MMA News

Chris Taylor - April 27, 2019

The octagon invades the BB&T Center tonight for UFC Fort Lauderdale, an event headlined by a middleweight bout between Ronaldo Souza and Jack Hermansson. Ronaldo Souza was last seen in action at November’s UFC 230 event, where he scored a spectacular knockout victory over former champ Chris Weidman. “Jacare” has gone 4-2 over his past six fights and is expected to become the next middleweight title challenger if he can prove victorious this evening.

James Lynch - April 27, 2019

Paulo Costa has accepted a six month punishment from the USADA. The rising UFC middleweight agreed to a six-month suspension from USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) for violations in June and November of 2017. The suspensions were handed down August 10, 2018 and expired on February 10, 2019.

Chris Taylor - April 27, 2019

Welterweight standout Mike Perry will return to the octagon at tonight’s UFC on ESPN+ 8 event, this thanks in large part to his teammate Jacare Souza. Perry, who takes on fellow fan favorite Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira on tonight’s main card, recently sat down with Fox Sports Asia where he explained how Jacare Souza had recently played hero by saving his life in the gym.

Drake Riggs - April 26, 2019

She’s back. After 21 months out of action, ‘The Peacemaker’ Leslie Smith will be returning to action as she has signed with Bellator MMA.

Drake Riggs - April 26, 2019

Without a doubt, Russia’s ‘Last Emperor,’ Fedor Emelianenko is one of the greatest mixed martial artists to ever grace the face of the Earth. But despite his incredible success throughout his career and late resurgence through the Bellator heavyweight Grand Prix, it all ended abruptly in January. At Bellator 214, the vacant title was on the line in the tournament’s finals. Standing in Emelianenko’s way on his path to becoming a champion for the first time in 10 years was the current light heavyweight champion of Bellator, Ryan Bader. In the end, 35 seconds was all it took for Bader to sleep the icon with a stiff left hand followed by some on the ground.

Drake Riggs - April 26, 2019

At RIZIN 14 on New Year’s Eve 2018, we saw a massive inaugural title fight that saw two promotions best bantamweight fighters go head to head. Of course, on one side of the ring, there was the Japanese superstar, RIZIN’s Kyoji Horiguchi. On the other side, it was Bellator bantamweight champion, Darrion ‘The Wolf’ Caldwell who fought for the first time out of the United States.

Tom Taylor - April 26, 2019

On June 22, in the main event of BKFC 6, Artem Lobov will meet retired boxer Paulie Malignaggi in a blockbuster, bareknuckle grudge match. As this fight draws closer, Artem Lobov is beginning to worry that Paulie Malignaggi won’t make weight. Apparently, however, that’s pretty much his only concern surrounding the fight.

Drake Riggs - April 26, 2019

The end of 2018 marked a new era of sorts when it comes to cross-promotion in MMA as Bellator and RIZIN teamed up like never before. For RIZIN’s annual big New Year’s Eve show, in 2018 that was RIZIN 14, one of their biggest stars, Kyoji Horiguchi would fight for the inaugural bantamweight title. His opponent would be none other than Bellator’s bantamweight champion, Darrion Caldwell.

Tom Taylor - April 26, 2019

At UFC 239, former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos will collide with one of the few heavyweight punchers with power to rival his own: Francis Ngannou. Speaking to Helen Yee recently, the former heavyweight champion made a bold prediction for this fight with the ferocious puncher Ngannou. He expects to knock out the hulking Cameroon-born Frenchman in the second round.

Drake Riggs - April 26, 2019

Tomorrow night in San Jose, California, the Bellator welterweight and flyweight titles will be on the line. Looking for his first Bellator welterweight title defense and to advance to the semifinals of the welterweight Grand Prix will be Rory MacDonald who is back in his normal weight class after trying to dethrone middleweight champ, Gegard Mousasi.

Drake Riggs - April 26, 2019

When it comes to the discussion of who is the greatest lightweight fighter of all time, debates can’t be had without the mention of the former WEC and UFC king, ‘Smooth’ Benson Henderson. Continuously underappreciated throughout his reigns as champion, Henderson was as active of a champion as any and constantly looking for a fight. Although no longer the champion, that attitude remains the same with a similar goal in mind.

Tom Taylor - April 26, 2019

“Sugar” Sean O’Malley is one of the most promising young prospects in the crowded UFC bantamweight division. Unfortunately, it’s been some time since we’ve seen the fan favorite in the cage, as he was recently sidelined by a four-month suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the result of his ingesting a tainted supplement containing Ostarine. The good news is that The MMA Lab representative is now set to return to the cage — on the biggest UFC card of the year thus far. According to ESPN, he will battle Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 239 on July 6 in the midst of the UFC’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

Tom Taylor - April 26, 2019

Under the leadership of CEO Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Championship has signed a host of free agents of late, such as Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Sage Northcutt, and Vitor Belfort. Johnson and Alvarez have already debuted in the ONE cage — with very different results — and Northcutt will do so on May 17 in Singapore. Belfort, however, has not yet been booked for his first ONE Championship fight.

Tom Taylor - April 26, 2019

On Saturday, the UFC will return to the Sunshine State with the compelling UFC Fort Lauderdale card, scheduled to air on ESPN+, ESPN, and ESPN 2. In the main event of this exciting card, top middleweight contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza will battle short-notice replacement opponent Jack Hermansson in a bout loaded with very different implications for both men.

James Lynch - April 26, 2019

Darren Till is keeping a low profile. Following his recent arrest in Spain for allegedly trashing a hotel room and stealing a taxi, the former UFC welterweight title challenger has deactivated both his personal Twitter and Instagram accounts. The 26-year-old didn’t serve any time or face any serious legal issues for the incident. However he did receive a heavy fine which included €10,000 ($11,150 USD) to the Costa Adeje hotel, €480 ($525 USD) for hotel damages and €360 ($401 USD) for theft of the taxi cab.

Tom Taylor - April 26, 2019

This weekend, in the main event of UFC Fort Lauderdale, long-time UFC middleweight contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza will take part in a high risk, low-reward fight with rising contender Jack Hermansson. If he wins, well, he simply reminds the world that he already deserves a title shot. If he loses, meanwhile, his UFC title dreams will be dashed for perhaps a final time. “It was hard negotiating for Jack,” the Brazilian contender told MMA Junkie recently in his native Portuguese. “That was hard. That was tough. I didn’t want to accept the fight at all. It’s a risk that I’m taking. I’m putting my career at risk; that’s the truth. It made me very upset, this fight. But we talked, and this and that. Then (UFC matchmaker) Mick Maynard came in, Hunter (Campbell), (UFC president) Dana White, all those people, and I said, ‘Either you promise me the belt and put that to paper and send it to me, or there’s no deal.’”

Drake Riggs - April 25, 2019

Current Bellator welterweight champion, Rory MacDonald has become fairly familiar with ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler over the years. Formerly a staple of the UFC’s 170-pound division, MacDonald would fight Lawler twice during his UFC run. The first time being in a three-round affair that saw him on the wrong end of a split decision. Their second encounter would come two years later as Lawler was now the champion.

Drake Riggs - April 25, 2019

History will be made this Saturday night at Bellator 220… And that will all be determined by the flyweights. In the night’s co-main event, we have the returning unbeaten champion, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane as she looks to extend her title defense number to three straight. On the other side of the equation, there’s the always game Veta Arteaga who hopes to play spoiler and become the promotion’s second 125-pound queen.