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  • Maycee Barber: “I Wasn’t Ready” To Become Youngest Ever UFC Champ

    Maycee Barber believes she wasn’t sufficiently developed as a mixed martial artist to become the youngest ever UFC champion. 

    Barber, who made her promotional debut in 2018 as a 21-year-old, had long been touted to become the youngest ever to take UFC gold—a record held by Jon Jones, who won the light heavyweight belt at the age of 23 years and 243 days.

    The Contender Series alum experienced a rapid rise through the flyweight division, winning her first three fights via TKO in blistering fashion. Comparisons to Ronda Rousey were made, and it seemed Barber was destined to soon challenge for the title.

    However back-to-back unanimous decision losses to Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso, in between lengthy layoffs due to an ACL injury, saw Barber’s rapid rise through the flyweight ranks halted. ‘The Future’ returned to action with a win over Miranda Maverick in July last year, but as she approaches her 24th birthday this May, the chance to break Jon Jones’ record has all but passed her by.

    Miranda Maverick, Maycee Barber
    Maycee Barber gets back into the win column against Miranda Maverick last July. Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

    Barber Says She Wasn’t Ready To Become Youngest Ever Champ

    As she prepares to return to the Octagon against Montana De La Rosa in April, Barber spoke exclusively with MMANews about her missed opportunity to go down in the UFC record books. The #14 ranked flyweight was philosophical about how her career has panned out, explaining that she needed to grow as a fighter before she could become champion.

    “Honestly, when I tore my ACL, I was thinking about it,” she says. “Because I was like, me being the youngest champion, it didn’t seem as feasible. Because obviously, I was gonna be out for a whole year. And that kinda messes with the timing and everything. But the thing that I learned was: maybe I wasn’t ready to become champion at that age. Maybe there is so many more lessons that I had. Maybe there was so much more growth that I had to do as a striker, as a wrestler, as a grappler.”

    Barber says that becoming the youngest ever UFC champ was a personal ambition that she was “trying to achieve for everybody.” Failing to reach that goal, the 23-year-old explained, has attracted some haters. But it’s this pressure from fans that Barber says helps her progress towards her goals, so she’ll continue to dream big and share her ambitions publicly.

    During her extended layoff, Maycee says she also realized that simply dreaming about becoming the youngest ever champ, and nothing other than that, was somewhat short-sighted.

    “The other thing that I also learned is; when having that goal, I feel like that was the goal that I set,” she says. “That was the goal for me that I was like, that’s what I’m gonna go after. And I didn’t really plan anything after that. Because I definitely had that feeling, I was like, ‘Well, wait. So I’m not gonna get that. So obviously, I’m not achieving that. And I was just like, so, wait
what’s next?” 

    Maycee-Barber-
    PHOTO: FIRSTSPORTZ

    Barber says that while she’s won’t be erasing Jon Jones’ name from the record books, youth is still very much on her side, and she’s got plenty of ambition to make a huge impact in the UFC. 

    “So for me, it was kinda a realization of like, I’m still freakin’ 23,” she says. “Urijah [Faber] tells me this all the time: ‘I didn’t start fighting or training until I was 24’ And to me I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, I am young. I am young. And I’m 9-2, soon to be 10-2 as a professional fighter and however many in the UFC at 23 years old. And I just have so much potential and so much growth. And the thing that I’m gonna do in this life, and in this career, and in this platform is gonna be huge, and this is literally just the beginning.”

    What do you think? Can Maycee Barber make it two wins in a row against Montana De La Rosa?

  • Korean Zombie: Max Holloway’s Recovery “Doesn’t Make Sense”

    UFC featherweight contender “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung has questioned Max Holloway’s fast recovery from injury, which has seen the former champion pursue backup status for UFC 273.

    In the pay-per-view’s main event, reigning 145-pound king Alexander Volkanovski will hope to successfully defend his gold for the third time. In his way of doing so will be a UFC veteran renowned for his exciting style and thrilling performances throughout over a decade in the promotion.

    Volkanovski was initially slated to share the Octagon with Holloway, who’d earned another shot at reclaiming the belt with 2021 victories over Calvin Kattar and Yair Rodriguez, for a third time at next month’s UFC 272 event.

    When “Blessed” withdrew after aggravating a previous injury, the hunt for a replacement was on. Despite the pitches from Giga Chikadze, Henry Cejudo, Josh Emmett, and Rodriguez, it was “The Korean Zombie” who was granted the chance to dethrone “The Great” Volkanovski at the April 9 event.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZnhjU5tQNd/

    Despite withdrawing from his scheduled trilogy bout with Volkanovski, it was recently revealed that Holloway has returned to training and is even open to serving as a backup fighter for the UFC 273 headliner.

    Korean Zombie Joins The Sceptical Side

    While Volkanovski made his feelings about the fast recovery crystal clear in a post on Twitter, accusing his rival of faking an injury in order to avoid a potential third defeat to the Aussie, others, including former opponent Kattar, have suggested it’s wrong to question Holloway’s withdrawal.

    Now, with opinion largely split, the new next challenger for the featherweight strap has given his take on the latest revelations. During an interview with The Schmo, “The Korean Zombie” suggested Holloway’s ability to make the UFC 273 event “doesn’t make sense.”

    Nevertheless, Jung claimed that while he won’t be pulling out himself, he’s open to an interim title clash with “Blessed” should Volkanovski be forced out of the PPV for whatever reason.

    “It doesn’t make sense that he’s gonna be ready to go in a month,” Jung said via Coach Eddie Cha. “It’s pretty crazy. (I) won’t be getting injured. (I’ll) be making April 9th. So, if Volkanovski gets injured, (I’m) down to fight Holloway.”

    If Holloway is not required on April 9, it’s likely the UFC 273 main event victor will be standing opposite him in the cage later this year for what will either be Volkanovski’s third clash with “Blessed” and fourth title defense, or Zombie’s first defense and first meeting with Holloway.

    What do you make of Alexander Volkanovski and “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung’s comments about Max Holloway’s fast recovery?

  • Ilia Topuria vs. Jai Herbert Added To March 19 UFC London Card

    A lightweight scrap between Ilia Topuria and Jai Herbert has reportedly been added to the UFC’s return to London on March 19.

    In one of many matchups featuring British fighters, Herbert (11-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) will have a huge opportunity in front of a home crowd when he welcomes Topuria (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) to 155 pounds inside the O2 Arena. The bout was first reported by Eurosport’s Gonzalo Campos.

    Topuria initially rose up the featherweight ladder with a trio of impressive victories on MMA’s biggest stage. After arriving with a unanimous decision win against Youssef Zalal and a knockout of Damon Jackson, the Georgian established himself as one of the promotion’s hottest prospects with a memorable KO of veteran grappler Ryan Hall at UFC 264 last July.

    Having moved inches away from a place in the featherweight rankings, “El Matador” was set to have his chance to enter the top 15 last month against Movsar Evloev, the current #13 contender. After the Russian withdrew, Charles Jordain stepped in, only for Topuria to be forced out days later. He’ll hope to return to regular activity in the coming months, starting with a win on his lightweight debut in England’s capital.

    In the way of the 25-year-old making an impression at 155 pounds will be Herbert, a former lightweight champion in the renowned Cage Warriors promotion. While the Wolverhampton native fell to consecutive losses in his first two UFC outings, he was faced with the tough challenges of Renato Moicano and veteran Francisco Trinaldo.

    Having entered the win column in the UFC for the first time last October, a triumph that came in the form of a first-round TKO victory over Khama Worthy, Herbert will hope to continue his momentum by adding the first blemish to Topuria’s record in front of a home crowd.

    Herbert initially appeared set to meet Mike Davis on the March 19 card. However, with the 29-year-old’s reluctance to fight overseas, “The Black Country Banger” was left searching for a new foe, one that’s come in the form of an unbeaten divisional newcomer.

    With Herbert’s place on the card set, he’ll join fellow Brits like Tom Aspinall, Arnold Allen, Paddy Pimblett, Paul Craig, and Molly McCann in London, as well as prominent international fighters like Dan Hooker, Gunnar Nelson, and Nikita Krylov.

