UFC middleweight contender Darren Till feels he would’ve made quick work of former champion Robert Whittaker had he not torn his MCL.
Till got off to a fast start against Whittaker in their July 2020 headliner but was unable to keep his momentum for five full rounds. It was later revealed by Till’s coach, Colin Heron, that he suffered a torn MCL during the fight.
Till has lost four of his last five and has just one win at middleweight, a split-decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 244. He made the move from 170 to 185 pounds following back-to-back losses to Tyron Woodley and Jorge Masvidal.
Till’s middleweight tenure has produced mixed results. After his win over Gastelum, he has lost back-to-back fights to Whittaker and Derek Brunson.
“The fight before (Brunson), I lost to Whittaker. In my opinion now, Whittaker and Adesanya are the two best middleweights on Earth. I don’t feel like I even gave 50%,” Till said. “God’s honest truth—I’m not trying to disrespect Whittaker. I don’t feel like I was even giving 50% in that fight. I was making him miss, I was relaxed, I was knocking him down. If I came in there 100% Darren Till, I would get Whittaker out of there quite quickly.”
Till is anticipating a return to the Octagon in 2022 and recently signed a new multi-fight deal with the UFC. He has also been seen training with rising UFC star Khamzat Chimaev in Sweden.
Despite his recent struggles, Till arguably still has massive potential at middleweight and could challenge for another UFC title someday. If he is victorious in his next bout, a rematch with Whittaker may become a part of the discussion.
Stephen A. Smith is not buying what UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal is selling following his loss to Colby Covington.
Covington defeated Masvidal via unanimous decision in their welterweight grudge match after months of back-and-forth banter. Covington dominated with his wrestling and also out-landed Masvidal with his standup.
After the fight, Masvidal claimed that he was “flat” with his wrestling, which he feels was a major reason for the loss. Covington has always been known to be a wrestler by nature but has also shown improved standup over time.
During a recent segment of ESPN’s First Take, Smith gave his thoughts on Masvidal’s approach to the fight with Covington and his post-fight comments.
“I’m a huge, huge Masvidal fan,” Smith prefaced. “I think he’s great for the sport because he’s got knockout power in both punches, he can obviously use that knee very well and he has improved his wrestling. But Colby Covington showed that he’s on a different level from a wrestling standpoint, and from a stamina standpoint.
Image Credit: David Becker/Getty Images
“One of the things that I paid attention to coming into this fight is something that Colby Covington said. Because he knew him and they were former best friends and roommates turned enemies, Covington said, ‘Masvidal trains for his fights; I live this.’ What he was talking about is he is always in shape. He’s never out of shape. He’s renowned for his condition and the pressure he’s able to apply and how he never lets up because he keeps on coming.”
Smith went on to point out how fatigued Masvidal looked as the fight came to a close.
“I saw Masvidal gutsy and survive the five rounds, but while he was waving Covington on to come on, ‘Let’s get some more.’ He was literally using two security personnel to lean on because that’s how exhausted he was. Covington looked like he was just starting. He was that energized. The guy is in phenomenal shape, he’s an outstanding wrestler and Masvidal admitted that his wrestling was flat.
“How was it flat coming into this fight knowing this guy as well as you know him and knowing what he was going to try to do to you, and how much you supposedly hate him? How you were not ready for a wrestling match, I don’t understand. It’s inexplicable.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
Masvidal has now lost three straight bouts and hasn’t won since his BMF title victory over Nate Diaz at UFC 244. He’s anticipating a return later this year to work his way towards a potential rematch against Covington down the line.
Smith has had a complicated relationship with the MMA community. In addition to his criticisms of Masvidal, he also came under fire after attacking Donald Cerrone on the ESPN post-fight show for his quick loss to Conor McGregor.
What are your thoughts on how Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington played out?
Islam Makhachev wants to test himself against the best.
Islam Makhachev has just won a main event fight in the UFC. He is on the fast track for a UFC title, but he is still looking to take on the best competition he can. He was briefly linked to a short-notice fight against Rafael dos Anjos, but that fight did not manifest. In the few days between his win over Bobby Green and offering to step in against dos Anjos, Makhachev and his team were filmed for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s YouYube channel.
In the most recent video, Makhachev is seen training with his team and helping his training partners get ready for their fights. At the end of the clip, Makhachev is wrestling with his manager, who is no match for him. He calls for some tougher competition. The name Jordan Burroughs is suggested, to which he laughs.
“Easy, Jordan Burroughs, if you want, let’s grapple brother, let’s grapple,” he said.
Jordan Burroughs Wants Makhachev To “Prove It”
Burroughs is an Olympic gold medalist wrestler and is also a five-time world champion. Makhachev and his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov are known for their ground game as well. They are both proficient in Sambo wrestling, and Makhachev is a World Combat Sambo Champion.
This is not the first time Makhachev has expressed interest in testing himself against Burroughs. He mentioned it once in an interview with Daniel Cormier. Burroughs caught wind of this and has accepted the invitation.
Makhachev does some of his training at AKA in California alongside some other great wrestlers like Cormier. If Burroughs does want to give it a try, he would apparently be welcome to hop in and do so.
Who do you think would win a grappling match between Jordan Burroughs and Islam Makhachev?
UFC women’s flyweight Maryna Moroz says the UFC’s official Russian Instagram account blocked her based on her nationality.
While fighting is, in itself, an intense sport with high stakes, not many will have entered a cage in as difficult a scenario as Moroz did this past weekend. With war waging in her native country of Ukraine, “Iron Lady” took to the Octagon at UFC 272 to face Mariya Agapova.
In the context of her fighting career, Moroz’s first-round submission represented victory in her first fight since 2020, extended her win streak to three, and earned bragging rights over her former ATT teammate.
But more importantly, it saw the 30-year-old Ukrainian fight through an immense level of adversity and emotion that few will experience in their lifetime. Ultimately, Moroz proudly held her flag aloft inside the T-Mobile Arena and delivered a victory for her country that comes at a time when so many have experienced personal losses.
