MMA News
BJPENN.COM Radio Ep. 92 // Alonzo Menifield | Darrion Caldwell | Duane Ludwig | Colby Covington
Jason Kindschy - August 9, 2018
BJPENN.COM Radio is back, Penn Nation! We kick off this episode with arguably the most talented prospect awarded a contract from DWTNCS, Alonzo Menifield. Finishing his last opponent in just 8 seconds, Alonzo now hopes to make his UFC debut in October. We’ll recap the victory that landed him a contract, discuss what matchups make the most sense for his debut, and how he plans to build momentum towards the title quickly.
Matt Sayles eye poked multiple times with no point deductions at UFC 227, now requires eye surgery
Drake Riggs - August 9, 2018
UFC 227 this past Saturday delivered on a variety of levels. As per every fight night, not everyone gets to go home happy. Some less than others. In the event’s preliminary portion of the card, UFC newcomer and a winner on season 1 of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, Matt Sayles debuted opposite Sheymon Moraes.
VIDEO | UFC vet turned star pro wrestler Matt Riddle thinks, 'the UFC is grasping for straws'
Drake Riggs - August 9, 2018
“I think that UFC is grabbing for straws. I don’t think all the other companies are shutting down for no reason, I think there is a reason. MMA is losing a lot of fans and it’s hurting them.
Kamaru Usman to act as the replacement if needed for Tyron Woodley or Darren Till at UFC 228
Drake Riggs - August 9, 2018
Injuries, weight cut issues, you name it and a fight can be canceled for it. Which is why it’s good to see that the UFC is now starting to have fighters on standby for their main events. We saw it most recently with international fight week wherein the case that a headlining fighter couldn’t go, someone else was ready to step in and replace them.
Report | Michelle Waterson to take on Felice Herrig at UFC 229
Drake Riggs - August 9, 2018
The day after UFC 229 gets another fun fight in Ovince Saint Preux vs Dominick Reyes, we just get another! This time at strawweight. As the big Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor headlined card continues to take shape, the name value is stacking up.
Darren Till responds to recent criticism over family comments, 'stop trying to be offended'
Drake Riggs - August 9, 2018
Never one to be shy to share what’s on his mind, Darren Till did so again this past week at UFC 227. And he caught some flack for it from the MMA community. One half of UFC 228’s welterweight title headliner will be the challenger, Liverpool’s own Till. After being a part of the UFC’s big 25-Year press conference the day before UFC 227, Till stuck around for the night of action as expected.
TJ Dillashaw shuts down Dominick Cruz's calls for a title shot
Tom Taylor - August 9, 2018
One of the frontrunners for the next crack at UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw is former champion Dominick Cruz. In Dillashaw’s eyes, however, Cruz doesn’t deserve this opportunity, as he hasn’t fought since his 2016 loss to Cody Garbrandt, which marked the end of his title reign.
Dana White: Conor McGregor "might as well be" a part owner of the UFC
Tom Taylor - August 9, 2018
After winning the UFC lightweight title with a second-round knockout of Eddie Alvarez in November of 2016, Conor McGregor shared his interest in negotiating an ownership stake in the UFC. When McGregor battled Floyd Mayweather in the boxing ring in August of 2017, elevating his stardom to new and unprecedented heights, his bargaining power increased tenfold. Suddenly, his receiving a piece of the UFC pie did not seem like such a farfetched possibility. “They’ve got to entice me now because I came from a billion dollar fight,” McGregor said last year (via MMANytt). “They’ve got to entice me. I want equity. I want ownership. I want to be a true partner, similar in the way I was in the Floyd fight. I was a promoter and I was a fighter, and that must continue for me to continue.”
Mike Perry has a great reason for keeping things friendly with opponent Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone
Tom Taylor - August 9, 2018
On November 10, when the UFC returns to Denver, Colorado, fan favorite welterweights “Platinum” Mike Perry and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will collide in a fight that has fans salivating. Ahead of this fight, you won’t hear much in the way of trash talk from the often outspoken Mike Perry. And that’s not just because he and Cowboy briefly trained together at Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque.
James Vick says Kevin Lee has turned down multiple fights with him, has text messages to prove it
Tom Taylor - August 9, 2018
James Vick, who will battle Justin Gaethje in the UFC Lincoln main even on August 25, has been calling for a fight with Kevin Lee for a long time. Unfortunately for Vick, the fight has never come together. According to Vick, that’s because Lee has repeatedly turned the bout down. He says he’s even got the text messages with UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby to prove it.