    Listed below are the fights currently expected to go down on March 19 in London, England:

    Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall (heavyweight main event)

    Dan Hooker vs. Arnold Allen (featherweight)

    Paul Craig vs. Nikita Krylov (light heavyweight)

    Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Sergei Pavlovich (heavyweight)

    Jack Shore vs. Timur Valiev (bantamweight)

    Paddy Pimblett vs. Kazula Vargas (lightweight)

    Gunnar Nelson vs. Claudio Silva (welterweight)

    Nathanial Wood vs. Liudvik Sholinian (bantamweight)

    Ilia Topuria vs. Jai Herbert (lightweight)

    Makwan Amirkhani vs. Mike Grundy (featherweight)

    Molly McCann vs. Luana Carolina (women’s flyweight)

    Cody Durden vs. Muhammad Mokaev (flyweight)

    Cory McKenna vs. Elise Reed (women’s strawweight)

    Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC London, Ilia Topuria or Jai Herbert?

  • Adrian Yanez’s Twitter Hacked, Fans Scammed By Fake Giveaway

    UFC fighter Adrian Yanez suffered a Twitter hacking earlier this week, resulting in many fans getting financially scammed in a fake giveaway.

    It all started when a post from Yanez’s accounts allegedly posted a giveaway of a PlayStation 5 gaming console and a glove. This prompted many fans to message the account and provide the Yanez imposter with banking information to enter the giveaway.

    After fans would provide their banking information, the imposter would block them from accessing and contacting Yanez’s account.

    One Twitter user going by Rudy Sanchez called out the scam on social media, prompting many fans to question the validity of the giveaway and Yanez’s recent posts.

    “Please don’t fall for the PS5 and glove!” Sanchez said. “This is a scam, people are really out here getting [scammed] left and right. Adrian Yanez got hacked on [Twitter] and Instagram.”

    Shortly after many fans complained about getting scammed, Yanez spoke out on his Twitter after getting his account back.

    “My Twitter was hacked yesterday,” Yanez said. “I didn’t get access til just a moment ago. If you’ve gotten scammed, please reach out to your bank immediately and dispute the transaction.”

    All of the giveaway posts from Yanez’s Twitter and Instagram accounts have been deleted and Yanez has recovered both pages.

    Yanez has a 15-3 professional MMA record and has impressed many UFC fans since his time on Dana White’s Contender Series. After successfully earning a UFC contract, he would go on to win four fights in a row over the likes of Davey Grant and Randy Costa.

    Yanez is arguably one of the most intriguing UFC bantamweight prospects entering 2022 and has been linked to a potential fight with Sean O’Malley. This goes back to when O’Malley called him out on social media last November.

    Coincidentally, UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling was hacked as well this week, but it’s unclear if it was by the same culprit.

    “I’m sorry for anyone that was DM’d from me,” Sterling said. “I was hacked like a JV superstar. I got played and didn’t realize the fake email, being half asleep after training. I hope no one bought anything from that scammer! Let my tweets continue to attack [Petr].”

    Yanez and Sterling aren’t the only ones to have their social media accounts hacked. UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman was infamously hacked back in 2020, with the account sending various threats.

    Has your social media ever been hacked?

  • Khamzat Chimaev Tells Daniel Cormier Why He’s Better Than Him

    Khamzat Chimaev has fired back after former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier doubted the welterweight’s chances of defeating middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya.

    In last weekend’s pay-per-view main event, Adesanya extended his rule over the 185-pound weight class with a unanimous decision victory over Robert Whittaker. With the triumph, “The Last Stylebender” improved his unbeaten middleweight record and added a fourth title defense to his immaculate rĂ©sumĂ©.

    But despite the win, not everyone was impressed. In the aftermath, former flyweight and bantamweight king Henry Cejudo touted Chimaev as the man who can stop Adesanya’s dominance.

    “Borz,” who has expressed a desire to achieve success at both welterweight and middleweight in the past, responded to Cejudo’s prediction by suggesting Adesanya “is not ready to die.”

    While Chimaev’s dominance in the UFC to date has seen him dismantle and finish four opponents, including Gerald Meerschaert at 185 pounds, and gain widespread acclaim as a future welterweight champion, Daniel Cormier believes his success will be limited to 170 pounds for as long as Adesanya is on the middleweight throne.

    During a recent episode of ESPN MMA’s DC & RC, the former heavyweight and light heavyweight titleholder suggested Chimaev’s downfall in a fight against Adesanya would be his nature to “rush” and search for an early finish.

    “I’ve been hearing Chimaev from a lot of people. Cejudo said it this morning. My problem with Chimaev is: Chimaev’s going to rush, and because he’ll rush to get Izzy out of there, he’s gonna get himself into trouble,” said Cormier. “I don’t know if Chimaev is the guy because he’s obviously smaller (than Adesanya). But his style won’t allow for him to sit back with Adesanya.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    If there’s one man you have to expect a response from when discussing a future defeat for him, it’s Chimaev…

    Chimaev To Cormier: “I’m Not You”

    Before he even responded directly to Cormier, Chimaev has previously discussed one of the last remaining questions about his ability and potential: his conditioning.

    Having never fought beyond the second minute of the second round in the UFC, and having finished three of his foes in the opening frame, many have questioned whether Chimaev can maintain his level of dominance and intense output across three or five rounds.

    “Borz” recently answered those questions in an interview with RT Sport MMA by claiming he actually improves in the later rounds. Acknowledging Cormier’s “rush” theory, the Chechen-born Swede suggested he becomes more technical and calculated when he enters deeper waters because he’s too explosive and energetic at the start of fights.

    With that belief in mind, it’s no surprise to see Chimaev shut Cormier’s prediction down emphatically. In a post on Twitter, the #11-ranked welterweight contender had a simple response: “I’m not you.”

    “@dc_mma for you and your team, it may be a problem, but not for me. If you think he might be a problem for me let him try to stop me. Do you know why I am better than you? because I’m not you, I’m different”

    As it stands, with compatriot Kamaru Usman on the welterweight throne, Adesanya is safe from below. But if Chimaev dispatches Gilbert Burns, a matchup that’s long been rumored and is expected for the coming months, and continues his unbeaten form all the way to one belt, “The Last Stylebender” may well be met with a puzzle unsolved by anyone during Borz’s pursuit of another.

    Although with their latest exchange, perhaps that previously discussed Cormier vs. Chimaev wrestling match will come first…

    How do you think a fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Israel Adesanya would play out?

  • Kayla Harrison Tired Of Free Agency Process: “I’m Ready To Fight”

    Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison is ready to be done with the business aspect of fighting and focus solely on competing and training.

    It’s reportedly been a wild ride for Harrison during her first experience with free agency on a massive scale. She was originally reported to be close to re-signing with the PFL, but the door has reopened due to a recent alleged roadblock in negotiations.

    After also admitting that the UFC’s offer to sign her was a case of bad timing, the biggest platform in MMA doesn’t seem completely out of the running. Harrison has also teased a potential fight against UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Harrison was blunt when asked about the status of her free agency and speculation regarding her next move.

    “I’m getting real sick of it at this point,” Harrison said. “I can’t comment on where I’m going or what I’m doing, but I can comment that I’m getting real sick of it. So whoever wants me, I’m ready to fight. I’m ready to sign on the dotted line, get a contract, get a fight booked. I’m tired of talking about it. I’d like to find either a new home or I’d like to talk to PFL and continue to make them my home. But I’d like to get this done sooner rather than later.”

    Harrison went on to elaborate on the ups and downs that come with the free agency process and the pressures that come with it.

    Kayla Harrison
    Kayla Harrison, Image Credit: Gregory Payan/Associated Press

    “I mean, at first, it was kinda fun. You know, you go to the dances, you go get wined and dined
you feel special, everyone’s interested in you, you’re the new kid. But at this point, I know the fans are sick of it, I know the media is sick of it, I’m sick of it,” Harrison admitted. “I know the promotions are all like, ‘Where the hell is she going? Let’s figure this out.’ And I know that patience is a virtue and it’s something that I sorely lack. But at this point, I would really just—I already had to take a year off almost from fighting because of COVID, so I don’t want to waste any time, you know? I’m here for a good time, not a long time. I want to get back in there and keep getting better.”