The Iron Lady Maryna Moroz makes it 𝑻𝑯𝑹𝑬𝑬-𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻! 👏
While her focus has, and will continue to be, directed towards her family in Ukraine, an Eastern European country in the midst of a Russian invasion, it seems the tension between the two nations hasn’t been reserved for solely across the Atlantic in Moroz’s case.
“Yeah (I was happy with my performance). I think people forget about me,” said Moroz. “Because before I win fight, I have records, year 2020 (was my last win). But, you know, you see, Russian Instagram doesn’t post me after my (last fight). He blocked me. But after I give interview, he unblocked, but never posted me, only posted my opponent. It gave me more energy to win this fight.”
While she didn’t provide a name, the “he” she refers to could be the UFC’s Vice President of Russia & CIS, Andre Gromkowski, who frequently posts about the account’s growth across social media.
When asked why she believes the account blocked her, Moroz simply said with a shrug, “Because I’m from Ukraine.”
Moroz Reveals Difficult Pre-Fight Feelings
Following her victory at UFC 272, Moroz was brought to tears as she took the mic in front of the crowd and entire fanbase.
Having addressed the ongoing conflict in her country during fight week and spoken out against the man behind it, “Iron Lady” let her emotions out after what has undoubtedly been a difficult period for the flyweight.
Discussing the pressure she felt as she tried to balance her worries about Ukraine with the preparation for her fight, Moroz further told the media about the nerves she was feeling in the days leading up to the March 5 PPV.
“I had a lot of pressure. I was nervous about the war in Ukraine,” said Moroz. “All this week, I felt nervous, I was crying. But I tried to focus… It was really hard for me because I see in Ukraine how terrible the situation is. But I focused, and I won the fight.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
UFC welterweights Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal have revealed the words they shared inside the Octagon during their main event fight at UFC 272 this past weekend.
After months of heated back and forth, insults, historical stories, and rising animosity, Covington and Masvidal settled their score inside the cage on Saturday night. The former friends, ATT teammates, and roommates possessed a rivalry worthy of a pay-per-view headliner, even without the presence of a title on the line.
But while it appeared the time for talking was over on Saturday night, both Covington and Masvidal have revealed things were far from quiet inside the cage.
“Me just telling him, ‘You’re still a bitch.’ Shit like that… I don’t even know what he said, bro. But I know I just told him, ‘You’re a bitch. I’ll get you eventually.’”
Also bringing his own trademark insults to the forefront inside the Octagon, Covington revealed he reminded “Gamebred” who his “daddy” is inside the T-Mobile Arena.
“I was telling him, ‘Yeah, I’m still your daddy. You know who your daddy is. I’m the king of Miami, so take this ass-whoopin’ like the little bitch. I’m glad you came out and took this ass whoopin.’”
As the pair head in opposite trajectories in the welterweight division, their animosity will seemingly return to trash talk and social media exchanges. But after UFC 272, “Chaos” has the added ammunition of a victory inside the Octagon.
What is next for Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington in the UFC?
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul has pitched a fight between two of his own desired opponents, UFC superstars Conor McGregor and Jorge Masvidal.
While both McGregor and Masvidal’s statuses as two of the top names in mixed martial arts remain intact, their form inside the Octagon has been far from desirable.
For the Irishman, back-to-back defeats to Dustin Poirier have left him 1-3 across his last four appearances. The former two-division titleholder has been out of action since breaking his leg at UFC 264 last July.
Masvidal, meanwhile, has followed up his incredible 2019 by losing three straight, two of which came to reigning UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. Most recently, “Gamebred” fell to a three-fight skid after falling short in his grudge match with Colby Covington at UFC 272 this past weekend.
Pausing his own search for a next opponent and hopes to fight the pair, Paul, who’s gone 5-0 in boxing since venturing to the ring as a professional in 2020, donned his UFC matchmaking hat.
In a post on Twitter, “The Problem Child,” who has frequently taken shots at both men, most recently in his Dana White diss track, suggested that a meeting between Masvidal and McGregor is the fight to make.
We already know Conor can’t finish Diaz
Right fight to make is Masvidoll vs Macgregor. 50/50 fight, ends in KO. Both can throw and both have weak chins
“We already know Conor can’t finish Diaz. Right fight to make is Masvidoll vs macgregor. 50/50 fight, ends in KO. Both can throw and both have weak chins”
Masvidal vs. McGregor Has Been On The Radar Before
McGregor and Masvidal have long engaged in a rivalry over social media and in interviews. After “Gamebred” rose to stardom in 2019, it appeared the pair were perhaps gearing up to share the Octagon together.
Remember when the ufc called us and asked us to drop to 155 then Conor went on to fight cowboy at 170? 😂😂😂 too small for you but just right for cowboy? 🤔 https://t.co/J2MYAyreoz
Masvidal finds himself in a tricky position following UFC 272. Given his stardom, he’s certainly grown into a position whereby the promotion will target for him to continue being a part of pay-per-view main events. For him to do that, there are few available names beyond McGregor and Nate Diaz.
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has pumped the brakes on the idea Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns will be fighting for #1 contender status at UFC 273 next month.
Having rag-dolled John Phillips, Rhys McKee, and Li Jingliang, and brutally knocked out Gerald Meerschaert, Chimaev is set for his stiffest test to date at the April 9 pay-per-view.
The undefeated Chechen-born Swede has gained significant hype in just four appearances in the Octagon and has been touted by many as a future champion. If he’s to move one step closer to bringing that prediction to fruition, “Borz” will have to get through one of the division’s top contenders next.
On the UFC 273 main card, the #11-ranked 170lber will share the cage with Gilbert Burns. Since returning to welterweight in 2019, “Durinho” has gone 5-1, a record that includes victories over Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson. His sole loss in that period came to titleholder Usman last February.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cav4XoOszBO/
With Burns sat at #2 in the weight class and Chimaev rapidly surging up the divisional ladder, many have highlighted their clash next month as a title eliminator. At UFC 272 this past weekend, UFC President Dana White even suggested that idea “makes sense.”
