Top-5 strawweights Marina Rodriguez and Yan Xiaonan are scheduled to compete on March 5.
As first reported by MMA DNA, this high-level strawweight bout between Rodriguez and Xiaonan will take place at UFC 272. There is currently no main event announced for this card, but the location has been determined to be the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Marina Rodriguez may very well be one fight away from securing a title shot seeing as how she is currently riding a three-fight win streak, with wins over Amanda Ribas, Michelle Waterson, and Mackenzie Dern. Her last victory over Dern took home Fight of the Night.
To further support the notion of Rodriguez potentially earning a title shot with a win here is the fact that the only two fighters currently ahead of her in the rankings are Carla Esparza (#2) and Zhang Weili (#1). Esparza is currently next in line to challenge Rose Namajunas, while Zhang has already lost twice to Namajunas this year.
Yan Xiaonan was in a familiar position heading into the year. She was undefeated in the UFC and unbeaten in her last 12 fights. However, she would come up short against the grappling-heavy Carla Esparza at UFC Fight Night: Garbrandt vs. Font.
Now, Xiaonan will have an opportunity to put on a show in this high-level striking affair against fellow trader Marina Rodriguez. With a big win here, the #4-ranked Xiaonan may very well still be live for a title-shot opportunity herself.
With the addition of this bout, the current lineup for UFC 272 is as follows:
Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan
Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell
Jessica Eye vs. Manon Fiorot
Maryna Moroz vs. Mariya Agapova
Michał Oleksiejczuk vs. Dustin Jacoby
Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbeko
Who is your pick to win this crucial strawweight bout between Marina Rodriguez and Yan Xiaonan?
Darren Till is giving the other fighters of the UFC a little financial lesson.
Darren Till is an outspoken guy. He is loud, and his candidness has earned him many fans. Till’s latest rant is about fighter pay.
This topic has been trending lately after many fighters on the UFC roster have been asking for more bonuses and better pay. For Till, he thinks the fighters are getting plenty and stated a few facts he thinks compensates for the contracts fighters receive. (h/t Pundit Arena)
“People seem to forget that we’ve got a 20 million dollar facility there open for all UFC fighters with food, with nutrition, with strength training, with anything you want,” Till told The MMA Hour. “If you want to sleep there I’m pretty sure you could and I stayed there for three months and I was treated like a god by the UFC team, Dana and Hunter.”
Even the biggest names such as Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou have been through contract negotiation disagreements with the UFC brass this year. Outsider Jake Paul has been one of the biggest advocates for MMA fighter pay discrepancies.
“Obviously, there’s flaws in this game for fighters but before you get on and start criticizing the UFC or whatever, just remember what you’ve got at your feet,” Till explained.
The UFC performance institutes are there in order to help the UFC fighters under contract live their best lives. The locations in Las Vegas and China are meant to help fighters negotiate weight cuts, receive bodywork, and nutrition. Till feels that the luxuries and accommodations at these institutes are making up for any perceived lack of pay per fight.
What do you think of Darren Till’s stance on fighter pay?
Commentator and former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub thinks Jake Paul’s critics need to pump the brakes when ripping Paul’s boxing career.
Paul is coming off of his sixth-round knockout win over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley to remain undefeated. He was originally slated to face Tommy Fury before Fury suffered an injury just weeks before the bout.
While Paul remains unscathed in his young boxing career, he hasn’t faced a true boxer so far during his 5-0 run.
During a recent episode of the King and the Sting podcast, Schaub came to Paul’s defense when it comes to his perceived lack of tough competition.
“Here’s the thing though, all the hate on Jake Paul and stuff I get; no, I get it,” Schaub said. “Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, fight a real boxer,’ like that. Go to any; name a boxer you guys like – Tyson Fury, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Julio Chavez Senior, Junior, whoever the f**k you want, ‘Canelo’ [Alvarez], their first four fights, they were fighting cans. That’s how it should be. Jake Paul’s first four fights are way more difficult than anything your favorite boxer fought. You have to give the guy credit at some point.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Jake Paul Has Been Criticized For Lack Of High-Caliber Competition
Before knocking out Woodley, Paul had defeated the former UFC standout via split decision earlier this year. He has also recorded knockouts against former UFC wrestling specialist Ben Askren, former NBA star Nate Robinson, and fellow YouTuber AliEsonGib.
Paul called out UFC stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal after defeating Woodley. He remains particularly interested in a fight with Masvidal, as the two have gone back-and-forth on social media recently.
White has remained adamant that he will not allow any current fighters on the UFC roster to break their contract to box Paul. However, Paul remains hell-bent on fighting MMA standouts for now. Nevertheless, a bout against a true boxing specialist could come soon as his star power continues to rise.
UFC President Dana White has provided a positive update on his promotion’s ongoing negotiations with heavyweight titleholder Francis Ngannou.
As Ngannou gears up for his return to the Octagon on January 22, much of the build-up so far has surrounded his fractious relationship with the UFC and his uncertain future. Despite holding the heavyweight gold and being widely regarded as the biggest power-puncher in MMA, “The Predator” and his management team believe he’s been underappreciated by the UFC.
Since reaching the divisional mountaintop at UFC 260 with a brutal knockout of Stipe Miocic, Ngannou has been out of action and voicing his displeasure in interviews and on social media.
But it appears tensions may be fading and progress may be on the up. During a recent appearance on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas, Dana White revealed he’d spoken with Ngannou while out for dinner, a conversation he described as a “good talk.”
“Francis and I bumped into each other the other night at dinner. We had a good talk. And he’s not out of contract if he wins that fight (vs. Gane). I think he’s got one more fight with us after that… I think that Francis and I had a good conversation.”
Judging by his comments, it’s clear White has no issue with Ngannou and believes the real problem lies with the advice he’s been receiving. Doubling down on his criticism of the Cameroonian’s representation, White suggested the reigning titleholder had been led astray by individuals who simply don’t know what they’re doing.
“I think Francis has been misguided, too, by some people that aren’t very bright. That doesn’t help either; when you’ve got some people behind you that have no f*cking clue what they’re talking about. It doesn’t help the situation.”
Nevertheless, White reiterated a sentiment he’s consistently shared. After taking a dig at the fighter pay “narrative,” the UFC kingpin suggested if an athlete doesn’t want to be a part of the promotion, they can decide to leave.
“Listen, I say it all the time, man, this sport’s fun for me, I love doing this. Contrary to the narrative out there, we’ve made a lot of people very wealthy. If you don’t wanna be here, if this is not where you wanna be, well that’s not fun for you and it’s definitely not fun for me, either. These are all grown men and women, and everyone has to make their own decisions in life.”
