Exclusive MMA Interviews News
Matt Brown expects to be the first person to KO Carlos Condit in dominant performance
Cole Shelton - January 12, 2021
Matt Brown is eager to finally share the Octagon with Carlos Condit. In the co-main event of UFC Fight Island 7, Brown and Condit will finally fight one another after two previous bookings in 2013 and 2018 feel through due to Brown hurting his back and tearing his ACL.
Alessio Di Chirico expects to derail the hype of Joaquin Buckley and remain a UFC fighter
Cole Shelton - January 11, 2021
Alessio Di Chirico knows his UFC Fight Island 7 fight against Joaquin Buckley is do-or-die for his UFC career. Di Chirico is on a three-fight losing streak and many were surprised he was fighting Buckley who is on a winning streak. However, the Italian was excited when he got the call to fight Buckley.
Darina Mazdyuk plans 'to conquer Bellator' after becoming viral sensation
Drake Riggs - January 5, 2021
An unbelievable amount of ridiculousness ensued throughout 2020 the further along we all got in the year. To perfectly summarize 2020 with a capper, the MMA world provided us with an intergender openweight exhibition bout in November pitting Russia’s Darina Mazdyuk vs. the 500-plus pound YouTuber, Grigory Chistyakov (also known as Grisha Polnoe). Mazdyuk, 28, is a solid prospect who has competed in the 135-pound bantamweight and 145-pound featherweight divisions. However, up until her viral first-round TKO victory, the 4-1 pro was a virtual unknown outside of Russia’s regional scene.
Coach: Rob Font staying ready in case anything happens to Petr Yan or Aljamain Sterling
Cole Shelton - December 30, 2020
Rob Font is now a top-five bantamweight and he plans on staying ready for the upcoming title fight. At UFC Vegas 17, Font picked up the biggest win of his career as he knocked out Marlon Moraes in the first round. For his head coach, Tyson Chartier, he says the win over Moraes is a big one for Font’s confidence and silencing the doubters.
Coach: If Calvin Kattar doesn't get a title shot with a win over Holloway "there is superior politics going on"
Cole Shelton - December 29, 2020
Tyson Chartier believes Calvin Kattar will be fighting for a UFC title sometime in the middle of 2021. Entering 2020, Chartier and Kattar set out a goal of going 3-0 after a disappointing loss to Zabit Magomedsharipov in November. The hope was the New England Cartel member would get the hype behind his name back and everyone would forget about the loss. So far, that is exactly what has happened.
Rob Font wants TJ Dillashaw or Jose Aldo next after stopping Marlon Moraes in the first
Cole Shelton - December 28, 2020
Rob Font is now a top-five bantamweight. Entering UFC Vegas 17, Font had heard all the talk that he couldn’t win the big one. When the New England Cartel member got steps up in competition he faltered as evidence to the Raphael Assuncao and Pedro Munhoz losses. However, as he was getting ready to fight Marlon Moraes, his confidence and mental state were much different which was the key to getting his hand raised.
After "dominating" Carlton Minus on three days' notice, Christos Giagos looking for quick turnaround
Cole Shelton - December 23, 2020
Christos Giagos thought he wouldn’t get a fight in 2020. Giagos lost a close decision to Drakkar Klose at UFC 241 and since then, he was looking to fight. He was expected to fight in April but due to the pandemic, the event was canceled. Since then, he was bugging his manager for a fight, and out of blue, last Wednesday, he got a fight offer to fight on three days’ notice against Carlton Minus and took it.
Marlon Vera slams "little puppy" Sean O'Malley: "I’m not wasting my time with that guy"
Cole Shelton - December 18, 2020
Marlon Vera still doesn’t like Sean O’Malley. In the lead-up to UFC 252, O’Malley made it clear Vera was not on his level and he was going to KO him in the first round. However, that is far from what happened as it was “Chito” who won by TKO in the opening round.
