UFC light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker has spoken out for the first time since his knockout loss to Jamahal Hill at UFC Vegas 48.
Walker has now lost four of his last five fights after the brutal knockout to Hill in his second-straight UFC main event. He had lost to former title challenger Thiago Santos in his last outing via a unanimous decision.
Walker and Hill slugged it out in the opening minutes of the fight before Hill caught Walker with a massive right hand that sent Walker falling backward and onto the canvas below. Hill has rebounded with back-to-back wins since his first UFC loss to Paul Craig.
In a recent Instagram post, Walker updated his fans on his health following the loss and where he plans to go from here.
“I’m OK,” Walker said. “Just a little cut. I (go to) sleep in the fight, so something happened wrong.
“Let’s eat and be happy. And let’s go to the next one.”
Walker made his UFC debut against Khalil Rountree in 2018 following his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. He began his UFC career with three-straight wins over the likes of Rountree, Justin Ledet, and Misha Cirkunov.
But things have taken a different turn for Walker since his last winning streak. He has suffered lopsided defeats at the hands of Nikita Krylov and Corey Anderson before bouncing back with a win over Ryan Spann.
At 29 years old, Walker still has plenty of time to get back on track in his UFC tenure. However, it’ll take a lot for him to work out of his series of recent struggles inside the cage.
What do you think is next for Johnny Walker’s UFC career?
UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou believes that Jake Paul’s promotion of better fighter pay is legitimate and not an act.
Ngannou is fresh off his win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in his first title defense as a UFC champion. But he is expected to miss a significant amount of time due to a lingering knee injury he suffered in his training leading up to the fight.
Ngannou has continued to push for the UFC to change its current pay scale model amidst tense contract negotiations. It remains unclear whether or not Ngannou and the UFC brass will end up coming to terms on a new deal.
One of most vocal presences in the fighter pay conversation has been Paul, who has gone at it with UFC President Dana White regarding how the promotion treats its roster. The controversial YouTuber turned boxer has previously offered to sign a one-fight deal with the UFC if the brass promises to add benefits such as long-term healthcare.
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Ngannou addressed Paul’s comments in support of giving UFC fighters more incentives away from the cage.
“I follow all those stuff and I am aware of what’s happening,” Ngannou said. “You know Paul has his own way of communicating, which is a little bit different. Maybe not the same way as I will. But in the meantime, I can’t blame him. I’m 100 percent with him for what he says.
“When he claimed for fighter healthcare, I am 100 percent down with that. He claimed for fighter pay increase, I’m a 1000 percent down for that. So the fighters are not protected, they are all out there on their own and nobody look up to them… They are putting their body on the line for something. At least [give them] healthcare.” (h/t SportsKeeda)
One of Ngannou’s biggest gripes with the promotion has been the lack of freedom fighters like him have when it comes to pursuing other avenues. This includes boxing, where Ngannou has gone back-and-forth on social media with heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
Ngannou admitted during a recent interview that Paul’s management reached out to him to inquire about his interest in boxing. The UFC then allegedly threatened legal action against his manager for being in contact with Paul’s team.
But not all UFC fighters agree with Ngannou. Some veterans such as Sam Alvey have called Paul’s interest in UFC fighter pay “fake” and an effort to promote himself.
It’s unclear if and when Ngannou will return to the Octagon, but in the meantime, he’ll continue to voice his displeasure in how fighters are compensated for their efforts in the cage.
What are your thoughts on Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul’s calls for better UFC fighter pay and treatment?
Jorge Masvidal is taking all the credit for being the main event at UFC 272.
Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington are headed to the main event clash together at UFC 272. This is a rare occasion where a non-title fight is main eventing a pay-per-view. For the UFC to consider a non-title fight for a main event, the bout has to be one that fans are dying to see. The ongoing feud and interest in these two men bring enough fuel to be a good fit for a headliner.
However, Masvidal believes that it is his star power, not Covington that made this fight worthy of the main event slot.
“Definitely about (my star power), though he’ll try to take credit for it,” Masvidal told MMA Junkie about what was responsible for the main event billing. “He hasn’t broke, in all his pay-per-views combined, 500,000 pay-per-views. I don’t have to say what I’ve sold. Everybody knows. So it’s definitely solely because of my star power, nothing to do with his.”
Masvidal and Covington have a long history together. They used to be friends, training partners, and roommates. They had a falling out and have been trash-talking to each other ever since. They are both in the same boat as title contenders in the welterweight division, and them fighting each other seemed to be inevitable.
Both men have recently lost twice to champion Kamaru Usman, and both are trying to get back to that title shot. Masvidal has been rising in popularity over the last few years with his personality and impressive wins in the Octagon. However, Covington is also one of the more recognized if not popular fighters on the roster. Masvidal feels he is the star in this one, but Covington most likely feels the same way.
