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  • Daniel Cormier Responds To Sean O’Malley’s Criticism Of His Commentary

    Sean O’Malley became the latest fighter to criticize Daniel Cormier’s commentary, and Cormier has issued a response.

    In the lead-up to UFC 269, Dominick Cruz blasted Cormier for not doing his homework and studying fights for his commentary role. He claimed ‘DC’ was just in it for the money.

    It was a surprise to hear Cruz say that, but other fighters have also criticized Cormier, but more so for being biased. For instance, Justin Gaethje blasted the former champ-champ for saying Islam Makhachev deserved a title shot after his win over Dan Hooker.

    In O’Malley’s previous fight against Kris Moutinho at UFC 264, Cormier said O’Malley kept looking at the clock, which meant he was tired. However, ‘Suga” said he was looking at the time to see how much time he had left to get the stoppage.

    “Yeah, I’m gonna look at the clock. If I didn’t look at the clock, I wouldn’t know how much time I have left. I landed a big shot. I  don’t know much time I got left. I gotta know, should I empty my tank and try to take this dude out, or should I wait and have the rest of the fight—save my energy,” O’Malley said at the UFC 269 post-fight press conference.

    After hearing about O’Malley’s criticism, Cormier took to social media to praise Suga about his performance and also issue a response to his comments.

    “SugaSeanMMA great win tonight, you and I spoke this week you could have told me that! It was simple I wouldn’t have done anything but took you criticism. You looked great tonight!,” Cormier wrote.

    As of right now, Sean O’Malley has not responded to Daniel Cormier’s comments on Twitter. Whether or not he will is to be seen. Regardless, O’Malley got the first-round TKO win over Paiva at UFC 269 to pick up the biggest win of his career.

    What do you make of Sean O’Malley criticizing Daniel Cormier’s commentary?

  • Amanda Nunes Accepts Rematch Against Julianna Peña

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes is all-in on an immediate rematch against Julianna Peña following UFC 269.

    Nunes had early success against Peña in their showdown at UFC 269. However, this was short-lived as Peña was the more aggressive fighter in round 2. After landing a series of devastating strikes, Peña changed levels and secured a rear-naked choke for arguably the greatest upset in UFC history.

    Almost immediately after Peña’s win, many around the UFC community already began to speculate about an immediate rematch with Nunes. UFC president Dana White said in his UFC 269 post-fight press conference that if Nunes wanted it, she’ll get an immediate second chance against Pena.

    After getting word of White’s comments, Nunes responded via an Instagram post just days after the event.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXbl4W_PS62/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “You think I’m going to go out unbalanced,” Nunes said. “I undoubtedly accept the rematch. Give me a little time to get my shit together and I will be back better than ever.”

    Amanda Nunes Isn’t The Only Name On Julianna Peña’s Radar

    Shortly after her win over Nunes at UFC 269, Pena was already looking ahead to what could be next in her title reign. While she iterated that she’s open to a rematch with Nunes, she’s also interested in avenging previous losses to Germaine de Randamie and Valentina Shevchenko.

    Shevchenko had previously hinted at a trilogy with Nunes after two close losses, but that appears to be on the back burner for now. A bantamweight showdown with Peña could be a very intriguing fight for the fans and both women.

    It’s unclear how much time off Nunes will need as she works her way back to the Octagon. In the meantime, it wouldn’t be surprising if the promotion looks at booking Peña against either Shevchenko or De Randamie next.

    How do you think a Julianna Peña vs. Amanda Nunes rematch plays out?

  • Chandler Questions Why McGregor Would Fight ‘Quitter’ Poirier Over Him

    Michael Chandler doesn’t see why Conor McGregor would fight Dustin Poirier again after UFC 269.

    After Chandler suffered a hard-fought decision loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 268, he called out Conor McGregor. It certainly would be a very entertaining fight and a scrap that does make some sense. Yet, the Irishman made it clear he wanted a title shot when he returned, but after Poirier lost to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 for the belt, many thought McGregor-Poirier 4 might happen next.

    However, for Chandler, he doesn’t think McGregor would fight a quitter in Poirier next time out.

    “I would never ever quit… I went out on my shield after being separated from consciousness congrats to Oliveira,” Chandler wrote.

    “The way I see it…the whole world wants to see me rematch 2 out of the 3 fights I’ve had in the @ufc … that’s how you come in and make a statement. I’d never QUIT. Congrats to Oliveira… punch your ticket with Gaethje this summer and I’ll see you at the end of 2022.”

    “I make ill-advised decisions at times,” Chandler wrote. “But I’m there to put y’all on the edge of your seat so you miss me when I’m gone. I promise you will. Most of these guys are here to “play MMA.”

    Although Michael Chandler knows he isn’t getting a title shot, he still is campaigning for the fight against Conor McGregor. He went on to explain why he deserves the crack at the Irishman more than Poirier does.

    “Why would the biggest name in the sport come back and fight a guy who QUIT over a guy who is the second most electrifying guy in the division?,” Chandler added.

    There is no question Chandler wants the McGregor fight, but so does the rest of the lightweight division. It most likely will come down to who the Irishman wants to fight, but a McGregor-Chandler fight would be massive if it happened.

    Would you like to see Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor?

  • Conor McGregor Sets Sights On Charles Oliveira Fight Upon UFC Return

    Conor McGregor has doubled down on his expectations of receiving a title shot upon his UFC return by getting an early start on hyping a fight against Charles Oliveira.

    At UFC 269, Charles Oliveira logged his first successful lightweight title defense when he submitted Dustin Poirier in the main event. UFC President Dana White has confirmed that Justin Gaethje will be next up for Oliveira, and Gaethje is already salivating at the future showdown.

    However, according to Conor McGregor, there is an X-factor in the 2022 lightweight title equation.

    Conor McGregor Sets His Sights On Charles Oliveira

    Last month, Conor McGregor caught many by surprise when the #9-ranked contender said he would be challenging for the lightweight title when he returns to action in 2022. Now that the UFC 269 dust has settled, McGregor again inserted himself into the lightweight title picture.

    “So what date am I fighting Oliveira?” McGregor asked Monday morning. He would then begin promoting the fight as a future international incident in the tweet below.

    McGregor would also share an image of himself in the gym with a UFC world title around his waist and a poster of himself hoisting up two UFC titles at UFC 205 in the background.

    It seems McGregor may be expecting to skip Justin Gaethje in the lightweight title queue since he singled out Oliveira instead of generalizing a title shot being next for him.

