MMA News

Adam D Martin - May 28, 2021

UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira says he open to moving back to 145lbs, but only for a title shot, saying that he “would do well.” Oliveira knocked out Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 262 in Houston two weeks ago to become the new UFC lightweight champion. He has won his last nine fights in a row at 155lbs and overall looks like one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world while fighting in this division. However, “Do Bronx” admits a move back to 145lbs is possible.

Adam D Martin - May 28, 2021

A teammate of Cory Sandhagen at Elevation Fight Team accused TJ Dillashaw of having spies in his rival’s training camp ahead of their fight. Justin Wetzell, a featherweight prospect who competes in LFA, recently spoke to James Lynch and spoke about his teammate Sandhagen’s training camp for the Dillashaw fight this summer. According to Wetzell, it was a peculiar training camp because he said that Dillashaw had Duane “Bang” Ludwig striking students come into the gym and spy on them.

Adam D Martin - May 28, 2021

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has leaked the planned date for his upcoming TUF coaches’ fight against rival Brian Ortega. Volkanovski and Ortega will be the coaches of The Ultimate Fighter 29, which starts airing next week on June 1. The two featherweights were originally supposed to meet at UFC 260 in March but the fight was scrapped after Volkanovski tested positive for COVID-19. Following the cancelation of the fight, the UFC decided to book them as the TUF coaches and keep the matchup intact, and we now have a potential date for the re-booked bout.

Adam D Martin - May 28, 2021

Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan responded to Rob Font, saying “You couldn’t even knock Cody No Chin out with your pillow hands.” Font recently said that if he had his way, he would be matched up against Yan next. Yan, of course, is the former bantamweight champ who lost his belt in a controversial fashion when he was DQed against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 in March to lose his title. Since that fight happened, we haven’t heard much in the way of Yan’s return to the Octagon as Sterling is currently out against getting surgery on his neck. That means that Yan could potentially be available to fight, and if that’s the case then Font wants to fight him next.

Adam D Martin - May 28, 2021

UFC commentator Michael Bisping says that Jan Blachowicz “set the tone” for how Marvin Vettori can beat Israel Adesanya at UFC 263. Back at UFC 259 in March, Blachowicz handed Adesanya his first loss in MMA when he was able to win a unanimous decision to defend the UFC light heavyweight title. Although Blachowicz held his own on the feet, the key to beating Adesanya was to take him down in open space. Other fighters saw that the blueprint to beat Adesanya is there, and according to Bisping, it’s a tactic that other fighters will use against the champion going forward.

Adam D Martin - May 28, 2021

UFC bantamweight contender Rob Font says he wants Petr Yan next: “The fans want to see exciting fights and I know that’s an exciting fight.” Font is coming off of the biggest win of his UFC career to date, a five-round unanimous decision win over Cody Garbrandt in the main event of UFC Vegas 27. Font has now won four straight fights and he is one of the top-three ranked fighters in the UFC bantamweight division. He knows that a big fight is coming up for him his next time out, and if he had his choice, there is one man that he would want to fight more than anyone, and that’s Yan.

Adam D Martin - May 28, 2021

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones clapped back at an online troll for suggesting that he’s been skipping leg day. Jones has been bulking up in anticipation of a potential move to the UFC heavyweight division for the past year, and he has been regularly posting videos and photos of his transformation to the UFC’s heaviest weight class. On Thursday, Jones clapped back at one of the trolls who took a shot at him for suggesting that he has skipped leg day. Seeing that comment, Jones decided to take a shot at the fan, though he later deleted the tweet.

Harry Kettle - May 28, 2021

The UFC has released the first trailer for the return of The Ultimate Fighter as fans prepare for the 29th season of the show. The return of TUF has been a long time coming but finally, we’ve arrived at the new season with a brand new set of coaches and fighters. The divisions that’ll be featured are bantamweight and middleweight, with top 145-pounders Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega serving as the head coaches.