Ngannou Will Look To Push Contractual Issues Aside At UFC 270
Despite the ongoing negotiations and talk about his future, which could seemingly see him enter free agency with a defeat in his next outing, Francis Ngannou will need to switch his focus to one thing and one thing only: Ciryl Gane.
After the controversial interim belt was created, Gane, a former teammate of “The Predator” at Paris’ MMA Factory gym, took full advantage. After main event wins against Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Alexander Volkov, “Bon Gamin” was the clear choice to join Derrick Lewis in the UFC 265 main event.
By dominating and finishing “The Black Beast,” Gane had gold wrapped around his waist as an undefeated fighter and set up a collision course with Ngannou. The pair will now meet for a blockbuster unification bout in the first pay-per-view headliner of 2022.
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC‘s nominations for Best Debut of 2021.
It’s the last week of 2021, which means it’s time to start looking back at the biggest and best moments of the year. Right now, that means taking a peek at the UFC’s nominations for the best debut of the year.
After a brief recap of each debut, you can find the Pulse of MMA letting their collective voice be heard on their thoughts on the final vote tally of the UFC’s poll.
Michael Chandler def. Dan Hooker (UFC 257)
Credit: Getty Images
There were four nominees presented by the UFC, beginning with Michael Chandler’s UFC 257 debut against Dan Hooker.
Chandler overwhelmed Hooker with his forward pressure immediately after the fight began. Before long, a devastating left hook sent Hooker down to the canvas, and the Missouri native put on the finishing touches with several punches to his downed opponent.
Chandler went on to compete two additional times in 2021, first in the main event of UFC 262 in a loss to Charles Oliveira in a lightweight championship bout; and then against Justin Gaethje in a certified Fight of the Year candidate, which was another loss for Chandler, bringing his year record to 1-2.
We only have seven seconds of footage of Terrence McKinney in the UFC available, but he made every tick count.
At UFC 263, Terrance McKinney came right out, landed a lightning-quick one-two combo that sent Matt Frevola down, and then the celebration began.
Unfortunately, there was a little too much celebrating, as McKinney would turn in a second finish moments after his historic win over Frevola. This time, he gave himself a doctor’s stoppage with a cage flip gone wrong. Take notice Michael Chandler.
Heading into 2022, McKinney is booked to face Fares Ziam in his sophomore UFC performance on February 26.
Alex Pereira def. Andreas Michailidis (UFC 268)
Alex Pereira entered UFC 268 with a lot of hype on his back, including teammate and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Glover Teixeira predicting that he will definitely win UFC gold in the future.
In his debut against Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268, the decorated kickboxer’s grappling game was instantly put to the test when Michailidis got the early takedown in the first round. Despite the early setback, Pereira was able to return to his feet but spent most of the round tamed by Michailidis’ clinch control. In this second round, he let loose.
Pereira landed a sure-fire candidate for KO of the year with his flying knee KO in the second round. Now, heading into 2022, he has a date with Bruno Silva on March 12.
Paddy Pimblett def. Luigi Vendramini (UFC Vegas 36)
There perhaps was no debut in 2021 with as much fanfare behind it as Liverpool England’s Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett’s.
In the early goings of Pimblett’s UFC debut, it looked as though his hype train might have been en route to being derailed before it ever really got going. Vendramini was putting it on Pimblett, repeatedly landing hook after hook to the “Baddy’s” exposed chin.
That chin held up and so did Pimblett’s hype. Because after absorbing multiple heavy punches from Vendramini, ultimately it was Pimblett who got the KO finish in a series kicked off by a staggering right hand.
Pimblett and his hype now head to 2022 with a date and opponent yet to be determined. Word around the grapevine is Donald Cerrone is interested in the fight, but there have been no formal reports on this potential pairing.
Best UFC Debut of 2021 Nominees Video
Now that you’ve read about them, SEE these memorable debuts for yourself in the video package below!
MMA Twitter Weighs In
Finally, here is what the Pulse of MMA had to say about the UFC’s nominations list after Michael Chandler took home the most votes on the official poll.
Come on guys, really? Why so many votes for Paddy? He showcased a concerning lack of defense and even his offense wasn't that impressive. Not good, if this debut is any indication of how he will fight against tougher opposition.
Chandlers to me was the best but I chose paddy because he overcame a little bit of a storm there at the beginning and finished it in the first like he said he would.
Glover Teixeira is already planning his first light heavyweight title defense.
Glover Teixeira is coming off his extraordinary win over Jan Blachowicz at UFC 267. The 42-year-old shocked the world and became one of the oldest fighters to ever win their first UFC title. Now that he is the champion at 205 pounds, Teixiera isn’t ready to slow it down. In fact, he is already planning his first title defense and even has a name in mind.
“For sure in Brazil,” Teixeira told Sherdog. “It’s meant to be. I (said) right after my fight with Blachowicz…in a perfect scenario would be May for myself because I want to relax, enjoy this moment, and that was a hard year for me—hardcore, focused 100% for the fight. I want a few months off, a couple months off, and I want to get back (training) beginning of January….I told everybody May would be perfect time. And May is the card in Brazil. Who knows? Maybe it’s a possibility, and it’d be fun.”
Teixeira’s win over Blachowicz was the 33rd win of his career. Many thought Teixeira might be heading towards retirement back in 2018 when he suffered his third loss in five fights, but the longtime veteran of the sport battled back to win his next five and secure his title shot. Now, with the belt wrapped around his waist, Teixiera would like to bring it back home to Brazil.
Talent managers Alex Davis and Samir Nadaf have reportedly filed a lawsuit against ONE Championship fighter Adriano Moraes.
The lawsuit alleges Moraes owes the managers over $100,000 due to a breach of contract.
The issue stems from a claim that Moraes wasn’t paying the managers an agreed-upon amount of his income. News of the filing was first reported by Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting.
Details obtained by MMA Fighting allege that Moraes was giving his management less than what he agreed to give them as part of a deal. The managers claim he agreed to pay them 10 percent of fight purses and 20 percent of his money from sponsorships, but they say he only gave them 5 percent for his last two outings.
Managers Allege They Are Owed $35,000 For Fight Against Johnson
Adriano Moraes, Demetrious Johnson, Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Davis and Nadaf are reportedly seeking $113,000 in total.
Moraes pulled off a big win earlier this year, stopping former UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson with strikes. Documents filed in the lawsuit claim that Moraes was given $50,000 to show for that fight, along with another $50,000 for winning. He was also allegedly given an extra $250,000 as a bonus afterward.
Davis and Nadaf claim they were owed $35,000 for the fight weekend but only received $2,500 from Moraes.