    Harrison capped off another dominant season in the PFL with a win over Taylor Guardado at the 2021 PFL Championships. She also earned first-round finishes over Genah Fabian, Cindy Dandois, and Mariana Morais in the PFL cage.

    Harrison has competed at lightweight for virtually her entire MMA career except for a featherweight bout against Courtney King in Invicta FC. While it’s unclear where she’ll compete next in MMA, she appears ready to focus on the fighting part of the fight game.

    Who do you want Kayla Harrison to sign with in free agency?

  • Israel Adesanya: Khamzat Chimaev Is Not Relevant

    Israel Adesanya has issued a response/non-response to the ever-querulous Khamzat Chimaev.

    At UFC 271, Israel Adesanya turned in another successful middleweight title defense when he defeated Robert Whittaker for the second time. His performance was met with mixed reviews, but there was nothing complimentary at all coming from rising star Khamzat Chimaev.

    Chimaev began his UFC career with an eye on both the welterweight and middleweight championships. When he returned to action in October 2021, he had committed to focusing solely on the welterweight division.

    But Borz just cannot help himself. He is always hungry when looking at gold on other warriors’ plates, especially when the owner has competed in a division that is familiar to him.

    Chimaev Says Adesanya Would Be “Easy” Work, Adesanya Responds

    UFC 243 takeaways: Adesanya's perfect night and next fight with Costa
    Israel Adesanya

    After Adesanya’s UFC 271 victory, in a since-removed tweet due to violating Twitter rules, Chimaev posted:

    “@stylebender easy money for me, 0 wrestling. 1 round I’m gonna kill him.”

    When told about Chimaev’s tweet at the UFC 271 post-fight press conference, Adesanya responded with one word, two letters: “OK.”

    In a sit-down interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Adesanya would have more to say—about why he doesn’t have more to say.

    “I mean, he’s not really relevant right now,” Adesanya explained. “I don’t have to take him seriously till I have to take him seriously. Like, his last fight, I was impressed with. I was like, ‘Yo, that guy’s good.’ But there’s levels. So we’ll see how he does with Gilbert [Burns]. And he’s only fought like one middleweight fight that I’ve seen. And I’m just like, ‘Who has he fought?’”

    Khamzat Chimaev is currently 10-0 as a professional and 4-0 in the UFC. He is also 4-0 in career middleweight bouts. His lone middleweight victory in the UFC came against Gerald Meerschaert via one single punch. His only win over a ranked opponent was in a welterweight contest against Li Jingliang at UFC 267.

    Still, Adesanya acknowledges that Chimaev has talent. Even with the relatively small sample size, that would be hard for anyone to deny. But at the same time, the reigning middleweight king feels “Borz” has a lot more to prove until he is worthy of his attention.

    “And he can beat a lot of middleweights, I’ll tell you that much—a lot of top-level middleweights,” Adesanya said. “But I don’t have to take him seriously until I have to take him seriously.”

    As Adesanya alluded, Chimaev is currently expected to fight Gilbert Burns next, but that bout has not yet been announced. Adesanya is expected to fight next this summer against Jared Cannonier.

    What are your thoughts on Israel Adesanya’s comments about Khamzat Chimaev?

  • McKee vs. Pitbull II & Nemkov vs. Anderson Final Booked For April 15

    A massive Bellator double-header is booked for April 15 when AJ McKee vs. Patricio Pitbull II and Vadim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson take place in the SAP Center in San Jose, California.

    AJ McKee’s run as the Bellator featherweight champion has just begun, but he will already be facing a familiar foe. McKee will be matched up with the man he defeated to become that champion, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.

    Both McKee and Pitbull fought their way through the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix last year to make it to the finals. On July 31, 2021, the two met in the final with the featherweight belt and one million dollars on the line. Pitbull was holding the strap coming in, but it would be McKee who would walk out with it. He was able to stop Freire by submission in the first round.

    McKee was on the last fight of his Bellator contract, but winning the title renewed it. He will now begin his title reign against a very formidable foe. Prior to losing the featherweight title, Pitbull was simultaneously holding the lightweight belt as well. He decided to vacate that 155-pound belt so that his brother could have a shot at it. Now without any belt, Pitbull will be coming in hard against McKee to regain what he lost.

    McKee has spent his entire professional career with Bellator. He started as a 0-0 prospect and worked his way up to the very top. Scott Coker believes that he may be the best featherweight in the world at this point. There is no love lost between these two as Pitbull is adamant that he was not finished by McKee in their first meeting.

    In the co-main event, we will see the finals of the light heavyweight grand prix when defending champion Vadim Nemkov takes on Corey Anderson. To reach this point, Nemkov defeated Phil Davis and Julius Anglickas while Anderson defeated Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov and Ryan Bader, both via TKO.

    Which two fighters do you think will emerge victorious in this massive double-header?

  • Bobby Green Replaces Beneil Dariush To Face Makhachev Feb. 26

    Bobby Green will be replacing Beneil Dariush to face Islam Makhachev in the new UFC Fight Night main event on February 26.

    Ariel Helwani was the first to break the news of Dariush pulling out of the fight. Dariush is citing an ankle injury as the reason for his withdrawal. Hours later, ESPN confirmed that Bobby Green will serve as Dariush’s replacement in what will now be a catchweight bout at 160 lbs.

    The Feb. 26 headliner between Makhachev and Dariush was expected by many to serve as a lightweight title eliminator to determine who would challenge champion Charles Oliveira next.

    Beneil Dariush has won seven consecutive fights and was considered to be a very challenging stylistic matchup for Makhachev. Dariush has proven that he is more than willing to stand and bang with bonus-worthy performances, but what made this pairing most intriguing is the fact that Dariush is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is considered one of the best grapplers in the UFC. Given Makhachev’s grappling-heavy style, this match was considered a strong example of “something’s gotta give.”

    Islam Makhachev is currently enjoying an incredible nine-fight winning streak. A win here would have not only made for a 10th straight victory but would have finally included that elusive win over a top-5 opponent that many have demanded of him. During this winning streak, Makhachev has defeated names like Thiago Moisés, Drew Dober, and most recently Dan Hooker.

    Scouring the scoring: Round 3 of UFC 265's Bobby Green vs. Rafael Fiziev - Bloody Elbow
    Bobby Green

    Enter Bobby Green. Green is currently unranked but he has just turned in two exceptional back-to-back performances, including TKOing Al Iaquinta in the first round at UFC 268 and then putting on a striking showcase at the expense of Nasrat Hasparast last weekend at UFC 271.

    Coincidentally, the UFC 271 commentating team had lobbied for Bobby Green to be booked in his first UFC main event. Perhaps the MMA gods listened as this idea gained public backing before they granted their own official approval.

    While it is unclear if a win for Makhachev would be enough for a title shot, it is certain that a win for Bobby Green here would be career-changing and earn him a strong presence in the lightweight rankings.

    Who do you think will win between Islam Makhachev and Bobby Green on February 26?

  • Kevin Holland On Sean Strickland: “I Think I Got The Bigger C**k”

    Kevin Holland has fired back after middleweight contender Sean Strickland detailed an altercation they had at the UFC Performance Institute earlier this month.

    If there’s one man who doesn’t struggle to ruffle feathers and form feuds outside the Octagon, it’s Strickland. If there’s a second, it’s Holland. With that in mind and with both men’s vocal presence on social media, an exchange and rivalry were always likely.

    In an interview ahead of Strickland’s latest outing, a five-round victory over Jack Hermansson at UFC Vegas 47, “Trailblazer” made his negative feelings about “Tarzan” common knowledge. That led to an interaction at the PI during fight week.

    According to the #6-ranked middleweight, Holland confronted him with a “popped out” chest and was looking for a fight but shied away after Strickland invited him to the parking lot for a “man dance.”

