MMA News

Mike Pendleton - February 14, 2019

When you start your professional MMA career with two incredible first-round victories, it’s hard to imagine how things could get any more impressive. Yet for Connecticut’s Mike Kimbel, who earned a highlight-reel slam finish in his first fight and a six-second knockout in his second, things are just getting started. Kimbel has had both of his professional fights come under the Bellator banner in his home state of Connecticut, and his third will be no different.

Tom Taylor - February 14, 2019

This Sunday, in Phoenix, Arizona, former UFC heavyweight title challenger Francis Ngannou will face the monumental task of welcoming former champion Cain Velasquez back to the cage. The bout will serve as the headliner of the UFC’s first-ever card on ESPN. Heading into this fight, each fighter seems to have a clear set of advantages. Ngannou is believed to posses a major advantage in the power department (it’s been said that he hits as hard as a Ford Escort, though Velasquez doesn’t seem worried). Cain Velasquez, on the other hand, seems like a clear frontrunner in the wrestling department.

Tom Taylor - February 14, 2019

According to a report from ESPN, Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Freire will move up in weight to challenge lightweight champion Michael Chandler at Bellator 221 on May 11 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The pair’s grudge match will reportedly be officially announced by the promotion in the coming days.

James Lynch - February 14, 2019

CM Punk appears to still be on the UFC roster. That’s according to TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter who noted that Punk (real name Phil Brooks) is still in the USADA testing pool.

Tom Taylor - February 14, 2019

Years ago, under the Strikeforce banner, Paul Daley and Nick Diaz engaged in one of the greatest one-round fights in MMA history. The two welterweight stars swapped heavy artillery from the opening bell, badly rocking one another until finally, Diaz landed with enough impact to force a permanent end to the mayhem. Today, Paul Daley is gearing up for one of the biggest fights of his career: a Welterweight Grand Prix showdown with his nemesis Michael Page under the Bellator banner.

Tom Taylor - February 14, 2019

In July of 2018, Daniel Cormier ended the record-breaking UFC heavyweight title reign of Stipe Miocic, stealing the champ’s belt with a strafing of first-round punches. Now more than six months later, Stipe Miocic still hasn’t returned to the cage, instead demanding an immediate rematch with the new champion.

Tom Taylor - February 14, 2019

UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and top contender Kelvin Gastelum were supposed to fight in the main event of UFC 234 last weekend. Regrettably, Whittaker was forced out of this bout and hospitalized with a hernia on the very day of the card. Despite his fight being cancelled Kelvin Gastelum still attended this card, and post-event, masqueraded around the arena with a UFC title belt borrowed from flyweight champion Henry Cejudo.

Chris Taylor - February 13, 2019

Former Bellator and ONE champion Ben Askren will make his highly anticipated octagon debut at next month’s UFC 235 event against Robbie Lawler. Askren was most recently seen in action in November of 2017, where he defeated mixed martial arts legend Shinya Aoki via first-round TKO under the ONE Championship banner.

Cole Shelton - February 13, 2019

All the hype surrounding Bellator 216 is about Michael Page vs Paul Daley, and rightfully so. However, another name getting attention is Valerie Loureda, who is set to make her Bellator debut against Colby Fletcher. Loureda, who is just 20-years-old comes from a Taekwondo background and was a big signing for Bellator when it was announced. For Loureda, it was an easy decision to sign with Bellator and continue her MMA journey there.

Chris Taylor - February 13, 2019

Jon Jones will put his newly acquired light heavyweight title on the line in the main event of UFC 235 against surging division contender Anthony Smith. UFC 235 takes place March 2 live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mike Straus - February 13, 2019

It is a great time to be a mixed martial arts fan. With so many exciting events this weekend it can be difficult to catch them all. With that being said, Bellator MMA has not one, but two events this weekend. Friday night will kick off the festivities for the promotion as Bellator 215 invades the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The very next night, the promotion will be back at the Mohegan Sun for Bellator 216.

Tom Taylor - February 13, 2019

A lot has changed in the heavyweight division since former champion Cain Velasquez last stepped into the cage. Perhaps most notably, Stipe Miocic burst into title contention, captured the title, and defended it a record-breaking three straight times. Although Stipe Miocic broke the record for the most consecutive defenses of the UFC heavyweight title, he ultimately lost his title to Velasquez training partner Daniel Cormier, who still holds the belt today. Since then, Miocic has been adamant that he deserves an immediate rematch with Cormier based on his previous dominance as champion.

Chris Taylor - February 13, 2019

Undefeated UFC middleweight contender Israel Adesanya does not want to see the promotions 185-pound division held up by injured champ Robert Whittaker. Whittaker was supposed to defend his UFC middleweight championship against Kelvin Gastelum in the main event of UFC 234 this past weekend in Australia.

Chris Taylor - February 13, 2019

Mixed martial arts legend Mirko Cro Cop (37-11-2 MMA) will make his Bellator MMA debut on February 16 against fellow veteran and knockout artist Roy Nelson. The bout will serve as a rematch, as Cro Cop and Nelson first met back at UFC 137 in October of 2011, with “Big Country” emerging victorious by way of TKO in round three.

Tom Taylor - February 13, 2019

On Sunday, February 17, the UFC will make its debut on ESPN with an exciting, 13-fight card. In the main event of this debut UFC on ESPN card, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon, where he will battle ferocious knockout puncher Francis Ngannou in an cage-shaking showdown.

Tom Taylor - February 13, 2019

The official UFC rankings have been updated in the wake of last Saturday’s UFC 234 card, and as expected, Israel Adesanya has burst into the middleweight division’s top-5 on the strength of his decision defeat of the legend Anderson Silva. Elsewhere, the men’s flyweight division continues to be the picture of chaos, as many of the weight class’s top fighters have been cut by the promotion.

Drake Riggs - February 12, 2019

“Definitely,” Cain Velasquez told TMZ when asked if he would be interested in fighting Jon Jones. “Anyone, you know. That’s why I’m in this sport, to fight the best guys, to be the best out there. To me, it’s just go out there, perform and win and just take on the best guys. “I think I could [beat him]. I think I’m good enough. Jon Jones, he’s an amazing athlete. I’ve watched him in all of his fights, I know what he’s capable of. Again, every guy poses a great challenge, I think he does as well. I think I could beat him, yeah.”

Drake Riggs - February 12, 2019

UFC 234 didn’t get the cap off that we were all expecting. Sure, Israel Adesanya vs Anderson Silva was a thrilling chess match. But we were going to get that regardless. Just hours before the event began, we learned that the UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker had to undergo emergency hernia surgery thus, obviously, removing him from his scheduled title defense against Kelvin Gastelum.