“As a professional rule, I don’t make comments about contracts, money and etc publicly,” said Davis when requested for comment by MMA Fighting. “I seek the justice when I’m in need about any situation, and I’ll wait and humbly agree to its decision.”
Moraes started his third run as the ONE 135-pound Champion in early 2019. In that fight, he avenged a loss he previously took against Geje Eustaquio. Moraes has fought on the ONE Championship roster since 2013.
UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley says he doesn’t want to compete in five-round fights unless he is paid very lucratively.
O’Malley is edging ever closer towards main event territory and is arguably already there, mostly due to his charisma and recognizable name. Since a setback against Marlon Vera in 2020 stalled his surge, a defeat that marked his first in the sport, “Sugar” has proved why he’s so highly touted.
In three 2021 contests, O’Malley added three wins to his record, recorded three finishes, and earned three $50,000 bonuses. After a brutal knockout against Thomas Almeida and a record-breaking striking performance opposite Kris Moutinho, O’Malley closed out his perfect year by finishing formerly-ranked Brazilian Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
O’Malley: “I Don’t Want A Fucking Five-Round Fight”
In the aftermath of O’Malley’s latest victory came a jump into the rankings. With his #12 position on the bantamweight ladder will come an increase in competition, as well as the likelihood of five-round contests. But that’s something “Sugar” is hoping to avoid for the time being.
During an appearance on the Full Send Podcast, O’Malley made his feelings for 25-minute contests clear. For the extra money he’d currently receive for them, he’s not at all interested.
“I don’t want a fucking five-round fight,” O-Malley said. “They’re gonna give me like, $20,000 extra to go fight, basically another fight, 10 minutes. I’m like, ‘I’m not gonna fucking do that.’”
Despite that, O’Malley knows it’s an inevitability, especially if he is to reach the heights in the UFC he has aspirations for. But given the extra preparation needed, the 27-year-old says he’d be after a hefty paycheck to make it happen.
“When I’m champ, yeah. There comes a point, you can’t say no to the UFC, you know what I mean? I’d rather not fight five rounds unless you wanna pay me a fucking lot more money. You know how much more training goes (into it). That was like a 10-week camp (ahead of UFC 269) for 15 minutes. That’s a hard camp. I think, though, with the level of cardio I was in, I could have gone five rounds, just because when you’re in there, you’re not gonna give up, you’re not gonna fall, you’re gonna fight.
“But five rounds, that’s a lot. That’s 25 minutes of fucking fist-fighting. I’d like to be paid, if I’m gonna do that, paid equally. That’s a long time to fucking fight, dude.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CX14GhFvzUG/
Despite his successful 2021, many in the MMA community still doubt O’Malley’s title credentials and ability to compete with the elite at 135 pounds. It stands to reason that idea will be tested in 2022.
Whether against a top-10 opponent or fellow surging striker Adrian Yanez, we’ll likely see “Sugar” tested like he’s never been tested before. Although it’s safe to say we’ll have to wait to see him tested beyond 15 minutes…
Do you agree with Sean O’Malley’s stance on five-round fights?
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña has issued a challenge for those who continue to doubt and discredit her title-winning performance at UFC 269.
At the final pay-per-view of 2021, Peña finally had her long-awaited clash with then-two-division titleholder Amanda Nunes. Having dominantly reigned over both the bantamweight and featherweight classes for years, most expected the “Lioness” to brush “The Venezuelan Vixen” aside and add another defense to her résumé.
What transpired inside Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena couldn’t have been further from the predictions of most. After getting through the first round unscathed, the challenger put her plan into action. After hurting and tiring Nunes on the feet, Peña sent the Brazilian crashing to the mat before choking her out and taking her title.
Despite executing her game plan to perfection and completing one of the greatest upsets in UFC history, some fans and pundits have questioned whether Peña beat Nunes, or if the former champion simply quit after being put into a position she hadn’t faced since 2014.
“It was great. That’s the second time I’ve finished (a fight with that rear-naked choke). I finished Sara McMann in January. It’s something that is not a regular rear-naked choke. I know that a lot of people want to discredit me, people wanna say that I didn’t have any hooks in and that wasn’t real and she just tapped because she quit.
“I guarantee you, and Jim, maybe one day you can take me up on this, or any of your listeners, if any of them out there want to come to my house and let me put that choke on them, I guarantee you they’re gonna tap as well and I guarantee you they’ll be able to feel that force and pressure that I was putting on Amanda.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXxLHLYD14Z/
Having ascended the bantamweight mountaintop, the next step for Peña to further legitimize her spot on the throne will likely be a second clash with Nunes.
After UFC President Dana White confirmed the option of an immediate rematch would be made available to the former champ, the “Lioness” quickly accepted. The pair will seemingly enter the Octagon together again in the first half of 2022.
Do you think Amanda Nunes had to tap to Julianna Peña’s choke at UFC 269?
After Julianna Peña submitted Amanda Nunes to become the new bantamweight champion, her friend Tate said she thought of dropping down to women’s flyweight. If she does drop down in weight, the Brazilian Andrade would love that fight.
“I recently read that Miesha is thinking about the idea of going down to 125 pounds and I would love to be her first opponent in this new weight class,” Andrade told MMA Fighting. “Maybe she never thought about it, but I entered the UFC because of her, when she went to shoot TUF with Ronda [Rousey] and withdrew from a fight with Liz Carmouche, and I was signed as her replacement.”
Image Credit: Zhe Ji/Getty Images
As JéssicaAndrade said, she and Miesha Tate were both fighting at bantamweight when Andrade joined the UFC. Yet, after going 3-3, she dropped down to strawweight and eventually claimed UFC gold.
After losing her belt and then dropping the rematch to Rose Namajunas, she moved up to women’s flyweight. She quickly made her mark with a TKO win over Katlyn Chookagian and got a title shot but lost to Valentina Shevchenko.
In Andrade’s last fight, she TKO’d Cynthia Calvillo. But given the fact that she just lost to champion Valentina Shevchenko, she is in a weird position because she likely won’t get a title shot anytime soon.
With that, Andrade would love to face the former bantamweight champ in Tate, as she believes it would be an interesting fight for the fans that is years in the making.
“[Tate and I] went different directions in the organization, but I followed her this entire time in the UFC when I still competed at 135,” Andrade said. “She won the 135 belt right after I dropped to 115. I believe that a fight between a former strawweight champion and a former bantamweight champion would be an interesting show for the fans.”
Would you like to see Jéssica Andrade vs. Miesha Tate?
