Francis Ngannou’s animosity towards the UFC could be keeping him from the UFC stardom he deserves according to Brendan Schaub.
Francis Ngannou is the UFC heavyweight champion. He is considered to be the “Baddest Man on the Planet” and rightfully so. He is a hard hitter who can put people out with one strike. Now, Ngannou might have his toughest fight in front of him as he prepares for his UFC 270 fight against Ciryl Gane. However, leading up to this fight bigger news might have been the feud that has been brewing between Ngannou and the UFC.
Brendan Schaub Thinks UFC Friction Will Continue To Hold Ngannou Back
Dana White, Francis Ngannou (via Zuffa LLC)
Rumors that Ngannou will leave the UFC with a loss have been circling. A former UFC heavyweight turned podcaster, Brendan Schaub, thinks that Ngannou’s relationship with the UFC brass will continue holding him back.
“Francis Ngannou has been in a fight with the UFC brass. Which is, whenever you’re in a fight with the UFC brass you’re never going to get the shine you deserve,” Schaub said on his podcast, The Schaub Show. “Take a page out of [Tyron] Woodley’s book, even the Diaz brothers man, whenever you get into a dispute with the UFC they control the narrative, unfortunately. And it’s not like Francis Ngannou has a big podcast where he can go on and rip off what’s going on.” (h/t The Mirror)
Ngannou has expressed interest in leaving the UFC to try his hand at boxing. If that is the road he is looking to follow, leaving the UFC might be the only way to do it. The UFC and Dana White in particular have been adamant about not letting fighters who are under contract do any crossover fights, aside from the Conor McGregor one-off with Mayweather in 2017.
“He’ll do an interview with TMZ or an outlet or Marquel Martin, his agent at CAA, will do some interviews but those aren’t going mainstream,” Schaub said. “The UFC controls the narrative and it’s a bit of a shame.”
Do you think Francis Ngannou is better off leaving the UFC after his next fight?
Artem Lobov recently retired from combat sports, but he’s still receiving big offers.
After Lobov suffered a TKO loss to Denys Berinchyk in a bare-knuckle fight, the fan-favorite announced his retirement from combat sports. Although Lobov didn’t have the best record, he always looked to fight the best fighters around and always put on entertaining fights.
With that, even though he is retired, Lobov says he is still getting big offers to fight and end his retirement, but he isn’t interested in doing that.
“I still have offers. There are still offers in my inbox. And actually, I’ve got some of the better offers since I retired,” Lobov said on The MMA Hour. “I couldn’t even believe it. Some offers were coming up to like, nearly half a million, some of the offers I’ve been getting. I’ve got some sh*t offers as well, but I’ve got a lot of offers. But I gave myself a promise, ‘Artem, you will not go back in there, no matter what.’
Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“Very difficult (to say no to them). The thing as well, all this has been like, with some YouTubers, you know, in Russia, I’ve had an offer from Poland as well, to box a YouTuber there,” Lobov continued. “So it’s kind of like, I used to fight really tough guys for 100 euros, 500 euros, now I’m getting offered to box exhibition bouts against guys that aren’t even that good, and I have to turn it down. But I have to be like, ‘Are you a man of your word, or are you not a man of your word?’ That’s what I ask myself.”
Artem Lobov ends his career with a professional MMA record of 13-15-1 and one No Contest along with a bare-knuckle record of 2-2. He also went 2-6 inside the Octagon but headlined a Fight Night card, thus showing his star power. In his career, he did beat Paulie Malignaggi in BKFC and holds decision wins over Chris Avila and Teruto Ishihara inside the Octagon.
Chael Sonnen has responded to Paddy Pimblett accusing him of clickbait after the recent rumors surrounding a possible Donald Cerrone fight.
Pimblett is coming off an impressive UFC debut over Luigi Vendramini in 2021. After a long tenure with Cage Warriors, he made the move to the UFC as arguably the biggest signing by the promotion in recent years.
Speculation has run rampant in recent weeks and months regarding who Pimblett will face next. Some pundits, including Sonnen, have alluded to a possible matchup with Cerrone happening for his next UFC test.
Pimblett ruled out Cerrone being his next opponent in recent days and also accused Sonnen of pushing a false narrative for his next fight. During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen took exception to Pimblett’s jab.
“Is Paddy secretly one stupid son of a bi**h?” Sonnen said. “Paddy woke up, took stupid pills, and goes on Michael Bisping’s show. On Michael’s show, Paddy accuses me of using his name for clickbait… I’d never do it and I’m also irritated that Paddy thinks his name is big enough that I would clickbait him. That might sound arrogant but that’s the truth. It pissed me off…
“Three weeks ago, I was sitting with Cerrone. He asked me what weight Paddy is. I had beautiful things to say about him. As I’m having this conversation, Cowboy’s texting Sean Shelby saying does Paddy have an opponent. I asked him, ‘Can I talk about this? He said, ‘Yes.’ So that’s what we did.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Paddy Pimblett Pointed To Chael Sonnen For Starting The Rumors
Sonnen has never been unafraid to state what he thinks on a variety of topics, specifically when it comes to MMA. Regarded as one of the best trash talkers in the sport’s history, Sonnen has transitioned well from fighting to a career in broadcasting.
Pimblett and Sonnen will more than likely bump into each other at some point this year, and it’ll be interesting to see if they bury the hatchet and settle their differences.
What are your thoughts on Chael Sonnen’s comments? Who do you want to see Paddy Pimblett fight next?
“A lot of people inside the top 15, top 5, top 10 they’re gonna say, ‘What the f**k is happening? Why is Conor McGregor getting to skip the line?’ Well, guess what? As I said, this is prizefighting, this is pay-per-views, this is the UFC, and they put on the fights, historically that we want to see, okay?” Bisping said on his YouTube channel.
Charles Oliveira Conor McGregor
“The fights that we want to see, they are the fights the UFC put up. So, if you’re not happy that Conor McGregor might get to skip the line and fight the champion when he’s not even ranked, don’t blame Conor McGregor, don’t blame Dana White, don’t blame the UFC, blame your-f**king-self because you are ultimately responsible.”
