MMA News

Tom Taylor - November 30, 2017

Back in early November, Michael Bisping surrendered the UFC middleweight title to Georges St-Pierre, succumbing to a rear-naked choke after absorbing quite a bit of punishment. In an effort to bounce back from this loss as quickly as possible, Bisping then accepted a short notice fight with the cinderblock-fisted Kelvin Gastelum, replacing former champion Anderson Silva. While some people applauded Bisping for this get-up-and-go attitude, others scolded him (and the UFC) for booking the fight so soon after his concussive loss to St-Pierre. If you’re one of the people who criticized Bisping for taking this risk, Chael Sonnen has a message for you. He gave his take on the situation on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio.

Chris Taylor - November 30, 2017

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley does not understand the logic behind Michael Bisping’s decision to make a quick turnaround and fight Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Shanghai. Just three weeks after being choked unconscious by Georges St-Pierre in the main event of UFC 217, former champion Michael Bisping was back in the octagon staring down dangerous middleweight Kelvin Gastelum.

Justin Golightly - November 30, 2017

The hype surrounding heavyweight’s new beast Francis Ngannou couldn’t be greater. Dana White has labeled him the next big thing in MMA, literally and figuratively. Clearly, the UFC is putting a lot of stock in the young, surging contender. He pretty much as moved into the organization’s Performance Institute and was recently tested to prove he’s the hardest punching man on Earth, which resulted in Joe Rogan singing his praises on a recent podcast. If all that wasn’t enough, take the time to watch his UFC 219 open workout because it is downright hard to watch him inflict punishment on his head coach. It takes a brave man to hold pads for top UFC heavyweight contender @francis_ngannou 😵. Watch N’Gannou’s full #UFC218 Open Workout video: https://t.co/8SLUFNXY3x pic.twitter.com/ahgQoHl2gy

Justin Golightly - November 30, 2017

After a long time of negotiations and build-up, we finally have the UFC women’s featherweight title fight that many believed we should have gotten all along. Cris Cyborg will defend her title against Holly Holm in just a month to also contend her status as the best female fighter in the world. Cyborg’s coach thinks Holm’s last fight is telling on how the scrap at UFC 219 will go, but thinks even the best Holly Holm will have no choice but to fall at Cyborg’s hands. “When I watched Holly Holm’s last fight against Bethe Correia or whatever it was, that Bethe girl, Bethe, her level of striking is at the lowest level of the game, the lowest level of the game! And I watched her f-cking batter around for three rounds, Holly trying to get her out of there. Did she finally get her out of there with the head kick? Yes. Should that have happened in the first minute of the first round of the level that both of them are at? Yes. She should have knocked her – look at what Ronda Rousey did to that girl. Ronda Rousey, again, the lowest level of striking in the MMA game, went out and knocked Bethe Correia the f-ck out in the first fucking minute of their god damn fight. And styles make fights, there’s no math on that and I get it, I get it, but Bethe Correia is very ordinary, very ordinary with a low skill-level in striking. Sorry Bethe if you hear this interview, it’s no disrespect to you but it’s just a fact. It is what it is. And I didn’t see the Holly Holm that fought Ronda Rousey out there when she fought Bethe. If there was, she probably would have smoked her a little sooner now wouldn’t she?”

Tom Taylor - November 30, 2017

Unfortunately, UFC 219 has been dealt yet another blow. Kickboxing legend Gokhan Saki – perhaps one of the most hyped prospects on the UFC roster – has been forced out of his planned bout with fellow slugger Khalil Rountree. On Wednesday, the former kickboxer posted to Instagram with more information on the injury that forced him off this card. More importantly, he made a very exciting promise with respect to the year 2018.

Tom Taylor - November 30, 2017

In 2018, Bellator MMA will crown a heavyweight champion by way of an action-packed heavyweight Grand Prix. This headline-dominating tournament will kick off on January 20, when three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen takes on former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Then, in the subsequent months, we’ll witness matchups between Roy Nelson and Matt Mitrione, Fedor Emelianenko and Frank Mir, and lastly, Ryan Bader and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal. In the opinion of Chael Sonnen, any one of these dangerous competitors has a real shot at winning it all.

Tom Taylor - November 30, 2017

For a time, it sounded as though former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell would almost certainly return to the cage. We learned that he’d met with Bellator boss Scott Coker, while current Bellator star Chael Sonnen assured that a bout with the UFC legend was a very real possibility. Then, however, this possibility was stomped out. Liddell assured there would be no comeback, and even Sonnen admitted it wasn’t going to happen. But hold on… what’s this?

Chris Taylor - November 30, 2017

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley warns Conor McGregor that he is not invincible and should consider taking a seat for at least a little while. The UFC’s undisputed lightweight champion, McGregor, has been making headlines over the past month for all the wrong reasons.

Adam Conklin - November 29, 2017

Chris Taylor - November 29, 2017

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley will not be fighting Nate Diaz or any other opponent at December’s UFC 219 event in Las Vegas. The Diaz vs. Woodley bout was first reported to be in the works earlier this month. Unfortunately, Nate’s financial demands for the fight proved to be too much and the proposed bout was eventually scrapped entirely.

