MMA News

Justin Golightly - March 7, 2018

In 10 days, former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum will attempt to extend his two-fight win streak against the rising Alexander Volkov in his journey back to the belt. However, it may be a completely different title he’s after. In the most unexpected news you’ll probably hear this week, Fabricio Werdum wants to wrestle in the WWE and fight in the UFC at the same time. It’s not just talk either, he has a meeting with them on Thursday. ”I think that both [WWE and UFC at the same time] is doable. If I had the opportunity I’d fight there, no problem. It’s financially great. Fight at WWE, a spectacle that is fun to do. I’d definitely do it. I have a meeting Thursday about it, doing both. I want to fight, doesn’t matter where. I’ll have this meeting Thursday in San Diego to see if something happens with WWE. It’s cool, a unique opportunity to do a few fights there as well.”

Justin Golightly - March 7, 2018

When Sean O’Malley’s foot was in so much pain he couldn’t stand on it at UFC 222, fans and the cornermen of Andre Soukhamthath were yelling at him to stand-up but instead he took him down. In the heat of battle, it’s hard to criticize someone, especially after the amount of punches they absorb. That didn’t stop trolls from insulting Soukhamthath though, but humble Soukhamthath thinks they aren’t entirely wrong. “I’m getting trolled right now by so many people. They are calling me the dumbest fighter in MMA. The dumbest fighter in UFC history. Even my friend Rashad [Evans]. Everyone is wondering why I decided to wrestle, and I’m wondering the same thing. After he rocked me, I still stayed in the fight but I was kind of dizzy and dazed afterwards. That shot really threw me off the rest of the game plan in the fight. I really wasn’t there. I think I was just fighting with instincts. I definitely regret it because I’m a striker first and a wrestler second.”

Justin Golightly - March 7, 2018

After Brian Ortega’s historic finish of former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, there wasn’t really any doubt that he deserved the right to challenge Max Holloway for that featherweight title. However, we all know that nothing is certain in this world, especially in combat sports. One phone call can change all that and that’s what this video is all about. Check out Ortega smiling ear-to-ear reacting to Dana White calling him to tell him he’s got the shot. “I heard 227 in August was supposed to be UFC Hawaii, but I Tweeted 226 because you know, I gotta move on. You can’t hold this stuff forever, I can’t hold my breath. I got a life, I got a family to take care of, I got a little kid, I got fans. If I can’t get UFC Hawaii I said, the Ninth Island is the next best thing. It’s tough pill to swallow but at the end of the day, it is what it is. We can’t control nothing. All we can do is create buzz. I’d like to thank all the fans who are creating buzz.” — Max Holloway speaking to KHON 2.

Tom Taylor - March 7, 2018

Former Strikeforce and UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold recently expressed interest in a trilogy fight with fellow former UFC middleweight champ Michael Bisping – perhaps even in the 205-pound light heavyweight division. Unfortunately for Rockhold, it sounds like it’s going to take a solid offer to convince Bisping to accept this fight. “I respect everybody, but he sounds mentally challenged while talking,” Bisping said on a recent edition of his podcast Believe You Me (h/t MMAJunkie). “He doesn’t scare me one little bit. He never has. He didn’t the first time [we fought], he didn’t the second time, and he absolutely wouldn’t a third time. So I’m definitely willing to take a fight with Luke Rockhold if the UFC gives me the right deal.”

Tom Taylor - March 7, 2018

Earlier this month, Brazil’s Gazeta Do Povo reported that Bellator is hoping to make its debut in the MMA hotbed of Brazil with a fourth fight between MMA legends Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Wanderlei Silva. This report also included some quotes from Silva, who suggested he’d like to help the promotion fill the soccer stadium Arena da Baixada in his hometown of Curitiba. “I’m going to be one of the headliners and I’m trying to put myself out there as a promoter, too,” Silva said in this report (translation via BloodyElbow). “I got the company, I got the venue, I’m in the main event. You only need to put the pieces together. You add both Pitbull brothers [Patricio Freire and Patricky Freire], who are doing well. You add our champion Rafael Carvalho and Goiti Yamauchi, who is also from Curitiba. Bellator is very interested in the Brazilian market and Curitiba would be the perfect place.”