But one man who disagrees with that sentiment is perhaps the one man Burns and Chimaev need onboard…
Usman: Chimaev Hasn’t Even Fought In The Top 10
Despite already gaining more mainstream attention than most fighters do across their entire careers, Chimaev sits outside the top 10 and only boasts one win over a ranked opponent.
While the victory over Jingliang showed his potential and further extended his dominance in the Octagon so far, many have suggested “Borz” requires triumphs over top-10 and top-five opponents before entering the title discussions.
“Well, I mean, this guy hasn’t even fought in the top 10. He hasn’t even beat anyone yet,” said Usman.” So, I mean, Covington is still standing in the way. So I think there’s still a couple more fights that he has to get through. But, like I say, I love to compete. When that fight presents itself, I’ll be here to compete.”
Usman didn’t, however, specifically discuss the possibility of Burns earning a rematch with a win over Chimaev. The Brazilian recently suggested he’ll accept nothing but a title shot. However, the mention of Covington perhaps suggests “The Nigerian Nightmare” expects the victor to go through the former interim champ first.
After Covington maintained his place at #1 on the welterweight ladder this past weekend with a five-round triumph over Jorge Masvidal, it seems he’s the man to beat in the division. Perhaps we’ll see the winner of Chimaev vs. Burns face “Chaos” later this year, with a shot at championship glory at stake.
Do you agree with Kamaru Usman? Does Khamzat Chimaev need a few more wins before challenging for the throne?
UFC President Dana White and welterweight star Nate Diaz have provided conflicting statements regarding the Stockton native’s future in the promotion.
Diaz hasn’t been in action since his defeat to top-five 170lber Leon Edwards at UFC 263 last June. Despite falling on the wrong side of a lopsided unanimous decision, the veteran maintained his fan-favorite status and maybe even enhanced it, with a late rally.
Now, with one fight left on his deal, talk has turned to who the 36-year-old might close out his contract against. But despite Diaz suggesting he’ll look to retire after one more Octagon outing, Dana White appears confident that the Stockton star’s next appearance won’t be his last.
During his appearance at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference this past weekend, White was asked whether a new contract was likely for Diaz. The 52-year-old’s answer was a positive one for fans of The Ultimate Fighter 5 winner.
“The likelihood that Nate Diaz gets a new contract? Very good,” claimed White.
Since Dustin Poirier’s defeat to Charles Oliveira last December, it’s appeared the Louisianan’s pursuit of fun fights would land him at the feet of Diaz. But despite both appearing down to scrap, the matchup doesn’t appear to be any closer to coming together, something Diaz perceives as “slow-rolling” on the part of the UFC.
In a recent Instagram post, Diaz provided a different take on his immediate future to White. While he once again reiterated his desire to share the cage with “The Diamond,” the Stockton native also described the potential matchup as his “last fight.”
Tagging White, Diaz made it clear he’s eager to get things moving and have the final fight on his active deal completed.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Caxp61kvngJ/
“I’m ready to fight my last fight @ufc@danawhite this guys says he’s ready also so lets get this shit poppin I got shit to do ✈️”
Legal Analyst Dean Johnson and actor/friend Cung Le speak on the events that led to Cain Velasquez’s upcoming court hearing.
Pro wrestler and former UFC champion Cain Velasquez was arrested last week for allegedly engaging in a high-speed car chase that resulted in one man being shot.
Reportedly, Velasquez was on the hunt for Harry Eugene Goularte, the man who allegedly molested an underage relative of his. And although Goularte was in the car when it was shot at, a 63-year-old man was the one who took a bullet.
There is a long list of charges against the UFC veteran including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, shooting a motor vehicle, and much more. If found guilty, he faces 20 years to life in prison.
Monday, Velasquez was denied bail due to the “reckless” nature of his alleged actions according to Judge Shelyna Brown.
Public Reaction To Velasquez Case
Cain Velasquez mugshot, Photo Credit: San Jose Police Media Relations Twitter
Cain Velasquez has a plethora of supporters, but will it be enough to lighten the severity of the case?
As details of the shooting surface, many people have openly spoken in favor of Velasquez’s actions. For instance, Ronda Rousey says she likely would have done far worse if she were in the situation.
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya and former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington have also weighed-in in favor of Velasquez.
Recently, Vietnamese actor, former martial artist, and friend of Cain Velasquez Cung Le shared his thoughts about the situation.
“He just had that moment of, you know, anger,” he said. “And I can’t for him. What he did, I know ‘Two wrongs don’t make a right?’ But how are we as parents supposed to protect our kids when they keep letting these criminals out?” (h/t NBC Bay Area)
Le also mentioned that if he were in Cain’s shoes, he would do the same thing.
It goes without saying that many people would go out of their way to protect a loved one. However, the legal side of things is not as onboard as those listed above.
The main theme legal experts put on the table is that Velasquez decided to take the law into his own hands. There is sympathy in their words but the stance is strong.
“Some of them will say the alleged victim may have deserved what Velasquez is alleged to have gone to him, and it’s going to make jury selection very difficult,” Johnson told NBC Bay Area.
Stay tuned with MMA News for more updates on the developing Cain Velasquez story.
UFC featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell intends to make a difference outside of the cage following all of his future fights.
Mitchell earned a dominant win over Edson Barboza on the UFC 272 main card. He wrestled and smothered Barboza for a majority of the fight and was able to withstand Barboza’s advances on the feet.
After the fight, Mitchell used his post-fight Octagon interview with Joe Rogan to announce that he would be donating half of his purse to help local youth back home in Arkansas. This caused quite the positive pop from the T-Mobile Arena crowd, and he certainly gained fans for his generosity.
During his UFC 272 post-fight press conference, Mitchell said that UFC President Dana White wants to get involved in his out-of-competition causes.