    Many would expect a fourth fight between McGregor and Dustin Poirier after the Irishman’s adamance at receiving a rematch following his doctor’s stoppage loss at UFC 264. With Poirier not capturing lightweight gold, there is nothing standing in the way of immediately booking that fight again, an idea that Dana White has expressed interest in.

    Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor
    Image Courtesy of MMA Junkie

    McGregor has not won a fight since January 2020 and is 1-3 in his last four outings. Thus, a world title shot upon his return would seem to be a tough sell on principle, even if not at the box office.

    McGregor has also mentioned other bouts awaiting him in his near future. And with the noticeable weight gains he’s made during his post-surgery layoff, a welterweight run doesn’t seem at all out of the question, either, something else the Irishman has teased in the past.

    As of Monday, however, McGregor only has one name and one name only on his mind: undisputed UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.

    Do you think we’ll be seeing Charles Oliveira vs. Conor McGregor in 2022?

  • Claressa Shields Threatens To Sue Jake Paul & Team For Defamation

    Claressa Shields is willing to take the fight to Jake Paul beyond the boxing gym and into the court of law.

    This Saturday, Jake Paul returns to pay-per-view when he meets Tyron Woodley in a rematch of their August clash. However, the YouTuber may have another fight on his hands if he and his representatives are not mindful.

    Last week, Jake Paul’s management team BAVAFA Sports made a shocking claim. They stated in a tweet that Claressa Shields requested to be placed on the undercard for Jake Paul events on multiple occasions. This was a curious revelation seeing as how adamantly Shields has refused to ever even consider doing such a thing in the past.

    In fact, it was her open dismissal of that very idea that sparked a feud between herself and Paul, which included the YouTuber mocking her after her first MMA loss and Shields later challenging Paul to a $100,000 sparring match.

    Once Shields saw the tweet from Paul’s management team, she issued a warning about making such claims.

    “Somebody bout to get sued for lying on my name. Can’t wait to call my lawyer tomorrow morning.”

    “Never have I ever. I’m bout Sue @jakepaul & his team for defamation and of character cause I ain’t never asked to be on no undercard of no YouTuber!”

    “@BAVAFASports y’all bout to get sued! Because Claressa Shields ain’t never asked to be on Jake Paul undercard. You sound crazy as hell! My lawyer will be reaching out though! Use my name for clout. I’ll use your name for a check losers”

    After a fan stated that Shields was continuously being disrespected, the Olympic gold medalist put an end to the discussion with some strong closing remarks.

    “They bout to have to write a check they ass gonna hate having to cash. Because you talk trash but lying on me is another story! I’m a BIG BOSS WITH A BIG LAWYER!”

    Claressa Shields will be competing again on January 29 against Ema Kozin in a boxing match. Her MMA return has not yet been set, though she plans to compete again in 2022 following her loss to Abigail Montes in October.

    Do you believe Claressa Shields has a potential legal case against Jake Paul and his representation for defamation of character?

  • Sean O’Malley Live Reacts To Cody Garbrandt’s UFC 269 KO Loss

    UFC bantamweight prospect Sean O’Malley was in the middle of an interview when he saw Cody Garbrandt get knocked out in his flyweight debut.

    O’Malley and Garbrandt went at it earlier during UFC 269 fight week at the pre-fight press conference, as the two went back-and-forth on the mic and also nearly brawled on stage. O’Malley and Garbrandt were rumored to potentially fight last year, but negotiations never materialized.

    Many felt that Garbrandt was the more confident trash talker during the press conference, but O’Malley ended up getting the last laugh after Garbrandt suffered a brutal knockout against Kai Kara-France.

    Check out O’Malley’s reaction to Garbrandt’s loss below.

    “Oh, Cody. Cody just got knocked out. Sucks for him, deuces,” O’Malley said. “Some people just aren’t built for this.”

    Sean O’Malley Later Changed His Tone On Cody Garbrandt

    O’Malley and Garbrandt clearly have some disdain for each other, but O’Malley appeared to reverse course during his post-fight press conference. When asked if he saw Garbrandt’s fight, O’Malley took the chance to praise him just minutes after roasting him in an earlier interview.

    “Cody’s also a legend in his own right,” O’Malley said. “And I’m not gonna sit up here and say anything negative about him. He’s probably gonna have a rough couple days, couple weeks, whatever it’s gonna be.”

    O’Malley remains with only one defeat in his professional career after knocking out Raulian Paiva at UFC 269. It was arguably the toughest test of his UFC tenure, which he passed with flying colors.

    O’Malley has been criticized for the level of competition he’s faced so far at bantamweight. He has yet to crack the bantamweight rankings, as UFC president Dana White recently said he isn’t ready for top-level opponents.

    As for Garbrandt, his UFC future remains unclear. His flyweight debut obviously didn’t meet his expectations and he’s suffered a series of brutal knockouts in four of his last six fights.

    O’Malley and Garbrandt had once been considered two of the top bantamweight prospects, but it appears the two of them might be heading on different paths in the UFC. O’Malley could earn a spot soon in the bantamweight rankings while Garbrandt is still looking to get back on the winning side of things in the UFC.

    What do you think is next for Sean O’Malley and Cody Garbrandt?

  • Nate Diaz Praises Julianna Peña In Response To UFC 269 Homage

    They say that real recognize real, and if that is the case, then Nate Diaz certainly recognized the real upset that Julianna Peña got at UFC 269.

    In what is being considered arguably the biggest upset in MMA history, Peña was able to submit who many consider the greatest female fighter of all time by tapping Amanda Nunes out in the second round of their bantamweight title contest.

    Following this victory, while speaking to Joe Rogan in her post-fight interview inside the Octagon, the newly crowned champion said that she was not surprised, quoting the famous interview that the younger Diaz brother gave when he submitted Conor McGregor on short notice.

    It seems That Nate Diaz caught wind of this homage and decided to pay his respects back. Posting to Twitter, Stockton’s own praised Peña for being able to score this massive upset victory, while displaying both of their interviews side by side, noting the similarities between the two situations.

    “When you know you know…Congratulations to @VenezuelanVixen #beast ?” Diaz wrote.

    Nate Diaz is correct in noting that Julianna Peña was a beast in her title-winning fight against the highly revered Amanda Nunes. That being said, the biggest difference between her win and his is that while he took his fight on super short notice against a McGregor who was fresh off of a title victory at featherweight, she dethroned a long-standing champion who has been dominating two weight divisions for years.

