MMA News

BJPENN.COM Staff - January 9, 2019

In an instant, 12 months of pain had evaporated. With his hand raised and the belt wrapped around his waist, 16,000 screaming fans erupted. Eduard Folayang felt tingles down his spine. “Of course, I wanted to cry but the tears didn’t come out,” reflected Folayang, who became the first man in ONE Championship history to claim the lightweight world title for the second time when he defeated Singapore’s Amir Khan at ONE: Conquest of Champions in late November.

Tom Taylor - January 9, 2019

In the opinion of UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, Nate Diaz is one of the biggest stars in the UFC — perhaps almost as big a star as Conor McGregor. Rogan gave his take on the star power of the younger Diaz brother on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show, discussing the topic with American Top Team coach Din Thomas.

Tom Taylor - January 9, 2019

Din Thomas, one of the coaches at American Top Team, and a former fighter himself, says he has no problem telling his fighters when it’s time to hang up the gloves. Thomas opened up on the topic in a conversation with Joe Rogan on the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show.

Tom Taylor - January 9, 2019

Back at UFC 232 in late December, the longstanding title reign of UFC featherweight champ Cris Cyborg came to a shocking end at the hands of Amanda Nunes, who needed just 51 seconds to win by knockout. Speaking to MMAjunkie recently, Cyborg’s coach Jason Parillo gave his take on this shocking upset defeat. In his eyes, a big part of the problem was Cyborg’s approach to the first exchanges of the bout.

Tom Taylor - January 9, 2019

Press Release: TJ Dillashaw is proud to announce that he’s released his new “Fit to Fight” course that gives all-access to his martial arts training, and gives instruction for many of his signature warm ups, drills, and combos. TJ Dillashaw provides up close and personal camera angles so viewers can easily learn the handwork, footwork, and ground work that have made him the current UFC Bantamweight Champion.

Tom Taylor - January 9, 2019

Jorge Masvidal was briefly linked to a UFC 235 showdown with Nick Diaz, but that fight unfortunately fizzled out. All the same, Masvidal still has tremendous respect for Nick Diaz and his brother Nate, and is definitely interested in fighting both under the right circumstances. “Obviously, I want to fight Diaz, because they’re dogs,” Masvidal said on a recent episode of MMAjunkie Radio. “That’s what I really admire about them. Their skillset is not the greatest. They’re great at boxing. They’re great at jiu-jitsu even off their backs, but that thing – they don’t kick, they don’t wrestle.

Christopher Taylor - January 8, 2019

Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor took aim at Tristar gym head coach Firas Zahabi earlier this evening, which resulted in an bitter exchange with Al Iaquinta. “Mystic Mac” had blasted Zahabi for his recent comments in which he insinuated that current UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway would defeat Conor McGregor in a rematch.

Drake Riggs - January 8, 2019

Today the UFC announced that their second event on the ESPN channel will be taking place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The event got its first bout in a strawweight affair between top prospects Alexa Grasso (10-2) and Marina Rodriguez (10-0-1) after it was moved from UFC Fortaleza due to a Rodriguez injury.

Christopher Taylor - January 8, 2019

Former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington is not happy after being snubbed by the UFC of his promised title unification bout with Tyron Woodley. “Chaos” had captured the promotions interim welterweight title at June’s UFC 225 event in Chicago, where he scored a unanimous decision victory over Rafael dos Anjos.

Drake Riggs - January 8, 2019

“I would fight that guy in aisle five of Walmart.“– @lionheartasmithresponds to Luke Rockhold’s comments about him #TLTS @lthomasnews pic.twitter.com/jjjS1n1BCT — MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) January 8, 2019

Thomas Taylor - January 8, 2019

Roughly two years after their first fight, Tito Ortiz and Chael Sonnen are still going at it. The latest skirmish in the pair’s ongoing war of words occurred on Twitter. This time around, it was Sonnen who fired the first shot. 

Tom Taylor - January 8, 2019

Back at UFC 232 in late December, the longstanding title reign of UFC featherweight champ Cris Cyborg came to a shocking end at the hands of Amanda Nunes. Given Cyborg’s status as one of MMA’s most dominant champions ever, most fans feel that she deserves an immediate opportunity to avenge her loss to Nunes and reclaim the UFC featherweight title. If she doesn’t get this opportunity, however, she’s got a backup plan.

Drake Riggs - January 8, 2019

In every sport around the world, there are humans that will perform day in and day out to the best of their athletic capabilities. Of all the incredibly talented individuals, some will be more recognizable than others, but that doesn’t mean they’ll all be as equally impressive as the next just because they’re more well known.

Drake Riggs - January 8, 2019

UFC 232 took place on December 29. However, it almost didn’t due to some pre-fight shenanigans. A week prior to the event date, it was announced that one half of the event’s main event in Jon ‘Bones’ Jones had an ‘atypical finding‘ in one of his pre-fight drug tests. Because of this, UFC 232 was moved from its original location of Las Vegas, Nevada to Los Angeles, California.

Tom Taylor - January 8, 2019

When we talk about the busiest fighters in MMA, we usually mention names like Donald Cerrone, Neil Magny and Thiago Santos — and rightly so. These fighters keep tremendously busy schedules, oftentimes shoehorning four or five bouts into a single year. Yet no discussion about busy fighters is complete without mention of ONE Championship featherweight Anthony Engelen. Over the last few months, the 33-year-old Dutch-Indonesian talent has kept a timetable that would make the average fighter’s head spin. Engelen’s hyperactivity began at ONE: Heart of the Lion in mid-November when, after a brief hiatus, he made his anticipated return to the ONE Championship cage for a short-notice fight with Cambodia’s Meas Meul.

Tom Taylor - January 8, 2019

After being deprived of a shot at UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington is not happy with the UFC. In fact, the streaking wrestling specialist is so frustrated that he’s dared UFC President Dana White to release him from his UFC contract. 

Cole Shelton - January 8, 2019

Jon Jones is once again the light heavyweight champion. He defeated Alexander Gustafsson by third-round TKO at UFC 232 to reclaim the belt. Following the fight, Jones called out Daniel Cormier to fight him at light heavyweight — though he was subsequently booked to fight Anthony Smith at UFC 235 on March 2.

BJPENN.COM Staff - January 8, 2019

At just 20 years of age, Christian Lee owns a compendium of impressive performances. He has proven time and again why he is one of the top contenders for the ONE Championship featherweight title. In his most recent match last November at ONE: Heart of the Lion, Lee was able to secure a scintillating finish over Japanese veteran Kazuki Tokudome just a little over the first three minutes of the bout. He unleashed a barrage of elbows and punches on the former Pancrase Lightweight Champion before the referee intervened and stopped the match.