    While speaking to the media at UFC 271 this past weekend, Holland gave his side of the story. Explaining his reluctance to scrap Strickland in the parking lot, “Big Mouth” suggested they could have made the most of the PI’s facilities for an animosity-fueled sparring session.

    “I seen him at the PI, and he had said some stuff online about murdering me or something like that if we ever have a fight,” recounted Holland. “So, when I see him, I was just checking his energy. He said I had my chest poked out, but as you guys see me on camera all the time, I have a bird chest. It’s kind of hard to poke this thing out. So, (I) walked up to the man, and I wasn’t trying to say nothing to him. He was speaking to me like we were friends or something. I was just looking at him like he was fucking crazy.

    “He said something stupid, so I probably said something stupid back,” added Holland. “Little words got exchanged. He said something about going to the parking lot. But if I’m not mistaken, there’s a full-blown Octagon and a boxing ring upstairs, and we could easily make it a sparring session. That way the UFC doesn’t lose money by somebody getting their head bashed in in the parking lot.”

    While Holland no doubt thinks he can match Strickland’s in-fight trash talk and go toe-to-toe with him on the mic, there’s one area he says he boasts a size advantage…

    “I think I got the bigger cock.”

    Holland Ready To Offer Strickland A Rebound Opportunity

    While their back and forth and in-person exchange would have set the stage nicely for a grudge match inside the cage, the pair are currently at very different points on the UFC ladder.

    On a six-fight win streak and coming off his second consecutive main event triumph, Strickland has risen into title contention and is perhaps just one victory away from a date with champion Israel Adesanya.

    Holland, meanwhile, is winless in his last three and set to move down to welterweight to face “Cowboy” Alex Oliveira at UFC 272 next month.

    But despite their opposite paths in the promotion right now, Holland is harboring hope of a clash down the line. He even offered to be waiting with a rebound opportunity for Strickland if the Anaheim native earns a title shot and is beaten by “The Last Stylebender.”

    “Yeah, I would love to do that fight,” Holland further told the media. “Sean’s on a really good winning streak right now, and Sean’s making really good waves in the middleweight division. I’m no dummy, we all know Sean’s probably close to a title shot. There’s not very many people for Izzy to fight at 185. Once Izzy knocks him the fuck out and he needs a rebound fight, here I am baby. Another tall, lanky guy ready to take that ass.”

    If Holland can resurrect his career at 170 pounds and return to middleweight in the future, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see him throw down with Strickland.

    Would you like to see Kevin Holland and Sean Strickland settle their differences inside the Octagon down the line?

  • Amanda Nunes Shares More Details Behind Decision To Leave ATT

    UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion Amanda Nunes has further explained her decision to part ways with the American Top Team gym.

    Before December 2021, it was perhaps difficult to imagine Nunes, the then-two-division champion, being in a position to make changes to her preparation outside the Octagon in order to rebound from a crushing loss.

    The woman who made that unlikely scenario a reality was Julianna Peña.

    At UFC 269, the final pay-per-view of last year, “The Venezuelan Vixen” defied the odds to end Nunes’ 12-fight win streak, hand the Brazilian her first taste of defeat since 2014, and take home the bantamweight gold.

    Following the result, which was branded by many as the greatest upset in UFC history, it was revealed that Nunes had decided to leave the renowned American Top Team gym, which had been her training home since 2014 and for the duration of her remarkable reign over both the 145 and 135-pound weight classes.

    During a media scrum earlier this month, Nunes explained her departure, which came as a surprise to many given the immense success she achieved at the Coconut Creek, Florida-based facility.

    The “Lioness” revealed that, regardless of her recent setback, opening her own private training space was always the target.

    “I always wanted to open a private spot, you know. I never said I’m gonna open a gym to compete against (ATT), that never came out my mouth,” said Nunes. “But I’ve always wanted to have like, a private space for me. Because, even at American Top Team, I always did my thing separately. I had my time to go and have the coach there waiting for me to help me with my camp. So, it was always like that.

    “It was always in my head that one day, I want to have (my own) space,” added Nunes. “I wanna see all my victories on the wall, putting my logo (up). Honestly, I feel like a lot of fighters wanna do that at some point in their career. This is the moment for me. I wanna go on my own for a little bit.”

    Nunes Says The Door Is Still Open For Her At ATT

    With that in mind, Nunes confirmed that there has been no break or souring in relations between herself and the coaching, ownership, and team over at ATT. Instead, the reigning featherweight queen suggested the door is still open for her to enter the gym to train at any time.

    “American Top Team, together we did amazing things. All the coaches, the gym, the owner Dan Lambert; I feel like we did everything for each other. But now, for me, for my head, for now I feel like I should go do what I really want. I feel like I deserve to do what I want to do. It’s nothing to do with the gym. Actually, we’re still good. I can still walk in the gym and train whenever I want. I didn’t close the door because (nothing) happened. I did it my way, but we did a lot of things together. We made history together,” Nunes concluded.

    Despite maintaining a good relationship with individuals at ATT, including longtime head coach Mike Brown, Nunes will be employing the help of some former ATT mentors for her upcoming stint as a coach on this year’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter, namely wrestling coach Kami Barzini and Roger Krahl.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZkxe7fPyiM/

    As well as entering the fight at 100% and injury free, something she says wasn’t the case prior to UFC 269, Nunes will be hoping that some fresh faces in her camp will help her rebound immediately in 2022 and secure redemption against Peña.

    Do you think Amanda Nunes can exact revenge on Julianna Peña in their rematch later this year?

  • Johnny Walker Promises Return Of “Explosive” & “Unpredictable” Walker

    UFC light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker is expecting to deliver an “explosive” and “unpredictable” performance against Jamahal Hill this weekend.

    Throughout his UFC career so far, we’ve pretty much come to expect those words to be incorporated into Walker’s game plan. From his brutal elbows against Khalil Rountree to his flying knee against Misha Cirkunov, not many fighters on the promotion’s roster, barring his compatriot Michel Pereira, have fans waiting for something crazy quite like the #10-ranked 205lber.

    However, that was far from the case in his last outing. In the UFC Vegas 38 main event last October, Walker had his chance to break through into the elite of the division against former title challenger Thiago Santos. What was billed as a five-round thriller turned out to be the opposite, and saw the 29-year-old fall on the wrong side of a unanimous decision verdict.

    Now set for another main event chance this Saturday thanks to the postponement of Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rafael Fiziev, Walker will be hoping to return to the win column, and to his unique and enthralling approach, against fellow rising contender Hill.

    During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Walker suggested sharing the Octagon with a fellow Brazilian last time out may have played a part in his toned-down performance.

    With that not being an issue this time around, the Rio de Janeiro native is targeting a return to his “explosive” style on February 19.

    “I’ve trained so much. I’m gonna put everything on the edge of my glove this Saturday,” said Walker. “And I’m gonna do my best. I’m gonna be very professional. I’m gonna use all my level, all my experience. I’m gonna be explosive, I’m gonna be unpredictable, I’m gonna use all my weapons, and I’m gonna take my time as well. I’m just gonna be another level.”

    Walker Expects An Early Finish

    Despite suggesting he’ll be taking his time and not going too crazy inside the Apex on Saturday, Walker did still predict an early finish, especially if Hill decides to throw everything at him from the get-go.

    “I have no idea (how many rounds), I don’t ask, I just wanna fight. I don’t care if it’s three, five; I can fight 20 rounds,” claimed Walker. “I don’t need that much (five). If this guy (Hill) wants to come with everything then I will as well, so I’m gonna finish the fight early.”

    While Walker certainly presents a unique challenge to anyone when he’s at his best and most bizarre self, Hill told MMA News he’s preparing for everything.

    Fresh off a knockout against Jimmy Crute, and having seen his rival be finished by Corey Anderson and heavily rocked by Ryan Spann, “Sweet Dreams” will have plans of his own for a quick night at UFC Vegas 48.

    Who do you think will have their hand raised in this weekend’s main event, Johnny Walker or Jamahal Hill?

