MMA News
Diego Ferreira expecting a "scrap" against Grant Dawson at UFC 311: "Look for the finish"
Cole Shelton - January 14, 2025
Diego Ferreira is looking to remind the lightweight division that he’s still a legit contender. Ferreira is coming off a comeback win over Mateusz Rebecki in May. After the victory, the hope for Ferreira was to fight again before the year was up, but that didn’t happen after the UFC couldn’t find him a fight.
Eric Nicksick blasts ref Mark Smith after UFC Vegas 101: "I think he’s an egomaniac"
Cole Shelton - January 14, 2025
Eric Nicksick, the head coach of Chris Curtis, wasn’t a fan of referee Mark Smith and his stoppage at UFC Vegas 101. Curtis suffered a third-round knockout loss to Roman Kopylov on the main card. The fight was stopped with one second left after Kopylov landed a head kick that dropped Curtis, but Kopylov walked away and didn’t land any punches. Many thought it was an early stoppage, especially with one second left.
Denice Zamboanga eager to unify ONE World Titles with Stamp Fairtex
BJPENN.COM Staff - January 14, 2025
ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice Zamboanga made herself undeniable this past Friday, January 10. “The Menace” dismantled Alyona Rassohnya in the second round of their interim World Title bout at ONE Fight Night 27, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. And now she’s looking at what’s to come.
Islam Makhachev vows to shut up Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311: "Arman talk too much"
Cole Shelton - January 14, 2025
Islam Makhachev plans to make sure Arman Tsarukayn never talks about him again after UFC 311. Makhachev is set to rematch Tsarukyan in the main event of UFC 311 on Saturday night. It’s a highly-anticipated fight as it serves as a rematch of their 2019 bout which Makhachev won by decision. Tsarukyan had taken that fight on short notice in his UFC debut, but was still able to put forth a Fight of the Night performance.
Nate Diaz responds to Islam Makhachev over water bottle incident at UFC 311 presser: "Thought religious people didn't lie"
Josh Evanoff - January 14, 2025
Nate Diaz has responded to UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. The rivalry between the Diaz brothers and the Eagles MMA team is quite a lengthy one. A decade ago, Nate Diaz famously got into a scuffle with former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at a World Series of Fighting event. While things didn’t get too out of hand that night, the two have been at odds ever since.
Dominick Cruz alleges Henry Cejudo turned down rematch for UFC Seattle: "He won't take that fight"
Josh Evanoff - January 14, 2025
Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz badly wanted his last fight to be against Henry Cejudo. ‘The Dominator’ recently signed a deal to return to the octagon in the co-main event of UFC Seattle next month. Back for the first time since a knockout loss to Marlon Vera in late 2022, Dominick Cruz will meet Rob Font. For his part, the latter was last seen in the cage in October, scoring a unanimous decision win over Kyler Phillips.
PFL releases longtime Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull after lengthy rant: "We are all about opportunity"
Josh Evanoff - January 14, 2025
Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull is no longer with the PFL. When Donn Davis and the PFL bought Bellator in late 2023, there was a lot of optimism from all parties involved. The new owners promised a loaded schedule for 2024 and quickly revealed a new broadcasting deal with Max. Sadly for Bellator fighters such as Patricio Pitbull, many of those promises went unfulfilled.
WATCH | UFC champ Alex Pereira slugs it out with heavyweight boxer
BJ Penn Staff - January 14, 2025
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira got all he could handle in a recent sparring session with heavyweight boxer Igor Adiel Macedo. You can watch the pair go toe-to-toe below. As you can see, they were not holding back much at all.
Javier Mendez insists Islam Makhachev isn't overlooking Arman Tsarukyan prior to UFC 311: "We got a hell of a challenge in front of us'
Fernando Quiles Jr. - January 14, 2025
American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez isn’t overlooking Arman Tsarukyan, but he thinks Islam Makhachev will further prove just how good he is at UFC 311. Makhachev will put his UFC Lightweight Championship at stake when he collides with Tsarukyan a second time. Makhachev scored a unanimous decision victory over Tsarukyan in their first meeting back in 2019. While that fight was a competitive three-round grappling exchange, what could the rematch have in store?
