MMA News

Tom Taylor - September 11, 2017

Conor McGregor didn’t beat Floyd Mayweather. Instead, he succumbed to a storm of 10th-round punches dealt by the undefeated boxing legend. That said, McGregor did far better than many fans and pundits expected, arguably winning the fist few rounds of the fight, and surprisingly, out-landing many of Mayweather’s previous opponents – stars like Manny Pacquiao, Shane Mosley, and Miguel Cotto.

Tom Taylor - September 11, 2017

Back in August of 2016 – now well over a year ago – at a press conference for UFC 202, Conor McGregor and his opponent Nate Diaz got into a heated confrontation. This confrontation reached a hectic crescendo when McGregor and Diaz’s team got into a strange firefight, whipping water bottles and energy drink cans at one another from opposite sides of the David Copperfield Theatre in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unsurprisingly, the sanctioning Nevada Athletic Commission was not particularly thrilled with this rather juvenile bottle battle. After months and months of proceedings, McGregor was handed a $25,000 fine and given 25 hours of community service for the debacle. Diaz, meanwhile, was fined $15,000 and given 15 hours of community service.

Tom Taylor - September 11, 2017

On Saturday night, the UFC touched down in the Canadian combat sports hotspot of Edmonton, Alberta. One of the most compelling features of the UFC 215 main card – at least from an entertainment standpoint – was a featherweight scrap between former Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez and long-time featherweight contender Jeremy Stephens. The fight delivered just as we all hoped it would, earning both men $50,000 Fight of the Night checks. Unfortunately for Melendez, it’s not a fight he’s going to forget anytime soon. Early on in the contest, he began absorbing crackling leg kicks from Stephens. These kicks quickly damaged his legs, causing him to fall on several occasions – though he always returned to his feet, demonstrating all the heart and toughness he and his training partners are known for.

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

No words A post shared by Mikebisping (@mikebisping) on Sep 9, 2017 at 8:24pm PDT

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

Last night, the UFC touched down in the Canadian MMA hub of Edmonton, Alberta with the anticipated UFC 215. In the UFC 215 main event, we saw UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes score a razor-close win over red-hot challenger Valentina Shevchenko. In the co-main event, meanwhile we saw former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos assert himself as one of the hottest contenders at welterweight, steamrolling Neil Magny to a first round submission win. Elsewhere on the main card, we saw former UFC flyweight contender Henry Cejudo club Wilson Reis to a first-round win, while Ilir Latifi slowed the rise of Tyson Pedro with a decision, and Jeremy Stephens spoiled the featherweight debut of Gilbert Melendez with a unanimous nod.

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

Shortly after his steamrolling of long-time welterweight contender Neil Magny, former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos began calling for a scrap with reigning welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. “This division’s wide open; all the top-five, top-six guys in this division have lost to the champion or to the last challenger, which was Demian Maia,” dos Anjos told reporters after UFC 215 (h/t MMAJunkie.com). “(Stephen) Thompson lost twice to Woodley already. I’m the new blood in this division. I was getting ready to fight Woodley if Maia didn’t take the fight, but he ended up taking the fight. But I was getting ready for it, so here I am.”

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

Last night, in the co-main event of UFC 215, long-time welterweight contender Neil Magny moved to slow the welterweight rise of former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. Regrettably, the fight went disastrously for Magny, as he was taken down and abruptly submitted by his dangerous foe. In the immediate fallout of his submission loss to dos Anjos, Magny took to his official Instagram account to issue a quick statement on the fight. While he clearly isn’t happy with the result, he is pure class in defeat.

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

If things had gone according to the initial plan, 24-year-old flyweight contender Ray Borg would have taken his crack at the seemingly unstoppable UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson in the main event of UFC 215 last night. Regrettably, Borg was forced out of the fight at the very last minute with an illness. While Borg was deemed unfit to compete by the UFC’s medical team, his friend and teammate Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone believes he should have dug in his heels and tried to fight anyway.

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

Last night, the UFC touched down in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with UFC 215. When the card’s originally scheduled Demetrious Johnson vs. Ray Borg main event was nixed at the last minute, its Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko co-main event was elevated to the headlining spot. Nunes and Shevchenko’s headlining women’s bantamweight title showdown was an incredibly competitive one, as both women enjoyed many moments of success and the momentum swung several times. In the end, however, the judges awarded the win to Nunes by split decision. Unsurprisingly, many members of the MMA community felt the judges got the decision wrong – that includes Valentina Shevchenko herself.

