MMA News

Adam D Martin - July 19, 2020

The bonus awards have been handed out for UFC Fight Island 2, and Ariane Lipski won $50,000 for her incredible kneebar submission win over Luana Carolina. The women’s flyweight contender Lipski was one of four fighters who earned the coveted $50,000 bonuses following the event. In addition to Lipski, new UFC men’s flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo won a bonus for his insane first-round stoppage win over Joseph Benavidez. As well, lightweights Rafael Fiziev and Marc Diakiese won $50,000 each for “Fight of the Night” for their incredible striking battle on the main card.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

UFC President Dana White was very impressed by Deiveson Figueiredo’s title-earning victory over Joseph Benavidez this evening. In the main event of UFC Fight Island 2, Figueiredo and Benavidez collided for a second time with the promotions vacant flyweight title on the line.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

Joseph Benavidez received another shot at UFC gold when he squared off with Deiveson Figueiredo in tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 headliner. The bout marked Benavidez’s fourth career shot at UFC flyweight gold, this after coming up short in his three previous attempts to Demetrious Johnson (x2) and the aforementioned Figueiredo.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

Kelvin Gastelum was looking to snap a two-fight losing skid when he squared off with Jack Hermansson in the co-headliner of tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 event. Unfortunately for The Ultimate Fighter Season 17 winner, things did not go as planned in his bout with ‘The Joker’ this evening. After Hermansson shot in for a takedown, Gastelum was able to hit a beautiful reversal that put the powerful Swede on his back. However, Hermansson quickly rolled for a heel hook submission and was able to secure the hold. After a quick crank, Kelvin Gastelum had no choice but to tapout.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez once again squared off for the promotions vacant flyweight title at tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 event. The flyweight standouts, Figueiredo and Benavidez, had first met at February’s event in Virginia, with the Brazilian emerging victorious by way of TKO shortly following an accidental headbutt.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez will once again throw down for the promotions vacant flyweight title at tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 event. The flyweight standouts, Figueiredo and Benavidez first met this past February in Virginia, with the Brazilian emerging victorious by way of TKO shortly following an accidental headbutt.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

Tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 co-main event featured a key middleweight bout between perennial division contenders Kelvin Gastelum and Jack Hermansson. Gastelum (15-5 MMA) was looking to snap a two-fight losing skid when he squared off with ‘The Joker’ this evening. In his most previous effort at November’s UFC 244 event, ‘KG’ wound up on the wrong end of a split-decision against Darren Till.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

The co-main event of UFC Fight Island 2 features a key middleweight bout between perennial division contenders Kelvin Gastelum and Jack Hermansson. Gastelum (15-5 MMA) will be looking to snap a two-fight losing skid when he battles ‘The Joker’ this evening. In his most recent effort at November’s UFC 244 event, Kelvin wound up on the wrong end of a split-decision against former welterweight title challenger Darren Till.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.