Although Bisping says McGregor is unranked, that is not true. He is ranked ninth but he still is well outside the top-five, which is generally where you need to be to get a title shot. However, even when Bisping fought Dan Henderson for the belt, Henderson was ranked 10th, so we have seen this before. Additionally, Georges St-Pierre was also unranked at middleweight when he defeated Bisping for the title at UFC 217.
McGregor is the biggest star in MMA history and draws a ton of pay-per-views, so financially it does make sense for the UFC to put the Irishman in the title fight, even if he is on a two-fight losing skid.
Do you think Conor McGregor should get the next lightweight title shot?
Gregor Gillespie showed more color than usual when calling out Tony Ferguson recently.
Gillespie wants to get more recognition in the lightweight division. As he put it, he feels the need “to start climbing” up the rankings. He has recently been publicly calling out #7 ranked lightweight Ferguson, who he sees as a good opponent.
While Gillespie has called out Ferguson before, his message Thursday showed more aggression than usual. In the message, he mentioned his frustration with Ferguson seemingly being more interested in a fight against former title challenger Michael Chandler.
In a short one-minute message via Instagram, Gillespie addressed Ferguson after receiving word that he allegedly turned down a fight between them.
“I just got word again through my manager that Tony Ferguson will not accept the fight against me. And then I see you online, Tony, calling out f Michael Chandler? Saying ‘it’s wrestling season bro,’ dude … If you’re looking for a wrestler, accept the fight [against me], dude.”
Gillespie’s reference to Ferguson talking about Chandler likely refers to a Twitter back-and-forth that the fighters had last week. In that conversation, both Ferguson and Chandler discussed potentially meeting later this year.
Last month, Gillespie uploaded a video that was politely calling for a fight with Ferguson. In what he noted was only his second time calling out someone, he jokingly said to Ferguson that “It’s time for me to ankle pick you in that Octagon.”
Gillespie, currently ranked #10 at lightweight, has a strong pro record of 14 wins through 15 fights. His sole pro loss came in 2019 when he was knocked out by Kevin Lee. He bounced back from that result in May of last year, stopping Diego Ferreira with strikes.
The next time Ferguson steps in the cage, he will be attempting to break a three-fight losing streak. The first part of this skid came at UFC 249 in 2020, when he lost an interim title fight against Justin Gaethje. Later that year, he lost to Charles Oliveira, who went on to become a champion a year later.
His most recent fight was a loss to Beneil Dariush at UFC 262.
Do you think Gregor Gillespie’s recent message will interest Tony Ferguson?
Former UFC fighter Paige VanZant isn’t giving up on her Bare Knuckle FC ambitions, as she plans a return to the ring later this year.
After an up-and-down tenure in the UFC, VanZant became a free agent and opted to sign with BKFC. She ended up dropping her first two fights with the promotion against Britain Hart and Rachael Ostovich via unanimous decisions.
Despite her recent struggles, VanZant remains a big name in the promotion and is still relatively young in her career at 27. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, BKFC President Dave Feldman alluded to preliminary plans for VanZant’s return to bare-knuckle.
“She’s going to be fighting again,” Feldman said. “We were thinking about throwing her on the KnuckleMania card, too. I thought it was too much and we needed to just spread it out a little. I don’t have an exact date but I’d love to get her back in April. It would be great to get her back and there’s a lot of talent out there that would be good opponents for her, April-May-ish.”
Photo via Instagram @barekuncklefc
VanZant had hinted at a possible move to Bellator as her BKFC contract nears an end and also detailed some of her struggles away from competition. VanZant has a large following on a variety of social media platforms, and the pressure to perform may have been a bit overwhelming for her in recent fights.
Coincidentally, VanZant hasn’t won in any combat sport since defeating Ostovich in the UFC Octagon in 2019. Before that, she had lost fights to the likes of Jessica-Rose Clark, Michelle Waterson, and Rose Namajunas.
VanZant is looking to get back on track in her professional fighting career and more than likely needs to get back in the win column in her next appearance to do so.
Do you think Paige VanZant has championship potential in BKFC?
UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich has reflected on his participation in the January 6 protest rally at the Capitol, an experience he says resulted in him losing his job.
January 6, 2021 is a day that will forever be marked in American history. On that day, over 10,000 protestors congregated outside the US Capitol in protest of the 2020 United States Presidential Election results. However, there are wildly varying interpretations of what the precise purpose of the protest was and whether the participants were “terrorists” or “patriots.”
Evan Vucci/AP Photo
The use of either label on the protesters is likely to draw strong reactions that are equal parts confused and angry from the opposing viewpoint, but the inaugural UFC welterweight champion Pat Miletich is confident about who and what he saw from the majority of people who were alongside him at the rally.
“That day in Washington D.C., I went there,” Miletich told ABC WQAD8. “I went there and all the people I talked to, which were people of all walks of life…All they were talking about was election integrity and freedom…The thing that actually motivated me to go was thinking about my children’s freedoms…
“There was no talk of violence. It was a love fest.”
Once a large portion of the protestors began storming the Capitol, that is when Miletich says he realized this was no longer the same event he was originally participating in.
“When that took place, myself and my friends all looked at each other and said, nope, it’s too obvious. The optics don’t look good,” he said.
When Miletich’s attendance at the protest became public, there was strong backlash, which he said contributed to the loss of his job working with an MMA promotion.
“Suddenly there was an uproar that I had been responsible for some sort of domestic terrorism and a supporter of white supremacy, which is a joke…” Miletich said. “I did nothing but show up and express my First Amendment rights.”
Pat Miletich can be found in the center, second from the left. The man to the far right is flashing what has been determined by multiple sources to be a symbol for “White Power,” a determination that is often contested.
There were reports last year of Legacy Fighting Alliance distancing itself from Miletich as a color commentator prior to an event, but the promotion was not directly mentioned by Miletich in this recent interview.
Many people who were active participants of the riot portion of the protest have faced stiffer penalties, including jail time. Among them is ex-MMA fighter Scott “Wildman” Fairlamb, who was sentenced to 41 months for assaulting a police officer during the riot.
