MMA News
Leon Edwards would prefer fighting for middleweight title over Islam Makhachev bout
Cole Shelton - July 10, 2024
Leon Edwards says he’d prefer fighting for the middleweight title as opposed to squaring off with Islam Makhachev. Makhachev has recently expressed interest in moving up to welterweight to challenge Edwards for the welterweight title to try and become a champ-champ. However, if Edwards gets past Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC 304, he says he’d rather move up to middleweight to try and become a champ-champ.
Conor McGregor calls Dustin Poirier's foundation a "scam" in latest social media attack
Curtis Calhoun - July 10, 2024
UFC superstar Conor McGregor is accusing Dustin Poirier’s The Good Fight Foundation of fraud after a recent post-UFC 302 auction. Poirier lost to UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the UFC 302 main event last month. Just days after, McGregor withdrew from his planned comeback fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 due to a toe injury.
Dustin Poirier blasts Michael Chandler over recent comments: "You're not one of us"
Cole Shelton - July 10, 2024
Dustin Poirier has taken aim at former opponent Michael Chandler. Chandler recently took to social media to tell Poirier to retire, which ‘The Diamond’ wasn’t a fan of. Poirier ripped him in a tweet, but he now has taken aim at him while speaking on The MMA Hour, as Chandler told him we are good with him retiring.
Michael 'Venom' Page downplays Ian Machado Garry's title chances after UFC 303: "Leon is gonna kill you"
Curtis Calhoun - July 10, 2024
UFC welterweight contender Michael ‘Venom’ Page doesn’t think Ian Machado Garry has what it takes to become a champion after their UFC 303 battle. Page suffered his first UFC loss to Garry at UFC 303 last month by unanimous decision. After a back-and-forth first two rounds of the fight, Garry used his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to stifle and frustrate Page in the final minutes.
Jake Paul wants PFL fight against Mike Perry after boxing match: "My wrestling background is going to come out!"
Josh Evanoff - July 10, 2024
After Jake Paul faces Mike Perry in the boxing ring, he’s down to face him in the PFL cage. ‘The Problem Child’ and ‘Platinum’ are currently set to collide on July 20th in Florida. Jake Paul was originally set to meet Mike Tyson on that same date, but ‘Iron Mike’ was forced out due to medical issues. After the legendary heavyweight was forced to pull out, Mike Perry stepped up on a few weeks’ notice.
Dustin Poirier reveals he accepted hours' notice fight vs. Nate Diaz after Khamzat Chimaev weight controversy at UFC 279
Curtis Calhoun - July 10, 2024
Dustin Poirier nearly stepped up on hours’ notice to face Nate Diaz at UFC 279 after Khamzat Chimaev missed weight. Poirier lost to UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in his most recent fight at UFC 302 last month. He lost by fifth-round submission and teased retirement, although he’s since teased one final appearance in the Octagon.
Douglas Lima booked for Bellator return after lengthy, messy contract dispute
Curtis Calhoun - July 10, 2024
Former Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima will make his return to the cage at 185lbs after his rocky relationship with the PFL was repaired. Lima will face middleweight contender Aaron Jeffery at Bellator Champions Series: San Diego on September 7th. He returns to the cage following a 16-month hiatus, stemming from his unanimous decision win over Costello Van Steenis at Bellator 296.
Cody Brundage doubts Abdul Razak Alhassan fight will last long at UFC Denver: "There will be chaos"
Cole Shelton - July 10, 2024
Cody Brundage says the judges won’t be needed for his UFC Denver fight against Abdul Razak Alhassan. Brundage is set for his second fight of 2024 as he’s coming off a submission loss to Bo Nickal at UFC 300. Although he lost that fight, Brundage believes it was a good learning experience for him.
Tye Ruotolo promises to get better after tough battle at ONE Fight Night 23
BJPENN.COM Staff - July 10, 2024
Tye Ruotolo may have emerged victorious at ONE Fight Night 23 on Prime Video last Friday, July 5, but he is admittedly far from satisfied with his performance. The reigning ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion took a hard-earned unanimous victory in his last fight. This came over Jozef Chen in a 186-pound catchweight contest on the recently concluded U.S. primetime card.
