MMA News
BREAKING | TJ Dillashaw relinquishes title after 'adverse' drug test finding
Tom Taylor - March 20, 2019
On Wednesday morning, UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw announced that the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) have discovered an adverse finding on one of his recent drug tests, and that he has decided to vacate the bantamweight throne as a result. TJ Dillashaw made this shocking announcement on Instagram.
ONE: A New Era Preview: Kairat Akhmetov vs Reece McLaren
BJPENN.COM Staff - March 20, 2019
Before the main card gets started at ONE: A NEW ERA in Japan on 31 March, there are a host of interesting preliminary bouts, many of which are quarter-final matches in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix. The winner of the tournament will get a title shot, so the stakes are high–even during the prelims.
Dana White: No punishment for Jorge Masvidal, disappointed in UFC staff
Drake Riggs - March 19, 2019
UFC London took place this past weekend and to say that it ended with a bang would be putting it mildly. Even after the main event concluded, the action didn’t quite stop. In said main event, ‘Gamebred’ Jorge Masvidal would return to the Octagon for the first time since November 2017 as he hoped to snap a two-fight losing streak against Darren Till. And that he would.
VIDEO | Kamaru Usman explains 'Marty from Nebraska' nickname
Drake Riggs - March 19, 2019
“[My high school wrestling coach] is reading the roll sheet calling names and he goes, ‘Kfam..Kamar… Who the? Who is this kid? Who the f*ck is this kid?'” Kamaru Usman shared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. “And I’m like, ‘That’s me, coach…’ That’s your name?! I’m like yeah, he’s like, ‘I’m not saying that!’ Cause my full name is Kamarudeen. He’s like, ‘I’m not gonna say that! Like, Kamardien, Kamardy… I’m gonna call you Marty,’ And I’m just like, ‘Yeah sure, coach…’ “I’m 5-foot-3, 100-pounds, I’m scared of this guy and I’m like sure. I mean, you’re a kid, you don’t care. You’re gonna have nicknames growing up. Now the whole team’s calling me Marty. I love that coach, he essentially changed the course of my life.
Derrick Lewis set to undergo surgery on four-year-old ACL tear
Drake Riggs - March 19, 2019
UFC Wichita marked the return of “The Black Beast” Derrick Lewis for the first time since his title-challenging effort in November 2018 against Daniel Cormier. Unfortunately for Lewis, his attempted rebound wouldn’t get the result that he wanted as his opponent, former champion, Junior Dos Santos would end up taking home the second round TKO victory.
ONE: A New Era Preview: Anthony Engelen vs Garry Tonon
BJPENN.COM Staff - March 19, 2019
Because of the strength of ONE: A NEW ERA’s main card, some of the tantalizing prelim bouts are getting overshadowed. One, in particular, is the battle between the Netherlands’ Anthony Engelen and American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Garry Tonon. The American has just begun his mixed martial arts career, but he has already become a fighter to watch.
Leon Edwards gives his side of Jorge Masvidal brawl
Tom Taylor - March 19, 2019
Shortly after last weekend’s UFC London card wrapped up, main event winner Jorge Masvidal and co-main event winner Leon Edwards got into a wild skirmish backstage. Masvidal has previously stated that, after Edwards began talking to trash to him, he approached the Brit with his hand behind his back. He says that Edwards then raised his fists, which sparked the skirmish.
Dana White confirms Colby Covington will get title shot before Jorge Masvidal
Tom Taylor - March 19, 2019
When Jorge Masvidal flattened Darren Till in the UFC London main event, he catapulted back into UFC welterweight title contention, and in the eyes of some fans, even usurped Colby Covington’s spot as the next man in line for Kamaru Usman. Speaking to Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday, UFC President Dana White cleared things up.
EXCLUSIVE | Alexander Volkanovski plans to send message to Max Holloway at UFC 237
Tom Taylor - March 19, 2019
UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is headed up to the lightweight division for an interim title fight with Dustin Poirier. While he’s stated that he hopes to return to the featherweight division and defend his belt thereafter, it’s not completely clear how things will actually unfold if he wins interim lightweight gold. Whatever the case, top featherweight contender Alexander Volkanovski wants Max Holloway to know that he still has work to do in the featherweight division.
