MMA News
Carlos Condit to battle Mickey Gall in Washington DC
Thomas Taylor - August 28, 2019
Carlos Condit isn’t done yet. The former UFC interim welterweight champion will soon return to the Octagon opposite Lookin’ For a Fight product Mickey Gall. The pair will meet when the UFC touches down in Washington DC on December 7. The bout was first reported by Post Sports.
Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, Gabriel Gonzaga to collide in BKFC 8 main event
Thomas Taylor - August 28, 2019
A pair of UFC veterans will headline the upcoming BKFC 8 card, as former title challengers Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva and Gabriel Gonzaga are set to collide. The promotion announced this exciting news on social media on Wednesday afternoon.
Chael Sonnen calls Nate Diaz an 'unintentional genius'
Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 28, 2019
If you ask Chael Sonnen, Nate Diaz is a genius — but it isn’t by design. Few are doubting Diaz’s star power following UFC 241. The Stockton native made his entrance to the roar of the crowd inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. On that night, UFC 241 broke a record with the largest gate for an MMA event in the state of California. Diaz defeated Anthony Pettis via unanimous decision and after the bout, UFC president Dana White admitted that Diaz is a “needle mover.”
ONE: Immortal Triumph - 5 Fast Facts on ONE's Ho Chi Minh City debut
BJPENN.COM Staff - August 28, 2019
ONE Championship‘s next event is ONE: Immortal Triumph on September 6 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where martial arts fans will get a taste of the highest quality Muay Thai and kickboxing action. Here are five fast facts about the upcoming event in Vietnam.
Dana White responds to Paige VanZant's pay gripes
Tom Taylor - August 28, 2019
Paige VanZant has one fight left on her UFC contract, and when that’s over and done with, she intends to test free agency. The reason for this decision is that she believes she deserves more money. In fact, she claims she makes more money posting to her Instagram account than she does through fighting. “With endorsements, I make way more money sitting at home posting pictures on Instagram than I do fighting,” VanZant said during an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “If I were to stop everything I do outside of fighting and just fight, I would be at a loss. By a long shot.”
"The Leech" Li Jingliang aims to drain the momentum of Elizeu Dos Santos
Tom Taylor - August 28, 2019
Brazilian welterweight contender Elizeu Dos Santos has won his last seven fights. China’s Li Jingliang plans to put an end that win-streak. The pair will meet in the co-main event of the under-the-radar UFC Shenzhen card this Saturday in Jingliang’s native China. This is a big opportunity for the Chinese fighter nicknamed “The Leech”, as dos Santos currently holds the No. 14 spot in the UFC welterweight rankings. Jingliang has been seeking a ranked opponent for some time, and was very excited when the opportunity was finally offered.
Jessica Andrade plans to prove she is 'the best in the world' at UFC Shenzhen
Cole Shelton - August 28, 2019
Jessica Andrade is set for her first title defense in the main event of UFC Shenzhen. She will be taking on Weili Zhang in the challenger’s home country of China. For Andrade, defending her belt in hostile territory will be a new experience, but fighting in someone else’s backyard will not be.
Andrea Lee signs new six-fight extension heading into UFC 242
Mike Heck - August 28, 2019
Andrea Lee will return to action next weekend in a pivotal women’s flyweight matchup with Joanne Calderwood at UFC 242 and will do so with a new contract with the organization. In a recent interview with BJPENN.com, “KGB” revealed that she has signed a six-fight deal with the organization heading into her bout with Calderwood, which takes place Sept. 7 The Arena, Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Dana White defends Darren Till vs. Kelvin Gastelum booking
Tom Taylor - August 28, 2019
Darren Till will not get a warmup in his middleweight debut. Instead, the long-time welterweight has been booked to battle the middleweight division’s fourth-ranked fighter, Kelvin Gastelum, at UFC 244 in New York. This booking comes as a bit of a surprise, given that Till is riding back-to-back stoppage losses, and UFC President Dana White recently admitted that the promotion might have pushed the young striker along too quickly.