Looking back, Miletich stands by his participation in the non-violent portion of the protest because he feels it was the exercising of his rights as an American in the fight for something bigger and that he hopes will impact future generations.
“To me, that’s what’s most important,” Miletich said. “What kind of world are we going to leave our children…
“We’ve got serious problems on our hands if citizens can’t come together and understand who the real enemy is, the problems are never going to be solved,” Miletich said.
No specifics were provided regarding who the precise enemy is or the world Miletich is fearful of that contributed to his attendance of the protest and is thus open for interpretation. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research from various sources to learn more about the Jan. 6 Capitol protest and the ideologies associated with it.
Miletich still works as a freelancer in sports broadcasting and also teaches self-defense classes in addition to training military members and law enforcement officers.
Miletich retired with an MMA record of 29-7-2 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history. As champion, Miletich had four successful title defenses and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2014. His last professional bout was in 2008 in a victory over Thomas Denny.
MMA News had the chance to catch up with Pat Miletich last year, where the Hall of Famer discussed a wide array of topics. You can view that interview below.
The third meeting between UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway will have to wait after Holloway was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury.
The new matchup was a chance for Holloway to regain the 145-pound belt and avenge the two previous losses he took to Volkanovski in recent years. ESPN broke the news Friday about Holloway’s withdrawal. There is currently no timetable set for his return.
The two featherweights first met in late 2019. Volkanovski went five rounds with Holloway in that fight to walk away with a unanimous decision win. The fight was re-booked for just seven months later, giving Holloway an opportunity to even his score with Volkanovski.
Volkanovski pulled off the win in that meeting as well—albeit in a closer split-decision outcome.
Calvin Kattar & Max Holloway (Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Holloway has worked his way towards another title opportunity since then, fighting in two UFC main event bouts. He kicked off his 2021 with a dominant striking performance against Calvin Kattar. Later in the year, he fought in a more competitive five-round battle against Yair Rodriguez for another decision win.
Volkanovski defended his belt for the second time in September, defeating Brian Ortega in a hard 25-minute scrap. The result not only continued Volkanovski’s reign as champ but marked his 10th consecutive win since joining the UFC in 2016.
MMA News will keep you posted on if this trilogy fight is rebooked or if Volkanovski draws another opponent for the UFC 272 event.
As her ongoing feud with Jake Paul continues, Claressa Shields has denied having knowledge of her manager’s apparent pursuit to get her onto the YouTuber’s cards.
The rivalry picked up when Paul chose to mock Shields following her first professional loss in combat sports last October. Having won her MMA debut with a memorable comeback, Shields was unable to overcome her ground deficiencies when she met Abigail Montes at the 2021 PFL Finale.
Abigail Montes, Claressa Shields, Jake Paul
After “The Problem Child” branded Shields a “loser” for her two-fight MMA career and attitude, the two-time Olympic gold medalist hit back on Twitter.
😂 this is funny. You come running when I lose a split decision in a while new world mma but never even once said “congrats on all you’ve done and aspire to do.” 2 things that remain Jake, I still fight better than you & you won’t accomplish 10% of what I have in boxing or life https://t.co/V6TpqSNkQW
“This is funny. You come running when I lose a split decision in a while new world mma but never even once said “congrats on all you’ve done and aspire to do.” 2 things that remain Jake, I still fight better than you & you won’t accomplish 10% of what I have in boxing or life.”
Fast forward just over a month of further exchanges and Paul’s management team BAVAFA Sports made a surprising claim. In their own social media post, they suggested Shields’ team had been trying to get onto the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s cards, a sentiment shared by Paul to USA Today Sports+.
“We didn’t want her on for many different reasons. She took that to heart,” claimed Paul.
What’s hilarious is the multiple times you and your team tried to be a part of a Jake Paul event. Time reveals all. #Receipts
Unsurprisingly, Shields wasn’t about to let her reputation be damaged without a fight. In a Twitter rant, the 26-year-old threatened to sue Paul and his team for defamation.
@BAVAFASports y’all bout to get sued! Because Claressa Shields ain’t never asked to be on Jake Paul undercard. You sound crazy as hell! My lawyer will be reaching out though! Use my name for clout. I’ll use your name for a check 💰 losers
In the tweet from Jake Paul’s management team, they hinted at having “receipts” that supported their claims. In leaked emails obtained by USA Today Sports+, that evidence has now come to light, and it makes for pretty grim reading for Shields and her team.
In correspondences sent to Paul’s manager Nakisa Bidarian by Shields’ manager Mark Taffet and promoter Dmitry Salita, the boxing champion’s team apparently pushed to get their client on two cards that featured Paul.
Per USA Today Sports+’s review of the emails, an initial pursuit of a place for Shields on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. card in November 2020 didn’t come to fruition.
Discussing why there was no place for the “GWOAT,” Bidarian, who assisted Triller’s Ryan Kavanaugh ahead of the event, suggested she simply didn’t have the numbers or viewers to justify the remuneration her manager was after.
“Claressa is obviously one of the best female boxers of all time, but the numbers (of viewers) she has didn’t make sense for us in terms of what Mark was hoping to achieve for her (in purse money), so I didn’t think it added to the Tyson-Jones pay-per-view, which ended up being the eighth largest in history,” said Bidarian.
While Shields was seemingly snubbed, Paul featured on the undercard, brutally knocking out former NBA star Nate Robinson and further extending his venture into the sport of boxing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CW00aVEpEAH/
Shields’ Manager Tries Again…
In another leaked email the next year, Taffet allegedly requested a spot for Shields on the April 17 card, which was built around and headlined by Paul’s clash with former ONE and Bellator welterweight titleholder Ben Askren.
Given Shields’ insistence that she’d never even think of competing on one of the Cleveland native’s cards, this revelation is more than shocking.
The leaked email, sent by Taffet to Bidarian on March 15, included Shields’ impressive feat of becoming the first boxer in history to simultaneously hold all four major world titles across two weight classes and championed for Triller to include her on their card.
“Claressa had a historic win … to become the first man or woman in the four-belt era to win an undisputed world title in two weight divisions. We are now beginning a plan for our next few fights, and would love to discuss out plan with you to see if Triller is interested in being the video platform of the world’s greatest female fighter. We would love to participate on your April 17 card if you have a slot available.”