  • Watch: MMA Fighter Suffers Nasty Head Gash Due To “Faulty Cage”

    Amateur MMA fighter Hunter Boone is recovering from a head gash he reportedly received during a match with the Martial Combat League.

    The bout took place on February 12. Boone faced Jordan Brown at Martial Combat League 3, and within 17 seconds, the match came to a stop.

    After both fighters rushed each other, Boone’s head collided with the cage. Immediately, he fell to the ground. Boone fought back, somewhat, with his opponent on top of him, but a moment of stiffness caused the ref to end the match.

    You can check out the video below.

    “A few seconds after the bell rung Hunter and his opponent spun into the cage,” coach Jason Greer wrote on Facebook. “His opponent had a collar tie and as they hit the fence, Hunter’s head slammed into the gate resulting in Hunter suffering a 20-centimeter gash across the front of his hairline from the left to the right, down the right side and towards the back basically scalping him,” said Greer according to MMA Fighting.

    The shocking loss comes after two round 1 finishes, a ghastly end to the fighter’s 2-fight win streak in his amateur career.

    Boone is reportedly okay, nursing the 17 staples in his head.

    Hunter Boone
    Hunter Boone, Photo Credit: Hunter Boone

    Fellow gym partner, Jesse Dalton, believes the gash was the cause of a faulty cage. However, Martial Combat League put out a statement insisting their cage was in standard condition prior to and after the match.

    “We understand and appreciate everyone’s concern on what happened and our hearts are with the individual who was injured in this incident,” Martial Combat League officials wrote on Facebook. “We were in just as much shock as anyone when this occurred. We assembled our cage no differently than we have for each of our previous events. It is our understanding that the sanctioning commission of the event inspected the cage prior to the show. No issues with the cage were brought to our attention by the sanctioning commission…” said MCL.

    Hopefully, it is a speedy recovery and the “Alpha Wolf” can get his MMA career back on track.

    What are your thoughts on Boone’s horrific injury?

  • Kayla Harrison Admits Sadness At Estranged Relationship With Rousey

    Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has admitted she’s saddened by her broken relationship with former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.

    While Rousey has left the sport after holding gold on its biggest stage and pioneering the rise of female MMA into the mainstream, Harrison is currently forging her own legacy inside the cage.

    After transitioning to MMA following two gold medal triumphs at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, Harrison made a splash in the rising PFL promotion. Now approaching her fourth year in the sport, the 31-year-old sits as the most sought-after free agent in the game after back-to-back championships in 2019 and 2021.

    But while Harrison continues to pummel her competition and perhaps gets set for a move to the UFC or Bellator, she’s creating her success in the sport without former friend Rousey by her side.

    During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Harrison discussed her current relationship with Rousey, whom she was roommates and good friends with when the pair were part of the US judo team together over a decade ago, long before “Rowdy” gained celebrity status.

    After admitting that they aren’t friends anymore, Harrison suggested the turn of events is saddening, especially given how Rousey helped her during the Ohio native’s teen years.

    “No, I think we kinda are like, I don’t think we’re friends anymore. I don’t know. We’re estranged, that’s the perfect word,” Harrison said. “We were roommates, you know. We traveled the world together at one point. She was buying me groceries cause I was a poor 16-year-old with like, five bucks in my account. So, at one point I really looked up to her and we were close. So, it is sad.”

    Harrison Comments On Rousey’s WWE Return

    Since her invincibility inside the Octagon was crushed by a Holly Holm head kick in 2015 and an Amanda Nunes onslaught in 2016, Rousey has pursued ventures outside of MMA. That’s included a transition to the art of professional wrestling.

    She made her first WWE appearance early in 2018 before debuting at the company’s showcase event, WrestleMania, later in the year. After winning the Raw Women’s Championship and holding it for 231 days, the 35-year-old’s contract expired.

    After taking time away, a period that included the birth of her first child, Rousey returned to the ring last month.

    During her interaction with ESPN, Harrison reacted to her former roommate’s return to her “fake thing.” She also shut the door on a potential reunion with “Rowdy” on the pro wrestling circuit.

    “I heard she’s back to, ‘Be nice Kayla…’ She’s back to doing her thing, her fake thing [LAUGHS]… Can you imagine if I joined her (in WWE)? … We’d beat the men. Like, legit. It’s never gonna happen,” Harrison stated.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWzAnJLjTh/

    While Rousey begins another stint with WWE, Harrison will be hoping to confirm her immediate future and next destination soon as she gears up for a targeted spring return to the cage.

    It initially appeared another season with the PFL was leading the charge. But an apparent breakdown in negotiations has left the door wide open. Having met with UFC officials in previous months, perhaps we’ll see Harrison pursue similar success to Rousey on MMA’s biggest stage soon enough.

    Do you think Kayla Harrison can surpass Ronda Rousey’s achievements and legacy in the sport of MMA?

  • White Puts Tuivasa Into HW Picture Alongside Ngannou, Miocic, & Jones

    UFC President Dana White has assessed where heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa sits in the division following his knockout victory over Derrick Lewis.

    At UFC 271 this past weekend, two of the UFC’s hardest hitters and most prolific KO artists collided. On one side was “The Black Beast” Lewis, the promotion’s KO record holder, who was coming off a main event finish against Chris Daukaus in December. Opposite him was the rising “Bam Bam” Tuivasa, who was coming off four consecutive stoppage wins.

    Inside Houston’s Toyota Center, it was the younger and more durable Tuivasa who had his hand raised. After surviving an onslaught against the cage and firing back with his own bombs, the Australian hurt Lewis in the second round before knocking him out with a brutal elbow.

    White Expects Tuivasa To Be “Mixing It Up” With The Best

    Entering 2020, Tuivasa was on a three-fight losing skid following consecutive defeats to Junior dos Santos, Blagoy Ivanov, and Sergey Spivak, and his place in the promotion looked insecure.

    Having rebounded with victories over Stefan Struve and Harry Hunsucker, re-entered the rankings with memorable 2021 KO’s of Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai, and now joined the elite conversation with a thunderous stoppage against two-time heavyweight title challenger Lewis, the sky appears to be the limit for “Bam Bam.”

    That’s a sentiment that was shared by Dana White at the UFC 271 press conference. When asked where the Aussie’s latest win puts him in the division, the UFC President said he expects Tuivasa to experience a heavy rise up the heavyweight ladder come the next rankings update.

    “Well, you guys are gonna rank him. But yeah, I mean, he should be top three, top five,” said White. “So wherever he shakes out in the rankings, yeah, he’ll be mixing it up with those guys.”

    Indeed, yesterday it was confirmed that Tuivasa is ranked #3 in the heavyweight division. When assessing how the title picture now shapes up, White placed Tuivasa alongside reigning champion Francis Ngannou, consensus heavyweight GOAT Stipe Miocic, and former two-time light heavyweight king Jon Jones.

    “We’ll see here pretty soon how this all plays out: Jones, Stipe, Francis, and Tai now, too.”

    Not bad company is it?

    From his pop classic walkouts to his post-fight shoeys to his brutal KO power, Tuivasa has captured the attention of just about every MMA fan and has grown to be perhaps the only universally loved fighter in the UFC.

    But if his latest win shows the rest of the division anything, it’s that he’s not just an entertainer who likes a beer, he’s a bona fide title contender on the hunt for gold.

    Who would you like to see Tai Tuivasa share the Octagon with next?

  • Former UFC Fighter Mike Swick Announces He’s Battling Cancer

    On February 16, Mike Swick announced his battle with cancer on Instagram.

    Mike Swick first graced the MMA cage in 1998. His exceptional debut was won by a round 1 rear-naked choke. From there, Swick continued to be a phenomenal contender in the welterweight and middleweight divisions.

    After taking a loss in his WEC debut, Swick showed up a few months later for redemption in his first UFC appearance. In only 20 seconds of the first round, he knocked out Alex Schoenauer.

    Swick certainly lived up to the name. “Quick” finished eight fights inside of round 1, mostly by knockout. Out of his 15 wins, only four went to decision.

