Exclusive MMA Interviews News
Randy Couture believes Francis Ngannou signing with PFL makes them the clear number two promotion
Cole Shelton - May 30, 2023
UFC Hall of Famer and current PFL commentator, Randy Couture believes the PFL is the clear number two promotion after signing Francis Ngannou. After Ngannou fought out his UFC deal, he made it clear he wanted to box but also wanted to continue his MMA career. After months of negotiating, Ngannou signed with the Professional Fighters League, which was a huge acquisition for the promotion. With that, Couture says this is just the first step in becoming the biggest MMA promotion.
Loopy Godinez believes she deserves a ranked opponent next after short notice win over Emily Ducote
Cole Shelton - May 29, 2023
Loopy Godinez didn’t think she would make such a quick turnaround to the Octagon. After Godinez beat Cynthia Calvillo at UFC 287 she said she wanted a bit of time off to go to Mexico and train with Alexa Grasso and Irene Aldana. Yet, she was offered a short-notice fight against Emily Ducote at UFC Vegas 73 which she accepted as she liked the style matchup.
Joe Pyfer reveals he may need surgery, still hopeful to rematch Dustin Stoltzfus next: "It's personal for me"
Cole Shelton - May 25, 2023
Joe Pyfer isn’t sure when he will be able to fight again. Pyfer is set to grapple Gerald Meerschaert – who he knocked out at UFC 287 – this Saturday night. However, he says he is using that grappling match as a chance to see if he needs surgery on his injury or if he can fight through it.
Jimmie Rivera says four opponents - including Chad Mendes - turned him down in BKFC, expects to fight for the belt next time out
Cole Shelton - May 24, 2023
Jimmie Rivera finally got his first win in BKFC. Rivera made his BKFC debut last June against Howard Davis and they fought to a draw. Since then, he has been campaigning for a fight but he says numerous fighters turned him down, including Chad Mendes, which was frustrating for Rivera as he wanted to be more active than this.
OKTAGON MMA's Miroslav Broz plans to 'not leave anything to the judges' Saturday night
Zain Bando - May 20, 2023
Miroslav Broz comes into his welterweight (turned catchweight) bout with Robert Pukač having nothing to lose and everything to gain. Entering Saturday night, the 34-year-old Czech Republican native re-upped his contract while winning six of his last seven (with one draw) and is looking to continue his winning streak as part of OKTAGON 43’s main card, which is headlined by a highly anticipated middleweight rematch between promotional champion Patrik Kincl and Karlos Vémola.
Cody Stamann planned to call out Movsar Evloev had he beat Douglas Silva de Andrade at UFC Charlotte
Cole Shelton - May 19, 2023
Cody Stamann had an interesting callout ready had he beat Douglas Silva de Andrade at UFC Charlotte. Stamann entered the fight with de Andrade with a ton of confidence as he felt like his wrestling would prove to be too much for his opponent. In the first round, Stamann got de Andrade to the ground but was then hit with an illegal upkick. However, instead of regaining position, the ref stood them up. The Brazilian then won the first round and ended up winning the fight because of that, which Stamann plans to appeal.
Bryan Battle says Ian Garry will avoid fighting him as the Irishman knows he'd get knocked out
Cole Shelton - May 19, 2023
Bryan Battle was pumped when he got the short notice call to fight Gabe Green at UFC Charlotte. Battle was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and has repped his home his entire career. With that, he knew fighting at home would be special and he says all fight week felt like a dream.
Loopy Godinez explains why she accepted short notice fight against Emily Ducote at UFC Vegas 73
Cole Shelton - May 18, 2023
Loopy Godinez has taken another short-notice fight. Ever since Godinez signed with the UFC, the Mexican-Canadian has been adamant to take any fight offered to her, even if it is on short notice. Godinez says she is always in the gym anyways, so when she got offered to face Ducote on less than three weeks’ notice she jumped at the chance.
Cody Stamann "pretty confident" he will win his appeal to have Douglas Silva de Andrade fight overturned to a No Contest
Cole Shelton - May 17, 2023
Cody Stamann plans to appeal his loss to Douglas Silva de Andrade at UFC Charlotte. In the first round with just under two minutes, Stamann got a takedown and as he was on the ground, de Andrade landed an illegal up-kick. The ref then called time to make sure Stamann was okay, but instead of resetting the position or taking a point, the ref stood them up and de Andrade went on to win the first round.
