MMA News

Bellator, Rory MacDonald, Douglas Lima
Frank Mir

Bellator announces Rory MacDonald vs. Douglas Lima 2, Roy Nelson vs. Frank Mir 2

Adam D Martin - August 25, 2019

Bellator has announced a welterweight title bout between Rory MacDonald and Douglas Lima as well as a heavyweight fight between Roy Nelson and Frank Mir. The promotion announced both fights during the broadcast for Bellator 225 on Saturday night. Bellator 231 takes place Friday, October 25 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Nelson vs. Mir fight will headline that card and is scheduled for three rounds. This is a rematch from the pair’s first fight back in 2011, which Mir won via unanimous decision at UFC 130.

Bellator

Paige VanZant's husband Austin Vanderford relishing 'Mr. VanZant' nickname

Adam D Martin - August 25, 2019

Bellator middleweight Austin Vanderford was one of the stars of Saturday night’s Bellator 225 card. He absolutely thrashed Joseph Creer with ground and pound and finished his opponent via second-round TKO due to doctor stoppage in what was the most dominant performance of his MMA career thus far. But despite being an undefeated fighter, he’s still mostly known because of his more famous wife, the UFC’s Paige VanZant. Fans have joked on social media about Vanderford, referring to him as “Mr. VanZant.” Instead of getting upset at the fans who make the joke, Vanderford took it in stride. In a post-fight social media post celebrating his win, Vanderford said he’s cool with the nickname that fans have bestowed on him.

Nick Newell
Nick Newell

Nick Newell hopes to remain with Bellator

Adam D Martin - August 25, 2019

Lightweight Nick Newell hopes to remain with Bellator following a first-round submission win over Corey Browning on the Bellator 225 preliminary card. Newell was recently signed to a one-fight deal with Bellator after a failed stint on Dana White’s Contender Series. The congenital amputee fighter, who does not have a left hand, picked up a win on the regional circuit after the Contender Series and parlayed that into a one-fight deal with Bellator.

Matt Mitrione, Bellator 215
Matt Mitrione

Matt Mitrione says mouthpiece was not cause of Bellator 225 knockout loss

Adam D Martin - August 25, 2019

Bellator heavyweight Matt Mitrione suffered a brutal second-round knockout loss to Sergei Kharitonov in the main event of Saturday night’s Bellator 225 card. But before the knockout happened, Mitrione was having trouble with his mouthpiece as it fell out of his mouth multiple times. The big blow came when Mitrione’s mouthpiece was knocked out by a Kharitonov punch early in the second round. He was clearly mentally shook by it and let his guard down, which allowed Kharitonov to land a vicious uppercut and then a knee which knocked Mitrione down. Kharitonov then finished Mitrione off with ground and pound before referee Dan Miragliotta stopped the fight.

Donald Cerrone, Justin Gaethje
Justin Gaethje

Justin Gaethje reveals that Donald Cerrone has previously knocked him out in sparring

Chris Taylor - August 24, 2019

Fan favorite Justin Gaethje will return to the Octagon next month in Vancouver, for a fight with MMA legend Donald Cerrone. The highly anticipated lightweight scrap will headline the September 14 event in Canada, and could produce the lightweight divisions next title challenger.

Jorge Masvidal

Bill Goldberg and Jorge Masvidal have an interesting exchange on Twitter

Chris Taylor - August 24, 2019

Wrestling Icon Bill Goldberg and surging UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal had an interesting exchange on social media this weekend. No, the wrestling legend did not give ‘Gamebred’ the famous words of “You’re next!”, but he did have some fun with the UFC standout.

Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, Ben Askren
Kamaru Usman

Report | Colby Covington vs. Kamaru Usman set for November 2

Chris Taylor - August 24, 2019

UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will attempt to make his first title defense on November 2 in New York, when he takes on Colby Covington. The announcement comes from Brazilian news outlet Combate, who reported this afternoon that Kamaru Usman will square off with Colby Covington at UFC 244 on November 2 at Madison Square Garden.

Mike Perry
Mike Perry

Mike Perry calls for a fight with "spoiled" Conor McGregor

Chris Taylor - August 24, 2019

UFC welterweight standout Mike Perry is willing to fight former promotional ‘champ champ’ Conor McGregor even with his busted up nose. ‘Platinum’ suffered one of the nastiest broken noses in mixed martial arts history during his most recent fight against Vicente Luque at UFC Uruguay.

Daniel Cormier, UFC 230, MMA, Jon Jones
UFC

Daniel Cormier issues emotional statement after losing his father to cancer

Chris Taylor - August 24, 2019

Former UFC ‘champ champ’ Daniel Cormier took to social media earlier today where he announced the tragic loss of his father. ‘DC’, who lost his UFC heavyweight title to Stipe Miocic at last weekend’s UFC 241 event, issued the following statement on Instagram in regards to his fathers passing.

