MMA News
Jon Jones says he would have left UFC if USADA issued four-year ban
Tom Taylor - November 28, 2018
In the end, the United States Anti-Doping Agency handed Jon Jones a 15-month suspension for the failed drug test that caused his July, 2017 win over Daniel Cormier to be overturned. That being said, the agency was apparently contemplating a much more severe punishment: a four-year ban. Speaking to ESPN earlier this week, Jon Jones admitted that, had USADA issued this four-year suspension, he would have asked to be released from his UFC contract so that he could fight overseas, outside the jurisdiction of the anti-doping agency.
At UFC 233, Aleksandra Albu returns for second bout since 2015
James Lynch - November 28, 2018
A compelling women’s strawweight matchup has been added to the UFC 233 lineup, as Aleksandra Albu is set to face Oregon’s Emily Whitmire on the card. The UFC’s official Russian Twitter account confirmed the news on Wednesday.
With UFC contract almost up, Mark Hunt shares plans for the next chapter of his career
Tom Taylor - November 28, 2018
When Mark Hunt battles Justin Willis in the co-main event of UFC Adelaide this weekend, it will mark the final obligation on his current UFC contract. Do not expect him to re-sign with the promotion. Speaking to MMAjunkie ahead of his fight, Hunt explained that he’s happy to be parting ways with the UFC, and that he will continue to fight outside the promotion.
Tito Ortiz responds to Dana White's recent rant: 'This is not about you'
Tom Taylor - November 28, 2018
Speaking on the UFC Unfiltered podcast this week, UFC President Dana White unleashed a virulent tirade targeting Oscar De La Hoya and Tito Ortiz for allowing Chuck Liddell to fight again — and ultimately be knocked out again. “Listen, I love Chuck Liddell and I don’t ever want to badmouth Chuck Liddell,” White said (transcript via MMANytt). “People do think I’m badmouthing Chuck Liddell , but the reality is, first of all, let’s says this first, I heard last week that the cokehead, ‘Oscar Del La Weirdo’ is talking s***, that I don’t have any place to tell guys when to retire. First of all, it’s called friendship you f***ing cokehead. I’ve been friends with Chuck Liddell for 20 years and the reality is that Chuck Liddell retired when he should’ve retired, 8 or 9 years ago, whenever it was.
Jon Jones roasts Daniel Cormier on social media
Christopher Taylor - November 27, 2018
Former UFC light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones will make his highly anticipated octagon return at January’s UFC 232 event in Las Vegas. “Bones” is scheduled to rematch former division title challenger Alexander Gustafsson at the December 29 event.
EXCLUSIVE | MMA Prospect, Fernie Garcia looking to establish pro career after Golden Boy win
Cole Shelton - November 27, 2018
Fernie Garcia recently was apart of history. The 26-year-old fought on the first ever Golden Boy MMA fight card in which he fought on the undercard. Ultimately, Garcia impressed enough that when Golden Boy does their next MMA event, Garcia will be fighting on it. However, before his fight with Golden Boy MMA, Garcia was 4-0 as a professional and was looking to fight in a bigger promotion. That is when Golden Boy reached out and it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. As a prospect, fighting in front of thousands of fans, and fighting on a big card like this was important to Garcia.
Max Holloway believes that health issues are a thing of the past, 'We're going to make it'
Drake Riggs - November 27, 2018
Three separate opponents, three-fight cancellations. That’s not exactly the type of year that any fighter wants to have. Let alone a champion of Max Holloway’s caliber. Unfortunately, that’s exactly how his 2018 played out so far. Holloway’s first fight cancellation came early for March’s UFC 222 event which saw him set to take on Frankie Edgar. However, a leg injury would end up forcing Holloway out of the bout.
Rachael Ostovich vs Paige VanZant fight remains in tact for UFC Brooklyn
Drake Riggs - November 27, 2018
Despite recently going through a tougher personal battle than any she could have in the Octagon, UFC flyweight prospect Rachael Ostovich will remain set to fight at UFC Brooklyn on January 19. Last week, Ostovich was involved in an altercation with her husband and fellow MMA fighter, Arnold Berdon that resulted in her being attacked and suffering what was reported as a broken orbital bone among other injuries.
EXCLUSIVE | Garry Tonon wants ONE featherweight title, then lightweight bouts with stars like Alvarez, Aoki
Tom Taylor - November 27, 2018
When BJJ whiz Garry Tonon submitted South Korea’s Sung Jong Lee at ONE: Heart of the Lion earlier this month, he improved to an impressive 3-0 as a mixed martial artist. Thus far, the the five-time EBI Grappling Champion has drifted between the 155-pound ONE featherweight division, and the 170-pound ONE lightweight division. And from the sounds of it, he could continue floating between both divisions.