Houston Alexander doubts BKFC 43 main event fight against Jeremy Smith goes past two rounds
Cole Shelton - May 17, 2023
Houston Alexander is ecstatic to be fighting back at home in Omaha, Nebraska. Alexander is set to headline BKFC 43 against Jeremy Smith. The 51-year-old is 3-0 in BKFC and many thought he would get a title shot after he knocked out Joey Beltran his last time out. Yet, he isn’t worried about getting a title shot and just wanted to fight and when he got matched up against Smith, he admits he wasn’t too familiar with him.
Diego Ferreira admits he thought about retiring due to injures, expects a "war" against Michael Johnson
Cole Shelton - May 16, 2023
Diego Ferreira wasn’t sure if he was going to fight again. Ever since Ferreira suffered a TKO loss to Mateusz Gamrot in December of 2021 – which was his third loss in a row – he has dealt with a plethora of injuries. Those ailments kept him from competing and he admits the time off has been difficult.
Chase Hooper explains why he moved up to lightweight, plans to drag Nick Fiore into "deep waters"
Cole Shelton - May 16, 2023
Chase Hooper is finally making the move up to lightweight. When Hooper entered the UFC he fought at featherweight, but as he started to get older and add size, the weight cut began getting harder and harder. Hooper had to stop eating food a week or two before the fight and instead only had protein shakes, which he says no doubt impacted his performance.
Gabe Green plans to pressure Bryan Battle early and often at UFC Charlotte to get stoppage win: "I've knocked out guys who have never been knocked out before"
Cole Shelton - May 11, 2023
Gabe Green is just ready to fight. Green is coming off a decision loss to Ian Garry back at UFC 276 last July and since then, he’s taken some time off to add some size. He is a former lightweight that moved up to welterweight so he wanted to add some mass before his next bout. Unfortunately, once he had added the desired weight, he suffered an injury that kept him on the sidelines until now as he is finally set to return at UFC Charlotte.
Pro fighters make their picks for Anthony Smith vs. Johnny Walker
Cole Shelton - May 11, 2023
In the co-main event of UFC Charlotte, a light heavyweight bout goes down as Anthony Smith takes on Johnny Walker. Heading into the scrap, the fight is lined as a pick’em as both Smith and Walker are listed at -113 on FanDuel. Ahead of the fight at UFC Charlotte, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the scrap. Although the scrap is listed as a pick’em, the pros are nearly unanimous in thinking Smith gets the win by using his wrestling.
Alex Morono expecting a "fun fight" against Tim Means at UFC Charlotte, eyes Matt Brown or Ian Garry next: "Bang it out with The Dirty Bird"
Cole Shelton - May 10, 2023
Alex Morono always figured he would face Tim Means eventually. Once Morono started to fight the more well known guys like Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone, he always thought a matchup against Means would make sense. He has watched Means for years and knew it would be a fun fight. Now, he got his wish as he was matched up against ‘The Dirty Bird’ at UFC Charlotte.
Cody Stamann expects to "submit" Douglas Silva de Andrade "early" at UFC Charlotte, eyes "someone big" next time out: "I don't want to be a gatekeeper"
Cole Shelton - May 10, 2023
Cody Stamann was hopeful to make a quick turnaround and he got his wish. Stamann went down to Brazil and picked up a decision win over Luan Lacerda in January at UFC 283. Given he didn’t take much damage he wanted another fight right away and he got his wish as he will face Douglas Silva de Andrade at UFC Charlotte.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik doesn't think Jailton Almeida brings "anything different to the table," vows to KO him at UFC Charlotte: "I touch him, the fight is over"
Cole Shelton - May 9, 2023
Jairzinho Rozenstruik has a ton of confidence heading into his UFC Charlotte main event fight against Jailton Almeida. Rozenstruik and Almeida were originally booked as the co-main event, but the UFC decided to promote them to headliner status. While Jairzinho isn’t sure why the switch was made, he is glad to be headlining another card as he knows it’s big for his career and star power.
Aung La NSang breaks down fight with Fan Rong: “I don’t see it going to the judges”
Zain Bando - May 5, 2023
Former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Aung La NSang will compete on U.S. soil for the first time in his ONE Championship career. La NSang returns to ONE for the first time since January, as he is coming off a first-round stoppage win against Gilberto Galvão, needing less than two minutes to get the job done.