MMA News
Opinion | Falling in and out of love with Conor McGregor: an Irish fan's take
Christine Allen - October 8, 2018
It’s the third round of the UFC 229 main event showdown between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, and I’m perched on the edge of my bed in Dublin, Ireland, rubbing sleep from my eyes. I shout “Gwan Conor!” at intervals, tense as ‘The Eagle’ and The Notorious’ exchange jabs in the centre of The Octagon. My Mother, who is sixty six years old, presses her hands into a steeple of prayer, cringing when Nurmagomedov shoots for yet another takedown.
EXCLUSIVE | Leslie Smith: It's 'very obvious to me that fighters need a union'
Cole Shelton - October 8, 2018
Efforts to unionize UFC fighters have come and gone throughout the years. Every time a new union group comes out, there is optimism that it might become a success, yet so far, not one has gained any meaningful traction. However, Project Spearhead feels different. Thanks to this initiative’s hard work, UFC fighters are finally realizing that they are employees and not independent contractors as the UFC would have them believe. Former UFC fighter and Project Spearhead’s Interim President Leslie Smith is certain of this. “I started Project Spearhead because it was very obvious to me that fighters need a union,” Leslie Smith told BJPENN.COM. “There has been several other efforts that for various reasons didn’t work out. I knew my time, my promotional contract with the UFC was almost over. I needed to deal with the first issue, which is whether we are independent contractors or employees. Getting anybody to agree to anything is being really difficult. The whole point of this is unity, that is what we need, fighters to unify and come together. By getting the information, [it will] determine if we are independent contractors or employees. That would be the first step on getting everyone on the same page.”
Chuck Liddell rips UFC, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor after UFC 229 riot: 'It's unacceptable'
Tom Taylor - October 8, 2018
The riot that occurred shortly after Khabib Nurmagomedov submitted Conor McGregor at UFC 229 left a bad taste in pretty much everybody’s mouth. Former UFC light heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell, who is gearing up for a rematch with Tito Ortiz under the Golden Boy MMA banner, certainly wasn’t impressed. He feels this kind of ugliness only serves to the set the sport back and erase the efforts he and other MMA trailblazers made to legitimize it. Shortly after UFC 229 wrapped up, Chuck Liddell took to social media to give his take on the situation.
Rafael dos Anjos trashes Dillon Danis, Danis challenges him to street fight
Tom Taylor - October 8, 2018
Shortly after Khabib Nurmagomedov submitted Conor McGregor at UFC 229, he leapt out of the Octagon, and onto McGregor’s training partner Dillon Danis like Mario on a Goomba. From there, he and Danis engaged in a brief scrap, trading punches until they were separated. Shortly thereafter, former UFC lightweight champion and current welterweight contender Rafael dos Anjos took to Twitter, where he trashed Dillon Danis for his role in this ugly, post-fight brawl.
Michael Bisping: Conor McGregor 'gave up' against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229
Tom Taylor - October 8, 2018
Last Saturday night, in the main event of UFC 229, former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor returned to the Octagon after two long years away, as he attempted to reclaim the UFC lightweight belt from undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Unfortunately for McGregor and his legions of fans, this mission didn’t go as planned. Instead, the Irish MMA star was soundly walloped en route to a fourth-round submission loss. Just like that, his hopes of reclaiming one of his two UFC titles were dashed.
Zubaira Tukhugov, one of the fighters who attacked Conor McGregor, boasts about it on social media
Tom Taylor - October 8, 2018
On Saturday night, in the main event of UFC 229, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his title with a dominant, fourth-round submission win over former UFC lightweight and featherweight champ Conor McGregor. Unfortunately, that’s not where the violence ended. Moments after the fight ended, Khabib Nurmagomedov leapt over the cage and attacked Conor McGregor’s training partner Dillon Danis, which sparked a massive brawl between his and McGregor’s teams. Punches were thrown by both sides, and several arrests were made.
ONE Championship Receives Another US $166 Million in Series D Funding
BJPENN.COM Staff - October 8, 2018
Asia-based martial arts organization ONE Championship just announced through a press release that it has raised an additional US $166 million in the latest round of its funding. Led by major investor Sequoia Capital, who had already invested in the company in 2017, ONE Championship now has a total capital base exceeding US $250 million. Other investors who participated in the Series D funding round include Temasek, Greenoaks Capital, and other leading institutional investors. The equity investment further solidifies ONE’s dominant market leadership position in the sports media industry in Asia.
Conor McGregor after UFC 229: 'We lost the match but we won the battle'
Tom Taylor - October 8, 2018
On Saturday night, former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor returned to the Octagon after two long years away, where he attempted to reclaim the UFC lightweight belt from undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. This mission did not go as McGregor planned. Instead, the Irish MMA star was soundly walloped en route to a fourth-round submission loss. Just like that, his hopes of reclaiming one of his two UFC titles were dashed.
