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  • UFC Rankings Report: Muhammad Cracks Top 5, LW Gets New Face

    The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC Vegas 45, and we’ve got the full report for you below!

    Men’s Pound for Pound: No Changes

    Women’s Pound for Pound: Lauren Murphy (#13) and Mackenzie Dern (#14) swap positions.

    Strawweight: Following Claudia Gadelha’s retirement, Tecia Torres (#7), Michelle Waterson (#8), Amanda Ribas (#9), Amanda Lemos (#10), and Virna Jandiroba (#11) each moved up. At the bottom of the rankings, Jessica Penne (#13) and Brianna Van Buren (#14) move up one position, and Luana Pinheiro (#15) debuts in the rankings.

    Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo (#6) and Joanne Wood (#7) swap positions, as do Jessica Eye (#9) and Cynthia Calvillo (#10).

    Women’s Bantamweight: Raquel Pennington (#7) and Miesha Tate (#8) swap places after Pennington’s submission victory over Macy Chiasson at UFC Vegas 45. 

    Submission! Watch Raquel Pennington tap Macy Chiasson with slick guillotine - UFC Vegas 45 - MMAmania.com

    Women’s Featherweight: N/A 

    Flyweight: Amir Albazi moves up two positions to #11 while Tim Elliott (#12) and Sumudaerji (#13) drop one spot.

    Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley moves up one spot to #12, and Ricky Simon’s KO victory over Raphael Assuncao has Simon appearing in the rankings at #13 and Assuncao falling three positions down to #15. 

    UFC Vegas 45 video: Ricky Simon scores vicious knockout of Raphael Assuncao, calls out Sean O'Malley - MMA Fighting
    Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

    Featherweight: No Changes

    Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot debuts at #12 in the rankings following his TKO victory over Diego Ferreira at UFC Vegas 45. Because of the loss, Ferreira drops three spots down to #15. 

    UFC Vegas 45: Mateusz Gamrot stops Diego Ferreira With Knee To Ribs
    Mateusz Gamrot def. Diego Ferreira, Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

    Welterweight: Belal Muhammad is now ranked #5 after his dominant victory over Stephen Thompson at UFC Vegas 45. The loss drops Thompson two spots down to #7. Meanwhile, due to Muhammad’s ascension, Neil Magny (#8), Sean Brady (#9), and Michael Chiesa (#10) each fall back one position.

    Middleweight: Kevin Holland (#14) and Chris Weidman swap places yet again. Though it should be noted that Holland has decided to make a move down to welterweight henceforth. 

    Light Heavyweight: No Changes

    Heavyweight: The rankings remain the same following Derrick Lewis’(#3) first-round KO of Chris Daukaus (#7) at UFC Vegas 45. 

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here. 

    What are your thoughts on these updates to the UFC rankings following UFC Vegas 45?

  • Tyron Woodley Pays Fan $5,000 For Best Meme Of His KO Loss To Paul

    Tyron Woodley has stuck to his word.

    Woodley on social media announced that he was holding a contest for fans to create the best meme of him being knocked out by Jake Paul. He said he saw all the memes of the KO, so he wanted to have fun with it and the winner would get $5,000.

    On Tuesday, the winner was revealed as Woodley took to Instagram to share the best meme and proof he sent $5,000 to the fan.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXwI1gxLY2K/

    In the video, the Instagram user named Chris Ashley posted a video featuring Woodley’s knockout that shows him falling into the shadow realm while taking trips through several locations, including the new Spider-Man movie and being a part of Finding Nemo before ending up face down on a couch alongside Ben Askren and Nate Robinson, who suffered the same fate when clashing with the social influencer turned boxer.

    Alongside the three who suffered KO losses to Paul was Conor McGregor after being knocked out by Dustin Poirier in January, which the YouTuber made famous by making the “Sleepy McGregor” chain and sending it to Poirier.

    Although Woodley did suffer a vicious KO at the hands of Paul on Saturday, the good news is he is having fun with the loss. He is having his fans create memes and paying them for their hard work.

    Tyron Woodley Aims To Bounce Back From Meme Infamy

    Tyron Woodley
    Tyron Woodley (Image Credit: Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

    Tyron Woodley is now 0-2 as a boxer and is 0-6 in his last six fights between MMA and boxing. However, he made it clear he would come back and that this was not the end of him in combat sports.

    “I’m not done,” Woodley said at the post-fight press conference. “Please do not look at me with sorrow eyes. Please do not look at me shaking your head. I done f*cked a lot of people up. A lot of people had to have that talk in the locker room. A lot of coaches had to go back to the drawing board. A lot of people, in their mind, they knew that they knew, and I saw in their faces and I broke their heart when I took that from them.

    “At some point, you’re going to have to start putting a little bit of respect on Jake’s name. I never really disrespected him as a power puncher,” Woodley continued. “That’s something we always knew. That’s why my defense was so tight. Had he dropped his hand on me, the same sh*t would have happened. I can’t cry over spilled milk. I’m blessed to be here. I’m blessed for the opportunity to fight again and show you guys that I’m f*cking still here.”

    What do you make of Tyron Woodley paying the fan $5K for his meme?

  • Mike Perry’s Manager Calls For Jake Paul Boxing Match Next

    MMA manager Ibrahim Kawa thinks former UFC fighter Mike Perry should be Jake Paul’s next foe in the boxing ring.

    Perry is just weeks removed from his win over Michael Seals on the Triller Triad Combat card, which featured MMA fighters paired up against boxers. He won the fight via split decision.

    Perry and Paul have a bit of history, stemming from the two of them training together earlier this year. The two sparred against one another in the ring, before things turned hostile and the two of them sparred on social media.

    Paul most recently knocked out Tyron Woodley to remain undefeated in the boxing ring. It’s unclear who he’ll fight next, but Kawa believes Perry should get serious consideration.

    Mike Perry’s Manager Thinks Perry Is Jake Paul’s Fight To Make

    “Would like to remind the world that [Jake Paul] hasn’t fought a boxer yet but [Mike Perry] has and won,” Kawa tweeted. “I’m just saying, Perry vs. Jake might be the fight.”

    After losses in four of his last five UFC fights, Perry signed with Bare Knuckle FC and is expected to make his promotional debut sometime next year. It’s unclear who his first opponent in BKFC will be.

