MMA News

Tai Tuivasa
UFC

Tai Tuivasa set for UFC 254 Octagon return opposite Stefan Struve

Andrew Whitelaw - September 24, 2020

Hold onto your shoes ladies and gentlemen, Tai Tuivasa is back! The Australian heavyweight hasn’t been in the Octagon for a year, but is confirmed to be returning against Stefan Struve at UFC 254 on October 25th.

Israel Adesanya, Paulo osta
Paulo Costa

Video | Israel Adesanya, Paulo Costa square off on Fight Island

Tom Taylor - September 24, 2020

On Saturday night, in the main event of UFC 253, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will attempt to defend his title against his fiercest challenger yet, Paulo Costa. On Wednesday, Adesanya and Costa came face-to-face for a pre-fight staredown, and as expected, it was quite tense. See it below:

Dan Hooker
Michael Chandler

Dan Hooker open to kneeing Michael Chandler’s chin off and sending him “back to the B-Leagues”

Harry Kettle - September 24, 2020

UFC lightweight Dan Hooker has made it crystal clear that he is interested in a fight against promotional newcomer Michael Chandler. Hooker, who is coming off the back of a narrow loss to Dustin Poirier, has never been shy when it comes to calling out those in his division that he wants to fight. The aforementioned Chandler has finally made the jump over to the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is expected to serve as the back-up fighter for UFC 254’s main event between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje.

Paulo Costa
Paulo Costa

Paulo Costa surprised by Israel Adesanya’s “kind” and “gentle” demeanor during recent Fight Island run-in

Harry Kettle - September 24, 2020

UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa was surprised by Israel Adesanya’s kind and gentle approach to their run-in on Fight Island. The two men are set to battle it out for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 253 this weekend in one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year so far. Before they step into the Octagon and go to war, though, they also bumped into one another after they both arrived in Abu Dhabi for the event.

Khamzat Chimaev, Conor McGregor
Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev fires back at Israel Adesanya over rat lip comment: "It will cost you your belt"

Cole Shelton - September 23, 2020

Khamzat Chimaev has fired back at Israel Adesanya. After Chimaev knocked out Gerald Meerschaert in 17 seconds he said he would finish both Kamaru Usman and Adesanya right now. The middleweight champion obviously did not take too kindly to those words and questioned Chimaev’s level of competiton.

Lebron James, Colby Covington
LeBron James

Former UFC champion Sean Sherk sounds off on NBA Star LeBron James

Christopher Taylor - September 23, 2020

Former UFC champion Sean Sherk is backing up Colby Covington’s claim that NBA Star LeBron James would not last ten seconds in a potential fight. Following his impressive victory over Tyron Woodley this past Saturday, Covington slammed “woke athletes”, while naming James specifically, suggesting he was a “spineless coward”.

Israel Adesanya
Paulo Costa

Israel Adesanya believes "people are gonna be shocked" by how "easy" he will beat Paulo Costa

Cole Shelton - September 23, 2020

Israel Adesanya expects to beat Paulo Costa rather easily to defend his belt on Saturday night. In the main event of UFC 253, Adesanya and Costa will finally meet after months of trash-talking. They are both undefeted and many pundits expect the fight to be competitve. Yet, for “The Last Stylebender” he disagrees with that and believes it will be rather easy for him to dispose of the Brazilian.

Colby Covington, UFC 245
UFC

UFC sponsors respond after Colby Covington calls BLM movement "a complete sham"

Tom Taylor - September 23, 2020

UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington made some very controversial comments about the Black Lives Matter movement after his latest Octagon triumph. Covington defeated former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, an African American and dedicated BLM supporter, in the main event of UFC Vegas 11 in Las Vegas. Post-fight, he called into question not only Woodley but the entire BLM movement.

Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Kai Kara-France was forced to live in the gym, planning to make a "statement" against Brandon Royval at UFC 253

Cole Shelton - September 23, 2020

Kai Kara-France was forced to live at City Kickboxing in order to train for his UFC 253 fight against Brandon Royval. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing New Zealand to lockdown again, Eugene Bareman got Kara-France, Israel Adesanya, Shane Young, and Brad Riddell to bring their mattresses and live at the gym in order to train. After weeks of doing that, the CKB team left for Fight Island which adds confidence for Kai Kara-France.

Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker
Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya and other Black UFC athletes respond to Colby Covington's "racist" comments

Christopher Taylor - September 23, 2020

Israel Adesanya and other notable Black UFC athletes have fired back at welterweight fighter Colby Covington for his recent controversial remarks. Prior to his grudge match with bitter rival Tyron Woodley this past weekend, ‘Chaos’ made headlines when he suggested that ‘T-Wood’ was a “domestic terrorist sympathizer” for his support of Black Lives Matter.