Sean O’Malley anxious for fight announcement as UFC 306 draws closer: "I’m still hoping for the Sphere"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - July 10, 2024
Sean O’Malley is eager to get back inside the Octagon, but he hasn’t heard anything new on when that might be. O’Malley is the reigning UFC bantamweight champion. The “Suga” show and Merab Dvalishvili have been going back-and-forth on social media, and the two have expressed a desire to fight one another. While UFC 306 inside the Sphere in Las Vegas would appear to be the right time for the title fight, nothing has been made official at this time.
Ali Abdelaziz makes bold UFC 304 prediction for Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad: "Don't worry, just buy the pay-per-view"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - July 10, 2024
The manager of Belal Muhammad, Ali Abdelaziz, believes his fighter will dethrone Leon Edwards at the conclusion of UFC 304. Muhammad will be entering enemy territory on July 27. Belal will meet Edwards inside Co-Op Live in Manchester, England. The UFC Welterweight Championship will be at stake.
Matt Brown scoffs at backlash for Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic: "Let them f*cking fight"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - July 10, 2024
Retired fan favorite Matt Brown doesn’t understand the hate for Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic. Jones vs. Miocic had been planned for UFC 295 back in November 2023. The UFC Heavyweight Championship would’ve been at stake, but “Bones” suffered an injury. As a result, an interim title bout between Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich took its place.
Former UFC champions Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans targeting November rematch in boxing: “I need to get that win back”
Harry Kettle - July 10, 2024
Former UFC champions Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans are aiming for a boxing showdown against one another later this year. As we know, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Rashad Evans are two MMA legends in their own right. They’ve held world titles, they’ve competed against some of the very best, and they are superstars in the eyes of many. They’ve also collided in the Octagon before, meeting back at UFC 114 in May 2010. The fight, which came off the back of a season of The Ultimate Fighter, ended in a decision victory for Evans.
Rose Namajunas believes win over Tracy Cortez at UFC Denver could lead to a title shot: “I could see myself fighting for the belt really soon”
Harry Kettle - July 10, 2024
Rose Namajunas believes she could earn a UFC flyweight title shot if she can defeat Tracy Cortez at UFC Denver. For the longest time now, Rose Namajunas has been one of the most popular female fighters in mixed martial arts. The former two-time UFC strawweight champion has produced some truly incredible moments throughout the course of her career in the sport. Now, however, she faces a new challenge at flyweight.
Joe Rogan believes “the fix was in” with the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou boxing match
Harry Kettle - July 10, 2024
UFC commentator Joe Rogan has given a controversial view on the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou boxing match. Last October, Francis Ngannou went to war with Tyson Fury in a crossover boxing showdown. Against all odds, Francis put forward a tremendous performance – even dropping ‘The Gypsy King’. Alas, in the eyes of the judges, he didn’t quite do enough to get his hand raised in victory.
Johan Ghazali squares off with Josue Cruz at ONE 168
BJPENN.COM Staff - July 10, 2024
Johan Ghazali gets a shot at redemption at the much-awaited ONE168: Denver. There, he goes up against Josue Cruz in a flyweight Muay Thai bout, airing live in U.S. primetime from the 21,000-seater Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, on September 6.
Liam Harrison claims he would have “body-bagged” Jonathan Haggerty
BJPENN.COM Staff - July 9, 2024
Liam Harrison has asserted that a matchup against Jonathan Haggerty during his prime years would have been a routine victory. The 38-year-old veteran thinks that the two-sport ONE World Champion would have been no match for him at the peak of his career.
Nate Diaz jabs Jorge Masvidal after 'Gamebred' cries foul over boxing match scorecards
Curtis Calhoun - July 9, 2024
There remains no love between former UFC stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal after their battle in the boxing ring last weekend. Diaz defeated Masvidal by majority decision on Saturday in Anaheim. He picked up his first professional boxing win after a loss to Jake Paul in August.