fight pleasantries. He blasted Till during a UFC London live reaction posted to his YouTube channel.
“Oh, sit down, Darren. It’s not your moment. Sit the f* down, it’s not your moment. Get the f* off.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Adesanya is fresh off his latest title defense against Robert Whittaker at UFC 271 and is expected to face Jared Cannonier next. However, he’s mentioned a potential matchup with Till happening if Till can get on another win streak.
Darren Till Responds To Israel Adesanya
After watching Adesanya’s reaction to Till jumping on top of the cage at UFC London, Till responded in a post on his Instagram story.
“Adesanya you idiot, Tom Aspinall asked me to get on the cage with him,” Till replied. “Keep looking down on me for my losses, brother, it’s all good. I’ll be here one day, you watch…
“You haven’t looked the best either in your last few fights. Stay off the cocaine, it’s not healthy for fighters…”
Till is planning on a return to the Octagon later in 2022, in a potential fight with Uriah Hall. He has predicted an “epic fight” between him and Adesanya being inevitable.
Adesanya has emerged as one of the UFC’s top stars after earning the belt over Whittaker in their first matchup at UFC 243. He has gone on to earn wins over Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, and Robert Whittaker in defending his title.
Meanwhile, Till has lost back-to-back fights to Whittaker and Derek Brunson since moving to middleweight. If he hopes to settle his beef with Adesanya in the Octagon, he’ll need to get back in the win column for his 2022 debut.
Do you think we’ll see Israel Adesanya vs. Darren Till in 2022?
A pre-trial evidence discovery order was granted on Monday in the civil case involving Conor McGregor and an alleged rape victim in Ireland.
The plaintiff, an unnamed woman, is in the process of suing McGregor for personal injuries after an alleged sexual assault took place at McGregor’s penthouse suite in 2018. McGregor has denied all accusations against him and he was not criminally charged after the alleged incident.
The granted discovery of documents and other materials such as CCTV footage could be used by her legal team to prove her claim that McGregor sexually assaulted her.
McGregor and an unidentified associate are being sued by the victim in the civil case. The victim has alleged that she and McGregor grew up together in the same neighborhood and had exchanged “flirtatious” direct messages on social media before the encounter.
The discovery process of the civil case is expected to be completed within the next 10 weeks.
On December 9, 2018, the victim and the unidentified friend were sent a vehicle by McGregor back to his suite. After allegedly taking cocaine in the vehicle, the victim and McGregor’s friend entered the suite when McGregor then allegedly attempted to force a sexual act.
The woman has also alleged that McGregor’s friend sexually assaulted her the following day. She was rushed to a hospital by her mother after returning home and treated for bruising and sexual assault. Local police opted not to press charges against McGregor and his associate.
McGregor is in the process of planning his UFC comeback in 2022 and has teased a return at welterweight against Kamaru Usman. He has recently downplayed the idea of a return to 155 pounds following his leg break against Dustin Poirier in their UFC 264 trilogy last year.
MMA News will continue to bring you the latest on this developing story.