    Nevertheless, it is great to see Diaz showing Peña some respect in return for the tip of the cap that she gave in his direction. The only thing that is certain in the sport of mixed martial arts is that absolutely nothing is certain, and it is hard to deny that they are both proof of that.

  • Julianna Peña’s Victory Lap Includes Circling Back To Three Opponents

    Newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Peña is ready and willing to fight whomever the UFC puts in front of her, but there are three names she specifically has in mind.

    At UFC 269, Julianna Peña pulled off the upset of the year and one of the biggest upsets in UFC history when she submitted Amanda Nunes in the co-main event. UFC President Dana White has already expressed interest in booking a rematch between the two if Nunes wants it. But what about the new champ?

    “The Venezuelan Vixen” did not hesitate to commit to the idea.

    “We can do it next week, I’m free next month, two months from now. Whenever they want to do it, I’m ready,” Peña said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “In all fairness, I’ve been in camp for a year. I really think my daughter deserves some well-deserved mommy time, a little vacation. After that, definitely. If she wants to do a rematch, we can do a rematch.”

    Julianna Peña Eyes Two Other Rematches

    Julianna Pena eyes quick turnaround after submission loss to Germaine de Randamie at UFC Fight Island 4 - MMAmania.com

    The outside world did not have much faith in Julianna Peña heading into UFC 269, but there was one thing most everyone could agree on about her: she was not short on confidence.

    Therefore, it should come as no surprise that she sees herself remaining in full control of whom she fights next outside of an Amanda Nunes rematch. And if she has it her way, not only will she give a rematch, but she will also receive two rematches to avenge her only losses in the UFC.

    “I think that there’s some rematches that I want to do. I would like to go down and challenge Valentina Shevchenko. I would love to get that rematch against Germaine de Randamie. I would love a rematch, if that’s what she wants, against Amanda Nunes. Those are the rematches that I have in my peripheral.”

    Peña’s loss to current women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko took place in 2017 via armbar in what was then a #1-contender bout. And last year, Peña dropped a fight to former featherweight champ Germaine de Randamie via third-round guillotine.

    Below, you check out the start of Julianna Peña’s victory lap around her naysayers in this Octagon interview following her UFC 269 upset of Amanda Nunes.

    How do you think Julianna Peña would fare if this rematch tour comes together?

  • Dominick Cruz Seeks Rematch With ‘Dork’ Henry Cejudo After UFC 269

    Just minutes after his impressive win over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269, Dominick Cruz had a familiar foe on his mind for his next outing.

    Cruz got out of some early trouble against Munhoz and showcased his elite footwork and striking for the unanimous decision win. It was a vintage Cruz performance in many eyes as he looks to push towards another potential title shot.

    Following his win over Munhoz, Cruz called for a rematch with Cejudo nearly two years after his loss at UFC 249. Cejudo would retire immediately following the fight and has remained inactive ever since.

    “I’d prefer to fight Cejudo again,” Cruz said to reporters following UFC 269. “I needed more time to get going. I don’t want to make excuses, I pushed for that fight. I got five weeks and sparred 10 fights leading up to that fight following my shoulder surgery. With this version of me, it’s a different fight with him. He’s an Olympian, knows how to fight, but still a little dork though.”

    Dominick Cruz Lost Controversially To Henry Cejudo

    Dominick Cruz Henry Cejudo Keith Peterson
    Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

    Cruz fell at UFC 249 via TKO after taking a barrage of hard ground-and-pound strikes from Cejudo. Cruz appeared to be still making an effort to defend himself, but referee Keith Peterson stopped the fight, much to the dismay of the former champion.

    Cejudo has hinted at a potential comeback at either bantamweight or featherweight. He most recently called out Alexander Volkanovski for a featherweight title shot and an opportunity to become a three-division champion.

    If Cejudo ends up coming back and Cruz keeps up his current winning streak, the two could be on a collision course once again in the stacked bantamweight division. For now, it appears that apparent beef between the two former champions doesn’t appear to be fading away anytime soon.

    Would you want to see Dominick Cruz vs. Henry Cejudo 2?

  • Dana White Clarifies Rumored Michael Chiesa Incident At UFC 269

    UFC President Dana White explained what went down with welterweight fighter Michael Chiesa following Julianna Peña’s win at UFC 269.

    Word quickly spread on social media that Chiesa was involved in a scuffle with security personnel at T-Mobile Arena while attempting to get into the Octagon to celebrate his former teammate’s win over Amanda Nunes. Peña pulled off arguably the greatest upset in UFC history with her submission of the legendary Nunes.

    It wasn’t surprising that Chiesa wanted to be involved in the post-fight celebration with Peña, but it was surprising how he went about it. During his UFC 269 post-fight press conference, White clarified what led to Chiesa being escorted out of the arena.

    “How do I say this without embarrassing this guy?” White said. “[Chiesa] had a little too much to drink this evening. When she won, he freaked out and tried to jump into the Octagon and fell down on his face, cut his eye, and busted his eye open, then was arguing with the police that he needed to get in the Octagon and be with her ’cause that’s his teammate. They dragged him out, got him outside, and calmed him down in the back, and I went back and talked to him for a minute, and we’re all good.” 

    Michael Chiesa 'very happy' for Poirier, thinks trilogy with McGregor makes most sense - Bloody Elbow

    Chiesa has become one of the top UFC analysts on Fight Night broadcasts and remains an active UFC welterweight. While he’s dropped his last two fights against Sean Brady and Vicente Luque, he remains focused on a bounceback in 2022.

    Chiesa and Peña are two of the most notable MMA talents to fight out of Spokane, WA, as both fought at Sikjitsu Gym together. They’ve been close friends since Peña won The Ultimate Fighter in 2013.

    For now, it appears that White and the UFC brass won’t seek to punish Chiesa further for his actions at UFC 269.

    What are your thoughts on the Michael Chiesa incident at UFC 269?

  • Justin Gaethje Changes Tone On Charles Oliveira After UFC 269 Outcome

    UFC lightweight contender and former interim champion Justin Gaethje is pivoting on his earlier remarks about Charles Oliveira.

    Oliveira shut down Dustin Poirier’s second attempt at a UFC lightweight title, submitting him in the third round. Oliveira survived an early barrage of strikes by Poirier to wear him down and show off his elite grappling prowess. Now, he’s looking ahead to a potential fight with Gaethje.

