MMA News

Tom Taylor - May 2, 2018

When Gunnar Nelson was forced out of his UFC Liverpool co-main event showdown with Neil Magny, sixth-ranked UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal offered to step in and replace him. He only asked that this short-notice bout with Magny be contested at a 180-pound catchweight, as he wouldn’t be able to make the welterweight division’s 170-pound limit in time for the card. “My manager told me about [Nelson’s withdrawal,] and he was like ‘hey man, here’s your chance to smash Magny,’ cause he knows I don’t like Magny one bit,” Masvidal told BJPenn.com’s Jason Kindschy on Tuesday. “So he offered it to me, and he was like ‘what do you think?’ We’ll make it at a catchweight, cause I’m a little heavier right now.”

Tom Taylor - May 2, 2018

Earlier this week, reports surfaced that the UFC’s July 28 return to Calgary, Alberta, Canada could be topped by a rematch between surging lightweight contender Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez. These reports were particularly timely given the trouble the UFC seems to be having ironing out the details of the women’s flyweight title fight between Nicco Montano and Valentina Shevchenko that was originally expected headline the card.  Apparently, however, reports of the UFC’s plan for a Calgary rematch between Alvarez and Poirier were a little premature. Alvarez, as it turns out, is not interested in this bout unless the UFC offers him a new and improved contract first, as he only has one obligation left on his current contract. This, per Ariel Helwani.

Tom Taylor - May 2, 2018

Back in February, referee Mario Yamasaki allowed top flyweight contender Valentina Shevchenko to bludgeon a grossly outmatched Priscila Cachoeira for far longer than he should have. This egregious officiating blunder sparked outrage from many members of the MMA community, including UFC President Dana White, who assured he’d do everything he could to assure Yamasaki never refereed again. In the wake of this backlash, the referee — who has received blowback for similar incidents in the past — defended his work, assuring he was just allowing Cachoeira to “be a warrior.”

Tom Taylor - May 2, 2018

Dillon Danis, a decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and a training partner of Conor McGregor, has always received his fair-share of hate. Now that he’s made his successful MMA debut, a first-round submission of Kyle Walker at Bellator 198, the backlash that the brash BJJ player is receiving has surged to new heights. One of the latest fighters to go after Danis is UFC lightweight Al Iaquinta, who recently came up short against Khabib Nurmagomedov in a last-minute lightweight title fight. Iaquinta dissed Danis on Twitter, saying that he hopes former Bellator lightweight champ Michael Chandler gets his hands on him.

Tom Taylor - May 2, 2018

There was a time not all that long ago that Johny Hendricks was considered the best welterweight on the planet. Unfortunately, his career has taken a rather grim turn, and he’s now a tough 3-7 in his last 10 bouts. Not even a move to the middleweight division, where the weight cut is less taxing, could bring him renewed success. After his last loss, a knockout at the hands of surging middleweight contender Paulo Costa, Hendricks became a free agent. And though he could surely find a home as a member of the Bellator or PFL rosters, he’s hoping to return to the UFC welterweight division, where he once medalled. Apparently, this is something the UFC is also interested in.

Drake Riggs - May 1, 2018

Thanks to the deliverer of fights of the year, Justin “the Highlight” Gaethje provided us with yet another likely end of the year candidate when he and Dustin Poirier blew the roof off of the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona last month. April also gave us a legendary heavyweight showdown that may have very easily been the most exciting forty-eight seconds you will ever see. And of course, what is a month of fighting without a heartbreaking fight cancellation? Last month’s top 5 saw two of them thus making it two months in a row with top 5 fight cancellations…hopefully, the MMA gods are merciful with the upcoming MMA May-hem.

Drake Riggs - May 1, 2018

UFC on Fox 30 is starting to really shape up. And it looks like it could be a showcase for some of the women’s division’s best. After reports that the UFC is working to set up their flyweight champion, Nicco Montano’s first title defense against Valentina Shevchenko as the card’s main event, we have now learned that another high profile female bout has become official before that one.

Tom Taylor - May 1, 2018

Late last week the UFC’s May 27 debut in Liverpool lost its compelling welterweight co-main event, as Iceland’s Gunnar Nelson was forced out of his fight with Neil Magny with an injury. The good news is that sixth-ranked UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal is angling to step in and replace Nelson, provided Magny agrees to 180-pound catchweight bout. Ariel Helwani was first to report Masvidal’s interest in this short-notice bout with Magny. Shortly thereafter, Masvidal spoke with BJPenn.com’s Jason Kindschy to update on this potential bout, and explain why he’s interested in stepping up.