Who do you think holds the bigger star power, Jorge Masvidal or Colby Covington?
UFC flyweight Maycee Barber wishes Roxanne Modafferi wouldn’t have retired before a potential rematch against her.
Barber is set to face Montana De La Rosa at an upcoming UFC Fight Night event on April 23. She got back in the win column with a decision win over Miranda Maverick in her last fight at UFC Vegas 32.
Barber’s first setback in the UFC came against Modafferi at UFC 246, as she lost the fight via unanimous decision and suffered a gruesome leg injury. She had to be carried out of the arena by her teammates following the fight’s conclusion.
Modafferi announced her retirement before her last fight at UFC 271 against Casey O’Neill. Despite losing via a split decision, Modafferi seemed content to have her MMA career come to a close.
“I meant to make a post to congratulate Roxy on a great career,” Barber said. “Obviously as a fighter who fought her, and busted my knee up, I tried to get that fight back and asked for it back. But she was at the last fight of her career and she definitely wanted one that was gonna be in her favor, and I completely understand that.”
Barber went on to explain why the Modafferi rematch being off the table going forward is a bit of a nuisance.
“Yeah, I mean, part of you is like, as a fighter, it sounds like a loss. But at the same time, I know how that fight went out (against Modafferi). So it’s not like one, you know, if you go out and get beat down and you lose on a healthy body, and you’re like, ‘Dang, I lost, I wanna get that back.’ I know I was compromised and I know where my heart was and how my body was. Honestly, that was her fight to win. Good for her. I’m not gonna lose sleep over it.”
The loss to O’Neill was Modafferi’s third straight on her way out of the sport. She last won against Andrea Lee last September via unanimous decision.
Barber is looking to be a mainstay in the flyweight division for years to come, similar to her former rival Modafferi. She’ll look to continue her momentum later this year as she gets ready to make her 2022 debut.
How do you think Maycee Barber will perform in 2022?
Gilbert Burns is ready to end the hype associated with Khamzat Chimaev.
Gilbert Burns has been atop the welterweight rankings for some time. He had a title fight against champion Kamaru Usman back in February of last year and has been trying to get back to that ever since.
Burns has been gunning for almost all of the top five fighters in the rankings. Unfortunately for him, none of them have agreed to fight him. One man is interested, however, and that man is rising star Khamzat Chimaev.
Chimaev burst onto the UFC scene in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. The UFC was doing a series of events in Abu Dhabi on Fight Island and Chimaev quickly became the star of that show. He fought twice on Fight Island in two weeks and won both by way of stoppages. He made another quick turnaround fighting two months later and kept the hype train moving. After falling ill from COVID, Chimaev took some time off, but fans haven’t forgotten his talent.
Chimaev has been calling out ranked fighters left and right. He wants to quickly make his rise up the ranks and fight for the title soon. He has the backing of other fighters and fans around him. He might be the most hyped fighter on the roster at this point, and Burns is ready to stop that if they get the chance to fight.
“I’m getting messages from everybody from everywhere,” Burns told The Schmo. “‘Finish that guy,’ ‘Stop the hype,’ and everything. I appreciate you guys. And tune in on April 9th. It’s not a done deal yet, but I believe it will be very soon. So tune in April 9.”
UFC Vegas 48 took place inside the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event saw Jamahal Hill knock out Johnny Walker in the first round. In the co-main event, Kyle Daukaus picked up the D’arce submission choke win over Jamie Pickett right at the first-round buzzer.
I love how Tyron Woodley gets KO'd stiff and casuals say it's fake but Johnny Walker eats a shot and goes full Bugs Bunny cartoon and not a word. #UFCVegas48
In round 2 of MMA’s February 19 tripleheader, we have Bellator 274. The main event saw Logan Storley def. Neiman Gracie via unanimous decision. In the co-main, Andrey Koreshkov defeated Chance Rencountre via TKO. You can peep the full results along with highlights from the main and co-main right here. And you can peep the raw reactions from The Pulse of MMA down below!
The most exciting MMA fight of the night. Yah I said it UFC !!!!!
And last up, we have BKFC’s Knucklemania 2, featuring two former UFC vets Chad Mendes and Mike Perry, both of whom were victorious last night. You can check out the highlights of their bouts as well as the results from the entire card right here. And of course, you can peep the raw reactions from The Pulse of MMA right down below!
Mike Perry vs Julian Lane feels like watching the two kids who wear ankle monitors fighting in the bathroom of an alternative highschool. #KNUCKLEMANIA2
Immediately after sleeping Johnny Walker in the UFC Vegas 48 main event, Jamahal Hill is already laying out plans for what would be the biggest fight of his career.