    Just weeks after Gaethje took shots at Oliveira in the media, going as far as labeling him a “quitter”, he now respects Oliveira’s place as the UFC’s lightweight king.

    This prompted responses from many around the UFC; including Poirier, who gave Oliveira plenty of credit ahead of their fight.

    Justin Gaethje Changes His Tone On Charles Oliveira

    During the UFC 269 post-fight show, Gaethje praised Oliveira for his performance against Poirier.

    “I absolutely loved it,” Gaethje said. “I will give no disrespect to Charles. He is now the undisputed champion and I cannot wait to fight him. I don’t care where or when.”

    While Gaethje has a newfound appreciation for Oliveira’s rise to the top of the heap, he thinks he has the approach to give the champion issues in a potential matchup.

    “I saw a competitor tonight,” Gaethje said. “I saw a dog and I can’t wait to break his face. He gets hit a lot.

    “He better pray and hope for the next however many days until our fight that he takes me down, gets his choke. Because if not, we see what happens.”

    When asked to give a prediction on how a fight with Oliveira would play out, Gaethje continued to keep it real.

    “He just won a championship. I should build it up,” Gaethje said. “At the end of the day, it’s me trying to knock him out versus him trying to get it to the ground. That’s who we are. That’s who he’s been. That’s who I am.

    “Whether it’s in Brazil, in America, preferably not Abu Dhabi. I’m all in. So I can’t wait.”

    Justin Gaethje Vs. Charles Oliveira Is A Fascinating Stylistic Matchup

    Gaethje vs. Oliveira has the potential to be one of the greatest lightweight title fights in recent memory. Both have proven to be tough as nails and have a balanced style on the ground and the feet.

    Gaethje is mostly known for the power with his striking but also has a solid wrestling background. Oliveira has very technical, opportunistic kickboxing to go with an other-worldly Jiu-Jitsu game.

    Gaethje is coming off his UFC 268 win over Michael Chandler that may have been the most exciting fight in 2021. While his stock is arguably higher than ever, a title fight between Oliveira and Gaethje could be an exciting fight for both sides, and it is one that Dana White has already confirmed is the current plan for the promotion.

    How do you think a Justin Gaethje vs. Charles Oliveira title fight would play out?

  • Flashback To Dana White Appearing On The Rock’s “Wake Up Call”

    Seven years ago today, UFC President Dana White was featured on The Rock’s reality television show Wake-Up Call in the series premiere on TNT.

    The one-hour show featured The Rock mentoring people who were struggling in their lives. The first and only season of the show featured eight episodes.

    In the debut edition that debuted seven years ago to this day, The Rock and Dana White attempted to give teenager Terrell Moore a shot at becoming a professional mixed-martial-arts fighter.

    You can find a clip of the trailer for the series premiere below.

    “I literally walked out on the job when I was 19 years old where I made good money because I knew I wanted to be in the fight business,” White said. “And there was no guarantees I was going to do anything in the fight business or ever make it. And my whole life I’ve been overcoming hurdles.

    “When I came up with the idea to buy the UFC, I went to the Fertitta brothers and pitched them this idea. We bought the UFC and it wasn’t some huge success story. We were $44 million in the hole before we turned this thing around. So I’ve had a ton of seven-buck moments in my life.”

    As White alluded to, the series was inspired by The Rock’s story of when he hit Rock Bottom with only $7 to his name, only to later become a multi-millionaire and global icon years later.

    The theme of the show is to follow the journey of other big dreamers who were being pushed by The Rock and sometimes other people who took life-changing risks before finding tremendous success.

    In 2021, Dana White is still finding success as the UFC President, which continues to turn a larger profit year after year. Meanwhile, The Rock has been named the highest-paid athlete in Hollywood on many occasions throughout his legendary and versatile acting career.

    Did you ever catch any episodes of The Rock’s Wake-Up Call series?

  • Flashback To When Fedor Dared Dana White To Let Him Fight Couture

    Fedor Emelianenko hasn’t thought too highly of UFC President Dana White for well over a decade now.

    The year was 2007. Fedor Emelianenko was the PRIDE FC world heavyweight champion for over four years strong and was days away from his 24th consecutive victory, with the then 1-0 Choi Hong-man pegged as the next victim.

    It was during this December that Dana White was quoted as saying the following:

    “I don’t think Fedor is a top-five heavyweight in the world, and I’m not saying that because I didn’t get Fedor. I’ve always felt that way about Fedor and I always felt Randy Couture would beat Fedor … Fedor is a farce.” 

    In a 2007 interview with MMA Weekly, Fedor was asked to respond to these comments, and the Russian legend was sure to include a daring proposal to Dana White in his retort.

    “Dana talks a lot and uses words lightly. Let Randy Couture fight me. Allow this fight that everyone wants to take place. Me, Randy and MMA fans all over the world want it. The only obstacle is Dana.”

    Fedor’s interest in fighting then-UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture was purely professional. Many people, Dana White included, have lamented the fact that the MMA world never bore witness to Fedor vs. Lesnar. However, a Russian icon in Fedor Emelianenko going against an American icon in Randy Couture in a champion vs. champion clash would have been pure money, and Fedor was convinced everyone wanted to see it. 

    “People want to see this fight and I want to meet him in the ring. I have the greatest respect for Randy and have always admired him. I am also thankful that he has such a high opinion of me.”

    As recently as two months ago, Fedor was still letting his thoughts on Dana White be known. The legend stated that White was selfish and lacks respect for fighters. That said, even though Fedor is incredibly still fighting, and winning, at age 45, don’t expect his swan song to include any high notes in the UFC.

    Who do you think would have won between Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture?

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  • Charles Oliveira Ready To Begin New LW Era After UFC 269 Win

    UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira feels he’s reeling in a new era in the division after he dispatched Dustin Poirier at UFC 269.

    It wasn’t easy for Oliveira early, as he suffered some hard blows to the head from Poirier in the opening minutes. But, he was able to land some hard shots to the body that began to fatigue Poirier quickly.

    After finding his rhythm with his grappling in Round 2, he was able to get Poirier’s back in Round 3 and sink in a standing rear-naked choke to earn the finish. Oliveira extended his UFC record with 15 total submission wins in his tenure with the promotion.

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov congratulated Oliveira on Twitter following the win, despite picking Poirier earlier in the week. During his UFC 269 post-fight press conference, Oliveira spoke about whether Nurmagomedov’s endorsement of Poirier motivated him and what it means to build his legacy.

