MMA News
Paulo Costa reacts after securing title shot against Israel Adesanya at UFC 253
Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020
Paulo Costa will get his first opportunity to fight for UFC gold when he squares off with middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 253. Following an initial report from Combate, BJPENN.com confirmed with sources that Costa will in fact square off with Adesanya at the September 19 pay-per-view event.
Confirmed | Paulo Costa vs. Israel Adesanya middleweight title bout set for UFC 253
Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020
It appears fight fans will finally get to see undefeated middleweights Paulo Costa and Israel Adesanya throw down inside of the Octagon. Initially, it looked like the highly anticipated title fight might occur in late 2019. Unfortunately, that plan was derailed by a Costa bicep injury, and Adesanya ultimately accepted a title defense against Yoel Romero in March instead.
UFC Fight Island 2: 'Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2' Live Results and Highlights
Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020
The Octagon remains on Yas Island for tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 event, a twelve-bout fight card headlined by a rematch between Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez. The flyweight standouts, Figueiredo and Benavidez, will once again collide for the promotions vacant 125lbs title this evening.
Ben Askren names the one dream opponent he wanted to fight outside his weight class
Adam Martin - July 17, 2020
Former UFC welterweight star Ben Askren named Khabib Nurmagomedov as the one dream opponent he wanted outside of his normal weight class of 170lbs. Askren retired from MMA last year after compiling a 19-2, 1 NC record from 2009 to 2019. A former champion in Bellator and ONE Championship, Askren joined the UFC in a game-breaking trade for pound-for-pound great Demetrious Johnson in 2018. The journey to the UFC didn’t go as planned for Askren, who suffered back-to-back stoppage losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia before deciding to hang up his gloves at age 34. He cited the need for a hip replacement as one of the reasons why he decided to retire.
Kamaru Usman gets lengthy medical suspension following win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 251
Cole Shelton - July 17, 2020
Kamaru Usman may be forced to be on the sidelines longer than originally anticipated. At UFC 251 on Fight Island, Usman defended his welterweight title against Jorge Masvidal by decision. The champion clearly won four rounds, where many thought he won all five. Usman also didn’t take much damage but he has been handed a 180-day medical suspension.
Dana White responds after Dan Hooker calls out Tony Ferguson
Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020
UFC President Dana White has responded to Dan Hooker calling for a showdown with former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson. Hooker last fought in late June, when he lost a decision to Dustin Poirier in a 2020 Fight of the Year contender. Since that setback, he’s expressed interest in fights with Charles Oliveira and Tony Ferguson.
Jimmie Rivera on Petr Yan winning UFC bantamweight title: “It irks me”
Harry Kettle - July 17, 2020
UFC bantamweight contender Jimmie Rivera has given his thoughts on Petr Yan capturing the UFC Bantamweight Championship at UFC 251. Rivera made a return to winning ways on Wednesday night when he beat Cody Stamann in a short notice featherweight showdown on Fight Island. While the 31-year-old did admit that the win wasn’t his best performance, it did help him break a two-fight losing streak – with one of those defeats coming against the aforementioned Yan at UFC 238 in June 2019.
Giga Chikadze vs. Alex Caceres slated for August 8
Alfredo Zullino - July 17, 2020
A featherweight scrap between Georgia’s Giga Chikadze (10-2 MMA; 3-0 UFC) and Alex Caceres (16-12 MMA; 11-10-1 NC UFC) is in the works for August 8; sources with knowledge of the situation told BJPENN.com. The former Glory kickboxer Chikadze made his UFC debut less than a year ago, in September 2019, and since then he racked up a perfect record of 3 victories and no losses, triumphing over Brandon Davis, Jamall Emmers and Irwin Rivera. All of these wins came by decision.
Gilbert Burns will get next shot at Kamaru Usman, Dana White confirms
Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020
UFC President Dana White has confirmed that No. 1 welterweight contender Gilbert Burns will get the next crack at the division’s champ Kamaru Usman. Usman and Burns were expected to fight in the main event of UFC 251 last weekend, but the fight was nixed when Burns tested positive for COVID-19. Burns was then replaced by Jorge Masvidal, who Usman defeated by unanimous decision.