Jamahal Hill once complained that the UFC was not promoting him as well as they are other fighters. With performances like what he turned in last night, he has done a fine job of promoting himself while making it harder for the UFC to not promote him to his liking as well.
Shortly after the halfway point of the first round, Hill showed why he entered the bout as the favorite while putting to sleep any doubters that may have lingered, right alongside Johnny Walker.
Now with back-to-back first-round KO wins and a top-10 ranking likely in his near future, Hill is already plotting his next move, not unlike other stars who masterminded their ascent into superstardom.
The next phase of Hill’s self-rocketing push is facing another flashy KO artist and one who has captured the imaginations of MMA fans worldwide: Jiří Procházka.
“Right now, like other than really the Jiří (Procházka) fight, not really,” Hill responded when asked of ideas for his next opponent during the UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference. “Nobody else is really, like, everybody else is tied up.
“The reason I want Jiří so bad is ’cause I feel like that’s a fight that, like, from both ends, it would be a banger. It would be a banger. I think it would be promoted well, and I think not that many other people have that star ability. Like, I feel like I talk well, I feel like I dress well, I feel like I fight well, you know what I mean? So I feel like I got that swag, and I feel like he’s one of those guys, so, yeah.”
It goes without saying that Hill’s wish is likely only plausible if Procházka were to lose his upcoming title fight against champion Glover Teixeira at UFC 274 in May. Should Procházka win, there would be quite a few potential opponents who are ranked higher than Hill that the promotion would probably select ahead of him.
Still, Hill is climbing the ranks after another big KO, so if he is willing to fight someone not named Jiří Procházka for his next fight and earn yet another KO, then who knows, maybe he will get that dream fight that he’s looking for, whether or not “Denisa” possesses the light heavyweight gold.
Bellator 274 has wrapped up, and we’ve got you covered with the live results and highlights!
In the main event, the #4 Bellator MMA ranked welterweight Neiman Gracie took on the #5-ranked Logan Storley in a five-round main event. In the co-main event, the #9-ranked Andrey Koreshkov took on UFC vet Chance Rencountre. Below, you can find the highlights from both bouts followed by the fast results of Bellator 274!
The card also featured former UFC veteran Chad Mendes making his boxing debut against Joshuah Alvarez, who came into the bout at 1-1. Additionally, Britain Beltran, who holds a BKFC victory over Paige VanZant, took on Christine Ferea for the inaugural women’s flyweight championship. And of course, there was the lightweight championship bout between champion Luis Palomino and challenger Martin Brown.
The event was available on the Bare Knuckle TV app with a $4.99 monthly subscription. You can catch the highlights from Mike Perry’s and Chad Mendes’ victories below followed by the quick results!
The event took place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. Headlining the card was a light heavyweight clash between Johnny Walker and Jamahal Hill. This fight didn’t last long as it ended in the first round when Hill landed a right hand on the temple.
Walker was out right away as he fell back and landed up against the cage with impact. Hill with a big right hand on the ground for extra measure.
The co-main event saw more action between Kyle Daukaus and Jamie Pickett in a catchweight bout.
This fight saw Kyle get an early first round takedown into half guard while Pickket had him in a guillotine choke until he let it go. Pickett eventually scrambled to his feet so they ended up clinching. Kyle scored another takedown into half guard and tried taking his back, but this allowed Pickett to stand up. Moments later, Kyle got a third takedown into half guard and locked in the d’arce choke for the win. There was one second left on the clock.
Peep the full list of performance bonus winners below.
Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill was a memorable main event fight.
The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (February 19, 2022) at the UFC Vegas 48 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. Just minutes into the first round, Hill landed a right hand on the temple and Walker was out on his feet. Hill with a big right hand on the ground for extra measure.
Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:
Walker had been undefeated during his time with the Las Vegas-based promotion, but that changed when he was finished by Corey Anderson at the UFC 244 pay-per-view event from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. He previously picked up KO wins over the likes of Khalil Rountree Jr. and Justin Ledet, as well as Misha Cirkunov on March 2, 2019, at UFC 235 via TKO in the first round. He dropped a decision loss to Nikita Krylov in March 2020, but rebounded with a KO win over Ryan Spann in September 2020. In his previous fight, he lost to Thiago Santos at UFC Vegas 38 by decision.
Hill entered this fight with a 9-1-1 record. He earned his way to the promotion through Dana White’s Contender’s Series. He went to a no contest with Klidson Abreu at UFC on ESPN 9 then beat Ovince Saint Preux by TKO in December 2020. He lost to Paul Craig by TKO at UFC 263 and then beat Jimmy Crute by KO in December 2021.
