MMA News

Adam Martin - April 6, 2020

A heavyweight bout between top contenders Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik is the latest addition to the revamped UFC 249 card. Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik was originally set to take place at UFC Columbus in the main event before that card was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both men have been campaigning to appear on the new UFC 249 card and it appears they will now get their wish. According to Rozestruik, the fight will indeed take place at UFC 249. It won’t be for the interim heavyweight belt like Rozenstruik suggested, but it has been booked nonetheless.

Adam Martin - April 6, 2020

Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley says that Colby Covington turned down a fight against him for the fifth time at UFC 249. There is no love lost between Woodley and Covington, as they have been talking smack to each other for the better part of two years now. The two have been connected to a fight multiple times in the past but for whatever reason, it’s never been booked.

Cole Shelton - April 6, 2020

Greg Hardy and Yorgan De Castro will indeed fight, but it will now happen at UFC 249. Hardy and De Castro were expected to fight at UFC Columbus, yet that was one of the three promotional events postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, sources tell BJPENN.com that Hardy and de Castro will be on this month’s new UFC 249 card at a location to be announced.

Natasha Hooper - April 6, 2020

Ben Askren has poked fun at Paige VanZant for giving her number out to fans on social media. The women’s top flyweight has been hitting headlines this week. She posted a series of partially covered nude photos with her husband and fellow MMA fighter, Austin Vanderford to social media. The 26-year old also gave her number out online to interact with fans. However, she revealed that she received unsolicited “d*ck pics,” that quickly ruined the fun.

Tom Taylor - April 6, 2020

It’s official. Justin Gaethje will fight Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC 249 on April 18. Fighting a juggernaut like Ferguson on less than two weeks’ notice amid a pandemic when neither adequate training nor the fight itself can be guaranteed is certainly a risky move.

Tom Taylor - April 6, 2020

Tony Ferguson will officially battle Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 249 on April 18. Both fighters have signed their contracts for the fight. The pair will collide for the interim lightweight title in the card’s main event. UFC President Dana White announced this news on Twitter on Monday.

Mike Pendleton - April 6, 2020

Looking to improve both her personal and professional life, UFC flyweight Jessica Eye packed up and moved to Las Vegas in February of 2019. Shortly following that move she would find herself fighting for the UFC flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko. Although her bid for championship gold didn’t go as planned, Eye was just getting started with her new team at Xtreme Couture. In an interview with BJPENN.com, Eye discussed her move to Xtreme Couture and Las Vegas, after spending years with StrongStyle gym in Cleveland, Ohio, home of reigning heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic. With the decision to move to Xtreme Couture and Las Vegas, Eye feels she’s done what is best for her in personal life as well as her fighting career.

Tom Taylor - April 6, 2020

Renowned MMA coach Ray Longo is hoping that UFC President Dana White will bite the bullet and cancel a few of the promotion’s upcoming shows amid the coronavirus pandemic. There are several arguments for the UFC canceling its upcoming events. One of the issues Longo sees is that, with almost all gyms closed, fighters are not able to make adequate preparations for their fights — if those fights even end up happening.

Adam Martin - April 6, 2020

UFC middleweight contender Darren Till believes MMA fighters are underpaid and suggests that the UFC and Reebok should increase fighter pay. Till recently did a Q&A session on his YouTube and spoke about the topic of fighter pay. Here’s what he said (via MMAFighting.com).

Adam Martin - April 6, 2020

UFC light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson recently explained how his famous hospital photo with Jon Jones after UFC 165 came to be. Jones and Gustafsson fought tooth-and-nail in an absolute classic in the main event of UFC 165. At the time Jones was running through everyone in his path and few believed Gustafsson would be able to give the champ a run for his money. But Gustafsson took Jones to deep waters and came closer to beating him than anyone else at that time, ultimately losing a unanimous decision in the best fight of 2013.

Tom Taylor - April 6, 2020

Anthony Smith believes his former opponent, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, will continue to find trouble outside the cage until he decides to make some real changes. Smith shared his take on Jones’ ongoing personal issues, which most recently manifested in the form of a DWI arrest, during a recent interview with MMA Fighting.

Cole Shelton - April 6, 2020

Mike Winkeljohn believes we may be seeing 20-plus fights on a UFC event to make up for the postponed events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the coronavirus shutting down the sports world, the UFC was forced to postpone three events and the status of the upcoming cards is unknown. But, Dana White has been adamant that all fighters will get three fights in.

Adam Martin - April 6, 2020

Bellator welterweight Erick Silva and his family were infected with the coronavirus but they are all recovering well now and in quarantine. Combate reported that the 35-year-old Silva, his 23-year-old wife Isabela, his five-month-old son Carlos and his 10-year-old son Kalleu were all infected with the coronavirus. In addition, Silva’s 26-year-old sister-in-law Carol and her in-laws, 58-year-old Arilton and 52-year-old Jo, were also infected with the coronavirus. Thankfully, they discovered they had it relatively early and all are now in quarantine and expected to make full recovery.

Natasha Hooper - April 6, 2020

Rafael dos Anjos has revealed how an infrared sauna caused his whole body to overheat during weight cutting for his last fight against Michael Chiesa. Many MMA fighters have experienced weight cutting related mishaps. That includes the former lightweight champion and UFC veteran “RDA”. The Brazilian explained how cutting weight hampered his UFC Raleigh performance in a recent interview with MMA Junkie.

Harry Kettle - April 6, 2020

Belarus has emerged as a potential plan B for the UFC when it comes to hosting future events for the promotion. The last few weeks haven’t been great for the UFC, with the promotion being forced to postpone or outright cancel a string of events as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Tom Taylor - April 6, 2020

The UFC is reportedly very close to locking down a location for UFC 249. On Monday morning ESPN reported that the promotion is closing in on a potential location for the event. ESPN’s report didn’t reveal that location, but pointed to the West Coast of the United States, and specified that “tribal land” — which is outside the jurisdiction of state athletic commissions — is a likely possibility.

Harry Kettle - April 6, 2020

WWE WrestleMania 36 is in the books after two nights of intense action at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. For the first time ever, WWE split WrestleMania into two nights with nine scheduled bouts on each card. While the atmosphere wasn’t the same as a result of the events being behind closed doors, we still saw some big moments in what could prove to be one of the last shows WWE puts on for quite some time.

Christopher Taylor - April 5, 2020

UFC standout Paige VanZant and her husband Austin Vanderford have developed a new hobby during the Covid-19 quarantine and that is taking “artistic” nude photos. VanZant, who is a staple of the UFC flyweight and strawweight divisions, and Vanderford, who is a rising star in the Bellator middleweight division, started by training together naked in the garage of their home.