MMA News
Akbar Abdullaev KOs Halil Amir to bring home $50K bonus at ONE Fight Night 22
BJPENN.COM Staff - May 6, 2024
Akbar Abdullaev emerged as the sole recipient of a $50,000 performance bonus at ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video last Friday, May 3. While the event showcased a multitude of compelling matchups, it was Abdullaev’s standout showing against Halil Amir in the featherweight division that captured the attention of ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
Dustin Poirier compares and contrasts UFC 302 foe Islam Makhachev and former rival Khabib Nurmagomedov
Curtis Calhoun - May 6, 2024
Dustin Poirier sees distinct similarities and differences between former foe Khabib Nurmagomedov and UFC 302 adversary Islam Makhachev. Poirier will hope that the ‘third time’s the charm’ when he faces the lightweight titleholder Makhachev in the UFC 302 main event on June 1. He returns for his third career lineal lightweight title shot and is hoping to finally reach the pinnacle of the division.
Sean O'Malley 'sad' over Conor McGregor's recent social media jabs at him: "F*** Conor"
Curtis Calhoun - May 6, 2024
UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley was caught off guard when Conor McGregor called him out in hostile fashion in a recent social media rant. O’Malley is fresh off a dominant title defense against Marlon Vera at UFC 299 earlier this year. He’s expected to face top contender Merab Dvalishvili for his next fight, potentially at UFC 306 in September at the Las Vegas Sphere.
WATCH | The Rock starts MMA training to prepare for starring role of 'The Smashing Machine'
Josh Evanoff - May 6, 2024
WWE superstar Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is now preparing to play former UFC heavyweight Mark Kerr. ‘The Smashing Machine’ was one of the earliest documentaries about the dark side of MMA. The HBO-made documentary came out in 2002 and starred the aforementioned Mark Kerr. The former UFC heavyweight was once one of the biggest stars in the sport but ended his career dealing with addiction and mental issues.
Alexander Volkanovski open to fourth fight with Max Holloway for the BMF belt
Cole Shelton - May 6, 2024
Alexander Volkanovski would fight Max Holloway again as long as the BMF title is up for grabs. Volkanovski and Holloway have fought three times, and the Aussie has won on all three occasions by way of decision. The third fight was the most clear-cut as Volkanovski dominated Holloway over five rounds to defend his belt with ease.
Tom Aspinall sounds off on Jon Jones avoiding a fight against him: "The guy's playing games again"
Josh Evanoff - May 6, 2024
Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is unsure that Jon Jones will ever fight him. The British heavyweight has been out of action since a first-round knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich in November. As many fans likely remember, that UFC 295 bout was a short-notice one for Tom Aspinall. After Jon Jones withdrew from his title defense against Stipe Miocic, he stepped up on two weeks’ notice to fight for interim gold.
Chael Sonnen blasts Charles Oliveira's 'list of demands' associated with Conor McGregor/Michael Chandler backup role
Curtis Calhoun - May 6, 2024
Chael Sonnen thinks Charles Oliveira might’ve blown his chances at being the backup fighter to Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler at UFC 303. McGregor and Chandler will finally clash in the UFC 303 main event on June 29 in Las Vegas. The fight comes after months of speculation over whether or not the matchup would finally come to fruition.
Dustin Poirier responds to Islam Makhachev calling him an "easy fight" ahead of UFC 302
Cole Shelton - May 6, 2024
Dustin Poirier has responded to Islam Makhachev claiming he is an easy fight ahead of UFC 302. Makhchev is set to defend his lightweight title in the main event of UFC 302 against Poirier on June 1 in Newark, New Jersey. It’s an intriguing matchup, and heading into the fight, Makhachev has called Poirier an easy fight.
Benoît Saint-Denis calls surging lightweight his 'dream fight' and not Islam Makhachev
Curtis Calhoun - May 6, 2024
UFC lightweight contender Benoît Saint-Denis has a name in mind as his most desirable fight in the 155lb division, and it’s not Islam Makhachev. Saint-Denis is looking to get his next UFC fight booked to attempt to get back on track in the stacked lightweight division title picture. He suffered a knockout loss to Dustin Poirier in his last outing at UFC 299, snapping a five-fight winning streak.