    Perry has conveyed interest in both MMA and boxing in recent months. At 30 years old, he’s still arguably in the physical prime of his career and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down his activity.

    As for Paul, he’s most recently called out Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal for fights. However, with those two currently under UFC contract, he may opt to fight Tommy Fury who was supposed to be his original opponent before Woodley stepped up on short notice.

    What do you think about a possible Mike Perry vs. Jake Paul boxing match?

  • Alex Pereira To Make UFC Return Against Bruno Silva On March 12

    A potential barnburner between UFC middleweights Alex Pereira and Bruno Silva is in the works for an upcoming March 12 Fight Night event.

    MMA Junkie was among the first to report news of the booking.

    Pereira, a former Glory kickboxing world champion who signed with the UFC this year, is coming off of his promotional debut win over Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268. He landed a vicious flying knee followed up by a barrage of punches to secure the second-round finish.

    Pereira will face a step up in competition against Silva, who has been on a tear with seven-straight wins in M-1 and the UFC. He has won all seven bouts by knockout, including most recently against Jordan Wright at UFC 269.

    The two sides have verbally agreed to the bout ahead of an anticipated formal announcement by the promotion.

    Alex Pereira Looks To Continue His Rise In MMA

    Pereira is well known for being the only man to ever knock out Israel Adesanya in either kickboxing or MMA. During his time in Glory, he earned the light heavyweight and middleweight world titles before making the move to the UFC and MMA.

    Along with his kickboxing accolades, Pereira had put on impressive performances in smaller MMA promotions such as Legacy and Jungle Fight. He registered quick knockouts over the likes of Marcelo Cruz and Thomas Powell.

    The card will be headlined by a light heavyweight showdown between top contenders Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankalaev. The venue and location have yet to be determined for the event.

    What are your thoughts on this UFC middleweight matchup?

  • John Kavanagh Responds To Firing Calls After McGregor’s Losses

    SBG Ireland headman John Kavanagh isn’t losing sleep over calls for him to be terminated following UFC star Conor McGregor’s recent struggles.

    Kavanagh has most recently been the target of UFC commentator and former fighter Michael Bisping, who called for Kavanagh to be let go by McGregor’s inner circle.

    It all started when Kavanagh seemed more jovial than many believed he should’ve been after McGregor suffered a TKO loss via doctor’s stoppage to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Bisping went as far as to say that Kavanagh should be “fired immediately” after his reaction.

    During a recent interview with The Mirror, Kavanagh responded to Bisping’s comments along with overall calls for him to step aside as McGregor’s coach.

    “I wouldn’t say I was hurt, I wasn’t going, ‘Oh, no, Bisping said something’, that’s his opinion and everybody is welcome to their opinion,” Kavanagh said. “I’m always self-critical but if I’m being 100 percent honest, it’ll be the people closest to me saying something – I have a lot of very honest people around me – that’ll be what makes me really stand up and think.

    “So look, things are looking up and to Bisping I’d say ‘thanks very much for the constructive criticism’, keep it coming and we’ll keep trying to improve.”

    Kavanagh also feels that Bisping’s remarks are an example of a larger pattern of SBG Ireland being held to a different standard because of McGregor’s fame.

    “So we’re judged under a different set of rules to everybody else, and that’s fine because we also get a lot of benefits from the 2,000lb gorilla that is Conor,” Kavanagh said.

    “We get a lot of attention here, lots of great opportunities, my fight team gets to be involved with big shows.

    Conor McGregor, John Kavanagh Have Worked Together For Years

    McGregor has been at SBG Ireland with Kavanagh since before he became one of the UFC’s biggest superstars. His time with the gym stems from his title wins in Cage Warriors before ultimately making the move to the UFC.

    McGregor hasn’t won in the Octagon since his first-round finish over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246. He has lost three of his last four fights overall, with defeats to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Poirier(2).

    As of now, it seems like McGregor doesn’t have any plans to move away from his roots with Kavanagh and SBG Ireland. As he gets ready to make his UFC return in 2022, he’ll look to get back in the win column with Kavanagh in his corner.

    What are your thoughts on John Kavanagh’s response to Michael Bisping?

  • Junior dos Santos To Return Against Kubrat Pulev On Triad Combat Card

    Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos will fight Kubrat Pulev in early 2022 at an upcoming Triller Triad Combat event.

    TMZ Sports was the first to report dos Santos’ return.

    This will be dos Santos’ first MMA competition of any kind since being released by the UFC earlier this year. Before parting ways with the promotion, he had lost four-straight fights against the likes of Ciryl Gane and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

    The Triad Combat format puts MMA fighters up against boxers under a special ruleset. Former UFC fighters such as Mike Perry and Frank Mir competed on the format’s inaugural card last month.

    dos Santos will face a tough task in Pulev, who most recently knocked out Mir in a quick fashion. Before that, the Bulgarian boxer had lost to heavyweight star Anthony Joshua late last year.

    Junior dos Santos Returns To Fighting After Long Layoff

    dos Santos has teased a return to the fight game for months and was interested in being the opponent for Fedor Emelianenko’s Bellator return. The promotion ended up pairing Emelianenko with Tim Johnson, whom he defeated by a vicious knockout.

    In addition to his contributions inside the Octagon this year, dos Santos was part of the special commentary team for the Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort Triller Fight Club event. He sat alongside former U.S. President Donald Trump and UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal.

    dos Santos is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history. He earned the heavyweight belt over Cain Velasquez in 2011 before trading wins and losses inside the Octagon.

    dos Santos also earned wins over the likes of Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis during his time with the promotion.

    What do you think about Junior dos Santos’ return to fighting?

  • Brendan Schaub Alleges Chael Sonnen Protected Wife In Vegas Incident

    Podcaster and former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub claims Chael Sonnen’s recent Las Vegas incident stemmed from his wife being harassed.

    Sonnen was detained by Las Vegas Police over the weekend and cited for allegedly assaulting five different victims at a hotel. According to eyewitnesses, he was escorted in handcuffs after getting into a brawl with a man outside of a hotel room.

    Schaub allegedly spoke with Sonnen directly following the incident and revealed his side of the story during a recent segment on his Below the Belt podcast.