Paige VanZant responds to Dana White's comments, updates on free agency goals
Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020
UFC flyweight contender Paige VanZant is officially a free agent, and will begin discussing the next phase of her career with the UFC and any other interested promotions. VanZant fulfilled the final obligation of her latest UFC contract at UFC 251, where she took on the streaking Amanda Ribas. Unfortunately for the fan favorite and her legions of supporters, this fight didn’t go as she planned, as she was submitted in the first round.
Nate Diaz will "definitely" fight again, says Dana White
Adam Martin - July 17, 2020
UFC president Dana White says that welterweight superstar Nate Diaz will “definitely” fight again inside the Octagon, though he doesn’t know when exactly. Diaz is one of the biggest superstars in the UFC but he hasn’t fought since November 2019 when he lost via TKO (doctor stoppage) to Jorge Masvidal in a battle for the first-ever UFC BMF title. There have been rumblings of a potential rematch between Diaz and Masvidal, as well as a potential trilogy fight between Diaz and rival Conor McGregor, but so far nothing has been booked and the Stockton native continues to sit on the sidelines.
Pro fighters make their picks for Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez 2 title fight
Cole Shelton - July 17, 2020
In the main event of UFC Fight Island 2, Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez are having an immediate rematch for the vacant flyweight title. Heading into the fight, the Brazilian, Figueiredo, is a -225 favorite while the American is a +175 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The majority of the fighters believe Benavidez will finally become a UFC champion and beat Figueiredo in the rematch.
Colby Covington: "The UFC hates me and they hold a grudge against me"
Adam Martin - July 17, 2020
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington believes he hasn’t been booked for another fight yet because the UFC “hates” him and holds a “grudge” against him. Covington hasn’t fought since UFC 245 last December when he suffered a fifth-round TKO loss to Kamaru Usman in the last round of their epic welterweight title fight. Since then, Covington has remained on the sidelines without an opponent, though a week doesn’t go by where he isn’t busy calling one of the top contenders at 170lbs out.
Dana White: It's "not tough" to give Max Holloway a third fight with Volkanovski
Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020
UFC President Dana White believes there’s cause for a third fight between Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski. Holloway and Volkanovski have fought twice previously.
Kelvin Gastelum in a “good place” ahead of UFC Fight Island after battling “some demons”
Harry Kettle - July 17, 2020
UFC middleweight Kelvin Gastelum believes he is in a good place heading into his UFC Fight Island showdown with Jack Hermansson. In early 2019 there was a whole lot of momentum behind The Ultimate Fighter 17 winner after he beat Michael Bisping and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in back-to-back fights. Unfortunately for him, since then, he’s been on a two-fight skid after losing an epic encounter against Israel Adesanya before falling to a split decision loss against rising contender Darren Till.
UFC on ESPN+ 30 weigh-in results: Flyweight title fight official
Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020
On Saturday night, the UFC will return our screens with UFC on ESPN+ 30, the promotion’s third event in the span of a week. In the card’s main event, Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez will collide for the vacant flyweight title. The pair met earlier this year with the same prize on the line, but no champion was crowned, as Figueiredo missed weight, making him ineligible to win the title, and then won the fight via TKO. The hope is that both fighters will make weight and battle to a more decisive end this weekend.
Khamzat Chimaev says he wants to fight Nate Diaz, Mike Perry, or Robbie Lawler next
Adam Martin - July 16, 2020
UFC welterweight prospect Khamzat Chimaev says he wants to fight Nate Diaz, Mike Perry, or Robbie Lawler next as he works his way up the 170lbs ladder. Chimaev had a UFC debut for the ages when he absolutely smoked John Phillips at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 13 card in Abu Dhabi. Chimaev took Phillips down right away and beat him up so badly that one judge even scored the first round 10-7 in his favor, one of the rarest scorecards in all of MMA. In the second round, Chimaev made quick work of Phillips and submitted him with a brutal D’arce choke to pick up his first UFC win.
Kelvin Gastelum says he has "never wanted a rematch any more" than he does with Darren Till
Cole Shelton - July 16, 2020
Kelvin Gastelum wants to run things back with Darren Till. In the co-main event of UFC 244 last November, Gastelum was looking to get back into the win column when he welcomed Till to the middleweight division. It was a very intriguing matchup where it was the Englishman in Till who edged out a split decision.