MMA News

Thomas Taylor - September 26, 2018

Former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor is far and away the biggest star in MMA history. He’s been an absolute gold mine for the UFC, having headlined a great many of the promotion’s biggest pay-per-views. Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up this week, UFC President Dana White admitted that, because Conor McGregor is such a valuable asset to the UFC, he gets away with more than any of his peers would. You know, like throwing dollies through bus windows and injuring other fighters severely enough that they’re forced to withdraw from their fights.

Drake Riggs - September 26, 2018

Very dark and disturbing news has come to light surrounding the promising UFC welterweight prospect Abdul Razak Alhassan. It has been reported by the Star-Telegram (more detail inside) that Alhassan has been indicted on charges for sexual assault and accused of driving two intoxicated women home from the Varsity Tavern where he worked as a bouncer in March, then raped both women inside one of their homes. Alhassan was set free from the arrest in April on a $20,000 bond.

Tom Taylor - September 26, 2018

In his last fight, which went down January, Douglas Lima surrendered the Bellator welterweight title to reigning champion Rory MacDonald, losing a close decision to the Canadian. So long as he performs well in his upcoming Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix matchups, starting with his Bellator 206, scrap with Andrey Koreshkov, Lima could easily have the chance to reclaim the title from MacDonald in the near future. If Douglas Lima gets this chance, he will apply the lessons he learned from his first with MacDonald to their second fight. The key takeaway from this first fight, he says, is that he needs to continue fighting ferociously for the bout’s duration. In hindsight, he feels he let his foot off the gas a little too much in the latter phases of the first fight.

Tom Taylor - September 26, 2018

If you were hoping former UFC welterweight and middleweight Georges St-Pierre might one day add the UFC lightweight title to his crowded trophy case, we’ve got some bad news. Speaking to MMA Fighting this week, the Canadian MMA legend claimed that the doubts the UFC will ever let him fight for the UFC lightweight belt. After he won the UFC middleweight title with a submission of Michael Bisping in 2017, and promptly abandoned that title, he feels the promotion will be much more choosey with the opportunities they give him going forward.

Tom Taylor - September 26, 2018

That UFC 230 main event we’ve been waiting for? Apparently, it’s in the works, and it’s an undeniably surprising one. According to a report from Ariel Helwani, the UFC is looking at booking a light heavyweight showdown between Alexander Gustafsson and Yoel Romero for the card. If the fight is indeed booked, it will reportedly be for a title, though it’s not certain whether the pair would be fighting for an interim or undisputed title.

Tom Taylor - September 26, 2018

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will reportedly return to the cage at UFC Adelaide on December 2, where he’ll take on Australia’s own Tyson Pedro in a compelling light heavyweight showdown. This matchup was first reported by ESPN.

Tom Taylor - September 26, 2018

Bellator’s anticipated Welterweight Grand Prix, which will see Rory MacDonald, Douglas Lima, Andrey Koreshkov, Jon Fitch, Paul Daley, Michael Page, Neiman Gracie and Ed Ruth battle for welterweight gold, is almost here. The first tournament bout occurs on the main card of the stacked Bellator 206 on September 29, when former champions Douglas Lima and Andrey Koreshkov collide in a tie-breaking trilogy fight.

Tom Taylor - September 26, 2018

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was recently handed a 15-month suspension by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). This suspension is retroactive to a July, 2017 failed drug test, which means Jones could fight again as soon as early November. Ahead of his anticipated comeback, Jon Jones seems to have a wealth of options available in the UFC light heavyweight division, from his former opponent Alexander Gustafsson to his arch rival Daniel Cormier. Yet Jones is looking far beyond the division he once ruled.

Drake Riggs - September 25, 2018

If there is one thing that is frustrating for everyone, regardless of what’s being involved…it’s when someone can’t seem to do their job right. This happened to be a case at the recent UFC Moscow event. In said recent case, UFC veteran CB Dollaway took on the debuting Khalid Murtazaliev.

Drake Riggs - September 25, 2018

The UFC definitely has taken their sweet time when it comes to announcing the headliner for one of their biggest cards if the year. With tickets going on sale in just a matter of hours, UFC 230 on November 3 will act as the organization’s return to Madison Square Garden which will be their first time heading to the venue in 2018 since they were last there for UFC 217 in November 2017.

Drake Riggs - September 25, 2018

The legendary “Super Samoan” Mark Hunt (13-13-1) was hopeful that after his UFC Moscow main event against Alexey Oleynik that he could head on home for his following bout. And now he’s getting his wish. Win or lose, Hunt ideally wanted to get to fight what will likely be his last fight in the UFC in front of his home crowd. The UFC is now obliging him as he draws Justin “Big Pretty” Willis (7-1) for the UFC’s return to Australia on December 2 in Adelaide.

Jason Kindschy - September 25, 2018

BJPENN.COM Radio is back, Penn Nation!

Drake Riggs - September 25, 2018

The Bellator lightweight title rematch that we’ve been waiting for seems to finally be finding a spot where it can take place. Well…a date anyway! On June 24, 2017, Bellator took their talents to Madison Square Garden for the first time ever as three titles were on the line that night. One of those titles was the prestigious lightweight crown.

Cole Shelton - September 25, 2018

At UFC 231 in Toronto on December 8, the women’s flyweight title will be on the line. However, there will be no champion defending it, as former champion Nicco Montano was stripped of the title after failing to reach the scale at UFC 228. Come December, the current number one flyweight contender Valentina Shevchenko will take on the former strawweight queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk. It is an interesting matchup, as, before Rose Namajunas, Jedrzejczyk was unbeatable at 115-pounds but did struggle with her weight cuts. While Shevchenko arguably won the bantamweight title in a fight against Amanda Nunes that ended up being a split-decision win for Nunes.

Cole Shelton - September 25, 2018

Eryk Anders was riding a high after a devastating head kick knockout victory over Tim Williams at UFC Fight Night 135 in August. With the win, Anders was hoping he could fight a ranked opponent before the end of the year. Well, Anders got his wish, but he was fighting 12 ranked middleweight Thiago Santos at light heavyweight in the main event for UFC Sao Paulo, just a month after his win over Williams. Anders took the fight on just days’ notice as the former Alabama linebacker flew to Brazil to fight in the main event.

Tom Taylor - September 25, 2018

Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson has not fought since May, when he gave up a hotly debated decision to an overweight Darren Till in Liverpool, UK. From the sounds of it, he’s hoping to change that soon. Speaking on Twitter on Monday, the two-time welterweight title challenger called for a early 2019 showdown with former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. I heard your going to be ready early next year @Ruthless_RL I know a guy who will be ready then too…Let’s give the fans what they want! I’m bringing the heat back, and you know this fight will be FIRE! @ufc

Tom Taylor - September 25, 2018

There was a time when UFC President Dana White was one of Francis Ngannou’s most vocal supporters. A little less than a year ago, the UFC boss was referring to the Cameroonian-French heavyweight as a future superstar and the next big thing at heavyweight. Yet in the wake of Francis Ngannou’s back to back decision defeats to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis — the latter of which was a particularly disappointing performance — UFC President Dana White has accused the heavyweight of having an ego problem.

Tom Taylor - September 25, 2018

As he prepares for his UFC 229 showdown with Conor McGregor, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has been training with an old stablemate of the Irishman: former SBG fighter Myles Price. Price, who spent lots of time sparring and training with Conor McGregor in the early phases of career, now trains at American Kickboxing Academy. And he has no issues with helping Khabib Nurmagomedov prepare for this fight with his former teammate, as he never got along that well with Conor McGregor.