    “Here’s what happened. Is Chael was obviously working and he was with his wife and his wife is a f*cking saint and also a dime piece,” Schaub said. “And some drunk guy with his girl kept making comments about his wife, saying about her t**s, her a**, right in front of him. Well, play stupid games, win stupid prizes, cause you are talking and disrespecting one of the toughest guys on the planet and definitely one of the toughest ever to compete in the UFC or Bellator for that matter. And you’re doing it in front of his face, then there’s gonna be repercussions. And any guy that wanted to do that for their girl/ladies you got a girlfriend.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Brendan Schaub Blasted Jon Jones For Attacking Chael Sonnen

    Brendan Schaub Jon Jones
    Photos via Instagram @brendanschaub @jonnnybones

    After news broke of Sonnen’s battery detainment, former UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones wrote a message on his Twitter page aimed at his old rival. Sonnen has criticized Jones on a variety of topics for years, most recently after his Las Vegas arrest for allegedly battering his fiancée in a hotel room.

    Schaub took the time to address Jones’ criticism and compare the two incidents.

    “So I think by Chael doing this, it just adds to the legend of Chael Sonnen,” Schaub continued. “He was protecting his girl. And for that dumbass who got absolutely annihilated by the great Chael Sonnen, you deserved it, man. And that’s what you get. So you play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

    “This is not a case of Chael hitting his wife like Jon [Jones] did. I think they dropped the charges. This is not a case of Chael Sonnen being high and wrecking his Bentley with strippers in the car. This is not the case of Chael/domestic violence in any facet. And I think everyone should hold their judgment to get more details.”

    Sonnen is widely regarded as one of the best ambassadors in MMA today. After retiring from fighting following an up-and-down tenure in Bellator, he has transitioned to the media business with multiple ESPN shows and his own YouTube podcast.

    The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

    What are your thoughts on Brendan Schaub’s take on the recent Chael Sonnen incident?

  • Poirier Reveals Why Oliveira Loss Hurt More Than Title Defeat To Khabib

    Despite the heartbreak of his 2019 defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier has revealed why his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 hurt more.

    Ahead of this year’s final pay-per-view, many branded Poirier the “uncrowned champion” and expected “The Diamond” to leave Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena with the 155-pound gold wrapped around his waist. His form had suggested that was a big possibility.

    Since his submission setback against “The Eagle,” Poirier had won three straight. Following a decision triumph over Dan Hooker in a 2020 Fight of the Year contender, the Louisianan re-visited his rivalry with 2014 opponent Conor McGregor. After becoming the first man to knock the Irishman out in January this year, Poirier secured the trilogy win when the pair met again at UFC 264 in July.

    But when he set his sights back on the belt, it was a familiar story for “The Diamond.” Despite early success, the 32-year-old found himself tapping out in the third round yet again. This time it was a Brazilian underdog on his back, rather than a Dagestani brute.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXyt0VsRCO/

    Poirier: “I Could’ve Done More”

    Both of Poirier’s title losses felt like heartbreaking ends to an inspirational journey to the top. But for the former interim champion, one hurt a lot more than the other.

    During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour in the week after his crushing defeat, Poirier detailed the difference between the two championship failings. Against Khabib, the Louisiana native felt he did everything possible to have his hand raised and was simply beaten by the better man. But he was left with a feeling of what could have been against “Do Bronx.”

    “In the Khabib fight, I felt like I was bested. I did everything that I could and I lost. This one, I feel like I could’ve done more. And that hurts. That’s something I have to deal with. I could’ve been smarter. I could’ve been more in the moment. I could’ve been more locked in. And I could’ve been the world champion.”

    The next step is unclear for Poirier. “The Diamond” has understandably had his motivation dented, and revealed he may never even fight at lightweight again. However, one name that got him excited about the idea of competing again was former foe Nate Diaz.

    But despite going back-and-forth on social media and both seeming to agree on a clash for early next year, negotiation issues appear to have derailed the booking for now.

    For the time being, at least, it appears Poirier’s mind is set on fun fights, rather than another push for gold.

    Do you think UFC 269 was Dustin Poirier’s last chance to become an undisputed champion?

  • Claudia Gadelha Says Concussion-Like Symptoms Led To Retirement From MMA

    Claudia Gadelha has explained why she announced her retirement from MMA.

    Gadelha last fought back in November of 2020 where she suffered a decision loss to Yan Xiaonan. Since then, many wondered when she would return to the Octagon.

    Then last week, the Brazilian announced her retirement from MMA. According to Gadelha, she retired due to concussion-like symptoms.

    “I don’t want anybody to think that I’m sad because I’m very happy with what’s going on in my life right now,” Gadelha said in an Instagram video (via MMAFighting). “In November of 2020 after a fight I had a really bad concussion and I had a post-concussion syndrome, which is the symptoms of a concussion for a long period of time. So I suffered with the symptoms for a little while.

    “It was very frustrating because my headaches were like a knife stabbing the back of my head. I was very nauseous, almost throwing up, feeling very, very bad. I couldn’t even go for a walk, couldn’t train, it was very frustrating,” Gadelha continued.

    According to Claudia Gadelha, she realized she was going to retire a couple of months back. Since her last fight, she has had to go to the hospital multiple times due to her concussion-like symptoms.

    Claudia Gadelha
    Claudia Gadelha, Image Credit: Getty Images

    “I had to rush to the hospital in the beginning of my concussion twice,” Gadelha said. “I ended up in the emergency room twice and I’m here in Las Vegas by myself and my family’s in Brazil, it was during COVID so I couldn’t fly to Brazil to go be with my family because it was like in the beginning of the concussion so I couldn’t fly and my parents couldn’t come here because of COVID. I had to spend a lot of time by myself during the concussion and that was very, very frustrating.

    “With that being said I started thinking about not fighting anymore. I had a lot of feelings of, ‘OK, I’m gonna go back, I’m gonna beat this time of my life and I’m gonna go back and fight,’ and then other times I would just feel like I shouldn’t be fighting anymore because I had so many other opportunities in life,” Gadelha continued. “I took a little bit more time and went back to the gym and tried to train and I started getting hit in the head and having anxiety from getting hit in the head and being afraid of going back to work where I was in the beginning of the concussion. I did a lot of brain treatments to get healthier and I was so afraid of going back to what it was and then a lot of other opportunities showed up in my life.”

