MMA News
Valentina Shevchenko overtakes Conor McGregor in UFC P4P rankings
Natasha Hooper - September 25, 2019
The women’s flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko surpassed Conor McGregor in the UFC’s official pound-for-pound rankings. The rankings were updated following Saturday’s UFC Mexico card, which was topped by a featherweight fight between Jeremy Stephens and Yair Rodriguez.
Aljamain Sterling has surgery, forced to withdraw from rumored Frankie Edgar fight
Cole Shelton - September 24, 2019
Aljamain Sterling will not be fighting at UFC 244 in Madison Square Garden against Frankie Edgar as initially expected. Sterling recently took to Instagram to announce he has undergone wrist surgery, and because of that, he has withdrawn from the rumored Frankie Edgar fight.
Manager claims Urijah Faber has re-retired after turning down Petr Yan fight
Cole Shelton - September 24, 2019
It appears that Urijah Faber has once again decided to hang up the gloves. The UFC Hall of Famer ended his two-and-a-half-year retirement in July when he returned at UFC Sacramento and TKO’d Ricky Simon. Following the win, Urijah Faber wanted something big and called for a title shot against Henry Cejudo. However, that never came to fruition and he was offered a fight against a surging contender in Petr Yan.
PHOTO | UFC Copenhagen gets LEGO inspired poster
Adam Martin - September 24, 2019
The UFC has partnered with LEGO to create a very memorable poster for this weekend’s UFC Copenhagen event at Royal Arena. Check out the poster for this weekend’s middleweight fight between Jack Hermansson and Jared Cannonier below. From the UFC’s Twitter account:
VIDEO | Jeremy Stephens and Yair Rodriguez nearly brawl at hotel, use anti-gay slurs
Tom Taylor - September 24, 2019
Yesterday, we heard all about a near-brawl between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens. This confrontation was said to have occurred at the fighter hotel in Mexico City, shortly after the pair’s UFC Mexico fight ended in a No Contest due to an inadvertent eye-poke. Now, we’ve got video of the incident. See it below (via TMZ).
Lyoto Machida plans KO of Gegard Mousasi, then Bellator title win
Cole Shelton - September 24, 2019
Lyoto Machida has planned out the rest of 2019 and the beginnings of 2020. In the co-main event of Bellator 228, the former UFC light heavyweight champion Machida is taking on Gegard Mousasi. This middleweight fight is a rematch of their 2014 fight, which Machida won by decision.
Artem Lobov willing to rematch Paulie Malignaggi in boxing
Tom Taylor - September 24, 2019
Earlier this year, arch enemies Artem Lobov and Paulie Malignaggi stepped through the ropes to battle in a bare knuckle boxing match. In the end, the mixed martial arts veteran Lobov won this fight by decision, although the former boxing champ Malignaggi — and a good portion of viewers — felt the judges got it wrong. Given the controversy surrounding this fight, and the lingering beef between the two stars, Lobov says he’s willing to rematch Malignaggi in the boxing ring. The Russian-born Irishman suggested the fight could occur on the undercard of the upcoming rematch between YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, which will air on DAZN on November 9.
Khabib Nurmagomedov says there's an 80% chance his next fight will be in Russia
Tom Taylor - September 24, 2019
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is a massive star in his native Russia. The champ has become such a big star in his homeland that he believes the UFC will most likely promote his next fight on Russian soil.
Jeremy Stephens buries Yair Rodriguez: 'I’ve never been cut from the UFC for not taking fights'
Tom Taylor - September 24, 2019
Jeremy Stephens wants a rematch with Yair Rodriguez after their UFC Mexico showdown was derailed by an inadvertent eye poke. “Let’s run it back,” Stephens told MMA Fighting. “That’s what I was telling him. Bring it. I’m in shape, you’re in shape, we both spent money, we both lost money on this, now it’s a check raise. Now, more eyes are on the show. Come over and we do this on American soil, and let’s see how they treat you over here. Bring it on.”
Stipe Miocic meets, trains with Croatian President
Tom Taylor - September 24, 2019
UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is a proud Croatian-American. Just over a month after he reclaimed the title from Daniel Cormier at UFC 241, he was visited in Cleveland by Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, who is on a diplomatic visit to the United States. Miocic detailed this meeting on his social media channels.
UFC Mexico medical suspensions: Jeremy Stephens facing long sit
Tom Taylor - September 24, 2019
On Saturday, the UFC returned to our screens with the aptly titled UFC Mexico card out of Mexico City, Mexico. The card was topped by a dynamite featherweight matchup between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens. Regrettably, this bout ended in disaster.
ONE Championship launches ONE Fantasy martial arts game
Tom Taylor - September 24, 2019
Release — ONE Championship has just announced the launch of ONE Fantasy, the world’s largest martial arts game. It will be available to Android and iOS users via the ONE Super App. Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “We are extremely excited to announce the launch of ONE Fantasy, the world’s largest martial arts game, for our millions of fans so that they can showcase their deep knowledge and skills about our ONE Championship athletes, and martial arts in general. Delighting our fans is at the core of what we do and we will continue to find ways to engage with fans and bring them closer to our ONE Championship athletes – both in and out of the Circle.”
The Korean Zombie vs. Brian Ortega headlines UFC South Korea
Adam Martin - September 23, 2019
A matchup between two of the most exciting featherweights in the game is official as “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung takes on Brian Ortega in the main event of UFC South Korea. The event takes place December 21 at Sajik Arena in Busan, South Korean. It’s the UFC’s final card of 2019.
John Kavanagh wants Conor McGregor's return fight to be against Frankie Edgar
Cole Shelton - September 23, 2019
John Kavanagh hopes Conor McGregor’s return fight will be against Frankie Edgar. Conor McGregor has been hinting at a return to the Octagon for a while, but has had his sights set on a Khabib Nurmagomedov rematch.
Jorge Masvidal responds to Nate Diaz saying he's not a West Coast Gangster
Mike Pendleton - September 23, 2019
In his most recent and infamous callout, Nate Diaz called for a fight against Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal and referred to him as one of the very few “gangsters” left in the UFC, and while crediting his future opponent, Diaz also pointed out that Masvidal was not a “West Coast Gangster”. Since the callout, no one has asked Jorge Masvidal about the “West Coast Gangster” comment even when both fighters were across from each other, but during the most recent UFC event in Mexico City, Masvidal finally responded.
Daniel Cormier confirms he will fight one more time, targets UFC 245
Mike Pendleton - September 23, 2019
Former UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier is coming back for one more fight. In an interview with Ariel Helwani of ESPNESPN, Cormier said he will be returning to the Octagon for the final fight of his career. That final fight, according to Cormier, will be a trilogy fight against Stipe Miocic who won the heavyweight title back from Cormier with a fourth-round victory over Cormier at UFC 241.
Jeremy Stephens details post-fight confrontation with Yair Rodriguez at hotel
Tom Taylor - September 23, 2019
Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens were supposed to fight in the main event of UFC Mexico last Saturday. Unfortunately, they barely got the chance. Instead, Rodriguez inadvertently raked Stephens’ eye just seconds into the fight, and when Stephens couldn’t continue after five minutes, the fight was called off.
Stephen Thompson says Jorge Masvidal's comeback is 'inspirational'
Fernando Quiles Jr. - September 23, 2019
Stephen Thompson is taking inspiration from Jorge Masvidal. Back in Nov. 2017, Thompson and Masvidal did battle inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. “Wonderboy” defeated “Gamebred” via unanimous decision. Few could’ve predicted that two years later, Masvidal would return to the same building to headline in one of the most highly-anticipated welterweight bouts in recent memory against Nate Diaz.