MMA News

Tom Taylor - January 2, 2019

The UFC is going to be busy in the second quarter of 2019. After a rousing first quarter that will include some big pay-per-views and some stacked cards on ESPN, the promotion will keep things rolling in April, May and June with a whopping 10 cards. The UFC schedule for this second quarter of 2019 was announced during the UFC 232 broadcast last weekend. Here’s when we can expect to be watching UFC cards this spring and early summer (h/t MMA Fighting).

Tom Taylor - January 2, 2019

Several weeks ago, Dana White told ESPN that a welterweight bout between fan favorites Nick Diaz and Jorge Masvidal had been added to UFC 235 on March 2. Unsurprisingly, this matchup generated quite a bit of excitement among fans. Unfortunately, it now sounds as though its announcement was premature. Since the fight was first reported, Nick Diaz has repeatedly refuted its legitimacy. 

Tom Taylor - January 2, 2019

On New Years Eve in Tokyo, Japan, in the main event of RIZIN 14, 20-year-old Japanese kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa stepped through the ropes for an exhibition boxing match with undefeated legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. Because this fight was an exhibition, it would not wind up on either fighters record, no matter the outcome. All the same, Nasukawa hoped to do the unthinkable and knock the Floyd Mayweather out.

Drake Riggs - January 2, 2019

It seems as if the UFC lightweight division is almost destined for cloudiness among the top of the heap. In April 2018, undefeated 27-0 dominator Khabib ‘The Eagle’ Nurmagomedov finally claimed the top spot as the undisputed lightweight champion by defeating Al Iaquinta.

Drake Riggs - January 1, 2019

After a multitude of awesome bouts to close out 2018, it’s onto the new year. December was loaded with a little bit of everything, January, on the other hand, will be on the lighter side as it acts as a transitional month for the world of MMA. The UFC will be beginning their new era with ESPN while Bellator’s heavyweight Grand Prix comes to its conclusion.

Drake Riggs - January 1, 2019

Trust can be hard to come by just in life in general. Unfortunately, that is often times the case in business as well, including sports. Former Invicta FC bantamweight champion and current UFC flyweight contender Lauren Murphy found this out the hard way. Murphy entered the UFC in 2014 as an undefeated 8-0 champion fresh off her title-winning victory over Miriam Nakamoto who she defeated via fourth-round TKO.

Drake Riggs - January 1, 2019

UFC 232 was an important event for the light heavyweight division as it marked the return of Jon Jones who reclaimed the title. Also on the card was the rising contender, the season 19 winner of The Ultimate Fighter, Corey Anderson who extended his winning streak to three as he defeated Ilir Latifi by unanimous decision.

Drake Riggs - January 1, 2019

The UFC’s final event of the year was UFC 232, and it had a little bit of everything. Unfortunately, that included a good bit of controversy in…and especially out of the Octagon. However, when it came to the in-Octagon controversy, it surrounded the first of the two female featherweight bouts which featured the returning former Invicta FC champion Megan Anderson as she took on the divisional debutant, ‘Alpha’ Cat Zingano.

Tom Taylor - January 1, 2019

Pretty much everybody has an opinion on the Floyd Mayweather vs. Tenshin Nasukawa bout that topped Monday’s RIZIN 14 card. That includes former UFC lightweight and featherweight champ Conor McGregor. McGregor, who previously engaged in his own battle with Mayweather, recently took to Twitter to give his take on the madness. Surprisingly, however, he had little to say about Mayweather’s performance. Instead, he seems more concerned with Mayweather’s rumored $9M payday, and how it will position him on the list of the highest earning athletes in the world.

Jordy McElroy - January 1, 2019

Tenshin Nasukawa showed up for a fight, and Floyd Mayweather showed up for an exhibition match at RIZIN 14. Ironically, they both got exactly what they wanted at the featured special rules boxing match in Japan on New Year’s Eve. Mayweather left without a scratch after a glorified celebrity appearance, and Nasukawa tasted the pain and heartache of defeat after a real fight with the best boxer on the planet.

Tom Taylor - January 1, 2019

Jimmy Smith is no longer a commentator for the UFC. Speaking on Twitter on the first day of the New Year, the broadcast talent announced that he is not being re-signed by the promotion.

