Exclusive MMA Interviews News
Frankie Edgar "upset" he never got the chance to face Conor McGregor while he was at featherweight
Cole Shelton - February 5, 2021
Frankie Edgar and Conor McGregor were linked to one another a couple of times but for whatever reason, it never came to fruition. As McGregor was making his rise up the featherweight ranks, Edgar was a top contender and many figured they would fight. However, the Irishman faced Chad Mendes and Jose Aldo and then moved up in weight.
Mike Rodriguez looking to move past Ed Herman controversy with KO win over Danilo Marques
Cole Shelton - February 4, 2021
Mike Rodriguez is looking forward to putting the Ed Herman controversy behind him. At UFC Vegas 10 in September, Rodriguez landed a knee to the body of Herman that dropped him. Rodriguez would’ve needed a few punches to finish the fight, but the ref called time for a groin strike. However, video replay wasn’t used and Herman got five minutes to recover from a body shot and ended up submitting Rodriguez in the third.
Bare knuckle fighters rate Paige VanZant's chances in BKFC
Tom Taylor - February 4, 2021
Paige VanZant is days out from her Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) debut. The former UFC star will battle Britain Hart, sans gloves, at BKFC: Knuckle Mania this Friday in Lakeland, Florida. Ahead of VanZant’s imminent BKFC debut, we reached out to several experienced bare knuckle fighters to get their thoughts on how she’ll perform in the ring.
Cody Stamann uninterested in fighting Merab Dvalishvili next: "There are a lot bigger fish in the sea"
Cole Shelton - February 3, 2021
Cody Stamann isn’t sure he fights Merab Dvalishvili next. Stamann and Dvalishvili were supposed to fight on December 5 and February 6. Yet, Stamann hurt his back the first time it was booked and Dvalishvili got COVID-19 the second. For the 13th-ranked bantamweight in Stamann, he says having the fight postponed again wasn’t an option.
Pro fighters make their picks for Alistair Overeem vs. Alexander Volkov
Cole Shelton - February 3, 2021
In the main event of UFC Vegas 18, Alistair Overeem is looking to continue his final run to a heavyweight title shot as he battles Alexander Volkov. Heading into the fight, Overeem is a +155 underdog while the Russian is a -190 favorite. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. Maybe to some surprise, nearly all the pros have Overeem edging it out as he will mix in his striking and wrestling.
Diego Ferreira preparing for a "brawl" against Beneil Dariush, eyes Felder or RDA next
Cole Shelton - February 2, 2021
Diego Ferreira is excited to rematch Beneil Dariush. At UFC 179 in October of 2014, Dariush edged out a decision against Ferreira in a fight the Brazilian took on short notice. Since then, however, both men have become top-15 lightweights and the Fortis MMA product believes the rematch just makes sense.
Frankie Edgar plans to "turn some heads" with a "stellar performance" over Cory Sandhagen
Cole Shelton - February 2, 2021
Frankie Edgar knew he would end up fighting Cory Sandhagen. At UFC Raleigh in January of 2020, Edgar was booked to make his bantamweight debut against Sandhagen. However, the former lightweight champion ended up accepting a short notice fight against Korean Zombie and the bout against Sandhagen was canceled.
Ben Saunders reveals Bellator and Bjorn Rebney almost made him retire
Cole Shelton - January 28, 2021
Ben Saunders was close to walking away from MMA in 2012 and 2013. After Saunders’ first stint in the UFC, he signed with Bellator. The hope for Saunders was to win a Bellator tournament and become the face of the promotion or eventually get back to the UFC. However, throughout his time in the promotion, he realized Bellator and Bjorn Rebney had him in a horrible contract that nearly made him walk away from the sport.
Ben Saunders hopes to sign with a promotion soon and be active to earn way back into the UFC
Cole Shelton - January 26, 2021
Despite not fighting in 2020, Ben Saunders knows his year wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. After Saunders was knocked out by Matt Brown at UFC 245, his contract with the UFC was over and they chose not to re-sign him. The hope for the veteran was to quickly sign with another promotion and get back to the UFC. However, like most people’s 2020, Saunders’ year did not go as planned as no opportunities came up. With his dad battling a rare form of blood cancer, it also put Saunders in a difficult spot.