Former Belgian kickboxing champion Frederic Sinistra has passed away at his home after a severe case of COVID-19.
Sinistra had been admitted into the hospital back in November at the request of his kickboxing coach. Just weeks later, Sinistra checked himself out of the hospital against the advisement of doctors and opted to treat himself with oxygen at his home.
About a month later, he would suffer from cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead due to complications stemming from the virus.
“[I] will fight to the end so that the truth is restored and his name is washed away from all these slanderers both family and around his death,” she said on his Facebook page. (h/t MSN)
Sinistra had been scheduled to fight on December 4th before COVID-19 restrictions forced the event to be canceled.
Frederic Sinistra Had Previously Mocked The Pandemic
The 41-year-old Sinistra refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine despite the virus surging throughout Europe. He also downplayed the pandemic as “the little virus” in late November.
“I was born premature and I will continue to fight to the death like a man without ever giving up and dying without regrets,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
The COVID-19 pandemic has rocked sports around the world, but MMA and combat sports have managed to stay afloat. The UFC, in particular, helped lead the charge to re-boot events as the world began to shut down in early 2020.
Sinistra accumulated a 39-9 heavyweight kickboxing record while also earning a national title back in 2004. At one point, he had been nicknamed as “Belgium’s strongest man”.
What is your reaction to Frederic Sinistra’s death?
After he originally named Ciryl Gane as the top male fighter of 2021, Daniel Cormier has changed his mind and tabbed Kamaru Usman with the top spot.
Usman went 3-0 in 2021, with dominant performances over the likes of Jorge Masvidal, Gilbert Burns, and Colby Covington. After earning the title over Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 in 2019, he’s emerged as arguably the best MMA fighter on the planet.
Cormier has turned into one of the most prominent voices in MMA media after an accolade-filled UFC career. He recently named Gane as his Fighter of the Year after earning the interim heavyweight title.
“I did the weigh-in show a few weeks ago, and I picked Ciryl Gane,” Cormier said. “Because he beat Alexander Volkov, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and beat Derrick Lewis for the interim title to face Francis Ngannou. But then when I started to think about it and looked at who Kamaru Usman has beaten, how he’s beaten them. We don’t get champions like him who is as dominant and fights as often. He’s not only defended the belt three times but has also made a jump in terms of his profile, visibility, and marketability. Everything is at an elite level after beating those top guys.”
Kamaru Usman Ended 2021 As The UFC’s Pound-For-Pound No. 1
Usman had arguably the best year of his career in 2021 and capped it off with the top spot on the UFC’s pound-for-pound list. He earned the top spot over stars such as Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones.
Usman’s final hurdle of the year came in a highly-anticipated title rematch against Covington. It was another back-and-forth battle, but Usman was able to endure Covington’s late surge and retain the title.
Usman has also teased a potential boxing super-fight against Canelo Alvarez, although it remains to be seen if it’ll come to fruition.
There are arguably a plethora of MMA fighters worth of Male Fighter of the Year, but Cormier thinks Usman deserves the award more than anyone in the sport.
UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson has discussed his latest setback in the Octagon and explained what went wrong on the night.
In early 2021, Thompson was riding high off back-to-back wins against Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal. As an in-form top-five fighter and one of the few top contenders Kamaru Usman is yet to face, many predicted a title shot down the line.
“Wonderboy” seemingly had the chance to secure one at UFC 264 against Gilbert Burns. Instead, he was controlled and comfortably beaten on the scorecards. With his motivation unwavering, the 38-year-old hoped to get back on track by fitting in another fight before the close of the year.
After Belal Muhammad answered his prayers, many expected Thompson to re-enter the win column and stake his claim for a matchup with the champion. But once again, the two-time title challenger failed to keep the fight on the feet and was dominated throughout, falling to yet another unanimous decision.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXpb8hGoqNF/
Thompson: “I Got Manhandled For Three Rounds”
During a recent episode of his podcast, Stephen Thompson addressed his defeat and analyzed what went wrong in the UFC Vegas 45 co-main event.
While he conceded that he was “manhandled” for the best part of 15 minutes, Thompson suggested a botched rehydration process may have had a part to play. Despite having a good camp, “Wonderboy” admitted he was a lot more tired and exhausted at the start of the fight, something he says he noticed even before entering the Octagon.
“I lost my fight, got manhandled for three rounds. Yeah man, it was a sucky experience, to be honest with you. Like, you know, I don’t know why this happens but when you know I had a great camp, camp was awesome. I was in the greatest shape of my life, you know. Was in shape, felt strong and then you know things start to kind of get a little weird whenever you’re getting ready to go out you’re in the back kind of warming up and your legs start to feel tingly, that’s not a good sign…Maybe it had something to do with my rehydration; not sure. But I felt exhausted, felt super tired right out of the first round. I didn’t want to say anything to my coaches or anything that my legs were feeling tingly.
“It was the rehydration, that was just difficult. You know back in the past, it was kind of like an unwritten rule or untalked about thing that before USADA, we were allowed to IVs you know and it was kind of… something we did back in our hotel. Everybody did it. It was such an easier way to get those fluids back and you felt so much better, like, instantly. And now having to do everything orally, it’s difficult, it takes longer, you don’t know if you have drank enough.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXsFZdFKKS4/
Given his age and losses in 2021, some fans and pundits have suggested Thompson isn’t capable of competing at the highest level anymore. But “Wonderboy” has no plans to hang up his gloves anytime soon.
Having previously revealed his desire to become the oldest fighter in UFC history, Thompson has now questioned why fans want him to retire. According to the 38-year-old, his body feels better than it did five years ago when he fought Tyron Woodley for the title.
“I feel like people that do retire, when they sit down on the chair, they just feel like they should retire. Like just, their bodies beat up, aches and pains… When I sit here and I’m sitting down in this chair, I feel great. I feel fine. I feel fine. I feel better than I was five years ago. I just don’t get it.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
With his motivation to compete as high as ever, we’ll likely be seeing Thompson attempt a resurgence in 2022.
Do you think Stephen Thompson can still compete at the highest level in the UFC welterweight division?
Boxing royalty Teddy Atlas believes rising UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has all the makings of a star in combat sports.
O’Malley has quickly grown into one of the most recognized and talked about names in the world’s premier MMA organization. That’s down to his unique combination of charisma, eccentric appearance, and clear talent once the cage door closes behind him.
Since a defeat to Marlon Vera briefly stalled his surge up the bantamweight ladder, O’Malley has been back to his best. In three 2021 appearances, “Sugar” secured a trio of finishes and a $50,000 bonus to make each one that bit sweeter. After triumphs over Thomas Almeida and Kris Moutinho, O’Malley made his biggest impact at the final pay-per-view of the year.
