MMA News
Jorge Masvidal: Kamaru Usman is 'not going to hold me down'
Tom Taylor - July 9, 2019
Jorge Masvidal didn’t need to show off his impeccable defensive grappling in his UFC 239 fight with Olympic wrestler Ben Askren — you know, because he knocked him out in five seconds. That being said, Masvidal will likely have to exercise his defensive wrestling if he finds himself in the cage with reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Usman, like Askren, is a tremendous takedown artist, and will probably look to punish Masvidal on the canvas.
VIDEO | Joe Rogan reacts to Amanda Nunes stopping Holly Holm
Tom Taylor - July 9, 2019
Amanda Nunes is making a habit of leaving UFC commentator Joe Rogan absolutely stunned at his cage-side perch. Just months removed from her jaw-dropping, first-round knockout of the seemingly unbeatable Cris Cyborg, Nunes delivered yet another violent first-round stoppage at UFC 239 on Saturday, hacking down the former champion Holly Holm with a head kick.
John Lineker calls out Demetrious Johnson for ONE Championship superfight
Adam Martin - July 9, 2019
It didn’t take long for John Lineker to feel comfortable in his new home. Just one day after signing with ONE Championship, Lineker called out Demetrious Johnson for a superfight. “If they want to make this superfight, I’m here. I’m here to fight him. It’s going to be the opportunity that I didn’t have before. Finally,” Lineker told MMAFighting.com.
Chael Sonnen reacts to Jorge Masvidal's 'scary' KO over Ben Askren
Fernando Quiles Jr. - July 9, 2019
Chael Sonnen was concerned for Ben Askren after Jorge Masvidal finished him in just five seconds. Askren vs. Masvidal took place at UFC 239 in Las Vegas. It had been dubbed as the “people’s main event,” and it certainly delivered in terms of the highlight reel and record books. Masvidal sprinted at Askren immediately and landed a flying knee that put “Funky” to sleep. The five-second finish broke the UFC record for fastest knockout.
Jorge Masvidal open to future grappling match with Ben Askren
Tom Taylor - July 9, 2019
Jorge Masvidal made very short work of his nemesis Ben Askren, flattening the former ONE and Bellator champ with a flying knee just five seconds into their UFC 239 fight. While this decisive outcome initially looked like it would put an end to the beef between Masvidal and Askren, it’s become clear that there’s still some bad blood between them.
Drakkar Klose removed from UFC Sacramento after Dariush injury
Natasha Hooper - July 9, 2019
Lightweight fighter Drakkar Klose revealed on Instagram he will no longer be fighting at UFC Sacramento. UFC Sacramento will take place this Saturday, July 13, at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. One the fight card, Drakkar Klose was scheduled to fight Beneil Dariush.
VIDEO | Floyd Mayweather gets knocked down in charity basketball game
Natasha Hooper - July 9, 2019
Floyd Mayweather is arguably the best boxer of all time. His incredible footwork, agility and allusive boxing style is the reason why he has never been dropped throughout his unbeaten (50-0) career. However, his luck ran out yesterday, when he finally went to the floor in a sports match that no one anticipated. The undefeated champion always fancied himself as a talented basketball player and yesterday he got the chance to prove it. Mayweather participated in a charity basketball match in Los Angeles.
Jan Blachowicz explains how Michael Bisping helped him KO Luke Rockhold at UFC 239
Mike Heck - July 9, 2019
When it comes to Luke Rockhold’s recent rollercoaster ride with his fighting career, many point to his middleweight title loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 199 as the beginning of the downward trajectory. In fact, Jan Blachowicz was able to use a piece of Bisping’s in-fight strategy at UFC 239 to put him in a position to be in his own world title conversation. Blachowicz picked up a big win on Saturday night when he knocked Rockhold out in the second-round. It was a left hook — the same punch Bisping landed on that magical night in June 2016 — that set up the finish.
Even in defeat to Jon Jones, Thiago Santos gave hope to an ebbing light heavyweight division
Jordy McElroy - July 9, 2019
Paradise, Nevada was on the verge of descending into hell for light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who came within a scorecard of losing a split decision to gutsy contender Thiago Santos at UFC 239 on Saturday night. One opinion is literally all that stood between continuity and a seismic shift in the division ushering in a new era in MMA. A visibly stunned audience at the T-Mobile Arena watched in complete disbelief as a weary and injured Santos was helped back to the locker room. Not far behind him was Jones, arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history, leaning on a couple human crutches himself after five rounds of attrition; or rather, five rounds of newfound hope for a light heavyweight division growing stagnant from a lack of star power, aside from its incandescent king.
