MMA News
Dana White reacts after Tom Brady leads Bucs past the Saints: "Now I don’t have to listen to DC's BIG MOUTH TALKIN SH*T anymore"
Christopher Taylor - January 17, 2021
UFC President Dana White is a longtime supporter of the New England Patriots, in particular their former quarterback Tom Brady. Brady joined Tampa Bay this offseason in hopes of leading the Bucs to their first playoff win since 2003, when the squad last won the Super Bowl.
Coach reveals injuries sustained by Calvin Kattar in lopsided loss to Max Holloway at UFC Fight Island 7
Christopher Taylor - January 17, 2021
Calvin Kattar entered his UFC Fight Island 7 event-headlining matchup with Max Holloway hoping to prove that he had the best boxing in MMA. Unfortunately for ‘The Boston Finisher’, that proved to be far from the case, as he was simply outclassed by the former featherweight kingpin in yesterday’s fight.
Dan Hooker plans to be on his toes during UFC 257 press conference with Conor McGregor: "You don’t want to get 'Who the fook is that guy’d'"
Christopher Taylor - January 17, 2021
Dan Hooker plans to be on his toes for the upcoming UFC 257 press conference which includes brash former ‘champ champ’ Conor McGregor. The perennial lightweight contender, Hooker (20-9 MMA), is set to square off with former Bellator champion Michael Chandler in next weekend’s co-headliner.
Joe Rogan blown away by "superman" Max Holloway, "complete savage" Calvin Kattar
Adam Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC analyst Joe Rogan says he was blown away by Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar’s performances in the main event of UFC on ABC 1. Rogan wasn’t on Fight Island to commentate the UFC’s latest trip to Abu Dhabi, but he’s still watching the events at home. The first of the three Fight Island cards featured Holloway and Kattar in a featherweight main event that headlined UFC on ABC 1. The fight turned out to be a complete beatdown for five rounds as Holloway put on an unworldly performance, setting several records along the way, while Kattar showed that he truly has an iron chin.
Alessio Di Chirico thanks Dana White for performance bonus following initial snub
Adam Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC middleweight Alessio Di Chirico thanked UFC president Dana White for his “Performance of the Night” bonus after initially snubbing him. Di Chirico picked up a huge upset win when he finished rising star Joaquin Buckley via first-round KO on the UFC on ABC 1 main card. The Italian had lost three straight fights coming into the Buckley matchup and many fans and media believed this was a set-up fight designed for Buckley to continue building his star power. Unfortunately for Buckley, he was on the wrong end of a highlight-reel knockout when Di Chirico kicked him in the face with his shin.
Diego Sanchez issues warning about brain trauma in MMA: "My soul has been raped many times in this business"
Adam Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC legend Diego Sanchez issued a warning about brain trauma in MMA, suggesting that his “soul has been raped many times in this business.” One of the most durable fighters in UFC history, Sanchez has been outspoken about the damage that he’s endured during his 15-plus years fighting in the Octagon. The 39-year-old American recently said his next fight will be his last, citing concerns with brain trauma among the reasons why he is retiring.
Conor McGregor says "very high probability" of boxing Manny Pacquiao in 2021
Adam Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC superstar Conor McGregor believes there is a “very high probability” of the Irishman boxing against the legend Manny Pacquiao in 2021. McGregor returns to the Octagon for the first time in a year next weekend at UFC 257 when he takes on rival Dustin Poirier in the main event of the evening. With a win over Poirier, it’s expected that McGregor will call out UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for a rematch. But while his focus is on MMA at the moment, McGregor can’t help but look around at other opportunities for him in the world of combat sports, namely in the boxing ring.
UFC pioneer Paul Varelans dies after battle with COVID-19
Adam Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC pioneer Paul Varelans has passed away at the age of 51 after losing a battle with COVID-19, succumbing to complications from the virus. Varelans had been battling COVID-19 for over a month and was placed on a ventilator in an effort to save his life. He was later he was put into a medical coma. Unfortunately for “The Polar Bear” the virus was too much to handle, and he eventually lost his battle with the coronavirus, passing away at the age of 51 on Saturday. The news of his passing was confirmed by MMAJunkie.com.
Conor McGregor: I am still the UFC lightweight champion
Adam Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC superstar Conor McGregor says that he believes he is still the lightweight champion ahead of his return to the Octagon at UFC 257. Back at UFC 229 in October 2018, McGregor met Khabib Nurmagomedov in an attempt to win back the UFC lightweight title that was stripped of the Irishman due to inactivity. Nurmagomedov dominated the fight, knocking McGregor down on the feet and then thrashing him on the ground before finally locking in the fight-ending neck crank in the fourth round. After the fight was over, there was then the infamous brawl between Team Khabib and Team McGregor.
UFC on ABC 1 bonus report: Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar win 50k for "Fight of the Night"
Adam Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC featherweights Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar each won $50,000 in bonuses for their “Fight of the Night” at UFC on ABC 1. Holloway and Kattar put on an incredible showing in the main event as the two went five full rounds in an absolute slugfest to kick off the 2021 UFC calendar. Holloway took it to Kattar during the 25 minutes they spent in the cage with one another, landing over 400 significant strikes in a record-setting perfrmance. Although Kattar suffered one of the most lopsided losses in UFC history on paper, he was durable enough to make it an exciting fight for fans.
