MMA News
Alexander Volkanovski dismisses the idea that he’s making too quick of a turnaround at UFC 298: “I’m not doing this just to get my head right”
Jeffrey Walter - January 18, 2024
Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t believe he’s making too quick of a turnaround with his upcoming fight against Ilia Topuria at UFC 298. Volkanovski (26-3 MMA) most recently competed at last October’s UFC 294 event, where he suffered a brutal knockout loss to reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. The setback marked the Aussie’s first stoppage defeat since his initial professional loss in 2013.
Jimmy Flick claims he's the reason Malcolm Gordon is in the UFC ahead of UFC 297 fight: "It's not going 15 minutes"
Cole Shelton - January 18, 2024
Jimmy Flick knows his UFC job is on the line this Saturday night in Toronto. Flick is set to face Malcolm Gordon in the first fight of the night at UFC 297. The flyweights are opening the card, which is thrilling for Flick who gets to fight in front of a crowd for the first time in his UFC career.
Sean Strickland responds after Israel Adesanya picks Dricus Du Plessis to win at UFC 297: "Shut your f*****g mouth"
Cole Shelton - January 18, 2024
UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has responded to Israel Adesanya picking Dricus Du Plessis to beat him at UFC 297. Strickland is coming off a one-sided decision win over Adesanya in September to become the new middleweight champion. It was a shocking result, and ‘The Last Stylebender’ doesn’t see the American’s reign lasting long as he believes Du Plessis’ wrestling and grappling will be the difference.
WATCH | Wild fan rushes the stage to meet Sean Strickland at UFC 297 press conference
Josh Evanoff - January 18, 2024
The UFC 297 press conference between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis got wild earlier today. ‘Tarzan’ and ‘Stillknocks’ are currently set to meet Saturday night in a wild pay-per-view main event. For Sean Strickland, the bout will be the first defense of his middleweight title reign. Last September, he dominated Israel Adesanya to score an upset decision win, ending the reign of ‘The Last Stylebender’.
Jon Jones fires back after being dubbed a “bad employee” by longtime UFC rival Daniel Cormier
Josh Evanoff - January 18, 2024
The long-running feud between UFC champion Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier will never die. In April, the UFC will go to trial over their antitrust business practices. Names such as Cung Le have bankrolled a decade-long lawsuit, alleging that the company bought out competitors, while also driving down fighter pay. In the last few months, the case has had a lot of activity, and the two sides are finally set to go to trial.
Yoshihiro Akiyama battles Nieky Holzken in special rules super-fight at ONE 165
BJPENN.COM Staff - January 18, 2024
Fans are in for an unprecedented treat when ONE 165 on January 28 features a groundbreaking showdown between Yoshihiro Akiyama and Nieky Holzken. This special rules super-fight will keep the crowd at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on the edge of their seats.
Dana White unbothered by ongoing UFC antitrust trial: "It has nothing to do with me"
Josh Evanoff - January 18, 2024
UFC executive Dana White isn’t worried at all about the company’s ongoing antitrust lawsuit. While the situation hasn’t received as much coverage as it should, the UFC is set to go to trial in April. For years, the company has been involved in a slow-moving antitrust lawsuit. Names such as Cung Le and Nate Quarry have bankrolled a class action suit against the company, relating to their status as the MMA leader.
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones reflects on his individual growth: “10 years ago, I was an asshole”
Cole Shelton - January 18, 2024
Jon Jones has taken time to reflect on his past self. Jones has been one of the biggest stars in the UFC for nearly 15 years. He became the youngest UFC champion when he won the light heavyweight title in 2011, but throughout his time in the UFC, he has had many ups and downs with legal issues and failed drug tests.