Kamaru Usman vows to beat Colby Covington with 'the wrath of every immigrant in this country'
Tom Taylor - March 19, 2019
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington do not like each other. At all. The good news is that it sounds like they’ll get the chance to settle their differences in the cage very soon, and when that time comes, Kamaru Usman is promising some serious comeuppance.
Corey Anderson explains why he turned down Luke Rockhold matchup
James Lynch - March 19, 2019
Corey Anderson is still without an opponent “Overtime” appeared to have a fight in the works with Alexander Gustafsson, only to see Anthony Smith earn that matchup instead. Then, the #7 ranked light heavyweight was offered former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold at UFC 238 in June — yet he decided to decline.
VIDEO | Conor McGregor criticizes UFC commentator Joe Rogan
Mike Pendleton - March 19, 2019
Joe Rogan has one of the biggest platforms in the podcast industry for both fight fans and non-fight fans, but former UFC champion Conor McGregor doesn’t seem to be a huge fan of his fight commentary. During a Q&A session in Chicago, which was attended and filmed by BJPenn.com’s Mike Pendleton, McGregor was asked about potentially being a guest on Rogan’s podcast and said he’d be willing to do it but then went on to add that he wishes Rogan would call a fight the right way.
UFC President Dana White updates on Daniel Cormier vs. Brock Lesnar fight
Tom Taylor - March 19, 2019
During a recent interview with Megan Olivi, UFC President Dana White updated on the fighting future of Daniel Cormier, who initially planned to retire this month. White feels that Daniel Cormier didn’t want to retire nearly as much as the people around him wanted him to.
Conor McGregor eyeing rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov after 'dispute' in first fight
Mike Pendleton - March 19, 2019
It’s obvious that Conor McGregor is not going to stop chasing a rematch with current lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. It was at UFC 229 where Nurmagomedov defeated McGregor by fourth-round submission to improve his perfect record and retain his title. Following the fight, members of both McGregor and Nurmagomedov’s teams were involved in a post-fight melee which resulted in suspensions for multiple fighters. As rumors swirl around McGregor’s potential return, Nurmagomedov has said he will stay on the sidelines until his teammates are eligible to return later this fall.
EXCLUSIVE | Colby Covington on Ben Askren's win over Robbie Lawler: 'It seemed like the fix was in'
Cole Shelton - March 19, 2019
At UFC 235, Ben Askren made his highly-anticipated debut, when he took on Robbie Lawler. Askren, who is undefeated, was looking to show he is the best in the world. However, early on, ‘Funky’ was in a lot of trouble when Lawler slammed him on his head.
Conor McGregor says he'd accept co-main event slot if UFC gave him share in company
Mike Pendleton - March 18, 2019
Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor celebrated St. Patrick’s Day weekend by going on a promotional tour in the United States for his Proper 12 whiskey and while doing so, he took some time to update his fighting career. During his promotional stop in Chicago, McGregor spoke with fans for 30 minutes to discuss a wide variety of topics from rematches to fight negotiations and more.
VIDEO | Valentina Shevchenko responds to Jessica Eye's critique, 'she doesn't know what she's talking about'
Drake Riggs - March 18, 2019
Valentina Shevchenko can only laugh at Jessica Eye claiming she lacks the ability to "adjust" inside the Octagon Watch full episode of #TheMMAHour: https://t.co/mK7YcwExNr pic.twitter.com/8U9hjLsPVG
Rose Namajunas vs Jessica Andrade officially made UFC 237 main event
Drake Riggs - March 18, 2019
Upon the initial announcement of the next strawweight title fight which takes place at UFC 237, it was originally to be the co-main event. That is no longer the case. MMA Fighting has confirmed that the title bout between champion, Rose Namajunas and the challenger, Jessica Andrade is now set to headline the UFC’s return to Brazil on May 11.