Christopher Taylor - May 27, 2021

Richard Schaefer, the new advisor to MMA legend Jon Jones, has detailed his strategy to represent ‘Bones’ against the UFC. According to Schaefer, he was recently introduced to Jones through a mutual friend, and after meeting with Jon he knew “this is the kind of guy” he’d like to work with.

Cole Shelton - May 27, 2021

Georges St-Pierre has revealed what the rules would’ve been had he boxed Oscar De La Hoya. After De La Hoya talked about a return he said he wanted to box the best and it was revealed he was set to box St-Piere. However, the UFC and Dana White blocked that from happening which the former welterweight and middleweight champion said was his dream fight. Had the fight happened, however, the rules would’ve been much different as they would’ve boxed two-minute rounds with bigger gloves among other rules.

Andrew Whitelaw - May 27, 2021

If there’s one man who knows Conor McGregor (22-5) the fighter as well as anyone; it’s Artem Lobov. The pair have spent years sparring at SBG gym in Ireland and the Russian was coached by McGregor for The Ultimate Fighter 22.

Drake Riggs - May 27, 2021

Fallon Fox is known as MMA’s first openly transgender fighter. Upon her coming out in 2013, she was met with mixed reactions. The most notable of the criticism came from UFC commentator Joe Rogan who openly spoke against Fox’s MMA involvement on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. Seven years removed from her MMA career and Fox recently reflected on her time in the sport.

Adam D Martin - May 27, 2021

UFC president Dana White has revealed the potential locations of upcoming UFC pay-per-view cards, saying he’s looking at several U.S. cities. The UFC has begun to visit different cities in the United States now that the country is opening back up following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The UFC has already held two pay-per-view events, UFC 261 and UFC 262, in Jacksonville, Florida, and Houston, Texas, respectively, and next month heads to Phoenix, Arizona for UFC 263. The promotion then heads back to Las Vegas, Nevada in July for UFC 264 before going back to Houston in August for UFC 265 with the rematch between Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis.

Cole Shelton - May 27, 2021

Paige VanZant and Rachael Ostovich are running things back, but this time will do it sans gloves. VanZant and Ostovich first met back in January of 2019 on the first ESPN+ show in Brooklyn. The fight makes VanZant’s return after a year layoff and she got back into the win column with a second-round submission win. Since then, both have parted ways with the UFC and signed with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship and they have now agreed to rematch one another at BKFC 19 on July 23 the promotion announced.

Adam D Martin - May 27, 2021

RIZIN FF women’s star Gaby Garcia called out PFL standout Kayla Harrison for an upcoming match, saying that she wants to fight her. Garcia, who is a heavyweight, spoke to AG Fight and said that she wants to fight Harrison. According to Gacia, Harrison has been talking smack about her on the internet and Garcia is now answering the bell, but she says that Harrison is trying to duck her now instead.

Adam D Martin - May 27, 2021

UFC president Dana White said that former Ultimate Fighter winner Diego Sanchez can “pick up the phone and call” him after being released. White recently released Sanchez from the UFC after he got into a disagreement with the promotion about the release of medical records. In addition, Sanchez’s former manager Joshua Fabia also played a role in the release as he got into an argument with UFC employees on Fight Island that didn’t necessarily help Sanchez’s cause with the UFC.

Cole Shelton - May 27, 2021

Jared Vanderaa was excited when he found out he was fighting Justin Tafa and the scrap lived up to his expectations. Although Vanderaa knew he had the grappling advantage, he wanted to get into a striking fight with Tafa to show off his striking. However, in the fight, Vanderaa suffered a cut in his hairline, but when he saw all the blood rushing down him, he was worried the cut would stop the fight.

Adam D Martin - May 27, 2021

UFC president Dana White confirmed that the UFC is looking for a backup fighter for the Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier trilogy fight. McGregor and Poirier headline UFC 264, which takes place on July 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two rivals have previously met twice, first in 2014 with McGregor knocking Poirier out at UFC 178, and then meeting again at UFC 257 earlier this year when Poirier returned the favor to McGregor with a knockout win of his own. This summer, the two rivals meet for the third and presumably the final time with everything on the line.