Exclusive MMA Interviews News

Cole Shelton - April 23, 2019

Jon Fitch is fighting for the Bellator welterweight title on Saturday night, in the last first-round bout of the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix. The 41-year-old, who is 1-0 inside the Bellator cage, will be taking on the champion Rory MacDonald in the main event of Bellator 220. Although Fitch is the underdog heading into this fight, the veteran is more than ready to do what he has to do to win.

Cole Shelton - April 23, 2019

There is no question the emotions were running high for Ilima-Lei MacFarlane’s last fight. MacFarlane got to defend her Bellator flyweight title at home in Hawaii where she defeated Valerie Letourneau in the third-round by submission. The win capped off an emotional fight week for MacFarlane. Now, she is set for yet another title defense this Saturday when she takes on Veta Arteaga at Bellator 220 in San Jose, California. Although Hawaii was MacFarlane’s real homecoming, she lives and trains in California which makes this yet another fight ‘at home’.

Cole Shelton - April 18, 2019

In the main event of UFC St. Petersburg, Alistair Overeem was supposed to take on Russian Alex Volkov. However, just a few weeks from the fight, Volkov pulled out of the fight leaving the UFC searching for a replacement. After a quick text message to the man who headlined the first-ever UFC event in Russia, in Alexey Oleynik, they had a new main event. “The UFC proposed me this fight,” Oleynik told BJPENN.com. “They texted me that we need an opponent for Alistair Overeem, and I said yes I am ready. This is very important for me. If I had to choose between a big name and a non-big name I will pick the big name even if it is more dangerous. Overeem has a name and a ranking and that is most important to me. Money doesn’t matter, it is the same money.”

Tom Taylor - April 18, 2019

ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera is currently gearing up for a showdown with ONE Light Heavyweight and Middleweight World Champion Aung La N Sang, which is set to occur in Tokyo this October. This fight with Aung La is currently consuming all of the Filipino-American titleholder’s focus. That being said, he is interested in a bout with new ONE Championship star Vitor Belfort, should the opportunity arise in the future.

Cole Shelton - April 17, 2019

Back at UFC Philadelphia, Sodiq Yusuff extended his winning streak to four and improved to 2-0 in the UFC. Following the fight, Yusuff called out Kron Gracie, who is coming off of a submission win over Alex Caceres and is from the legendary jiu-jitsu family.

Tom Taylor - April 16, 2019

Shortly after Aung La N Sang defended his ONE Championship Middleweight World Title with a knockout of Ken Hasegawa at ONE: A New Era in March, he was joined in the cage by ONE Heavyweight Champion Brandon Vera and ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. It was announced right then and there, in front of throngs of Japanese fans, that Aung La would defend his other World Title — the ONE light heavyweight belt — against the heavyweight champ Vera.

Cole Shelton - April 12, 2019

At UFC 236, Khalil Rountree will take on Eryk Anders who is moving back up to light heavyweight. In the eyes of many observers, this fight looks like surefire entertainment. Rountree is no different. He believes this fight could very well be the Fight of the Night.

Cole Shelton - April 11, 2019

In the main event of UFC 236, this Saturday, featherweight champion Max Holloway will move up in weight to take on Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight championship. Ahead of the rematch, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the fight. The consensus is that it will be a close interesting fight.

Tom Taylor - April 10, 2019

Former UFC welterweight star “Super” Sage Northcutt is set to make his debut in the ONE Championship cage at ONE: Enter the Dragon on May 17 in Singapore. He’ll make this debut opposite kickboxing export Cosmo Alexandre, who has carved out an impressive 7-1 MMA record, primarily in the Bellator cage. Sage Northcutt is excited to get this new phase of his fighting career underway.

Tom Taylor - April 10, 2019

At UFC Philadelphia, Josh Emmett delivered an undeniable Knockout of the Year contender, flattening Michael Johnson in the third round of their featherweight contest. Surprisingly, however, his jaw-dropping knockout victory didn’t earn him a post-fight bonus. Like many fans, he’s still scratching his head about that.

Cole Shelton - April 10, 2019

Most of the attention ahead of UFC 236 has surrounded the two interim title fights on the bill, and rightfully so. The matchups are interesting and gold is on the line. But, one fight that has been flying under the radar is a main card fight between Eryk Anders and Khalil Rountree. Anders is set to move up to light heavyweight for this fight, but he doesn’t see it as a permanent move.

Mike Pendleton - April 10, 2019

If there was ever a fighter who embodied the true definition of a martial artist, where the beauty is in the way the fighter fights, the way the fighter carries themselves, and the message they fight for, Michelle Waterson is that fighter. In fact, while the ‘Karate Hottie’ sees her fanbase grow with every dance-off, every fight, and every social media interaction she has, Waterson looks to inspire on a much deeper level.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

When Kevin Belingon and Bibiano Fernandes stepped into the cage to battle for the ONE Bantamweight World Title at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, Japan, the expectation was that their fight, no matter how it ended, would settle their long-time rivalry. Fernandes had won their first fight by submission. Belingon had won their second by decision. And there, under the bright lights of Ryōgoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward, we finally had our tie-breaker. Much like their second fight, which occurred in November, this third fight looked like it would be a fun one from the get-go. First, Belingon rocked Fernandes. Then, Fernandes rocked Belingon. All signs pointed to a riveting, back-and-forth war.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

Ask undefeated UFC heavyweight Juan Adams how he feels about disgraced NFL veteran Greg Hardy, and he will not mince words. Adams went off on the former football player, who has been getting a massive push from the UFC, on the latest episode of BJPENN.com Radio.

Tom Taylor - April 8, 2019

Over the last few months, ONE Championship has signed some truly elite talent in Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Sage Northcutt and Vitor Belfort. Two of those fighters made their ONE Championship debuts at the recent ONE: A New Era card in Tokyo — and with very different results. Eddie Alvarez debuted first, and was knocked out by Russian juggernaut Timofey Nastyukhin in a jaw-dropping upset. Demetrious Johnson debuted next, submitting a game Yuya Wakamatsu in the second round.

Mike Straus - April 8, 2019

“The Immortal” Matt Brown has been in the MMA game for nearly 15 years, and the 38-year-old welterweight is showing few signs of slowing down. Although Brown hasn’t had a fight since smashing Diego Sanchez back at Fight Night 120 in November of 2017, the veteran of 24 Octagon appearances has been staying busy.

Tom Taylor - April 7, 2019

On March 31, at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, Bibiano Fernandes and Kevin Belingon met for what was expected to be a third and final time. Regrettably, this bout ended in controversy. Mid-way through the third round, Fernandes completed a takedown on Belingon. Belingon responded by unleashing a salvo of elbows, most of which seemed to land in the forbidden zone on the back and top of Fernandes’ head.

Tom Taylor - April 7, 2019

The first time Al Iaquinta met Khabib Nurmagomedov, in the last-minute main event of UFC 223, he had about 24 hours to prepare for the undefeated Russian juggernaut. While Iaquinta ultimately lost this fight by decision, he actually performed better than the vast majority of Nurmagomedov’s other opponents. Speaking on the latest episode of BJPENN.com Radio, Al Iaquinta explained why he’s so confident he could defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov in a rematch — particularly if the fight was preceded by an actual training camp this time around.