MMA News
Chris Weidman and Kelvin Gastelum exchange barbs over next middleweight title shot
Tom Taylor - June 14, 2018
Now that Robert Whittaker has defeated Yoel Romero for a second time — he did so by decision in the main event of UFC 225 — there are two clear frontrunners in the race to the next middleweight title shot. One is former middleweight champion Chris Weidman. The other is streaking contender Kelvin Gastelum. Weidman believes he deserves the next middleweight title shot because he submitted Kelvin Gastelum in his last fight. He also believes that his accolades as a former middleweight champion — with three defenses to his name — outweigh his three recent losses to Luke Rockhold, Romero and Gegard Mousasi.
Derrick Lewis comments on Greg Hardy's deal with the UFC: I really don't like guys like that
Tom Taylor - June 14, 2018
UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis has previously stated that he would love to punish former NFL star and MMA hopeful Greg Hardy for the infamous incident of domestic violence in his past. Now, having knocked out Austen Lane on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, Hardy is signed with the UFC. The former football player was awarded a developmental contract with the promotion, and will probably debut with the promotion sometime in the near future.
Conor McGregor's team pursues plea deal, Irish star will return to court on July 26
Tom Taylor - June 14, 2018
Today, Conor McGregor appeared in court to face the music for his infamous rampage in Brooklyn, New York. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait before there’s any kind of concrete news about the Irishman’s future — which, according to Dana White, indicates continued uncertainty for Khabib Nurmagomedov too… As MMA Fighting reports, McGregor’s court appearance was brief, as he and his cohort Cian Cowley promptly informed the court that they intend to negotiate a plea deal. With this development, McGregor is set to return to court on July 26, where he and Cowley’s representation will enter said plea.
EXCLUSIVE | Bellator 201's Juan Archuleta eyeing titles in multiple divisions
Tom Taylor - June 14, 2018
At 18-1 overall, Juan Archuleta boasts one of the most impressive records of any fighter on the Bellator MMA roster. At Bellator 201, which goes down on June 29 in Temecula, California, he’ll look to make that record even more impressive with a win over UFC veteran Robbie Peralta.
Joe Rogan gives harsh assessment of CM Punk: "He doesn’t have physical talent"
Tom Taylor - June 14, 2018
CM Punk’s second MMA bout, which occurred on the main card of UFC 225 last weekend, was more or less a disaster for him. Though he managed to survive the full fifteen minutes with his foe Mike Jackson, he was out-classed from bell-to-bell, and left the cage looking like bruised plum. Over the course of his fifteen-minute fight with Jackson, Punk showed plenty of heart — enough heart to “fill the arena,” according to his foe. Yet the unfortunate side-effect of the fight going the full fifteen minutes is that it provided ample proof that Punk is not cut out for cage fighting.
Michael Bisping explains why he criticized Colby Covington after UFC 225
Tom Taylor - June 14, 2018
Shortly after he won the interim welterweight title by defeating Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225, Colby Covington connected with Karyn Bryant, Kenny Florian, Michelle Waterson and Michael Bisping on the UFC 225 post-fight show. While he probably expect some typical post-fight questions, he ultimately found himself engaged in a verbal skirmish with Bisping, one of MMA’s best trash talkers. Turn sound on. Grab some popcorn. You're welcome. pic.twitter.com/8q2QxCvXxL
Tyron Woodley is hoping to get Colby Covington bounced from American Top Team
Tom Taylor - June 13, 2018
There was a time not all that long ago, when UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and new interim welterweight champion Colby Covington trained under the same roof at American Top Team in Florida. Today, however, they are perhaps the fiercest rivals in MMA. Woodley, of course, no longer trains at American Top Team. All the same, he believes he still holds some sway at the gym, and is hoping he can get Covington kicked to the curb after they unify their titles.
Darren Till says UFC Liverpool cut "wasn't in any way bad"
Tom Taylor - June 13, 2018
Darren Till is riding high on the biggest win of his career: a close, but impressive decision defeat of two-time welterweight title challenger Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Unfortunately for Till and his fans, the win does come with an asterisk attached. Not only do many fans and commenters feel that the decision should have been awarded to Wonderboy, but Till also missed weight for the bout, tipping the scales at 173.5 pounds — three pounds above the 171-pound limit for non-title welterweight fights.
Tyron Woodley issues $10,000 takedown challenge to Colby Covington
Tom Taylor - June 13, 2018
UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley’s next fight is almost certain to pit him against Colby Covington, the UFC’s new interim welterweight champion. If Woodley and Covington’s fight goes ahead as planned, Woodley is hoping to use it as a chance to punish Covington for the ceaseless trash talk he’s unleashed over the last few months. Rather than taking Covington down, he’s hoping to settle things on the feet. He does not, however, expect Covington to play ball. Instead, he expects the interim champion to lean on his wrestling — the same wrestling he used to defeat Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225 last weekend.