In the main card opener, the Montana native faced the toughest test since his setback against “Chito,” the formerly-ranked Raulian Paiva. Inside the opening round, O’Malley recorded another highlight-reel knockout and had the crowd inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on their feet.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CX14GhFvzUG/
With his latest Octagon success, O’Malley entered the top 15 at 135 pounds. Now sitting at #12, “The Suga Show” is well and truly on its way in the UFC, something that doesn’t surprise one of the most experienced men in combat sports.
In an interview with The Schmo, Atlas, a renowned boxing trainer, spoke about O’Malley’s rise in the UFC. According to him, the 27-year-old has all the traits and characteristics of a future star.
“He’s got all the makings of a star. Obviously the look, the ‘it’ factor when he gets into the ring; he lights it up. He’s charismatic, he’s smart… He’s got that ‘it’ factor. But he can fight, too… With all that stuff going on, O’Malley can fight.
“We wanna see him tested, of course. But there are special privileges out there, let’s be real. When a guy can bring money in, when a guy can be Conor McGregor, or potentially Conor McGregor, they get a little special privileges, where they can fight, maybe, a little bit of a lighter competition as they’re allowed the build. I think he’s (O’Malley) probably fallen under that category. They wanna use him a little bit, I think, to help the brand again, you know, build UFC like any other brand, like the NFL. Why do they go to Europe? To build the brand.”
Teddy Atlas Cautions O’Malley Against Davis Callout
Sean O’Malley, Gervonta Davis
O’Malley has often been compared to MMA’s biggest superstar Conor McGregor. After becoming a two-division champion in the UFC, the Irishman ventured to the squared circle to take on the undefeated Floyd Mayweather in the sport’s biggest ‘money’ fight.
While some distance away from that level of superstardom and success in MMA, some have suggested O’Malley could be a potential crossover sensation in the future. Th comes at a time when the likes of Tyron Woodley, Vitor Belfort, and Anderson Silva have all laced the gloves in recent months.
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has even called for a clash with Canelo Alvarez, a bout that would mark the first boxing P4P vs. UFC P4P contest. While Atlas acknowledged Usman’s improving striking and immense physicality, he believes a fast and slick fighter on the feet like O’Malley would fare better in-between the ropes.
“Just because he’s (Usman) a strong guy, you gotta be honest, he couldn’t just come in, you know, because he doesn’t have one area where you can say he’s real cute, he’s real elusive. You know who’d have a better shot? In putting him in boxing in a more open way or a more across-the-board way, that he could have some success? O’Malley. Because he’s a bit more like a cutie, you know, where he can be slick. You could put him in with a guy who’s maybe a little slow-footed, a guy that’s not really busy.”
Despite having aspirations of grandeur in the UFC, O’Malley has discussed a potential future in the ring. He even recently called out former multi-weight world champion Gervonta Davis. Although Atlas sees that callout as perhaps a little extreme, he does believe “Sugar” can find success in boxing.
“Listen, Davis isn’t necessarily a seek and destroy guy. He likes to counterpunch, he’s a real smart guy, and everything. But you’re (O’Malley) calling out a guy who’s very dangerous. You make one mistake with him, in a new place, that’s obviously a new realm for him, you make one mistake and you’re not surviving. So that’s a tough callout.
UFC 269: Sean O’Malley vs. Raulian Paiva (Image Credit: Louis Grasse/PxImages)
“But O’Malley, again, could probably pick more guys, because there’s versatility that he could do well in boxing, than you could with Usman. There’s not one area where you could say Usman was real slick, or he’s got a great jab, or he can fight not he inside, so it’d be more problematic finding a guy, even though Usman has incredible physical abilities.”
O’Malley’s boxing credentials could be further tested in his next appearance. The rising contender has called out fellow surging striker Adrian Yanez, whilst also leaving the door open to a clash with Rob Font, a contender well known for his jab.
Whoever O’Malley faces next and in the future, it stands to reason that if he keeps winning, we’ll be seeing him test the waters of the sweet science before his career is out.
Do you agree with Teddy Atlas? Would Sean O’Malley find more success in the ring than Kamaru Usman?
The remains of David Koenig, an amateur MMA fighter in Missouri, have been found after a lengthy missing person’s search.
Branson, MO Police say a man who was looking for deer antlers in a wooded area of Branson came upon human remains last Wednesday. A forensics team was later able to confirm that the remains belonged to Koenig, and the search also found most of his personal items.
It had been previously rumored that Koenig had been murdered, but police later confirmed that this wasn’t the case.
“The examination of the remains conducted by a forensic pathologist determined that there was no trauma and that the death did not appear to be the result of foul play,” Branson PD said in a statement. (h/t Springfield News-Leader)
“Our department and the amazing group of volunteers never stopped in our efforts to find Mr. Koenig. While this is not the ending we hoped for, we offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Koenig.”
A Search For David Koenig Began In March 2020
Koenig’s mother Tracy alleges that her son stayed at the town’s Peach Tree Inn shortly before his disappearance. It’s unclear where he went after leaving the hotel.
Koenig had last competed in MMA in 2017 and hasn’t fought since. He earned back-to-back wins on the regional scene in promotions such as ShoFight and RFA 46.
An exact cause of death hasn’t been determined at this time.
Dana White is still not open to ever doing business with Jake Paul, but he does have quite a different proposal for his nemesis.
If there were a “Rivalry of the Year” MMA award, you’d be remiss not to add Jake Paul vs. Dana White to the nominations list. There may not be a chance of the two ever fighting one another (although Paul has said that may change someday), but the two have traded shots at one another for the better part of 2021.
Most recently, after Paul knocked out former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley earlier this month, he gloated about embarrassing the entire UFC. He then reiterated his interest in fighting UFC stars, such as Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal. In Masvidal’s case, “Gamebred” expressed optimism that the right financial incentive from Paul’s camp could sway White’s mind.
“No (scenario I’d let Diaz or Masvidal box Paul while under UFC contract),” White said. “You notice how he wants to fight f*cking everybody that’s not in his weight class, guys that are older and all this bullsh*t. Go fight a boxer. Go hump somebody else’s leg, you goofball.”
Dana White Makes A Proposal To Jake Paul
With a fight against a UFC-contracted fighter still out of the question, Dana White would then throw out a counterproposal to the YouTuber. Paul, known to conceive of creative bets and proposals of his own, was now on the receiving end of a rather unexpected offer from the UFC boss.
“I got a challenge for Jake Paul,” White said. “This guy keeps saying that I’m a cokehead. He can randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years if I can randomly steroid test him for the next two,” White said.