Kyle Daukaus vs. Jamie Pickett was a solid co-headliner.
The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (February 19, 2022) at the UFC Vegas 48 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. The first round opened with Kyle scoring a dump takedown and getting into half guard. Pickett held onto a guillotine choke, but let it go. In the middle of the frame, Kyle got a takedown and took his back. A third takedown took place late in the round and Kyle locked in the d’arce choke for the win with a second left.
Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:
Daukaus went undefeated to earn a contract with the UFC after winning a fight on Dana White’s Contender Series and two bouts after that under the CFFC banner, both coming by submission. He dropped a decision loss to Brendan Allen in June 2020. This bout marked his promotional debut. He rebounded with a win over Dustin Stoltzfus at UFC 255 by decision before dropping a decision loss to Phil Hawes in May 2021. His previous fight against Kevin Holland ended in a no contest due to a clash of heads at UFC Vegas 38.
Pickett entered this fight with a 13-6 pro-MMA record and on a two-fight winning streak with decision wins over Laureano Staropoli and Joseph Holmes.
Here’s a story about tonight’s BKFC 2 Knucklemania headliner Mike Perry doing Mike Perry things…accidentally.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 3, 2019, 11:49 AM]
Headline: Leave It To Mike Perry To Lose Skateboard In A Sewer
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
One minute Mike Perry was practicing an ollie, the next his skateboard fell down a sewer.
It’s easy to see why Perry is in search of new hobbies. Known for being quite a unique character, Perry isn’t one to sit still. “Platinum” suffered a gnarly broken nose following his split decision loss to Vicente Luque last month. Perry is expected to take it easy to let the nose heal.
Mike Perry’s Skateboard Falls Down A Sewer
Perry’s efforts to start a new hobby in skateboarding didn’t exactly get off to an ideal start. On his Instagram page, “Platinum” posted a video revealing the dreadful fate of his skateboard.
“Watch this sh*t lmao can’t even practice new hobbies.”
When Perry is eventually cleared to return, he’ll look to get back in the win column. Perry hasn’t been able to string together two straight wins since Sept. 2017. Since that time, “Platinum” has gone 2-4. He scored wins over Paul Felder and Alex Oliveira, but fell to Santiago Ponzinibbio, Max Griffin, Donald Cerrone, and Luque.
While Perry has had a bit of a rough go inside the Octagon lately, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Some believe Perry should’ve been awarded the win against Luque. “Platinum” also has an exciting fighting style that is always fan-friendly and he’s not too shabby in the bonus department. It also helps to have a strong personality in the Endeavor era of the UFC.
Julianna Peña can see where Amanda Nunes is coming from leaving ATT.
Julianna Peña has a rematch set with Amanda Nunes. Leading up to the next fight these two will be spending a lot of time together. They will be coaching the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter, and that calls for six weeks of close encounters between them. There was some bad blood leading up to the first fight, and now coming into the second, Peña is siding with Nunes on one issue.
Recently, Nunes decided to take some time away from her longtime gym, ATT. She cited wanting to branch out on her own and do her own thing as her reason. ATT has been in the news for another reason as well. Former ATT athlete Colby Covington will be fighting current ATT fighter and former training partner Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272.
ATT owner Dan Lambert has recently stated that the fallout between Covington and Masvidal was so toxic that at one point both fighters had to be removed from the gym. This, along with other recent incidents, makes it easy for Peña to understand why Nunes would want out.
“I absolutely do believe that. It’s probably because she’s felt this way for a long time. She’s at a one-stop-shop at American Top Team; a McDonald’s, cookie-cutter type gym, where they’re just throwing these guys in and out, and in and out, and everyone trains with everyone,” Peña said during a recent media scrum.
“You’ve got Jorge Masvidal used to be friends with Colby Covington, used to be friends with Dustin Poirier, now they all hate each other, but they still gotta train in the same gym. It’s awkward. It’s, ‘Do I trust these people? Do they have my best interests? Are they telling people about me? Are they watching what I’m doing like a hawk and then this information’s gonna get leaked out?’”
Peña Believes Kayla Harrison May Have Played Role In Exit
“It’s a whole lot of paranoia. It’s a lot of people making sure they have your best interests. So, I feel – I don’t know exactly what happened—but I feel like that’s definitely some part of why she feels like she needs to leave,” Peña said. “Especially with them saying, ‘Oh, Kayla Harrison’s the team captain, how do you feel about that?’ … ‘But now Kayla Harrison is my training partner, but now Kayla Harrison wants to fight me for a mega-million-dollar fight.’ It’s like, who is really your friend here? You can’t trust anyone in that gym. I anticipate if she said this was a long time coming, I believe that I really do.”
