MMA News
Conor McGregor reacts to Floyd Mayweather vs. Tenshin Nasukawa bout
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.
Opinion: How Floyd Mayweather pulled off the heist of the century at RIZIN 14
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.
Commentator Jimmy Smith announces departure from UFC
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.
2018 PFL Championship results: Lance Palmer, Sean O'Connell, four others win $1 million
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?
Dana White to Oscar De La Hoya: 'You wanna battle? I’m your guy'
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.
Dana White gives estimated timeframe for return of Conor McGregor
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.
Daniel Cormier updates on status of Brock Lesnar fight
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.
The biggest winners and losers from the insane UFC 232 card
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?
Tenshin Nasukawa issues statement after stoppage loss to Floyd Mayweather
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.
Megan Anderson opens up on Cat Zingano win, re-extends rematch offer
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.
Manager: Floyd Mayweather is 'begging' for fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov
Tom Taylor - December 31, 2018
This morning in Tokyo, Japan, Floyd Mayweather authored a lopsided destruction of kickboxing whiz Tenshin Nasukawa in a boxing exhibition bout (watch here). From the sounds of it, there could be another interesting crossover fight in the boxing legend’s future. Speaking to TMZ Sports, MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz claimed that Floyd Mayweather has been “begging” to fight his star client Khabib Nurmagomedov in their recent text exchanges.
The combats sports community reacts to Floyd Mayweather smashing Tenshin Nasukawa
Tom Taylor - December 31, 2018
On Monday night (Monday morning in North America), undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. stepped into the RIZIN Fighting Federation ring for a strange exhibition bout with 20-year-old kickboxing sensation Tenshin Nasukawa. In the weeks leading up to this exhibition bout — and really, until the very point the action began — Floyd Mayweather looked like he was taking it all incredibly lightly. Once the action began, however, the legend of pugilism began pouring on the offense, punishing his much smaller opponent with the kind of winging power shots he has not thrown in years. To him, it seemed, this was indeed a real fight.
RIZIN 14 results: Kyoji Horiguchi scores huge comeback win over Darrion Caldwell, Ayaka Hamasaki claims gold
Drake Riggs - December 31, 2018
It came and went, but as usual, it was a great night of action for the RIZIN Fighting Federation’s big New Year’s Eve show. This year, it was RIZIN 14. Of the multiple UFC veterans competing at the event, Justin Scoggins was one of them as he made his promotional debut against Yuki Motoya in a 132-pound catchweight bout.
Chad Mendes retires from MMA after UFC 232 loss
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2018
After losing to Alexander Volkanovski by second-round TKO on the UFC 232 main card, long-time featherweight contender Chad Mendes has announced his retirement from MMA. Farah Hannoun confirmed this news on Twitter.
Dana White shuts down Amanda Nunes vs. Cris Cyborg immediate rematch
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2018
Amanda Nunes’ 51-second knockout of long-time featherweight champion Cris Cyborg was about as one-sided a fight as you’ll get in mixed martial arts. Yet the incredible run of dominance that preceded this loss for Cyborg has many members of the MMA community calling for an immediate rematch between the two Brazilian juggernauts. Cyborg, they feel, deserves the opportunity for to redeem herself. UFC President Dana White doesn’t seem to share this opinion — at least not right now.
What's next for UFC 232 main and co-main event fighters?
Cole Shelton - December 30, 2018
Last night, the UFC held its final pay-per-view of 2018 in Inglewood, California and had two titles on the line. For all the negative attention the card got after being moved from Las Vegas to California, it ended up delivering. In the co-main event, Amanda Nunes shocked the world and knocked out Cris Cyborg in just 51 seconds to become the first-ever female fighter to hold UFC titles in two divisions. Then, in the main event, Jon Jones TKO’d Alexander Gustafsson in the third round to reclaim the light heavyweight belt.
Dana White praises 'best ever' Amanda Nunes after UFC 232 destruction of Cyborg
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2018
On Saturday night, Amanda Nunes become the first woman in UFC history to win titles in two different divisions, and one of just three fighters ever to wear belts in two UFC divisions simultaneously. Nunes achieved this incredible feat by bludgeoning the seemingly unbeatable Cris Cyborg in just 51 seconds to capture the UFC featherweight title, which joins the UFC bantamweight title on her crowded mantle. With this incredible win, Amanda Nunes now holds first-round stoppage victories over Cris Cyborg, and former UFC women’s bantamweight champions Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. She also owns a pair of victories over reigning UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.
Alexander Gustafsson opens up on loss to Jon Jones
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2018
Last night, in the main event of UFC 232, Sweden’s Alexander Gustafsson attempted to become the first man to legitimately defeat Jon Jones — and capture the vacant UFC light heavyweight title in the process. Unfortunately for him, Jones executed a solid gameplan, immobilizing the Swede early on in the fight. “He got me very, very early in the first round,” Gustafsson told reporters at a post-fight scrum (via MMAjunkie). “Very early. After that I just shut down. I wasn’t tired, I had my conditioning. I felt good. We had our exchanges and everything. He just shut me down very early in the first round and I couldn’t move at all. I told my corner that too and all that. He did what he was supposed to do and made sure he won the fight.”