Getty Images
White is not the first person to throw suspension in Paul’s direction regarding steroid usage. Previous opponent Tyron Woodley also suggested that Paul was entering their initial August fight as a tainted athlete. Additionally, John Fury claimed that Paul had avoided being drug tested ahead of the originally planned bout between Paul and Tommy Fury.
Thus far, Paul has always responded to every mention of his name by Dana White, so we shall see if this time is any different. Should he offer a response to White’s proposal, you can be sure that we will bring you the dirt right here at MMANews.com.
How do you predict Jake Paul will respond to this proposal from Dana White?
UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley thinks a couple of UFC stars could give Jake Paul issues in the boxing ring.
O’Malley knows a thing or two about boxing, as he’s widely regarded as arguably one of the best boxers in the UFC. He most recently earned a dominant knockout win over Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
Paul has attracted the attention of many around the MMA community, especially after his knockout over Tyron Woodley. Paul has managed to keep up the MMA vs. boxing narrative with his fights and callouts.
“Masvidal or Kamaru would be the toughest fights for Jake boxing-wise,” O’Malley said.
After his knockout over Woodley, Paul also called out Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor as two potential opponents. Despite O’Malley’s endorsements of Usman and Masvidal to face Paul, he explained the difficulties of negotiating the potential bouts.
“Diaz, Masvidal, Kamaru, that can’t even be negotiated,” O’Malley continued. “You cannot negotiate under UFC contract, so those fights will not happen unless Dana really wants to see Jake lose and is very, very confident in one of his fighters, that they can beat him. But even then, I don’t know if he would let them fight. I don’t know. We’ll see what’s next. I don’t think it’ll be anyone on the UFC roster.”
Sean O’Malley, Jake Paul Planning On Big 2022
O’Malley has praised Jake and Logan Paul in the past, going as far as to say he’s felt inspired by watching their career transitions. The Paul brothers have managed to take their large following from content creation into the sport of boxing.
O’Malley and Paul are both on winning streaks to wrap up 2021. Paul is undefeated in his young boxing career, while O’Malley has won three UFC bouts in a row.
O’Malley and Paul are two of the more polarizing young stars in their respective sports, but that hasn’t stopped the two of them from having mutual respect for one another.
Do you think Kamaru Usman or Jorge Masvidal would outbox Jake Paul?
UFC veteran welterweight Michel Prazeres has hit back at USADA after handing him a four-year suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.
Prazeres tested positive for clomiphene and oxandrolone ahead of his previously scheduled fight with Clay Guida earlier this year. The suspension more than likely ends his time with the UFC at 40 years old.
Prazeres allegedly contemplated retirement shortly after news of the suspension but later backtracked after learning that he can still compete in other countries. It’s unclear if Prazeres will opt to fight for a smaller promotion, including in his native Brazil.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Prazeres gave his side of the story regarding him testing positive for the drugs and his overall experience testing with USADA.
Michel Prazeres Says He Used The Drugs For Fertility Treatment
“I told [USADA] everything. I said my wife and I were doing treatment to have another baby,” Prazeres said. “This is not a steroid, this is a medication. They interviewed me, my wife, and my doctor, they took all the receipts and medical records, the exams I’ve done, and these sons of b*tches still do that?
“I couldn’t give a sh*t [about USADA]. I can fight in Brazil, I can make money in Brazil.”
Despite Prazeres’ defense, clomiphene and oxandrolone are both considered to be performance enhancers under USADA’s policies. Prazeres has yet to appeal the ruling.
Prazeres has enjoyed a long tenure in the UFC, making his promotional debut in 2013. To put things in perspective, Prazeres’ second fight in the fight was at UFC 165, which is where former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson had their all-time great first matchup.
Prazeres’ suspension by USADA is arguably their highest-profile case since former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw in 2019.
UFC light heavyweight, Anthony Smith doesn’t buy the recent allegations made against Chael Sonnen.
Recently, Sonnen was hit with five battery citations after allegedly being a part of a hotel brawl in Las Vegas. TMZ Sports reported that Sonnen was detained but was ultimately not arrested because cops didn’t personally witness the alleged incident. Nevertheless, he still was given five misdemeanor battery citations, and the police are still investigating the incident.
Since the initial report, there haven’t been many details about Sonnen’s case aside from Brendan Schaub’s version of events, but for Anthony Smith, he doesn’t buy into the idea that Sonnen would suddenly beat up five people in a hotel. Generally speaking, he doesn’t think Sonnen would be that type of person. So until the entire facts come out, “Lionheart” admits it is hard to believe what was reported (h/t Sportskeeda).
“I do think that it would be really hard for me to believe like Chael Sonnen beat up five people. Listening to the Jon Jones situation, I have never commented on his personal struggles or whatever,” Smith said on Karyn Bryant’s YouTube channel. “But at this point, he has not earned or deserved the benefit of the doubt.
Image Credit: Fernando Quiles Jr., MMA News
“I think at this point in Chael’s life, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt at least. It is just not his nature… I don’t know the full story but Chael is not that type of guy. You can’t even get the dude to look up from his phone half the time. He’s so chill and so calm and you can’t get him riled up easily.”
Because Sonnen was not arrested, as of right now, there does not appear to be anything major that could come down against the UFC legend. Therefore, as Smith says, it is hard to really form an evidence-based opinion, as there isn’t a ton of details on the case available at the moment.
Anthony Smith is currently ranked #4 in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. He most recently defeated Ryan Spann in September and is currently awaiting word on his next opponent.
Do you agree with Anthony Smith that the allegations against Chael Sonnen are hard to believe?
UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad believes the UFC and Dana White need to start pushing him over other top-five guys like Leon Edwards.
Muhammad moved one step closer to the top of the 170-pound mountain this year with victories over a pair of former title challengers. After a disappointing no contest against Edwards in March, which came after Muhammad was the victim of a nasty eye poke, “Remember The Name” bounced back with a comfortable win against veteran Brazilian Demian Maia at UFC 263.
Following that triumph, Muhammad had his second crack at a top-five opponent, this time in the form of two-time title challenger Stephen Thompson. In the final co-main event of the year, Muhammad broke into the welterweight elite with a dominant performance. After controlling and beating “Wonderboy” for the majority of the contest, the 33-year-old was awarded a unanimous decision on the scorecards.
Now sitting at #5 on the welterweight ladder, Muhammad is unbeaten in seven fights. Since a 2019 defeat to Geoff Neal, the Chicago native has added victories over Lyman Good, Dhiego Lima, Maia, and Edwards to his impressive 20-3 résumé. With that form in mind, Muhammad is likely one impressive victory away over a fellow top-five name from a shot at gold.