    “I don’t care what people think,” Oliveira said. “He was a great fighter, a great champion, he had his legacy. But now, history and legacy have a new name, and it’s Charles Oliveira. There’s no thought about [a fight with Nurmagomedov] getting away, it’s all that we could do.”

    Charles Oliveira Will More Than Likely Face Justin Gaethje Next

    After finishing Poirier, Oliveira is now looking ahead to another potential challenge in the form of former interim champion Justin Gaethje. Following his win over Michael Chandler at UFC 268, Gaethje called for the next title shot and appears to be in the driver’s seat for the next opportunity.

    Oliveira and Gaethje have had their fair share of tension in recent weeks, with Gaethje questioning Oliveira’s heart if the two were to meet in the Octagon. However, Oliveira has silenced the doubters once again with his win over Poirier and will plan to do the same against Gaethje shortly.

    What were your thoughts on Charles Oliveira’s win at UFC 269?

  • Flashback To Conor McGregor’s 13-Second KO Of José Aldo At UFC 194

    Six years ago today, Conor McGregor made the giant leap from rising star to megastar, and it only took him 13 seconds.

    UFC 194 was headlined by the featherweight unification title bout between undisputed champion José Aldo and Conor McGregor. The build-up remains, to this day, one of the most contentious of all time due to the relentless provocation of Aldo by The Notorious One.

    Here is an extended look at the build-up of what was arguably the most anticipated fight in the history of the featherweight division and of 2015.

    The Play-By-Play

    Below is a look at the live play-by-play provided by MMA News during the UFC 194 event (h/t Matt Boone):

    Round 1: The first two “holy sh*t I can’t believe this is happening” fights delivered lots of action, drama, and storytelling. Now, it’s time for the real deal. The main event. The one everyone has been waiting for. To UFC’s credit, they did not stall or do much hype bullsh*t at all. They went from Rockhold and Weidman interviews to Conor McGregor’s entrance in just a few minutes.

    “Notorious B.I.G.” by The Notorious B.I.G. plays as “The Notorious” Conor McGregor wraps up in the Irish flag and makes his walk to the Octagon. Can he really get it done against the best in the world, or is he just really good? We’re about to find out!

    McGregor settles in the cage as the camera pans and “Run This Town” by Jay-Z, Kanye West & Rihanna plays as the only UFC 145-pound champion in history, José Aldo, begins his walk to the cage. The dude looks ready as hell, folks. Bruce Buffer does his thing. Seconds, people. SECONDS away. McGregor is introduced and takes to the center of the cage like a boss. Aldo is introduced and swings side-to-side with his head down the entire time like a killer.

    Staredown time. Aldo walks up with his head down and continues what he was just doing. McGregor just stares at him. Here we go!

    Holy shit, it’s over. McGregor face-planted Aldo with his first shot. One follow-up. Aldo was out stiff, face-first. Ladies and gentlemen, “The Notorious” Conor McGregor is the real deal. He did what he said he was going to do again.

    Conor McGregor def. Jose Aldo via knockout (punch) at 0:13 of Round 1 to become the new undisputed UFC Featherweight Champion.

    Note: 13 seconds folks. Prior to Bruce Buffer’s official decision, we saw José Aldo with a towel covering his face crying. Poor guy. McGregor meanwhile is doing the “make it rain” hand gesture sitting on top of the cage. McGregor says he feels sad for Aldo but precision beats power. We see replays of the knockout again.

    The Live Reaction

    Check out this video the UFC put together of the live reaction to this historic KO:

    The Aftermath

    After this ascent to megastardom, Conor McGregor would take it up even another level when he became the first-ever simultaneous multi-division champion when he defeated Eddie Alvarez for the UFC lightweight championship at UFC 205.

    Today, McGregor is ranked #9 in the UFC’s lightweight division and continues to set records and accumulate wealth inside and outside of the Octagon. Meanwhile, José Aldo has been unable to reclaim UFC championship gold but is currently experiencing a career resurgence that has him ranked #3 in the bantamweight division.

    As for that contentious build-up, these two former enemies have been exchanging mutual respect recently, with McGregor even coming to Aldo’s defense after Khabib Nurmagomedov questioned his current skill level.

    What was your reaction to Conor McGregor’s historic 13-second knockout of José Aldo at UFC 194?

  • Dustin Poirier Uncertain Of Future After UFC 269 Loss

    If anybody can come back from adversity, it’s Dustin Poirier, but that’s not the question Poirier will be confronting in the coming days.

    At UFC 269, Dustin Poirier entered the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada as a man with a second chance. Two years ago, Poirier contested for the undisputed lightweight title for the first time, and he lost via rear-naked choke to then-champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    UFC 242 results: Khabib Nurmagomedov submits Dustin Poirier to retain
    Image Credit: Per Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports

    In his second attempt at undisputed gold yesterday against Charles Oliveira, he would fall victim to the same hold in the same third round.

    During the UFC 269 post-fight press conference, a brave and visibly emotional Poirier was asked about his future. The veteran is unsure what the future holds, but he is certain that if he chooses to be right back challenging for the world title again, he would.

    However, he is still unsure if that will happen for reasons that go deeper than his abilities.

    “I can do anything I put my mind to,” Poirier told reporters. “I can fight for another belt. I can go on another streak. I can claw, and climb, and get back to wherever I wanna be. It’s just, do I want to? That’s the question I have to look in the mirror and answer. Do I want to do it again? Do I want to go down that road again?

    Dustin Poirier
    Dustin Poirier (Photo: Chris Unger/Zuffa)

    “And that answer will come in the next couple days, next couple weeks. I just need to let this pass and see what’s next for me. But if it’s in my heart and that’s what I wanna do, I’ll be here again fighting for another world title.”

    Dustin Poirier has proven time and time again that he can pull himself up by the bootstraps and get right back to work, whether it’s in the middle of a taxing battle or if it’s after a major setback in the form of a loss. Poirier has hinted at retirement earlier this year, but leading up to this fight he sounded much more certain about sticking around.

    However, those plans were uttered with the expectation that he would be the undisputed lightweight world champion. Now that he has come up short for the second time, it sounds as though everything hangs in the balance for Dustin Poirier, and fans will have to wait and see what the future holds for this living legend.

    You can view Dustin Poirier’s full UFC 269 post-fight press conference scrum below.

  • Amanda Nunes Reacts To Stunning UFC 269 Loss To Julianna Peña

    UFC superstar Amanda Nunes has spoken out on social media for the first time since her bantamweight title loss to Julianna Peña.

