MMA News
Max Holloway sends a message to Frankie Edgar, Cub Swanson, and rest of the UFC featherweight contenders
Russell Ess - June 12, 2017
There’s a new king in town for the UFC featherweight division as the “Blessed” era began with Max Holloway taking out Jose Aldo at UFC 212. Following the Hawaiian’s biggest win of his career and sporting the undisputed UFC featherweight title, former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Cub Swanson were quick to raise their hands to try and take a crack at the newly crowned champion.
Bethe Correia blasts "overrated" Holly Holm, suspects she will retire early
Tom Taylor - June 12, 2017
This coming weekend, in the main event of the UFC’s upcoming trip to Singapore, former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm will collide with former title challenger Bethe Correia. In advance of this fight, Correia has made no secret of her opinions on Holm. Her latest criticisms of Holm occurred in a Monday interview with Daily Star, during which she called the former champ “overrated,” among other things.
New sponsorship deal will provide bonuses, private flights and more for Team Alpha Male fighters
Tom Taylor - June 12, 2017
Team Alpha male, which is based in Sacramento, California and headed by recently retired MMA legend Urijah Faber, has long been one of the best camps in MMA. And from the sounds of it, it’s about to get even better. Speaking on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Faber broke the news that Team Alpha Male had inked a new deal with a corporate sponsor that will provide some impressive new benefits for its coaches and fighters. His words:
Michael Bisping reveals his insider information on Chuck Liddell's UFC pay prior to layoff
Russell Ess - June 12, 2017
After the UFC was purchased by WME-IMG for the historical $4 billion price tag, the company faced a bit of restructuring. Many employees were laid off including UFC legends Chuck Liddell and Matt Hughes, who held positions with the company following their retirement after competing in the Octagon. Liddell held a position as the UFC executive vice president of business development and with a title like that, the assumption is that there was a nice paycheck that came along with the job.
VIDEO | Francis Ngannou drilling leg kicks is the scariest thing you'll see today
Tom Taylor - June 12, 2017
Over the weekend, in the main event of UFC Auckland, hulking UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis experienced a hype-derailing loss to the veteran Mark Hunt. Shortly after this loss, Lewis surprised onlookers by announcing that he may have fought his last fight in the UFC’s Octagon. Given that real heavyweight contenders are few and far between, Lewis’ departure from the sport would be a definite disappointment. Luckily, we still have his rival Francis Ngannou, who has simultaneously made his own rise up the UFC heavyweight ranks. While Lewis battled Hunt in New Zealand, Ngannou was back in his new home of Las Vegas, Nevada. The heavyweight destroyer relocated to Vegas from Paris in search of more elite training partners and high-level coaching and facilities.
Vitor Belfort agrees to Nate Marquardt's challenge
Tom Taylor - June 12, 2017
Earlier this month, on the main card of UFC 212 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, MMA veterans Vitor Belfort and Nate Marquardt collided in an interesting, middleweight clash. In the end, Belfort would win this fight with a rather controversial decision. Though this fight was initially expected to be Belfort’s retirement fight, he was quick to correct this perception, first stating that he planned to continue fighting outside the UFC, then that he actually planned on taking 5 or so more fights inside the UFC’s Octagon.
NYSAC confirms Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva will undergo out-of-competition testing
Tom Taylor - June 12, 2017
On Saturday, June 24, in the main event of the stacked Bellator NYC card, three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen will collide with Pride legend Wanderlei Silva in a fight that should go down as one of the biggest fights Bellator has ever promoted. Given the unfortunate, PED-related history of both men, of course, one would hope that both will undergo significant testing in the buildup to and fallout of this fight. Yet when asked previously by MMAFighting.com what kind of testing the two stars will undergo, the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) gave a rather vague answer.
UFC Auckland salary report: Mark Hunt made bank with defeat of Derrick Lewis
Tom Taylor - June 12, 2017
Over the weekend, the UFC touched down in Auckland, New Zealand with an exciting, 11-fight card (one fight was cancelled at the last minute). This card was headlined by a heavyweight showdown between Kiwi MMA legend Mark Hunt, and streaking heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis. Hunt won this fight with a fourth-round TKO.
Luke Rockhold will be ready to "fill in" for Romero or Whittaker
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has not been seen in the Octagon since he surrendered the title to Michael Bisping just over a year ago, and at the moment, he still doesn’t have a return fight booked. That said, the former champ is staying ready, in the event that either Robert Whittaker or Yoel Romero is forced out of their UFC 213 interim middleweight title fight. Apparently, the former champ will happily step in for either man. Rockhold explained the situation in a recent interview with TMZ.
