MMA News

Rose Namajunas, Weili Zhang
Rose Namajunas

UFC 268 | Pro fighters make their picks for Rose Namajunas vs. Weili Zhang 2 title fight

Cole Shelton - November 3, 2021

In the co-main event of UFC 268, Rose Namajunas and Weili Zhang are running it back just seven months after Namajunas scored a 78-second TKO win. Heading into the fight, the champ is a +100 underdog while Zhang is the -120 favorite. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The pros are nearly unanimous in thinking Namajunas defends her belt again and likely does it by stoppage again.

John McCarthy, Scott Coker, Dana White, Bellator 241, Coronavirus, UFC 249
UFC

John McCarthy criticizes Vyacheslav Kiselev for controversial non-stoppage at UFC 267

Adam D Martin - November 3, 2021

Veteran mixed martial arts official John McCarthy criticized referee Vyacheslav Kiselev for his controversial non-stoppage at UFC 267. In one of the most prolonged beatings we have ever seen inside the Octagon, Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos emptied the clip against Benoit Saint Denis over the course of a brutal 25-minute battle between the two welterweights at UFC 267. There were numerous points where the referee could have stepped in and stopped the contest, but he refused to do so, which led the fight to go the full distance. It was an incredible show of heart and toughness by Saint Denis, but he also took unnecessary punishment and damage during this bout.

Kamaru Usman, Canelo
Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman explains callout of Canelo Alvarez: “It's not about money, it's about what gets me out of bed, what gets me scared”

Adam D Martin - November 3, 2021

Kamaru Usman explained his callout of Canelo Alvarez, saying “it’s not about money, it’s about what gets me out of bed, what gets me scared.” Usman takes on archrival Colby Covington in the main event of UFC 268 this Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. For Usman, this represents another massive fight for him in his MMA career. Since entering the UFC in 2015, Usman is a perfect 14-0, and if he beats Covington to go 15-0, it would start putting him into the upper-echelon of MMA fighters who have ever lived. But even though he still has plenty of more potential opponents to fight in the UFC welterweight division, Usman is looking big. And when it comes to combat sports, it doesn’t get much bigger than Canelo Alvarez.

Islam Makhachev
Justin Gaethje

Islam Makhachev slams Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler ahead of UFC 268: “Everybody is tired about these guys because they’re old”

Adam D Martin - November 3, 2021

Islam Makhachev ripped Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler ahead of UFC 268, saying “everybody is tired about these guys because they’re old.” Makhachev put on arguably the best performance of his MMA career last Saturday at UFC 268 when he submitted Dan Hooker in the first round. Considering how tough and durable Hooker is — this was his first submission loss in nearly a decade — it was absolutely incredible to see Makhachev go through him like a knife through hot butter. It was the kind of win that the Russian needs in order to really cement himself as one of the top lightweights in the UFC. With a 10-1 record now in the promotion, including the nine-fight win streak that he currently rides, it’s clear that Makhachev is closing in on a title shot.

Mike Perry, BKFC
Mike Perry

Mike Perry responds to callout from Julian Lane: “I don’t want my opponents to want to bang, bro”

Harry Kettle - November 3, 2021

New BKFC signing Mike Perry has issued a strange response to Julian Lane after the famous “let me bang bro” fighter called him out. It was confirmed recently that Perry, who was formerly with the UFC, would be making his way over to BKFC in order to begin a new chapter of his career in bare-knuckle boxing. There are many folks who want to be his first opponent in the promotion, and that includes Julian Lane.

Jonas Bilharinho
UFC

Jonas Bilharinho scores spinning wheel kick KO on Contender Series (Video)

Cole Shelton - November 2, 2021

Jonas Bilharinho got a highlight-reel KO right in front of Dana White on the final episode of Season 5 of the Contender Series on Tuesday. Bilharino was fighting Canaan Kawaihae in a featherweight bout. Early on, not much action was going on as the two were clinching one another. A rare double low blow happened which caused a pause in the action but when they continued it was much of the same.

Justin Gaethje
Michael Chandler

Justin Gaethje claims he's 'guaranteed' a title shot after he KO's Michael Chandler at UFC 268

Cole Shelton - November 2, 2021

Justin Gaethje believes he will be fighting for UFC gold after UFC 268. On the main card of the UFC’s return to Madison Square Garden, Gaethje is set to fight Michael Chandler in a potential number one contender bout. It’s Gaethje’s first fight since he lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov for the belt in October of 2020 but he is confident he will not only get the win but will KO Chandler to get the next title shot.

Glover Teixeira
UFC

Glover Teixeira gets hero's welcome in Connecticut after winning light heavyweight title at UFC 267 (Video)

Cole Shelton - November 2, 2021

Glover Teixeira returned to his adopted home of Connecticut and got a hero’s welcome after becoming the new UFC light heavyweight champion. In the main event of the card from Abu Dhabi, Teixeira, who turned 42 during fight week, was a sizeable underdog against Jan Blachowicz. Many expected Blachowicz to win the fight, but Teixeira dominated the first round and then got the submission win in the second to become the new champion.

Justin-Gaethje-Michael-Chandler-Eddie Alvarez
Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler believes Justin Gaethje also received "Dana White privilege"

Adam D Martin - November 2, 2021

UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes that his rival Justin Gaethje also received “Dana White privilege” from the UFC president. Chandler got the vacant title shot against Charles Oliveira back at UFC 262 in May, and Gaethje made it clear that he was not pleased as he believed it should have been him who got the title shot. However, the UFC went ahead and gave Chandler the shot instead, and he lost via TKO. With Gaethje not getting the fight, he sat on the sidelines and as of right now he’s been out of the Octagon for a full year. But this Saturday at UFC 268, he gets the chance to fight Chandler in what should be one of the best fights on the whole card.