UFC Shenzhen | Pro fighters make their picks for Jessica Andrade vs. Weili Zhang title fight
Cole Shelton - August 28, 2019
This weekend, the Octagon heads to Shenzhen, China. In the card’s main event, Jessica Andrade will put her strawweight title on the line against China’s Weili Zhang. Heading into the fight, the champion is a -160 favorite, while the challenger from China is a +130 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the scrap. The majority are leaning towards Jessica Andrade’s power being too much for Weili Zhang.
Dana White comments on Conor McGregor apology, sexual assault accusations
Tom Taylor - August 28, 2019
Conor McGregor found himself in hot water again earlier this month after he was caught on camera punching an older man in a bar in Dublin. Shortly thereafter, the Irish star appeared on ESPN to apologize for this incident.
Dustin Poirier says Ferguson, not McGregor, is next in line for lightweight title
Cole Shelton - August 28, 2019
Dustin Poirier is the current interim lightweight champion and he will take on the undisputed champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, at UFC 242. If Poirier can get past the undefeated Russian, fans will immediately begin speculating who is next for him. A rematch against Nurmagomedov could certainly happen, or a bout with Conor McGregor. However, Poirier says it is clear Tony Ferguson deserves the next title shot. But, he isn’t focused on any of that right now.
Anthony Johnson planning UFC return in 2020
Cole Shelton - August 27, 2019
Anthony Johnson retired from the UFC following a second loss to Daniel Cormier in April of 2017. Yet, the man they call “Rumble” is eyeing a comeback, according to his manager Ali Abdelaziz. Abdelaziz spoke to ESPN, and divulged that his client will return in 2020. They are currently filing the necessary paperwork to rejoin the UFC. One of the steps he must complete is to re-enter the USADA testing pool and be in it for six months before he can fight again.
Matt Serra chides Joe Rogan, Dana White for Conor McGregor comments
Thomas Taylor - August 27, 2019
Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra is not impressed with the comments UFC commentator Joe Rogan and UFC President Dana White have made in the wake of the latest Conor McGregor drama. McGregor was recently caught on film punching an older man at a bar in Ireland.
UFC 242 media conference call number leads reporters to phone sex hotline
Thomas Taylor - August 27, 2019
Media conference calls are a staple of most big UFC fight cards, and UFC 242 is no exception to that rule. On Tuesday afternoon, reporters from all over the world dialed into the card’s first conference call, eager to pose their questions to one of the headliners, interim lightweight champ Dustin Poirier. What many of those reporters initially got was something very different: a phone sex line.
CB Dollaway issues statement on USADA suspension
Thomas Taylor - August 27, 2019
Yesterday afternoon, it was announced that UFC middleweight veteran CB Dollaway had been handed a two-year ban by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after testing positive for multiple prohibited substances. “USADA announced today that CB Dollaway of Gilbert, Ariz., has accepted a two-year sanction for a violation of the UFC® Anti-Doping Policy after testing positive for multiple prohibited substances and using a prohibited method,” USADA’s press release read.
Tyron Woodley 'thinking about' training with Diaz Brothers
Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 27, 2019
Tyron Woodley once wanted to share the Octagon with Nate and Nick Diaz, but now he’s thinking about training with them. Woodley hasn’t been shy in the past about wanting major fights. When he was the UFC welterweight champion, Woodley was aiming for the likes of Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre, Michael Bisping, and the Diaz brothers. Fast forward to 2019 and Woodley finds himself training with the now-retired St-Pierre. If “The Chosen One” has his way, then some sparring sessions with the Diaz brothers could be next.
Sodiq Yusuff wants ranked opponent on D.C. card after huge UFC 241 win
Cole Shelton - August 27, 2019
Sodiq Yusuff had a big opportunity at UFC 241. He fought on the main card and he knew it was his chance to make his a household name. Ultimately, Yusuff did just that as he knocked out his opponent Gabriel Benitez in the first round. For the 26-year-old, the fight went exactly as he and his team thought it would.