    With Claudia Gadelha now retired, she will now be working with the UFC to help acclimate Brazilian fighters to life in the United States. She is helping both to translate and to educate them on “the business side of fighting” while continuing her own studies regarding health, nutrition, and performance.

    Gadelha retires with a professional record of 18-5 and fought for UFC gold once where she challenged former nemesis Joanna Jędrzejczyk in 2016.

    What do you make of Claudia Gadelha retiring?

  • Kamaru Usman Invites Anthony Joshua To Train Grappling Together

    UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman wants boxing star Anthony Joshua to come train with him to iron out his clinch work.

    Usman’s stock has skyrocketed over the past few years, and most notably in 2021, as arguably one of the most dominant UFC champions ever. He’s most recently earned knockouts over Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal along with a unanimous decision win over Colby Covington.

    Usman has become a major fixture in the world of combat sports, as further evidenced by his recent invitation to Joshua to work on his wrestling. After watching a clip of Joshua getting some wrestling training in, Usman offered his services to the heavyweight boxing star.

    “Ah ah my brother, you for call me nah,” Usman commented in ‘Pidgin English’. “Dis is my specialty.”

    Usman has most recently teased a potential money fight against boxing champion Canelo Alvarez in due time. Once thought of as a grappling specialist, Usman’s striking has vastly improved over his past few wins in the Octagon.

    Joshua is set for a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk in 2022. He had been on track to face Tyson Fury before losing his heavyweight titles to Usyk earlier this year and activating his rematch clause.

    This isn’t the first time Joshua has been seen training in MMA during his boxing camps. He most recently trained with former UFC middleweight Luke Barnatt and has enhanced his knowledge of the sport as a whole.

    Usman and Joshua could learn a lot from one another, and it’ll be interesting to see if these two stars work together in the gym.

    What are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman offering to train boxers in grappling?

  • Derrick Lewis Reveals Favorite KO After Record-Breaking Performance

    Derrick Lewis now holds the record for the ‘most knockouts in UFC history’ following his first-round KO victory over Chris Daukaus last weekend at UFC Vegas 45.

    Prior to the event, Lewis shared the record with Matt Brown and Vitor Belfort with 12 TKO/KO finishes.

    Lewis earned his 13th KO victory in the promotion last weekend, a streak that began back in 2014 at UFC on Fox: Werdum vs. Browne, where he TKO’d Jack May in the first round. Lewis would also win his next five victories by KO/TKO before earning a split-decision victory over Roy Nelson.

    The knockouts would continue after his fight with Nelson, as Lewis would only have three fights go the distance in his next 14 bouts. Along the way, Lewis earned memorable KO victories over fighters such as Travis Browne, Alexander Volkov, Curtis Blaydes, among others.

    Derrick Lewis KO's Travis Browne, calls him out for beating women - video Dailymotion
    Derrick Lewis KOs Travis Browne

    At UFC Vegas 45, Derrick Lewis wasted no time in breaking the record. He finished Daukaus in under four minutes and left the fight almost unscathed, absorbing just 10 total strikes. Surprisingly enough, this was just Lewis’ fourth KO victory that came in the first round.

    After his victory, Lewis was asked in the post-fight press conference which of his 13 knockouts was his favorite (h/t MMA Fighting). Here’s how “The Black Beast” responded.

    “I like the [Alexander] Volkov knockout,” Lewis said. “That was pretty clutch because I was getting my cheeks clapped that whole fight, and it was good that I came in the last round — and it was a Russian guy, so it was an American going against a Russian, and I love all the Rocky movies. So basically that’s how Rocky used to fight, where he’d get whooped — damn near the whole fight he’d get whooped — then the music starts playing, then his wife starts screaming, then he’d get the knockout.”

    You can catch the full UFC Vegas 45 post-fight press conference below.

    Which was your favorite Derrick Lewis KO?

  • Holly Holm Believes It’s Feasible She Could Face Peña Next

    Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm believes it’s “feasible” she could be the first challenger to Julianna Peña’s reign on the 135-pound throne.

    Since her last title shot, a brutal knockout loss to former titleholder Amanda Nunes in 2019, Holm has surged back to contention with unanimous decision victories over Raquel Pennington and Irene Aldana. However, injuries have stalled the 40-year-old’s pursuit of regaining the belt and joining Rose Namajunas in the two-time champ club.

    “The Preacher’s Daughter” was set for an apparent title eliminator against Peña at UFC Vegas 26 in May. After being forced out due to hydronephrosis, Holm found herself sidelined while “The Venezuelan Vixen” was accelerated to the title.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CMnGD-ZpHmV/

    Having had her return fight against Norma Dumont in October also called off, this time due to a knee injury, Holm’s string of bad luck means she was unable to enter the Octagon in 2021 and it’ll have been well over a year since her victory over Aldana when she does make the walk again.

    That, understandably, has frustrated Holm to a great degree. Nevertheless, she’s recovering and says she won’t let her injuries and problems “break” her.

    “I’m super frustrated,” Holm said when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I definitely am on the mend. I hope to be back in there, back training and get back in there. I’m feeling a little better. I had to take care of some things. It’s super frustrating, especially when I see people fighting, especially [Nunes vs. Peña] but all the time.

    “Any time I watch the fights, it’s so frustrating cause I want to get in there so badly. I don’t want to embrace not being able to fight but I’ve been very fortunate to have a career where I’ve been pretty active. This last year’s had some stuff that’s been kind of from left field. I’m handling it. I’m going to keep pushing forward. I’m not going to let it break me and I want to be back in there very soon.”

    Holm Sees Peña Matchup Being Resurrected

    Holly Holm, Julianna Pena
    Holly Holm, Julianna Pena

    Despite her lengthy layoff, Holm believes there’s a chance she’ll find herself in her sixth UFC championship fight when she makes her comeback. Having previously been scheduled to face Peña, the veteran thinks there’s a chance that matchup will be re-visited soon, this time with the belt on the line.

    After Holm’s injury saw Peña secure a title shot, the challenger did the unthinkable. At UFC 269 earlier this month, “The Venezuelan Vixen” brought the fight to Nunes like few had done before her. After hurting the “Lioness” on the feet, Peña dragged the Brazilian to the mat and submitted her in what was undoubtedly one of the greatest upsets of all time.