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

Last night, the UFC touched down in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with UFC 215. In the co-main event of this anticipated card, former UFC lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos took his second fight at welterweight, this time battling long-time contender Neil Magny. Though Magny towered over Dos Anjos, the former lightweight champ made this one look easy. The Brazilian wasted no time grounding the fight, at which point he climbed into position to lock up an arm-triangle choke, and ultimately, the tap. Just like that, the former lightweight king is a legitimate contender in the shark-infested waters of the welterweight division.

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

Last night, in the main event of UFC 215 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes put her belt on the line opposite perhaps her fiercest rival: Kyrgyzstani striker Valentina Shevchenko. The fight registered as an incredibly competitive one, and after five close rounds, pretty much every onlooker was happy not to be a judge. In the end, though, the victory went to Nunes via split decision, which means the belt will remain around her waist.

Justin Golightly - September 9, 2017

It’s finally here. Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko finally meet for the second time. We were supposed to get this fight at UFC 213, but unfortunately Amanda Nunes’ severe sinusitis flared up and she pulled out. After going through the build-up three times, Nunes and Shevchenko wasted no time getting after each other tonight at UFC 215. Arguably two of the best women fighters on the planet threw down to see who improved since UFC 196. @BulletValentina just dislocated her finger… Then had it popped back into place in her corner. She didn't even flinch. #savage

Justin Golightly - September 9, 2017

Henry Cejudo is undefeated in the UFC except for losing to nearly-perfect UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson, and the perpetual second-in-command, Joseph Benavidez. His opponent Wilson Reis was on a three-fight win streak until also running into mini-boss Mighty Mouse. Their clash tonight was a battle between two of the top flyweights in the world and who can step closer to getting another shot at that seemingly unreachable belt. Immediately, it was clear Cejudo has drastically improved and may have been watching some Conor McGregor tape. https://twitter.com/SecretMovesMMA/status/906720553981136897

Justin Golightly - September 9, 2017

Former UFC lightweight title challenger Gilbert Meledez makes his featherweight debut against “Hardest Hitting 145er” Jeremy Stephens. As soon as this fight was announced, fight fans probably bought fireworks to shoot off in celebration. It’s two scrappers who aren’t going to back down. It’s like they fight on treadmills that are facing each other. Mostly known as the recipient of Conor McGregor’s  “Who The Fook is Dat Guy” line, Stephens entered into this fight for his 26th battle in the UFC and made every moment count. Attacking the leg early@LilHeathenMMA #UFC215 pic.twitter.com/SYqH8rr77e

Justin Golightly - September 9, 2017

There’s not much to talk about during this fight. Not because Sarah Moras or Ashlee Evans-Smith put on a boring fight, but because the fight didn’t even last half of a full round. Moras hasn’t fought since July 2015 and leaped into this fight like she wanted to make up all that time. She locked up Evans-Smith’s arm and torques the hell out of it. Unfortunately, it looks like it was dislocated and it’s hard to watch if the submission wasn’t so sweet. https://twitter.com/Jonnyboy_6969/status/906688790076555265

Justin Golightly - September 9, 2017

Rick Glenn got an overwhelming chorus of boos at UFC 215 and it must have charged him up. He ran at Gavin Tucker like a man possessed in the very beginning of the first round and nearly got the low-percentage standing choke. Tucker caught on to Glenn’s wild moveset of spinning backfists and jerky movements, resulting in him tying him up with clinch and staying close peppering with shots. https://twitter.com/Jonnyboy_6969/status/906678130504499200

Justin Golightly - September 9, 2017

We lost the main event, but the card still keeps trucking. Tonight is UFC 215 making Edmonton face the pain in Canada. Demetrious Johnson can’t break his record, but Amanda Nunes will still defend her UFC bantamweight title against Valentina Shevchenko. This is one of the best fights a promotion can make in any women’s division on Earth right now. That’s not all, Rafael dos Anjos makes his second venture at welterweight against lanky and dangerous Neil Magny. Seeing an RDA who isn’t drained anymore by a weight cut is interesting, especially against such a strong fighter. A win here definitely shows that Dos Anjos is seriously dangerous in a higher weight class, after winning his previous fight at welterweight against Tarec Saffiedine. Also a couple of cracking fights between Henry Cejudo and Wilson Reis, as well as Gilbert Melendez’s featherweight debut against “Who the Fook is Dat Guy” Jeremy Stephens.

Justin Golightly - September 9, 2017

When Kajan Johnson and Adriano Martins opened up the UFC 215 card, there were a lot of people not happy. The fight wasn’t that eventful, but it was two guys really evenly matched being cautious to not make a mistake. Until, that is, one did. https://twitter.com/davedoylemma/status/906659539797397504