Adam Conklin - November 29, 2017

  Glory kickboxing has been looking for a permanent home since its inception back in 2012. The promotion would originally air online and on PPV for the American audience until a deal with Spike TV brought the kickboxing promotion to cable in the United States.

Russell Ess - November 29, 2017

Last year many people caught wind of what seemed to be a Twitter beef between UFC commentator Joe Rogan and bodybuilder C.T. Fletcher. Rogan was talking about how the physique of Tyron Woodley could be detrimental in a five-round title fight against Robbie Lawler saying that all the muscle “The Chosen One” carries around could lead to him getting gassed out in the championship rounds of the fight.

Adam Conklin - November 29, 2017

  It looks like Shane Carwin won’t be returning to MMA after all. Despite on-going talks with Bellator regarding a return, potentially as a replacement or alternate in their upcoming heavyweight tournament, Carwin announced via Reddit that he will be retiring from MMA competition. He cites terms of a potential contract with Bellator as his reason for confirming that he would retire:

Justin Golightly - November 29, 2017

Ever since Volkan Oezdemir won a social media poll put on by Daniel Cormier, he’s been slated to get the UFC light heavyweight title shot. It was teased and talked about until finally it was reported to be in the works for UFC 220 by MMA Kings. Everything seemed like it was set until Oezdemir had an altercation at a bar that seemed to put everything in jeopardy. Dana White assured us that the plan was to keep on trucking with the event as planned and it looked like everything worked out. Just a few minutes ago on UFC Tonight, Daniel Cormier opened up the broadcast with the official announcement.

Justin Golightly - November 29, 2017

Fabricio Werdum has won three of his last four fights, but everything other than his fighting has seemed to be a rocky road. While he’s never strayed away from a little controversy, he recently almost had a scuffle with interim UFC lightweight champ Tony Ferguson, which he paired with a crazy boomerang attack on Colby Covington. Dana White recently opened up about the confrontation and his bad relationship with Werdum. “Me and [Fabricio] Werdum do not have a good relationship. At all. At all. [The altercation in Austrailia] is just a continued — this is what this guy does. He almost fights Tony Ferguson at the media luncheon. There’s a laundry list of me and Werdum. When I was driving here today to meet you guys, Werdum texted me and said ‘I wanna come out, I wanna meet, I wanna sit down.’ I haven’t been willing to meet with him for a while now. And I texted him back and said ‘let’s do it.’ So me and Werdum are gonna sit down, try to hug and make up. No, I don’t laugh [at Werdum throwing a boomerang at Colby Covington], that’s not funny. Believe me, I get it, I get it that Colby disrespected Brazil and all the Brazilian people. I know how Brazilians get about that stuff. You just can’t go around assaulting people, you know? You just can’t do it. It’s bad.” — Dana White during his recent media scrum.

Jason Kindschy - November 29, 2017

BJPENN Radio is back at 8PM ET/5PM PT with more of what you crave! 8:15PM ET- Our first guest is the man they call “Hot Chocolate,” Danny Roberts. As UFC on FOX 26 draws near, we’ll preview Danny’s showdown with Sheldon Westcott in Winnipeg on December 16th. After working past some personal issues outside of competition, Roberts aims to show the world his true potential and climb the ranks in the talent-rich welterweight division. We’ll get “Hot Chocolate’s” opinion on the current landscape of 170, where he fits into the battle for ranked status, and we’ll also discuss some of MMA hot topics.

Tom Taylor - November 29, 2017

Over the weekend, UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor was involved in yet another SNAFU outside the cage, this time getting into a fight at The Black Forge Inn in Dublin. While this drunken donnybrook alone would justify a serious finger-wag, it seems that McGregor is in far more trouble than initially thought, as one of the men he punched in this scuffle is believed to be a close associate of of convicted Irish drug dealer Graham ‘The Wig’ Whelan.  While credible information on this wild ordeal has been difficult to sniff out, veteran crime reporter Paul Williams claims that the UFC star is in serious danger. Here’s what Williams had to say on a recent episode of Newstalk Breakfast (transcription via Balls.Ie). 

Justin Golightly - November 29, 2017

If you follow Diego Sanchez on social media, you may have seen him working with his friend [Isaac “The Shermanator” Marquez. Whether it’s working the pads, teaching some new secret moves, or practicing some ground and pound, Sanchez has been by Marquez’s side ever since he graced the doors of Jackson Wink. However, it was always more than a friendship and more than just having fun, Sanchez has been working towards fulfilling a dream for the young man and the work has finally paid off. UFC vet Diego Sanchez will be Marquez’s opponent for his big MMA debut. @isaacmarquezabq gets his big fight!he is dedicating it to his mom who died of dementia. This champion is on of the most positive motivating men that I have ever crossed paths with! MMA IS HIS PASSION AND HE LOVES @UFC come watch him fight me