After defeat of Derrick Lewis, Mark Hunt wants to avenge two previous losses
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
On Saturday night, in the main event of the 11-fight UFC Auckland card, 43-year-old heavyweight legend Mark Hunt stepped into the cage with the much younger Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis. Though Lewis was not without his moments in this fight, Hunt was able to turn back the clock, punishing his exhausted foe to an impressive, fourth-round TKO win. With this win, Hunt separated himself from a thunderous, knee-induced knockout loss to Alistair Overeem, and reaffirmed himself as one of the game’s premier heavyweights – despite being one of the most senior fighters on the roster.
Dan Hooker says his highlight-reel KO of Ross Pearson was "lucky, nothing else”
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
Last night, on the main card of the UFC’s latest trip to New Zealand, Kiwi star Dan Hooker made the jump from featherweight to lightweight, where he debuted against hard-nosed British veteran Ross Pearson. Despite being the much less experienced man in the cage, Hooker’s lightweight debut couldn’t have gone better, as he flattened his veteran foe with a crushing knee to the face mid-way through the second round. Because it was so beautifully timed and executed, Hooker’s knee-induced knockout defeat of Pearson is being talked about by many fans and pundits as a knockout of the year contender. According to Hooker himself, however, it was just a lucky strike.
Evan Dunham calls for scrap with "whiny b*tch" Al Iaquinta
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
Over the last few weeks, dangerous UFC lightweight Al Iaquinta has been flirting with the idea of a scrap with welterweight knockout artist “Platinum” Mike Perry. With Perry now scheduled to battle Thiago Alves at UFC 215 this August, however, Iaquinta will have to look elsewhere in the search for his next opponent. Evan Dunham hopes to make Iaquinta’s search an easy one.
Mark Hunt gives timeframe for his retirement, blasts "cheating bum" Alistair Overeem once again
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
Last night, in the main event of the action-packed UFC Auckland card, 43-year-old MMA legend Mark Hunt stepped onto the canvas with the much younger Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis. Though Lewis was not without his moments in this fight, Hunt was able to turn back the clock, punishing his foe to an impressive, fourth-round TKO victory. With this win, Hunt separated himself from a thunderous, knee-induced knockout loss to Alistair Overeem, and reaffirms himself as one of the game’s premier heavyweights – despite being one of the most senior fighters on the roster.
Athlete outfitting pay for UFC Auckland: Mark Hunt gets $10K
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
Last night, the UFC touched down in the country of New Zealand for a second time with the exciting UFC Auckland card. In this card’s main event, we saw Kiwi MMA legend Mark Hunt collide with surging American heavyweight contender Derek Lewis. Hunt would win this fight by punishing an exhausted Lewis to a fourth-round TKO.
UFC Auckland bonus report: Hunt and Lewis get Fight of the Night on finish-filled main card
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
Last night, the UFC touched down in beautiful New Zealand for a second time with UFC Auckland. In the card’s main event, we saw bona fide MMA legend and Kiwi hero Mark Hunt collide with streaking heavyweight contender Derek Lewis. Hunt would win this fight by punishing an exhausted Lewis to a fourth-round TKO.
Derrick Lewis says that Mark Hunt bout is "probably my last fight"
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
Last night, in the main event of the UFC’s latest trip to New Zealand, streaking heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis lumbered onto the canvas with a titan of the division in MMA legend Mark Hunt. Though Lewis was able to land some big punches in the second frame, this fight was almost all Hunt, who battered his exhausted foe to an impressive, fourth-round TKO victory. In the wake of this win, Octagon commentator Brian Stann interviewed both the victorious Hunt and the vanquished Lewis.
Travis Browne roasts Derrick Lewis after his loss to Mark Hunt, challenges him to rematch
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
Last night, in the main event of UFC Fight Night 110, streaking American heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis stepped onto the canvas with a bona fide MMA legend in Mark Hunt. Lewis’ goal was to extend his win-streak to a division-best seven-straight, and just maybe, earn himself the next crack at the UFC heavyweight title. Regrettably for Lewis and his fans, the veteran Hunt was just too much.
Pros react to Derek Brunson's quick KO of Dan Kelly
Tom Taylor - June 11, 2017
Last night, in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 110, American middleweight contender Derek Brunson collided with streaking Australian judo specialist Dan Kelly. Brunson made this challenge look easy. Moments into the first round, he floored his Australian foe with a crashing left hand. From there, Brunson chased his dazed opponent to the canvas, where he polished him off with a ferocious series of ground strikes. The official time of the finish was 1:16 of the first round.