“Dana White came up to me after the fight and said ‘Don’t give your money; I’m going to give the $45,000,’” Mitchell revealed. “I’m still going to give some money, you know? But he told me, ‘Don’t give any of your money. It’s going to be mine, and I’m going to take care of it.’ But I’m still going to do something because I just need to, but there will be more than $45,000. We have people coming out of the woodwork. So I’m planting the seed and we’re going to watch this thing grow.”
Mitchell is the latest UFC fighter to use his platform to help those less fortunate. UFC stars such as Dustin Poirier and Kamaru Usman have helped their hometowns in a big way by being an inspiration and continuing to grow MMA.
“Well, children are some of the most precious things on the planet, brother,” Mitchell said. “I mean, I see so much evil and wickedness in the world and so much greed, people killing for money, it makes me sick. I want to do the exact opposite. And do you know what the greatest thing I can do in that cage is? It’s inspire. That’s the greatest thing I can do in that cage is inspire people. And let me tell you why; because me, by myself, I really can’t do shit. My $45,000, when it comes to (the) medical profession, really ain’t shit. That shit’s gone in one surgery. That shit’s gone in a couple skin grafts. You see what I’m saying?
“But if I can inspire you, and you, and you, and you, then it’s limitless, it keeps going, it’s perpetual. So the greatest thing I can do is inspire, and I really feel that I’ve done that, and I really feel that I owe that to God.”
Mitchell went on to clarify that this isn’t just a one-time opportunity of his to make a difference for Arkansas youth.
“Every time I fight there will be children healed through the fight.”
Mitchell’s win over Barboza is arguably the biggest win of his young UFC career. He returned to the cage following a nearly two-year hiatus from the sport.
While Mitchell seems proud of his performance inside the cage, he appears even more focused on his efforts outside of it. He’s looking to make an impact on children back in his hometown and continuing to use his platform for societal causes.
Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of MMA News or its members.
Two days after the invasion, as Russian forces were closing in on his hometown of Irpin, Ukraine, Bellator Welterweight Champion Yaroslav Amosov addressed his Instagram followers.
“Probably, many will think that I ran away, I’m hiding or something like that, but this is not so,” said Amosov. “I took my family to the safe zone. Now I have returned and will defend this country as best I can, with what I can.”
Amosov is one of several high profile Ukrainian fighters taking up arms against a Russian invasion that has so far claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians. Boxing greats Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, who are reportedly on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ‘kill list,’ have also vowed to serve on the front lines. So too current boxing stars Oleksandr Usyk and Vasyl Lomachenko.
While these men and so many other Ukrainians are risking their lives to defend their homeland, it almost seems trivial to talk about the implications that the Russian invasion may have for MMA. But with much of the West placing economic sanctions on Russia and as the horrors of the war continue to unfold before us, should top promotions like the UFC and Bellator make an ethical decision to ban Russian fighters from competing?
Left: Former heavyweight boxing great and current mayor of Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko. Right: Pound-for-pound boxing great Vasyl Lomachenko in the military fatigues of the Belgorod-Dnestrovsky Territorial Defense Battalion.
A War Bleeding Into Global Sport
Last week, Polish-based MMA promotion KSW did just that, making what it termed an “ethically justifiable decision” to cancel Russian fighter Shamil Musaev’s upcoming fight. While this decision must be considered within the context of Poland’s close geopolitical proximity to the war in Ukraine, the ban followed similar actions taken by some of the world’s biggest sporting bodies.
Due to the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, KSW has made a tough, albeit ethically justifiable, decision to cancel Russian fighter Shamil Musaev’s fight, which was scheduled for KSW 68 on March 19th in Radom.
FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, has banned Russia from competing at the World Cup, and similar bans have also followed in tennis, hockey, athletics, and F1 racing. Countries, too, have made a point of punishing Russian athletes. Shortly following the invasion of Ukraine, the UK government cancelled visas issued to the men’s basketball team of Belarus, a close Russian ally, banning it from the country.
I have cancelled the visas of the Belarusian Men’s Basketball Team who were due to play in Newcastle tomorrow night.
The UK will not welcome the national sports teams of those countries who are complicit in Putin’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of #Ukraine.
This particular ban could have near-term implications for the UFC, which will hold its first event in the UK since the COVID-19 outbreak two years ago. UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall, set for March 19 in London, will feature four Russian fighters, including heavyweights Shamil Abdurakhimov, Sergei Pavlovich, and headliner Alexander Volkov. Their participation in the card is now in doubt thanks to the UK government’s hardline stance.
UFC President Dana White, whose forehead vein seems to be at bursting point most of the time thanks to the logistical nightmares presented by COVID-19, now has the political ramifications of a European war to factor into his event planning. Not only is the aforementioned Fight Night in doubt, but Petr Yan could also face difficulties entering the US for his long-awaited rematch with Aljamain Sterling at UFC 273 on April 9 in Jacksonville, Florida.
Petr Yan (PHOTO: USA TODAY)
“Like I tell you guys all the time, just when you think the world’s about to get normal again, it gets even nuttier,” White said in an interview with TSN last week. “If Petr Yan cannot get into the country?’ I have no idea what’s going to happen with Russia and all these other things. I don’t know.”
And it’s not only Petr Yan who may face visa challenges. You never know how the US government might treat a fighter like Khamzat Chimaev, who while a naturalized Swede, maintains close ties with Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov—a loyal ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Argument Against Banning Russian MMA Fighters
Vladimir Putin, like many strong-man leaders of the former Soviet Union, has a history of fraternizing with some of MMA’s biggest stars. A long-time relationship with Russian heavyweight great Fedor Emelianenko, in between much publicized meetings with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, have all been part of his attempt to “sportswash” the many crimes of his regime.
A ban on Russians competing in the likes of the UFC or Bellator would therefore seem by some an appropriate punitive measure against Putin. But as the Russian military becomes bogged down in an increasingly difficult war, while suffering the dire economic consequences of US-led sanctions, banning Russian fighters—or any of its athletes, for that matter—is highly unlikely to register on Putin’s list of things to worry about, nor factor into his geopolitical decisions going forward. Rather, it will simply punish the fighters.
