MMA News

Adam Martin - December 4, 2019

Long-time UFC veteran Diego Sanchez has re-signed a new contract with the world’s leading MMA promotion after briefly testing free agency. The UFC announced Wednesday that Sanchez has signed a new deal with the company and he will take on showman Michel Pereira in a welterweight bout at UFC Fight Night 167. The event takes place on February 15 at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

Tom Taylor - December 4, 2019

Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo has fought current UFC featherweight champ Max Holloway and top featherweight contender Alexander Volkanovski. As such, he has unique insight into the pair’s upcoming featherweight title fight, which is scheduled for the co-main event of UFC 245 on December 14. Aldo believes that, when the cage door closes on Holloway and Volkanovski on December 14, the champion will probably retain his title due to his size, skill and durability. That said, he acknowledges Volkanovski could win the fight.

Adam Martin - December 4, 2019

The UFC has targeted an intriguing middleweight bout between Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier as well as an exciting light heavyweight matchup between Johnny Walker and Nikita Krylov. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani revealed the news on his Twitter.

Cole Shelton - December 4, 2019

Yana Kunitskaya is looking to put Aspen Ladd on losing streak for the first time in her career. On the main card of the UFC’s imminent return to Washington D.C., Ladd is returning after the quick 16-second knockout loss to Germaine de Randamie in July. Kunitskaya believes that fight proved Ladd is beatable and she is confident she will make it two losses in a row.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 4, 2019

Michael Bisping sees Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson pulling in big pay-per-view numbers for the UFC. Nurmagomedov is scheduled to put his UFC lightweight title on the line against Ferguson on April 18 in Brooklyn, NY. Fight fans are crossing their fingers as this matchup has been booked several times in the past but to no avail. Injuries and illnesses on both sides have prevented the bout from happening.

Harry Kettle - December 4, 2019

Chael Sonnen has taken a look on the brighter side of Tony Ferguson’s entertaining interview on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.  Ferguson came out swinging during the interview with Helwani in one of his first public chats since it was confirmed that he’d be facing Khabib Nurmagomedov on April 18 for the UFC Lightweight Championship. This is the fifth time that this fight has been booked, but for multiple reasons, it has never quite come to fruition.

Adam Martin - December 4, 2019

Former UFC lightweight title challenger Gray Maynard has been released by the UFC after spending over 12 years with the promotion. MMAjunkie.com first reported that Maynard and the UFC had parted ways.

Tom Taylor - December 4, 2019

At UFC 245, which will go down on December 14 in Las Vegas, former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo will debut in the bantamweight division against a fellow Brazilian in Marlon Moraes. Given that Aldo was always a pretty big featherweight — and that he’s struggled to make the featherweight limit of 145 pounds previously — many fans are worried he’ll struggle to make the 136-pound limit for his bantamweight fight with Moraes. Some fans flatly believe he’ll fail to hit that mark.

Adam Martin - December 4, 2019

UFC welterweight superstar Jorge Masvidal will make his mixed martial arts commentary debut this Saturday at Combate: Hidalgo. The main event of Combate: Hidalgo features former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz against rival Alberto Del Rio. Masvidal is set to commentate the fight alongside play-by-play commentator Max Bretos and UFC women’s bantamweight contender Julianna Pena. The event takes place this Saturday night at Payne Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. It’s by far the biggest event in the history of Combate Americas and airs live on pay-per-view.

Natasha Hooper - December 4, 2019

Colby Covington has shown little regard for those he offends with his trash-talking antics, and the family members of the deceased Blackzilians founder Glenn Robinson are no exception. Ahead of his upcoming UFC 245 title fight with Kamaru Usman, Covington took aim at the late Glenn Robinson who unfortunately died in 2018 of a suspected heart attack. Robinson was the man behind Blackzilians, the former training home of Usman.

Tom Taylor - December 4, 2019

Chael Sonnen has always held Conor McGregor in high regard. Yet Sonnen’s latest comments about McGregor show just how impressed he has been with the Irishman over the years. He says McGregor’s 2016 knockout victory over Eddie Alvarez was perhaps the greatest fighting talent he’s ever witnessed.

Tom Taylor - December 4, 2019

Justin Gaethje was one of several fighters hoping to welcome former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor back to the Octagon. Unfortunately for him, that lucrative and high-profile opportunity went to Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone — a man Gaethje defeated in August. Unsurprisingly, Gaethje is not particularly pleased with the way things have shaken out. Currently without an opponent, but eager to stake his claim to a title shot, he sounded off on this McGregor vs. Cerrone matchup during an appearance on MMA on SiriusXM.

Natasha Hooper - December 4, 2019

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Daniel Cormier recently had a light-hearted argument over former two-division champion Conor McGregor. Training out of American Kickboxing Academy, the two UFC stars have become good friends in recent years. But, that doesn’t stop Cormier from speaking highly of fighters outside of the AKA walls — even those Nurmagomedov doesn’t like.

Harry Kettle - December 4, 2019

Before making his presence known as “The Last Stylebender”, Israel Adesanya actually went by a very different title. Adesanya has been all over the mixed martial arts world in the last few months following his monumental triumph over Robert Whittaker back at UFC 243. He made a statement in the main event of that card in Melbourne, finishing Whittaker within two rounds to become the UFC Middleweight Champion.

Natasha Hooper - December 4, 2019

MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz wants fighters to careful in their dealings with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Abdelaziz is the CEO of Dominance MMA. The company is responsible for a roster of MMA talent including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Frankie Edgar, Kamaru Usman, and Henry Cejudo (to name a few).

BJPENN.COM Staff - December 4, 2019

Ever since Ryuto Sawada stepped into the ONE Championship ring last year, he has claimed nothing but victories. Sawada won all three of his matches since his promotional debut. Now, Sawada is aiming to continue his winning streak against South African Bokang Masunyane at ONE: Mark of Greatness. The two go head-to-head at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 6 December.

Mike Pendleton - December 3, 2019

Former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony “Lionheart” Smith hasn’t been inside the Octagon since defeating Alexander Gustafsson in June of 2019, but there could be a return on the horizon for him. Hosting his weekly show MMA Tonight on Sirius XM’s Fight Nation, Smith discussed his looming return to the Octagon and how he could have good news within the coming weeks.

Adam Martin - December 3, 2019

UFC heavyweight contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik plans to call out Francis Ngannou if he beats Alistair Overeem this weekend in the main event of UFC Washington, D.C. Rozenstruik filled in on short notice for Walt Harris and is set to take on by far the biggest challenge of his MMA when he faces Overeem this weekend. Though Rozenstruik still needs to get by Overeem, he’s already thinking about who he wants to call out if he wins the fight, and that callout will be directed towards Ngannou.