Tom Taylor - May 1, 2018

This morning, MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani reported that the UFC is “losing patience” with women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano, as negotiations seemed to have slowed with respect to her first title defense. Montano has now caught wind of Helwani’s report, and she is not happy. Shortly after Helwani’s report, the women’s flyweight champ went off on the veteran reporter, referring to him as a “huge waste of space,” a “douchebag,” and more…

Tom Taylor - May 1, 2018

Late last week, the UFC’s upcoming debut in Liverpool, England lost its compelling welterweight co-main event, as Iceland’s Gunnar Nelson was forced out of his fight with Neil Magny with an injury. “Unfortunately I have to withdraw from my fight against Neil Magny on May 27th in Liverpool,” Nelson said in a Facebook post shortly after this regrettable news broke. “Last weekend I injured my knee. I will undergo an operation right away and I’ll be out for 8-10 weeks. I’m sorry to my family, my opponent, my teammates, the fans and the UFC. This is a huge blow to me and I’m at a loss for words to describe the disappointment I am feeling. I was really feeling up for this fight, the training camp was going great and everything was just perfect until this happened. When all is said and done this is the fight business and injuries are sometimes an unfortunate part of it given the physical rigors us athletes put our bodies through. I will keep on evolving as a fighter while I’m on the sidelines and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Tom Taylor - May 1, 2018

Contrary to previous rumors, former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and long-time pro wrestling star Brock Lesnar has re-signed with WWE. Apparently, however, his new WWE contract could allow for at least one bout inside the UFC’s Octagon. Should Lesnar return to the perilous Octagon, it could very easily be to a heavyweight title shot — perhaps against the winner of Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier’s UFC 226 heavyweight title super fight.

Tom Taylor - May 1, 2018

If things had gone according to the original plan, Michael Chiesa would have collided with former UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis at UFC 223. Regrettably, this plan was foiled when Chiesa sustained several facial lacerations when Conor McGregor infamously threw a dolly through the window of the shuttle bus carrying fighters out of the Barclays Center. The good news is that this fight has been rescheduled. Pettis and Chiesa are now set to meet at UFC 226 this July 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tom Taylor - May 1, 2018

This is not a drill. Mark Coleman, who was the first-ever UFC heavyweight champion, wants to come back for one more war. He’s hoping to rematch fellow UFC Hall-of-Famer Don Frye in what sounds like a no holds barred match, complete with head-butts and all the other attacks that were allowed in the halcyon days of our fine sport. It all began when Coleman took to The UG MMA forums and expressed interest in coaching an upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Frye. Shortly thereafter, fan interest began to spike on social media. This prompted Coleman to make another callout of Frye — though he still only seemed interested in coaching against his fellow legend.

Tom Taylor - May 1, 2018

When Dustin Poirier knocked out Justin Gaethje in the thrilling main event of the UFC’s recent stop in Glendale, AZ, it seemed like he’d all but locked up a bout with new UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Poirier even claimed that he’d been contacted by Nurmagomedov’s team about a potential fight. “Khabib’s manager reached out to me and told me I’m the next guy in line and they want to fight me,” Poirier said on a recent episode of The MMA Hour.

Tom Taylor - May 1, 2018

Last weekend, in the first bout of the Bellator 198 main card, Brazilian jiu-jitsu star Dillon Danis stepped into the cage for his first mixed martial arts bout. Though he took a few licks early in the fight, Danis ultimately came out on top in impressive fashion, tapping his foe with a toehold in the first frame. In his post-fight interview with cage-side commentator “Big” John McCarthy Danis shot for the stars with a callout of ostensibly retired former Bellator and ONE welterweight champion Ben Askren, who has recently been angling for big-ticket fights with Rory MacDonald and Georges St-Pierre.

Drake Riggs - April 30, 2018

A big return and a big debut are set to happen all at once. It was announced last week that former UFC heavyweight champion, Junior Dos Santos was one among three fighters to have their USADA suspensions lifted. And now he’s all ready to get back in the mix.

Tom Taylor - April 30, 2018

After two victories inside the UFC’s Octagon, kickboxing transplant Israel Adesanya has been booked for his first main event battle. “The Last Stylebender” will collide with Hawaii’s Brad Tavares in the headliner of The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 6. Brad Tavares (@BradTavares) vs. Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) set for TUF 27 Finale in Las Vegas #UFC pic.twitter.com/gakShTbjiq

Tom Taylor - April 30, 2018

For a time, Daniel Cormier seemed to receive an inexplicable amount of hate from fight fans. Lately, however, that’s begun to change. The UFC light heavyweight champ seems to be increasingly popular with the fans — even among those who used to boo him. Speaking on a recent media tour promoting The Ultimate Fighter 27, on which he’s coaching opposite Stipe Miocic, Cormier discussed his new and improved relationship with the fans.