MMA News

Justin Golightly - January 19, 2018

This new year has been threatening to be the year of the superfights, but so far none of them have been made official. One of these fights that Dana White has said he wants to make is women’s UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes challenging Cris Cyborg for the women’s UFC featherweight title. It’s a fight Cyborg hasn’t seemed thrilled about, but one that Nunes is absolutely pushing for. She wants to be a two-division champion by any means necessary. With a lower division already ruled out, her only choice is up at featherweight. “Honestly, I think [Cyborg] wants this fight and it’s the fight UFC wants. I want this fight to be good. I don’t have anything against her. At all. I think this is a business deal. After the fight we can have a beer, you know what I mean? It’s not personal. I think it would be awesome. I would be ready, in Brazil, in Vegas, or whatever. Whatever country, let’s 100 percent make this happen. We’re going to renegotiate the contract for this fight. That is the fight I want, yes. Whatever happens, I’m going to be ready.”

Justin Golightly - January 19, 2018

Rory MacDonald’s upcoming fight with Douglas Lima for the Bellator welterweight title is arguably the biggest fight in the organization’s history. So, needless to say, a lot of people were confused when it turned out this fight was not going to be the main event of the card. Instead, the heavyweight grand prix tournament bout would headline the Bellator event. An executive who has been carried over from Spike TV into their new Paramount network recently spoke out on the decision to clear the air. “We’ll creatively differentiate the main event card and the grand prix in many different ways. We want this creative differentiation to make the heavyweight grand prix feel like a separate and unique event to the audience and that’s why it ends the night. And moving forward, all of the Bellator tentpoles in 2018 will end with a Bellator grand prix event. It’ll make sense to you, because what we’re doing is really creating another — it’s like a show in a show. “It’s an event within the event.”

Justin Golightly - January 19, 2018

It’s official. It was reported, we confirmed it, Dana White backed the report up and later today there is a press conference on it. Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov will try to fight once again. The word is it won’t be for an interim title, but for the undisputed title, which may be confirmed today as well. Either way, Conor McGregor and his coach believe that doesn’t matter, and the Irishman’s shadow will loom over the division until someone actually beats him. As far as the match-up, coach John Kavanagh dissected it in detail and believes Nurmagomedov will come out on top. “[Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov are both] grapplers for a start. Neither really has high level striking, so it’s going to be a grappling match. I think a lot of it will be played with Khabib on top, and I think he wins a decision. I think it goes the five rounds, I think it’s a decision to Khabib. I do think there is a really high risk of it not happening. It’s been scheduled twice and it has not happened twice. It’s very impressive what Khabib can do when he is fighting, just that pace he has and the relentless pressure, but it does require you to train in a certain way that brings on injuries. There is a reason why he is averaging one fight or less over the last couple of years because of multiple surgeries and so on. He’s got a lot of miles on the athletic clock. I would almost see as there being a high likelihood of one pulling out before the fight happens.”

Drake Riggs - January 18, 2018

The speculation is over regarding UFC on Fox 28’s main event. After losing the Yoel Romero vs David Branch fight that was looking like it was going to end up headlining in Orlando, Florida, the Orlando Sentinel has now reported that the main event will be a top Featherweight clash between Josh Emmett and Jeremy Stephens.

Russell Sai - January 18, 2018

At this moment, which fighter would you like to see matched up against Conor McGregor? Many say that UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson makes the most sense. Many others are still hot on the idea of a Nate Diaz trilogy. However, according to Dana White, there are a ton of people that are intrigued by a Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov scrap.

Drake Riggs - January 18, 2018

Early last month, “the Heat” Heather Hardy teased us with some fight news and now we know what it is. After the suspicious timing of Hardy’s fellow boxer turned Bellator MMA fighter, Ana Julaton teasing fight news of her own, MMAFighting has confirmed that they were indeed referring to each other as each’s next opponents. Hardy and Julaton will compete at Bellator 194 on February 16 then sometime after that to be announced, they will also compete in a boxing match against each other! This rivalry is just going to further heat up as we’ve already seen a bit of it start during the lead up to each of their last fights at Bellator 185.

Drake Riggs - January 18, 2018

Well instead of a replacement, it looks like Ovince Saint Preux won’t be changing opponents after all but instead just fight dates. He and fellow top-ranked UFC light heavyweight, Ilir Latifi were initially supposed to square off at UFC on Fox 27, January 27. That was until Latifi suffered an injury which led to OSP to going on the search for a replacement. . @Latifimma is hurt & out of our scrap next Sat in Charlotte, NC #UFConFOX27 who wants to step up and scrap? I’m even open to going up in weight if NO guys in my division will step up? Looking for someone to do what I do: step up and fight… pic.twitter.com/lvznRvE22I

Justin Golightly - January 18, 2018

Carlos Condit: A calculated buzzsaw of a kickboxer. Matt Brown: A relentless muay thai brawler incapable of being counted out or having a bad fight. Somehow, some way, these two have never fought each other before. Call it just coincidence, or perhaps the universe knowing that we simply weren’t ready for the amount of violence these two would produce, it simply never happened. Now it looks like the MMA gods have deemed it time. Carlos Condit and Matt Brown are expected to finally square off at April 17th at a yet to be determined location. Here’s one for you: Carlos Condit vs. Matt Brown in the works for UFC on April 14 #UFC https://t.co/EzJkkrtcJM

Jason Kindschy - January 18, 2018

BJPENN Radio is back tonight at 9PM ET/6PM PT two great guests! 9:15PM ET- First up, former title challenger and No. 7 ranked lightweight in the UFC, “The Motown Phenom” Kevin Lee. Months removed from a losing effort against Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title, Kevin now looks to make the most out of 2018 and get back to shot at gold. We’ll recap the Ferguson bout, discuss potential match-ups moving forward, his reaction to the announcement of Ferguson vs Nurmagomedov for Brooklyn in April, and McGregor possibly being stripped of the title. Also, Kevin opens up about the loss of his longtime coach and friend, Robert Follis.

