Exclusive MMA Interviews News

Tom Taylor - November 6, 2018

At ONE: HEART OF THE LION, which goes down on November 9 in Singapore, five-time EBI Grappling Champion Garry Tonon will look to improve to 3-0 in the mixed martial arts arena as he takes on South Korea’s Sung Jong Lee. Tonon, as always, has done his research heading in to this fight. And having reviewed Lee’s tape, he feels there’s a good chance the South Korean will actually try to drag the fight to the mat — something that many other fighters would likely to find unthinkable, given Tonon’s incredible submission ability. Lee has submitted three of his six opponents (all with heel hooks), and Tonon believes he might look to do the same in Singapore.

Drake Riggs - November 5, 2018

The welterweight division has always been one of the most stacked divisions in all of MMA. In 2018, Vicente Luque continues to help show why. At UFC 229 on October 6, Luque added yet another highlight to his already very impressive highlight reel with a first-round knockout of Jalin Turner.

Tom Taylor - November 4, 2018

ONE Championship heavyweight kingpin Brandon Vera is once again set to defend his title. The Filipino-American striking specialist will do so on November 23 in Manila, The Philippines, where he will battle Cage Warriors heavyweight champion Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli. Given the skill of his upcoming opponent, Brandon Vera knows that victory is not a certainty. What he is certain of, however, is that the bout will be thrilling, and that it could end at any second. For that reason, he urges his fans to save their bathroom breaks for after the fight.

Tom Taylor - November 4, 2018

It’s been awhile since we’ve seen UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal in the cage, but he’s been staying plenty busy outside of it. Masvidal just wrapped up a stint on a Spanish reality television show called Exatlón Estados Unidos.

Tom Taylor - October 26, 2018

If former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson does indeed migrate to ONE Championship as expected, he’ll receive a warm welcome from two familiar faces. His long-time head coach Matt Hume is ONE Championship’s Vice President of Operations, while Bibiano Fernandes, arguably the most crucial training partner of his illustrious career, is the promotion’s reigning bantamweight champion. Bibiano Fernandes, who has become one of ONE Championship’s biggest stars, believes that Demetrious Johnson would be a perfect fit for the promotion. ONE, Fernandes reminds, places far more value on performances than it does on things like trash talk and showmanship.

Christopher Taylor - October 25, 2018

Current ONE Championship bantamweight kingpin Bibiano Fernandes and former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson are longtime friends and training partners. With that said, it is unlikely fight fans will ever see “The Flash” and “Mighty Mouse” throw down inside the ONE Championship cage.

Christopher Taylor - October 25, 2018

Cain Velasquez (14-2 MMA) is considered by many to be the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time. The former UFC heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez, has not competed inside the octagon since July of 2016, where he defeated Travis Browne via first-round TKO at UFC 200.

Cole Shelton - October 25, 2018

Canadian lightweight John Makdessi has called the UFC home for years. He has been fighting for the promotion since 2010. Since he joined the UFC, however, the top Canadian fighter in the Octagon was always Georges St-Pierre. Now that St-Pierre is competing so much less, Makdessi believes the UFC is really trying to push him as the next big Canadian fighter. He has fought inside the Octagon 15 times, and 10 of them has been fights in Canada.

Tom Taylor - October 24, 2018

It’s no secret that UFC welterweight contender Siyar Bahadurzada hits hard. The 13 knockout victories on his record are all the proof of that fact that’s required. If you’re still not convinced of the Afghan-born Dutchman’s punching power, however, just ask legendary JacksonWink MMA coach Greg Jackson for his thoughts on the matter. Speaking on episode 102 of BJPENN.COM Radio, Siyar Bahadurzada divulged that Greg Jackson has referred to him as the hardest hitter he’s ever worked with.