In the lead-up to the first bout with Peña, Nunes said she had a bad training camp. She said she suffered injuries in the weeks before the fight. Now with a new training gym and time to heal, she is expecting a different outcome.
Do you think Nunes’ departure from ATT will helo her in the rematch with Peña?
Tonight, Mike Perry will be competing in a sanctioned bare-knuckle fight. Two years ago, he competed in an unsanctioned one.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 8, 2020, 9:46 PM]
Headline: Video: UFC Fighter Mike Perry Drops Patron In Bar Fight
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
UFC welterweight Mike Perry was involved in a bar fight where he dropped a patron.
Perry is known for having a unique personality. “Platinum” isn’t afraid to get in his opponent’s faces for staredowns as well as make some rather odd statements, such as his battle with taxes and wanting to stick his finger in Darren Till’s eye. Still, many fans brush it off as Perry being a unique character. It’s become apparent, however, that this goes beyond playing things up for marketability.
Mike Perry Drops Patron & The N-Word During Bar Fight
MMA Eejit posted a video showing Perry with a female companion, who looks to be his girlfriend Latory Gonzalez. Perry had Gonzalez as the lone cornerperson for his last outing against Mickey Gall. Here’s the footage but be warned, the language is NSFW.
It’s unclear what caused the argument in the first place but it’s clear Perry was quite heated with the female companion and other patrons. Perry called a man a “fat piece of sh*t” before dropping him after being shoved. After the incident, Perry was yelling at another female who was escorting him out of the bar as he felt she wasn’t on his side during the altercation. Perry also dropped the N-word several times and told people to “back the f*ck up.”
Perry was last seen in action back in late June. He earned a unanimous decision victory over Gall. It was a much-needed win for Perry, who was coming off back-to-back losses. Perry said he’s looking for the right team that he can bond with rather than have instructions shouted at him.
UFC veteran Sam Alvey isn’t buying what Jake Paul is selling when it comes to the controversial issue of fighter pay.
Paul has been a vocal critic of UFC President Dana White regarding how fighters on the roster are treated. He has also offered to sign a one-fight deal to fight in the UFC if certain demands are met by White and the promotion, which includes providing health insurance for athletes.
Paul is coming off an eventful 2021 in which he continued his undefeated streak in boxing. He earned back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley and also knocked out former Bellator champion Ben Askren.
In addition to his actions inside the ring, Paul has taken it to the UFC outside of it. He has also accused White of using cocaine with the two sides claiming that the other has dodged challenges.
“Jake Paul is a clown and he is not trying to help fighter pay, he is trying to help himself,” Alvey said. “Every fight sells when you either want to see somebody win or see somebody get knocked out. Jake Paul has figured out that everyone wants to see him get knocked out so he wants to try and switch that narrative… and so he goes after the low-hanging fruit that sounds great to everyone, ‘pay fighters more’… If UFC, Dana White, any of those guys were to do what Jake Paul is asking, he wouldn’t get us paid more, he would eliminate the roster of the UFC. We would go from a roster of what 800 to down to 75.” (h/t SportsKeeda)
Paul has called out UFC fighters Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, and Jorge Masvidal for fights in the ring. However, all three are still under contract with the UFC and will likely not be allowed to fight Paul anytime soon.
Paul continues to put the heat on White and the UFC brass to enact change in how fighters are compensated. But some fighters such as Alvey don’t believe Paul is someone to be taken seriously.
Last year, Jamahal Hill stated that he did not feel the UFC was promoting him properly. Tonight, he finds himself in his first main event with the opportunity to sell himself to the world.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 31, 2021, 9:34 PM]
Headline: Jamahal Hill: UFC Not Promoting Me Like They Have Others
UFC light heavyweight Jamahal Hill does not think the UFC is documenting his ascent the way they have done others before him.
Khamzat Chimaev. Sean O’Malley. Maycee Barber. Mike Perry. Johnny Walker. These are just a few names who were considered “hype trains” shortly after their arrival in the UFC. There have been many others who have been given the red-carpet rollout to announce their disruptive arrival, sometimes prematurely, other times right on schedule, but rising UFC lightweight Jamahal Hill is still awaiting the same premium treatment after the hot start to his UFC career.
The Contender Series graduate is 2-0 in the UFC (would be 3-0 if not for a marijuana-related no-contest), with one win being against contentious gatekeeper Ovince Saint Preux in December. Before and after being one of the select few to finish Saint Preux, Hill believes that the UFC has not given him the same love as some others who have shown high promise.
“Here’s how I look at it: I see how the attention of how they shine the spotlight on certain things fighters do,” Hill recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “Things like that and that turn people up and blow them up and get the attention of the whole MMA world, that hasn’t happened to me. Even with the win over ‘OSP,’ that didn’t happen for me.