Justin Golightly - January 18, 2018

At UFC 216, Demetrious Johnson not only broke Anderson Silva’s title defense record, but did it with a German suplex-cancel into an armbar. He made history by breaking the record, but by possibly pulling off the most spectacular submission ever in the UFC. In classic humble fashion, Anderson Silva recently was asked about Johnson’s status as a potential greatest of all time candidate, a status that Silva also enjoys, and bowed out stating that Mighty Mouse is indeed the GOAT. “You know, Demetrious Johnson is the new champion. He’s the best one. I have my passion about my sport, and I love when I hear people talking about this. Demetrious, people need to respect [him] because he’s a great fighter. I think Demetrious [is the greatest of all time]. Absolutely, absolutely.” — Anderson Silva speaking to TMZ.

Tom Taylor - January 18, 2018

UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier endures a very tough cut down to his division’s 205-pound limit, and that’s no secret. If you’ve seen any footage of the champ in the immediate lead-up to his Saturday night showdown with Volkan Oezdemir, it’s clear that this present weight cut is no exception. While he probably has it well under control, he certainly looks a little rough. Apparently, Oezdemir hasn’t hesitated to let Cormier know that he looks a somewhat depleted. Cormier detailed a quick run-in with Oezdemir and his “minions” in a Thursday afternoon Instagram post.

Justin Golightly - January 18, 2018

In response to President @realDonaldTrump’s recent alleged controversial comments on immigration, UFC heavyweight contender @Francis_Ngannou called Trump “a shame for America.” He said more, too. Hear his impassioned response below. #UFC220 pic.twitter.com/qM6hJSqWYa — MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) January 18, 2018

Tom Taylor - January 18, 2018

This Saturday, in the co-main event of UFC 220, Daniel Cormier and Volkan Oezdemir will collide for the UFC light heavyweight title. All of the light heavyweight division’s top contenders will be watching on intently, eager to know which man they’ll be gunning for come Sunday morning. That includes British knockout artist Jimi Manuwa. Manuwa gave his take on this fight in a recent interview with MMA Fighting.

Tom Taylor - January 18, 2018

On April 7, in what is likely to be the main event of UFC 223, Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov will battle for the lightweight title. Veteran MMA oddsmakers Joey Oddessa has now released the opening odds for this fight, identifying Nurmagomedov as a -200 favorite, and Ferguson as a +165 underdog. This means that a successful $100 bet on Ferguson would earn you $165, while it would take a successful $200 bet on Nurmagomedov to make $100.  pic.twitter.com/zmJGP7UfjS

Justin Golightly - January 18, 2018

There’s a huge fight card coming up this weekend, but don’t neither fighter involved in the main event at UFC 222 are going to let you forget that they’re a couple of months away. Max Holloway was quick to cleverly use Frankie Edgar’s ‘The Answer’ nickname in interviews and Edgar countered that he indeed had the answers to Holloway’s questions. Recently the UFC featherweight champion took their exchange to a whole new level with this amazing Jeopardy photoshop. “BJ Penn and I have history, but Max [Holloway] is just another opponent, man. He could be from Wyoming for all I care. It doesn’t matter to me. I know he’s a very tough competitor and he’s the champion. He’s been proving his worth as the champion, and that’s going to make it all the more better when I go and get that belt from him. If he has questions he’s coming to the right guy for the answers. I’m like ‘Jeopardy’ — ‘What is… I’m gonna whoop that ass.’ That’s the answer he’s coming to find.” — Frankie Edgar speaking to FloCombat.

Justin Golightly - January 18, 2018

UFC light heavyweight champion @dc_mma: “He may be a good fighter, but I know one thing that Vol-can’t do… and that’s beat Daniel Cormier!” #UFC220 pic.twitter.com/6HNjp24FMN — MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) January 18, 2018

Tom Taylor - January 18, 2018

If things had gone according to plan, middleweight staple Uriah Hall would have battled the retiring Vitor Belfort in the co-main event of last weekend’s UFC St. Louis card. Unfortunately, Hall was hospitalized as a result of a botched weight cut, and forced out of this contest thereafter. Shortly after Hall’s weight cut went awry, UFC President Dana White went off on him, suggesting he might be wise to migrate to the 205-pound light heavyweight division, where the cut would be less severe.

Tom Taylor - January 18, 2018

Over the last few weeks, there has been ample discussion surrounding a potential superfight between UFC women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg and UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. UFC President Dana White has assured this is the fight he wants next for both women.