During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Muhammad made his case for a big push towards the title. Addressing UFC President Dana White, “Remember The Name” suggested he’s the contender that “has it all,” something he doesn’t believe #3-ranked Edwards can say about himself.
“Dana, I know you’re watching this, you’ve got four weeks off to think about this. When you really think about it, there are not a lot of guys out here that are promoting themselves like me. I’m a guy that knows how to talk, I’m a guy who knows how to fight, I’m a guy that can fight the best of the best, be with the best of the best, and talk with the best of the best. I’m that guy that has it all.
“You guys are out here trying to push the wrong guys. Leon hasn’t said anything witty or cool in the last like, 10 years. Whenever he opens his mouth, something stupid comes out. I’m the guy that you need to start pushing.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CX9OjMzF1eh/
Muhammad has certainly not been shy to call out other top welterweights since his victory over “Wonderboy” prior to Christmas. As well as calling for a rematch with Edwards and discrediting “Rocky” as a title contender, the 33-year-old has expressed an interest in facing Khamzat Chimaev.
While it remains to be seen which way the promotion will go, we can expect Muhammad to be opposite a big name the next time he steps into the Octagon.
Do you agree with Belal Muhammad? Is he the welterweight the UFC needs to be pushing?
The manager of UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has revealed there are two things his client needs if he is to re-sign with MMA’s premier promotion.
Ngannou ascended the heavyweight mountaintop this year with a brutal knockout of Stipe Miocic. Since falling short of the title for the first time in 2018, “The Predator” has been unstoppable. On his way to title glory, he knocked out Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, all in the first round.
Despite winning the belt in March 2021, it’ll have been 10 months since that date when he returns to the Octagon for his first defense. He’ll be doing so in the UFC 270 main event against Ciryl Gane. The Frenchman won the interim title at UFC 265 and will look to dethrone his former teammate on January 22.
“I think for starters, Francis would love to have more activity. When have you really seen Francis have more than two fights in the last however many years in one year? He’s not as active as other heavyweights. Why? Because of me? Because of him? That’s a lie. [Laughs] That’s just what it is. From taking my manager hat off and just putting a fan hat on, I would love for the UFC to understand what Francis is about and understand his story. I feel like having an interim title was their decision. But was it really valid or warranted? Was it necessary?”
That move, along with a culmination of frustrations, has left Martin and Ngannou disappointed in the way he’s been portrayed as champion. According to the manager, his client has never been promoted positively by the UFC since losing to Miocic in 2018, representing the second issue that needs resolving before Ngannou re-signs.
“Again, Francis, their heavyweight champion, the guy who’s been saying yes to all the fights, hasn’t declined fights, hasn’t anything, first UFC heavyweight champion from Africa to ever happen, and then interim champion. So I know Francis was very heartbroken over that because it’s like, ‘Hey, what else do you guys want me to do?’ If you guys look back at Francis’ track record, after he lost to Stipe, tell me when you really feel that Francis has been really promoted in a positive light.”
Addressing those comments, Martin slammed the comments as a “false narrative,” and suggested he isn’t the UFC”s favourite person because he simply works to achieve what’s best for his client. In his mind, the real issue is Ngannou not getting the love and appreciation he deserves.
“You hear this false narrative of representation. No, what does representation look like in your mind, UFC? To say yes to every single thing that you do? Am I supposed to take you out to dinner? Be your best friend? No, I have a fiduciary obligation to my client. And the facts are, OK, if you want to judge me and try to put me out of business for whatever reason and try to bully me publicly, I don’t respond to that. CAA doesn’t respond to that. We know how to do our job. We’re very competent in what we do.
“But when it comes to let’s look at the facts of Francis. After Stipe won, where do you really see Francis getting the love that I feel—again, call me biased—but this guy, he’s not in trouble with the law. [Laughs] This guy is one of the finest human beings that you will ever meet. But you don’t hear about his story.
“You don’t see this world tour and UFC going back to Africa with Francis. We did that. We did that on our own. So as a UFC heavyweight champion, how are you supposed to feel? After three months, what are you supposed to do?”
With negotiations appearing to stall, it remains to be seen what a victory or defeat at UFC 270 will mean for Ngannou’s future. If Gane leaves the cage with the undisputed title, perhaps we’ll see the Cameroon native test the waters of other promotions.
Do you agree with Francis Ngannou’s manager?Is the champ under appreciated by the UFC?
UFC middleweight Krzysztof Jotko is still awaiting an opponent for his Octagon return, but he recently accused Alex Pereira of turning him down.
According to Jotko, an offer was made for him to fight Pereira on the upcoming UFC 271 card in February. However, he alleges that Pereira turned down the fight immediately.
Jotko most recently defeated Misha Cirkunov via split decision at UFC Vegas 38. Before that, he had won three in a row leading up to a disappointing loss to rising contender Sean Strickland.
Pereira, arguably the biggest signing by the UFC in 2021, put on a show in his UFC debut. The elite striker overwhelmed Andreas Michailidis en route to a TKO finish at UFC 268.
Look at this clown 😂 I agreed to fight you February 12 ! and you out here running scared fighting someone else cause you can’t wrestle. Why you scared? pic.twitter.com/ckmE8LueOo
“Look at this clown,” Jotko said. “I agreed to fight you on February 12! And, you out here running scared fighting someone else cause you can’t wrestle. Why you scared?”
Pereira is widely regarded as one of the best kickboxers in the world, having won multiple titles in Glory Kickboxing before coming to the UFC. He has been criticized by many, including Jotko, for his relative inexperience with grappling.
“I had never heard of that guy, but my manager mentioned him to me and we came to the conclusion that he was a totally unremarkable and uninteresting opponent,” Pereira said. “I want an opponent who can put on a show like me, not a girlfriend, I’m already a married man.”
Pereira is the only fighter to ever finish the current UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya in any sport. He and Jotko are both vying for a spot in the UFC middleweight rankings.
While it appears that these two won’t fight next, their recent back-and-forth on social media could create the push for a clash down the line.
Who would you like to see Krzysztof Jotko fight next?
There might’ve not been an official winner in the Logan Paul vs. Floyd Mayweather bout earlier this year, but Paul claims he’s the financial loser.
Paul and Mayweather went the full eight rounds, with both having their moments in the ring. The bout wasn’t officially sanctioned due to the large size disparity between Paul and Mayweather, so the result was left in the hands of the viewers without an official judging decision.
