Exclusive MMA Interviews News

Cole Shelton - February 27, 2020

In the main event of UFC Norfolk, the vacant flyweight title is on the line as Joseph Benavidez battles Deiveson Figueiredo. Heading into the fight, Benavidez is a slight -145 favorite while the Brazilian is a +115 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the scrap. The majority are leaning towards Joseph Benavidez finally becoming a UFC champion but they realize how dangerous Deiveson Figueiredo is.

Cole Shelton - February 27, 2020

Deiveson Figueiredo is confident he will become the UFC’s flyweight champion on Saturday. In the main event of UFC Norfolk, Figueiredo will battle Joseph Benavidez for the vacant flyweight title. When the Brazilian got the news that he would be fighting for the belt he knew it meant he could finally achieve his goal of being a UFC champion.

Tom Taylor - February 26, 2020

In late February of 2019, Janet Todd battled Stamp Fairtex for the inaugural ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship. Todd lost that fight by decision, but in a few short days, she’ll get a second crack at Stamp under slightly different circumstances. This Friday, in the main event of ONE: King of the Jungle, Todd will challenge Stamp for the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship — the other belt in the Thai’s trophy case.

Alfredo Zullino - February 26, 2020

When Iuri Lapicus stepped foot in ONE Championship’s ring for the first time, back in May of 2019, nobody but the most hardcore fight fans knew who the undefeated Italian-Moldavian athlete was. During that debut fight, Iuri Lapicus (14-0 MMA, 2-0 ONE) was able to bring home the victory with a slick rear-naked choke on Thai veteran Shannon Wiratchai in the third round. But it was earlier this month that he made a huge statement and shocked the entire MMA community, finishing former ONE and M-1 Global featherweight belt-holder Marat Gafurov with Gafurov’s own signature move, the rear-naked choke.

Cole Shelton - February 26, 2020

Leon Edwards thinks it’s crazy how different he and Darren Till’s careers went in 2019. Last March at UFC London, Till was the main event against Jorge Masvidal while Edwards was the co-main against Gunnar Nelson. Yet, during the press conference, it was the two Englishman going back-and-forth in trash-talking one another. Edwards admits that was the fight he would’ve rather had.

Mike Heck - February 25, 2020

Heading into her upcoming fight on Saturday, Megan Anderson has found a new lease on life. The now 30-year-old will face the unbeaten Octagon debutante Norma Dumont at UFC on ESPN+ 27. The event takes place at the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. and will be headlined by Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figureiredo battling for the vacant UFC flyweight title.

Cole Shelton - February 25, 2020

Brent Primus is not a fan of Michael Chandler and hopes their trilogy fight can happen. Primus and Chandler originally met at Bellator NYC in June of 2017 where Primus beat the champ by TKO via leg injury in the first round. The two then had a rematch a year and a half later at Bellator 212 where this time it was Chandler who got his hand raised by decision win the belt back.

Cole Shelton - February 25, 2020

Felicia Spencer knows the stakes are high for her co-main event spot at UFC Norfolk. Spencer, who’s coming off a decision loss to Cris Cyborg at UFC 240, is set to return to the Octagon on Saturday against Zarah Fairn dos Santos in the co-main event. For the Canadian, after getting the chance to share the Octagon with Cyborg, she is feeling more than prepared for this fight.

Cole Shelton - February 24, 2020

Joanna Jedrzejczyk wants her potential first title defense to be a big money fight and she believes that is the trilogy against Rose Namajunas. In the co-main event of UFC 248, Jedrzejczyk will take on Weili Zhang in the Chinese champion’s first title defense. It is a fight the Pole is confident she will win as she knows she’s the better fighter and will reclaim her throne on March 7.

Cole Shelton - February 21, 2020

Brent Primus doesn’t know anything about his Bellator 240 opponent, Chris Bungard. When Primus makes the walk to the cage on Saturday it will be the first time he does so since May of last year, which has been frustrating for him. But he has finally gotten a fight and is focused on Bungard and extending his win streak to two.

Cole Shelton - February 20, 2020

Ed Ruth will headline his first Bellator show at Bellator 239 when he takes on Yaroslav Amosov, who is 22-0. Ruth, 8-1 and on a two-fight winning streak, had his eye on the Ukrainian after seeing him steamroll over his three Bellator opponents.

Cole Shelton - February 20, 2020

Myles Jury is set for his second Bellator fight in the co-main event of Bellator 239 when he battles Brandon Girtz. In his promotional debut, he was the main event of Bellator 227 where he dropped a decision to Benson Henderson. Although he lost the fight, he was pleased with his performance.

Cole Shelton - February 19, 2020

Brent Primus has only fought once a year in Bellator, except in 2013 when he got two fights in. But, the former champion makes it clear that is not his doing. The 34-year-old expected to be more active, especially when he was the champion and now former champ. He became the lightweight champion in 2017 in his eighth professional fight when he beat Michel Chandler by doctor stoppage.

Cole Shelton - February 18, 2020

Jalin Turner knows the stakes are high for his UFC Auckland fight against short-notice opponent, Joshua Culibao. Entering this fight, Turner is just 1-2 in the UFC with a debut loss to Vicente Luque at welterweight and most recently a decision loss to Matt Frevola. In his last fight, he admits he probably should have pulled out but with his kid being born just weeks after he needed the money and couldn’t risk being on the sidelines with no payday insight.

Cole Shelton - February 18, 2020

The last time the UFC was in Auckland, New Zealand was in 2017. There, Kai Kara-France was sitting front row cheering on his teammate Dan Hooker. During that event, Kara-France told himself he would be the one fighting next time the promotion came to his home city. And on the prelims of UFC Auckland this Saturday, Kara-France will complete his goal when he battles Tyson Nam. Yet, for a bit, many didn’t think it would happen after he fought just two months ago at UFC 245. There, he lost to Brandon Moreno. Since then, he quickly reflected on the fight and knows he made some mistakes.

Cole Shelton - February 17, 2020

Jimmy Crute is looking to return to the win column at UFC Auckland when he battles Michal Oleksiejczuk. Crute is coming off a first-round submission loss to Misha Cirkunov at UFC Vancouver where a win would have put him in the top-15. In the fight, the Aussie was close to finishing it but he says he let his emotions get the better of him.

Cole Shelton - February 14, 2020

Colby Covington thinks Jorge Masvidal vs. Kamaru Usman won’t happen as expected. Following Masvidal and Usman’s confrontation at radio row during Super Bowl week, Dana White announced the two would fight at International Fight Week. But the welterweight champion Usman revealed the fight is not signed and also hinted at a Conor McGregor scrap.

Cole Shelton - February 14, 2020

Scott Holtzman is set for the biggest fight of his career at UFC Rio Rancho when he fights one of the OGs of MMA in Jim Miller. For Holtzman, this was not an opponent he had asked for, but when the UFC offered him the fight, he immediately accepted.