Tom Taylor - January 1, 2019

On New Years Eve, in front of a jampacked crowd at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) crowned inaugural champions in the welterweight, heavyweight, light heavyweight, lightweight, featherweight and middleweight divisions at the 2018 Championship. Each PFL winner claimed their respective titles after a two-month playoff, earning a $1M prize. “We are thrilled to have six deserving champions earn their titles and an unprecedented $1M in front of a great New York crowd on New Years’ Eve,” said League President Carlos Silva. “Each of them fought their way through the grueling playoff system to come out as champions in their respective brackets. We’re looking forward to what 2019 holds as our inaugural season proved that the PFL’s unique format works and promotes enticing matchups culminating in one champion.” Chicago native and 2-seed Louis Taylor scored the first victory of the night via TKO against 1-seed Abus Magomedov with a vicious left hook, 33 seconds into the first round to claim the middleweight title. 2-seed Lance Palmer remained undefeated during the 2018 PFL season and took home the featherweight crown by defeating fellow American and 1-seed Steven Siler by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-43, 49-46). In a thrilling bout, Brazilian Natan Schulte became the first No. 1-seed to win his weight class, outlasting Russian Rashid Magomedov by unanimous decision (48-46, 48-46, 48-46) to win the lightweight title. 6-seed American Sean O’Connell scored the biggest upset of the night, shocking 1-seed Vinny Magalhaes by TKO (corner stoppage) after the third round. After claiming the PFL light heavyweight title and $1M prize, O’Connell announced his retirement from fighting. Brazilian Philipe Lins finished the 2018 PFL season unbeaten by dominating Josh Copeland to claim the heavyweight crown. Lins won via TKO (referee stoppage) at 33 seconds of the fourth round. To cap off the night, Russian Magomed Magomedkerimov upset 1-seed Ray Cooper by submission (guillotine choke) at 2:18 of the second round to claim the welterweight crown. “This was a great night for the PFL and the sport of MMA,” said PFL President of Fighting Operations Ray Sefo. “Our six champions earned everything they got tonight. They worked hard all year long and I am happy for them and even more excited to get started on the 2019 season.” To round out the exhilarating evening of Championship fights, two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison remained undefeated in her MMA career by defeating Moriel Charneski by TKO (referee stoppage) at 3:39 of the first round of a special featured fight. What was your favorite moment of this debut PFL season?

Tom Taylor - January 1, 2019

UFC President Dana White and boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya do not like each other, and have not liked each other for a very long time. Yet when De La Hoya promoted a rematch between Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell — a fight White did not approve of at all — their relationship curdled even further. Speaking at the UFC 232 post-fight press conference, Dana White explained where his disdain for Oscar De La Hoya really began.

Tom Taylor - January 1, 2019

Speaking at the UFC 232 post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White said that he expects former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor to return sometime around the summer of 2019. The UFC boss dropped this Conor McGregor tidbit as he discussed the exciting state of the UFC lightweight division.

Tom Taylor - January 1, 2019

When Daniel Cormier captured the UFC heavyweight title with a July knockout of Stipe Miocic, the expectation was that he would battle former champ Brock Lesnar in a heavyweight title super fight sometime toward the end of the year. Unfortunately for Daniel Cormier, this fight still hasn’t happened, and from the sounds of it, he’s not sure it will.

Mike Straus - December 31, 2018

UFC 232 is in the books and boy, did it deliver. The world leader in MMA came through with its annual year-end PPV as UFC 232 more than lived up to the hype. But who are the biggest winners and losers from the final UFC event of the year?

Tom Taylor - December 31, 2018

On New Years Eve in Tokyo, Japan (Monday morning in North America), Japanese kickboxing sensation Tenshin Nasukawa stepped through the ropes for an exhibition boxing match with undefeated legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. Because this fight was an exhibition, it would not wind up on either fighters record, no matter the outcome. All the same, Nasukawa hoped to do the unthinkable and knock the Floyd Mayweather out.

Tom Taylor - December 31, 2018

Last Saturday night, on the undercard of the action packed UFC 232 card, former Invicta champion Megan Anderson picked up an impressive first-round win over Cat Zingano — but probably not quite the way she imagined. Although it was a well-timed head kick that set up the finish for Megan Anderson, it was an inadvertent toe to Zingano’s eye that ended the action.