After acknowledging Showtime’s decision to cut ties with Shields due to a disappointingly-low viewership, Bidarian, who is also a former UFC chief financial officer, turned down the request, and the card proceeded without the presence of the Michigan native.
“There wasn’t a business need that made sense and Jake had not started to focus on, ‘What can I do for boxing as a whole?’” Bidarian said. “Jake was still focused on building his own foothold into boxing.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CODXi9QLN4p/
Shields: “I Don’t Care What The Email Says”
Given Claressa Shields’ consistent and stern rebuttal that she wouldn’t consider fighting on a Jake Paul card, which has even seen legal threats and defamation claims, the leaked emails are certainly a less-than-positive look for her and her team.
With that in mind, it’s unsurprising she was quick to deny knowledge of them ever being sent or of her manager’s efforts to secure her place on the November 2020 and April 2021 cards.
Reacting to the emails, she told USA Today Sports+ there was “never” an instance where she was meant to or planning on competing at an event featuring “The Problem Chid,” nor would she ever consider doing so, no matter the size of the pay check.
“I was never, ever supposed to fight on an undercard of Jake Paul. I don’t care what the email says,” Shields said. “I would never do that, no matter how much they’re paying me. And everything has to go through me.”
Whether or not she had knowledge of the emails is one thing, but the fact her team sent them, knowing her apparent and public stance on the matter now, is surprising. Discussing why Paul’s team chose to release the emails to USA Today Sports+, Bidarian said they weren’t ready to let Shields “belittle” Paul.
“The only reason we’re bringing this to light is because Claressa has felt this need to belittle Jake Paul,” Bidarian said. “The only thing we’re responding with now is, ‘Hey, we have the receipts: You guys were trying to get on Jake Paul’s cards.’”
Despite her denial, some will certainly suggest Shields was open to doing business with Paul prior to their feud igniting later in 2021.
If Shields did have no idea of her team’s efforts to work with Paul’s team, it will likely have sparked a heated debate within the boxing champion’s camp, something she’ll hope to have resolved when she returns to action.
After professional boxing was suspended in the UK throughout January due to COVID-19, Shields’ scheduled clash with Slovenia’s Ema Kozin has been pushed back to February 5.
Whether this feud will die down or remain as heated as ever is anyone’s guess, but with Shields’ ongoing pursuit of glory both inside the ring and the cage and Paul’s blossoming venture into the ring set to continue throughout 2022, both will certainly have their hands full between the ropes.
What do you make of Shields’ team’s apparent attempts to get her onto the same cards as Jake Paul?
Lewis (26-8-1) is currently the #3-ranked heavyweight and is looking to build off of his most recent win against Chris Daukaus last month, where he KO’d Daukaus in just over three and a half minutes at UFC Vegas 45. Tuivasa (13-3), the #11-ranked heavyweight, is riding a four-fight win streak that includes three first-round knockouts.
As much potential this fight has to produce fireworks, it’s more than just that. For Lewis, he gets a chance to show out and put on the performance that his hometown Houston fans deserve. Lewis was disappointed the last time he fought in Houston, where he lost to Ciryl Gane at UFC 265 in an interim heavyweight title fight.
And “Bam Bam” gets what he wished for. Tuivasa recently stated in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hourthat he’d like a potential fight with Derrick Lewis.
“I’d love to step in the cage with him one day. I think he’s a bit up from me at the moment, especially coming off his last win,” said Tuivasa. “But definitely, I would love to fight Derrick Lewis. We both have good personalities, we are the fun of the division,”
Who do you have winning between Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa at UFC 271?
MMA Fighter Miroslav Štrbák is currently in stable condition after suffering a heart attack during training.
In a recent interview with the portal sport.sk, Štrbák’s manager revealed that the Polish MMA fighter fainted during training and had to be revived. Fortunately, the timely intervention was enough to restore Štrbák’s heart rate.
“I can confirm the intervention of the rescuers we sent yesterday to help the unconscious man. After treatment, he was taken to one of the Bratislava hospitals,” said Alena Krčová, a spokeswoman for the Health Service Operations Center in Bratislava.
“Miro is currently in stable condition at the hospital. We all hope it comes out without consequences,” his manager said.
Prior to this scare, there were no signs of danger or health risks for Štrbák. He had been doing construction work throughout the week prior to his heart attack during training.
Štrbák is well-known among Polish MMA fans. He has been competing as a professional since 2011 and has a record of 19-10.
In his most recent bout, Štrbák picked up a split-decision victory over Karol Rysavy at Oktagon MMA’s Oktagon 21 event on January 30 of last year. You can watch that contest below.
Francis Ngannou’s former coach Fernand Lopez has branded the UFC Heavyweight Champion a “fucking liar” for denying that he attempted to sabotage Ciryl Gane’s UFC signing.
The build-up to the upcoming UFC 270 main event, which will see a blockbuster unification bout between the promotion’s elite at heavyweight, has been littered with narratives.
To go along with the intriguing clash of styles, which will see the world’s biggest power-puncher look to shut the lights out on the leader of a new breed of technical heavyweights, is the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Ngannou’s future. A defeat on January 22 could well see him leave the promotion, a scenario that is mind-boggling considering the Cameroonian’s status as one of the top UFC titleholders.
But behind that lies a bitter story of a former pupil-coach relationship turned sour, which will now see two former teammates collide in the Octagon, one flying the MMA Factory flag.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWpzhxhMECx/
Lopez Thinks Ngannou Has A “Victim Mentality”
Having brought Ngannou off the streets of Paris and into his MMA Factory gym, it’s perhaps surprising to see the state of Fernand Lopez’s relationship with “The Predator” in 2022.
After the heavyweight behemoth sought a permanent move to the United Status, the Xtreme Couture gym became his new stomping ground following his 2018 loss to Stipe Miocic. In the period since, both Ngannou and his former mentor have traded jabs in interviews, something that increased tremendously last year following an awkward backstage snub at UFC 268.