Matt Brown announces his retirement from the UFC
Susan Cox - May 6, 2024
Veteran welterweight Matt Brown has announced his retirement from the UFC. Brown (24-19 MMA) last fought and defeated Court McGee (21-13 MMA) by KO in May of last year.
Video | Sean O’Malley shares footage of previous sparring session with Alexandre Pantoja
Susan Cox - May 6, 2024
UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley is sharing footage of the previous sparring session he had with Alexandre Pantoja. UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (28-5 MMA) is hot off a unanimous decision victory over Steve Erceg (12-2 MMA) this past weekend at UFC 301.
Daniel Cormier questions why Jose Aldo ever retired after performance in comeback fight at UFC 301
Susan Cox - May 6, 2024
Daniel Cormier is questioning why Jose Aldo ever retired after his comeback performance at UFC 301. UFC 301 took place this past Saturday, May 4th at the Farmasi Arena, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Sean O'Malley denies Merab Dvalishvili's claim of UFC 306 title fight at Sphere
Harry Kettle - May 6, 2024
UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has denied that a title fight against Merab Dvalishvili is set for UFC 306. For the longest time now, it’s seemed as if Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili is inevitable. Both men have made it clear that they want the fight to happen, and it’s just a case of seeing when the promotion will get it booked.
Steve Erceg explains why he went for a takedown in the fifth round of UFC 301 main event
Harry Kettle - May 6, 2024
UFC flyweight contender Steve Erceg has explained why he went for a takedown in the fifth round of his title bout with Alexandre Pantoja. Last Saturday night, Steve Erceg challenged Alexandre Pantoja for the UFC flyweight championship. In what proved to be a real back and forth contest, both men put everything they had on the line in the name of being called champion.
Comedian Andrew Schulz roasts UFC president Dana White over fighter pay
Harry Kettle - May 6, 2024
Comedian Andrew Schulz joked about fighter pay with UFC president Dana White in attendance for the Roast of Tom Brady last night. If there’s one topic we know Dana White isn’t a big fan of, it’s fighter pay. For years now, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has been accused of underpaying its fighters. That’s even the case when it comes to the likes of Conor McGregor and Francis Ngannou, with many believing they should have earned more throughout their UFC careers.
Smilla Sundell aims to reclaim strawweight Muay Thai crown: "I will get it back"
BJPENN.COM Staff - May 6, 2024
Smilla Sundell wants nothing more than to reclaim what she believes is rightfully hers — the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship. The Swede sensation lost the belt on the scales, going over the 125-pound limit by a slim margin. This happened a day before her World Title defense against Natalia Diachkova at ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video last Friday, May 3.
Ian Machado Garry makes a vow for possible UFC showdown with Colby Covington: "I will rag doll him"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 5, 2024
Ian Machado Garry hasn’t let up on his harsh words for Colby Covington amid their online feud. Garry has been climbing up the UFC welterweight rankings, while Covington hopes to avoid sliding down the 170-pound ladder. “The Future” and “Chaos” have hurled barbs at one another with Covington calling Garry a “translucent cuck” in a video posted on his X account. When asked about a potential showdown with Garry, Covington told “TwinsPod” that he doesn’t feel Ian is serious about fighting him.
Alexandre Pantoja thinks Steve Erceg fight was huge moment for UFC flyweights: "I’ve always said this division is entirely tough"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 5, 2024
Alexandre Pantoja believes his fight with Steve Erceg proved how deep the UFC flyweight division is. Pantoja and Erceg shared the Octagon inside Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this past Saturday night. The title fight headlined UFC 301, and it ended with Pantoja successfully retaining his gold via unanimous decision. Make no mistake, however, this was a close encounter and the champion was forced to seal the deal in the final round with his grappling.