MMA News
Luke Rockhold expects Anthony Smith to be 'put in his place' by Alexander Gustafsson
Cole Shelton - May 27, 2019
Before Anthony Smith fought Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 235, former UFC middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold called him out. The 34-year-old pointed to Smith’s resume to show just how easy it was to get a title shot at 205-pounds, which “Lionheart” didn’t like. Since then, the two have gone back-and-forth in interviews. And, now Rockhold expects Alexander Gustafsson to put Smith in his place when the two fight this weekend.
Tank Abbott looking like whole new person following health scares in 2018
Drake Riggs - May 27, 2019
Anyone who’s been following the sport of MMA from its early days knows exactly who David ‘Tank’ Abbott is. Known for his fan-friendly wild brawler style, Abbott fought in the UFC from 1995 to 2003 where he would go 8-10 taking on some of the sports best ranging from Frank Mir, Dan Severn, Frank Shamrock, Don Frye, Vitor Belfort, Pedro Rizzo, and Maurice Smith. Every single one of Abbott’s 25 career bouts has ended within the first round. With the exception of his last fight which took place in 2013 (a second-round TKO loss to Ruben Villareal).
Angela Magana details scary coma incident, 'I don't remember anything'
Drake Riggs - May 27, 2019
A month ago, UFC strawweight veteran, Angela Magana was set to make her Combate Americas debut at Combate 36: Reinas on April 26 against Kyra Batara. Unfortunately, an emergency surgery to take care of a herniated disc took a turn for the worst.
Urijah Faber says he has accepted a comeback fight
Drake Riggs - May 27, 2019
The former WEC featherweight champion and Team Alpha Male (TAM) leader, “The California Kid” Urijah Faber’s retirement appears to be coming to an end. As soon as the UFC announced that they would be returning to Sacramento this Summer, the rumor mill began to heat up with the possibility of a comeback from one of the greatest lighter weight fighters of all time.
Patricio Freire explains why he's 'absolutely certain' he'd beat Max Holloway
Tom Taylor - May 27, 2019
Patricio Freire now owns the Bellator featherweight and lightweight titles. In accomplishing this historic feat, he solidified his rep as one of the sport’s greatest fighters, regardless of promotion. Given Freire’s status as one of the best fighters on earth, many fans have wondered how he might fair in the UFC, namely against UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway.
Demetrious Johnson discusses next phases of ONE Championship career, life after MMA
Tom Taylor - May 27, 2019
Demetrious Johnson has already cemented himself one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, but he’s not ready to rest on his laurels. After a record-setting reign as the UFC flyweight champion, he is now zeroing in on a new title in ONE Championship. Johnson’s road to ONE Championship gold leads through the perilous ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix. The former UFC champion has already advanced to the tournament’s second round, having submitted Yuya Wakamatsu in Tokyo in March, and he’s now looking ahead to a yet unscheduled semifinal showdown with former DEEP flyweight champion Tatsumitsu Wada.
Kamaru Usman discusses fights with Colby Covington, Ben Askren
Natasha Hooper - May 27, 2019
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman discussed his highly anticipated showdown with former interim champion Colby Covington, which has still not yet been finalized. He says that his health is his priority, and that he needs to recover from his lingering injuries before he commits to his first title defense.
Brendan Schaub, Dustin Poirier hope MMA is moving past trash talk
Tom Taylor - May 27, 2019
Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub, who now makes his living as a podcaster, comedian and combat sports analyst, believes that the UFC is going to change quite a bit during its time on ESPN. In fact, he believes the changes have already begun.
Leon Edwards wants top-5 foe, calls out 'midget' Rafael dos Anjos
Tom Taylor - May 27, 2019
Leon Edwards is currently 7-fight win-streak in the stacked UFC welterweight division, but he still hasn’t managed to crack the division’s top-10 rankings. He’s hoping that changes sometime soon. Speaking on his Twitter account over the weekend, a visibly frustrated Edwards called for a top-5 opponent in his next outing.
Rashad Evans recounts best moments of UFC career ahead of HoF induction
Tom Taylor - May 27, 2019
This July, former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Evans looked back on his Hall of Fame career, and pinpointed a few of the fights and victories that meant the most to him.