Regardless of any ethical argument in favor of a ban, the UFC, which under the guise of Dana White has historically been staunchly apolitical, is far from likely to place a ban on Russian fighters. Considering there are 27 Russians currently fighting in the promotion—the third largest national cohort after the US and Brazil—the effect on the UFC’s bottom line would be dire.
The Silence Of Russian Fighters
So, perhaps the ethical responsibility of denouncing the Russian invasion falls upon the nations fighters? Newly-signed Ukrainian UFC light heavyweight Ihor Potiera believes so. Last week, the Contender Series alum called out freshly-minted UFC Hall of Famer Nurmagomedov for remaining silent on the conflict.
“You were loved by millions,” Potiera said in an Instagram story (h/t Bloody Elbow). “You’ve been an example in many martial arts gyms. You started your career in Ukraine. You speak about honor and faith. And now you are silent.”
Khabib, however, isn’t the only Russian MMA fighter to remain silent on the Ukraine war. Thus far, only Petr Yan has made a statement, posting a peace symbol in a since-deleted Instagram story. However, it must be noted that in a country like Russia, no matter how nominally democratic it is, those who voice dissent at a time of war could face severe consequences.
But while the UFC’s Russian fighters have remained silent, those from Ukraine certainly haven’t. And perhaps the most outspoken has been women’s flyweight Maryna Moroz, who following her victory at UFC 272 on Saturday, delivered an emotional speech that showed just how real the conflict is for Ukraine’s fighters.
“My family is in Ukraine,” said Moroz to the Las Vegas crowd. “I had a hard week. I worried, I cried, because my family is right now in a bad situation. Thank you to everyone who messaged me, because this week was hard for me. I want to cry because of this war my country is in.”
The UFC 272 headliners have both reacted to Drake’s whopping loss of $275,000 by betting on Jorge Masvidal to defeat Colby Covington.
After The Toronto Raptors won the 2019 NBA championship, it appeared “The Drake Curse” had been lifted. Drake was now free to publicly back athletes without them having to fend off the dreaded curse in addition to competing against their opponents.
Masvidal learned about Drake’s $275K loss and evidently felt bad for his role in it. So “Gamebred” has extended an invitation to Drake to have a dinner on him the next time he’s in Miami.
This time, it is Drake who has the opportunity to splurge on someone else’s budget for once. That budget has become much fatter after Masvidal signed a new deal with the UFC to reportedly become the third highest-paid athlete in UFC history.
Another UFC star who once promised to pay back a backer who lost money betting on him is Nate Diaz, who said he’d pay back a fan who allegedly lost his rent money betting on Diaz. Coincidentally, the fight in question also involved Masvidal in the UFC 244 BMF title fight in 2019 that saw Masvidal defeat Diaz via doctor’s stoppage.
Colby Covington Roasts Drake For Epic Loss
Colby Covington
While Masvidal is hoping to treat Drake to a Miami dinner with the works, the man responsible for the loss, Colby Covington, is only hosting a roast.
When asked at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference if he respects Masvidal as a competitor after their fierce battle, Covington instead shifted gears to Drake’s failed bet.
“Let’s talk about all the money that Drake lost tonight,” Covington began. “He needs to go back to selling those shitty albums to get back the money. He should’ve went to America’s Pick of The Week by MyBookie. I tried to give the people the pick of the week. I’m America’s champ, and I was America’s pick of the week.
“Drake, you suck at sports betting. Go back to your shitty little albums of rapping.”
Drake
Drake’s most recent album, Certified Lover Boy, was released last September and has broken multiple records. Drake also has sold over 170 million albums and is frequently and currently the #1 most streamed music artist on Spotify. The Canadian rapper was also named Billboard Music Awards’ Artist of the Decade.
Nevertheless, Colby Covington is evidently not impressed with Drake’s catalog nor his sports-betting acumen. And as the self-proclaimed “King of Miami,” should Drake arrive in The Magic City to take Masvidal up on his offer, Covington might not be so hospitable should he cross paths with “The 6 God.”
What are your thoughts on Jorge Masvidal’s and Colby Covington’s reactions to Drake’s $275,000 losing bet?
Yes, it’s been one year to the day since Aljamain Sterling won the UFC bantamweight championship in what was the most controversial UFC title win of all time. Next month, the two will finally have a rematch at UFC 273 to settle this unfinished business. Until then, you can check out our coverage of the “knee heard round the world” immediately after it happened in the article below.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day in MMA History…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2021, 11:08 PM CT]
Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling didn’t disappoint.
The two fighters met in a bantamweight title bout on Saturday night (March 6, 2021) at the UFC 259 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.
The first round saw Sterling come out aggressive and even caught him with a flying knee strike. This apparently woke up Yan, who scored a few takedowns and even knocked him down with a right hand. Sterling appeared to be rushing his movement as he was tripping and slipping. It was a wild pace early as Sterling was constantly in his face.
Sterling started to slow down in the third round as Yan continued to take over. Yan shut down Sterling’s clinch and takedown attempts but gave him solid competition on the feet if not out striking. Yan started to pick him apart with his sniper-like strikes in the fourth round. Sterling had one knee down and Yan landed a huge knee strike to the face of Sterling. The referee told Yan that Sterling was down before the strike was thrown. Thus, Sterling couldn’t continue, the referee called it a DQ and Sterling won the fight as well as the belt.
Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:
The doctor has called off the fight after speaking to Aljamain Sterling, who was struck with an illegal knee by Petr Yan at #UFC259pic.twitter.com/oRLduQfraV
Sterling entered this fight on a five-fight winning streak and won his last seven out of eight bouts. The winning streak, including decision wins over the likes of Brett Johns, Jimmie Rivera, and Pedro Munoz while he tapped out Cody Stamann, and choked out Cory Sandhagen at the UFC 250 pay-per-view event.
