MMA News
Dana White addresses UFC strawweight title picture, praises Weili Zhang
Chris Taylor - August 31, 2019
UFC President Dana White heaped praise at the newly crowned UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang during today’s post-fight press conference in Shenzhen. Zhang defeated Jessica Andrade in just 42-seconds (watch that here) to capture the promotions coveted 115-pound title in today’s headliner. In doing so, Weili became the first Chinese champion in UFC history and also extended her current win streak to twenty in a row.
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.
Paulo Costa's manager says he won't move to 205lbs
Adam Martin - August 31, 2019
Despite a recommendation from the California State Athletic Commission to move up in weight, Paulo Costa’s manager says he won’t be moving up to 205lbs. Wallid Ismail, the colorful manager and interpreter for Costa and several other Brazilian MMA stars, told MMAFighting.com that Costa will stay at 185lbs.
Weili Zhang is willing to fight Henry Cejudo... if he gets a sex change
Chris Taylor - August 31, 2019
Weili Zhang (20-1 MMA) captured the UFC’s women’s strawweight title earlier today in China, defeating Jessica Andrade via first round TKO. Zhang needed only 42-seconds to dethrone Andrade, this after landing some brutal knees and elbows from the clinch before eventually putting the Brazilian away with punches.
MMA Community reacts to Weili Zhang stopping Jessica Andrade
Chris Taylor - August 31, 2019
The UFC’s strawweight title was up for grabs today in Shenzhen, China, as Jessica Andrade put her belt on the line against Weili Zhang. Andrade (20-7 MMA) had captured the promotions strawweight title at May’s UFC 237 event by knocking out former champ Rose Namajunas with a body slam.
UFC Shenzhen Results: Weili Zhang KO's Jessica Andrade (VIDEO)
Chris Taylor - August 31, 2019
Jessica Andrade put her UFC strawweight title on the line against Weili Zhang in the headliner of tonight’s UFC Shenzhen event. The Brazilian had captured the belt earlier this summer at UFC 237, when she infamously knocked out Rose Namajunas by slamming her on the Octagon canvas.
Jessica Andrade explains why Weili Zhang is a tougher fight than Rose Namajunas
Cole Shelton - August 30, 2019
Jessica Andrade believes Weili Zhang is a tougher opponent when compared to Rose Namajunas. The Brazilian champion is set for her first title defense when she takes on the Chinese challenger in Zhang. Andrade had won the belt when she infamously knocked out Namajunas by slamming her on her head at UFC 237.
Khabib Nurmagomedov explains why Dustin Poirier is 'much better' than Conor McGregor
Thomas Taylor - August 30, 2019
Next weekend, in the main event of UFC 242, Khabib Nurmagomedov will attempt to defend his lightweight title opposite interim champion Dustin Poirier. While this fight is not generating the same kind of buzz as Nurmagomedov’s 2018 battle with Conor McGregor, the champ considers it a much more dangerous fight. Nurmagomedov shared his belief that Poirier is a more dangerous test than McGregor on Friday’s UFC 242 media conference call.
UFC Shenzhen loses main card fight
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
UFC Shenzhen has lost one of its main card fights at the eleventh hour. Lu Zhenghong has been forced out of his featherweight battle with Movsar Evloev due a cut. The cut was sustained earlier this week, and it did not heal fast enough to allow him to fight. This Zhenghong vs. Evloev bout has been replaced on the main card by a welterweight bout between between Song Kenan and Derrick Krantz.
Khabib Nurmagomedov willing to fight Georges St-Pierre in Montreal
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has been angling for a fight with former UFC welterweight and middleweight champ Georges St-Pierre for a long time. Even now that St-Pierre is retired, the lightweight champ remains interested in the matchup. He’d even be willing to accept the fight on St-Pierre’s home turf in Montreal.
Andrea Lee fighting for a lot more than title contention at UFC 242
Mike Heck - August 30, 2019
Andrea Lee has put herself in a position where a title shot is getting closer and closer. She will look to take a big step in that direction next Saturday night when she faces Joanne Calderwood at UFC 242. The event will take place at The Arena, Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and the women’s flyweight matchup will be the featured preliminary bout.
Junior dos Santos says trilogy fight between Stipe Miocic & Daniel Cormier doesn't make sense
Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 30, 2019
Junior dos Santos isn’t sold on a potential trilogy bout between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier. Miocic and Cormier are coming off their UFC 241 rematch earlier this month. While Cormier knocked out Miocic in their first encounter, Miocic got his revenge with a fourth-round TKO in the rematch to reclaim the heavyweight gold. With the pair tied at 1-1 and Cormier being up on all scorecards before being stopped, many believe a third bout makes sense should “DC” choose to stick around.
Mairbek Taisumov confident he'll soon be fighting ranked opponents on US soil
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
Mairbek Taisumov has won his last six fights — five of them via knockout. Under ordinary circumstances, the Russian-Austrian lightweight would have earned a ranked opponent by now. Yet his situation has been anything but normal. Despite his incredible success in the UFC lightweight division, Taisumov has been hindered by a litany of issues unrelated to fighting — most notably a longstanding difficulty obtaining a United States visa, and more recently, a United States Anti-Doping Agency suspension due to a tainted dietary supplement.
Cain Velasquez believes Daniel Cormier wants Stipe Miocic trilogy
Adam Martin - August 30, 2019
Cain Velasquez believes his close friend and teammate Daniel Cormier would like to fight at least one more time and have a trilogy fight against Stipe Miocic. The former UFC heavyweight champion Velasquez recently spoke to MMAjunkie.com and said he believes DC wants to fight Miocic for a third time and attempt to re-claim the heavyweight belt he recently lost at UFC 241.
Chael Sonnen to Jon Jones: 'I'd rather see you type lines than snort them'
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
Chael Sonnen often mentions Jon Jones on his podcast. Unfortunately, he feels his comments on Jones are occasionally taken out of context, which prompts Jones to fire back on Twitter. According to Sonnen, however, the silver lining is that Jones is better off trash talking on Twitter than getting into trouble outside the cage.
Dominick Cruz responds to Henry Cejudo callout
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
Earlier this week, UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo called for a showdown with the former champion Dominick Cruz — a man he considers an “easy” fight. A public service announcement from Triple C. “Tune up fight” @DominickCruz @danawhite pic.twitter.com/hkUnnz8xaD
UFC Shenzhen weigh-in results: one misses weight
Cole Shelton - August 29, 2019
The UFC heads to Shenzhen, China on Saturday, Aug. 31 for the first time in promotional history for UFC Shenzhen. In the main event, Jessica Andrade looks to defend her strawweight title when she takes on Weili Zhang. The co-main event of the card features a key welterweight contest as Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos takes on Li Jingliang.