Darren Till
UFC

Darren Till scoffs at comments from King James: “Colby Covington would tear LeBron James a new arsehole”

Adam Martin - September 23, 2020

UFC middleweight contender Darren Till said that welterweight star Colby Covington “would tear LeBron James a new arsehole” if they fought. Covington has been chirping James in the media as of late, which prompted the NBA superstar for the LA Lakers recently to suggest Covington would be making a mistake stepping into the ring with him. That led to Covington taking a shot at James’ fans, saying that James wouldn’t even last 10 seconds with him in the Octagon. The banter between Covington and James has been the talk of the town as of late.

Colby Covington, Tyron Woodley
UFC

Colby Covington vs. Tyron Woodley Fight Night card pulls in over one million viewers on ESPN+

Adam Martin - September 23, 2020

UFC Vegas 11, featuring the main event between welterweights Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley, pulled in over one million viewers on ESPN+. The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger reported the ratings for UFC Vegas 11: Covington vs. Woodley, noting it as a big win for the UFC considering there were the NBA playoffs and the NHL Stanley Cup finals both on at the same time as the UFC Fight Night was.

Sijara Eubanks
Sijara Eubanks

Sijara Eubanks planning her own "David and Goliath story" against Ketlen Vieira at UFC 253

Cole Shelton - September 23, 2020

Sijara Eubanks is making history on Saturday night as she will tie Hannah Cfiers for the fastest turnaround for a female fighter in UFC history. She will also be the first fighter in this COVID-19 era to fight in Jacksonville, the UFC Apex and Fight Island, the three spots the UFC has held events. Eubanks, who is coming off a decision win over Sept. 12, got a call just days later to fly out to Fight Island to fight Kelten Vieira.

Colby Covington
Jorge Masvidal

Colby Covington compares prior training sessions with Woodley, Masvidal

Tom Taylor - September 23, 2020

Last weekend, Colby Covington defeated a former training partner in Tyron Woodley. Now, he wants to fight another in Jorge Masvidal. Covington defeated Woodley by fifth-round TKO in the main event of UFC Vegas 11 last Saturday. With that grudge match out of the way, he’s hoping to fight Jorge Masvidal next, who like Woodley, is another one of his former training partners from his days at American Top Team.

Khamzat Chimaev
UFC

Khamzat Chimaev claims all available top-10 welterweights ducked him, turns attention back to Demian Maia

Tom Taylor - September 23, 2020

Khamzat Chimaev is turning his attention back to Demian Maia after allegedly being snubbed by every other available top-10 welterweight. Chimaev was the breakout UFC star of the summer. The Chechen-Swede first picked up two wins in the span of 10 days on Fight Island in July, defeating John Phillips by first-round submission and Rhys McKee by first-round TKO, then picked up his third win of the season when he knocked out Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Vegas 11, also in the first round.

Tyron Woodley, UFC Vegas 11
UFC

UFC Vegas 11 medical suspensions: Tyron Woodley facing lengthy sit

Tom Taylor - September 23, 2020

Last Saturday’s UFC Vegas 11 card produced a number of lengthy medical suspensions for the fighters involved—including Tyron Woodley. Woodley, the former UFC welterweight champion, was stopped by Colby Covington in the fifth round of the UFC Vegas 11 main event after injuring his rib. He’ll need to be cleared by an orthopedic specialist or sit out until March 19, 2021. Several other fighters will also need to be cleared if they intend to fight before that date, including Niko Price, Randa Markos and Sarah Alpar.

Gilbert Burns
Gilbert Burns

Gilbert Burns slams the UFC rankings, says Colby Covington beat a guy “without a soul” in Tyron Woodley

Harry Kettle - September 23, 2020

Gilbert Burns has slammed the UFC rankings after Colby Covington’s win over Tyron Woodley took him above Burns in the standings. “Chaos” was able to put an end to his rivalry with Woodley last weekend by dominating the former welterweight king before stopping him in the fifth and final round. Courtesy of the win, many believe he could be in line for another shot at the Welterweight Championship sooner rather than later.

Colby Covington, LeBron James
UFC

UFC rankings update: Colby Covington climbs, Tyron Woodley plummets

Tom Taylor - September 23, 2020

The official UFC rankings have been updated after last weekend’s UFC Vegas 11 card and, as expected, there have been some big changes—particularly at welterweight. Most notably, polarizing welterweight contender Colby Covington has usurped the No. 1 spot in the division, pushing Gilbert Burns down to No. 2, on the strength of his fifth-round TKO win over the division’s former champion, Tyron Woodley. Woodley now sits at No. 7, marking his first stop outside the top-15 in years.