MMA News

Tom Taylor - December 26, 2019

The official UFC rankings have been update in the wake of last weekend’s UFC Busan card, and as expected, there have been some interesting changes. Most notably, UFC Busan main event winner has climbed up the featherweight list after knocking out Frankie Edgar.

Tom Taylor - December 26, 2019

On January 18, former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor will return to the Octagon for a welterweight fight with Donald Cerrone. Ahead of this fight, UFC President Dana White has stated that, if McGregor wins this welterweight battle, he could get the next shot at lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. This possibility has troubled some members of the MMA community for a number of reasons. First, McGregor’s fight with Cerrone is at welterweight, not lightweight. Additionally, McGregor experienced a decisive loss to Nurmagomedov just over a year ago. Lastly and perhaps most controversially, lightweight contender Justin Gaethje is on a three-fight win-streak, and is arguably far more deserving a title shot than McGregor, at least in terms of rankings.

Tom Taylor - December 26, 2019

Henry Cejudo has been stripped of the UFC flyweight title, clearing the way for top flyweight contenders Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo to battle for the vacant belt in the main event of UFC Norfolk on February 29. This is an opportunity Benavidez has been chasing for years.

Tom Taylor - December 26, 2019

Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza has decided the light heavyweight division is not for him. After losing a controversial and frankly forgettable decision to Jan Blachowicz in his light heavyweight debut this fall, Jacare has elected to return to his native middleweight division. The Brazilian is now scheduled to meet Uriah Hall in a middleweight bout at UFC 249, which is scheduled for April 18 in Brooklyn, New York. ESPN, the official broadcast partner of the UFC, was first to report this matchup. MMA Fighting subsequently confirmed that report.

Natasha Hooper - December 26, 2019

2019 was a rollercoaster ride for the world of MMA, featuring plenty of ups and downs. As the year draws to a close, BJPENN.com looks back on 10 of the biggest MMA stories of 2019, from the good to the bad to the downright ugly.

Tom Taylor - December 26, 2019

Here’s your Christmas present from the UFC, fight fans: a whopping five fights were announced on Christmas Day, including appearances from stars like Rachel Ostovich, Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos and Kai Kara-France. Here’s a rundown of the new UFC fights announced on Christmas Day, via Marcel Dorff on Twitter.

Tom Taylor - December 26, 2019

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong recently had the opportunity to sit down for a brief meeting with President Barack Obama, the former President of the United States. Sityodtong discussed his meeting with Obama, which centered around business in Asia, in a recent post to his official Facebook page.

Christopher Taylor - December 25, 2019

Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley got in the Christmas spirit this evening by accepting a challenge from Leon Edwards. The Birmingham native, Edwards, had challenged Woodley to a showdown at March’s UFC event in London.

Tom Taylor - December 24, 2019

Patrick Cummins, the UFC light heavyweight contender who famously left his job as a barista to fight Daniel Cormier on short notice, has announced his retirement from MMA. Cummins made his announcement on Instagram on Tuesday afternoon.

Tom Taylor - December 24, 2019

UFC President Dana White says 2019 was the “biggest year in the company’s history.” A jubilant White made this claim in a Tuesday afternoon Instagram post. See it below:

Tom Taylor - December 24, 2019

Undefeated UFC bantamweight prospect Sean O’Malley has announced that he’ll be taking on Jose Alberto Quinones at UFC 247 on February 8 in Houston, Texas. O’Malley made this exciting announcement in a Tuesday afternoon Instagram post.

Tom Taylor - December 24, 2019

When you really think about it, watching Khabib Nurmagomedov effortlessly dominate all of his opposition in the cage is not all that different from watching Mario stomp Goombas Piranha Plants in a classic Nintendo game. Need more proof of the similarities between the Russian UFC champ and the princess-saving Italian plumber? Check out the video below: a Super Mario-inspired tribute to Nurmagomedov from the folks at RT.

Tom Taylor - December 24, 2019

Donald Cerrone is gearing up for a massive showdown with Conor McGregor, which headlines the UFC 246 card on January 18. It should surprise absolutely nobody that the hyperactive lightweight and welterweight contender is staying plenty busy outside of his preparations for this fight. In addition to his usual schedule of training, skydiving, bull riding, and anything else that gets his blood pumping, Cerrone recently starred in a new music video from alternative rock band Billy Talent. He was joined in this video by former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas.

BJPENN.COM Staff - December 24, 2019

A mature athlete and person understands and is realistic about their limitations. They also know that there are multiple definitions of greatness. Sage Northcutt is displaying such maturity and spirit of conscientiousness in his recent career decision.  After falling short in his ONE Championship debut against experienced Brazilian striker Cosmo Alexandre at welterweight, Northcutt has decided to return to his original weight class at 155 pounds.

Tom Taylor - December 24, 2019

Weili Zhang is gearing up to defend her UFC strawweight title against the former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248 this March. While Zhang’s camp for Jedrzejczyk is just getting underway, she says this a fight she’s been preparing for for years. “I have known about Joanna for a very long time, even before I was in the UFC,” Zhang told Mathew Scott of the South China Morning Post. “I have been preparing for her, and for this fight, for a long time. I know how she moves and how she fights. I always knew that one day we would meet inside the Octagon. I am preparing everything. I am ready.”

Cole Shelton - December 24, 2019

Petr Yan is not a fan of Henry Cejudo, to say the least. After Yan beat Urijah Faber at UFC 245, many thought the Russian would be next in line for a title shot at Henry Cejudo. Yet “Triple C” instead called for a bout with Jose Aldo who is 0-1 at bantamweight, and on a two-fight losing streak.

Adam Martin - December 23, 2019

UFC women’s strawweight contender Joanna Jedrzejczyk says she is still planning on moving back up to the flyweight division in the future. Jedrzejczyk is set to take on UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang at UFC 248 in March in Las Vegas. Jedrzejczyk will be looking to reclaim the title which she held between 2015 and 2017 before dropping it in shocking fashion to Rose Namajunas at UFC 217.

Cole Shelton - December 23, 2019

Deiveson Figueiredo has violent intentions for Joseph Benavidez when they meet for the vacant flyweight title at UFC Norfolk. Earlier this week, BJPENN.com reported the title bout was set, and for Figueiredo, he was very surprised to discover he would be fighting for the vacant title.