Dominick Cruz shares timeframe for Octagon return, discusses potential opponents
Tom Taylor - June 13, 2018
Dominick Cruz has not fought since December of 2016, when he lost a decision to Cody Garbrandt and surrendered the UFC bantamweight title in the process. He’s hoping that will change soon. On Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Cruz explained that he’ll see a doctor on Thursday, and that, with a little luck, he will be cleared to get back to work soon.
Khabib Nurmagomedov feels there's only one man who can beat Curtis Blaydes
Tom Taylor - June 13, 2018
Curtis Blaydes impressed a lot of people with his UFC 225 TKO win over former Strikeforce, Dream and K-1 champion Alistair Overeem. One of the most notable people to jump on the Blaydes hype-train after UFC 225 was UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov showered Blaydes with praise in a conversation with documentary producer Will Harris of Anatomy of a Fighter.
Claudia Gadelha fires back at Carla Esparza after greasing allegations
Tom Taylor - June 13, 2018
Last weekend, on the undercard of the stacked UFC 225, former strawweight champion Carla Esparza gave up a close decision to perennial strawweight contender Claudia Gadelha. Shortly thereafter, she accused Gadelha of cheating, sharing her belief that the Brazilian was greasing on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “She cheated in the fight; she greased before the fight,” Esparza said. “I was considering saying something to the referee in between [rounds]. I was going to say, ‘She’s greasing! She’s greasing,’ but I didn’t really know how to go about it. … Even when I was trying to grab armbars during the fight my arms kept slipping down. She’s a cheater, but it doesn’t really surprise me. In my opinion, she’s been a pretty dirty fighter throughout, so it is what it is.”
Contender Series season 2, week 1 results: Greg Hardy and Alonzo Menifield earn contracts
Drake Riggs - June 12, 2018
Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series is back and in week 1 of season 2, the prospects delivered with four of the five fights ending via KO/TKO. Two former NFL players, one pro debut. Greg Hardy and Austen Lane started the action very fast seeing Hardy pressing the action. An eye poke from Hardy halted the action shortly after. Lane followed it with some pressing jabs that got Hardy’s attention. Hardy continued to push forward and soon after landed a big right hook that staggered Lane before he landed a left hook to end the fight just under a minute and get the win in his pro debut.
Report | UFC looking at Curtis Blaydes vs Alexander Volkov for UFC Moscow
Drake Riggs - June 12, 2018
Continuing to shine but going unnoticed has been the young dominant heavyweight wrestler, Curtis Blaydes. Blaydes just recently picked up the biggest win of his young career this past Saturday at UFC 225 when he finished perennial top contender, Alistair Overeem in devastating fashion.
Paige VanZant gets extended delay on return after failed surgery
Drake Riggs - June 12, 2018
It’s been six months since we last saw Paige VanZant compete in the Octagon. And when she did so it was when she broke her arm on Jessica-Rose Clark‘s forehead with a spinning back fist. VanZant hasn’t won an MMA bout since August 2016 when she TKO’d Bec Rawlings with a wild jumping switch kick. Since then she’s dropped an L to Michelle Waterson and moved up to the new UFC flyweight division.
WWE's Daniel Bryan thinks he could take Mike Jackson 'on the ground'
Drake Riggs - June 12, 2018
At UFC 225 this past Saturday, we saw the CM Punk experiment’s likely end. The former WWE star fought Mike Jackson in a losing effort. Of course, now that we’ve seen the ridiculousness of it all, it will prompt future questions for current WWE stars like Daniel Bryan…who was recently asked on an Instagram live video if he thinks he could beat CM Punk’s most recent opponent in a fight.
Robert Whittaker explains what it's like to fight Yoel Romero: "he felt like steel"
Tom Taylor - June 12, 2018
Yoel Romero has now been compared to steel by two former opponents. The first man to compare Romero to steel was former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. Now, reigning UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has borrowed this metaphor, using it to describe the incredibly uncomfortable experience of fighting the Cuban behemoth. “This time, he felt like steel,” Whittaker told The Daily Telegraph of his second and most recent fight with Romero, which headlined the stacked UFC 225 last Saturday night. “I was punching and kicking him but it wasn’t doing any damage. He was walking forward through everything. It was weird.”
Stephen Thompson gives timeframe for return, eyeing fight with Robbie Lawler
Tom Taylor - June 12, 2018
After his close and controversial decision loss to surging welterweight contender Darren Till, two-time welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson is keen to get back on track. He thinks former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler is just the kind of opponent that would allow him to do so. Thompson weighed the options for his next fight on the Slip n’ Dip podcast this week.