Yan won the vacant bantamweight title when he scored a TKO win over Jose Aldo at the UFC 251 pay-per-view event. Yan entered this fight on a 9-fight winning streak with his previous three fights seeing him beat Urijah Faber by KO at the UFC 245 pay-per-view event, John Dodson by decision at the UFC on ESPN+ 3 from the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic and Jimmie Rivera at the UFC 238 pay-per-view event from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 8, 2019.
UFC heavyweight Greg Hardy is looking forward and not backward following his lopsided defeat to Serghei Spivac at UFC 272.
Hardy came out firing a series of brutal leg kicks that successfully landed on Spivac in the opening minutes. Then, he was smothered on the ground and taken down numerous times in the first round.
After Spivac got the top mount on Hardy, he landed a series of violent ground-and-pound combinations to finish the fight. Hardy failed to defend himself and the referee stepped in just a couple of minutes into the bout.
In a recent Instagram post following the loss, Hardy updated his fans on his health and wellbeing after losing a third straight bout.
“I’m ok first of all for those who wanna know,” Hardy said. “No excuses, gotta get better. I don’t know what to do but say sorry. More coming for the prince of War just gotta get my shit together. Thank you to the [UFC] and [Dana White] for being in my corner. Thank you coaches and training partners and agents [First Round Management]. Everyone did their job accept for me. This one is on me and there are no excuses for me lacking. I refuse to die but I have to reevaluate for sure.”
Hardy has now lost three fights in a row with all three coming by stoppage. His last win came against Maurice Greene in October 2020.
Hardy has had his fair share of ups and downs in the Octagon since transitioning from professional Football to MMA. After an impressive performance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018, he’s traded wins and losses inside the cage.
Hardy was supposed to make his return to the Octagon earlier this year at UFC 270 before Aleksei Oleinik pulled out on short notice. He then faced a new opponent in Spivac and the fight was pushed back to UFC 272.
UFC President Dana White has historically shown to have thin patience when it comes to fighters on losing streaks, and Hardy will likely need a win in his next appearance to remain on the UFC roster for the long term—if there is a next appearance.
Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos still feels he has unfinished business with Conor McGregor inside the Octagon.
dos Anjos dismantled short-notice replacement Renato Moicano in the UFC 272 co-headliner. He was originally supposed to face Rafael Fiziev before Fiziev recently tested positive for COVID-19.
The 37-year-old dos Anjos proved that he still can compete with some of the best lightweights in the UFC with his latest win. He returned to the cage following a two-year layoff after his win over Paul Felder in his last appearance.
dos Anjos has previously stated that he feels a fight with McGregor needs to happen before their careers come to a close. They were supposed to compete at UFC 196 when RDA held the lightweight title but pulled out with an injury.
McGregor went on to face Nate Diaz on short notice, losing in a shocking submission defeat.
McGregor has also expressed mutual interest in a fight with dos Anjos. The two could’ve potentially met at UFC 264 when RDA served as the backup to McGregor’s matchup with Dustin Poirier.
“The fight would make sense,” dos Anjos opined. “Conor is coming back in the summer.”
dos Anjos went on to elaborate as to why a fight with McGregor would make the most sense for both parties.
“He’s a big name, sells a lot of PPV, we have a history, too. I’m looking for names that make me want to go to the gym. Don’t wanna fight names that don’t interest me. He’s the guy that would motivate me.”
McGregor is expected to return later this year after suffering a nasty leg break against Poirier at UFC 264. It’s unclear whether or not McGregor will return as a lightweight to face RDA following his recent weight gains.
If McGregor is still intent on pursuing a lightweight title run, a matchup with dos Anjos would make sense. The winner could surge into the title picture and potentially earn a shot at the belt sooner rather than later.
Do you want to see Rafael dos Anjos vs. Conor McGregor next?
It appears that UFC strawweight contender Marina Rodriguez did enough to earn a No. 1 contender spot in her win over Yan Xiaonan at UFC 272.
Rodriguez won a closely-contested top-5 matchup against Xiaonan in a back-and-forth war on the feet. Rodriguez struggled with Xiaonan’s speed early in the fight but found a rhythm with her pacing as the bout went on.
Rodriguez has been on a roll in the strawweight division after an impressive 2021. She earned three-straight wins last year including lopsided victories over the likes of Michelle Waterson and Mackenzie Dern.
During his UFC 272 post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White said it “makes sense” that Rodriguez would face the winner of Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza.
The promotion has been working on booking the Namajunas/Esparza rematch in 2022. Although it hasn’t been formally announced, it’s widely expected to be the next title fight at 115 pounds.
Rodriguez made her UFC debut back in 2018 following a gruesome knockout of Maria Oliveira on Dana White’s Contender Series. She has yet to face Namajunas in the UFC but lost in a close split decision against Esparza in July 2020.
Namajunas earned her second stint as the strawweight queen by knocking out Zhang Weili at UFC 261. She would follow it up by earning a decision win over Weili in their rematch at UFC 268.
Rodriguez is looking to become the latest Brazilian UFC champion and the first Brazilian strawweight champion since Jéssica Andrade held the title in 2019. She’ll have the chance to prove herself with her next Octagon appearance, which is expected to be for a championship belt.
Do you think Marina Rodriguez is a future UFC champion?
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will headline the UFC Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 following his legendary career.
Nurmagomedov retired from MMA following his win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. He retired as arguably the greatest lightweight champion in UFC history and is also in the conversation as the greatest MMA fighter of all time.
Nurmagomedov left the fight game with a 29-0 professional record, beating the likes of Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and Conor McGregor during his run. He made his UFC debut back in 2012 against Kamal Shalorus, earning a third-round submission victory.
Nurmagomedov has paved the way for Dagestan fighters to find success in MMA. This includes top contenders such as Islam Makhachev, who appears to be just one win away from a lightweight title shot.
UFC President Dana White attempted to lure Nurmagomedov out of retirement last year for a potential matchup with former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. Nurmagomedov declined the offer and seems committed to his decision to remain retired.