Daniel Cormier not impressed by actions of Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229
Tom Taylor - October 7, 2018
On Saturday night, in the main event of UFC 229, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his title with a dominant, fourth-round submission win over former UFC lightweight and featherweight champ Conor McGregor. Unfortunately, that’s not where the violence ended. Moments after the fight ended, Khabib Nurmagomedov leapt over the cage and attacked Conor McGregor’s training partner Dillon Danis, which sparked a massive brawl between his and McGregor’s teams.
Tony Ferguson asserts that he is the real champ after Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor's brawl
Tom Taylor - October 7, 2018
On Saturday night, in the co-main event of UFC 229, former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson made a successful return to action after a long layoff, picking up an impressive win over the former champion Anthony Pettis. Not long thereafter, in the card’s main event, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor to retain his title. Shortly after Nurmagomedov bested McGregor, the pair’s team engaged in a wild brawl inside and outside of the Octagon. Having witnessed this chaotic and unsportsmanlike scene, Tony Ferguson believes that neither Nurmagomedov nor McGregor is deserving of the UFC lightweight belt. In his opinion, he himself is the true lightweight champ.
Dana White says Khabib Nurmagomedov 'will probably get stripped' if he receives lengthy suspension for post-fight brawl
Cole Shelton - October 7, 2018
Khabib Nurmagomedov was entering Saturday’s fight against Conor McGregor as the undisputed lightweight champion. It was going to be Nurmagomedov’s biggest challenge yet. Even with it being a tough fight, Nurmagomedov made it look easy. He took McGregor down at will and avoided McGregor’s left hand. Ultimately, Nurmagomedov defeated McGregor by fourth-round submission.
Colby Covington trashes "stupid sheep f***er" Khabib Nurmagomedov after UFC 229 brawl
Tom Taylor - October 7, 2018
On Saturday night, in the main event of UFC 229, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his title with a dominant, fourth-round submission win over former UFC lightweight and featherweight champ Conor McGregor. Unfortunately, that’s not where the violence ended. Moments after the fight ended, Khabib Nurmagomedov leapt over the cage and attacked Conor McGregor’s training partner Dillon Danis, which sparked a massive brawl between his and McGregor’s teams.
VIDEO | Fans brawl after Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor fight at UFC 229
Tom Taylor - October 7, 2018
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor weren’t the only two people to brawl in the fallout of UFC 229. Shortly after the main event fighters’ teams got into it in and around the Octagon, a handful of fans got into a violent brawl elsewhere inside the T-Mobile Arena, the host venue for the fight.
NSAC withholding Khabib Nurmagomedov's pay after UFC 229 brawl
Cole Shelton - October 7, 2018
Khabib Nurmagomedov was in for a huge pay check at UFC 229. The lightweight champion was set to fight the biggest star in the UFC in Conor McGregor, and make a reported $2 million fight purse. Following the fight, which Khabib Nurmagomedov won by fourth-round submission, he jumped out of the Octagon and attacked McGregor’s corner, while Nurmagomedov’s team jumped into the Octagon and punched McGregor.
Anthony Pettis issues statement on wild UFC 229 loss to Tony Ferguson
Tom Taylor - October 7, 2018
On Saturday night, before UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor to retain the title, former interim champion Tony Ferguson picked up a victory over former undisputed champ Anthony Pettis. Although Anthony Pettis was able to drop Tony Ferguson at one point in the fight, his corner stopped the action between the second and third rounds as he had broken his hand.
Conor McGregor after UFC 229 loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov: 'I'll be back'
Tom Taylor - October 7, 2018
Last night, in the main event of UFC 229, former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor was walloped by reigning UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov en route to a fourth-round submission loss. Post-fight, Nurmagomedov hurdled the cage and started a wild brawl with Conor McGregor teammate Dillon Danis. If this sounds to you like the kind of thing that will keep Conor McGregor away from the UFC’s Octagon, think again.
Khabib Nurmagomedov issues statement following UFC 229 win and post-fight brawl
Chris Taylor - October 7, 2018
Khabib Nurmagomedov has issued a statement after successfully defending his UFC lightweight title against Conor McGregor at UFC 229. “The Eagle” defeated his bitter rival Conor McGregor in the headliner of tonight’s UFC 229 event in Las Vegas.
Dana White reacts to UFC 229's Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov bout and post-fight brawl
Chris Taylor - October 7, 2018
UFC President Dana White was not happy about the post-fight brawl that ensued moments after Khabib Nurmagomedov submitted Conor McGregor at UFC 229. Following three rounds of back and forth action, Khabib Nurmagomedov was able to take Conor McGregor to the canvas in round four and obtain dominant position.