Exclusive MMA Interviews News

Tom Taylor - May 4, 2018

Back in January, in the co-main event of UFC 220, Swiss knockout artist Volkan Oezdemir failed to grab the UFC light heavyweight title from champ Daniel Cormier, succumbing to a meteor shower of second-round ground-strikes. Showing true championship spirit, however, Oezdemir has not been deterred by this failed title bid, and is determined to work his way back to a title shot in No Time at all.

Tom Taylor - May 4, 2018

At UFC 225, which goes down on June 9 in Chicago, Illinois, Colby Covington will step into the Octagon to battle former lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos for the interim welterweight belt.

Tom Taylor - May 2, 2018

When Gunnar Nelson was forced out of his UFC Liverpool co-main event showdown with Neil Magny, sixth-ranked UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal offered to step in and replace him. He only asked that this short-notice bout with Magny be contested at a 180-pound catchweight, as he wouldn’t be able to make the welterweight division’s 170-pound limit in time for the card. “My manager told me about [Nelson’s withdrawal,] and he was like ‘hey man, here’s your chance to smash Magny,’ cause he knows I don’t like Magny one bit,” Masvidal told BJPenn.com’s Jason Kindschy on Tuesday. “So he offered it to me, and he was like ‘what do you think?’ We’ll make it at a catchweight, cause I’m a little heavier right now.”

Tom Taylor - May 1, 2018

Late last week the UFC’s May 27 debut in Liverpool lost its compelling welterweight co-main event, as Iceland’s Gunnar Nelson was forced out of his fight with Neil Magny with an injury. The good news is that sixth-ranked UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal is angling to step in and replace Nelson, provided Magny agrees to 180-pound catchweight bout. Ariel Helwani was first to report Masvidal’s interest in this short-notice bout with Magny. Shortly thereafter, Masvidal spoke with BJPenn.com’s Jason Kindschy to update on this potential bout, and explain why he’s interested in stepping up.

Tom Taylor - April 19, 2018

Earlier this week, we learned that Hawaiian welterweight slugger Yancy Medeiros will return to the cage opposite a fellow action fighter in Mike Perry. The pair are scheduled to collide in the midst of International Fight Week, at UFC 226 on July 7.

Tom Taylor - April 19, 2018

All-action Hawaiian welterweight Yancy Medeiros, who battles Mike Perry at UFC 226 this July 7, is a close friend of welterweight legend Nick Diaz. Speaking on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio, Medeiros discussed the possibility of the elder Diaz brother returning to the Octagon after his four-year hiatus—and ultimately wound up telling a pretty funny Nick Diaz drinking story.

Tom Taylor - April 19, 2018

This Saturday, on the main card of the UFC’s stop in Atlantic City, New Jersey, red-hot heavyweight prospect Justin Willis will collide with all-action fan favorite Chase Sherman.

Tom Taylor - April 19, 2018

Earlier this month, Conor McGregor travelled to Brooklyn, New York for UFC 223, and promptly went ballistic. In a frantic search for Khabib Nurmagomedov, who had confronted his training partner Artem Lobov earlier in the week, the Irishman ran amok inside the UFC 223 host venue, ultimately throwing a dolly through the window of a shuttle bus carrying a number of fighters, and injuring two of them.

Tom Taylor - April 5, 2018

Snoop Dogg’s role as a commentator on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series was met with mixed reactions. Some members of the MMA community loved it. Others, meanwhile, hated the rapper’s inclusion on the show, particularly after he trashed UFC light heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier and unleashed a profanity-riddled tirade at Conor McGregor (see that below).

Tom Taylor - April 5, 2018

At UFC 224, which goes on on May 12 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Amanda Cooper will serve as the sophomore UFC opponent of highly hyped grappling star Mackenzie Dern.

Tom Taylor - April 5, 2018

By now, you’ve surely heard the news. Matt Brown has been forced out of his anticipated UFC Glendale scrap with Carlos Condit with an ACL injury, and replaced by Brazil’s Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira. 

Tom Taylor - April 4, 2018

On May 12, in the co-main event of UFC 224, Colby Covington will head down to Brazil to battle local hero Rafael dos Anjos for the interim welterweight title. As always, Covington is incredibly confident heading into this fight, and promises to dominate dos Anjos in front of his legions of Brazilian fans.

Chris Taylor - April 1, 2018

Exclusive | Benson Henderson’s plan going forward: “Finishes, finishes, finishes!” Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson (24-8 MMA) has had a rough start to his Bellator MMA carrer.

Chris Taylor - April 1, 2018

Exclusive | Jimmie Rivera believes former champ Cody Garbrandt is being protected by management UFC bantamweight contender Jimmie Rivera (21-1 MMA) will be looking to extend his current win streak to twenty-one in a row by scoring a victory over Marlon Moraes at June’s UFC Fight Night 131 event in Utica, New York.

Chris Taylor - April 1, 2018

Exclusive | Jorge Masvidal sends a strong message to Kamaru Usman! After putting together an impressive three fight win streak, which included stoppage victories over Jake Ellenberger and Donald Cerrone, Jorge Masvidal has since suffered back-to-back decision setbacks to former UFC welterweight title challengers Demian Maia and Stephen Thompson.

Chris Taylor - March 30, 2018

Exclusive | Jorge Masvidal plans to “take heads off” following “horrible fight” with Wonderboy Perennial UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal is working on some “new things” following most recent setback to former two-time title challenger Stephen Thompson at November’s UFC 217 event in New York.

Tom Taylor - March 30, 2018

On May 12, streaking UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington is expected to head south to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to battle former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 224. This setting of this fight is particularly interesting as Covington recently alienated the entire country of Brazil by calling it “a dump” and referring to its people as “filthy animals.”

Tom Taylor - March 29, 2018

Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto protege and current American Top Team staple Kyoji Horiguchi has long stood out as one of the best flyweights on earth. In late 2016, however, the one-time UFC flyweight title challenger left the UFC, and set up shop under the Rizin Fighting Federation banner in his native Japan.