MMA News

Tom Taylor - September 14, 2017

On October 28th, on the main card of UFC Fight Night 119 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, red-hot welterweight contender Colby Covington will battle recent title challenger Demian Maia. While Covington has repeatedly shared his confidence in the way he matches up with Maia, he actually has ample respect for the Brazilian grappling specialist. That respect does not extend to UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley – at all. Covington explained why he respects Maia but not Woodley on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio.

Tom Taylor - September 14, 2017

Last weekend, in the main event of UFC 215, Kyrgyzstani striking specialist Valentina Shevchenko came up inches short in a back-and-forth battle with women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes, losing a split decision. While Shevchenko has repeatedly shared her disappointment with this decision, and assured she’ll fight Nunes again, she recently told Submission Radio that her next fight is likely to be in the UFC’s new women’s flyweight division.

Tom Taylor - September 14, 2017

Now that UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor‘s anticipated boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is in the rear-view, the world is eagerly awaiting the details of his next fight. The most likely option for McGregor’s next fight seems to be a trilogy fight with Nate Diaz, who he is 1-1 against across two unforgettable 2016 battles. Diaz won the pair’s first fight, shocking the world by submitting the Irishman in round two. McGregor won the second, picking up a majority decision win over Diaz in a tooth-and-nail, 2016 Fight of the Year contender.

Tom Taylor - September 14, 2017

UFC lightweight champ Conor McGregor‘s headline-dominating August 26 boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. seems to have sparked a mass exodus of MMA fighters to the boxing ring. MMA fighters testing their hands in the ring is not a new phenomenon, of course, but the trend seems to have been thrust into overdrive in the wake of McGregor and Mayweather’s blockbuster battle. MMA fighters like Cris Cyborg, Jose Aldo and Stipe Miocic seem to be deeply infatuated with the idea of boxing, while fighters like UFC veteran Nam Phan have actually made the jump into boxing.

Tom Taylor - September 14, 2017

When it was announced that Jon Jones had failed a drug test administered on the eve his of UFC 214 knockout of Daniel Cormier, it called his win into question. When Jon Jones’ B sample came back and confirmed he’d indeed ingested the banned substance Turinabol, it sucked the legitimacy out of his win – at least in the eyes of the sanctioning California State Athletic Commission. Shortly after the results of Jones’ B sample were released, the CSAC overturned his win over Cormier, rendering it a no-contest. From there, the UFC reinstated the former champ Cormier as the reigning champion.

Tom Taylor - September 14, 2017

Fighting is a perilous game. Time and time again, we’ve seen premier combat sports athletes decline into physical and mental disrepair, oftentimes until they exist as little more than stuttering stacks of bones, entirely unrecognizable from the seemingly unstoppable behemoths they once were. In a poignant piece written on Wednesday for Players Voice, UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt explored the decline so many fighters endure, explaining that he’s at peace with that decline – that he’s even ok with dying in a fight – so long as it all occurs on a level playing field. That means no performance enhancing drugs.

Justin Golightly - September 13, 2017

The Jon Jones roller coaster has finally made one of its biggest loopty-loops, but after this they’ll be much more to come. Earlier today, the B sample of Jones’ came back positive for Turinabol, concluding that there was no error in the first sample. The MMA world has been waiting with bated breath ever since his alleged anti-doping violation was first announced. There was hope after his blood test came back clean, but it looks like the UFC is moving forward after these last results as Jon Jones will prepare for his upcoming legal journey. On UFC Tonight, it was made official that Daniel Cormier is once again UFC light heavyweight champion. https://twitter.com/TrentReinsmith/status/908122319201193984

Justin Golightly - September 13, 2017

If you didn’t know Justin Gaethje’s name after he terrorized the World Series of Fighting as their lightweight champion, then you definitely got word of him after he put on ‘Fight of the Night’ with Michael Johnson for his UFC debut. Gaethje immediately rocketed to the division’s top five position taking out Johnson, which he’ll follow up with a fight against former UFC lightweight champ, Eddie Alvarez. It’s hard to believe that Justin Gaethje could be just a few fights away from a title shot, but he hasn’t lost since his professional MMA debut in 2011. Recently, he shared the footage of his slam knockout on his Instagram account. #ROF41 RESULTS: Justin Gaethje def. Kevin Croom by KO(slam). Round 1, 1:01 @ROFMMA #MMA

Justin Golightly - September 13, 2017

Everyone knows Ronda Rousey and what her presence brings to any appearance or event, but it was one of her friends that enjoyed the spotlight during WWE’s all-women Mae Young Classic tournament. Shayna Baszler tore through the tourney, the former UFC fighter blending pro wrestling with her combat skills in exciting ways. Meanwhile, Rousey took a backseat and cheered on one of her own from the stands with the other members of her Four Horsewomen. Well look who's here…

Jason Kindschy - September 13, 2017

BJPENN Radio is back tonight at 8PM ET/5PM PT with more of what you crave! 8:15PM ET- Kicking off the show tonight we are joined the always entertaining “Platinum” Mike Perry. As UFC Fight Night Pittsburgh is just days away, we caught up with the welterweight slugger earlier in the week to preview his fight with Thiago Alves. Unfortunately, it was announced to that Thiago was removed from the card and replaced by Alex Reyes. While we didn’t get a chance to talk about all the drama that’s unfolded in the past 24 hours for Mike, we did discuss the welterweight division and all of the potential matchups going forward. Another great conversation with “Platinum!”

