MMA News
Dana White believes Weili Zhang can be 'one of the biggest stars' in UFC history
Cole Shelton - December 30, 2019
Dana White believes current UFC strawweight champion, Weili Zhang can be one of the biggest stars in UFC history. Zhang had a massive 2019 where she dominated Tecia Torres at UFC 235 and then headlined a UFC event in her home country of China. There, she was taking on Jessica Andrade for the title. She ended up knocking out the Brazilian out in under a minute to become the UFC champ.
Yoel Romero asks Israel Adesanya if he needs a pen to sign fight contract
Adam Martin - December 30, 2019
Top contender Yoel Romero asked UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya if he needs a pen to sign a reported fight contract against him. UFC president Dana White recently told ESPN that the UFC is planning on booking a middleweight title fight between Romero and Adesanya. Rumors out there have suggested that the bout could take place at UFC 248, which is set for March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-main event is set to be a women’s strawweight title bout between champion Weili Zhang and challenger Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Dana White confirms UFC matchmakers speaking to Nick Diaz about comeback
Adam Martin - December 30, 2019
UFC president Dana White confirmed that the promotion’s matchmakers are speaking to Nick Diaz about a possible comeback to the Octagon. Diaz has not fought since January 2015 when he fought Anderson Silva to a No Contest (originally a decision loss). He hasn’t fought since then but every so often his name comes back up for a possible comeback fight. Diaz recently remarked that he wants to return to the Octagon after five years away from it.
Looking back on a triumphant year from Aung La N Sang
BJPENN.COM Staff - December 30, 2019
For the first time since 2015, Aung La N Sang didn’t compete three times, but the reigning ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion still had a banner year in 2019. As we await the announcement of “The Burmese Python’s” first bout of 2020, let’s take a moment to look back at what he accomplished in 2019.
Dana White claims UFC stars now make 'crazy money'
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2019
The UFC has always caught flack for fighter pay, which tends to pale in comparison to what athletes make in other similarly dangerous sports like boxing or football. According to UFC President Dana White, however, fighter pay has skyrocketed over recent years — in 2019 in particular.
PFL's Kayla Harrison believes she's 'probably the highest-paid female fighter in MMA right now'
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2019
Former Olympic judoka Kayla Harrison is a little over a day out from a championship clash with Larissa Pachecho. The winner of this bout, which headline the final Professional Fighters League (PFL) event of the year, will pocket a whopping $1M prize. In addition to this $1M prize, which is awarded to the champion of each weight class at the end of each PFL season, Harrison also has a lucrative, long-term contract with the league. She suspects this contract is among the most valuable in all of MMA. At the very least, Harrison believes she is probably the highest paid female fighter in the sport.
Tyron Woodley threatens not to fight Leon Edwards after rap career diss
Natasha Hooper - December 30, 2019
Tyron Woodley has shut down Leon Edwards’ trash-talking on social media by threatening to withdraw from their anticipated fight. Earlier this month, it was announced that the former champ and No. 1 contender Woodley is being targeted for a fight against Leon Edwards at UFC London in March of 2020.
Petr Yan would love to 'put on a Russian boxing clinic' against 'no chin' Cody Garbrandt in the future
Cole Shelton - December 30, 2019
After Petr Yan beat Urijah Faber at UFC 245, Faber’s teammate, Cody Garbrandt, accosted the Russian backstage. According to Yan, nothing really happened backstage other than Garbrandt being all talk and not backing up his words.
Jorge Masvidal, Henry Cejudo argue over Fighter of the Year honors
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2019
There are several MMA stars with claim to 2019’s Fighter of the Year honors. Two of those fighters are Jorge Masvidal and Henry Cejudo. Masvidal had an epic year, first rebounding from a two-fight losing-streak with a knockout of Darren Till, then producing a record-shattering, five-second knockout of Ben Askren, and lastly battering Nate Diaz to a doctor’s stoppage to earn the BMF title.
VIDEO | Khabib Nurmagomedov and Cristiano Ronaldo team up to surprise young boy born without legs
Natasha Hooper - December 30, 2019
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Cristiano Ronaldo recently partnered up to fulfil the dream of a young boy born without legs. The UFC champ and football legend took time out during the holidays to surprise the 12-year old Ali Turganbekov.
Jon Jones continues to mock Dominick Reyes' athletic background
Thomas Taylor - December 29, 2019
Last week, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones took to Twitter to bash his UFC 247 opponent Dominick Reyes. “Dominic watching your interviews, it’s obvious you think you’re better than me,” Jones wrote. “You never struggled with substance abuse, you have your big degrees, was always team captain at everything. We get it.
Rampage Jackson shuts down conspiracies that Fedor Emelianenko fight was fixed
Thomas Taylor - December 29, 2019
On Saturday night, in the main event of Bellator MMA’s debut in Japan, former UFC light heavyweight champion Rampage Jackson was knocked out by fellow PRIDE legend Fedor Emelianenko. The fight-ending punch occurred at the 2:44 mark of round one, and admittedly didn’t look like it made all that severe of an impact. The nature of the punch caused some of MMA’s more suspicious fans to suggest that Rampage had intentionally taken a fall in the fight.
PHOTO | Conor McGregor has bulked up ahead of UFC 246
Thomas Taylor - December 29, 2019
At UFC 246, former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor will return to the Octagon for a welterweight clash with the fan favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. Ahead of this fight, McGregor has packed on quite a bit of mass, evidently taking full advantage of the fact that he won’t have to cut much weight for the fight. See the buffed-up Conor McGregor below:
Chris Weidman would fight Luke Rockhold again, but not Anderson Silva
Adam Martin - December 29, 2019
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman says he’s open to a rematch against former rival Luke Rockhold but isn’t interested in fighting Anderson Silva again. Weidman was knocked out by Dominick Reyes in his UFC light heavyweight debut his last time out, and overall he has lost five of his last six fights. But he has no plans on hanging up his gloves anytime soon and instead is looking towards his next fight.
Fedor Emelianenko could get title shot against Ryan Bader, but Josh Barnett more likely
Adam Martin - December 29, 2019
Bellator president Scott Coker says that Fedor Emelianenko could get a heavyweight title shot against champion Ryan Bader, but a fight against Josh Barnett is more likely. Emelianenko had one of his most impressive performances in years when he knocked out Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the main event of Bellator Japan. The Russian legend looked fast and powerful in the fight, bouncing back from a first-round knockout loss to Ryan Bader earlier this year in the finals of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Lorenz Larkin will get pass for weight miss, could fight Douglas Lima or Michael Page next
Adam D Martin - December 29, 2019
Bellator president Scott Coker said that welterweight contender Lorenz Larkin will get a pass for missing weight at Bellator Japan and could get a title shot next. Larkin weighed in at 173.5lbs for his fight against fellow UFC alum Keita Nakamura on the main card. Larkin went on to dominate the bout en route to winning a lopsided unanimous decision, but the fact he missed weight made some believe he would be knocked down the title shot pecking order for Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima’s belt.
Pros react to Michael Page and Michael Chandler KO’s at Bellator Japan
Adam D Martin - December 29, 2019
Check out what the pros had to say following Michael Page and Michael Chandler’s huge knockout wins on the Bellator Japan card. Page knocked out former UFC welterweight Shinsho Anzai in a catchweight bout. Here’s what some of the pros had to say about his performance.
VIDEO | UFC 246: Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone promo
Adam D Martin - December 29, 2019
Before UFC 246 takes place next month featuring a welterweight main event between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone, check out this fan-made promo video. The YouTuber Youssef Hannoun created the following promo video for UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cerrone. Check it out below.