MMA News

Harry Kettle - July 8, 2020

American Top Team coach Mike Brown has reacted to his positive COVID-19 test that will stop him from cornering Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night. The news broke yesterday that Brown, who has been a long-time coach and friend of Masvidal, will not be able to be by his side in what many believe to be the biggest fight of his mixed martial arts career.

Adam Martin - July 7, 2020

UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier says that Jorge Masvidal was in the gym training every day just in case the Kamaru Usman fight became available. Masvidal was set to fight Usman for the UFC welterweight championship in the main event of UFC 251 but the promotion had difficulties coming together on the financials and eventually gave the title shot to Gilbert Burns. But after Burns tested positive for COVID-19, the UFC and Masvidal made a last-minute move to strike a deal, and the UFC now has a megafight between Usman and Masvidal headlining this weekend’s pay-per-view event.

Cole Shelton - July 7, 2020

Henry Cejudo isn’t buying the hype surrounding Sean O’Malley. O’Malley is currently undefeated as a pro and coming off a highlight-reel knockout win over Eddie Wineland at UFC 250. Following the win, many fans were ready to match him up with Cody Garbrandt or other top fighters.

Cole Shelton - July 7, 2020

Jorge Masvidal is planning to end his fight with Kamaru Usman violently. Masvidal is taking this fight on just days notice but says that is plenty of time to beat up a “bum” like Usman. So, according to “Gamebred” he expects to baptize Usman to win the welterweight title.

Adam Martin - July 7, 2020

Former UFC middleweight contender Tim Kennedy slammed the “pathetic” fighter pay in the UFC saying that he “would have made more as a garbage truck driver.” After Paige VanZant said that she would have made more money working a normal job in the last six years rather than fighting in the UFC, Kennedy took to social media to agree with her. In a fiery message directed to the UFC, the veteran middleweight said that the money the UFC pays the fighters is “pathetic” and admitted he would have made more driving a garbage truck. Here’s what Kennedy wrote on his Twitter.

Adam Martin - July 7, 2020

A battle of top-five light heavyweights will headline a UFC event in September as Thiago Santos will make his return to the Octagon against Glover Teixeira. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto first reported the Santos vs. Teixeira matchup. It is set to take place on September 12 at a newly-revealed UFC event that as of right now has very few details about it, though we’re sure to find out more about this event soon.

Tom Taylor - July 7, 2020

According to a report from Brazilian MMA outlet Combate, two American Top Team coaches have tested positive for COVID-19. Combate reports that both Mike Brown and Gabriel de Oliveira have tested positive for the virus. The ATT coaches’ positive tests come just days after UFC bantamweight contender Pedro Munhoz, an American Top Team fighter, tested positive for the virus and was forced out of a July 15 fight with Frankie Edgar.

Adam Martin - July 7, 2020

A featherweight bout between top-15 bantamweight contenders Cody Stamann and Jimmie Rivera is the latest addition to the UFC Fight Island event on July 15. MMAFighting.com’s Mike Heck reported that the UFC has booked a featherweight bout between Stamann and Rivera for the July 15 card set for Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Both fighters will be competing up a weight class due to the short-notice nature of the book, as the fight takes place just a week from now.

Tom Taylor - July 7, 2020

Streaking UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards says he’s waiting for a crack at the winner of the UFC 251 main event. UFC 251 goes down on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi this Saturday. In the card’s headliner UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will attempt to defend his title against Jorge Masvidal, who replaced Gilbert Burns just six days’ ahead of the event.

Tom Taylor - July 7, 2020

No. 1 ranked UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns believes he could hand Nate Diaz a decisive loss in the Octagon, even if he’s infected with COVID-19. Burns was expected to challenge Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 251 this Saturday, but was regrettably forced out of the matchup when he tested positive for COVID-19. Burns was then replaced by Jorge Masvidal.

Tom Taylor - July 7, 2020

After six years competing in the UFC, Paige VanZant says she could have earned the same amount of money working a “regular job.” VanZant is days out from a fight with Amanda Ribas, which will open the UFC 251 main card this Saturday night. The fight marks the final obligation on her current UFC contract.

Tom Taylor - July 7, 2020

UFC President Dana White claims Colby Covington was never in consideration to replace Gilbert Burns against Kamaru Usman in the UFC 251 main event. Until last weekend, Usman, the UFC welterweight champion, was expected to defend his title against Burns at UFC 251. However, Burns then tested positive for COVID-19, thrusting the UFC into a desperate search for a replacement challenger for Usman.

Tom Taylor - July 7, 2020

UFC President Dana White says there will only be one title on the line when Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal collide in the UFC 251 main event. Masvidal is set to challenge Usman for the undisputed welterweight title in the headliner of the card, which will emanate from Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night. The winner of the bout will leave the island with the welterweight title in their luggage.

Adam Martin - July 7, 2020

UFC president Dana White called welterweight superstar Jorge Masvidal “absolutely brilliant” for sliding into the UFC 251 main event against Kamaru Usman. Usman was supposed to put the UFC welterweight title on the line against No. 1 contender Gilbert Burns, but when Burns tested positive for COVID-19 and fell off the card, Masvidal put his hand up and said he wanted to take the fight. The UFC spent all weekend getting the Usman vs. Masvidal fight done, and once the fighters tested negative for the coronavirus, the promotion officially announced the new main event of UFC 251.

Cole Shelton - July 7, 2020

The debut episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com is a stacked one ahead of UFC 251 and the debut of UFC Fight Island. Host Cole Shelton is first joined by UFC featherweight champion, Alex Volkanovski. Then, Volkan Oezdemir comes on, and the final guest is future UFC Hall of Famer and friend of the website, Frankie Edgar.

Mike Pendleton - July 7, 2020

The rivalry between UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman and his next challenger Jorge Masvidal will come to a head in the main event of UFC 251 this weekend. Yet the pair very nearly came face-to-face early at the fighter hotel this week. In the lead-up to the fight, the two fighters haven’t hidden their disdain for each other.

Tom Taylor - July 7, 2020

Former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo recently teased a “super legacy fight” with ONE Championship star Demetrious Johnson. Cejudo and Johnson have met twice previously. The pair first fought in 2019, when Johnson still held the UFC flyweight title in a vice grip. On that night, Johnson blew Cejudo away with a first-round TKO victory.

Harry Kettle - July 7, 2020

UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington has shared his prediction for UFC 251’s main event between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal. Ever since his loss to Usman in the main event of UFC 245, “Chaos” has been relentless in calling out many top challengers at 170 pounds—including Usman and Masvidal.