Nurmagomedov still remains a massive part of the MMA community as a coach and was most recently spotted at UFC 272 cornering a number of fighters. He also is a promoter of Eagle FC, which recently signed former UFC fighters such as Rashad Evans and Kevin Lee.
UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña feels she still has plenty to prove in the upcoming rematch against Amanda Nunes.
Peña pulled off arguably the biggest upset in UFC history at UFC 269, dismantling Nunes on the feet before eventually securing a rear-naked choke for the finish. It was Nunes’ first loss in the Octagon since 2014 when she lost to Cat Zingano at UFC 178.
Peña has enjoyed the newfound fame after her win over Nunes but still deals with her fair share of critics despite the success. During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Peña explained how she still has a vocal group of haters who believe her win over Nunes was an outlier.
“There’s still naysayers out there,” Peña said. “There’s still people that think there was a fluke. There’s people that are still harassing me. There’s still people that are being like, ‘She’s gonna kill you.’ They’re like, ‘10 seconds and you’re dead.’ And so I would love nothing more than to put the naysayers to bed for one last time.”
Peña and Nunes will have a rematch later this year following coaching opposite one another on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter. Peña pulled off an all-time great victory at UFC 269, and she’s looking to prove that she’s here to stay as the UFC bantamweight queen
How do you think the Julianna Peña -Amanda Nunes rematch will play out?
UFC President Dana White likes the idea of a rematch between former UFC strawweight champions Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Zhang Weili.
Jędrzejczyk has been away from the Octagon for nearly two years since her first matchup with Weili at UFC 248. It was arguably the greatest fight in women’s MMA history as Weili earned a split-decision victory.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Weili Zhang
Despite the loss, many fans believed that Jędrzejczyk did enough to earn the win on the scorecards. Many believed that a rematch would take place eventually and it sounds like it could come to fruition later this year.
Jędrzejczyk held a guest fighter press conference at UFC 272. She hinted at her desire to fight Weili for her first fight back in the cage and attempt to settle the score between the former champions.
“Yeah, that’s the fight that makes sense,” White said.
Jędrzejczyk has previously touted the idea of a rematch with Weili and claimed that the UFC’s first-ever Chinese champion hasn’t been the same since their fight. Weili has lost back-to-back fights to Rose Namajunas and is looking to potentially earn another title shot down the line.
Jędrzejczyk has also suffered two losses to Namajunas but remains intent on reclaiming the UFC strawweight throne. Before her close loss to Weili, she earned dominant wins over Michelle Waterson and Tecia Torres.
Who wins in a Joanna Jędrzejczyk /Zhang Weili rematch?
Oliveira is coming off of his first successful title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269. After withstanding an early barrage from Poirier, Oliveira was able to impose his will with his signature grappling and submit Poirier in Round 3.
Oliveira earned the then-vacant lightweight title over Michael Chandler at UFC 262 following dominant wins over Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee.
Gaethje will get his second shot at the UFC lightweight title after losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254. He had earned the interim belt by defeating Ferguson at UFC 249 via fifth-round TKO.
Before getting the shot against Oliveira, Gaethje won a barnburner against Chandler at UFC 268. He won the fight via a unanimous decision in arguably one of the most exciting fights in UFC history.
While there isn’t any notable bad blood between Oliveira and Gaethje, there has been some verbal banter between the two sides. Gaethje has recently said that he plans to make Oliveira quit in their matchup, while Oliveira has called Gaethje a “phony” following their post-UFC 269 run-in.
The booking comes amidst an interesting lightweight title picture. Islam Makhachev is expected to face Beneil Dariush in a re-scheduled bout later this year, while Conor McGregor is looking to return in the summer.
UFC 274 is scheduled to take place at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ on May 7.
What is your prediction for Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje?
The following story was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Two Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2020, 4:36 PM]
Headline: Michael Bisping Feels He Would’ve Beaten Israel Adesanya In His Prime
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Michael Bisping has praise for Israel Adesanya but he believes he would’ve dethroned “The Last Stylebender” in his prime.
Adesanya is set to put his UFC middleweight championship on the line for the first time. Tomorrow night (March 7), Adesanya will collide with Yoel Romero. The 185-pound title bout will serve as the main event of UFC 248 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Bisping Says He’d Beat Adesanya If He Were Still Fighting
One person who knows a thing or two about holding UFC gold is Bisping. The now-retired UFC Hall of Famer is a former middleweight champion himself. Appearing on SiriusXM’s MMA Tonight show, Bisping said he’d beat Adesanya if he were still fighting (h/t BJPenn.com).
“Listen, and here’s the real thing, if I was still fighting, I’d take that belt off him [Israel Adesanya] pretty easily, but I’m not,” Bisping said. “So, listen, I like Adesanya — I’m a massive fan of the guy — he’s a great personality, he’s a great fighter and I’m a fan of Yoel as well, it’s going to be a good one.”
Adesanya is undefeated in his pro MMA career. He has a record of 18-0. “The Last Stylebender” captured the interim UFC middleweight gold against Kelvin Gastelum back in April 2019. He took things one step further with his Oct. 2019 TKO victory over Robert Whittaker to become the undisputed 185-pound king.
Bisping retired after being stopped by Kelvin Gastelum back in Nov. 2017. Earlier that month, Bisping was submitted by Georges St-Pierre, losing the middleweight title in the process. While “The Count” mulled his options such as a trilogy bout with Luke Rockhold, he ultimately decided it was time to move on with his life.
Of course, Bisping isn’t away from the sport of MMA entirely. He serves as a color commentator and analyst for the UFC. He also discusses several hot topics in the world of MMA on his Believe You Me podcast.
South African promotion EFC 92 kicked off in one of the worst ways possible on Saturday with an MMA fighter experiencing a nasty broken leg.
