MMA News

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.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - July 7, 2020

Head coach Javier Mendez anticipates a healthier Daniel Cormier to go to war with Stipe Miocic in the trilogy bout. UFC heavyweight champion Miocic and Cormier are scheduled to collide a third time on Aug. 15. The title bout is set to headline UFC 252 in Las Vegas. Cormier insists that this will be the last bout of his pro MMA career win or lose.

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

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.

Cole Shelton - July 7, 2020

Alex Volkanovski didn’t think Max Holloway would want to run things back right away. At UFC 245, Volkanovski beat Holloway to become the new featherweight champion. After the event, there was talk of an immediate rematch, but the Aussie admits he didn’t think the Hawaiian in Holloway would take it.

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.

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.

Natasha Hooper - July 7, 2020

Georges St-Pierre believes there are only three types of people in combat sports and he recently explained what sets those types apart. The former UFC welterweight champion retired from the sport in 2019 but is still regarded as one of the greatest MMA athletes of all time. He is also celebrated for his thoughtful and philosophical approach, both inside and outside the cage. Now St-Pierre is sharing his knowledge bombs with fans.

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. 

Harry Kettle - July 7, 2020

UFC veteran Frankie Edgar has reacted to the news that Pedro Munhoz is out of their scheduled co-main event on next weekend’s Fight Island card. Edgar hasn’t had the best of luck when it comes to fights of his falling apart, and the same has happened here less than two weeks before he was set to make his debut in the bantamweight division.

Harry Kettle - July 6, 2020

UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski looks to be in the best shape of his career ahead of his rematch against Max Holloway on Saturday night. The popular Australian is set to defend the UFC Featherweight Championship against the former king of the division after winning it from Holloway himself back at UFC 245 in December 2019.

Cole Shelton - July 6, 2020

Gilbert Burns believes Jorge Masvidal will make the welterweight division like a circus if he becomes the champion. In the main event of UFC 251, Usman is looking to defend his belt against Masvidal. The fight was booked on just six days’ notice after Burns tested positive for COVID-19.

Adam Martin - July 6, 2020

UFC women’s strawweight star Claudia Gadelha will return to the Octagon in September when she takes on Yan Xiaonan at a newly-revealed UFC event in Las Vegas. Gadelha vs. Xiaonan was first revealed by Combate. The fight is set to take place on September 26 at a yet-to-be-announced UFC card in Vegas. It is so far the first fight to be announced for this new event. It is not yet known if this card will be a numbered event or a Fight Night, but with UFC 253 set to take place on September 19, it stands to reason that Gadelha vs. Xiaonan will be part of a Fight Night event.

Adam Martin - July 6, 2020

UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns says he’s already “feeling better” after being infected by COVID-19, which knocked him out of UFC 251. Burns was set to fight Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight championship in the main event of UFC 251 on Fight Island, but late Friday night it was revealed that Burns tested positive and was removed from the card. The UFC worked hard all weekend to find a replacement opponent for Usman, and in the end, they were able to strike a deal with Masvidal. Usman vs. Masvidal is now official and will headline UFC 251.

Cole Shelton - July 6, 2020

Pedro Munhoz has tested positive for COVID-19 and his fight against Frankie Edgar is cancelled. Journalist, Raul Lopez was first to report the news, which was later confirmed by ESPN’s Ariel Helwani.