Jamahal Hill lands a big left on Ovince Saint Preux. Image: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
“And so the ‘OSP’ fight, I didn’t, I wasn’t promoted at all. I’ve seen this video, ‘prospects to watch,’ and I wasn’t even on that, co-main event and undefeated. You know what I mean? Little things like that. The spotlight isn’t shining on me like it is on other people. Which is cool. You know what I mean? ‘Cause at the end of the day, what I can do, my abilities, you can’t ignore it.”
Although Jamahal Hill feels he has been shorted on the hype, he has been given his respect by the UFC rankings committee, with the 29-year-old making the list at #15 following his win over Saint Preux. Hill is now set to face Paul Craig, who is placed one spot above him at #14. Perhaps Hill will be keeping tabs on how he is being promoted in the build-up to the fight, but he will surely look to build on the hype in his next performance with a skill set that makes the job of the UFC marketing team a lot easier.
Do you agree with Jamahal Hill? Has he been underhyped by the UFC?
Three years ago, Johnny Walker was viewed as the biggest threat to Jon Jones’ rule over the UFC’s light heavyweight division. Since the following article was written, he has gone 1-3 in his last four fights. Tonight at UFC Vegas 48, Walker will be headlining against Jamahal Hill with an opportunity to remind the world of his potential.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 19, 2019, 1:41 PM]
Headlines: Michael Bisping: I Think Biggest Threat To Jon Jones Is Johnny Walker
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping feels Johnny Walker may have the best shot at dethroning Jon Jones.
Walker has been making a name for himself in a short amount of time. Walker has only had three fights in the UFC, but there’s already buzz surrounding the 27-year-old Brazilian bruiser. All three of Walker’s UFC wins have come via KO or TKO. None of those bouts made it to the two-minute mark. He’s also riding a nine-fight winning streak and hasn’t lost since June 2016.
“I think the biggest threat right now to Jon Jones is Johnny Walker. I think Johnny Walker gives him a lot of problems, but I understand it from Jones’ perspective. He’s still not well-known enough to the average MMA fan. He’s had a big splash, he’s had a few big wins in very, very quick time. And in fact, he’s injured right now because he injured himself with his post-fight celebration. That’s the most damage he takes in his fights, in his own f*cking celebrations.”
Bisping went on to talk about the benefits of not hot-shotting Walker to a title opportunity.
“But he’s not there yet. He needs another win or two. For one I think it would be rushing Johnny Walker and potentially bringing him on a little too far, too soon. And Jones is right. Another couple more wins, put him in a co-main event, even a Fight Night main event against a big name and then all of a sudden you’ve got a real star on your hands. And then that makes the pay-per-view bigger for everybody involved. So, I agree with Jones.”
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya isn’t happy with how Robert Whittaker has handled the aftermath of their rematch at UFC 271.
Adesanya earned a unanimous decision victory over Whittaker in their main event rematch at UFC 271. It was a back-and-forth competitive fight, but Adesanya earned the win on the judges’ scorecards.
Adesanya had a similar situation happen with another of his previous opponents, Marvin Vettori. During their post-UFC 263 banter, Vettori claimed that he felt he won the fight over Adesanya.
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Adesanya compared how Whittaker and Vettori handled their losses.
“He and Vettori are sippin’ the same wine that Costa was sippin’,” Adesanya said.
Adesanya went on to claim that he allegedly heard Whittaker’s team having the opposite opinion mid-fight.
“But yeah, everyone’s entitled to their opinion. I’m not gonna try to change their opinion. But from what I’ve heard, his corner was telling him in the corner, like, ‘You’re losing this fight. You need to step up.’ That’s what I’ve heard. How the fuck you gonna think you won when your corner’s telling you you’re losing the fight?”
Israel Adesanya Is Expected To Face Jared Cannonier Next
Israel Adesanya’s next fight might be against Jared Cannonier later this year. Cannonier earned a gruesome knockout win over Derek Brunson on the UFC 271 main card, setting up a showdown for the middleweight title.
Adesanya has previously expressed interest in a fight with Cannonier, and it appears that it’ll finally come to fruition. Before the win over Brunson, Cannonier had earned big wins over the likes of Jack Hermansson and Kelvin Gastelum.
For now, it appears that any hope of a third fight between Adesanya and Whittaker is on hold. Whittaker will need to go on another win streak to potentially earn a third chance at Adesanya.
How did you score Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2?
Tonight, Mike Perry will compete at BKFC 2: Knucklemania against Julian Lane. If things go his way, he might hit the bars to celebrate after the event. In the following article, we get a glimpse into what it’s like to spend a night drinking with Mike Perry…and Jon Jones.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JUNE 26, 2018, 2:58 PM]
Headline: Mike Perry Details Night Of Drinking With Jon Jones
Author: Jon Fuentes
Mike Perry and Jon Jones aren’t just Jackson Wink teammates now, but it appears they’re drinking buddies as well.
