MMA News

Chris Taylor - October 8, 2017

UFC President Dana White did his best to honor the victims of the Las Vegas shooting at last night’s UFC 216 event at T-Mobile Arena. The promotion had 1,500 first responders in attendance for last night’s event and also gave some of the survivors from the shooting an introduction in the octagon.

Chris Taylor - October 8, 2017

The octagon will return to Madison Square Garden in New York next month for UFC 217. The pay-per-view fight card, which takes place November 4, will be headlined by a middleweight title fight featuring current champion Michael Bisping taking on former welterweight kingpin Georges St-Pierre.

Chris Taylor - October 8, 2017

The UFC 216 fighter salaries are in and newly crowned interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson earned the events top payout. Ferguson, who submitted Kevin Lee in the third-round of the UFC 216 main event, earned a total of $500,000 for his title earning victory.

Chris Taylor - October 8, 2017

UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson made history at last night’s UFC 216 event in Las Vegas! “Mighty Mouse” recorded his eleventh consecutive title defense by scoring a dramatic fifth-round submission victory over Ray Borg in the co-main event of UFC 216.

Tom Taylor - October 8, 2017

Last night, in the co-main event of UFC 216, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson shattered the record for consecutive title defenses in the UFC, moving to eleven-straight with a jaw-dropping fifth-round armbar over Ray Borg. In the wake of this dazzling win, Johnson is once again being widely referred to as the greatest of all time. At the UFC 216 post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White gave his take on the GOAT debate.

Tom Taylor - October 8, 2017

Last night, in the main event of the stacked UFC 216, streaking lightweight contender Tony Ferguson finally earned himself a piece of UFC gold, authoring a third-round submission win over Kevin Lee to capture the promotion’s interim lightweight title. With this win in the rear-view, the expectation is that Ferguson is likely to battle undisputed UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor somewhere down the road – at least, that’s what UFC President Dana White suggested post-fight.

Tom Taylor - October 8, 2017

Originally, former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum was expected to battle brick-fisted heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis on the main card of UFC 216. When Lewis was forced out of the fight at the last minute with a back injury, however, Werdum was paired with “The Big Ticket” Walt Harris, who was transplanted from a UFC 216 undercard bout with Mark Godbeer. Though Harris deserves major props for taking a fight with the one of the world’s best heavyweights on mere hours’ notice, the fight itself was more or less a disaster for him. Moments into the first-round, he was taken down by his decorated foe, and from there, it was just a matter of time. Werdum locked up the armbar, and seconds later, Harris was furiously tapping in pain.

Tom Taylor - October 8, 2017

Last night, in the co-main event of UFC 216, Demetrious Johnson stepped into the Octagon with the intention of defending his flyweight belt for a record-breaking 11th-straight time. He did so with flying colors, dominating his young foe Ray Borg to a ridiculous fifth-round sequence in which he hit him with a suplex, caught his arm in mid-air, and locked up the arm-bar for the win. Given the historical implications and jaw-dropping nature of this win, it should come as no surprise that it generated some interesting reactions from the MMA community. See some of the best reactions to Demetrious Johnson’s incredible victory below!

Tom Taylor - October 8, 2017

Last night, the UFC touched down in Las Vegas, Nevada with the absolutely thrilling UFC 216. In the main event, we saw streaking lightweights Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee collide for the UFC interim lightweight title. Though Lee started strong, nearly finishing Ferguson in the first, Ferguson surged back in the later rounds, ultimately putting Lee away with a choke in the third. With this win, Ferguson is now the UFC interim lightweight champion. From here, the widespread hope is that he will battle undisputed champion Conor McGregor somewhere down the road. Yet given that McGregor has potentially more lucrative scraps with Nate Diaz, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and even Paulie Malignaggi available, nothing is certain.

Tom Taylor - October 8, 2017

Well that escalated quickly ….@TonyFergusonXT #UFC216 pic.twitter.com/B5zJBv4dOV — UFC (@ufc) October 8, 2017

Chris Taylor - October 7, 2017

Tony Ferguson became the UFC’s interim lightweight champion in the headliner of tonight’s UFC 216 event in Las Vegas by scoring a third-round submission victory over Kevin Lee. Here is how the pros reacted to Tony Ferguson’s title claiming victory:

Chris Taylor - October 7, 2017

A interim lightweight title fight between Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee headlined tonight’s UFC 216 pay-per-view event in Las Vegas. Round one begins and Kevin Lee comes forward and lands a head kick. Tony shakes it off and circles out. Kevin lands a nice right hand over the top. Ferguson with a low kick. Kevin just misses with another right hand. Tony leaps in and lands a kick to the body. Lee charges forward with a right. He lands another right that knocks Ferguson to the floor. Tony pops back up and cracks Lee coming in. Kevin goes down to one knee and then gets back up. Good start to this one. Lee with a nice left hook. Ferguson comes forward with a front kick. Lee shoots in and scores a takedown. Ferguson tries to sweep but Lee winds up on top. Ferguson utilizing rubber guard. He looks for a should lock but Lee escapes and winds up on top and in full guard. Lee with some ground and pound from the top. Lee moves to north-south position. One minute remains. Lee moves to mount and begins raining down some big shots on Ferguson. Huge elbows and now punches from the mount. Lee is all over him. Round one comes to an end.

Chris Taylor - October 7, 2017

A heavyweight scrap between Fabricio Werdum and Walt Harris took place during tonight’s UFC 216 main card in Las Vegas. Round one begins and Werdum shoots in for a single leg and gets Harris down to the ground. Werdum immediately moves to full mount. Harris scrambles but gives up his back. Werdum transitions to an armbar and it is in tight. This one is all over. Wow!

Chris Taylor - October 7, 2017

A lightweight scrap between Beneil Dariush and Evan Dunham kicked off tonight’s UFC 216 main card in Las Vegas. Round one begins and Dariush quickly presses forward. Evan throws out a right jab. Dunham circling along the fence early here. He charges at Dariush with punches. Beneil lands a kick and the fighters clinch. They quickly break and Beneil lands a nice kick. They fighters engage and Dariush scores with a left over the top. Dunham continues to circle along the fence. Beneil catches him with a left hand. Beneil pressures Evan against the fence. He lands a big elbow. Dunham goes down. Beneil takes his back and begins working some ground and pound. Evan scrambles but cannot get back to his feet. More strikes from Dariush. Evan looks for a leg lock but it is not there. More big shots from the top by Dunham. Beneil moves to half guard. He works an elbow. Evan is working hard to stand up. Beniel catches him with a hard knee to the body. Dunham grabs a hold of a leg and tries to sweep. Beneil is all him. Dunham grabs a leg. He locks in a heel hook. Beneil quickly pulls out and begins working some short shots. Dunham scrambles back to his feet and misses with a high kick. Round one comes to an end.

Chris Taylor - October 7, 2017

A lightweight scrap between Lando Vannata and Bobby Green took place during tonight’s UFC 216 prelims on FS1. Round one begins and Green lands a nice left jab to start. Lando catches a Green kick but Bobby avoids any counter strikes. Both men are utilizing a lot of movement early. Lando leaps in with a punch. The fighters clinch. They break and Green lands a left. Lando replies with a right hand. Once again the fighters clinch. Green presses Lando against the cage. Vannata pushes Green off and then connects with a head kick. Green circles but Lando presses him against the fence. Big shots from Lando now. He lands a right hand and then another. Vannata goes down. Lando jumps on him with ground and pound. The referee is letting this go. Green tries to get back to his feet. Lando catches him with a knee but Green was down. The referee immediately jumps in. A point is taken from Lando and we restart. Vannata presses forward and lands a right hand. Green shoots and Vannata locks in a guillotine. This is tight. Lando cranks the hold. Somehow Green survives and is able to pull his head out. Green presses Vannata against the cage. He works hard for a single leg takedown but Lando avoids. Once again they clinch and Lando lands a right hand on the break. A good low kick scores for Vannata. He leaps in with a right. Green responds with a jab. Another good low kick from Lando scores. Green fires back with one of his own. Lando shoots in and scores a takedown late in the round. The horn sounds to end the opening five minutes.

Chris Taylor - October 7, 2017

The disclosed salaries for tonight’s UFC 216 main and co-main event fighters were revealed earlier this evening. In the evening’s featured bout, an interim lightweight title fight, Tony Ferguson will take home $250,000 to show and an extra $250,000 to defeat his opponent Kevin Lee (per Adam Hill).

Chris Taylor - October 7, 2017

A flyweight scrap between Magomed Bibulatov and John Moraga took place during tonight’s UFC 216 Fight Pass prelims in Las Vegas. John Moraga shut down the Magomed Bibulatov hype train tonight in Las Vegas.

Chris Taylor - October 7, 2017

Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum will remain on tonight’s UFC 216 pay-per-view fight card. The UFC just announced that Werdum will now square off with Walt Harris on the UFC 216 main card.