Max Holloway returns fire after Conor McGregor laughs at his claims of being the best boxer in the UFC
Adam D Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC featherweight Max Holloway returned fire after Conor McGregor laughed at his claims of being the best boxer in the UFC. Holloway put on an incredible performance against Calvin Kattar at UFC on ABC 1, where he showed off his incredible striking skills in a 25-minute showcase. The fight was essentially Holloway beating up Kattar for five rounds and showing off every last bit of his elite standup skills in the bout. In particular, Holloway’s boxing really stood out in this fight. He was able to keep Kattar at the end of his jab the entire fight and light him up with his strikes.
Santiago Ponzinibbio issues emotional statement following knockout loss to Li Jingliang
Adam D Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC welterweight Santiago Ponzinibbio issued an emotional statement following his vicious knockout loss to Li Jingliang at UFC on ABC 1. After missing over two years of action due to various health issues, Ponzinibbio finally made his long-awaited return to the Octagon when he took on Jingliang at Saturday’s UFC on ABC 1 card. Despite the long layoff, Ponzinibbio was still the betting favorite heading into this bout. However, the ring rust showed as he wasn’t able to get his timing right during the fight. Jingliang took advantage of that, as he caught Ponzinibbio on the chin and KOed him in the first round.
Dana White discusses confronting Calvin Kattar’s corner after loss to Max Holloway: "I was freaking out a little bit"
Adam D Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC president Dana White admitted that he was bothered by how much damage Calvin Kattar took against Max Holloway at UFC on ABC 1. Kattar was on the wrong end of a historic beating at the hands, elbows, feet and, knees of Holloway, who systematically beat Kattar down over the course of five rounds, setting numerous UFC records in the process. Although there are many ways to win in MMA, by about the third or fourth round it became clear that Kattar had no chance of winning this fight. But his corner didn’t throw in the towel despite their fighter taking incredible damage in the match.
Charles Oliveira responds to praise from Khabib Nurmagomedov: "All due respect, I delivered, and I feel ready to challenge you for the gold"
Adam D Martin - January 17, 2021
Charles Oliveira responded to praise from UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, saying that he deserves to fight for the belt next. Oliveira has won eight straight fights in the UFC lightweight division, including a dominant decision victory over Tony Ferguson at UFC 256. After defeating Ferguson, Oliveira called for a lightweight title shot. The problem is, of course, the division is currently in a holding pattern, waiting for Nurmagomedov to decide what he wants to do. The UFC lightweight champion is essentially retired but has admitted that he could be coaxed into having one more fight.
Max Holloway is willing to compete again at UFC 257 should the fight card suffer any setbacks
Adam D Martin - January 17, 2021
Featherweight star Max Holloway is willing to compete at UFC 257 on short notice in case there are any issues with the fighters on the card. Holloway put on an epic showing at UFC on ABC 1 when he beat down Calvin Kattar for five rounds. Now, the Hawaiian is hoping to make a quick return to the Octagon. After his incredible performance, “Blessed” said that, if anything happens to Conor McGregor or Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 next weekend, he wants to step in and fight. Check out what Holloway told the fans on the mic.
Dana White reacts to Max Holloway’s dominant win over Calvin Kattar: “I think he deserves to fight Volkanovski again”
Adam D Martin - January 17, 2021
UFC president Dana White believes Max Holloway deserves to have a trilogy fight for the featherweight title against Alexander Volkanovski. Holloway had an epic performance on Saturday night at UFC on ABC 1 as he brutally beat down Calvin Kattar for five rounds in the main event of the evening. As one of the greatest featherweights of all time, we’ve seen Holloway put on some incredible performances over the years. But the way he systematically broke down Kattar over the course of 25 minutes was special. It’s the kind of win that makes you want to see Holloway fight for the belt.
Alex Volkanovski sends a message to Max Holloway following his dominant win over Calvin Kattar
Christopher Taylor - January 16, 2021
UFC featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski has sent a message to Max Holloway following the Hawaiian’s dominant win over Calvin Kattar. Holloway (22-6 MMA) had squared off with Kattar (22-5 MMA) in the headliner of today’s UFC Fight Island 7 event with hopes of snapping his two-fight losing skid.
Conor McGregor scoffs at Max Holloway's claim of being "The best boxer in the UFC"
Chris Taylor - January 16, 2021
Conor McGregor has responded after Max Holloway proclaimed himself to be “The best boxer in the UFC” during his fight with Calvin Kattar. Holloway (22-6 MMA) squared off with Kattar (22-5 MMA) in the headliner of today’s UFC Fight Island 7 event, with hopes of avoiding the first three-fight losing streak of his career. ‘Blessed’ had suffered back-to-back decision losses to reigning UFC featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski in his most previous Octagon appearances.