MMA News

Drake Riggs - April 9, 2019

The Summertime is always a big time of the year for the UFC as evidenced by the big events they put on with all of them culminating at the end of International Fight Week. This year, the end event of that will be UFC 239 on July 6. But before we get there, the promotion has to head through Chicago, Illinois for UFC 238. And with plenty of fantastic bouts already on the bill, it continues to get more as finalization looms.

Thomas Taylor - April 9, 2019

TJ Dillashaw has been suspended for two years by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after testing positive for EPO in an in-competition drug test. Whether it’s coincidental or not, it’s worth noting that former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt accused Dillashaw of using this banned substance specifically almost one year ago.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

Last month, we learned that former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw had failed an in-competition drug test surrounding his UFC Brooklyn flyweight title fight with Henry Cejudo. Dillashaw broke this news himself, announcing that he was being investigated by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), and that he was relinquishing the UFC bantamweight strap as a result. On Tuesday afternoon, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported that the substance detected on the TJ Dillashaw test in question was recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO), and that Dillashaw has received a two-year suspension as a result. This suspension is dated retroactively to January 18, 2019, meaning TJ Dillashaw can fight again on the same day in 2021. Dillashaw reportedly didn’t contest this verdict.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

When Kevin Belingon and Bibiano Fernandes stepped into the cage to battle for the ONE Bantamweight World Title at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, Japan, the expectation was that their fight, no matter how it ended, would settle their long-time rivalry. Fernandes had won their first fight by submission. Belingon had won their second by decision. And there, under the bright lights of Ryōgoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward, we finally had our tie-breaker. Much like their second fight, which occurred in November, this third fight looked like it would be a fun one from the get-go. First, Belingon rocked Fernandes. Then, Fernandes rocked Belingon. All signs pointed to a riveting, back-and-forth war.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

Dillon Danis has become one of the most polarizing fighters in MMA. While he has definitely elevated his station in the industry with his ceaseless trash talk and bravado, he also receives a ton of hate from the fans and his fellow fighters as a result. If there’s anybody who could mentor Danis on how to deal with this kind of backlash, it’s his friend and training parter Conor McGregor. Speaking on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show on Monday, Dillon Danis explained that Conor McGregor has actually given him a few crucial pieces of advice to this end.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

When Brock Lesnar relinquished his WWE title at WrestleMania 35 on Sunday night, one of the final hurdles between him and a title fight with UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier disappeared. Suddenly, it seems as though this long-discussed fight could happen quite soon. Daniel Cormier is certainly hoping that’s the way things shake out. The heavyweight champion explained why this fight needs to happen in a recent interview with TMZ Sports.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

Ask undefeated UFC heavyweight Juan Adams how he feels about disgraced NFL veteran Greg Hardy, and he will not mince words. Adams went off on the former football player, who has been getting a massive push from the UFC, on the latest episode of BJPENN.com Radio.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

Late last week, RIZIN Fighting Federation boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara hinted at a deal with Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. Sakakibara suggested that Pacquiao’s dealings with RIZIN would be linked to the April 21 RIZIN 15 card, now less than two weeks away, so a fight seemed unlikely from the get-go.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

https://twitter.com/fight4yourrite/status/1115366754836869121 When you pack a few thousand testosterone-fuelled fight fans into an arena and pump them full of beer, you often get a sideshow of crowd violence to compliment the sanctioned fights everybody actually came out to see. That’s precisely what happened at last weekend’s action packed BKFC 5 card in Biloxi, Mississippi. At some point during the card, a group of fans began slugging it out in the crowd, generating a chorus of hoots and hollers from their peers. Beers were spilled, shirts were torn off, and a cluster of jiggling wannabes briefly stole the show from the trained fighters who had been hired to entertain them. At one point, one of these fans was nearly tossed off a balustrade. Thankfully he was caught by the onlookers below, and pushed back into the sweaty swirl of violence above.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

The UFC is set to host another one of its star-studded seasonal press conferences at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia this Friday at 12 p.m. ET. This press conferences, which precedes the exciting UFC 236 card in the same venue, will be emceed by UFC President Dana White, and feature the stars of several upcoming cards including Jon Jones, Amanda Nunes, and Henry Cejudo. In the past, these press conferences have produced some massive headlines, and this event, which is free and open to the public, figures to be no different.

Drake Riggs - April 8, 2019

Bellator 221 is set to be a big one as the promotion heads to Chicago, Illinois on May 11 and is headlined by their second ever champion vs champion bout. Going at it will be the featherweight and lightweight champions, Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire and Michael Chandler. Both of which are two of the most accomplished fighters in Bellator history. Factually, they are the most accomplished in their respective divisions.

Drake Riggs - April 8, 2019

10 years ago, Ross ‘The Real Deal’ Pearson made his UFC debut by becoming the lightweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 9 when he defeated Andre Winner via unanimous decision. 25-fights later and the British slugger is now calling it a career.

Drake Riggs - April 8, 2019

For years now, there have been two consensus top 155-pound lightweight fighters on the planet. One of those men being none other than ‘El Cucuy,’ The Ultimate Fighter season 13 winner, Tony Ferguson. With only a single loss in his UFC career, Ferguson has gone on to win 11 consecutive fights since then and done so all in thrilling fashion.

Drake Riggs - April 8, 2019

The nation of Kyrgyzstan officially has their first ever UFC champion and that’s the “Bullet,” Valentina Shevchenko. On December 8, 2018, at UFC 231 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Shevchenko won the vacant UFC flyweight championship by defeating former strawweight queen, Joanna Jedrzejczyk via dominant unanimous decision.

Drake Riggs - April 8, 2019

In the world of MMA, ‘Mighty Mouse’ Demetrious Johnson has essentially done it all. And as he now moves on to the next chapter of his illustrious career overseas, that’s where it looks like his story will end. Johnson made the transition from the UFC to ONE Championship in the groundbreaking first-ever MMA ‘trade’ that saw him get swapped for ONE’s former welterweight king, ‘Funky’ Ben Askren. Both have since made their respective and successful promotional debuts.

Tom Taylor - April 8, 2019

Last month, Irish MMA star Conor McGregor found himself in hot water after getting into an ugly altercation with a fan, and smashing that fan’s cell phone. After this incident, Ahmed Abdirzak, the owner of the phone, sought more than $15,000 in damages, accusing McGregor of battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The incident was captured on video. In this video, McGregor could be seen stomping Abdirzak’s phone.

Tom Taylor - April 8, 2019

The legal troubles appear to be continuing for former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor. According to The Mirror, the Irish MMA star is being accused of assaulting a fellow patron inside a bar called the Marble Arch in the Drimnagh suburb of his native Dublin, Ireland. The news was first reported by Dizz on Twitter.

Tom Taylor - April 8, 2019

Over the last few months, ONE Championship has signed some truly elite talent in Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Sage Northcutt and Vitor Belfort. Two of those fighters made their ONE Championship debuts at the recent ONE: A New Era card in Tokyo — and with very different results. Eddie Alvarez debuted first, and was knocked out by Russian juggernaut Timofey Nastyukhin in a jaw-dropping upset. Demetrious Johnson debuted next, submitting a game Yuya Wakamatsu in the second round.