Daniel Cormier breaks down potential matchup with Ryan Bader
Tom Taylor - May 27, 2019
For a brief period, it looked as though Daniel Cormier and Ryan Bader would meet in the UFC. Unfortunately, the matchup never materialized, and the two wrestling specialists went their separate ways. Today, both men are hovering at the pinnacle of the sport in different promotions. Bader currently holds the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles in Bellator. Cormier, meanwhile, briefly held the same titles in the UFC, though he relinquished the light heavyweight belt.
Joe Rogan compares Kevin Lee to George St-Pierre
Tom Taylor - May 26, 2019
Kevin Lee is currently on a two-fight losing streak, having recently come up short to Rafael dos Anjos and Al Iaquinta in the welterweight and lightweight divisions respectively. UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes a change of scenery could be the solution for the struggling but undeniably talented “Motown Phenom.” In fact, Rogan has a specific gym in mind for Lee.
Report | Alex Oliveira accused of assaulting ex-wife, wanted by local police
Matheus Costa - May 26, 2019
Alex Oliveira has found himself in hot water. According to the Brazilian outlet G1, the Brazilian welterweight is being sought by the police after allegedly assaulting his ex-wife and driving his motorcycle with his is 5-month-old son while being drunk in his hometown Tres Rios, in Rio de Janeiro. The situation allegedly began when Oliveira’s ex-wife took their son to the fighter’s father’s house. Oliveira reportedly showed up drunk and wanted to take his son for a ride on his motorcycle. His ex-wife denied this request, at which point Oliveira is alleged to have pulled her hair and hit her in the face.
Johnny Walker hopes to fight Jon Jones this year
Tom Taylor - May 26, 2019
Johnny Walker is perhaps the most compelling new contender in the UFC light heavyweight division. The Brazilian finisher has gone 3-0 since joining the UFC roster, and seems to be on a collision course with divisional champion Jon Jones. In fact, Walker has stated that he believes he’s ready to fight the seemingly unbeatable Jon Jones right now.
UFC cuts Elias Theodorou, three others
Adam Martin - May 26, 2019
The UFC has made a number of roster cuts, and one of the promotion’s top-ranked middleweight fighters is among the fighters on the chopping block. According to Raphael Mariano from Globo, the UFC has parted ways with several athletes, including former “Ultimate Fighter” winner Elias Theodorou, who was the No. 15-ranked middleweight. The decision to cut Theodorou is shocking considering he was the co-main event of a UFC Fight Night card in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada earlier this month. He also had a solid 8-3 record in the Octagon. But he lost a lackluster decision in that fight and was even booed by the Canadian fans for “running” away from the action. The UFC matchmakers have seemingly decided to cut him as a result.
Manager explains how Khabib Nurmagomedov reacted during Conor McGregor bus attack
Tom Taylor - May 26, 2019
Arguably the most intense moment of the longstanding rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor occurred in early 2018, when McGregor ambushed a shuttle bus carrying the Russian, and threw a dolly through the bus’s window. This wild attack from Conor McGregor and his cohorts left several fighters on the bus with physical injuries, and several others with lingering psychological issues.
Justin Willis denies being released from the UFC
Tom Taylor - May 26, 2019
Earlier this week, reports surfaced suggesting that UFC heavyweight contender Justin Willis had been released from the promotion. The reason, it was reported, is that Willis turned down a UFC San Antonio fight with Walt Harris because he would not be able to make the division’s 265-pound limit by that point. This apparently rubbed the UFC the wrong way. According to Justin Willis himself, however, he has not parted ways with the UFC. He’s calling this a big miscommunication.
Conor McGregor pinpoints 'most significant moment' of career
Tom Taylor - May 26, 2019
Conor McGregor has accomplished a lot in his MMA career. The Irish MMA star has captured titles in two UFC divisions, headlined multiple record-breaking UFC pay-per-views, delivered some spectacular finishes against top-flight opponents, and engaged in some unforgettable wars. Yet he says there is one moment of his MMA career that stands out as the most significant. Apparently, he considers his first encounter with UFC championship gold — a UFC 189 interim title victory over Chad Mendes in 2015 — to be the most important win of his career. As he reminds, of course, he did not expect to meet Mendes that night, as he was initially booked to challenge Brazil’s Jose Aldo for the undisputed featherweight strap.