Platinum has since relocated from Florida to the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based mixed martial arts (MMA) gym as he prepares for his UFC 226 pay-per-view (PPV) clash with Yancy Medeiros on July 7th. Jones took the liberty of showing his new teammate around town.
They wound up at a bowling alley where they had “like 100 shots of tequila” (via MMA Junkie):
“He kept buying drinks, man,” Perry said on the “JW Raw” podcast. “I feel like he was buying shots and would look at me, and I would take the shot, and then he’d be like (throwing back the drink).”
Jones and Perry would hit the town again the following night, but Bones declared that “We ain’t gotta go as hard as we did last night.”
“I was like, ‘OK,’” Perry said. “He bought me a shot of something, and I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll take this one. Don’t buy me another one.’
“He was buying drinks for all these people. It was like a big old shot. And I looked at him, and he’s holding his drink, and he’s putting it up to his mouth, and he tilts the cup a little bit. I see him do that, and I’m like, alright, he’s taking it.
“So I took it, and then he goes, ‘Ah, man, I’m not even gonna.’ And I was like, ‘Aw, dang, bro! You’re getting me messed up out here!’”
Chael Sonnen thinks Floyd Mayweather should speed up the process of paying Logan Paul his fair share after their exhibition.
Mayweather and Paul competed in a boxing exhibition in Miami, FL last year. It was one of the most-watched boxing events of 2021, despite a formal winner not being declared.
The bout between Mayweather and Paul wasn’t officially sanctioned due to the large physical discrepancy between the two of them. The result of the bout was left in the eyes and minds of the viewers.
While Mayweather and Paul seemed to be on amicable terms just minutes after their fight, that has appeared to have fizzled over. Paul has reportedly threatened legal action against Mayweather over an alleged failed payout.
Mayweather has since responded to the allegations during a recent podcast appearance, citing that the issue has to do with pay-per-view revenue.
“I know some of you (who) got the little TMT shirts think that The Money Team’s a real business. It’s not,” Sonnen said of Mayweather. “It’s a bank account that goes one way: Money comes in. They do not have a team. They do not have a staff. They do not have a lease. They do not have obligations. They don’t have debt to service. It’s not a real company. He signed a contract with (The Money Team). That’s a big problem. Big problem for Floyd if he received funds, and he did. And he converted those funds to his own, which it appears that he did.
“So this story is going to be ongoing. But if you are Team Floyd, you’re gonna wanna lawyer up real fast, you’re gonna wanna get a hold of their representation. Before the FB gets called in to look at this, you’re gonna wanna make a deal, and you’re gonna want to pay Logan Paul.”
Mayweather hasn’t competed in professional boxing since his win over former UFC champion Conor McGregor in 2017. He remains adamant about staying retired despite calls for him to return to the ring.
Paul has hinted at a return to boxing in 2022 against fellow YouTube sensation Whindersson Nunes. It’s unclear how the Mayweather/Paul drama will end up playing out in the coming weeks and months.
What are your thoughts on the Floyd Mayweather/Logan Paul drama?
The final UFC Vegas 48 betting odds are in for as this event is quickly approaching for the Las Vegas-based promotion.
The event is here, and it goes down tonight (Saturday, February 19, 2022) from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.
Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill in a light heavyweight bout will headline the show. In the co-main event, Kyle Daukaus vs. Jamie Pickett in a catchweight bout will take place.
Rounding out the main card is Parker Porter vs. Alan Baudot in a heavyweight fight, Jim Miller vs. Nikolas Motta lightweight bout, and Joaquin Buckley vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan in a middleweight bout.
According to oddsmakers, Hill is a -250 favorite over Walker, who is a +200 underdog. Other odds for the main card include Pickett being a +200 underdog against Daukaus, who is a -250 favorite. Here are the full betting odds:
The UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference will be live once the action concludes.
In the headliner, Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill will collide in a light heavyweight clash. UFC Vegas 48’s co-main event will see a catchweight clash between Kyle Daukaus and Jamie Pickett. More action will also be featured on the main card as Parker Porter shares the Octagon with Alan Baudot.
The fighters from both the main and co-main events are expected to attend the post-fight press conference barring any hospital visits. Of course anyone else on the card who has a breakout performance could also attend the presser.
MMA News will be providing live coverage of the UFC Vegas 48 card. Be sure to check back here for the post-fight presser with a tentative start time of 10:15 p.m. ET.
Let us know your big takeaways once the UFC Vegas 48 post-fight press conference.