Dana White, UFC 249
Khamzat Chimaev

Dana White confirms the UFC will speak to Nate Diaz about fighting Khamzat Chimaev

Adam D Martin - November 2, 2021

UFC president Dana White confirmed that the UFC will speak to Nate Diaz about fighting emerging welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev. Chimaev is coming off of an incredible first-round submission win over Li Jingliang at UFC 267 that improved his pro record to 10-0, including a 4-0 record in the UFC. Incredibly, Chimaev has only been hit with one significant strike through four fights in the Octagon, as he’s completely run through everyone in his path. It has been a phenomenal start to Chimaev’s UFC career, and it looks like the promotion is now considering putting him on the fast-track to superstardom by matching him up against one of the UFC’s biggest names.

Billy Quarantillo
UFC

Billy Quarantillo expects to 'put on a show' against Shane Burgos at UFC 268 and get the stoppage win

Cole Shelton - November 2, 2021

Billy Quarantillo is excited to fight a ranked opponent and do so at Madison Square Garden. On the main card of UFC 268, Quarantillo is getting his chance to fight 14th-ranked Shane Burgos. It’s an intriguing matchup and when Quarantillo got the call for this fight, he says it was an immediate yes.

Chris Curtis
UFC

Chris Curtis says Sean Strickland pleaded with Mick Maynard to sign him, expects to drown Phil Hawes and 'make him quit' at UFC 268

Cole Shelton - November 2, 2021

Chris Curtis thought his dream of fighting in the UFC was over. Curtis competed on DWCS in 2018 and scored a highlight-reel head kick KO win but didn’t get the contract. It was his seventh win in a row but Dana White passed on him and since then, he has been competing in PFL and on the regional scene and a few weeks ago, he got the call on Thursday night to weigh-in and fight Phil Hawes in two days.

Sean-O'Malley
Sean O'Malley

Sean O’Malley breaks down Saturday’s UFC 268 main card: “I would love to see Colby Covington champ dude”

Adam D Martin - November 2, 2021

UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley broke down Saturday’s UFC 268 main card, saying that “I would love to see Colby Covington champ, dude.” O’Malley was originally targeted to fight Frankie Edgar on the UFC 268 undercard, but the fight fell apart when O’Malley said that he didn’t want to fight in New York due to high taxes. With O’Malley unable to take that fight, the UFC went ahead and booked Marlon Vera against Edgar instead. But while O’Malley is not going to be fighting on UFC 268, he is still paying attention to the card, both to the main event and to the Edgar vs. Vera fight, too.

Cage Warriors, Graham Boylan, Dan Hardy
Herb Dean

Dan Hardy recalls Herb Dean incident on Fight Island: "We had a back and forth conversation"

Adam D Martin - November 2, 2021

Former UFC commentator Dan Hardy recalled the Herb Dean incident on Fight Island, saying that “we had a back and forth conversation.” On Fight Island in July 2020, there was a lightweight bout between Francisco Trinaldo and Jai Herbert that had a very controversial ending. Trinaldo landed a massive punch on Herbert that appeared to knock him out, but Dean did not wave off the fight and allowed Trinaldo to land extra punches on the ground despite his opponent being knocked out. Hardy, who was working as the UFC commentator that night, got into a verbal altercation with Dean. Some believe this incident is the reason why the UFC let go of Hardy.

Just Scrap Radio
UFC

Just Scrap Radio Ep. 57 with Billy Quarantillo, Chris Curtis, Jordan Williams, and Ode Osbourne

Cole Shelton - November 2, 2021

The 57th episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with host Cole Shelton is here ahead of UFC 268. We’re first joined by UFC featherweight, Billy Quarantillo (2:33). Next, UFC middleweight Chris Curtis (16:10) stops by. UFC welterweight, Jordan Williams (32:52) then comes on. Closing out the program is UFC flyweight, Ode Osbourne (46:25).

Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington
Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman believes there is mutual respect with “great competitor” Colby Covington: “I know he respects me”

Adam D Martin - November 2, 2021

Kamaru Usman believes there is mutual respect with “great competitor” Colby Covington, suggesting that “I know he respects me.” Usman and Covington are bitter rivals who first met at UFC 245 in December 2019, with Usman winning in the fifth round via TKO. For the past two years since that fight, Covington has been doing everything in his power to secure a rematch. Finally, he gets what he wants this Saturday night when he steps into the Octagon with Usman again in the main event of UFC 268. Usman, by the way, is the betting favorite to defend his title.

Petr Yan, TJ Dillashaw
Petr Yan

Petr Yan issues a warning to “chicken heart” Aljamain Sterling following UFC 267

Adam D Martin - November 2, 2021

New UFC interim bantamweight champion Petr Yan issued a warning to “chicken heart” Aljamain Sterling following his big win at UFC 267. Yan defeated Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision in the co-main event of this past Saturday’s UFC 267 card. The fight was absolutely phenomenal as both men went back and forth for the entire 25 minutes in one of the best fights of the year. But at the end of the five rounds, it was Yan who ended up getting his hand raised with three 49-46 scorecards.

MMA News

Video | Alleged ‘Kung Fu Master’ challenges former K-1 Grand Prix Winner to spar, gets owned

Harry Kettle - November 2, 2021

When you put a self-proclaimed kung-fu master against a K1-Grand Prix winner, things probably aren’t going to go so well. As fans of mixed martial arts and all the elements that come with it, we all know what it takes to be a high-level competitor on the world stage. It requires years of dedication, commitment and the kind of ability that’s hard to find in combat sports.