Denying the accusation of sabotage, Ngannou recently described his ex-coach as “evil” for attempting to destroy his reputation. As the game of tennis continues, Lopez has now responded. During an interview with LowKick MMA, the 43-year-old slammed his former student, suggesting he is “full of shit” and has a “victim mentality.”
“If Francis denied that he didn’t try to prevent the UFC from Ciryl, he’s a fucking liar,” Lopez said. “Francis Ngannou told me, ‘Coach… I had a meeting with Mick. And he asked me, is it true that Ciryl is ready for the UFC? And I said to him, he’s a good young kid, he’ll be good one day. But I told him he’s not ready yet.’ If he says this isn’t true, then he’s a fucking liar.
“I’m not surprised that he said that, because I don’t think Francis Ngannou ever thought that Ciryl was the kind of guy to face him one day. He basically pretended that Ciryl was irrelevant, always talked him down. That’s who he is, I’m giving you guys the reality. I took him from the street, helped him stay in the gym without paying any fee, gave him money and sponsors, and a place to sleep. And I’m evil?” Lopez added. How I be evil when I’m the one who called Joe Silva when you were 4-1, and got you in the UFC? I told him he could become a champion. He’s full of shit. Francis Ngannou is full of shit and has a victim mentality.” (h/t LowKick MMA)
But when the cage door closes, rivalries beyond the Octagon and contractual disputes will be left on the outside, and bombs will be thrown on the inside. You’d be hard-pressed to find a fan not brimming with excitement ahead of this one.
Who do you think will leave the Octagon as the undisputed champion at UFC 270, Ciryl Gane or Francis Ngannou?
Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling Face-Off, Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
It was revealed Wednesday that Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan will finally have their long-awaited rematch after their controversial first bout at UFC 259 last February. Sterling won the bantamweight championship after Yan landed an illegal knee in what was the most controversial endings to any fight, let alone title fight, in UFC history.
The trash talk has never stopped since that fight, which means it has been ongoing for the past 11 months. As recently as this week, Sterling doubled down on his belief that Yan uses performance-enhancing drugs, and Yan has continued to fire back at Sterling on social media.
But now that their rematch is set, what did the rest of social media have to say about the sequel being official? You can get the raw reactions from The Pulse of MMA down below!
I hope Sterling somehow manages to win this just so it pisses off all the trolls who've been sending him over the top abuse
My ideal outcome would be a Sterling performance impressive enough to be an exciting resurgence putting him right back in the mix while Yan stays the king of BW violence. Either way, excited as hell for the fight and for this chapter to get closure because the jokes are so old.
Aljamain has had time to rest and recover, he’s undoubtedly learnt from his mistakes. He comes from a great camp and he will be much better prepared this time. Yan by Murder
With all due disrespect, Yan vs Sterling 1 was more competitive than most of us remember. So let’s not underestimate the paper champ. Yan admitted that he felt off and didn’t follow the game plan and kinda wanted to prove a point with dominating in the wrestling game.
Jake Paul has taken the boxing world by storm, and he has now been named Sports Illustrated Breakout Boxer of the Year.
Paul made his pro debut in 2020 where he scored a first-round TKO over fellow YouTuber, AnEsonGib. He followed that up with a vicious knockout win over Nate Robinson in November, but in 2021, he had a phenomenal year.
Paul headlined a Triller Fight Club pay-per-view against Ben Askren, where he scored a first-round knockout. After the fight, he signed with Showtime boxing and fought former UFC champion, Tyron Woodley, in August in the main event of a pay-per-view card where he edged out a split decision. Although going 2-0 in the year is good for many boxers, Paul fought one more time as he rematched Woodley in December and scored a violent sixth-round KO.
Now, after going 3-0 in 2021 and being a big name in boxing, Sports Illustrated named him their Breakout Boxer of the Year, which Paul is blown away by.
Some reflection after winning “Breakout Boxer of The Year”
“Today I’m overwhelmed with many emotions and a deep feeling of gratitude. Less than 2 years ago I made my professional debut after having 1 amateur fight that lasted 5 rounds and now today, I won Sports Illustrated Breakout Boxer of the Year. Wow,” Paul wrote on social media. “I got into boxing because I needed a new calling in life and in the process I fell in love with this amazing sport and decided to dedicate my entire life to it. I saw a ton of room for innovation and had a vision of being able to change this sport forever. People laughed in my face and talked s*** in every gym I went to. They told me I couldn’t become a real boxer because I was a “YouTuber” and that nobody would take me seriously. I laughed right back.”
Right now, Jake Paul does not have his next fight booked but he mentioned he wants some time off and will likely return in the summer. When he does, it will no doubt be another big fight as Paul looks to continue his success in boxing.
What do you make of Jake Paul winning SI’s Breakout Boxer of the Year?
Ahead of the event, it looked like business as usual for Nunes. But inside the Octagon, things were far from normal for the “Lioness.”
Peña, who entered the clash with a noticeable air of confidence and self-belief, repeatedly told people what was going to happen. While most didn’t listen, a select few did. Nevertheless, when she choked out Nunes in the second round, becoming the first woman to defeat the Brazilian since 2014, the MMA world was treated to one of if not the biggest upsets in the sport’s history.
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Peña: Nunes Had 2 Fights To Prepare For
Peña undoubtedly prepared endlessly for her clash with the former double champ and had her sights set on Nunes throughout her fight camp. But she believes the same can’t be said the other way around.
While “The Venezuelan Vixen” was able to put all of her energy into gameplay and strategy, the champ believes the Brazilian had two fights to prepare for, one being her weight cut.
Nunes has held the featherweight title since her own incredible upset victory over Cris Cyborg in 2018. Prior to UFC 269, she had defended the 145-pound belt in back-to-back contests against Felicia Spencer and Megan Anderson. Having not made the cut to 135 pounds since 2019, Peña believes Nunes may have struggled.
During an interview with Fox Sports, the bantamweight titleholder was asked whether she was surprised to see her opponent tire so quickly in their co-main event fight. Given that Nunes had to overcome her first battle, a grueling weight cut, Peña wasn’t shocked to witness the “Lioness” gas out so quickly, an advantage the champ says she took full advantage of as a natural bantamweight.
