MMA News

bjpenndotcom - December 28, 2016

Earlier this month, former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw was one of several high-profile UFC fighters who emerged as part of the MMA Athletes Association. In addition to Dillashaw, former UFC welterweight kingpin Georges St-Pierre, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, and top ranked fighters Donald Cerrone and Tim Kennedy all announced their involvement.

Tom Taylor - December 28, 2016

Last November, Holly Holm shocked the world by knocking out the seemingly unbeatable Ronda Rousey with a second-round head-kick. More than a year later, Rousey has still not stepped back into the Octagon – though that will finally change this Friday. In the main event of the anticipated UFC 207, she will challenge reigning women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes for the title she once guarded so ferociously. In advance of this Rousey comeback, many members of the MMA community have offered up their predictions on the fight. The latest to do so is former UFC heavyweight, current podcast host and Rousey ex-boyfriend Brendan Schaub. Schaub weighed in on Rousey’s return on The Pony Hour with Tony Hinchcliffe.

Tom Taylor - December 28, 2016

There’s a place in the heart of just about every fight fan for a good freak show fight: fights between hulking, musclebound leviathans, and smaller, but generally more skilled opponents.

Tom Taylor - December 28, 2016

https://youtu.be/JPpAgLOTIq4 This Friday, in the co-main event of UFC 207, undefeated 25-year-old Cody Garbrandt will challenge Dominick Cruz for the UFC bantamweight crown. Though Garbrandt’s road to this title shot hasn’t been a particularly long one – at least, not according to TJ Dillashaw – it has been a hard one.

bjpenndotcom - December 27, 2016

Leading up to the highly anticipated return of Ronda Rousey this Friday at UFC 207, the former champ has been subject to much criticism for her unwillingness to participate in fight week events, and media-related events leading up to the fight. In addition, in the UFC’s promotion for the event, Rousey has been the main focus in promo videos, not UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes.

bjpenndotcom - December 27, 2016

News surfaced Tuesday evening that UFC heavyweight Josh Barnett had failed a USADA drug test earlier this month. According to UFC.com, Barnett failed a random out-of-competition drug test on December 9th. Unfortunately, this is the third time Barnett has failed a drug test during his time with the UFC. In 2001, Barnett failed his first drug test with the UFC, he was then subsequently handed a warning from the NSAC. In his very next fight, just months later, Barnett won the UFC heavyweight championship by TKOing Randy Couture. Unfortunately, after the fight, it was revealed that Barnett had failed a drug test in that fight as well, subsequently, he was stripped of the UFC heavyweight championship. After 11 years fighting in various other high-profile promotions including Pride FC, Affliction, and Strikeforce, Barnett made his UFC return in 2013. This failure marks the first time he has failed a drug test in his most recent stint with the UFC.

bjpenndotcom - December 27, 2016

Earlier this month, MMA veteran Urijah Faber stepped into the Octagon for the final time on the main card of ‘UFC Fight Night: Sacramento’ where he fought fellow MMA veteran Brad Pickett. The win was certainly a dominant one for Faber, as he dropped Pickett in the very first round, then proceeding to win the next two rounds decisively en route to a unanimous decision win in his final MMA fight. With the win, Faber’s professional MMA record advanced to 34-10 over the course of thirteen years of fighting professionally.

Russell Ess - December 27, 2016

A lot of people were intrigued by the recent announcement of the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association and there were mixed feelings from fighters with those in full support of the new movement while others were put off by the association. UFC veteran Tim Means was one of those that was interested with the announcement of the association but has not had any chance to meet with the guys involved and talk about what the association all entails.

bjpenndotcom - December 27, 2016

Unfortunate news surfaced this week that former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez had been forced out of his scheduled UFC 207 rematch with Fabricio Werdum this Friday. While the fight was expected to see one man crowned the heavyweight #1 contender, Velasquez was pulled from the fight after it was determined that he was medically unfit to fight due to a back injury he dealt with throughout training camp. Leading up to the bout, Velasquez was very open about the fact that throughout training camp, he used CBD Oil to manage his pain from an injury which would require back surgery just days after his UFC 207 scrap with Werdum.

Russell Ess - December 27, 2016

It appears that UFC fan favorite Nick Diaz may be preparing to return to competition soon. The elder Diaz brother was spotted in a social media post by Jose Garcia, who works on strength and conditioning for the Diaz brothers.

bjpenndotcom - December 27, 2016

Former WWE champion CM Punk and his former bosses at the WWE certainly don’t get along very well. After all but being banned from the WWE, Punk signed with the UFC in 2014.

Russell Ess - December 27, 2016

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is set to defend his belt against the challenger Cody Garbrandt in the co-main event of UFC 207, which takes place on December 30 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

bjpenndotcom - December 27, 2016

Top ranked UFC light heavyweight Anthony Johnson was just weeks away from his highly anticipated rematch with Daniel Cormier for the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 206 earlier this month. Unfortunately for Rumble, his chance at a rematch with ‘DC’ for the light heavyweight strap was postponed when it was revealed that Cormier had suffered a torn adductor in training, and would be unable to fight Johnson at UFC 206. With Cormier currently sidelined, it has been reported that the champ will be looking to return to the Octagon in early 2017, where he plans to give Johnson the rematch he deserves.

bjpenndotcom - December 27, 2016

Since his dominant UFC 205 win over Michael Johnson, top ranked UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov has been looking for a fight with lightweight champion Conor McGregor. While it was initially reported that McGregor would be sidelined for 10 months due to the upcoming birth of his firstborn child, the ‘champ champ’ recently stated that he could be returning to the Octagon much sooner than initially expected. This has led to even more controversy surrounding the lightweight title picture, and who will be getting the next lightweight title shot. While the UFC was initially looking to book Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson for an interim lightweight title fight, Ferguson then revealed that he planned to hold out for more money. This led to rumors of a potential Nate Diaz vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov interim title fight, however Jose Aldo’s manager was quick to reveal that Aldo was looking to move up to lightweight for an interim title fight.

bjpenndotcom - December 27, 2016

It’s no secret that Stockton superstars Nick and Nate Diaz are frequent marijuana smokers. While this sometimes results in a bit of controversy surrounding the brothers, Nick recently took to Snapchat to show off ‘Diaz Bros’ rolling papers:

bjpenndotcom - December 27, 2016

In just days, UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will step into the Octagon against undefeated bantamweight contender Cody Garbrandt in a highly anticipated matchup for the UFC bantamweight championship. Going into the fight, ‘The Dominator’ and ‘No Love’ have never shied away from talking trash back and forth every opportunity they get. At UFC 202 back in August, where Garbrandt defeated Takeya Mizugaki via 1st round KO, he and the champ were forced to be separated backstage by Daniel Cormier when they began to get into a verbal altercation.

Tom Taylor - December 27, 2016

Earlier this year, in the co-main event of July’s historic UFC 200, WWE star and former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar made a largely unexpected return to the Octagon. Despite the fact that he had not fought in many years, he was able to grind Mark Hunt to a unanimous decision win.

Russell Ess - December 27, 2016

https://youtu.be/-ekMr-bmKBk UFC lightweight champion Conor Mcgregor has shot through the roof ever since he first entered the Octagon back in 2013.