    Nunes got off to a strong start against Peña at UFC 269, dropping her with a big right hand just minutes into the fight. However, Peña was able to survive the early onslaught and come out strong in the second round.

    After a wild flurry of strikes by both women on the feet, Peña earned a hard takedown and quickly got Nunes’ back with relative ease. Peña secured the stunning victory with a rear-naked choke to pull off the monumental upset.

    Just minutes after the loss, Nunes spoke with Joe Rogan about what went wrong against Peña.

    “Nothing was surprising at all,” Nunes said in her Octagon interview. “I knew she was going to come forward. Just today, I checked out. I need to work on a couple of things and fix it, get back in the gym, and come back soon. Congratulations to Julianna, she’s a warrior.”

    Amanda Nunes Posted A Family Picture Following UFC 269

    The day after the loss, Nunes took to Instagram to thank her fans and share a picture with her family and coach.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CXY9r6jLBU3/

    “Thank you so very much everyone!” Nunes said. “Life goes on.”

    Nunes’ loss to Peña was undoubtedly one of the most stunning upsets in combat sports history. Nunes has dominated the competition for years and earned both the bantamweight and featherweight titles, which has defended simultaneously.

    Before losing to Peña, Nunes hadn’t lost a fight since her defeat to Cat Zingano at UFC 178. This would be the turning point in her career as she would go on a 12-fight winning streak against some of the best female fighters in the UFC.

    An immediate rematch is certainly warranted for Nunes, assuming that she wants to run it back right away with Pena. For now, she’s looking ahead to a bounceback in 2022.

    What should be next for Amanda Nunes?

  • O’Malley Slams Cormier’s ‘Amateur’ Commentary: “Don’t Say Stupid S**t”

    You can add Sean O’Malley to the list of Daniel Cormier’s commentary critics.

    Last week, Daniel Cormier was the subject of criticism for his performance as a UFC commentator by his own colleague, Dominick Cruz. Cormier and Cruz later hashed things out to some degree with the aid of mediator Michael Bisping. Cormier would then go on to call Cruz’s UFC 269 victory over Pedro Munhoz alongside Joe Rogan and Jon Anik without missing a beat.

    However, there is another fighter who competed at UFC 269 who has something to say about Cormier’s commentating skills or perceived lack thereof.

    “Suga” Sean O’Malley defeated Raulian Paiva to kick off the pay-per-view and was then asked how the fight played out relative to his expectations during the post-fight press conference. Here is what O’Malley said in response.

    “I did see [the Paiva fight] playing out like that. And I want to thank myself for looking at the clock and seeing how much time was left because some people, Daniel Cormier—my last fight, he’s like, ‘Oh, my god! He’s looking at the clock!’ It’s like, what are you talking about, dude? Of course. Yeah, I’m gonna look at the clock. If I didn’t look at the clock, I wouldn’t know how much time I have left. I landed a big shot. I  don’t know much time I got left. I gotta know, should I empty my tank and try to take this dude out, or should I wait and have the rest of the fight—save my energy. 

    Kris Moutinho O'Malley
    PHOTO: MMA FIGHTING

    “So that kinda bugged me (that he) kept bringing that up. ‘Oh, he looked at the clock! Oh, he looked at the clock!’ It’s like, dude’s a double-champ. It’s like, where’s your IQ, your fight IQ? You think LeBron James is gonna fuckin’ drive the ball down and not look at the clock? It’s amateur…

    “Don’t say stupid shit,” O’Malley later added about Cormier’s commentary.

    O’Malley Shares Theory To Explain His Perception Of DC’s Commentary

    In the above comments, O’Malley is referencing his UFC 264 victory over Kris Moutinho in July. Cormier pointed out that O’Malley was repeatedly looking at the clock during the fight, with the implication being that O’Malley was tiring to Moutinho’s relentless forward pressure.

    The more O’Malley thought about it, he eventually landed on a theory that could explain Cormier’s commentary.

    “I’ve always felt like DC wants me to lose,” O’Malley said. “I don’t know. I could be completely wrong. I just sat down with him the other day. It’s not like he doesn’t like me personally. I just feel like he kinda wants to see me lose. I don’t know what it is, if I remind him of a young Jon Jones—but for some reason, I feel like he wants me to lose.”

    O’Malley would taper these criticisms by saying there’s a chance he is being overly sensitive and is way off base. He also confessed that he himself would be terrible at the gig and that UFC commentators have a very difficult job to do.

    Commentary aside, O’Malley has now moved to 15-1 as a professional and is now on a three-fight winning streak. As O’Malley awaits his next fight, perhaps now he and Cormier could hash out these criticisms in the public eye with or without the aid of Michael Bisping.

    What are your thoughts on these comments from Sean O’Malley regarding Daniel Cormier’s commentary?

  • Archives: Reliving The Cancellation Of UFC 233 (2018)

    On this day three years ago, UFC 233 joined UFC 151 and UFC 176 as the only two UFC pay-per-views to be cancelled. Below you’ll find our coverage of the announcement the moment it came through.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 12, 2018, 2:43 PM]

    Headline: UFC 233 in Anaheim Scrapped, Fights Being Rebooked on Other Events

    Author: Damon Martin

    UFC 233 scheduled for Jan. 26 in Anaheim, Calif. has been scrapped after the UFC failed to secure a main event for the upcoming show at the Honda Center.

    UFC officials announced the news on Wednesday.

    “UFC today announced that the UFC 233 pay-per-view event scheduled for January 26 is postponed,” UFC officials wrote in a statement. “All bouts previously slated for UFC 233 are being rescheduled for upcoming cards. The February 10th pay-per-view event at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Australia will remain titled UFC 234: Whittaker vs. Gastelum. Tickets for UFC 234 sold out within minutes.

    “UFC’s 2019 event calendar will still feature 12 Pay-Per-View events. Additional details about the postponed pay-per-view will be announced at a later date.”

    While the UFC is using the language ‘postponed’, UFC 233 has been scrapped completely, although the promotion does still plan on 12 total pay-per-view cards for 2019.

    Plans for the main event for UFC 233 were constantly evolving after the flyweight title fight between Henry Cejudo and T.J. Dillashaw was moved from the Anaheim card to Brooklyn to headline the first UFC on ESPN+ card on Jan. 19.

    The UFC hoped to schedule a welterweight title fight between Tyron Woodley and Colby Covington but the reigning champion at 170 pounds was still recovering from thumb surgery and wasn’t certain he could compete as early as Jan. 26.