Such injuries have unfortunately become a familiar sight for MMA fans in the past year. At UFC 261 last April, Chris Weidman shattered his right tibia and fibula after his leg kick was checked by Uriah Hall. Just two months later, Conor McGregor’s leg crumpled beneath him after Dustin Poirier checked one of the Irishman’s low kicks. Now, yet another MMA fighter has suffered the same fate at EFC 92 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
In the opening bout between heavyweights Willem Smith and Ivan Strydom, fans in attendance witnessed a grisly spectacle when a right outside leg kick from Smith landed on the knee of Strydom, causing an immediate break. You can watch the unfortunate incident yourself below.
OUCH!
Shocking first fight of EFC92. Wishing Willem Smith all the best on his road to recovery from this very unfortunate incident!#EFC92pic.twitter.com/cfdoaQawot
Fortunately for Smith, who crashed to the canvas wincing in pain, both Strydom and the referee noticed the injury and there were no subsequent strikes landed. It was the fifth loss of Smith’s six-fight professional MMA career.
Smith, however, later appeared in good spirits, sporting a smile and giving a thumbs up to the camera while lying on a gurney backstage.
THUMBS UP FROM 'THE VIKING'
Following a shocking end to the first fight of EFC 92, Willem Smith in good spirits alongside Soldierboy!#EFC92pic.twitter.com/2hYnd29B41
The 6-foot 5-inch Strydom notched up the second win of his professional MMA career. Hopefully, this will be the last time he, or any of us, see a similar ending to a fight.
The following article featuring UFC 272 headliner Colby Covington was published on this day three years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2019, 9:22 AM]
Colby Covington wasn’t even competing at UFC 235 over the weekend but was still one of the event’s biggest stories. “Chaos” had confrontations with the likes of UFC President Dana White, Kamau Usman, NFL star Todd Gurley, and more. However, it sounds like he also had a brief run-in with UFC mega-star Nate Diaz.
Speaking to “The Ariel Helwani MMA Show”, Covington said the Stockton native flipped him the bird while passing by cageside (via MMA Mania):
“Our skill level is way apart from each other. He’s a bottom feeder,” said Covington. “It was funny because he walked by me and he said, ‘F*ck you Colby.’ And he flipped me off when I was sitting front row and he walked by cageside. It’s just funny. keep that energy Nate. If you’re so tough, let’s see it inside the cage, b*tch.”
Diaz hasn’t fought since his 2016 rematch with Conor McGregor at UFC 202. He was briefly scheduled to fight Dustin Poirier at UFC 230, but an injury to “The Diamond” forced that fight off. Now, Diaz’s return to the Octagon remains up in the air.
After Usman was crowned the new king of the UFC’s welterweight division, Covington is expected to get the next crack at the title. A key reason for Covington’s ruckus all weekend was his lobbying for a title opportunity. It looks like all the self-promotion finally paid off.
What do you think about Covington’s comments regarding his run-in with Diaz?
Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier hit back at Colby Covington on social media following Covington’s UFC 272 callout.
Covington defeated Jorge Masvidal in a back-and-forth war in the UFC 272 headliner. After earning a mostly-dominant win over Masvidal, Covington used his post-fight interview to call out another former American Top Team teammate in Poirier.
Covington and Poirier have had their fair share of fallout since Covington split with ATT. Covington has taken shots at Poirier’s wife and daughter, giving them both unflattering labels. He’s also mocked Poirier following his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 and also claimed that he made Poirier leave ATT in tears following their training sessions together.
After getting word of Covington’s UFC 272 callout, Poirier took to social media to respond.
Poirier has previously hinted at a move to welterweight in 2022 to fight Nate Diaz. The fight is still in consideration for later this year, and it’s unclear if Poirier will move to 170 pounds full-time.
As for Covington, he’s looking to potentially earn a third fight with welterweight champion Kamaru Usman down the line. A win over another top UFC star like Poirier could give him that opportunity.
Do you want to see Dustin Poirier vs Colby Covington next?
Vitor Belfort would go on to defeat a boxing legend two years after the following article was published. Indeed, Belfort beat 58-year-old Evander Holyfield via R1 TKO last September in an exhibition bout. But in 2019, Belfort wanted to box another former boxing champion, Roy Jones Jr.
You can see how Roy Jones Jr. responded to this challenge in the following article published three years ago today.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2019, 12:19 PM]
Vitor Belfort is now a member of the ONE Championship roster. “The Phenom” joins the likes of Eddie Alvarez, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, and “Super” Sage Northcutt as former UFC stars who recently made the move. The 41-year-old spoke to media recently after the announcement of his signing with ONE.
“One fight that I’d really like, I told Chatri [Sityodtong] I’d really like to put on this fight, is me vs. Roy Jones Jr. So Roy, wherever you are, I want to come challenge you for a boxing match — but with this condition. I’m going to be able to dirty box with you.
“I won’t be able to kick you, but I will be able to dirty box with you. I’m going to be in your face the whole time so it’s going to be a different boxing match. So that would be a very fun thing to do.”
Speaking to TMZ Sports recently, Jones got the chance to respond to Belfort’s challenge. Jones said he’s down to step into the squared circle with the mixed martial arts (MMA) legend (via Boxing Scene):
“This is what I do for a living. Y’all must’ve forgot. That’s who I am. I love a battle. I love a challenge. So, if that’s what you want, that’s what you get. Ain’t like you gotta ask me twice,” Jones said.
Jones then said he’d need at least six weeks of a training camp to “whoop” Belfort, but he’d need eight so he can showboat:
“Well, I would like eight weeks, ’cause I like to get right. I need two extra weeks just to make sure I can showboat. But, six weeks, I can whip you,” Jones said.
“I got nothing but the utmost respect for you. You were a helluva MMA fighter. You one of the best of all time. But, when it comes to boxing, this is what I do. I’m the ruler. I’m the king of this thing.
“Ya understand me? Since Muhammad Ali is not on Earth anymore, I don’t think there’s nothing ever on this Earth as bad as I am with these hands.”
What do you think about Jones accepting Belfort’s challenge to box?
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