“I think that she had two fights her entire camp leading up to this fight. Her first fight was gonna be her weight cut and trying to get her body back down to fighting at bantamweight. And her second fight was gonna be (against) me. Whereas, I only had one fight the entire time and that was me focusing on just Amanda, not having to make weight, not having to make such a drastic weight cut. (It was) something that I never had to take into consideration during my camp. I am a natural 135lber.
“I knew that she was going to be struggling to make that weight, and that was gonna be the first battle she’d have to overcome. With that being said, she was gassed after the first, and I could hear that. I could feel it. I could just hear that heavy breathing in my ear. I knew that was, like I’ve been saying the whole time, the key to success there—just to wear her out, get her tired.”
Two fights including UFC veterans have been added to the upcoming schedule of events with live crowds.
Brown Rebooked Against Barberena Re-Booked For Hometown Event
Image Credit: USA Today Sports
Matt Brown’s previously attempted fight against Bryan Barberena is back on the schedule, and it is set to happen in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, USA. The matchup is set to happen on March 26th, per Damon Martin of MMA Fighting.
Brown was previously booked to face Barberena on a December “Fight Night” card. That fight didn’t come to fruition, as a positive COVID-19 test forced Brown out of the lineup. They were still able to find Barberena an opponent for that event, as he beat UFC debutant Darian Weeks on scorecards.
Brown is riding the momentum of a finish win he earned against Dhiego Lima in June. The loss put him back to his winning ways for the first time since 2019. He entered the bout on a two-fight losing streak, including an early 2021 bout against fellow veteran Carlos Condit.
Green vs. Haqparast Scheduled For UFC 271
Bobby Green (Photo: Getty Images)
The always-active Bobby Green will return for his first fight of the new year at UFC 271, facing Nasrat Haqparast in a lightweight bout. The matchup was first reported on Thursday by Walter Salcido.
Green finished his year on a high note in November, putting away Al Iaquinta in the first round with punches. This performance snapped a two-fight skid for the veteran, which included a tough three-round battle against the rising Rafael Fiziev.
Haqparast will be aiming to return to the win column in this fight. He lost his last fight on scorecards, going three rounds against Dan Hooker at UFC 266. Haqparast was on a strong two-fight winning streak before then, handing UFC newcomers Alex Munoz and Rafa Garcia both their first loss.
Do you have a prediction for Green vs. Haqparast and/or Brown vs. Barberena?
Strawweight champion Rose Namajunas recently reflected on her loss to former champion Carla Esparza in an interview with UFC’s “Run It Back” series on Youtube.
In 2014, Namajunas and Esparaza made it to the final round of the TUF 20 finale, where they held the inaugural strawweight championship. There, Esparza became the first strawweight champion in the company’s history, submitting Namajunas in the third round via rear-naked choke.
This was just the 22-year-old’s second loss in her fourth professional fight, but with it being on the biggest stage, she has learned a lot from the loss and reflected on it again recently.
“Man, I just had to stop being an a**hole. No I mean, not that, but just like be, have self-awareness you know what I mean like, I was just kinda floating through life and just no direction with anything. I needed a piece of the humble pie, ya know,” said Namajunas.
Since her title loss to Esparza in 2014, Namajunas went on to win six of her next seven fights, while capturing the strawweight title in 2017 as she TKO’d Joanna Jędrzejczyk in dramatic fashion at UFC 217. Her first title defense would be another rematch victory over Jędrzejczyk via unanimous decision at UFC 223.
Namajunas would taste defeat for the first time nearly three years later from her last loss as she was slammed unconscious by former champion, Jéssica Andrade. Again, Rose was victorious in their rematch over a year later at UFC 251.
The Zhang Weili Chapter
Photo via Instagram @espnmma
Zhang Weili secured the strawweight title as she made quick work of Andrade for what would have been Andrade’s first and only title defense as she TKO’d Andrade in under a minute in her home country of China. Weili’s first title defense would be a fight against Namajunas.
Namajunas showed improvements in her game again and rose to the occasion, as she TKO’d Weili in the first round at UFC 261, securing the title for her second time. Namajunas would then defeat Zhang again at UFC 268 and is a perfect 3-0 in rematches.
The next rematch for Namajunas is the one with Esparza, which is what Namajunas and the UFC are eyeing as they are working on making that fight official. Esparza is currently on a five-fight win streak and boasts an impressive 18-6 record. And she, too, would of course love to secure UFC gold again.
Who do you think will win the rematch between Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza?
Flashy heavyweight Tai Tuivasa is interested in a fight against Derrick Lewis, seeing the hypothetical bout as a clash of fan favorites.
Tuivasa is riding the momentum of a recent knockout victory over Augusto Sakai at UFC 269. The victory moved his winning streak to a strong four consecutive finish wins and allowed him to show his unique charisma in front of a live crowd.
But what’s next for Tuivasa is unknown at the moment. In an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Tuivasa mentioned how he wants to return soon, citing March or April as a good time to come back.
Tuivasa expressed interest when asked about a fight against Lewis. Not only did he see the bout as a clash between two fighters that have a reputation for their comedy, but he also mentioned the value that a win over him would have.
“I’d love to step in the cage with him one day. I think he’s a bit up from me at the moment, especially coming off his last win,” said Tuivasa. “But definitely, I would love to fight Derrick Lewis. We both have good personalities. We are the fun of this division … He’s a great opponent, he’s a great guy … That’s the way I’d like to prove myself.”
A fight between Tuivasa and Lewis could happen someday, but chances are it won’t happen next. While Tuivasa said in his interview that he’s “going to come for everyone this year,” including the top six ranked UFC heavyweights, he also implied that he currently has a fight in the works.
What’s more, Lewis doesn’t have his sights set on that bout currently. Lewis recently stated that he is focused on facing former UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic. The fight would be Miocic’s return after losing his belt to Francis Ngannou last year.
Are you personally interested in a fight between Tai Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis?
Ciryl Gane has high praise for future opponent Francis Ngannou.
At UFC 270, former sparring partners Gane and Ngannou will face in a heavyweight championship unification bout. In an interview with La Suer Clips (French MMA News Outlet) posted on Youtube Monday, Ciryl Gane labeled Francis Ngannou as the most athletic and powerful person he has ever seen.