    His last bout was in 2015 where he took his 6th professional loss in the octagon against Alex Garcia.

    Two years later, Mike teased a matchup between him and UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes. The bout would have been both fighters’ return to the cage. A fight with Hughes was Swick’s dream during the prime of his career, but, unfortunately, the match never took off.

    Now retired, Swick is the founder and owner of Boxing Boyz, a metaverse boxing platform. He also owns the MMA gym AKA Thailand. Additionally, he has served as the host and creator of the “Real Quick With Mike Swick Podcast.”

    On Wednesday, Swick spoke on Instagram about his cancer diagnosis and recovery.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CaCrBtXhVmw/

    “Anyway, for those wondering where I have been the last 5 weeks, I been battling Cancer in the toughest and most aggressive battle I have ever had. Started with a 48 hour water fast, then the first Chemo session with an additional 24 hour water fast, then a day of solid plant based organic food, followed by another chemo and fast, then plant based again, keeping this routine until the week was over. From then I kept Chemo every other day for the next 3 weeks while eating only plant based organic cancer killing foods daily.”

    “I will get a scan and update in just over a week but I decided not to hide this. I want everyone to watch as I beat this BS and recover myself back to 100% with a full recovery. So stay tuned
”

    Swick ensures everyone he is staying strong through recovery and will continue to keep fans up-to-date. Many left hopeful and encouraging comments to send positive vibes to the MMA veteran.

    What’s your all-time favorite Mike Swick moment?

  • Sean O’Malley Has “Learned” Not To Speak Negatively About Fighter Pay

    Sean O’Malley says he should be taking it easy on bashing the UFC pay system, but he still wants his fair share.

    Sean O’Malley is one of the more popular fighters on the UFC roster. He is loved by many fans and gets a lot of recognition from the media. He demands attention inside the cage and out, and that makes him marketable to the UFC. O’Malley knows all this and would like to see his pay reflect what he brings to the table.

    O’Malley spoke recently about fighter pay. The topic has been at the forefront of MMA discussion as of late and O’Malley gave his thought about it. He believes that fighters who don’t put up numbers are not going to be paid well. However, he knows that he is a draw and wants to be paid as such.

    But perhaps his speaking publicly about this is not the right way to go about getting his wishes.

    “It’s a good question, I get asked it a lot. I learned to not say anything negative about it. This will probably get click-baited, ‘Sean doesn’t think the UFC pays him’ or some s’, but like a lot of the times, yeah. I’m in a different position where I have two fights left in my contract,” O’Malley said on his podcast, Timbo Sugar Show (via Sportskeeda). “The contract I’m on right now, I get paid decent, but in two fights, Dana went on record and said, ‘Hey, we need to f–ing pay him’ which is rare because Dana never says that. So I think I’m going to get a good contract after these two fights.”

    Fighter pay was not the only money topic O’Malley weighted in on recently, as he spoke about the rise in PPV prices as well. Too much criticism is not good for any employee, and it seems that is what O’Malley is getting at. However, he is not just going to lay down and allow the UFC to steamroll him. He wants to be paid like one of the more important fighters because he believes that’s what he is.

    “That’s why I argue that I should be getting f—ing paid more. Because dude, I mean realistically, whoever I’m fighting next, I don’t have to sell that fight because I’m not gonna get paid any more if five people watch it or a million people watch it,” O’Malley explained. “There should be incentives there
 You do if you’re in the main event and you get pay-per-view points. Like Izzy [Israel Adesanya] will probably get pay-per-view points because he’s the champ. Robert Whittaker probably won’t because he’s fighting for the belt. But like even in my position, I should get pay-per-view points because I can sell fights.”

    O’Malley recently saw his way into the top 15 of the bantamweight rankings. However, despite not being ranked until recently, he has been featured on six main cards and all on PPV events, once he was even in the co-main.

    O’Malley definitely has drawing power, and he plans to use it to his advantage. All things considered, it would seem unlikely that the UFC will not be paying up.

    Do you think Sean O’Malley has a point about fighters getting paid, and himself needing more?

  • Coach Debunks Rogan’s Theory Of Adesanya Breaking Hand At UFC 271

    Israel Adesanya’s head coach Eugene Bareman has shut down Joe Rogan’s in-fight assessment that the UFC champion broke his hand at UFC 271.

    Adesanya earned a unanimous decision win over former champion Robert Whittaker in the UFC 271 main event. He utilized an efficient striking attack to out-pace Whittaker, especially in the later rounds.

    Eyebrows were raised when Rogan texted play-by-play commentator Jon Anik in the middle of the broadcast that he thought Adesanya had broken his right hand. Adesanya appeared to curl his right hand and not be as active with it as the fight went on.

    During a recent interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Bareman clarified Adesanya’s reasoning for the inactivity with his right hand.

    “No, that’s more to do with something that happened in Rounds 2 through 4, trying to get that right-hand side going,” Bareman said. “But for whatever reason, Robert was making Israel a little anxious to throw not just the right hand but the right side in terms of the leg going a little bit. [Israel] said not just the right side in terms of the upper body moving, but there was a block there that [Israel] tried to mitigate [his] way through each round. But for whatever reason, [he] wasn’t able to successfully get that right hand going the way we wanted to. So it wasn’t about a broken hand or anything, it was [mental].”

    Rogan was absent from the commentary team due to an unknown conflict. It was originally reported by some outlets that it was due to a scheduling issue, but UFC President Dana White has since shut that theory down.

    Adesanya has now successfully defended his title four times since knocking out Whittaker at UFC 243. He also challenged for the light heavyweight title against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 but fell short in a decision.

    Bareman has clarified Adesanya’s health status with his hand and it sounds like the middleweight champion is still anticipating a return for some time this summer.

    Who do you want to see Israel Adesanya fight next in 2022?

  • Khabib Thinks Ngannou Should Box Fury Just For Money, Not For Sport

    Former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou should box Tyson Fury for the big payday.

    Ngannou has alluded to moving to boxing down the line, potentially when his current UFC deal comes to a close. He’s been at odds with the UFC brass regarding a new deal and has advocated for changing the promotion’s pay structure.

    During a recent interview with Sky Sports, Nurmagomedov gave his thoughts on the potential Fury vs. Ngannou crossover fight.

    “If they fight in the UFC yeah, Fury doesn’t have too many chances,” Nurmagomedov said. “But in boxing, I don’t see anyone even touching his face—maybe Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk is going to be a tough challenge for Fury. But Ngannou? I think he has to stay with the UFC. But if he goes to boxing and he’s making 50 or 60 million dollars— he has to. Why not?

    “I know Ngannou comes from a very, very poor life in Africa. He was with no money, no home, nothing. So if someone pays you more money then go and take.” (h/t The Sun)

    Nurmagomedov was reportedly offered $100 million to box Floyd Mayweather at the end of his UFC run, but he turned it down. Nurmagomedov would retire in 2020 following a win over Justin Gaethje.

    Ngannou most recently defended his UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. He suffered a significant knee injury leading up to the event and is expected to miss some time following surgery.

    Fury most recently defeated Deontay Wilder in their trilogy last year and has been in negotiations to fight Dillian Whyte next. Nevertheless, both Ngannou and Fury have traded barbs on social media and are interested in a future clash.

    Do you want to see Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou?

  • Casey O’Neill Is Ready To Be “The Best Bad Guy You’ve Ever Seen”

    UFC women’s flyweight Casey O’Neill doubled down on her “bad guy” affirmation following her victory over Roxanne Modafferi at UFC 271.

    At Saturday’s pay-per-view in Houston, Texas, O’Neill extended her unbeaten professional record to 9-0, added an established name to her rĂ©sumĂ©, and climbed three spots to #12 on the 125-pound ladder.

    She accomplished those feats by securing a split-decision victory over the retiring Modafferi on the February 12 prelims, although you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone other than judge Robert Alexander who scored the fight in favor of “The Happy Warrior.”