Khaos Williams expects to turn Michel Pereira into a wrestler "once I touch the chin"
Cole Shelton - December 17, 2020
Khaos Williams doesn’t expect Michel Pereira to strike with him this Saturday. At UFC Vegas 17, Williams is set to return to the Octagon just a month after scoring a highlight-reel one-punch KO over Abdul Razak Alhassan. Given he didn’t take much damage, Williams wanted to get one more in this year and that is what happened.
Maycee Barber reflects on 2020, confident she will "prove everyone wrong" in return fight
Cole Shelton - December 17, 2020
Maycee Barber’s 2020 did not go the way she envisioned. In January at UFC 246, Barber was looking to improve to 9-0 when she took on Roxanne Modafferi. The goal for the 22-year-old was to beat Modafferi, get another win in the summer and fight for the belt at year’s end. Unfortunately for her, she lost the fight by decision and tore her ACL which has kept her out of action for the remainder of the year.
Pro fighters make their picks for Stephen Thompson vs. Geoff Neal
Cole Shelton - December 17, 2020
In the main event of the UFC Vegas 17 which is the final UFC event of 2020, Stephen Thompson returns to the Octagon against rising contender, Geoff Neal. Heading into the fight, Neal is a -120 favorite while “Wonderboy” is a -110 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The majority of pros believe it will be Thompson getting the job done and remaining a top-five welterweight.
Dave Leduc responds to callouts from Simon Marcus, Yohan Lidon
Tom Taylor - December 17, 2020
As “The King of Lethwei,” Dave Leduc is well accustomed to receiving callouts from prospective opponents keen to usurp his throne. This month, however, has been particularly busy for the French Canadian Lethwei legend.
Marlon Vera expects to KO Jose Aldo and "let the division know I’m going to be a world champion"
Cole Shelton - December 16, 2020
Marlon Vera is expecting to get into a slugfest on Saturday night. In the co-main event of UFC Vegas 17, Vera is set to battle Jose Aldo in a fight that was supposed to happen at both UFC 255 and 256. However, due to visa issues, the fight was delayed but for “Chito” he is just glad the fight got made.
Stephen Thompson believes UFC views him as a gatekeeper, eyes KO win over Geoff Neal
Cole Shelton - December 15, 2020
Stephen Thompson thinks the UFC views him as a gatekeeper now. For the second-straight fight, Thompson will fight a rising welterweight contender, but this time he will be the main event as he battles Geoff Neal. It is a very intriguing matchup but for “Wonderboy” he knows why the UFC made this fight and that is them wanting to push Neal up the rankings.
Geoff Neal expects to finish Stephen Thompson and earn welterweight title shot
Cole Shelton - December 15, 2020
Geoff Neal didn’t expect Stephen Thompson to accept the fight. After Neal was forced to pull out of his fight against Neil Magny in August, he wasn’t sure if he would get a ranked opponent in his return. However, he was then offered Thompson and was surprised “Wonderboy” accepted it.
Alex Morono expects to finish Anthony Pettis, eyes future fights with Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone
Cole Shelton - December 14, 2020
Alex Morono didn’t expect to be fighting Anthony Pettis. Morono started the year with a disappointing KO loss to Khaos Williams at UFC 247. The Fortis MMA product then returned at UFC Vegas 14 with a decision win over Rhys McKee. After the win, Morono was hoping he could make a quick turnaround but never expected it to be against Pettis.
Conor McGregor will KO Dustin Poirier in the first round again, according to Artem Lobov
Cole Shelton - December 11, 2020
Artem Lobov believes Conor McGregor will beat Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 the same way he did at UFC 178. Back in 2014, McGregor was making his rise up the featherweight division and scored a first-round KO over Poirier. The Irishman said he would do exactly that, but at UFC 257 they are rematching at lightweight with many believing it will be a more competitive fight.
Daniel Pineda on Cub Swanson fight: "He will either knock my ass out or I will finish him"
Cole Shelton - December 10, 2020
Daniel Pineda doesn’t think the judges will be needed for his UFC 256 fight against Cub Swanson. After Pineda finished Herbert Burns at UFC 252, the hope for the 35-year-old was to get a ranked opponent or someone near the rankings. And, he ended up getting his wish as he was offered perennial contender, Cub Swanson.