MMA News
PHOTO | Conor McGregor handed $50,000 bonus by Dana White in cash
Adam Martin - January 24, 2020
UFC superstar Conor McGregor was handed his $50,000 bonus for Performance of the Night at UFC 246 in cash by UFC president Dana White. McGregor needed just 40 seconds to knock out Donald Cerrone in the main event of UFC 246 to pick up his first win since a November 2016 TKO win over Eddie Alvarez. The UFC awarded McGregor a $50,000 bonus for the knockout win, joining Aleksei Oleinik, Carlos Diego Ferreira, Brian Kelleher, and Drew Dober as bonus winners.
Curtis Millender plans to make Moses Murrietta 'look like he doesn’t belong'
Cole Shelton - January 24, 2020
Curtis Millender is entering his fight at Bellator 238 fight against Moses Murrietta with a chip on his shoulder. Millender, who was recently released from the UFC, immediately reached out to Bellator to try and sign back with the promotion after fighting for them in 2015 and 2017.
UFC Raleigh weigh-in results: All fighters make weight
Adam Martin - January 24, 2020
The UFC Raleigh weigh-ins took place Friday morning and all 24 fighters on the card made weight for this Saturday night’s event. In the main event, heavyweight Curtis Blaydes tipped the scales at 248lbs. His opponent, former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, stepped onto the scales at 247lbs. Both men were well below the heavyweight non-title limit of 265lbs.
Leon Edwards says he is promised welterweight title shot with Tyron Woodley win
Adam Martin - January 24, 2020
UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards says he is promised a welterweight title shot with a win over Tyron Woodley at UFC London. Edwards is set to take on Woodley in a potential No. 1 contender’s fight at UFC London in March. UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman does not have an opponent booked yet, although Jorge Masvidal appears to have the fast track to the next title shot. According to Edwards himself, however, it could be he who ends up fighting Usman next.
Cris Cyborg looking to make history as MMA's first 'Grand Slam Champion'
Cole Shelton - January 24, 2020
Cris Cyborg knows she will go down as one of the greats but at Bellator 238 she can cement her legacy even more. In the main event, Cyborg is making her Bellator debut and taking on Julia Budd for the featherweight title. Should she win, she would become the first person to win belts in Strikeforce, Invicta, UFC, and Bellator. Or, as Cyborg calls it, a “Grand Slam Champion.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov burns Conor McGregor on social media
Tom Taylor - January 24, 2020
Shortly after Conor McGregor stopped Donald Cerrone in the welterweight main event of UFC 246, he proudly proclaimed himself the first UFC fighter to pick up knockout wins at welterweight, lightweight and featherweight. McGregor’s arch rival Khabib Nurmagomedov wants to remind him of another multi-divisional feat. Using an image posted to Twitter, Nurmagomedov not-so-subtly reminded fight fans that McGregor has also been submitted in three weight classes. The Irishman tapped out to Nate Diaz at welterweight, to Nurmagomedov at lightweight, and to Joe Duffy at featherweight.
Bellator 238 | Pro fighters make their picks for Julia Budd vs. Cris Cyborg title fight
Cole Shelton - January 24, 2020
In the main event of Bellator 238, Julia Budd is looking to defend her featherweight title against Cris Cyborg who’s making her promotional debut. Heading into the fight, Budd is a +325 underdog while the Brazilian is a -450 favorite. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the scrap. The pros believe this is a closer fight than the odds suggest but the majority are leaning towards Cyborg becoming the new champion.
Robert Whittaker dispels 'false rumors' surrounding UFC 248 withdrawal
Tom Taylor - January 24, 2020
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker was expected to return to the cage against Jared Cannonier at UFC 248, but was later forced out of this matchup with personal issues. While it was and still is unclear what kind of personal issues caused Whittaker to withdraw from the fight, UFC President Dana White caused a tidal wave of speculation when he appeared to get emotional discussing Whittaker’s situation.