Tai Tuivasa calls out Junior dos Santos, dos Santos replies with words of wisdom for young rival
Tom Taylor - August 9, 2018
Rising heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa is looking for a fight, and one of the potential opponents he’s had his sights set on of late is former heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos. On Wednesday, Tai Tuivasa took to Twitter, where he implied that Junior dos Santos had turned down a fight with him. This Tweet then called for a consolation fight with Marcin Tybura.
Colby Covington opens up on welterweight title shot snub
Tom Taylor - August 9, 2018
As the UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington should be the next man in line for undisputed welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Unfortunately for Covington, the UFC had other plans. When Covington wasn’t ready to battle Woodley at UFC 228 on September 8, the UFC elected to give the next title shot to undefeated Brit Darren Till. Covington, meanwhile, will be stripped of his interim belt the moment the first punch is thrown in this Woodley vs. Till title fight.
Cris Cyborg is down to lose to Ronda Rousey in WWE
Thomas Taylor - August 8, 2018
For a time, one of the biggest super fights possible in MMA was one pitting former Strikeforce and UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey against former Strikeforce, Invicta, and now UFC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg. Regrettably, this fight never came together, and now that Rousey is firmly embedded in the pro wrestling world, it almost certainly never will. That said, Cyborg would still like to compete with Rousey. In fact, she’d even be willing to meet Rousey in the WWE ring — even if the pro wrestling organization wanted her to lose the match.
Dana White explains what it will take to convince him that Greg Hardy is ready for the UFC
Thomas Taylor - August 8, 2018
Following his successful pro debut on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, controversial former NFL player Greg Hardy was awarded a developmental deal with the UFC —meaning he’ll have to take a few fights outside the Octagon before he debuts in the Octagon proper. The second of these fights occurred last night, on the season finale of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, where he knocked out Tebaris Gordon in just 17 seconds. Despite this blitzkrieg win, the former NFLer still wasn’t awarded an official UFC contract.
Dana White on Georges St-Pierre's lightweight title talk: "pick a division"
Tom Taylor - August 8, 2018
Last week, at a press conference in Australia, former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre shared his interest in dropping down to lightweight to battle the winner of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor‘s UFC 229 lightweight title fight (see St-Pierre’s prediction for the fight here). “I would be interested in that fight,” St-Pierre said. “That’s a win-win situation. It’s a legacy upgrade and it’s good money — it’s gonna be a big fight. Yeah. However, I fought at 170, I relinquished a title. I fought at 185, I relinquished a title. I don’t think UFC will let me fight for the title at 155. They will be afraid I relinquish and I left the division in ruins.
Dana White makes prediction for UFC 229 PPV buys
Tom Taylor - August 8, 2018
UFC President Dana White is expecting Conor McGregor‘s comeback fight, which will see the Irish superstar challenge undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title at UFC 229 on October 6 in Las Vegas, to be an absolute blockbuster. Speaking to TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter last week, White shared his prediction for this massive Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor headlined card’s pay-per-view buys.
Dana White on Francis Ngannou's struggles: "I completely saw it coming"
Tom Taylor - August 8, 2018
Heading into his January heavyweight title fight with then champion Stipe Miocic, Francis Ngannou was easily one of the most hyped title challengers in UFC history. In the end, of course, this title shot did not go the way he planned, as he was soundly walloped by Miocic en route to a unanimous decision loss. From there, things went from bad to worse for Francis Ngannou. In his comeback fight — a collision with fellow knockout artist Derrick Lewis that was expected to be incredible — he unleashed almost no offense, and lost a decision in one of the most objectively terrible fights in UFC history.
Nate Diaz shares cryptic message, hints that he "can't commit" to UFC
Tom Taylor - August 8, 2018
Earlier this month, it was announced that fan favorite lightweight contender Nate Diaz will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon opposite top contender Dustin Poirier. The pair are expected to collide in the co-main event of UFC 230 on November 3 in New York City. Late last week, the UFC held a massive press conference featuring all the stars of their upcoming shows — including Diaz and Poirier. The promotion also took this opportunity to announce a highly anticipated lightweight title fight between champ Khabib Nurmagomedov and challenger Conor McGregor. This news cast a massive shadow over everybody else at the press conference — including Diaz.