MMA News
Li Jingliang: The world is ready to see China's power
Natasha Hooper - September 2, 2019
Chinese welterweight fighter Li Jingliang represented his nation with an impressive victory at UFC Shenzhen on Saturday. Jingliang met streaking Brazilian contender Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in the card’s co-main event, and derailed dos Santos’ momentum via TKO with just 9 seconds left in the final round.
PHOTO | Nate Diaz is already back in training following win over Anthony Pettis
Natasha Hooper - September 2, 2019
Nate Diaz is seemingly back to business. In a recent Instagram post, Diaz showed that he is already back in the gym, grinding for his next challenge.
UFC parent company paid Pride CEO $10 million to leave MMA
Natasha Hooper - September 2, 2019
Documents unearthed in the anti-trust lawsuit against the UFC’s parent company, Zuffa LLC, have revealed that Pride CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara was paid $10 million to leave the MMA business for seven years (via Jason Cruz on Twitter). If you are interested in following Friday's #UFCHearings, check out @heynottheface and @MMAanalytics timeline. I'm sure you are already. Also, I'm compiling expert reports and other filings on my Scribd: https://t.co/jyBzH9KKOu
Bi Nguyen forges through heartache, pain to deliver
BJPENN.COM Staff - September 2, 2019
Each and every time Bi Nguyen steps inside the ring the goal is the same: deliver as much punishment as possible. Nguyen will look to do just that — and honor her family — when she makes her ONE Super Series debut in Vietnam on Friday, 6 September at ONE: Immortal Triumph against Puja Tomar in a Muay Thai contest. The event takes place inside the Phu Tho Indoor Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City.
Weili Zhang receives praise from Dwayne Johnson, Tom Brady, other stars
Thomas Taylor - September 1, 2019
In just 42 seconds, Weili Zhang captured the UFC strawweight title, became the first Chinese champion in UFC history, and became one of the brightest young stars in MMA. In fact, her abrupt TKO victory over the former champion Jessica Andrade was so impressive that it earned praise from a number of huge celebrities from outside the MMA bubble — and from many inside it.
Dustin Poirier believes a win over Khabib Nurmagomedov will make him the best lightweight of all-time
Cole Shelton - September 1, 2019
Dustin Poirier knows what a win over Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 would do for his career. Poirier, who is the current interim lightweight champion, will look to hand Nurmagomedov his first career loss. If he does just that, the American says it is the best run in lightweight history.
Colby Covington shares harsh assessment of Tyron Woodley's place in the welterweight division
Chris Taylor - September 1, 2019
Colby Covington believes he should be a 3-1 betting favorite in his upcoming title fight with current UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. ‘Chaos’ is expected to meet ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden on November 2 at UFC 244.
PHOTO | Henry Cejudo is in Abu Dhabi for UFC 242
Adam D Martin - September 1, 2019
UFC bantamweight and flyweight champion Henry Cejudo is in Abu Dhabi ahead of this coming weekend’s UFC 242 megacard. The card is headlined by a lightweight title bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier, and Cejudo will be in attendance for the festivities.
PHOTO | Flyweight Kai Kara-France hints at bigger things ahead after UFC Shenzhen
Adam D Martin - September 1, 2019
UFC flyweight contender Kai Kara-France hinted at bigger things ahead following his win at UFC Shenzhen, posing for a picture after the event with UFC president Dana White. Kara-France defeated Mark de la Rosa via unanimous decision in an entertaining flyweight scrap on the main card to improve his UFC record to 3-0. The 26-year-old native of New Zealand improved to 20-7, 1 NC in his MMA career, and he’s currently riding an impressive eight-fight win streak overall. The UFC matchmakers seem very high on the young Kiwi.
Dustin Poirier's coach says he will finish Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242
Adam D Martin - September 1, 2019
Dustin Poirier’s coach is confident that “The Diamond” will finish Khabib Nurmagomedov when they meet next Saturday in Abu Dhabi at UFC 242. Phil Daru, the strength and conditioning coach at American Top Team, recently appeared on an episode of the Pull No Punches podcast with Kajan Johnson and Shakiel Mahjouri. Daru believes Poirier is going to earn an upset stoppage win over Nurmagomedov, and he believes that Poirier’s conditioning will be the difference in the outcome (h/t Bloody Elbow).
Frank Mir says Roy Nelson rematch will not be an exciting fight for the fans
Adam D Martin - September 1, 2019
Frank Mir is scheduled to fight his friend Roy Nelson in a rematch this October in Bellator, and he admits that fans may not find the fight to be entertaining. The former UFC heavyweight champion Mir previously fought Nelson at UFC 130 in 2011, and he now rematches his fellow Las Vegas native in the main event of Bellator 231 this October. Mir says that stylistically this isn’t going to be a fight that excites fans, and he didn’t want Bellator to book this fight.
Khabib Nurmagomedov admits the end is near: “I don’t have a lot of fights ahead”
Adam D Martin - September 1, 2019
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov says that he only has a few fights left in his career before he retires from MMA. “The Eagle” was recently on a conference call promoting UFC 242 and was asked how many fights left he has in his career. He says he doesn’t plan on hanging up his gloves just yet, but admits the time is coming soon.
Weili Zhang tells Henry Cejudo 'welcome to the female division'
Adam D Martin - September 1, 2019
New UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang welcomed men’s flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo to the women’s divisions in a comical social media post. Cejudo has been calling out female fighters for the last month, with Valentina Shevchenko, Germaine de Randamie and now Zhang all getting called out on social media by “Triple C.” Zhang saw that Cejudo called her out and responded to him.
Ronda Rousey praises Weili Zhang for title win at UFC Shenzhen
Adam D Martin - September 1, 2019
Women’s MMA trailblazer Ronda Rousey offered praise for the performance of new UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang in the main event of UFC China. The long-time UFC women’s bantamweight champion took to her Instagram to post a congratulatory message to Zhang, who needed just 42 seconds to finish Jessica Andrade and become the new champ at 115lbs.
PHOTO | Jon Jones and Colby Covington party together in college
Christopher Taylor - August 31, 2019
UFC standouts Jon Jones and Colby Covington have butted heads in recent years, but they used to be friends and roommates in college. Since bunking together in school, both ‘Bones’ and ‘Chaos’ have gone on to have extremely succesful mixed martial arts careers.
Khabib Nurmagomedov says it is "Only Tony Ferguson, or nothing" following UFC 242
Chris Taylor - August 31, 2019
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier can agree on one thing, and that is Tony Ferguson should be the next in line for a UFC lightweight title shot. ‘The Eagle’ and ‘The Diamond’ are set to square off in the main event of UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi on September 7.
VIDEO | Watch Artem Lobov tear up the dance floor at a friends weddding!
Chris Taylor - August 31, 2019
Move over Paige VanZant, there is a new mixed martial arts fighter taking the dance world by storm and his name is Artem Lobov. Yes your read that correctly, ‘The Russian Hammer’ recently showed off his fancy footwork during a friends wedding in Italy.
VIDEO | Former UFC champ Luke Rockhold goes toe-to-toe with Montana Bull
Chris Taylor - August 31, 2019
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold (16-5 MMA) could have a career in bull riding when he decides to hang up the gloves. Rockhold was recently in Montana where had the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with a bull.