Aljamain Sterling thinks Umar Nurmagomedov is unproven, expects Merab Dvalishvili to shut doubters up at UFC 311
Fernando Quiles Jr. - January 14, 2025
Aljamain Sterling believes Merab Dvalishvili will silence the doubters once his UFC 311 clash with Umar Nurmagomedov has come to a close. Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov are set to clash this Saturday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA. The UFC Bantamweight Championship will be at stake, and Dvalishvili is in search of his first successful title defense. A win for Nurmagomedov would mark his first UFC title victory.
Just Scrap Radio Ep. 186 with Diego Ferreira
Cole Shelton - January 14, 2025
The 186th episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with host Cole Shelton is live to preview UFC 311. We’re joined by UFC lightweight contender Diego Ferreira (0:52) to preview his UFC 311 fight.
What's next for Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas after UFC Vegas 101?
Cole Shelton - January 14, 2025
The UFC opened up 2025 with a strawweight main event as Mackenzie Dern took on Amanda Ribas on Saturday at UFC Vegas 101. The fight served as a rematch of their 2019 fight. Dern entered the fight coming off a decision win over Loopy Godinez which snapped her two-fight losing streak. Ribas, meanwhile, was coming off a decision loss to Rose Namajunas at flyweight as she dropped back down to 115lbs.
Jiri Prochazka predicts getting a third crack at Alex Pereira
Harry Kettle - January 14, 2025
UFC star Jiri Prochazka believes he will eventually get a third opportunity to fight UFC champion Alex Pereira. Over the years, Jiri Prochazka has made a career out of proving people wrong. While he’s always been exceptionally talented, he has an unorthodox style that isn’t to everyone’s taste. Since arriving in the UFC, it’s been more of the same, with Jiri becoming UFC light heavyweight champion pretty quickly.
Eddie Alvarez teases Bellator following dissolution of the brand
Harry Kettle - January 14, 2025
MMA veteran Eddie Alvarez has teased Bellator after the branding of the promotion was reportedly cut by PFL. As we know, Eddie Alvarez has been there and done it all in mixed martial arts. He’s won belts in pretty much every promotion he’s performed in, and he’s put on incredible fights along the way. Alas, we likely wouldn’t have known a whole lot about him if it wasn’t for his initial run in Bellator.
Holm Holm leaves UFC, set to explore free agency
Harry Kettle - January 14, 2025
UFC veteran Holly Holm is set to leave the UFC and explore free agency, as per a report from Ariel Helwani. Over the course over the last decade or so, Holly Holm has been an ever-present in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He’s been through highs and she’s been through lows, with her most notable moment coming when she shocked the world and handed Ronda Rousey her first mixed martial arts defeat.
Arman Tsarukyan already targeting money fights ahead of UFC 311 clash with Islam Makhachev: "Just business"
Josh Evanoff - January 13, 2025
Ahead of his UFC title fight against Islam Makhachev, Arman Tsarukyan is thinking all about the money. The 28-year-old was last seen in the cage against Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April. Riding a three-fight winning streak heading into the event, Arman Tsarukyan scored an impressive decision win over the former champion. In the process, he helped set the stage for a long-awaited rematch with Islam Makhachev.
Colby Covington still confident he will be a UFC champion: "We’re going to do the unthinkable"
Cole Shelton - January 13, 2025
Colby Covington still believes he will be the undisputed UFC champion despite being on a two-fight losing streak. Covington is coming off a stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley back in December at UFC Tampa. It was a disappointing loss and many thought it ended his time as a legit title contender. However, ‘Chaos’ is confident he has all the tools to be the champ and believes the best of his career is yet to come.
Akbar Abdullaev vs. Tang Kai: Why the MMA world needs an immediate rematch
BJPENN.COM Staff - January 13, 2025
Fifth-ranked ONE featherweight MMA star Akbar Abdullaev is a king without a crown, a ruler with no throne. The undefeated phenom dominated reigning ONE Featherweight MMA World Champion Tang Kai at ONE Fight Night 27 this past Friday, January 10. Abdullaev took the Chinese star to hell and back before securing a fifth-round TKO inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.