Exclusive MMA Interviews News
Michael Johnson says his lightweight peers are avoiding tough fights, too focused on 'money fights'
Tom Taylor - May 7, 2017
Top-10 UFC lightweight Michael Johnson has not been seen in the Octagon since November of 2016, when he succumbed to a third-round submission dealt by undefeated Dagestani star Khabib Nurmagomedov. This, however, is not for lack of trying. Having recovered from his loss to Nurmagomedov, Johnson has been eager for a return to the cage for some time. Unfortunately, he’s had a very difficult time finding a willing dance partner. On the latest edition of BJ Penn Radio, Johnson explained that he believes this is because many of the UFC’s top lightweights are reluctant to take tough fights.
Michael Johnson on Rumble's retirement: what he's doing is "what every fighter wants"
Tom Taylor - May 4, 2017
Shortly after his submission loss to light heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC 210, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson announced his plans to retire from mixed martial arts. Given that Rumble remained in the prime of his career, this news came as a definite surprise to pretty much everyone. On the latest edition of BJ Penn Radio, Rumble’s long-time teammate Michael Johnson weighed in on this surprising retirement from MMA.
Michael Johnson discusses the absences of Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov
Tom Taylor - May 4, 2017
The lightweight division is one of the most stacked divisions in the UFC. That said, things are a little chaotic in the division at the moment, as champ Conor McGregor is pursuing a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, top contender Khabib Nurmagomedov has been sidelined with illness and religious obligations, and the fan favorite Nate Diaz has no plans to fight. On Wednesday’s edition of BJ Penn Radio, dangerous lightweight contender Michael Johnson weighed in on the situation at lightweight – particularly on the absences of McGregor and Nurmagomedov.
"Poor Man's Machida" Elias Theodorou explains why he'll beat Brad Tavares
Tom Taylor - May 4, 2017
On July 7, Canadian middleweight Elias Theodorou will face a tough test in Hawaii’s Brad Tavares. The two will meet at the finale of the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter, in Las Vegas, Nevada. On the latest edition of BJ Penn Radio, Theodorou discussed this looming scrap with Tavares, and was quite complimentary of the Hawaiian’s skill and potential.
Yair Rodriguez believes that "disrespectful" Frankie Edgar is the toughest fight in the featherweight division
Chris Taylor - April 29, 2017
Yair Rodriguez believes that “disrespectful” Frankie Edgar is the toughest fight in the featherweight division Surging UFC featherweight contender Yair “El Pantera” Rodriguez will return to the octagon at next month’s UFC 211 pay-per-view event in Dallas, Texas where he will square off with former UFC lightweight champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar.
Eddie Alvarez reflects on title fight loss to Conor McGregor, plans on making a statement at UFC 211
Chris Taylor - April 29, 2017
Eddie Alvarez reflects on title fight loss to Conor McGregor, plans on making a statement at UFC 211 Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez will return to the octagon at May’s stacked UFC 211 pay-per-view fight card in Dallas, Texas against perennial division contender Dustin Poirier.
Rory MacDonald doesn't believe it will be "a bad thing" if his fight with Paul Daley stays standing
Chris Taylor - April 29, 2017
Rory MacDonald doesn’t believe it will be “a bad thing” if his fight with Paul Daley stays standing Former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald will make his Bellator MMA debut at next month’s Bellator 179 event London, England when he squares off with knockout artist Paul Daley in the evenings main event.
Yair Rodriguez details his post-fight conversation with BJ Penn, expects "The Prodigy" to defeat Dennis Siver
Chris Taylor - April 29, 2017
Yair Rodriguez details his post-fight conversation with BJ Penn, expects “The Prodigy” to defeat Dennis Siver Surging UFC featherweight contender Yair Rodriguez will take on former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar on the main card of next month’s stacked UFC 211 pay-per-view card in Dallas, Texas.
Eddie Alvarez: "Frankie Edgar is nobody to be f*cked with man!"
Chris Taylor - April 29, 2017
Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez will return to the octagon at UFC 211 on May 13 in Dallas, Texas where he will square off with Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier. Alvarez, who trains with fellow former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, recently sat down with Chris Taylor on BJPENN.com’s Rapid Fire segment.
Eddie Alvarez is tired of "just winning", plans to finish Dustin Poirier at UFC 211
Chris Taylor - April 29, 2017
Eddie Alvarez is tired of “just winning”, plans to finish Dustin Poirier at UFC 211 Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez will return to the octagon at next month’s stacked UFC 211 pay-per-view event in Dallas, Texas where he will square off with Dustin Poirier.