Justin Golightly - September 13, 2017

Just a couple of hours ago, it was announced that Thiago Alves wasn’t going to make it to UFC Pittsburgh to fight Mike Perry due to undisclosed reasons. Along with the recent Jon Jones and Jesse Taylor news today, a co-main event falling through was just icing on the bad day cake. Before we even put up the tissues, ‘Platinum’ Perry jumped back on the interwebs to let us know not to worry. Someone has already stepped up to fight him in place of the UFC veteran. I have an opponent

Russell Ess - September 13, 2017

On Tuesday the results of Jon Jones’ B sample results were released. The B sample tested positive for the anabolic steroid Turinabol, which was the same result as his A sample. This is Jones’ second potential Anti-Doping Policy violation as he was suspended for one year in 2016 after testing positive for the banned substances clomiphene and letrozole. Jones was flagged for his second potential Anti-Doping Policy violation from his sample taken after the UFC 214 weigh-ins.

Russell Ess - September 13, 2017

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has flagged another fighter from the UFC for a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation. USADA notified the UFC that The Ultimate Fighter 25 winner Jesse Taylor has been flagged and the UFC has removed Taylor from his upcoming scheduled fight.

Justin Golightly - September 13, 2017

This weekend, UFC Pittburgh goes down with a collection of some scrappy fights headlined by Luke Rockhold and David Branch. Unfortunately, there will be one less fight we can look forward to. Thiago Alves had to pull out of his fight with Mike Perry according to MMA Fighting. Right now the reasons are undisclosed, however Alves does live in Florida and he and his family could have been affected by the storm. This was something Perry was worried about, so he left a week earlier as a resident of Florida himself. A recent update from Ariel Helwani seems to confirm it was storm related complications. For those wondering about Thiago Alves, I’m told he was stranded due to Irma. Decided against leaving early to stay with his wife and child.

Tom Taylor - September 13, 2017

Back in July, in the main event of the stacked UFC 214, former UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones stepped into the cage with reigning champ Daniel Cormier in an effort to reclaim the title he never truly lost. Though Cormier had some success in the early portions of the fight, Jones ultimately succeeded on his mission to reclaim light heavyweight gold, bludgeoning Cormier with a third-round head-kick and polishing him off with a meteor shower of ground-and-pound. It was a feel-good moment for the returning Jones, whose recent career has been marred by major controversies, both in and out of the cage. Unfortunately, Jones’ causes for celebration were smothered almost immediately, as it was revealed that he’d failed a drug test administered on the night of UFC 214 weigh-ins.

Justin Golightly - September 13, 2017

We’re still about a month away from UFC 217, but the media around the super-stacked card is already beefing up. With great risk comes greater rewards, as the former king of the welterweight division Georges St-Pierre returns to challenge Michael Bisping for the middleweight title. Coming back after being absent from the sport for so long and capturing a title at a higher weight would be an incredible achievement to place in his legacy. It wasn’t always like this, the MMA GOAT-candidate came from humble beginnings. In a new interview with Hot 97, St-Pierre opened up about getting bullied when he was younger and recently ran into one of the culprits back home. “A few months ago, I was in the street and I saw one of the guys that used to bully me. I saw him and he was begging in the street. I don’t know if he was homeless, but he was asking for money. When he saw me, he recognized me. I don’t want to mention his name but I asked what are you doing here? ‘Can you help me, things are not going well?‘ Man, what are you doing here? You’re tall guy, good looking, what the hell? You’re in good shape.  I gave him a few dollars and I told him to get out of here, man. You should be ashamed. You should be embarrassed of what you’re doing. A lot of guy would kill to be like you. You’re full of potential. Go do something with your life.”

Tom Taylor - September 13, 2017

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley has been a busy man. Since winning the title with a thunderous, first-round knockout of Robbie Lawler in July of 2016, he has defended it against Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (twice), and most recently, against dangerous grappler Demian Maia in the co-main event of UFC 214. In addition to his busy schedule as one of the most active champions in the UFC, he also moonlights as an analyst for Fox Sports, and as an actor. Now, it’s time for a bit of rest. Currently suffering with a torn labrum, the champ plans to pass on surgery (if possible), take some time off, and allow the complicated welterweight contendership situation to sort itself out in the meantime.

Tom Taylor - September 13, 2017

If things had gone according to plan, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson would have attempted his eleventh-straight title defense opposite Ray Borg in the main event of UFC 215 last weekend. Regrettably, Borg was forced out of this contest at the last minute, leaving the champ without a fight. Luckily, Johnson and Borg are being rescheduled for UFC 216, which goes down on October 7 in Las Vegas. While this is currently the plan, however, Johnson isn’t sure he can trust Borg – who has made several last minute withdrawals from fights in the past – to show up for battle.