    While the pre-fight and immediate post-fight narrative centered around the final hurrah of one of the pioneers of women’s MMA, “King Casey” carved her own storyline during her Octagon interview with Daniel Cormier. When telling the crowd to not boo her failed to do the trick, the Scottish-Australian prospect embraced her villainy and flipped the bird to the sold-out Toyota Center.

    During her appearance at the post-fight press conference, O’Neill re-affirmed her willingness to play the ‘heel’ role, claiming she’ll be the “best bad guy” fans have ever seen.

    “I’m not an American and I’m in America. I have to expect some boos,” admitted O’Neill. “When you’re fighting a fan favorite, it’s to be expected as well. Everybody loves Roxanne. If they want me to be the bad guy, I’ll be the best bad guy you’ve ever seen.”

    O’Neill To UFC 271 Crowd: You’re Drinking Beers While I’m Getting Sh*t Done

    As O’Neill admitted, a frosty reception was to be expected at UFC 271. A young rising contender from outside the US sent a veteran American fighter into retirement with a defeat in Houston; you’d be worried about the crowd if there weren’t boos.

    However, the 24-year-old believes she deserved a little more respect from those in attendance. That, coupled with her frustration at the lack of attention on her own game and progress prior to the event, perhaps led to O’Neill’s explosive post-fight remarks.

    She further told the press following the contest that while it wasn’t a good feeling, those booing her were doing so with a beverage in their hands while she went to work and got “shit done.”

    “That was kinda shit. But it is what it is, you know,” said O’Neill. “At the end of the day, they’re buying tickets and they’re watching me, so, you’re paying me whether you like me or you don’t.

    “Whatever you wanna do, I don’t care… If they wanna boo me, you know, they’re sitting on their seats, watching me, drinking beers, and I’m out there getting shit done. That’s the difference.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-HNZ5vmlt/

    While she perhaps hadn’t reached fan-favorite status prior to UFC 271, O’Neill has certainly had a Macbeth-esque moment with her Octagon interview and subsequent comments. But if there’s one person ready to embrace the ‘heel’ role, it’s “King Casey” O’Neill.

    What did you make of Casey O’Neill’s reaction to the crowd’s boos at UFC 271?

  • Masvidal Reveals Why He Never Considered Covington His Best Friend

    Two-time UFC welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal has revealed why he never considered upcoming opponent and bitter rival Colby Covington his best friend.

    Next month is set to play host to one of the biggest grudge matches possible in the UFC right now. While Covington’s failed championship charge against reigning 170-pound king Kamaru Usman last November included animosity and trash talk, it didn’t have the history “Chaos” shares with Masvidal.

    In the UFC 272 main event, former American Top Team teammates, roommates, and friends Covington and Masvidal will share the Octagon. While a fiery affair inside the cage is expected, a hate-fueled fight week and press conference is almost a certainty.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ7lN9FIHpU/

    Covington and Masvidal’s friendship collapsed a number of years ago. Ever since, we’ve seen both take jabs at each other on social media and through interviews. However, “Gamebred” has now expanded on the relationship he shared with the former interim titleholder.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura, Masvidal, who still trains at ATT, suggested he never considered Covington his “best friend.” According to the Miami native, his former training partner’s attitude towards his family was a big reason behind that.

    “There’s numerous interviews of him calling me his best friend. I really wouldn’t do that because I would see signs—the way he treated his family, the way he’d talk about his sister, the way he talked about his mom,” said Masvidal. “I was like, ‘Mmm
’

    “There’s three sides to every story: yours, theirs, and the truth. So I was like, ‘Eh, this guy’s interesting.’”

    Masvidal: Covington’s Treatment Of Woodley Revealed His True Character

    I Was Like a Mentor to Him" - Tyron Woodley Opens Up On His Past Relationship With Colby Covington - Sportsmanor

    But Masvidal says Covington’s family remarks weren’t the only red flag. He went on to cite the #1-ranked welterweight’s treatment of former champion Tyron Woodley as another sign he perceived to be a warning of Covington’s true nature.

    While Covington has previously claimed “The Chosen One” hired him for his UFC 174 clash with Rory MacDonald simply to tee off on him as a sparring partner, Masvidal has a different side to the story.

    According to “Gamebred,” Woodley did a lot to help Covington while he was an amateur, yet Covington still opted to trash his former teammate anyway.

    “Woodley, I was there for the whole thing. The Jon Jones (fallout), I wasn’t there in college with them. But the whole Woodley thing, I was,” claimed Masvidal. “Woodley brought him out, he was giving him like $1,000 a week, something crazy like that when this guy was an amateur just to train with him for four weeks—sponsors, food—and then he came back just talking shit about Woodley in a negative way.

    “Negative. Not (saying), ‘Man, I got more cardio than him. I got better technical—I’d do against Woodley. I can beat him.’ No, no, no, just talking bad, saying what a piece of crap he was, how many this and how many that and all this nonsense that didn’t need to be said,” Masvidal continued. “So I was like, ‘Man, if this guy’s going around talking about everybody like that, that’s just who he is.’ There’s nobody that he respects whatsoever.”

    With those factors combined, Masvidal says he made the decision to begin distancing himself from Covington. In the end, it was a pay dispute between the Californian and his coach that signaled the end of Masvidal and Covington’s friendship.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZAOICSOQmF/

    Given Masvidal’s interview and Covington’s recent posts on social media, it’s clear the pair won’t be waiting for UFC 272 fight week to begin trading barbs.

    If this is a taste of things to come, which it likely is, fans are set for an explosive pre-fight back and forth and, hopefully, an entertaining PPV main event.

    Who do you think will emerge victorious in the UFC 272 grudge match, Jorge Masvidal or Colby Covington?

  • Fury Sets A Location And Estimated Date For Ngannou Superfight

    Tyson Fury has revealed a potential date and location for a blockbuster crossover boxing clash with UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou.

    Fury and Ngannou have both reached the heavyweight peaks of their respective mountains. While “The Gypsy King” became a two-time world champion by capturing the WBC and The Ring titles with a crushing 2020 victory over Deontay Wilder, “The Predator” reigns over the largest weight class on MMA’s biggest stage after tearing through the division en route to a KO against former titleholder Stipe Miocic.

    While their rises have been parallel in the sports of boxing and MMA, it’s seemed for a while that their paths are likely to cross. Ahead of Ngannou’s latest title defense, a five-round triumph over Ciryl Gane, the Cameroonian made his desire to venture to the squared circle clear.

    After some back and forth on social media and in interviews, Fury appears more than willing to welcome his Octagon counterpart to the ring. That seems even more true given his latest comments.

    During an interview with iFL TV, the Manchester, England native revealed a likely timeframe for the highly-anticipated collision. He suggested the ‘Fight Capital of the World’ could be set to host the clash as early as the first quarter of 2023.

    “I am going to fight Francis Ngannou in Las Vegas next year – in March or February,” said Fury. “There’s been no talks this year, because I have got some boxing to do, But next year we can have some crazy fights.” (h/t DAZN News)

    Given the current situation for both men, Fury’s prediction essentially represents the earliest they could share the ring. While Ngannou is tied to the UFC until December, providing he doesn’t sign a new deal, “The Gypsy King” has matters of his own to tend to.

    The Englishman is set to face mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte in a few months’ time. Beyond that, a unification clash with either Oleksandr Usyk or Anthony Joshua is likely to close out his 2022.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZPKLwJNPYX/

    Fury: Ngannou Fight Will Break PPV Records

    The most memorable and well-known fight between an MMA superstar and an undefeated boxer came in 2017 when Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather fought. Aptly named ‘The Money Fight’, the match attracted 4.3 million pay-per-view buys and saw both men collect $100 million-plus paychecks.

    While it would do well to reach those heights, Fury believes a potential fight with Ngannou would attract similar attention and break PPV records of its own.

    “It’s a massive fight – I believe it breaks all pay-per-view records in the United States. Two heavyweight champions going head to head,” predicted Fury.

    Ngannou’s future is far from clear. However, what appears certain is that boxing is in it. If Dana White and the UFC choose not to be involved, we can expect “The Predator” to say farewell to the promotion and hello to “The Gypsy King” in 2023.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZaACJ9vD-5/

    How do you think Francis Ngannou will fare in the ring against Tyson Fury if this matchup comes to fruition?