Jim Miller fires back at Daniel Cormier over UFC Hall of Fame comments
Susan Cox - January 18, 2024
Jim Miller is firing back at Daniel Cormier over his recent remarks regarding his credentials for the UFC Hall of Fame. It was Cormier, speaking on his ‘DC & RC’ show who reflected on Miller’s wins and while agreeing his longevity is impressive, he doesn’t believe he’s worthy of Hall of Fame status:
Henry Cejudo explains why he’s picking Dricus Du Plessis to defeat Sean Strickland at UFC 297: “His head is in the right place”
Susan Cox - January 18, 2024
Henry Cejudo is explaining why he’s picking Dricus Du Plessis to defeat Sean Strickland at UFC 297. UFC 297 is only days away, taking place on Saturday, January 20th at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Sean Strickland on a potential rematch with Israel Adesanya at UFC 300: “How much are you paying me?”
Susan Cox - January 18, 2024
Sean Strickland is addressing the idea of a potential rematch with Israel Adesanya at UFC 300. It was Sean Strickland (28-5 MMA) vs. Israel Adesanya (24-3 MMA) in a middleweight title fight last September at UFC 293.
UFC 297 | Pro fighters make their picks for Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva title fight
Cole Shelton - January 18, 2024
In the co-main event of UFC 297 in Toronto on Saturday, the vacant women’s bantamweight title is up for grabs as Raquel Pennington takes on Mayra Bueno Silva. Heading into the fight, Pennington is a +136 underdog while the Brazilian is a -174 favorite on FanDuel. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to some pro fighters to make their picks for the title fight at UFC 297. The majority of the pros believe Pennington will leave Toronto as the bantamweight champ, and likely doing so by decision.
Gillian Robertson trained with UFC 297 opponent Polyana Viana in the past, eyes TKO victory in front of hometown crowd
Cole Shelton - January 18, 2024
Gillian Robertson is eager to fight back home in Canada. Robertson hasn’t fought in Canada since July of 2019 at UFC 240, where she scored a first round TKO victory over Sarah Frota. After missing out on the UFC’s return to Vancouver last June, Robertson was ecstatic when she found out she’d be on UFC 297 in Toronto.
Dricus du Plessis reveals the “mistake” Israel Adesanya made in UFC 293 fight with Sean Strickland: “He just saw a guy that is not on his level”
Harry Kettle - January 18, 2024
UFC star Dricus du Plessis has explained the mistake he believes Israel Adesanya made against Sean Strickland. At UFC 293, Sean Strickland shocked the world. He defeated Israel Adesanya to claim the UFC middleweight championship, and he did so with relative ease. Now, just four months later, he has the chance to defend what he earned when he goes head to head with Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297.
Fight fans react to current UFC 300 lineup: “Looks like a fight night”
Harry Kettle - January 18, 2024
Some fight fans aren’t too happy with the current state of the UFC 300 card as we get closer and closer to the blockbuster event. On April 13, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will return to Las Vegas, Nevada for their blockbuster UFC 300 event. The promotion aims to stack the card as much as they possibly can, in a similar manner to their landmark 100 and 200 shows.
Megan Anderson reacts after UFC champion Sean Strickland goes off on Canadian journalist: “Maybe don't give him a platform”
Harry Kettle - January 18, 2024
MMA fighter Megan Anderson has given her thoughts on Sean Strickland’s recent rant during UFC 297 fight week. On Saturday night, Sean Strickland returns to the Octagon to defend his UFC middleweight championship. He’ll do so against Dricus du Plessis, in what has become a pretty personal rivalry over the course of the last few months.
Marat Grigorian revisits long-standing rivalry with Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong at ONE 165
BJPENN.COM Staff - January 18, 2024
ONE 165 on January 28 will play host to the sixth encounter between pound-for-pound featherweight kickboxing greats Marat Grigorian and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong. Both men will go head-to-head in a catchweight kickboxing clash, one of the confirmed attractions in ONE Championship’s much-awaited return to Japan. This spectacle takes place at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
Michael Bisping says Strickland vs. Du Plessis is 'very personal'
Zain Bando - January 17, 2024
Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping is familiar with big fights, as he won the title from Luke Rockhold on under two weeks’ notice at UFC 199 in June 2016. Eight years later, Bisping, now a UFC color commentator and analyst for the U.K.-based television network TNT Sports, broke down the UFC 297 middleweight championship main event between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis on the event’s preview show.