Colby Covington says win over Robbie Lawler makes him 'the best welterweight of all time'
Cole Shelton - July 9, 2019
Colby Covington will return to the Octagon in the main event of UFC Newark. On this card former interim champion will not be fighting for the welterweight title, as many expected. Instead, he is set to take on the former welterweight champion, Robbie Lawler. It will no doubt be an exciting fight, which “Chaos” admits, but he also wanted this fight for another reason. He believes a win over “Ruthless” will improve his legacy even more, and make him the greatest welterweight of all time.
Jorge Masvidal expects next fight to be finalized in 'less than 30 days'
Tom Taylor - July 9, 2019
After his record-breaking, five-second knockout of Ben Askren, surging UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal is on the hunt for big fights and big paydays. In fact, he met with some higher-ups at the UFC to discuss just those topics on Monday evening.
VIDEO | Dillon Danis punched in 'vicious' attack at NYC club
Natasha Hooper - July 9, 2019
Bellator fighter Dillon Danis was attacked whilst partying at a Burlesque club in New York City. The Daily Mail obtained a video of the attack.
Jon Jones details how Holly Holm's knockout loss affected his UFC 239 performance
Chris Taylor - July 8, 2019
Jon Jones had to put his light heavyweight title on the line just moments after witnessing his friend and training partner Holly Holm suffer a brutal knockout loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 239. The former women’s bantamweight queen, Holm, fell short in her bid to dethrone the current ‘champ champ’, this after eating a nasty head kick in the contests opening round.
BJPENN.COM Radio Ep. 119 // Jorge Masvidal
Jason Kindschy - July 8, 2019
Jorge Masvidal returns to the show following what many are calling the greatest knockout in UFC history. With all the animosity built up between Masvidal and Ben Askren leading into fight week at UFC 239, there was no question that “Gamebred” had bad intentions for his opponent. However, the spectacular result of a record-breaking flying-knee KO was above and beyond expectation. Smashing his way into the history books and exemplifying the warrior spirit throughout his combat sports tenure, Masvidal is finally becoming the superstar our sport deserves. In this impromptu chat with Jorge, we’ll recap the knee heard round the world, get his reaction to becoming a record holder, find out where things stand with Ben Askren, and what’s next for the American Top Team staple. From back yards to bright lights, the meteoric rise of “Gamebred” is only getting started.
Jon Jones responds to Israel Adesanya's criticism of UFC 239 Performance
Fernando Quiles Jr. - July 8, 2019
Jon Jones wasn’t going to stay quiet regarding Israel Adesanya’s latest verbal jabs for long. Jones vs. Adesanya is a dream matchup for many, but “Bones” has dismissed the idea in the past. The UFC light heavyweight champion has referred to Adesanya as being “frail” and has urged him to eat more jerk chicken. Adesanya has fired back by poking fun at Jones’ past troubles outside of the Octagon.
Tony Ferguson 'getting bored' at lightweight, ready to step in at UFC 242
Mike Pendleton - July 8, 2019
During an interview with MMA Junkie at the UFC’s Hall Of Fame ceremony, Tony Ferguson said that he’s getting bored with the lightweight division while he’s awaiting a shot at the winner of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier’s UFC 242 lightweight title fight. Ferguson has won 12 consecutive fights dating back to 2013 with his most recent victory coming at UFC 238 against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, and is awaiting the main event at UFC 242 to see who could possibly be his next opponent. With Khabib Nurmagomedov preparing to defend the lightweight title against interim champion Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson told MMA Junkie that he’s ready to fill-in as an injury replacement if either fighter can’t make it to the main event.
Thiago Santos suffers severe knee injuries, out until mid-2020
Adam Martin - July 8, 2019
UFC light heavyweight contender Thiago Santos suffered severe knee injuries in his fight against Jon Jones at UFC 239, and his team says he will be out until mid-2020 at the earliest. According to a report from Combate, an MRI scan taken Monday showed that Santos suffered ruptures in the ligaments of his left knee and meniscus. It’s feared that Santos has also suffered a meniscal injury and partial rupture to the ligaments in his right knee, though Santos will first have to undergo further testing to confirm that.
Israel Adesanya goes off on Jon Jones, rates UFC 239 performance as "meh"
Mike Pendleton - July 8, 2019
The feud between interim middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and reigning light heavyweight champion Jon Jones just got turned up a notch. Following Jones’ UFC 239 title defense over Thiago Santos, Adesanya gave his assessment on the champion’s performance, and it wasn’t quite complimentary. Speaking to Ariel Helwani of ESPN, Adesanya rated Jones’ title defense over Santos as “meh” and then continued with his criticism of how Jones looked at UFC 239.