MMA News
Conor McGregor responds to Diego Sanchez's request for retirement matchup
Tom Taylor - September 25, 2020
Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor has responded to a recent callout from The Ultimate Fighter season 1 winner Diego Sanchez. Sanchez, who takes on Jake Matthews on the UFC 253 undercard this Saturday, called for a fight with McGregor earlier this week, identifying it as the ideal matchup for the final fight of his legendary career.
Photo | Amanda Nunes and Nina Ansaroff welcome newborn daughter
Adam Martin - September 25, 2020
UFC women’s double champion Amanda Nunes and her partner, UFC women’s strawweight Nina Ansaroff, welcomed their newborn daughter on Friday. Raegan Ann Nunes was welcomed into the world on Thursday, September 24, 2020, at 7:15 a.m. EST. Nunes broke the good news on her social media and posted a photo of the happy couple holding their daughter in her hospital bed.
Diego Sanchez labels Paulo Costa "the weight cutting master" after Fight Island encounter
Tom Taylor - September 25, 2020
Diego Sanchez is very impressed by the way Paulo Costa cut down to the 185-pound limit for his middleweight title fight with Israel Adesanya at UFC 253. Despite walking around at well over 200 pounds, Costa was the first fighter on the scale for the UFC 253 weigh-ins this morning. The middleweight title challenger also didn’t appear to be particularly depleted from his cut down to 185 pounds.
Dana White provides an update on Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Adam Martin - September 25, 2020
UFC president Dana White provided an update on what could be next for former UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. The Poland native last fought at UFC 248 in March where she lost a razor-thin split decision to champion Weili Zhang in one of the best MMA fights of all time. Both women took a lot of damage in the fight and unfortunately neither of them has been able to get back into the Octagon since their war. With the fight now six months in the rearview mirror, the UFC hopes to get both fighters back in the Octagon shortly.
Video | Israel Adesanya, Paulo Costa get physical during weigh-in staredown
Tom Taylor - September 25, 2020
Things got heated between UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and his next title challenger Paulo Costa on Friday morning. Adesanya and Costa, both undefeated, will collide in the main event of UFC 253 on Saturday night. Shortly after they weighed in for their fight, they came face-to-face for a final staredown.
Bas Rutten explains how Justin Gaethje can defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov
Tom Taylor - September 25, 2020
MMA legend turned commentator Bas Rutten believes Justin Gaethje has a real shot at dethroning UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Gaethje, the UFC’s interim lightweight champion, will challenge the undefeated Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC 254 on October 24. He’ll enter the fight as an underdog, but he’ll also do so with the confidence of Rutten.
Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa disagree on grappling skills: "This fight can be on the ground also"
Tom Taylor - September 25, 2020
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and his UFC 253 title challenger Paulo Costa don’t agree on who has the grappling edge. Adesanya and Costa will meet in the main event of UFC 253 on Saturday night. While the pair are known first and foremost as strikers, it sounds like they could end up grappling a bit too.
Mike Perry reacts to Robbie Lawler booking
Tom Taylor - September 25, 2020
“Platinum” Mike Perry seems to be pretty excited for his newly announced fight with former UFC welterweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler. News of this dynamite welterweight matchup was reported by ESPN on Thursday. The fight will go down at UFC 255 on November 21.
UFC 253 weigh-in results: Main event official, two fighters miss weight
Tom Taylor - September 25, 2020
On Saturday night, the UFC will return to our screens with the stacked UFC 253 card, the first of five consecutive events on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. UFC 253 will be headlined by a dynamite middleweight title fight between undefeated UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, and ferocious challenger Paulo Costa, who is also unbeaten.
PFL’s partnership with WAVE TV adds to already-impressive social media presence
Tom Taylor - September 25, 2020
MMA fans around the world continue to be given access to the Professional Fighters League as the promotion finds new and valuable ways to reach the masses. The latest is a partnership with WAVE.tv, a sports media company for today’s digital savvy fan, reaching more than 200 million users across Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and other emerging digital platforms.
UFC 253: ‘Adesanya vs Costa’ Fight Card and Start Times
Harry Kettle - September 25, 2020
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Fight Island this weekend for UFC 253, headlined by a mammoth Middleweight Championship showdown between Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa. Event: UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa Date: Saturday, 26th September 2020 Location: Flash Forum, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Broadcast: ESPN2, ESPN+ PPV (7pm/8pm/10pm EST)
Mike Tyson says he "would love" to box Anthony Joshua for charity
Adam Martin - September 24, 2020
Heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson says that he “would love” to step into the ring and box Anthony Joshua if it was for charity. Tyson is set to make his return to the ring in November when he takes on Roy Jones Jr. in a heavyweight exhibition match between two legends of the sport. Although Tyson is 54 years old and hasn’t fought since 2005, he has been sharing plenty of videos of his training camp and he appears to be in incredible shape for his comeback.
Dan Hooker reveals the three opponents he wants to fight next
Cole Shelton - September 24, 2020
Dan Hooker has three names in mind for his next opponent. Hooker is coming off a decision loss to Dustin Poirier in what was one of the fight of the years so far in 2020. Although he lost, he didn’t lose any stock and hopes his next fight will be against either Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler, or Charles Oliveira.
Brandon Royval planning on bringing the fight to Kai Kara-France: "I’m known to finish motherf*****s"
Cole Shelton - September 24, 2020
Brandon Royval is looking to go 2-0 in the UFC with two stoppage wins. On the main card of UFC 253, Royval is set to fight Kai Kara-France in a pivotal flyweight bout. For the former LFA flyweight champion in Royval, it is surreal for him to already be fighting someone ranked in the top-10 this early into his UFC tenure. Yet, he knows he belongs and plans to prove that on Saturday.
UFC 253 | Pro fighters make their picks for Dominick Reyes vs. Jan Blachowicz title fight
Cole Shelton - September 24, 2020
In the co-main event of UFC 253, the vacant light heavyweight title is on the line as Dominick Reyes takes on Jan Blachowicz. Heading into the fight, Reyes is a -300 favorite while the Pole is a +230 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The pros are unanimous in thinking it will be Reyes winning the fight and finally becoming the champion after many thought he beat Jon Jones last time out.
Diego Sanchez shares hopes for retirement fight against Conor McGregor
Tom Taylor - September 24, 2020
UFC veteran Diego Sanchez hopes to close the curtain on his mixed martial arts career by fighting former two-division champion Conor McGregor. Sanchez will return to the Octagon on the undercard of UFC 253 this Saturday on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi when he takes on Australia’s Jake Matthews. The bout will mark the first of four obligations on his latest UFC contract.
Dana White confirms Khamzat Chimaev will fight ranked opponent in UFC main event next
Adam Martin - September 24, 2020
UFC president Dana White has confirmed that emerging star Khamzat Chimaev will fight a ranked opponent in a UFC main event his next time out. Chimaev is one of the UFC’s up-and-coming superstars. The 26-year-old Swede made his UFC debut back in July on Fight Island and made history by picking up two victories in a 10-day span, over John Phillips and Rhys McKee. The hype train was already surging at that point, but a 17-second KO win over Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Vegas 11 has shot him into the ranks of the most-talked-about fighters in the sport.
Welterweight sluggers Robbie Lawler, Mike Perry reportedly set to collide at UFC 255
Tom Taylor - September 24, 2020
Fan favorite welterweight sluggers “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler and “Platinum” Mike Perry are reportedly set to collide at UFC 255 on November 21. News of this fan friendly matchup was first reported by Ariel Helwani of ESPN.