Dan Hooker knows he could fight Conor McGregor next with a win over Chandler and the perfect callout
Cole Shelton - January 22, 2021
Dan Hooker wanted on UFC 257 for one specific reason, a chance to fight Conor McGregor next time out. In the co-main event of the pay-per-view card, Hooker is set to welcome Michael Chandler to the UFC. For the “Hangman” he says to be on this card will only help him moving forward as he knows there will be a ton of eyes on him.
UFC 257 | Pro fighters make their picks for Dan Hooker vs. Michael Chandler
Cole Shelton - January 22, 2021
In the co-main event of UFC 257, Dan Hooker is set to welcome, Michael Chandler to the UFC in a really intriguing bout. Heading into the fight, Hooker is a -135 favorite while the former Bellator lightweight champion is a +105 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The slight majority of pros believe Dan Hooker gets it done by using his reach advantage to piece up Chandler.
Dan Hooker plans to "spoil" the UFC and Michael Chandler's plans with a "statement" win
Cole Shelton - January 21, 2021
Dan Hooker plans to ruin the UFC and Michael Chandler’s plans just one-fight into his UFC tenure. In the co-main event of UFC 257, Hooker is set to welcome Michael Chandler to the UFC in a really intriguing bout. Although many top lightweights weren’t wanting to fight Chandler in his debut, Hooker knew it was a chance to steal some of his hype.
Matt Frevola plans to drag Ottman Azaitar to the "deep waters and drown him" and derail his hype
Cole Shelton - January 20, 2021
Matt Frevola is ready to remind everyone he is a force to be reckoned with at lightweight. Frevola, like most, had a rough 2020 as he had two fights canceled due to COVID-19 and had to pull out of another with an injury. However, the good news for Frevola was the injury allowed him to get on the main card of a Conor McGregor pay-per-view in UFC 257 which he is excited about.
Roxanne Modafferi is glad she isn't having another rematch, expects to submit Viviane Araujo
Cole Shelton - January 19, 2021
Roxanne Modafferi is happy she gets to fight someone new. Over her last several fights, she has rematched the likes of Andrea Lee, Sijara Eubanks, and Jennifer Maia. Now, at UFC Fight Island 8, she will fight Viviane Araujo for the first time, which Modafferi is very excited about.
Michael Chiesa expecting a "tough fight" against Neil Magny, views this as his "chance at redemption"
Cole Shelton - January 19, 2021
Michael Chiesa is eager to finally step back into the Octagon. In the main event of UFC Fight Island 8, Chiesa is set to battle Neil Magny in his first fight in nearly a year. Since Chiesa beat Rafael dos Anjos last January, he had a ton of momentum but injuries and the pandemic kept him out of the Octagon.
Jerome Rivera plans to take Francisco Figueiredo's "soul" and put the champ on notice
Cole Shelton - January 18, 2021
Jerome Rivera knows he can send a direct message to Deiveson Figueiredo on Wednesday. At UFC Fight Island 8, Rivera is set to welcome Deiveson Figueiredo’s brother in Francisco to the Octagon. It is a very intriguing matchup and when Rivera got the fight offer, it was an immediate yes.
Ike Villanueva plans to KO Vinicius Moreira in "do-or-die" fight for his UFC career: "This is my Game 7"
Cole Shelton - January 15, 2021
Ike Villanueva knows he enters his UFC Fight Island 8 fight in a must-win scenario. Villaneuva is currently 0-2 in the UFC, but his first loss against Chase Sherman should be overturned to a no-contest due to Sherman being flagged by USADA. However, Villaneuva knows he still lost that fight, and in his last one, lost by cut stoppage which was heartbreaking for him.
Brendan Fitzgerald reveals the under-the-radar fight he's looking forward to on Fight Island
Cole Shelton - January 15, 2021
The UFC is set to kick off 2021 with a bang as they will hold three-events in a week. The main events of the three cards see Max Holloway take on Calvin Kattar, Neil Magny vs. Michael Chiesa, and Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 2. However, for UFC commentator, Brendan Fitzgerald, he knows those are good fights but says Tyson Nam vs. Matt Schnell has all the capabilities of being the best fight of the week.