Tom Taylor - March 7, 2018

According to a report from TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter, the UFC has parted ways with a number of its fighters. The most notable names in this crop of jettisoned fighters are Galore Bofando, Kailin Curran, and Oluwale Bamgbose. Though this report also mentions Angela Magana has been released, this is actually not a new development. It appears the UFC has released Galore Bofando, Bibby Nash, Carls John de Tomas, Dmitry Poberezhets, Chris Wade (free agent in negotiations), Angela Magana, Oluwale Bamgbose, Francimar Barroso and Kaitlin Curran per @UFCFIGHTERSiNFO

Tom Taylor - March 7, 2018

Inside the MMA bubble, it seems we rarely go a week without some kind of unsavory judging or officiating controversy. The latest issues of this kind stemmed from last weekend’s UFC 222 card, when a number of cage-side judges – particularly the infamous Adalaide Byrd – penned some absolutely baffling scorecards. UFC bantamweight Pedro Munhoz, who lost a split decision to John Dodson on the card, felt he was wronged by the judges on duty for the card, and went off on the subject in an interview with MMAJunkie.com.

Tom Taylor - March 7, 2018

Veteran MMA referee and current Bellator commentator “Big” John McCarthy is becoming one of the most respected voices in MMA. As such, his opinions on the sport’s hot-button issues are always interesting to hear. On a recent episode of MMAJunkie Radio, the veteran referee tackled the issue of former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones’s unfortunate brush with USADA. In McCarthy’s opinion, Jones probably didn’t intentionally take a performance enhancing drug, but might be a little careless when it comes to what he puts in his body.

Drake Riggs - March 6, 2018

"I don't think it was accidental, I think that's just who he is."@CBDollaway doesn't hold back on his views regarding @HectorLombard and their fight at #UFC222. So….rematch? (via @procast) pic.twitter.com/dmOQvAsMbv — FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) March 7, 2018

Drake Riggs - March 6, 2018

Few things in the recent history of MMA world champions have been quite as shocking as Johny Hendricks’ fall from grace. The former NCAA Division 1 wrestler out of Oklahoma State went from being a UFC champion with a record of 16-2 in his career to losing six of his last eight fights and being forced up a weight class after multiple misses. On top of all this, Hendricks’ UFC contract has expired and he is currently a free agent. However, despite his uncertainty on whether or not he would be returning to the organization he was once a champion of, some signals are being given out that the UFC may still have interest reports Brett Okamoto:

Drake Riggs - March 6, 2018

After his career-defining performance against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone back in October, Darren Till has remained on the sidelines. With fans amazed by his easy dispatching of the former lightweight title challenger, Cerrone, Till has been on many’s radars as one of the next big things in the stacked welterweight division. And you know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. But now, it appears that the twenty-five-year-old Liverpool striking sensation will be getting back in action sooner rather than later.

Justin Golightly - March 6, 2018

Derrick Lewis made his triumphant return at UFC Austin with a late knockout of Marcin Tybura. After a delayed fourth round celebration with his wife, he went right back on the warpath trying to fight the who’s who of the heavyweight division. He’s been eyeing Francis Ngannou, but he’s just one of many. He’s even willing to welcome Brock Lesnar back to the UFC, regardless of USADA testing or not. “Yeah hopefully we can get something done this year, man. Hopefully we can get something before [Francis Ngannou] turns 50 on us. Usually after every fight, I tell them I would like to fight this guy. I always try to pick out the toughest guys that’s out there. […] I told them Francis, I told them [Alistair] Overeem, even a rematch with Mark [Hunt]. Who’s the other guy, [Curtis] Blaydes and Fabricio [Werdum]. Yeah, [the winner of Blaydes and Overeem]. I’d like to fight in May or June.”