Jimi Manuwa hopes to be on Cormier-Jones card, will be ready to replace either man
Tom Taylor - April 27, 2017
When Jimi Manuwa knocked out Corey Anderson in their March light heavyweight showdown, he established himself as one of the top contenders at light heavyweight. In fact, were it not for the looming return of former champion Jon Jones, Manuwa could well be looking at a shot at reigning champ Daniel Cormier right now. Given that Jones is likely to return to the cage to an immediate title shot against Cormier at UFC 214, however, Manuwa has confirmed to BJPenn.com that he’s got another fight in the works, and that he hopes it occurs on the same card as this Cormier-Jones fight. The reason Manuwa wants to be on this card is that it gives him the opportunity to replace either man, should one be forced to withdraw from the fight.
Mike Perry breaks down his "master plan to take over the world"
Tom Taylor - April 27, 2017
Mike Perry entered mainstream MMA consciousness in a rather strange way. Though diehard fans had been aware of him for some time, his first steps into the limelight occurred at the UFC 202 weigh ins, when he faked a handshake with his opponent Hyun Gyu Lim, then pulled his hand away at the last minute, and screamed in Lim’s face. While this move certainly served to get the attention of the MMA community, it did so in a rather negative way, as Perry was immediately branded by many as a bit of a hot-head.
'Platinum' Mike Perry lists Thiago Alves, several ranked welterweights as possible next opponents
Tom Taylor - April 27, 2017
Last weekend, on the main card of the UFC’s latest trip to Nashville, Tennessee, rising welterweight “Platinum” Mike Perry scored a veritable knockout of the year contender over the veteran Jake Ellenberger. This win – which marks his first over a ranked UFC welterweight – sets him up for more big tests inside the UFC welterweight division. He’s got some ideas to that end.
Jimi Manuwa, David Haye and Dana White have spoken, Manuwa-Haye fight possible for late 2017
Tom Taylor - April 27, 2017
Shortly after his destruction of Corey Anderson, which occurred in mid-March, British UFC light heavyweight Jimi Manuwa made a surprise call for a boxing match with fellow Londoner David Haye. On Wednesday’s edition of BJ Penn Radio, Manuwa explained the reason for this callout.
Rory MacDonald cracks open on the possibility of fighting in the UFC again
Russell Ess - April 21, 2017
Bellator MMA has picked up a few of the UFC’s high-ranked fighters including former UFC welterweight challenger Rory MacDonald. MacDonald is set to make his Bellator MMA debut against knockout artist Paul Daley in Bellator 179’s main event on May 19 at the SSE Arena in London.
Rory MacDonald: Tyron Woodley being UFC champ makes me look better
Tom Taylor - April 20, 2017
Having defended the welterweight title twice – albeit in two close fights with the same man – UFC welterweight titleholder Tyron Woodley is looking like he could emerge as a pretty dominant champion. We do, however, know that he can be beaten. Rory MacDonald was the most recent fighter to prove this. MacDonald beat Woodley in June of 2014, outworking him to a unanimous decision win. In the years since then, the two fighters have diverged on very different paths, with Woodley claiming UFC welterweight gold, and MacDonald departing from the UFC to set up shop under the Bellator MMA banner.
Ian McCall: There's something wrong inside of me, I can't cut weight anymore
Tom Taylor - April 20, 2017
To say UFC flyweight Ian McCall has been unlucky of late would be an understatement. Since he last fought in January of 2015, he has been scheduled to fight five separate times, and not one of these scheduled fights has come to fruition. Though several of these cancelled fights have been due to opponent injuries and other issues, many of them can also be attributed to bouts of illness on McCall’s side. Apparently, these bouts of illness are not just random bugs, but part of a larger health problem that seems to be thrown into overdrive by weight cuts.
MMA veteran Nate Quarry rips "greedy, selfish" UFC over Reebok deal
Tom Taylor - April 20, 2017
Nate Quarry, who is a TUF veteran and former UFC middleweight title challenger, is involved in a class action lawsuit against the UFC, and stands out as one of the promotion’s most outspoken critics. One of the issues that gets the former fighter most fired up is the UFC’s outfitting deal with sports apparel giant Reebok, which pays fighters small sums to wear Reebok clothes in place of the sponsorship deals they would initially pursue themselves. At this stage, it’s been made quite clear that most fighters actually lost money as a result of this deal. According to Quarry, however, it’s worse than most of us can imagine. Quarry tore the UFC-Reebok deal to shreds on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio.