MMA News
Chael Sonnen slams top UFC welterweights for being "scared" of Khamzat Chimaev
Tom Taylor - February 18, 2021
Former fighter and MMA analyst Chael Sonnen believes the UFC’s top welterweights are all “scared” of rising prospect Khamzat Chimaev. The UFC welterweight top 5 is currently jam-packed with elite talent like champ Kamaru Usman, and top contenders Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns, Leon Edwards and Jorge Masvidal. Unfortunately, the division’s top fighters haven’t been particularly active of late, and Sonnen believes that’s due in part to the arrival of Chimaev.
Jorge Masvidal rips Kamaru Usman and ESPN's "fake MMA reporter" over comments about Miami
Tom Taylor - February 18, 2021
Jorge Masvidal has responded to a recent comment from UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman—and snuck in a jab at an ESPN reporter. Earlier this week, Usman partook in an interview Brett Okamoto, who works for ESPN but also regularly appears on UFC broadcasts. During the interview, the welterweight champion laid out plans for a high-profile rematch with Masvidal in Miami—Masvidal’s hometown.
Kevin Lee returns to training after double knee surgery: "My love for the game is back"
Tom Taylor - February 18, 2021
UFC lightweight star Kevin Lee has returned to training for the first time since having surgery on both of his knees—and from the sounds of it, his time away from the mats has renewed his enthusiasm for the sport. Lee opened up on his return to training in a Wednesday post to Instagram.
Gilbert Burns explains how Kamaru Usman fight was "way different than our training sessions"
Tom Taylor - February 18, 2021
Gilbert Burns says his recent fight with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman was “way different” than their previous sparring sessions. Burns and Usman trained together at Sanford MMA for many years, engaging in upward of 200 sparring rounds during that time. When it became clear that they may have to fight one another, however, Usman left the gym and relocated to Colorado to train with acclaimed coach Trevor Wittman.
Pro fighters make their picks for Curtis Blaydes vs Derrick Lewis
Cole Shelton - February 18, 2021
In the main event of UFC Vegas 19, Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis will finally fight one another. Heading into the fight, Blaydes is a -450 favorite while “The Black Beast” is a +325 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The majority of pros believe Blaydes uses his wrestling to get the job done.
Kamaru Usman forecasts Jorge Masvidal grudge match in Miami: "Miami is mine"
Tom Taylor - February 18, 2021
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has laid out plans for a grudge match with Jorge Masvidal—in his rival’s native Miami. Usman and Masvidal have fought once before, at UFC 251 in July 2020. Usman had originally been expected to defend his title against Gilbert Burns on the card, but when Burns withdrew from the matchup, Masvidal stepped in to replace him on less than a week’s notice. Usman ended up beating Masvidal by unanimous decision, but given the short-notice circumstances of the fight, there’s been widespread interest in a rematch ever since—and not just among fans.
Gilbert Burns believes there are two opponents who could get him right back to a title shot
Harry Kettle - February 18, 2021
UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns has listed two potential opponents who could get him right back to a shot at the title. Burns fell short in his attempt to capture the Welterweight Championship from Kamaru Usman at UFC 258, falling to a TKO loss despite a strong start to the bout.
Jake Paul reacts to news that Tyron Woodley is training Ben Askren for their boxing match: “It’s a loser training another loser”
Harry Kettle - February 18, 2021
YouTuber turned professional boxer Jake Paul doesn’t seem to be all too concerned by the prospect of Tyron Woodley training Ben Askren for their upcoming boxing fight. Paul is set to step back into the ring once again when he locks horns with the aforementioned Askren in what could be one of the most anticipated exhibition bouts of the year.
UFC 258 prelims drop significantly in ratings compared to UFC 257
Drake Riggs - February 17, 2021
UFC 258 has come and gone. It was the second pay-per-view event of the year and in many ways, the smaller event compared to UFC 257. As the first big event of 2021, UFC 257 was headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor. UFC 258 acted as a follow-up with the welterweight title showdown between reigning champ Kamaru Usman and former teammate Gilbert Burns taking center stage.
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman details requirements for a move up to middleweight
Christopher Taylor - February 17, 2021
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has revealed his required stipulations for a potential move up to middleweight. Usman (18-1 MMA) successfully defended his welterweight title at last weekend’s UFC 258 event scoring a third round TKO victory over Gilbert Burns. The victory marked Kamaru’s seventeenth in a row and third consecutive title defense.
