MMA News

Tom Taylor - February 12, 2018

On Saturday night, in the main event of UFC 221, Luke Rockhold’s dreams of reclaiming the UFC middleweight title were temporarily dashed by a savage salvo of punches from Yoel Romero. It was a tough moment for Rockhold and his fans, but one that is characteristic of the brutal and beautiful sport of mixed martial arts. In a Sunday morning post to Instagram, UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem briefly discussed Rockhold’s loss, and how abrupt and decisive defeats of this kind are simply a part of the sport of MMA.

Tom Taylor - February 12, 2018

One of the highlights of the UFC 221 main card was a welterweight war between Australia’s Jake Matthews and China’s Li Jingliang. This wild battle, which Matthews won by decision, dazzled onlookers and earned both fighters $50,000 Fight of the Night bonuses. Regrettably, this fight was also draped in controversy. Mid-way through the contest, Matthews locked up a guillotine choke that seemed to be quite deep. In a ditch effort to escape this choke, Li appeared to purposefully claw out at at Matthews’ eyes, gouging and poking in an immediately controversial display.

Tom Taylor - February 12, 2018

Last weekend, in the co-main event of UFC 221, Chicago’s Curtis Blaydes established himself as one of the heavyweight division’s top contenders with a decision win over legendary knockout artist Mark Hunt. While this win propelled Blaydes into the uppermost reaches of the heavyweight ladder, however, it almost marked the second last obligation on his current UFC contract. Now, Blaydes is looking ahead to the last fight of his contract. It’s his hope that the UFC will meet him at the negotiating table before this final contractual obligation occurs. If this isn’t the way things shake out, he’s prepared to field offers from Bellator, who would surely jump at the chance to sign a heavyweight of his caliber.

Tom Taylor - February 12, 2018

Last weekend, in the main event of UFC 221, former Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero knocked out former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. With this win, Romero is believed to have earned himself a crack at reigning UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. Not everybody, however, believes he deserves this chance, as he lost a decision to Whittaker just last year. File former champ Chris Weidman into this group. While Weidman was impressed with Romero’s win, he believes he’s got a bit more work to do before earning a rematch with Whittaker. In his eyes, he himself is more deserving of the next middleweight title shot.

Tom Taylor - February 11, 2018

Last night, in the co-main event of UFC 221, rising heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes picked up the biggest win of his career thus far, wrestling Mark Hunt to an impressive unanimous decision triumph. While Blaydes got the win he was chasing, he did have to weather some adversity in this fight, as Hunt very nearly put him down with punches in the first frame. Luckily, though, his chin held strong, and he was able to survive this scare.

Tom Taylor - February 11, 2018

Last night, the UFC made its debut in the beautiful Australian port city of Perth with the action-packed UFC 221. In the main event of this anticipated card, former Olympic silver medalist and long-time UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero executed one of his best wins to date, clubbing former champion Luke Rockhold to a third-round knockout win. With this win, Romero seems to have secured himself a rematch with the division’s current champion Robert Whittaker.

Tom Taylor - February 11, 2018

Last night, in the co-main event of the action-packed UFC 221 card, rising heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes picked up the biggest win of his career thus far, dragging the legendary Mark Hunt through a grappling hell en route to a unanimous decision victory. That said, Blaydes’ victory wasn’t without close calls. Mid-way through the first round, the Chicago native was very nearly knocked out by his brick-fisted foe. Luckily, he was able to turn the tables on Hunt, completing a crucial takedown as he teetered on the outermost edge of consciousness.

Tom Taylor - February 11, 2018

On Saturday night, in the headliner of an action-packed UFC 221 card, former Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero authored one of the finest victories of his incredible career thus far, knocking out former UFC and Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold with a savage third-round volley. With this win, Romero positioned himself at the front of the middleweight contender line, and may well have earned himself a rematch with divisional ruler Robert Whittaker, who he lost a decision to back in July of 2016. While some fans and pundits have argued that Romero shouldn’t be rewarded with a middleweight title shot on the basis of his UFC 221 weigh-in miss – the reason he wasn’t awarded the interim title for his defeat of Rockhold – UFC President Dana White confirmed post-fight that a Whittaker-Romero rematch is indeed the plan.

Tom Taylor - February 11, 2018

Over the last few weeks, there has been a tidal wave of buzz surrounding undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather’s possible move to MMA. Of course, the chances of this move actually occurring seem almost non-existent, but Mayweather has been having some fun playing with the idea on social media, and his arch rival Conor McGregor has not shied away from getting into the conversation. Mayweather’s latest MMA-related social media post occurred early on Sunday morning, when he posted a photoshopped image of himself elbowing Conor McGregor, inside a cage, decked out in four-ounce TMT gloves.

Tom Taylor - February 11, 2018

Though it was shamefully under-promoted, one of the most hyped UFC debuts in recent memory occurred last night on the UFC 221 undercard, as “The Last Style Bender” Israel Adesanya stepped into the Octagon for the first time. Despite a tough first round, throughout which he was taken down and controlled by his opponent Rob Wilkinson, Adesanya ultimately made good on his debut, gaining control of the fight in the second, and unleashing a hellacious beating en route to an impressive TKO win. He’s now 12-0 overall.

Tom Taylor - February 11, 2018

Last night, in the main event of UFC 221, former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold stepped into the cage with the dangerous Yoel Romero. If Rockhold had won this fight, he would have captured the UFC interim middleweight title and effectively guaranteed himself a fight with undisputed middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. Unfortunately for Rockhold and his fans, Romero was the better man in the cage on fight night. After two close rounds, throughout which Rockhold landed some meaningful offense of his own, Romero landed the shots that mattered most in the third. First, he knocked the former champion on his butt with a left hand. Then, he finished him off with one of the nastiest kill shots we’ve seen in some time.

Chris Taylor - February 10, 2018

Yoel Romero says he has a broken leg following UFC 221 win over Luke Rockhold! Yoel Romero added another highlight reel victory to his resume tonight in Perth, scoring a brutal third-round knockout over former middleweight champ Luke Rockhold in the main event of UFC 221.

Chris Taylor - February 10, 2018

UFC 221 Results: Luke Rockhold vs Yoel Romero A middleweight tilt between Luke Rockhold and Yoel Romero served as the main event of tonight’s UFC 221 pay-per-view event in Perth, Australia.

Chris Taylor - February 10, 2018

UFC 221 Results: Curtis Blaydes defeats Mark Hunt A key heavyweight scrap between surging division contender Curtis Blaydes and former interim title challenger Mark Hunt served as the co-main event of tonight’s UFC 221 event in Perth.

Chris Taylor - February 10, 2018

UFC 221 Results: Cyril Asker vs. Tai Tuivasa A heavyweight scrap between Asker and Tai Tuivasa took place on tonight’s UFC 221 pay-per-view card from Perth, Australia.

Chris Taylor - February 10, 2018

UFC 221 Results: Jake Matthews defeats Li Jingliang A welterweight scrap between Li Jingliang and Jake Matthews took place on tonight’s UFC 221 pay-per-view card from Perth, Australia.

Chris Taylor - February 10, 2018

UFC 221 Results: Israel Adesanya TKO’s Rob Wilkinson A middleweight scrap between highly touted promotional newcomer Israel Adesanya and hometown favorite Rob Wilkinson took place on tonight’s UFC 221 prelims.

Chris Taylor - February 10, 2018

UFC 221 Live Results: Jussier Formiga stops Ben Nguyen A flyweight scrap between Jussier Formiga and Ben Nguyen kicked off tonight’s UFC 221 prelims on FS1.