Max Holloway
Max Holloway

Report | Max Holloway will return to the Octagon at UFC 245

Chris Taylor - August 24, 2019

UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway will reportedly be making another walk to the Octagon before the end of the 2019 calendar year. Gadiel Notelovitz was first to report the news, suggesting that a featherweight title fight between Max Holloway and Alex Volkanovski was being discussed for December’s UFC 245 event.

Brian Ortega, Korean Zombie
Chan Sung Jung 'The Korean Zombie'

The Korean Zombie responds to Brian Ortega: "You lie too much"

Chris Taylor - August 24, 2019

Earlier this summer BJPENN.com reported that a key featherweight bout between The Korean Zombie and Brian Ortega was in the works for UFC Mexico. However, after the UFC announced that Jeremy Stephens vs. Yair Rodriguez would be headlining the September 21 fight card, it appeared that the promotion may have different plans for Jung and Ortega.

Jared Gordon
UFC

VIDEO | UFC lightweight Jared Gordon takes down bat-wielding stranger

Thomas Taylor - August 24, 2019

UFC lightweight Jared Gordon was having a nice night with his family in Chicago — until he was accosted by a stranger wielding a baseball bat. It all started with an “I ❤️ Crack Whores” bumper sticker.

Yoel Romero
Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker says Yoel Romero didn't follow game plan against Paulo Costa

Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 23, 2019

Robert Whittaker is of the belief that Yoel Romero was flustered when he couldn’t put Paulo Costa away. On the main card of UFC 241, Romero and Costa engaged in a middleweight tilt. The bout went the distance and delivered hard-hitting action with both men delivering a barrage of power shots. In the end, it was Costa who walked out of the Honda Center with the unanimous decision win.

Daniel Cormier
Daniel Cormier

Chael Sonnen says Daniel Cormier doesn't owe anyone an apology

Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 23, 2019

Chael Sonnen caught wind of Daniel Cormier’s statement following UFC 241. Cormier took on Stipe Miocic in a heavyweight title rematch. “DC” looked good in the early going, taking Miocic down and showing some solid top control. Miocic turned the tide in the standup, however. The Cleveland native was able to rip Cormier’s body and then nailed him upstairs for the fourth-round TKO victory.

Colby Covington
UFC

Colby Covington discusses crowd drama at UFC 241

Tom Taylor - August 23, 2019

Colby Covington was one of the stars in attendance for last weekend’s UFC 241 card in Anaheim, California, and apparently, his presence at the event caused a bit of a stir. In fact, several of the other fighters in attendance allegedly tried to start fights with the trash-talking welterweight star, according to UFC President Dana White.

Dana White, UFC, Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov
Eddie Hearn

Eddie Hearn: Dana White won't be able to 'control the fighters' in boxing

Tom Taylor - August 23, 2019

Dana White will soon launch Zuffa Boxing, a promotion that he hopes will revolutionize The Sweet Science. As Zuffa Boxing draws nearer and nearer to fruition, White has said that he hopes to apply the same practices that have made the UFC so successful to this new boxing venture. “It’s the sport and the politics in the sport and it has always been that way and if somebody doesn’t change it, it’s always gonna be that way,” White told Helen Yee recently.

Bellator

Austin Vanderford gives update on wife Paige VanZant

Cole Shelton - August 23, 2019

Paige VanZant has not fought since January of this year, when she submitted Rachael Ostovich. Since then, she has been sidelined due to yet another broken arm. For her husband Austin Vanderford, it has been hard to see her be on the shelf once again. “The hardest part of our relationship has been her arm. It is hard to relate it to anything else. Really, it just takes away from what she wants to do,” Vanderford told BJEPNN.com. “She has her foot in a lot of things and is very smart and has built her brand to go further than fighting. But, her fighting is the most important thing. If anything has proven that is this injury. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t get to see that. She is a fighter first and foremost.”

Greg Hardy, Juan Adams, UFC 249
UFC

Greg Hardy ready to 'crush' ranked opponent to prove he is 'something the world has never seen'

Natasha Hooper - August 23, 2019

Former NFL star and MMA prospect Greg Hardy is confident he is the next big thing for the UFC, and that he will “crush” any opponents that stand in his way. The controversial fighter (5-1) made his UFC debut this year at UFC Brooklyn. It didn’t go the way he anticipated as he lost via disqualification. However, he has successfully rebounded with two first-round KO wins and recently told MMA Junkie that he is on track to become the next UFC champion.