MMA News
UFC 249 medical suspensions: Justin Gaethje gets clean bill of health
Harry Kettle - May 12, 2020
UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje has received a clean bill of health following the release of the UFC 249 medical suspensions. Gaethje put on the performance of a lifetime this past Saturday night as he outworked Tony Ferguson in a dominant main event in Jacksonville, Florida.
Betting odds released for potential Conor McGregor vs. Justin Gaethje fight
Harry Kettle - May 12, 2020
Betonline.ag has released early odds for a potential Conor McGregor vs. Justin Gaethje showdown following UFC 249 this past weekend. Gaethje now appears to be in line for a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov after capturing the Interim Lightweight Championship in Jacksonville, Florida following a dominant win over Tony Ferguson.
Report | UFC 249 draws big pay-per-view numbers amid pandemic
Natasha Hooper - May 12, 2020
In the face of adversity, UFC 249 turned out to be a pay-per-view success. The original UFC 249 event faced many challenges. The fight card was originally scheduled for April 18 before being pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic. The lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was set to headline the main event against Tony Ferguson also withdrew over travel restrictions and his commitment to Ramadan. Also, middleweight star Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza was dropped from the card after testing positive for COVID-19.
Nate Diaz chimes in on Twitter feud between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov
Christopher Taylor - May 12, 2020
Nate Diaz has shared his thoughts on the recent online feud between bitter rivals Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. The former two-division champion, McGregor, made headlines yesterday when he blasted numerous lightweights on social media. Among the victims of McGregor’s verbal assault were Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor continue to trade shots on social media
Cole Shelton - May 11, 2020
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor’s rivalry is alive and well. Earlier on Monday, McGregor took to social media and in several tweets took shots at the champ, Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, and Dustin Poirier. Immediately, it caught the attention of the MMA world and the fighters involved. But, Nurmagomedov and the Irishman have continued to trade shots at one another since the initial rant.
Dominick Cruz confirms he will fight again following loss at UFC 249
Cole Shelton - May 11, 2020
Dominick Cruz will fight again after his UFC 249 loss to Henry Cejudo for the bantamweight title. Cruz returned after a three and a half year layoff due to multiple injuries to get a chance to reclaim his title. Yet, he came up short as he suffered a controversial second-round TKO loss.
GSP shares his list of the best fighters in history
Adam Martin - May 11, 2020
Georges St-Pierre was announced this week to be the latest addition to the UFC Hall of Fame, and now GSP has shared his list of the best MMA fighters ever. GSP was revealed at UFC 249 to be the latest entry in the UFC Hall of Fame after an amazing career that saw him capture both the UFC welterweight and middleweight titles. St-Pierre had a 20-2 record fighting in the Octagon and went undefeated between 2007 and 2017 while fighting the best fighters in the world at 170lbs and 185lbs.
A.J. McKee sends message to Patricio Pitbull: "Let me get in there and whip your ass for this 145 pound belt"
Cole Shelton - May 11, 2020
A.J. McKee is not a fan of Patricio Pitbull. McKee and Pitbull are currently competing in the featherweight grand prix, where the undefeated contender in McKee predicts they will meet in the finals. Once there, McKee is confident he will not only beat the Brazilian, but finish him badly.
Ali Abdelaziz says Conor McGregor "had his chance" to fight Justin Gaethje already but picked an easier fight
Cole Shelton - May 11, 2020
Ali Abdelaziz says Conor McGregor will not be fighting Justin Gaethje next. In the main event of UFC 249, Gaethje TKO’d Tony Ferguson in the fifth round to win the interim lightweight title. The win sets up a showdown with the undisputed champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov later this year.
Dustin Poirier responds to Conor McGregor Twitter rant
Natasha Hooper - May 11, 2020
Dustin Poirier has fired back at Conor McGregor for his post-UFC 249 Twitter rant. Justin Gaethje filled in as a short-notice replacement for lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC 249 on May 9. Despite having a lack of time to prepare, “The Highlight” used his striking accuracy to seal the TKO victory against Ferguson in the fifth round.
What's next for the stars of UFC 249?
Cole Shelton - May 11, 2020
Dana White had been adamant the UFC would be the first sports organization back from the COVID-19 pandemic and he was right. UFC 249 went down this weekend, where the main event saw Tony Ferguson battle Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title. The co-main event saw Henry Cejudo look to defend his bantamweight belt against Dominick Cruz. In the end, it was Gaethje who pulled off the betting upset as he TKO’d Ferguson in the fifth round. The co-main also saw surprised many as Cejudo TKO’d Cruz in the second round and then proceeded to retire from the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.
Conor McGregor vows to "butcher" Gaethje, unloads on Ferguson, Nurmagomedov and Poirier
Tom Taylor - May 11, 2020
Conor McGregor has some choice words for his lightweight rivals Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier. McGregor targeted his fellow lightweights on Twitter on Monday afternoon, just days after Gaethje defeated Ferguson to capture the interim lightweight title at UFC 249.
VIDEO | Tony Ferguson dances in the hospital one day after Gaethje loss
Tom Taylor - May 11, 2020
Tony Ferguson experienced a tough, TKO loss to Justin Gaethje in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 249 card. Despite the nature of this loss, Ferguson seems to be in good spirits. Just one day after his defeat, he was already dancing around in his hospital room. See it below:
PHOTO | Anthony Johnson slims down to 236lbs, stars "mini camp" for UFC return
Tom Taylor - May 11, 2020
Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Johnson is in the process of slimming down for his widely anticipated return to the Octagon. Speaking on his official Instagram account over the weekend, Johnson announced that he’s gotten his weight down to 236lbs, and that he’s beginning a “mini camp” in preparation for his UFC comeback.
Greg Hardy could hear "everything" Daniel Cormier said during UFC 249 fight
Tom Taylor - May 11, 2020
Greg Hardy enjoyed the experience of fighting in an empty arena last weekend, because it meant he could hear everything the cage-side commentators were saying—and one of those commentators happened to be former two-division champ Daniel Cormier. Hardy took on Yorgan De Castro in the main card opener of last Saturday’s UFC 249 event in Jacksonville, Florida. Early in the fight, Hardy ate a procession of damaging leg kicks from his foe, but when he heard Cormier suggest he should start checking kicks, he adjusting accordingly, and ended up winning the fight by decision.
Kelvin Gastelum tests positive for marijuana, receives second USADA suspension
Tom Taylor - May 11, 2020
UFC middleweight contender Kelvin Gastelum has received a suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after testing positive for marijuana. This is the second time Gastelum has tested positive for the substance. The drug test in question was administered after Gastelum’s UFC 244 loss to Darren Till. Gastelum was originally handed a nine-month suspension for this failed test, retroactive to November 3, but that term was later reduced by four months.
Tyron Woodley vs. Gilbert Burns opening odds released
Adam Martin - May 11, 2020
The opening betting odds have been released for the upcoming bout between former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns. Combate last week reported that Woodly vs. Burns is set to headline the UFC Fight Night card on May 23, which is rumored to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC has not officially announced the bout yet but UFC president Dana White told the media last week that this is the fight the promotion wants to book, so it’s just a matter of making things official now.
VIDEO | Georges St-Pierre had a priceless reaction to UFC Hall of Fame induction
Tom Taylor - May 11, 2020
Over the weekend, during the UFC 249 broadcast, it was announced that Georges St-Pierre will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Not long after this announcement was made, the UFC shared footage of GSP’s first reaction to the news of his Hall of Fame induction. It’s worth a watch.