    Holm, who knows a thing or two about upsetting the odds, believes it’s “feasible” she returns to face the champ before Nunes has her chance to regain the gold.

    “It’s honestly, that’s a very feasible thing [that Peña could be next],” Holm said. “You never know what’s going to happen. Are they going to say let’s rematch right away? There’s been times a fighter will say ‘I need a little more time before a rematch’ or ‘I need this, I need that.’ So you never know what’s going to happen.”

    But before that, Holm will have to ensure she’s 100% ready and fit for a return, and the fact she can’t say she is at the moment is clearly an annoyance for “The Preacher’s Daughter.”

    “So yeah it’s super frustrating. I want to be right back in there. I want to be able to say hey, I’m ready to fight whoever, whenever. I’m real close to that. It’s super frustrating for sure.”

    Given her age and experience in the sport, it stands to reason Holm’s return will signal her final charge for a second title crowning. With how the current champion got there, anything is certainly possible.

    How do you think a fight between champion Julianna Peña and former titleholder Holly Holm would play out?

  • Mariya Agapova’s Wish Granted For Maryna Moroz Grudge Match

    A beef between Mariya Agapova and Maryna Moroz will be settled in the UFC Octagon.

    The flyweights have reportedly been booked to meet at UFC 272 on March 5th, per Raphael Marinho of Combate. The fight is expected to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

    Agapova has long wanted to get her hands on Moroz. This beef stems from an interview from July, where Moroz claimed that Agapova was forced out of the American Top Team gym due to drug use and violent threats towards other gym members. Agapova has since denied this claim, so has her manager Alex Davis.

    After a win two months back, Agapova had strong words for Moroz and her allegations.

    “Yeah, she’s just jealous. She’s jealous. Second, she’s sneaky. She’s trying to destroy my career. I lost sponsorship because of her interview and got [into a] really big trouble situation,” said Agapova during her post-fight press conference. “And I would like to punish this b**** because she’s trying to destroy my career. I want to smash her.”

    Beef Aside, Looking At Agapova vs. Moroz

    Agapova Mazo
    PHOTO: MMA JUNKIE

    Setting the beef aside, the matchup is an intriguing pairing at flyweight. The bout gives both competitors a chance to build on their short winning streaks.

    The reported matchup will be Moroz’s first fight in nearly two years. This is because numerous planned bouts for her have fallen off of cards due to various reasons.

    Moroz will be returning with a two-fight winning streak, having beaten Sabina Mazo and Mayra Bueno Silva in her last appearances.

    Similarly, Agapova defeated Mazo in her October outing. That fight, which earned her a “Performance of the Night” bonus, also put her back into the win column after being on the losing side of a massive upset to Shana Dobson in 2020.

    Do you want to see Mariya Agapova vs. Maryna Moroz?

  • Khamzat Chimaev Asks Dana White For Permission To ‘Eat’ Neil Magny

    Borz is asking for permission to continue his feasting of the UFC roster.

    If there’s one thing we know about “Borz,” it’s that he’s always hungry. Since his debut in the UFC as 2020’s breakout star, Khamzat Chimaev has done nothing but fill up stats. The fights have been about as one-sided as a four-plater against a Thanksgiving spread. The only struggle that comes is after the meal has already been smeshed.

    For Chimaev, that struggle has been the constipation of his fight bookings. According to both White and Chimaev, the UFC has had quite the time finding Chimaev’s next opponent.

    The UFC and Chimaev pushed for a pairing with Nate Diaz, but the Stockton native said the very idea of such a fight was disrespectful to him. There were also reports of a Chimaev/Burns match last month, but those talks have seemingly stalled or evaporated.

    One Potential Feast Victim Steps Up To The Plate

    Neil Magny
    Credit: Getty Images

    There is one individual who has constantly been volunteering his services to end Borz’s feast draught: #7-ranked welterweight Neil Magny. Magny has been calling for a fight against the UFC’s new boogeyman since last year. Chimaev himself even once commended Magny for his bravery and self-sacrifice.

    Dana White recently stated that no welterweight wanted to fight Khamzat Chimaev. He would later walk back this claim, admitting that Neil Magny was more than willing to accept that fight.

    Now, with his patience far past its limit, Chimaev is asking his supplier if he can begin eating again.

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

    “@danawhite let me eat this guy bro neil_magny170,” Chimaev posted on Instagram.

    Khamzat Chimaev’s latest feasting took place at UFC 267 against #13-ranked Li Jingliang. Not unlike his three UFC beatdowns that preceded this bout, Chimaev had his way with his opponent en route to a flawless 10-0 record.

    Neil Magny last competed in May at UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson. Magny defeated Geoff Neal via unanimous decision, making that four victories out of his last five fights.

    Are you interested in a fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Neil Magny?

  • Lewis Takes Pleasure In Legally Assaulting Ex-Police Officer Daukaus

    UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis took pleasure in getting the opportunity to legally knock out a former police officer inside the Octagon.

    Lewis put on arguably the best performance of his 2021 run in knocking out Chris Daukaus in the UFC Vegas 45 main event. Lewis looked patient on the feet before eventually overwhelming Daukaus with a barrage of right hooks to secure the finish.

    Leading up to the fight, Lewis had spoken about how he wanted to avoid getting Rodney King’d by Daukaus. King is well known as a victim of police brutality in the 1990s. During his post-fight press conference, Lewis spoke about his performance and what it was like to assault a former police officer without penalty.

    “That was for Rodney King,” Lewis said. “I’m fighting a police officer, man. Come on, man. That’s the only time you get a chance to punch a police officer in the mouth and get away with it, and then he gets up and shakes your head? Sh*t, that was a great feeling, man.”

    With the knockout over Daukaus, Lewis passed Vitor Belfort and Matt Brown to claim the top spot on the UFC’s all-time knockout list with 13 finishes. Earlier this year, he had knocked out Curtis Blaydes in a Knockout of the Year candidate.

    What stands out about Lewis isn’t just the performances he puts in the Octagon, but also his microphone work before and after events. As Lewis looks ahead to possible title contention in 2022, his following is more than likely to grow with each additional comedic gesture.