Stephen Thompson says he's next for Kamaru Usman
Adam Martin - February 17, 2021
UFC welterweight contender Stephen Thompson believes he should be the next man in line to challenge champion Kamaru Usman for his title. There are several contenders vying for the chance to take on Usman and capture his UFC welterweight crown. Among them is Jorge Masvidal, who Usman himself has called out for a rematch. “Gamebred” seems to be at the top of the UFC’s list, but that’s not set in stone. There’s also Colby Covington, who had a competitive fight with Usman two years ago and who is coming off of a TKO win over Tyron Woodley. As well, Leon Edwards is also vying for a rematch with Usman after winning his last eight fights. And finally, there’s Thompson, who is the highest-ranked fighter at 170lbs who the champ Usman hasn’t fought yet.
Dana White admits being a "degenerate" gambler, recalls losing $1 million bet on boxing match
Adam Martin - February 17, 2021
UFC president Dana White admitted to being a “degenerate” gambler and recalled losing a $1-million bet on a boxing match nearly 15 years ago. White recently spoke to ESPN Sports Betting about the role that gambling plays in the modern sports world. In White’s view, the legalization of gambling across more states and in more countries is only a good thing for MMA, since betting on sports can generate more fan interest. The UFC bossman admitted in the interview that he keeps his eye on the betting lines for the UFC events himself and also said that he’s glad ESPN started showing live betting lines on the broadcast. For White, the more gambling on UFC fights, the better.
Curtis Blaydes believes he's "the most dangerous heavyweight" in the UFC
Cole Shelton - February 17, 2021
Curtis Blaydes knows he’s a bad matchup for anybody. Currently, “Razor” is ranked second at heavyweight and is on a four-fight winning streak. During his impressive run, Curtis has shown off his tremendous wrestling and ground and pound as well as his improvement on the feet. According to Blaydes, now that he is mixing all that together, he believes he is the most dangerous heavyweight in the UFC.
Chris Daukaus expects to KO Alexey Oleynik and become a legit heavyweight contender
Cole Shelton - February 17, 2021
Chris Daukaus couldn’t have imagined he would be fighting the 10th-ranked guy in the world just six months after his UFC debut. Daukaus stepped up on short notice at UFC 252 in August and scored a first-round TKO win over Parker Porter. He followed that up with a 45-second TKO win over Rodrigo Nascimento in October and is now set to face Alexey Oleynik at UFC Vegas 19, which is an opponent he didn’t think he’d face in his third UFC appearance.
Derrick Lewis expects to "break" Curtis Blaydes in a very bloody and violent fight
Cole Shelton - February 17, 2021
Derrick Lewis is expecting a violent and bloody fight against Curtis Blaydes. In the main event of UFC Vegas 19, Lewis and Blaydes will finally meet after the two have trash-talked one another for months. It’s a very intriguing fight as there is no question Lewis has one-punch KO power, but Blaydes will have the wrestling advantage. For “The Black Beast” he believes he has what it takes to put Blaydes away given he is in the best shape of his career.
Drakkar Klose frustrated with UFC, plans to test free agency: "The UFC already knows who they want to be champion"
Cole Shelton - February 17, 2021
Drakkar Klose is frustrated with how the UFC is matchmaking fights. After Klose got knocked out by Beneil Dariush at UFC 248 in March of 2020, he did not get another fight for the rest of the year. It was a frustrating time for Klose who says he no longer cares about rankings and is just looking to make as much money as possible.
Bryan Caraway charged with insurance fraud, accused of stealing ATV from Miesha Tate
Tom Taylor - February 17, 2021
Former UFC bantamweight contender Bryan Caraway has been charged with insurance fraud and accused of stealing an ATV from his ex-partner, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate, per a report from the Tri-City Herald. According to the report, Caraway allegedly forged the title for a 2015 Polaris RZR ATV that belonged to Tate. Insurance investigators say Caraway bought an insurance policy for the vehicle, then reported it stolen just days later, claiming that the vehicle and its contents were worth $18,500. He’s also under investigation for grand larceny for allegedly stealing the ATV from Tate’s property on two occasions. These incidents occurred in 2018, after he and Tate split up in 2017.
Curtis Blaydes explains why he won't abandon his wrestling against Derrick Lewis
Adam Martin - February 17, 2021
UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes says he won’t abandon his wrestling when he meets Derrick Lewis in the main event of UFC Vegas 19. Blaydes is a powerhouse wrestler which has earned him some critics, including UFC president Dana White, who was not a fan of his last fight with Alexander Volkov. Despite winning a unanimous decision, Blaydes was not able to get the finish in that fight. Even though Blaydes has numerous TKO stoppages during his UFC run, he can’t seem to shake the label of a top-heavy wrestler. But he quite frankly doesn’t care what anyone thinks about his style. As long as he is winning fights, he won’t be changing the way he fights.