  • Harrison Walks Back Comments About Potential Bantamweight Peña Fight

    Kayla Harrison has clarified recently publicized remarks about her interest in moving down to 135 for a fight against UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña.

    As Kayla Harrison’s free agency drags on, there continues to be an abundance of time for imaginations to run rampant about what may be next for the Olympian judoka.

    Not long ago, it appeared as though the answer to that question would be a fourth year with the Professional Fighters League and an attempt at winning the women’s lightweight season for the third consecutive time. However, last week it was revealed that those talks hit a snag, and we are right back where we started with nothing but speculation, scuttlebutt, and
sarcasm?

    According to Kayla Harrison, when she mentioned potentially joining the UFC’s bantamweight division for a fight against reigning champ Julianna Peña, it was mostly a case of sarcasm gone undetected by ESPN journalist Marc Raimondi.

    “I mean, you know, Marc [Raimondi] wrote an article that kinda oversold it a little. [LAUGHS] I was kinda talkin’ shit, like, being goofy. But my goal is obviously not to fight 135 pounds,” Harrison said in a recent interview with MMA Junkie. “Man, you can’t say anything without it—I gotta watch what I say from now on.

    “Obviously, I wanna fight the best in the world. Julianna is now considered the top dog, but I also heard that she would fight me at 145 for the right amount of money. So I probably won’t have to fight 135. I just wanna challenge myself and continue to get better. Do I want to fight (at) 135? Fuck no. Like, no, of course not. But I was kinda joking around in there. My sarcasm went over his head.”

    A Kayla Harrison Bantamweight Fight Still Possible If…

    Kayla Harrison
    MMA Junkie

    Sarcasm aside, there is a scenario where Harrison would be more open to fighting at 135 in the distant future against a hypothetical future beast who calls to be slain. Until then, it would take an obscene amount of money to shift her any lower than 145 lbs.

    “Yeah, unless I get offered a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of money,” Harrison said about featherweight being the only option for a fight against Peña. “Or if there’s like some undefeated, young, hungry absolute killer who’s at 135 and she starts talkin’ a little smack, maybe then I’d have to come down. But other than that, no.”

    Harrison currently competes at 155 lbs., but she has competed at 145 before. She has never fought at 135, however, and amidst the trash talk between the two champions, Peña doubted that she ever could. But if Harrison were able to prove her wrong and make the weight, “The Venezuelan Vixen” stated she’d be more than happy to welcome her to bantamweight.

    As Harrison alluded to, Peña also said she’d fight Harrison or anyone else for that matter at any weight as long as she is paid the right amount of money. So while Harrison may be walking back her sarcastic words from an earlier interview, she seems keen to hold Peña to hers if the two ever turn trash talk into blockbuster action.

    Who do you think would win a fight between Kayla Harrison and Julianna Peña?

  • Khamzat Chimaev’s 2022 Plans Made Clear After Recent Comments

    Khamzat Chimaev’s 2022 road map has been laid out after “Borz” shared his next two desired fights.

    It is no secret that Khamzat Chimaev is always hungry for a fight. In 2020, he devoured three opponents in two months, thus having his name constantly regurgitated by the MMA community as the breakout star of the year.

    Since then, aside from his lone bout against Li Jingliang at UFC 267, Chimaev has had trouble booking fights due to health-related issues and, according to UFC President Dana White and himself, nearly just as much because of the collective reluctance among welterweights to step into the cage with this animal.

    Khamzat Chimaev
    Khamzat Chimaev (Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)

    For Chimaev’s part, other people’s tardiness to the party hasn’t stopped him from creating a guest list for his 2022 schedule. All roads lead to Kamaru Usman, as Chimaev has made no secret that he would like to fight the Nigerian-American for the welterweight title sooner rather than later.

    But what about before then? For weeks now, Chimaev has been linked with Gilbert Burns for a potential fight, with the latest reports citing UFC 273 in April as the targeted date. But not unlike the first time there was chatter of the two men fighting one another, things have gone quiet as fans eagerly await an official fight announcement.

    So what exactly is the holdup? Borz is just as much in the dark as the general public.

    “He is number two in the welterweight rankings. All those numbers mean nothing. To be honest, I don’t see a real challenge in him,” Chimaev said of Burns in a recent interview with RT Sport. “We’ll see, everything can happen in a fight. But I am confident as usual… I don’t understand why I still don’t have a fight scheduled and the contract is not signed yet. The dude says something about April 9 on the internet, like, do you have your visa? I have my visa.”

    If Chimaev gets his man and is locked in the Octagon with Burns, he already is leering beyond his current prey onto the winner of next month’s UFC 272 main event.

    “I think they will give us a great fight,” Chimaev said of the upcoming bout between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. “Masvidal is a slight favorite for me. But Colby is also a tough guy. He fights well. We’ll see. I think it’s 50/50. I don’t care which of them wins. I am fighting Burns now, then, after beating Burns, hopefully, I will fight the winner of Masvidal/Covington… I think the winner of our fight with Gilbert will fight the winner of Masvidal/Covington for the interim title or just for the number one contender spot.”

    Chimaev’s 2022 Road Map Routed Towards Gold

    Kamaru Usman
    Dana White Wraps UFC Welterweight Belt Around Kamaru Usman. Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

    With his next two targeted opponents laid out, the only question for Chimaev’s 2022 plans is whether or not he’ll have time to squeeze in UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. But make no mistake, “The Nigerian Nightmare” holds the ultimate prize that Borz is after, which makes him not only the top dog at welterweight but also Borz’s top prey.

    “So your trying to change weight before I come for you?. Don’t go anywhere I am coming! I smash you and Burns in 2 mins believe me! I’m THE KING here,” Chimaev recently tweeted at Usman upon hearing rumors of Usman moving up to light heavyweight.

    Chimaev should be happy to know that Usman has since reconsidered moving up to light heavyweight since Jan Blachowicz is no longer the division’s titleholder. So if Usman is able to retain the title over Leon Edwards in a bout expected to take place this summer and Chimaev is able to clean out Burns and the Masvidal/Covington winner, we may just be in line for a Usman/Chimaev showdown at year’s end.

    How do you think Khamzat Chimaev’s 2022 will play out?

  • Mayweather Responds To Logan Paul’s Claims Of Not Being Paid For Fight

    Boxing Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather has responded to Logan Paul’s lawsuit threat and claims that he has failed to pay him for their exhibition.

    Mayweather and Paul went toe-to-toe in the boxing ring last summer in an exhibition bout, with the fight going the full distance. The fight wasn’t sanctioned due to the notable physical discrepancy between the two boxers.

    Despite the two controversial personalities seeming to end their fight on respectful terms, things have taken a drastic turn in recent weeks. Paul has alleged that Mayweather has failed to pay him the full amount owed for their boxing match.

    Paul has gone as far as threatening lawsuits, although nothing has been filed just yet. During a recent appearance on The Pivot Podcast, Mayweather responded to the latest Paul fiasco (h/t The Sun).

    “This comes with the territory,” Mayweather said. “To them, that’s real money, and I like the YouTubers. The money on the back end though, from pay-per-view, that takes a while. Nothing comes right away. I’m still collecting checks from fights seven or eight years ago. They just hate when the table is turned. Be happy with the biggest payday you ever got in your life.”

    After Logan’s initial claim of not being paid by Mayweather, matters escalated recently when Logan’s brother, Jake, hinted that Mayweather was going to be a target of a lawsuit for allegedly not paying Logan his fair share. Logan then went on to confirm Jake’s claims in a series of interviews and social media posts.

    Paul is anticipating a return to the boxing ring later this year, potentially against fellow YouTube star Whindersson Nunes. Paul also previously hinted at a potential faceoff with UFC legend Anderson Silva in the ring.

    It appears that Logan Paul won’t be getting a check from Mayweather anytime soon, which could create more tension between the two brash personalities.

    What is your reaction to the Floyd Mayweather/Logan Paul drama?