Jorge Masvidal says he'll go 'f**k up' Kamaru Usman while he waits for Conor McGregor
Cole Shelton - January 23, 2020
Jorge Masvidal has made his intentions known. After “Gamebred” beat Nate Diaz at UFC 244 he said he wanted the biggest payday possible and many pointed to Conor McGregor. Yet, Masvidal believes the Irishman doesn’t actually want to fight him as evident by his post-fight speech at UFC 246.
VIDEO | Hear what Conor McGregor said to Donald Cerrone moments after stoppage
Tom Taylor - January 23, 2020
Moments after Conor McGregor defeated Donald Cerrone in the UFC 246 main event, he knelt down beside his bloodied foe to exchange a few words. “I love you Donald,” McGregor began.
VIDEO | Watch Conor McGregor train shoulder strikes years before ‘Cowboy’ fight
Adam Martin - January 23, 2020
Footage has been released of UFC superstar Conor McGregor training shoulder strikes with former UFC fighter Cathal Pendred years ago. McGregor used shoulder strikes in his main event fight at UFC 246 against Donald Cerrone in the bout’s opening seconds and badly hurt “Cowboy” with them. After kicking Cerrone right in the chin with a high kick, McGregor was able to pummel Cerrone with punches on the mat and finish him for a 40-second TKO win in his long-awaited return to the Octagon.
Team Khabib Nurmagomedov promises special rules fight with Floyd Mayweather
Tom Taylor - January 23, 2020
UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team are currently focused on a lightweight title fight with top contender Tony Ferguson, but once that’s over, they’re hoping for a fight with undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. According to the Nurmagomedov patriarch Abdulmanap, the hope is for a special rules bout with Mayweather: 11 rounds contested under boxing rules, and a lone, 12th round contested under the full MMA rule-set.
Paige VanZant withdraws from fight with Amanda Ribas
Tom Taylor - January 23, 2020
The tough breaks just keep coming for Paige VanZant. After over a year on the shelf due to a series of unfortunate injuries, VanZant was expected to return to the cage opposite Amanda Ribas at UFC Brasilia on March 14.
Manager hails Conor McGregor as 'the biggest thing in combat sports'
Tom Taylor - January 23, 2020
Audie Attar, the manager behind former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor, believes his star client is “the biggest thing in combat sports.” Attar made this comment in a recent interview with MMA Fighting.
UFC Raleigh Betting Odds Analysis
Adam Martin - January 23, 2020
This is the second in a series of new articles here on BJPenn.com in 2020 analyzing the betting odds for all UFC events. The second event of the year is UFC Raleigh. Note: All odds based on current odds at BestFightOdds.com. This article is for entertainment purposes only. Never bet what you can’t afford.
Curtis Millender says Michael Page has turned him down multiple times, can't wait to 'slap' MVP
Cole Shelton - January 23, 2020
Curtis Millender says he’s been offered a fight with Michael Page numerous times, yet “MVP” has never accepted the fight. Millender is set to return to action against Moses Murrietta at Bellator 238 in his first fight since being released from the UFC. Yet he is not fighting a big name like Michael Page, which he says is because MVP has been ducking him.
Suicide Girls model Micol di Segni to compete for AFL title
Alfredo Zullino - January 23, 2020
One of Italy’s top female mixed martial artists is set to compete for Ansgar Fighting League gold as Micol di Segni will lock horns with Elizabeth Rodrigues on March 14 in Spain. Di Segni (7-3 MMA 0-0 AFL), a Dana White Contender Series alum and a Brave Combat Federation and Cage Warriors veteran, will battle for the belt in the co-main event of AFL Valkyries, a women-only mixed martial arts event hosted by the Spain-based promotion.
MMA community roasts Stephen A. Smith over pad work video
Harry Kettle - January 23, 2020
The mixed martial arts community has taken to social media in order to roast Stephen A. Smith following footage being released of him hitting the pads. Smith has been slowly but surely making his way over into the world of MMA over the last year or so as a direct result of ESPN’s growing relationship with the UFC. However, despite what many would think are his ‘best intentions’, he has been rubbing some fans the wrong way.