    What do you think should be next for Derrick Lewis?

  • Cub Swanson Open To Challenge From Charles Jourdain After Emotional Win

    Charles Jourdain’s call-outs of Cub Swanson aren’t falling on deaf ears.

    Jourdain asked for a fight against Swanson on Saturday, and the veteran featherweight responded positively to the motion.

    Both fighters are coming off a win from this past weekend. Jourdain won on the prelims, dominating Andre Ewell for a scorecard victory. Swanson won later in the evening, stopping Darren Elkins for a victory worthy of a “Performance of the Night” award.

    Jourdain gave a passionate call-out of Swanson during his post-fight press conference.

    “I want to f*ck [Cub Swanson] up. I want to put my hands on him … I don’t mean any disrespect to the man, he’s fighting tonight,” said Jourdain, speaking before Swanson took to the Octagon and won later in the evening. “Win or lose I want to fight him.”

    Swanson responded kindly to Jourdain’s call-out during his own post-fight press conference, mentioning how he likes the idea of them fighting. He said that he previously requested the fight for the promotion, although he wasn’t able to get it before.

    “I actually appreciate him … I like him because he calls me out respectfully…I can’t hate on that,” said Swanson.

    Swanson Celebrates Emotional Weekend Performance

    UFC on Tampa: Cub Swanson Octagon interview | MMAWeekly.com
    Cub Swanson

    Swanson was coming off an emotional victory over the weekend. His finish win meant a lot to him, as he was able to have his children in attendance for the bout.

    Following his win, he explained why he feels it is important that they get to see him while he’s still fighting:

    “They’re at the exact age that I have all my memories right now [from]. There’s been plenty of times in my life where people talked to me about things that happened when I was younger and it doesn’t really mean as much to me because they’re just stories that people have that I don’t really relate with because I don’t remember. So, I just wanted them to be able to have the experience and not just hear stories about me.”

    Do you like the idea of Cub Swanson vs. Charles Jourdain?

  • Tyron Woodley After Jake Paul Loss: “I’m Not Done”

    Former UFC champion Tyron Woodley remains optimistic about his combat-sports future after back-to-back losses to Jake Paul in the boxing ring.

    Woodley fell short of revenge against the always-polarizing Paul, getting hit by a powerful right hook that sent him collapsing to the canvas in round 6. It was a relatively uneventful fight to that point, with both fighters appearing hesitant to push the action and seeming hell-bent on working in the clinch.

    Many fans in the combat sports community quickly wrote Woodley off following the knockout loss, but he remains forward-thinking ahead of the new year. During his post-fight press conference, Woodley encouraged fans not to forget his name just yet.

    “I’m not done. Please don’t look at me with [sad] eyes,” Woodley said. “Please don’t look at me shaking your head. I done fucked a lot of people up. And a lot of people had to have that talk in the locker room, a lot of coaches had to go back to the drawing board, a lot of people in their mind, they knew that they knew that they knew. And I saw it in their face and it broke their heart when I took that from them.”

    While Woodley was upset with the result in the rematch against Paul, he feels he’s in a great position to bounce back.

    “I can’t cry over spilled milk,” Woodley continued. “I’m blessed to be here, and I’m blessed for an opportunity to fight again and show you guys that I’m fuckin’ still here. And I told my coaches in the back: I said, ‘He back. The young, hungry bull that started and went on this crazy run in the UFC, and Strikeforce, and all these different organizations: he was back. And I can actually say that I was back.”

    Tyron Woodley Has Teased An Active Year In 2022

    Tyron Woodley
    Tyron Woodley, Image Credit: UFC.com

    Woodley’s comments come after he’s spoken about his plans in moderation for 2022. He’s hinted at a potential return to MMA, as well as boxing, as he approaches his 40th birthday.

    Woodley was released by the UFC following four-straight losses in the Octagon. Beginning with losing his welterweight title to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235, he arguably looked like a shell of his former self in additional bouts against Gilbert Burns and Colby Covington.

    Before taking the Paul rematch on short notice, Woodley had allegedly been working towards a boxing return in January. Former UFC welterweight Dan Hardy had reportedly been on a small list of potential opponents for his next fight.

    It’s unclear what exactly is next for the former UFC champion, but Woodley seems hell-bent on continuing to compete in multiple aspects of fighting moving forward.

    What do you think should be next for Tyron Woodley?

  • Diego Sanchez “Happy And Healthy” After Lengthy Hospital Stay

    Former UFC fighter Diego Sanchez has provided a positive update on his health after a multiple-week stay in the hospital.

    Sanchez had been fighting for his life after a combination of pneumonia and COVID-19 left him in a hospital bed. The illnesses also allegedly caused Sanchez to develop clots in both of his legs as a result of the diagnosis.

    Late last month, Sanchez had posted a detailed tweet in which he described his experience with COVID-19. After fighters such as Colby Covington downplayed the virus, Sanchez described it as “evil” as he fought for his life in the hospital.

    Diego Sanchez’s Health Has Turned Around After Recent Scare

    Things turned around for Sanchez over the weekend as he posted a brief, albeit encouraging update to his Twitter followers.

    “Happy and healthy. Thanks be to God,” Sanchez said.

    Sanchez has had quite the wild ride in 2021. After withdrawing from a UFC fight against fellow fan-favorite Donald Cerrone, he entered a feud between his then-manager, Joshua Fabia, and the UFC brass. The promotion opted to cut ties with Sanchez after a tenure in the UFC that stemmed from his win on Season 1 of The Ultimate Fighter.

    Sanchez is widely regarded as a major pioneer in UFC history, helping grow the sport of MMA, especially during the 2000s. He’s currently a free agent and has allegedly been in talks with promotions such as Bare Knuckle FC and Eagle FC for his services.

    Where would you eventually like Diego Sanchez to end up in the next chapter of his MMA career?

  • Miesha Tate Explains Why She Won’t Fight Aspen Ladd

    Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate has explained why she won’t be accepting a fight against Aspen Ladd anytime soon.

    Tate returned to the UFC earlier this year after nearly five years in retirement. She originally stepped away from the sport following back-to-back losses to Amanda Nunes, which saw the 135-pound title leave her possession, and Raquel Pennington.