Dana White updates on status of the UFC flyweight division
Tom Taylor - November 27, 2018
There’s recently been reason to believe that the end is near for the UFC flyweight division. First, the promotion traded the former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren. Then, it cut ties with a number of talented flyweight fighters — some of whom claimed to have heard that the division is being decommissioned. UFC President Dana White, however, has remained fairly tight-lipped about the division’s future. Speaking on the latest episode of the UFC Unfiltered podcast, Dana White shared his latest update on the division — though it didn’t exactly clear things up.
Tony Ferguson takes aim at Khabib Nurmagomedov after champ's Mayweather callout
Tom Taylor - November 27, 2018
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow earlier this week, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov announced that he would prefer a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather to an MMA bout with Tony Ferguson for his next fight. “For legacy and in the sense of the money aspect, and in a sporting sense, I think the Mayweather fight is much more interesting,” Nurmagomedov said, adding that there’s not much sense in discussing his next fight until he’s sorted out his situation with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. “The athletics commission needs to finish up first and then we’ll talk.”
Dana White eviscerates 'cokehead junkie' Oscar De La Hoya for allowing Chuck Liddell to fight
Tom Taylor - November 27, 2018
File UFC President Dana White into the group of people who seemed to strongly disapprove of last weekend’s Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell rematch. Speaking on the UFC Unfiltered podcast, the UFC boss unleashed a virulent tirade against the bout’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya, Tito Ortiz, and the California State Athletic Commission for allowing this fight to happen.
Sage Northcutt no longer with the UFC according to Dana White
James Lynch - November 27, 2018
The next cage Sage Northcutt steps into will not be the UFC’s Octagon. That’s according to President Dana White who told the UFC Unfiltered podcast this week that that the young fighter will not be re-signing with the promotion.
Ev Ting reflects on tough loss to Shinya Aoki
BJPENN.COM Staff - November 27, 2018
One mistake. That’s all it took to derail Ev Ting’s hopes for a shot at the ONE Lightweight World Title. “I should have kept moving,” reflected Malaysia’s Ting, who was submitted by Japan’s Shinya Aoki inside the first round at ONE: Kingdom of Heroes in Bangkok, Thailand in October. “I gave him way too much time and respect. He faked a few times and one mistake was all it took for him to put me to sleep.
CSAC director Andy Foster responds to criticism surrounding Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz rematch
Tom Taylor - November 27, 2018
Last Saturday night, in the headlining bout of the first MMA card promoted by Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions, former UFC light heavyweight champs Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz stepped into the cage for a third time. Unlike the pair’s first two bouts, Ortiz won this fight, putting Liddell down with a crackling first-round punch. While this Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell trilogy fight generated quite a bit of buzz in the combat sports bubble, not all of it was positive. Many fans felt the 48-year-old Chuck Liddell should not have been allowed to fight again, and after Liddell’s rather brutal knockout loss to Ortiz, these criticisms grew even louder.
Tito Ortiz answers haters, explains why he accepted Chuck Liddell trilogy fight
Tom Taylor - November 27, 2018
Last weekend, in the main event of the first mixed martial arts card promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, former UFC light heavyweight champ Tito Ortiz stepped into the cage with his arch rival Chuck Liddell for a third time. In this third fight, Ortiz finally got the victory over Liddell he’d been seeking, melting “The Iceman” with a first-round heater. Unfortunately, Ortiz’s long-awaited win over Chuck Liddell has been somewhat marred by controversy, as some members of the MMA community feel that the 48-year-old Chuck Liddell, who had not fought since a string of knockout losses initially forced his retirement eight years ago, should not have been anywhere near another fight.
Valentina Shevchenko lets Joanna Jedrzejczyk know that flyweight is her 'territory'
Drake Riggs - November 26, 2018
The second UFC women’s flyweight title bout in the promotion’s history takes place next month on December 8 at UFC 231 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The bout will feature one-time bantamweight title challenger, Valentina ‘Bullet’ Shevchenko as she faces the former strawweight champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Joe Rogan reveals that a new glove style is in the works for the UFC
Drake Riggs - November 26, 2018
There have been plenty of issues over the years regarding the technical aspects of how the UFC operates. One of which that has never been addressed, however, is the glove style. When it comes to being an issue, the main reason that the UFC gloves have been problematic in their existence is that of the fact that they don’t really prevent any chance of eye poking. Some may even say that they are helping the chance of it, especially when compared to some other organization’s gloves.