“Till today, I’ve never seen anyone as powerful, as athletic, with such knockout power, I’ve never seen it. In terms of strength, he might be the most impressive guy in UFC’s history,” said Gane.
Gane’s assessment of Ngannou’s power is not an overstatement. Gane is very familiar with Nganou’s power as the two used to be training and sparring partners at MMA Factory in France before Ngannou had a fallout with the management and moved to the States. Ngannou currently trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.
In 2017, Ngannou visited the UFC Performance Institute, where he set the world record for the hardest punch ever. Ngannou recorded a punch of 129,161 units, breaking Tyrone Spong’s previous record. His speed power was measured at 51,064-foot pounds/per second, which is equivalent to the horsepower of a small car.
Ngannou has scored 12 knockout victories of his 16, with eight of them coming in the first round. Gane, on the other hand, doesn’t pack the punch as powerful as Ngannou, only having four career wins by knockout with just one in the first round. Cautious of Ngannou’s power, Gane knows that he has to play it safe and strategic when the two lock horns in the Octagon.
“You know, we’re coming into this fight with our own strengths. We’re not here to try and counter his strengths. We don’t want to try and be stronger than him,” said Gane. “I’m not gonna try to become stronger than him in three months, it wouldn’t make sense.”
Do you think there is a person in MMA more powerful than Francis Ngannou?
Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has encouraged reigning heavyweight titleholder Francis Ngannou to keep his sights set on what matters right now, upcoming opponent Ciryl Gane.
On the face of it, the clash pitches two former teammates, one who left his long-time coach Fernand Lopez to pursue fresh pastures and achieve success elsewhere, and one who has grown into the new face of Paris’ MMA Factory gym. With their awkward backstage encounter at UFC 268 and the words aired in interviews since, that story is providing a nice build ahead of the fight.
Next, we’ve got the stylistic story. A heavyweight behemoth with the hardest punching power on the globe comes up against the new breed of heavyweight: a fast, technical, and evasive Frenchman who has become an expert in hitting and not being hit.
But below those intriguing layers lies the real story: the heavyweight champion’s ongoing feud and contractual dispute with the promotion. The cherry on top is Ngannou’s clear intention to eventually lace the boxing gloves, something he says must be possible in any new UFC deal.
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Bisping Suggests Boxing Ambitions & Contract Dispute Will Distract Ngannou
In recent weeks, the feud between Ngannou and Lopez and the actual clash between “The Predator” and “Bon Gamin” has been somewhat lost amidst a unique situation between the UFC and one of its titleholders.
Alongside that, Ngannou has continued to shout his boxing ambitions to the world. He recently revealed his hopes to test his skills in the ring against top heavyweight boxers Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
One man who knows a lot about holding UFC gold and pre-fight prep is former 185-pound king Michael Bisping. During a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, “The Count” warned Ngannou about becoming too invested in scenarios and situations away from his primary goal: a victory over Gane at UFC 270.
“It’s already a tough enough fight. But now, I think Francis is kind of muddying the waters a little bit because there’s all his contract talk. If you google Francis Ngannou’s name, there’s a lot of talk about contract disputes, and he wants more money and things… There’s also a lot of talk about him going to the boxing world.
“I just think that all this could be a distraction. Ciryl Gane is a very, very tough opponent for any man… I hope for Francis and everybody involved that (a crossover to boxing) does happen. But you’ve just gotta be careful because he’s got Ciryl Gane, and it’s kind of a distraction to be thinking about these things… Ciryl Gane is probably in the gym, in training camp, right now, just thinking about Francis Ngannou, formulating a game plan. Then when you google Francis Ngannou, it’s talk about contracts, it’s talk about money, and it’s talk about boxing. You’ve gotta be careful in this day and age.”
One thing we know is that if Ngannou wins, he’ll be sticking around for at least another defense, meaning the contract debacle could be far from being sorted.
Do you agree with Michael Bisping? Will Francis Ngannou’s contractual dispute and boxing ambitions distract him ahead of UFC 270?
Derrick Lewis is looking for a fight that means something both to himself and his fans.
Derrick Lewis is one of the best fighters in the heavyweight division. Although he has never won a UFC title, Lewis has been a mainstay in the top five for many years. Now that his title aspirations might be dimming, Lewis is looking to make a different kind of impact in the division and in his career. Lewis has an idea that excited him for his next Octagon appearance, and he believed it will excite fight fans as well.
“This last fight helped me,” Lewis told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour about his loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC 265. “It was a big experience difference and I just wanted to finally go into a fight week and not put pressure on myself, and it felt great. I plan on doing that for the rest of my career—just go out there and have fun.
“I feel like I don’t have to prove anything and that’s one of the reasons why I want to fight Stipe next. I believe that would be a great matchup for the fans and for both of us. He’s more of a wrestler, and I’m more of a wrestler, too. So it would be a great, entertaining fight.”
“I’ve fought just about everyone in the division in the top-10. It’d be a new face, new blood, and I believe I’d be a heavy underdog in this fight,” he said. “I can get my fans their money back from the Gane fight.”
Lewis’s target of Miocic has not been reciprocated at this point. Miocic’s last outing was back in March when he lost his title to Francis Ngannou. Miocic has mentioned waiting on another shot at the belt, but he may be open to a fight in the meantime, and Lewis could be a good option.
What do you think of the hypothetical matchup between Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis?
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman is doing his part to help the rise of MMA in his native Africa.
Kamaru Usman is arguably the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC at this time. He tops the UFC’s Pound-For-Pound list and has not lost a fight in eight years. Not only is he the total package inside the Octagon, but he is also a great advocate for the sport outside the Octagon. Since becoming UFC champion, Usman has been pushing for a surge of MMA in his native Africa. Now, he has inspired a new MMA promotion to be held in Lagos.
According to The Cable, 54, a new mixed martial arts promotion, will be holding it’s first event. Usman will be involved in this event and has even begun promoting it on his social media.
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This event is being billed as the first of a series of “Premiere MMA” events. This event will feature five fighters from Nigeria and five athletes from other parts of Africa.