Joining a shocked sold-out crowd and fighters’ area inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, as well as millions watching at home, in disbelief was Harrison.
WATCH: Kayla Harrison repeatedly yelling "F**K" at the top of her lungs after Pena upsets Nunes. You have to think that big money fight was coming next #UFC269pic.twitter.com/YLwHe0N3H8
While the likes of Michael Chiesa and Miesha Tate celebrated, Harrison was left with one word on her lips: “F*ck.”
In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Harrison discussed the feelings she went through after watching her teammate, who she’d helped prepare for the title defense, emphatically submitted in the UFC 269 co-main event.
“I was shocked. Everyone was making assumptions about it, but to be honest with you, Amanda was a teammate of mine, she was someone that I helped train for this fight,” said Harrison. “When I said I bleed ATT, I meant it. I wanted her to win. I was shocked. I was as shocked as the rest of the world. I was heartbroken for her.”
The two-time Olympic gold medalist and unbeaten MMA lightweight continues to bleed ATT and assured Nunes after the shock result that they’d go back to work in the gym and make things right.
But with the Brazilian seeking fresh pastures, Harrison’s time going toe-to-toe with Nunes on the mats is over, something she says “sucks.”
Harrison: I Got A Lot Better Training With Nunes
Further into her interview with Marc Raimondi, Harrison gave her reaction to Nunes’ decision to part ways with ATT, the gym she’d been a part of throughout her development from defeat to Zingano in 2014 to dominant double champion in 2021.
First and foremost, the sport’s most sought-after free agent wished her former teammate well for the future and suggested the Brazilian had to do whatever she felt was best for her and her family.
“At this time, my thoughts (on her departure) are, you’ve gotta do what you think is best for you and your family. I wish her the best of luck. That’s it.”
Despite understanding the reasons behind Nunes’ exit, Harrison admitted she was disappointed to no longer have the chance to develop and sharpen her tools by training alongside a woman most regard as the greatest of all time.
“I mean, it sucks cause like, she’s still one of the best. That one loss doesn’t change that,” Harrison continued. “So to not be able to train with her does suck. I think that every time I went with her, it helped me. I think it helped her as well.
“Whether you wanna admit or not, guys talk about Colby (Covington) and Jorge (Masvidal), the ego, I have it too, so I wanna win those exchanges, I wanna win those rounds, I wanna push her, she wants to push me. I got a lot better in the times that we trained together. So to miss out on that is a bummer, for sure,” concluded Harrison.
While most expected the undefeated star to be a future challenge for Nunes after UFC 269, the Brazilian’s defeat has perhaps delayed any chance of that and slightly hampered its appeal.
Nevertheless, with Nunes still holding 145-pound gold and a move to the UFC seeming inevitable sooner or later for Harrison, perhaps sooner given the apparent breakdown in negotiations with the PFL, it appears likely another clash of former ATT teammates is going to go down in the future.
Would you like to see former teammates Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes share the Octagon down the line?
12 years ago, MMA fighter Kane Mousah spent four years in prison but has refused to let it ruin his career.
As a young MMA fighter, Mousah feared his career was over when he got sent away. Every day, his prison sentence reminds him of where he came from.
It happened early in his career and was the consequence of his involvement in a gang. Reportedly, Mousah and others were searched and found guilty of possessing a handgun, bullets, and a silencer.
At the time, Mousah was only 23 years of age—young and with a promising career in MMA. Even the judge described the sentencing as a “tragedy” for the rising star.
He was given a 9-year sentence but served only four. The prison experience truly turned his life around.
“Prison deterred me from the life that I used to live – I think it needed to happen for me. I did my time and I used it to change my perspective on life, to make sure I’d come out as a better person. Since I’ve come out of prison, all I’ve tried to do is help other people out along the way. I think I do that,” Mousah told Manchester Evening News.
“The Danger’s” return was incredible, winning by TKO inside round 1. Then, in 2014, he continued to win three back-to-back fights before the second round. He has found success across many MMA platforms before winning two bouts at Bellator.
Now, at 35, Mousah is training hard with one of the UFC’s most exciting prospects, Khamzat Chimaev for his 15th fight since his return to the cage in 2013.
Kane will fight Irishman Peter Queally in Ireland at Bellator 275 on February 25.
Peter Queally and Kane Mousah, Photo Credit: Fight Nights Global / Bellator MMA
Both Peter and Kane return to the cage after suffering losses in their last bouts. Mousah is the underdog, as the fight will take place in Queally’s home country.
Regardless of the home advantage for Queally, Mousah is excited for the match and expects to win.
Are you excited for Kane Mousah Vs Peter Queally at Bellator 275?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68465092/1289656506.0.jpg)