Tom Taylor - October 24, 2018

ONE heavyweight champion Brandon Vera has not defended his title since December of 2016, when he authored a devastating knockout of Japan’s Hideki Sekine. The reason for his long absence since then is not due to injury or illness, but to a budding film career in The Philippines. “It’s been my calculated choice,” Brandon Vera said of his layoff on episode 102 of BJPENN.COM Radio. “When I say calculated choice, I asked permission before I went away for so long, from everyone, so that I could shoot a movie in the Philippines. It was called BuyBust. It was a huge action film from The Philippines, shown all over the world. It was a really good project. Even if I had to do it all over again, I would. The time versus sacrifice, yeah, it was definitely worth it. It was an experience.”

Cole Shelton - October 23, 2018

Amanda ‘ABC’ Cooper is ready to get back to her winning ways. Cooper got her start in the UFC by competing on season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter. She would win her way to the finals before losing to Tatiana Suarez. Also on that season was Cooper’s next opponent, Ashley Yoder. The fight will take place at UFC Denver on November 10.

Tom Taylor - October 23, 2018

ONE middleweight and light heavyweight champion Aung La N Sang is a hero to the people of Myanmar. When he fights in the country — as he has in his last four bouts — it has the feeling of a national event. The Burmese champion draws nationwide media attention and unfailingly packs Yangon’s Thuwunna Indoor Stadium to the rafters. His next fight, which will pit him against the undefeated Mohammad Karaki in the main event of ONE: Pursuit of Greatness this Friday, will be no different.

Tom Taylor - October 23, 2018

Juan Adams, an undefeated heavyweight prospect who earned a UFC contract with a knockout of Shawn Teed on a July episode of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, is extremely confident. While he is still yet to partake in his UFC debut, a December 15 scrap with Chris De La Rocha, he already feels like he can beat any heavyweight on the UFC roster — with the exception of three men. In Juan Adams’ eyes, the only UFC heavyweights that he’d struggle against currently are Curtis Blaydes, Alistair Overeem, and reigning champ Daniel Cormier. The hulking prospect broke it down on episode 102 of BJPENN.COM Radio.

Cole Shelton - October 22, 2018

At UFC 229, rising light heavyweight talent Dominick Reyes took on a perennial light heavyweight contender in Ovince Saint Preux. Reyes entered the UFC after going 6-0 in smaller promotions. When he reached the UFC, the winning ways continued. The former college football player finished his first three UFC fights in the first round — two by knockout and one by submission. After this success, the versatile Reyes wanted a bigger name and at UFC 229 he got his wish. Against Saint Preux, Dominick Reyes would be tested, but a win promised to carry his career to new heights.

Tom Taylor - October 22, 2018

Earlier this month, on the main card of UFC 229, undefeated light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes picked up the biggest victory of his career thus far, dominating former interim title challenger Ovince Saint Preux to a unanimous decision triumph. With this impressive triumph, Dominick Reyes usurped the number-six spot in the UFC light heavyweight rankings. Having done so, he can now look forward to scraps with the division’s very best fighters.

Tom Taylor - October 22, 2018

The first time Filipino knockout artist Kevin Belingon met Bibiano Fernandes in the ONE Championship cage, things didn’t go the way he planned. Instead, he was submitted by the dominating ONE bantamweight champion in the very first round. On November 9, at ONE: Heart of the Lion in Singapore, Kevin Belingon, who now wears the ONE interim bantamweight belt, will have a second chance to topple the seemingly unstoppable Bibiano Fernandes. This time around, he’s confident he can pull it off. A lot has changed since their first fight, after all.

Tom Taylor - October 22, 2018

Brandon Vera has been a ONE Championship fighter since 2014. In the years since he joined the ONE Championship roster, he’s fought in his ancestral homeland of The Philippines, become one of the promotion’s biggest stars, and even captured its heavyweight title. To say Brandon Vera has enjoyed his time with ONE would be understatement. Speaking on episode 102 of BJPENN.COM Radio, Vera heaped praised on the Asian MMA powerhouse.

Tom Taylor - October 22, 2018

Siyar Bahadurzada has not fought since April, when he crumpled Luan Chagas with a kick to the body and a followup punch. He’s hoping that changes soon. The Afghan-born Dutchman, who is currently riding a three-fight win-streak, is hoping to welcome the long-absent Jorge Masvidal back to the Octagon, perhaps at UFC 232 on December 29.