MMA News

Russell Ess - March 22, 2016

It was all too natural for former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Randy Couture to give his assistance when trouble struck in Mexico recently. Couture who just flew into Mexico to work on an upcoming film “Bruja” spoke with TMZ on how he helped victims of an accident out of their wrecked vehicle in the jungle.

Russell Ess - March 22, 2016

Mark Hunt is simply the king of the walk-off knockout. The MMA community feels the same way with fellow fighters tipping their hat to Hunt after his latest win over Frank Mir at UFC Fight Night 85. Hunt showcased his walk-off judgement after clobbering Frank Mir with a stunning right hand that sent the former UFC heavyweight champion to the canvas. Hunt saw that Mir was in no condition to continue the fight and simply walked away.

Russell Ess - March 22, 2016

While Firas Zahabi may have already dropped a hint for the winner of the Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor rematch to call out former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 200, it really is all just a hunch for Zahabi. The longtime coach of GSP spoke on the MMA Hour (transcribed by MMA Fighting) on Monday and opened up on what he believes will get Georges St-Pierre back in the Octagon.

bjpenndotcom - March 22, 2016

[ooyala code=”95eWU4MjE6jQ74f6SlRRmhKUn6SpnR8B” player_id=”b8fa6431adff441580c2e2bf5e6bd724″ width=”3840″ height=”2160″ auto=”true” autoplay=”true”] It’s no secret that the JacksonWink MMA Academy in Albuquerque New Mexico is home to some of the greatest fighters competing today. From pound for pound king Jon Jones to former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm, the talent at the JacksonWink Academy runs deep.

bjpenndotcom - March 22, 2016

https://youtu.be/PNrPVDsGzDA We are now less than two months away from UFC 198, where Fabricio Werdum will look to defend his UFC heavyweight championship against Stipe Miocic in Curitiba Brazil.

bjpenndotcom - March 22, 2016

https://youtu.be/X5YKbkZgkRE This past weekend, UFC veterans Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping competed in a grappling match at URFight. Unlike Metamoris however, which is one long round, the grappling match between Sonnen and Bisping consisted of three 5 minute rounds.

bjpenndotcom - March 22, 2016

Several years ago Duane ‘Bang’ Ludwig was brought in as the striking coach at Team Alpha Male. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out between Ludwig and TAM owner Urijah Faber. Ludwig left and opened the ‘Bang Muay Thai HQ’ in Broomfield Colorado, and T.J. Dillashaw began spending part of his training camps training with the striking guru. Ultimately, Dillashaw left Team Alpha Male to train with Elevation Fight Team in Colorado, forcing a rift between himself and mentor Urijah Faber.

bjpenndotcom - March 22, 2016

T.J. Dillashaw may no longer be allowed to step foot inside Urijah Faber’s Team Alpha Male in Sacramento California, however that won’t stop him from cheering for former mentor Urijah Faber when ‘The California Kid’ steps foot in the Octagon at UFC 199 to fight Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight championship. The fight will be Faber’s 4th bid for the UFC bantamweight championship, and will be his third fight with Cruz. In the pair’s first meeting back at WEC 26, Faber defeated Cruz via 1st round submission. When the pair met for the second time it was under the UFC banner at UFC 132, where Cruz defeated Faber via unanimous decision.

bjpenndotcom - March 22, 2016

MMA veteran Urijah Faber has been competing professionally in mixed martial arts for 13 years, and has competed in 41 bouts as a professional fighter. In addition, Faber is the founder of Sacramento’s “Team Alpha Male”. When Faber was coaching opposite Conor McGregor on season 22 of The Ultimate Fighter, he tried to warn the featherweight champion to work on his Jiu-Jitsu before his next fight. That fight came at UFC 196 against Nate Diaz, where McGregor ultimately gassed at the end of the 1st round, and was submitted in the second round.

bjpenndotcom - March 22, 2016

At UFC 196, Nate Diaz shocked the world as he submitted Conor McGregor in the 2nd round of their welterweight scrap. Following the win, UFC President Dana White stated that the win made Diaz a millionaire. While this certainly didn’t use all of his fight purse, Diaz spent his hard earned money on a personalized bong, which you can see below!

Russell Ess - March 22, 2016

Former two-weight UFC world champion and UFC Hall of Fame legend BJ Penn has been far away from the tropical paradise he calls home. The Hilo boy has been in Albuquerque, New Mexico training at JacksonWink MMA with Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn in preparation for his return to the Octagon. Jackson spoke with MMA Junkie recently about Penn’s training and what the future holds for the 37-year-old pioneer of the UFC.

Russell Ess - March 22, 2016

Nate Diaz’s call out to Conor McGregor after his win over Michael Johnson at UFC on FOX 17 was the best move of his career. The expletive speech put the wheels in motion for a big money fight, but it wasn’t until lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos pulled out of his fight with McGregor to get things really going for Diaz.

Russell Ess - March 21, 2016

It was revealed shortly after the Bellator 149 event that co-main event fighter Kimbo Slice and main event fighter Ken Shamrock failed their fight drug tests. According to a report released by MMA Junkie, 52-year-old Shamrock and 42-year old Slice both tested positive for the steroid nandrolone, according to urine test results released by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation oversees the Texas Combative Sports program as Bellator 149 was held at Houston’s Toyota Center on Feb. 19.

Russell Ess - March 21, 2016

We didn’t get to hear a lot from former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir after falling to the heavy hands of Mark Hunt at UFC Fight Night 85, which took place in Brisbane, Australia over the weekend. Hunt delivered a thudding blow to Mir that sunk him to the canvas and simply walked away knowing the former champ was not in any safe condition to continue the fight.

Russell Ess - March 21, 2016

UFC commentator Jon Anik ate his words leading up to the UFC 196 main event featuring UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor and veteran Nate Diaz. “I will get the area code ‘209’ tattooed on the inside of my forearm, if Nate Diaz beats Conor McGregor,” Anik said before the fight took place. Well, Anik now has a “209” tattoo on his forearm.

Russell Ess - March 21, 2016

Joe Rogan is as well known in the UFC as the most famous fighters that step into the Octagon. As a well-versed martial artist himself, Rogan’s personality and knowledge of the fight game go hand in hand with his job as a color commentator for the UFC.

Russell Ess - March 21, 2016

Last week, it was reported by Ariel Helwani that the UFC was working on a rematch between UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor and UFC veteran Nate Diaz for UFC 200. Helwani gave his update on the MMA Hour on Monday reiterated that the immediate rematch is still in the works. Helwani said, “Oh by the way, it’s not happening at a more natural 155-pounds. It’s happening at 170-pounds and an interesting thing has happened since I put out this report. Of course, a lot of other media sources confirmed it and that’s all well and good, and they did it right, they credited, I have no beef. But, a lot of what was said and reported was incorrect. By the time that the news came out, a lot of people said they are working on it, but there were no contracts, they verbally agreed. I can assure you that the contracts had already been issued, not signed, but anyone who told you that there were no contracts issued, thus making it a little less of a real thing, that was inaccurate.”

Russell Ess - March 21, 2016

Should Magny – Lombard fight have been stopped?