    In the UFC Vegas 31 co-main event, Tate stepped out of retirement by sending veteran Marion Reneau into it. With a third-round TKO, the former champ announced her arrival back onto the bantamweight ladder. But her charge to the belt stalled at the hands of Ketlen Vieira last month. In the UFC Vegas 43 main event, Tate was comfortably beaten on the scorecards.

    While her next opponent is far from decided, Tate has revealed it certainly won’t be one contender.

    Tate Calls On Ladd To “Show Some Kind Of Progression”

    Tate has been developing a rivalry with Aspen Ladd, a feud which has fostered into a bitter back-and-forth in recent months. Tate initially revealed interest in a clash with Ladd, a sentiment shared by the Californian in an interview with MMA News. However, relations soured after Ladd’s weight miss ahead of UFC Vegas 38 in October.

    After Ladd weighed in over the limit and appeared visibly unwell on the scales, Tate showed no sympathy, accusing her of attempting to “cheat.” The veteran was slammed by both Ladd and her coach for trying to kick her while she was down.

    Despite Ladd, who went up to featherweight in her last outing, suggesting she intends on returning to 135 pounds to face Tate, “Cupcake” doesn’t share the same enthusiasm for the grudge match. In a video uploaded to her YouTube channel, the former 135-pound UFC titleholder responded to Ladd’s callout, stating she wouldn’t consider facing the #4-ranked bantamweight until she’s proven she can make the weight.

    “Aspen Ladd has called me out to a fight at 135 pounds. I’m afraid that I’m going to waste an entire camp training for a fight that may very well end at the scale,” Tate explained. “Aspen Ladd has missed weight three times in her MMA career and one time she failed to make it to the fight due to weight cutting issues.

    UFC fighter Aspen Ladd shakes, almost collapses on stage after missing weight for fight in Las Vegas - ABC News
    Aspen Ladd On the Scales

    “So all in all four times. Go to PI (performance institute) show some kind of progression. If one of these other bantamweights wants to take that risk, then hats off to them. If Aspen Ladd can show up, make 135 pounds and have a good performance then we might be talking.” (h/t BJPenn.com)

    Despite her setback against Vieira, Tate remains motivated to make her way back to the top of the mountain. However, with her friend and occasional teammate Julianna Peña now sitting on the throne, the 35-year-old suggested she could be forced to pursue the flyweight belt instead. If that happens, a clash between Tate and Ladd will become even more distant.

    How do you think a fight between Miesha Tate and Aspen Ladd would play out?

  • Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza 2 Is “100 Percent” Next Per Dana White

    According to Dana White, the next strawweight title bout is in the works.

    Rose Namajunas is quickly proving that she could be the long-term face of the UFC’s strawweight division. She has now defended her title and already has her next opponent lined up.

    According to UFC President Dana White, Namajunas’ next title challenger will be none other than the first strawweight champion, Carla Esparza.

    “Carla Esparza (is next),” White told ESPN. “100 percent.”

    This should not come as a shock since Namajunas has been asking for Esparza since her win and vice versa. Esparza is currently on a five-fight winning streak. Her last win came over Yan Xiaonan in May. Since then, Esparza has been waiting for her shot at the belt. Now, her time is coming, and the bout with Namajunas will be a familiar one.

    Carla Esparza, Rose Namajunas
    Carla Esparza, Rose Namajunas In 204

    Namajunas and Esparza were both members of The Ultimate Fighter Season 20. Both made it to the finale, and it was Esparza who walked away with the win over Namajunas and the belt wrapped around her waist. She later lost the belt to Joanna Jędrzejczyk.

    Namajunas’s skills have grown immensely in the years after her first fight with Esparza. Since this loss, she has had 11 fights in the UFC and has finished five of those opponents.

    Since Esparza lost her title, Namajunas has won it, lost it, and won it again. She is continuing to prove that she is one of the best in the world at 115 pounds. She now holds wins over every other former strawweight champion except Esparza. If she can beat Esparza, perhaps she can claim the title of UFC strawweight GOAT.

    Do you think Carla Esparza will have what it takes to dethrone Rose Namajunas when they meet for the second time?

  • Julianna Peña Says Bettor Won $2 Million Off Her UFC 269 Victory

    Julianna Peña won big at UFC 269, but many people lost big on their bets because of her.

    Julianna Peña is now the undisputed bantamweight champion. After winning the belt at UFC 269 with a submission victory over Amanda Nunes, Peña made history. Many believe that Peña’s win over Nunes was the biggest upset in UFC history.

    With big upsets come big betting losses and wins. Peña has some words of wisdom for the people who bet on Nunes to win, especially a person who lost $300,000 according to Yahoo Sports.

    “Sorry that that man lost so much money,” Peña said. “He should’ve bet on me. He should’ve took that $20,000 and made $2 million because I heard somebody else made that amount.”

    Coming into the bout at UFC 269, people were seriously doubting Peña. Perhaps this is because she was 2-2 in her last four fights. But the new champion has her own theory on why people may have bet against her.

    “I think probably the biggest thing is that I haven’t had these types of fights where you hit one punch and knock somebody out unconscious. So I think that my fights have kind of been grinding type of uglier fights that sometimes go the distance, sometimes end my way. Either way, it’s either kill or be killed. And you know that I’m gonna either kill or be killed in there.

    “And so I definitely think that they probably just haven’t seen a ton of highlights of me just one-KO punching people and that’s probably why they weren’t really on my side at all.”

    Peña might have a rematch with Nunes on her agenda following this win, and she is currently placed as the underdog again for the hypothetical matchup. This is perhaps due to Nunes’ résumé. But after watching how their UFC 269 bout played out, you can bet that Pena will have more backers than she did last time.

    Would you bet on Peña winning again in a potential rematch with Amanda Nunes?

  • Dana White Doesn’t Think Nick Diaz Should Fight Again

    Dana White has shared his thoughts on the possibility of Nick Diaz fighting again.

    The biggest comeback of the year belongs to Nick Diaz. After six years away from the UFC, Diaz made his return to the Octagon with a loss to Robbie Lawler at UFC 266. After the fight, Diaz seemed uncertain about his fighting future.

    UFC President Dana White does not believe that Diaz should fight again and has explained why he feels this way.