    The UFC then began scrambling to try and find all sorts of alternatives to fill the void for the main event but nothing ever came together.

    With that, the UFC decided to cancel UFC 233 completely with the fights from that card being shifted to different events in the near future.

    There’s no word on where the fights will end up but sources say the UFC has started reaching out to managers to begin talks on moving the bouts to nearby events in January, February or March.

  • Diaz and McGregor Take Shots At Dustin Poirier Over “Embarrassing” Loss

    Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor both had something to say about Dustin Poirier’s loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.

    In last night’s UFC 269 main event, Dustin Poirier and champion Charles Oliveira went to war to solidify who was the best lightweight in the world. It was Oliveira who had his hand raised in the end to log his first successful title defense. Poirier was gracious and classy in defeat, but grace was not something extended to the Louisianian by two familiar faces to him, Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor.

    First, Diaz took an indirect shot at nemesis Conor McGregor in his reaction to the outcome of the UFC 269 main event.

    “How Conor let Dp fuck him up hella times he sucks”

    It’s up for interpretation if the “he” is in reference to McGregor or Poirier, but judging by the overall context, it would seem the insult could apply equally to either gentleman.

    Poirier had more pressing issues to deal with at the moment than what Nate Diaz had to say about him, but McGregor continues to have plenty of time to fire back at his rival while also launching an indirect shot at Poirier in this instance.

    “you lanky string of piss he got lumped around and got lucky twice. That’s it. Is what it is. Embarrassing night for him alright. That closed guard game. Wtf was that. Wow! Shocking. All good happy Sat night horse yupya it’s proper twelve day tomorrow 12/12. New Paddy’s Day!,” McGregor said in response to Diaz.

    Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier have been linked together in the past. The two were supposed to fight at UFC 230 in 2018, but that fight fell apart, with both fighters pointing the finger at the other as far as who was to blame for the collapse.

    Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier have fought three times, with Poirier getting the better of McGregor twice, as Diaz alluded to in his tweet. The last time Poirier and McGregor competed against one another was at UFC 264. At the close of this trilogy bout, McGregor suffered a gruesome leg injury that resulted in a Poirier TKO victory via doctor’s stoppage.

    What do you make of these remarks from Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor about Dustin Poirier’s UFC 269 loss?

  • UFC 269 Bonuses: Six Fighters Nab Performance Checks

    The UFC 269 bonuses have been released.

    The event took place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.. Headlining the card was a clash between Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier in a lightweight title bout. This fight saw a wild first round that had both fighters get hurt, a brief takedown by Charles, and a lot of striking. The second round was dominated by Charles, who got a takedown, moved to full guard, and rained down elbows for a few minutes. Charles finished the fight with a standing rear-naked choke in the third round to retain the title. 

    The co-main event saw more action between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena in a women’s bantamweight title bout. 

    This fight saw Pena shock the world. In the first round, Nunes looked good and dropped her twice thanks to a leg kick and then a punch. Pena went for a takedown, but was stuffed and Nunes took her down where she even took her back. In the second round, history was made as Pena came out swinging. Nunes pushed forward and they had a very entertaining exchange where both were landing and eating shots. Pena scored a takedown and got the back of a tired Nunes before applying a rear-naked choke for the win. 

    With there being six fighter performance bonuses, there was no “Fight of the Night” honors. Peep the full list of performance bonus winners below.

    Tai Tuivasa

    Bruno Silva

    Sean O’Malley

    Kai Kara-France

    Julianna Pena

    Charles Oliveira

    Were the right choices made for the UFC 269 bonuses?

    UFC 269 Results: Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier, Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 269. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2 Official For UFC 271

    The Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker rematch has now officially been announced for UFC 271 in the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, officially putting an end to the initial report that the bout would take place at UFC 270 in January.

    Image

    It is worth noting that Adesanya reacted to the announcement with a cap, which is modern slang for “lying.”

    Adesanya’s reaction could mean nothing, he could be trolling, or it could be a sign that all is not what it seems.

    Here is what Adesanya’s manager Eugene Bareman said about the rematch with Robert Whittaker just last week:

    “Rob and his people, his wonderful manager, can’t secure this fight and they’re panicking,” Bareman said in an interview with Submission Radio. “So, they put out these stupid tweets and this and that. It’s like, mate, just relax, boys. Just train. That’s all we’re doing. You guys do the same. Let us handle the business because you guys are incapable. That management team’s incapable.

    Israel Adesanya Robert Whittaker
    (via Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

    “So, we’ll just handle the business side of things, and if this is the direction that the fight is going to go, towards Robert, then we’ll secure it for you. We’ll do your job for you. But stop with the social media stuff. Like, that doesn’t mean anything, it doesn’t do anything. It just shows your insecurity about the fight. Don’t worry. We’ll sort the fight out.”

    Assuming the UFC has, in fact, locked in the bout, it will be a rematch from the 2019 bout between Adesanya and Whittaker that saw Adesanya capture the middleweight strap due to a second-round KO/TKO.

    Adesanya has gone on to successfully defend the title against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, and Marvin Vettori to prove he is the top dog at 185 pounds at the moment.

    As for Whittaker, he brought himself right back into a title fight by stringing together three straight wins over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum.

    MMA News will keep you posted on any further on this story and if there is any “capping” happening in connection to it.

    Who do you think wins this rematch: Israel Adesanya or Robert Whittaker?

  • Dana White Says Amanda Nunes Will Get Peña Rematch If She Wants It

    Amanda Nunes may have lost for the first time in seven years, but she still is in the driver’s seat of what happens next at the top of the bantamweight division.

    At UFC 269, Julianna Peña stunned a public that bet Amanda Nunes up to be a -1000 favorite heading into the co-main event. Not only did Peña pull off the upset, but she was able to get the finish within two rounds.

    UFC 269: Amanda Nunes stunningly CHOKED OUT by Julianna Pena in one of biggest upset wins in MMA history - thejjReport
    Julianna Pena, Amanda Nunes

    The finish was convincing. And although “doubt” would be an understatement regarding what Peña was up against coming into the fight, she managed to leave none about who deserved to have their hand raised at UFC 269. Indeed, odds aside, Julianna Peña proved to be the better woman on the night of December 11, and her bulletproof confidence was rewarded with bantamweight gold.

    Peña vs. Nunes 2 Already In The Works?