Paul and Mayweather had quite the heated buildup to their exhibition, with the two sides nearly brawling at a pre-fight media day in Miami. But they appeared to squash their beef after the fight, with Mayweather going as far as to say he was impressed by Paul’s skills.
The mutual respect has appeared to run thin in recent days, as Paul accused Mayweather of failing to pay him his share for the event. He ripped the boxing legend in a recent Instagram Story post.
“Pay me my money you f***ing cornball of a human,” Paul said. (h/t The Mirror)
The Paul vs. Mayweather exhibition was a massive pay-per-view success, with the event topping at least 1 million buys on Showtime. After the fight, Mayweather seemed content on retirement and not making the Paul exhibition into a new chapter of his legendary career. He later claimed after the fight that he earned $100 million for the event.
Logan and his brother Jake took the boxing world by storm in 2021. Jake earned knockout wins over former UFC standouts Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, while Logan managed to go the distance against arguably the best boxer of all time.
It’s unclear if Paul’s allegations hold any merit, but it appears that the tension between Mayweather and the Paul brothers doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon.
What are your thoughts on Logan Paul’s accusations?
Manager to the stars, Ali Abdelaziz, is tired of hearing people talk about fighting for the BMF title.
The BMF title was a specially crafted belt designed for and awarded to the winner of the fight between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. Ultimately, it would be Masvidal who was awarded the novelty belt, with none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson putting it around his waist after their UFC 244 main event was stopped by the doctor.
Since then, and despite the fact that Dana White has made it clear that this was a one-off situation, there have been countless fighters calling for their crack at the BMF title. Everyone ranging from Leon Edwards toColby Covington and more has asked for their own opportunity to fight for it.
One of the more recent people to call for the BMF title was Covington, who spoke in an interview about wanting to see it up for grabs if he is to fight Jorge Masvidal, like both men and many others want.
“Put that fuckin’ wack-ass BMF belt back on the fuckin’ line. Everybody knows who the real baddest motherfucker in this sport is. It’s Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington. Bring that fuckin’ belt out and lets fuckin’ do this shit: do The Ultimate Fighter whatever, tape for four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, and run this fight in Miami. It makes sense,” Covington said.
“Let’s go to American Airlines Arena. We could sell out that arena in seconds. And if we don’t go to American Airlines, we can go right up the street to BB&T Center, which is 30 minutes up the street. I’ll beat his ass in both arenas. We’ll go beat BB&T Center, go up to Broward County; then, go down to Miami-Dade County and beat his ass in American Airlines Arena. Fuckin’ little bitch Jorge.”
Stop Asking For A BMF Belt, Says Abdelaziz
One person who is tired of hearing talks of a BMF title is one of the biggest managers in MMA, Ali Abdelaziz. In fact, he issued something of a response to the people who are asking for it, but seemingly Colby Covington in particular.
Posting to Twitter, Abdelaziz explained that his client, welterweight champ Kamaru Usman, is the lineal BMF champ after knocking out Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261. Therefore, he demands that nobody else asks to fight for this title, as it is no longer relevant.
Please stop talking about this BMF belt @USMAN84kg won that belt and he throw it in the garbage already Win some fights and try to win the undisputed UFC title. Good luck with that
“Please stop talking about this BMF belt @USMAN84kg won that belt and he throw it in the garbage already Win some fights and try to win the undisputed UFC title. Good luck with that,” Abdelaziz wrote.
The fact is the only time that Dana White even showed interest in bringing the BMF title back into circulation was in the event of a rematch between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. So even though Kamaru Usman might be the lineal titleholder, it is all just talk, as the actual belt does not appear to be going up for grabs anytime soon.
Do you still acknowledge the existence of the BMF title?
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC’s nominations for Best Comeback of 2021.
It’s the last week of 2021, which means it’s time to start looking back at the biggest and best moments of the year. Right now, that means taking a peek at the UFC’s nominations for the best comeback of the year.
After a brief recap of each comeback, you can find the Pulse of MMA letting their collective voice be heard on their thoughts on the final vote tally of the UFC’s poll.
Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler (UFC 262)
In the first round, Michael Chandler got off to a very hot start after an opening grappling exchange. After Chandler had his back taken by Charles Oliveira and lived to tell about it, he tagged Oliveira on the feet while pushing a frenetic pace on the Brazilian. It looked as though Oliveira might have been on his way out, but the second round gave fans an alternate ending.
Nearly finished round 1️⃣, champion 19 seconds round 2️⃣ 👑@CharlesDoBronxs is your first nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
First, to add a little context. Rodolfo Vieira entered this fight as the largest favorite on the card at a wide -410. At the start of the fight, Vieira looked every bit the part of the heavy favorite. He easily slammed Hernandez to the mat in the first round, which looked to be the beginning of the four-time jiu-jitsu world champion putting an early end to the fight.
After failing to lock in an arm triangle followed by an unsuccessful armbar attempt, Hernandez was stunningly able to scramble back up to his feet and begin to tee off on the muscle-bound Brazilian. Then, in the second round, this happened:
Weathered the storm, and submitted the 4️⃣ time Jiu Jitsu World Champion 🤯@ILoveBAMF is your next nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
That’s right, back-to-back nominees from UFC 258. In this one, Marquez actually entered as the slight favorite, but you couldn’t tell by the way the fight started. After clearly being down 2-0 on the judges’ scorecards and looking to be well on his way to a loss, Marquez summoned the powers of Miley Cyrus and the Kansas City Chiefs to pull this off in the final round.
An insane comeback in the Octagon to cap off a 2.5 year layoff 😳@JMarquezMMA is your next nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
MMA fans know that first-round Moraes is one of the most lethal fighters in the sport. And those early powers were nearly enough to make the Brazilian the first man to ever KO the roughhouse Georgian.
It was a big left hand from Moraes in the 1st round that began the danger for Dvalishvili, which was followed by a ferocious onslaught that dropped the Georgian and had him still on wobbly legs before he was able to somehow scramble back up to his feet. After barely managing to survive, here is what happened in the next round:
One of the 𝑪𝑹𝑨𝒁𝑰𝑬𝑺𝑻 fights of the year 🤯@MerabDvalishvil is your final nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
WHY THE F*** IS MERAB DVALISHVILI LOOSING THIS NOMINATION,AND EVEN MORE WHY THE F*** IS ovileira winning? I DON'T UNDERSTAND,IT SHOULD BE DECIDED BY PROS,AS IT IS IN FOOTBALL'S BALLON D'OR. THIS MAKE NO SENSE. MERAB'S COMEBACK IS SIMPLY BEST.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22660721/1233422738.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70106440/1351758442.0.jpg)
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22827117/1338319637.jpg)