“54 announces the first-ever face-off fight night in Africa’s most-populated city, Lagos as it brings mixed martial art fighters to slug it out in a bid to leave an impeccable MMA imprint in Nigeria and by extension, the African continent,” a press release stated.
Usman and his other fellow African champions, Francis Ngannou, and Israel Adesanya have been campaigning hard for the growth of the sport within Africa as a whole. They have all been pushing to start promotions like this one, help with training, and give other resources to the people of Africa. Usman and Ngannou have also been pushing for the UFC to hold an event there in the future.
The first “54” event will take place at 8 pm at the Lagos Continental Hotel on January 7, 2022. There is no information on how to watch the event at this time.
What do you think of Kamaru Usman helping start this promotion in Nigeria?
UFC fans will have to shell out a little extra to enjoy pay-per-views (PPVs) this year.
It isn’t cheap to be a UFC fan these days. Fans of the UFC have to pay more to watch the events than almost any other sport out there. And now, early reports indicate that the prices will be going up again. According to Mark La Monica of Newsday Sports, the ordering price of a UFC PPV will be increasing to $74.99 this year.
PPV prices for UFC events on ESPN+ will be $74.99 this year.
Not only did the price per PPV event rise, but the price of an ESPN+ subscription has gone up from $89.98 to $99.98 per year. The subscription will get you access to all Fight Night cards but not PPV events.
Just recently, Conor McGregor was bragging about the number of PPV buys he has done in his career. Additionally, Dana White is notoriously boastful about the UFC’s ability to sell-out crowds and put up amazing numbers for their big events. Even with records being broken, the prices continue to rise while fighters complain about their pay.
The increase will begin later this month when the first PPV event of 2022 takes place. UFC 270 goes down on Jan. 22 and features a heavyweight championship clash between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane live from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Will you be willing to hand out $74.99 per PPV in the new year?
Recently, O’Malley spoke out about the call out he received from the former bantamweight champion and why now is not the right time for him to accept a bout with Garbrandt.
“Dude, Cody (Garbrandt) wants–he’s not getting that fight (with me),” O’Malley said on his podcast, The TimboSugarShow. “When he said it, you could see in his voice (sic), ‘Oh, I want, uh’ – but that fight’s not happening. It doesn’t make sense for him to say that. I wonder if that’s CTE. He’s been knocked out five (four) times in the last two years (five years). That fights not happening, at least, not next. He needs to – it just doesn’t make sense, dude. It just literally doesn’t make sense.”
Garbrandt expressed interest in O’Malley following his failed flyweight debut at UFC 269. Since bantamweight seems like the next logical option for Garbrandt, maybe O’Malley could be an interesting choice.
Despite O’Malley saying he is no longer interested, he has been looking for a ranked opponent to face. His recent win over Raulian Paiva put him in the top fifteen for the first time in his career. Garbrandt is no longer ranked at bantamweight since he dropped to 125 pounds, but he could very well find himself back there with one fight at 135 pounds.
O’Malley is very popular and has been called out by several fighters following his last win. If he is not interested in Garbrandt anymore, he should have no trouble finding a ranked fighter to face next.
Who would you like to see Sean O’Malley face next?
UFC middleweight contender André Muniz has pitched two potential locations and opponents for his first Octagon appearance of 2022.
Muniz has quickly developed into one of the most promising rising 185lbers and one of the most dangerous men in the UFC on the ground. “Sergipano,” a 3rd-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Otávio Duarte, is 4-0 on MMA’s biggest stage, a record that includes three armbar submissions.
After back-to-back wins on Dana White’s Contender Series, Muniz earned an opportunity in the UFC, one that he has grabbed with both hands; hands that are capable of some terrifying things when they get hold of a limb.
After starting on the right track with a decision triumph against Antônio Arroyo and showcasing his submission skills in the UFC for the first time in his victory against Bartosz Fabiński, the Brazilian went from prospect to serious contender in his third appearance.
Muniz was matched up with the legendary Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza, regarded as one of the best submission grapplers in the promotion’s history, at UFC 262 last May. In an incredible performance, Muniz sunk in a unique armbar in the opening round, one that brutally (and audibly) snapped the arm of his compatriot.
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Muniz Targets Home Crowd Or Hostile Crowd
After a clash against fellow rising middleweight Dricus Du Plessis fell through, Muniz secured his second win of 2021 at UFC 269 against 13-fight promotional veteran Eryk Anders. How did he do it? You guessed it, with an armbar.
Ranked #13 at 185 pounds, Muniz will be hoping to break into the top 10 in 2022 and maybe even stake his claim for a shot at divisional gold. With that in mind, he knows what he wants from the UFC next.
“I hope that now, with these submissions (against Souza and Anders), that the UFC will give me a top 10 or even a top five (opponent),” Muniz told MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn. “I’d like to end the year in a top-five position. Maybe Darren Till.”
Muniz went on to suggest he’s hoping for a clash with “The Gorilla” in the Liverpudlian’s home country. The UFC is reportedly targeting the March 19 card as its return to London, England. While a host of European names and UK stars have had matchups booked for that date, it still lacks a main event. Perhaps the promotion will go down the Muniz vs. Till route.
If that doesn’t come to fruition, Muniz has his sights ready to divert to another international venture for the UFC, this time to his own home nation. Reports suggest the promotion is targeting a return to Brazil for a pay-per-view on May 7. Muniz said it would be “amazing” to fight in Rio de Janeiro against an opponent ranked higher than him. He named top-10 stalwart Uriah Hall as a potential foe.
“If I can’t hook them to put me against Darren Till in England, it would be great, it would be amazing to fight in Rio(de Janeiro) against somebody ranked ahead of me. Who knows, maybe a Uriah Hall or somebody like that. That would be amazing.”
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Some fighters get excited by the prospect of a delivering a winning-performance in front of their home crowd and making the walk to the Octagon with fanfare and cheers. Others relish in the chance to spoil a homecoming in an opponent’s backyard and walk to the cage amidst a chorus of boos.
Muniz’s 2022 targets are ambidextrous in that regard…
Would you rather see André Muniz face Darren Till in England or a high-ranked opponent like Uriah Hall in Brazil?