    “Regardless of how good [Nick Diaz] looked and what he did after such a huge layoff, I don’t think he should fight,” White told ESPN. “I don’t think Nick does it cause he loves it, I think Nick does it cause he has to do it. When I always talk about people sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic to go to a job they hate, that’s what I feel like when Nick Diaz is getting ready for a fight.”

    Diaz’s last win in the UFC has back in 2011. He was suspended for five years after testing positive for marijuana. His return was met with excitement from fans, but Diaz himself seemed less than thrilled. In his own interview with ESPN prior to his fight with Lawler, he claimed he never liked fighting.

    Following the loss to Lawler, Diaz appeared to have retired from MMA, but then quickly began asking for fights again. With the financial success of his brother Nate, perhaps Nick will be sticking around the UFC for a bit longer. Since his return, he has been looking for fights with both Leon Edwards and champion Kamaru Usman.

    Diaz is 38 years old and began fighting professionally back in 2001. He is one of the OG’s of the UFC and has fought some of the best in the history of the UFC, including BJ Penn, Anderson Silva, and Georges St-Pierre. If he is done, he might find himself a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.

    If Nick Diaz has more fights ahead of him, he could have a shot at a few big names in his future. One fighter who recently expressed interest in fighting Diaz is welterweight Kevin Holland.

    Who would you want to see Nick Diaz fight next if he decides to fight again?

  • Stephen Thompson Releases Apologetic Statement Following Loss

    Stephen Thompson is sending a message to his fans following his recent loss to Belal Muhammad.

    The welterweight division might have a new contender in the mix. On Saturday night, Belal Muhammad defeated former title contender Stephen Thompson. Muhammad won by unanimous decision and solidified his place as a force in the division.

    As for Thompson, it is unclear where he will go following the loss. Sunday, he released a statement to his fans about his latest performance.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXsFZdFKKS4/

    “I want to apologize to my coaches, my family, and my fans for my performance,” Thompson wrote. “I’m motivated not broken.”

    This is the second loss in a row for Thompson and the fourth out of his last six fights. Prior to the loss, Thompson was sitting in the #5 spot of the rankings. He will most likely move further down the list and further away from another title shot.

    Thompson is 38 years old and has been fighting professionally since 2010. It seems retirement is far from his mind considering his “motivated” statement. Despite the setback, Thompson will continue to fight in the UFC as long as he can. He spoke recently in an interview about wanting to be the oldest fighter on the UFC roster.

    “I want to break records, man. I wanna be the oldest guy who ever fought in the UFC. They are going to have to bring out a senior division or something,” he said. “It’s the plan. I will do this as long as my body will let me or when my dad says I’m done.”

    When Thompson finally decides to hang up his gloves, he will have plenty of other opportunities. He is a martial arts teacher for children at his family gym and has recently been involved in the Netflix Cobra Kai series.

    Who do you want to see Stephen Thompson fight next after his UFC Vegas 45 loss?

  • Jorge Masvidal Involved In Scuffle With Teen At Paul/Woodley 2

    UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal was allegedly pushed by a teenage fan at Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 over the weekend in a now-viral video.

    Masvidal was just hours removed from hosting the latest event with his Gamebred FC promotion when he decided to attend the boxing match in Tampa. He was ringside when one fan decided to push him from behind, nearly sparking an all-out brawl.

    The fan immediately regretted the decision and allegedly screamed “I’m 17! Please, I’m 17!” to Masvidal following the push. Masvidal’s manager, Ibrahim Kawa would later explain what happened on his Twitter page.

    It’s unclear if the fan in question was escorted out of the arena or if he was allowed to remain in attendance.

    Jorge Masvidal Would Later Engage In Banter With Jake Paul

    Jake Paul, Jorge Masvidal
    Jake Paul, Jorge Masvidal

    Masvidal would later watch as Paul viciously knocked out Woodley in the sixth round to remain undefeated. Masvidal and Paul have had their fair share of back-and-forths in the media over the past few months.

    Masvidal posted a cryptic warning to Paul on his Twitter page following the fights, calling him out for a bout in the UFC. The BMF champion has previously hinted at a move to boxing down the line, although it’s unclear if that will come to fruition.

    Paul used his post-fight ring interview to indirectly call out Nate Diaz and Masvidal for future bouts. The two UFC stars allegedly left the arena immediately after the knockout.

    Masvidal was originally slated to face Leon Edwards at UFC 269 before withdrawing due to an injury. He’s anticipating a return to the Octagon sometime in 2022.

    What’s your reaction to this Jorge Masvidal clip?

  • Marlon Moraes Targeted To Return Against Song Yadong In March

    Former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Moraes will look to get back in the win column against Song Yadong at a March 12 event.

    MMA Junkie was among the first to report news of the targeted matchup.

    Moraes most recently fell to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 266 via second-round TKO. After nearly finishing the fight in the first round, Moraes appeared gassed, and Dvalishvili took advantage of it with a barrage on the feet and ground.

    Moraes has had a tough recent run of fights inside the Octagon. After losing the title fight against Henry Cejudo at UFC 238, he squeaked out a split-decision win against José Aldo before losing three straight. Before the loss to Cejudo, Moraes had been considered one of the most dangerous bantamweight contenders in the world.

    Moraes has also suffered tough losses to top contenders such as Rob Font and Cory Sandhagen, both of whom are in the upper echelon of the division.

    With the bantamweight division being as stacked as it is in many eyes, Moraes desperately needs a win to remain in the conversation at 135 pounds.

    Marlon Moraes Faces A Tough Task In Song Yadong

    Another Turning Point For Song Yadong | UFC
    Song Yadong. Image Credit: UFC.com

    Moraes will face a rising prospect in Yadong, a 24-year-old juggernaut who has won back-to-back fights against Julio Arce and Casey Kenney. He is widely regarded as one of the top prospects to watch in 2022 and beyond.

    Yadong made his UFC debut in 2017 against Bharat Khandare, earning a first-round submission before winning four straight bouts. He’s earned wins over the likes of Vince Morales and Marlon Vera during his run in the promotion.

    Moraes and Yadong are both fiery strikers who could provide a potential Fight of the Year matchup in the first quarter of 2022. The winner could get back into title contention at bantamweight.

    What is your early prediction for Marlon Moraes vs. Song Yadong?