    However, be all that as it may, Julianna Peña may just have to turn around and do what no one has ever done before: defeat Amanda Nunes twice. All that needs to happen to place this task in front of her is “The Lioness” saying the word.

    “It’s a big rematch if [Nunes] wants it,” White said at the UFC 269 post-fight press conference.

    During the UFC 269 pre-fight press conference, Peña was actually asked about this scenario of an immediate rematch when it was all completely hypothetical. Here is what she had to say:

    “Yes, an immediate rematch, and when I win that fight, I will be 11-2 in the division, which is a better bantamweight record in the history of the bantamweight division.”

    If this remains Peña’s stance, then all that’s left is the green light from Amanda Nunes. MMA News will keep you posted if and when that immediate rematch becomes a work in progress.

    Do you think there should be an immediate rematch between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Peña?

  • 7 Takeaways From UFC 269: Oliveira vs. Poirier

    UFC 269 featured two title fights that crowned a new queen of the women’s bantamweight division and a current champion proved himself as worthy of holding the title he won earlier this year.

    There was a lot to take away from UFC 269, here are some things that stood out.

    O’Malley vs. Garbrandt?

    During the pre-fight press conference, Sean O’Malley and Cody Garbrandt went after each other, even though they both had their own fights with other people at UFC 269 to worry about. Still, O’Malley seemed to think it would be a good idea for them to square up at the press conference for a future event. Is this something you want to see?

    Lost One 

    Alex Perez
    Image Credit: Jeff Sherwood of Sherdog.com

    It happens enough these days, bookmakers should start laying odds on what fight will get pulled from a card, and for what reason. After the weigh-ins, the UFC announced that the flyweight bout between Matt Schnell and Alex Perez was canceled due to medical issues with Schnell.

    The Savage Gets Back in The Win Column

    Gillian Robertson was on a two-fight losing streak going into UFC 269. If that wasn’t enough fuel to pick up a win, her opponent Priscila Cachoeira missed weight and they fought at a catchweight. Robertson scored the first submission and finish of the night to get back in the win column and did it with Cachoeira fighting dirty. Losers never win, and Robertson proved that here. Check out Robertson’s submission finish and doing it while Cahcoeira was poking her in the eye.

    Kai-Kara France

    UFC 269 results: Kai Kara-France spoils Cody Garbrandt's flyweight debut with massive TKO win - CBSSports.com
    Kai Kara-France. Image Credit: Jeff Bottari

    France stopped Garbrandt in his tracks for Garbrandt’s flyweight debut, leaving questions for Garbrandt’s future but opening doors for France. With his first-round finish of the former bantamweight champion, France made it known he has his eyes on Brandon Moreno and Deivison Figueredo. Either fight would make a great future match-up for him. 

    Dominick Cruz

    UFC 269 tweets: Pros react to Dominick Cruz comeback win, Daniel Cormier commentary controversy - MMA Fighting
    Dominick Cruz, Image Credit: MMA Fighting

    Cruz made news for his criticism of Daniel Cormier’s broadcast style on fight week and that may have taken away from the fact that regardless of how anyone handles a mic, Cruz can still manage the cage better. It’s obvious he does just as much homework for fights as he does for his broadcast duties. Cruz fought and won against a very tough Pedro Munhoz to pick up a decisive victory. If there’s a fight to make, maybe he and Jose Aldo could headline a card in 2022.

    And New!

    UFC 269 results, highlights: Julianna Pena scores shocking upset of Amanda Nunes to claim title - CBSSports.com
    Julianna Pena, Image Credit: Chris Unger

    A huge underdog, Julianna Peña came in with nothing but heart and a great jab that would hand Nunes the loss that would cost her the title, and crown The Venezuelan Vixen the new bantamweight champion. Peña was a +650 underdog and when the going got tough, Peña’s resolve would be the fuel that won her the title. 

    And Still!

    UFC 269 results: Charles Oliveira taps Dustin Poirier to retain title
    Charles Oliveira. Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports

    Diamonds are tough but “Do Bronx” is tougher as Charles Oliveira proved that he can stand with the tougher, more damaging fighter the likes of Dustin Poirier. Oliveira’s chin was definitely tested in this fight, especially in round one but if there were a physical demonstration of “being like water,” Oliveira definitely did it to Poirier when he scored the submission victory. 

    There’s obviously more to take away from this event than what is listed here especially with it being the last one of 2021. New challengers for various titles, up-and-coming fighters looking to get in the top 15, and potential rematches to make. The UFC certainly closed their pay-per-view schedule well.

    What did you take away from the event? Better yet, what would you like to see in 2022?

  • Fighters React To Charles Oliveira Submitting Dustin Poirier To Retain Lightweight Title At UFC 269

    Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier lived up to expectations with the lightweight title on the line. 

    The two fighters met in a title bout on Saturday night (December 11, 2021) at the UFC 269 pay-per-view event from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    The first round was madness. Poirier stunned him right out of the gate before they clinched. Charles got a brief takedown before Poirier popped right back to his feet. They had a fun exchange before Poirier dropped him only to let him back up. Charles went for a takedown and got it to start off the second round. Poirier did get back up, but when Charles went for an arm submission, it led to Charles rolling on top in half guard and landed some big elbows. Charles finished the fight with a standing rear-naked choke in the third round to retain the title. 

    Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFC’s official Twitter account:

    https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1469903999017132035

    Let’s see how the fighters reacted to the outcome of this fight: 

    https://twitter.com/LaurenMurphyMMA/status/1469905300144721920
    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1469905337310318595

    Poirier went on a six-fight winning streak including back-to-back wins over Conor McGregor – a KO win at UFC 257 and then a doctor stoppage win at UFC 264. Before that, he got a win over Max Holloway by a hard-fought unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 236 to earn a title shot. He lost by submission to UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at the UFC 242 show from The Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. In his previous outing, he got a decision win over Dan Hooker on June 27, 2020. 

    Entering this fight, Oliveira had been on a hot streak that included nine consecutive victories. In his previous bout, he won the lightweight title when he beat Michael Chandler by TKO at UFC 262. Before that, he got 

    a decision win over Tony Ferguson at the UFC 256 pay-per-view event. He previously choked out Kevin Lee at the UFC Brasilia event in March 2020, got wins over Jared Gordon by KO at the UFC Sao Paulo event from the Ginásio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a TKO win over Nik Lentz at the UFC Rochester event from the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York on ESPN+. 

    UFC 269 Results: Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier, Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 269. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.