Tom Taylor - March 6, 2018

Late last month, dangerous strawweight contender Jessica Andrade picked up a close but impressive win over Tecia Torres. While this victory is now in the rear-view it created a lingering issue for Andrade that she feels needs to be settled. During the fight, Andrade says, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes – a fellow Brazilian – was actively cheering Torres on from cage-side. This didn’t go over well with Andrade, who is now keen to take her gripes out on Nunes’ girlfriend Nina Ansaroff in the future.

Justin Golightly - March 6, 2018

Thanks to Conor McGregor, in part due to Frankie Edgar’s manager Ali Abdel-Aziz, the 165 division has been talked about more recently than it has in the last couple of years. When it was leaked he wanted a 165-pound title during the UFC 222 late replacement back-and-forth, few really believed it. However, Artem Lobov and later Dana White confirmed McGregor was indeed in talks to step up and fight Edgar. Now Diego Sanchez has brought everything back in discussion and has the monumental fight he wants to debut the division. “Conor McGregor, come on brother. We need the 165-pound weight class. You have the power with UFC and Dana White to make it happen. First three division champion fight and winner goes down as the real greatest of all time. The sport needs this weight class. Georges St-Pierre talks 155-pounds, 165-pounds is realistic. Make it happen, Audie Attar. History in the making.” — Diego Sanchez on his official Instagram.

Tom Taylor - March 6, 2018

On Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre discussed potential matchups with many of the sport’s biggest names. Among those names were current welterweight champ Tyron Woodley, who has been calling for a fight with St-Pierre for months, and Nick and Nate Diaz. Apparently, none of these matchups are particularly interesting to the former champ St-Pierre. He started by poking holes in the merits of fights with the Diaz brothers.

Justin Golightly - March 6, 2018

It’s hard to ignore Mike Perry’s relationship with Danielle Nickerson. Not just because he’s a UFC fighter who enjoys a certain amount of spotlight, but because she also helped with his training, meal prep, and cornered him for all his fights. She was more than just his girlfriend, she was one woman fulfilling multiple roles that were crucial to Perry’s camps. This all changes today, as she just announced she is no longer involved with Perry in a lengthy statement she released for reasons she addresses directly. “Mike [Perry] & I are no longer together. I wanted to explain what is going on because there are so many people who have shown me/us so much love and support and have invested into us, and felt like you guys deserve answers. I also don’t want to get hundreds of comments on my photos from here on out about, ‘Where’s Mike. Why aren’t you together?’ and such. I am a huge believer in God & that everything happens for a reason and everyone in your life is there for a reason. Mike and I are not meant to be together in a relationship but only to be friends and support each other through life.”

Justin Golightly - March 6, 2018

Conor McGregor goes by many names: The Notorious, Mystic Mac, Champ Champ™, and now he can truly call himself The Burger King. He’s flying high (and private) after his huge ad with the food giant, continuing to slay the game as he counts cash on the sidelines. Keeping his mind on money and money on his mind, McGregor was quick to congratulate Jay Z after it was reported by Forbes that the magnate overtook Diddy in profits. He was even quicker to point out he is set to do the same to Floyd Mayweather and Cristiano Ronaldo. “Making deals and taking deals. Kings recognize Kings. Congrats to Jay Z on his number one takeover from Diddy in the highest paid Forbes list. What a takeover. Diddy hasn’t been number two in so long. Until now. Zoom into that two-tone with the powder blue on my wrist, mate. You might see first place again. I am also really interested to see this year’s Forbes highest paid athletes list. I have now surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo as I told him I would in 2016.”

Tom Taylor - March 6, 2018

Back in October, former Strikeforce light heavyweight champ and UFC middleweight contender Gegard Mousasi made his anticipated Bellator debut opposite the dangerous Alexander Shlemenko. Though many fans expected Mousasi to walk through Shlemenko, it was ultimately a very close fight, as the UFC vet braved a brutally swollen eye to capture a controversial unanimous decision win. In a recent interview with MMAJunkie, Mousasi divulged that the eye injury he sustained in this competitive fight was far more serious than anyone new.