MMA News
Demetrious Johnson plans to 'go out there and compete and not be afraid' in special rules fight against Rodtang
Cole Shelton - October 12, 2021
Demetrious Johnson didn’t have any hesitation when he got the call to have a special rules fight against Rodtang. At ONE X in December, Johnson and Rodtang will fight in a special rules bout. The first and third rounds will be muay Thai will the second and fourth will be MMA. The rounds will also be three minutes and for Johnson, he’s super excited for the fight.
Geoff Neal vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio added to UFC 269
Adam D Martin - October 12, 2021
An excellent matchup between two of the best welterweights in the UFC is booked as Geoff Neal vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio was added to UFC 269. ESPN first revealed the news that Neal vs. Ponzinibbio is set for UFC 269, which takes place on December 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC 269 is a stacked pay-per-view card that is headlined by UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier vs. Charles Oliveira. As well, the co-main event features UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes against Julianna Pena. Additionally, there is a welterweight grudge match between Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards also on the card. And now we have Neal vs. Ponzinibbio, too.
Just Scrap Radio Ep. 54 with Demetrious Johnson, Casey O'Neill, Brent Primus, and Bibiano Fernandes
Cole Shelton - October 12, 2021
The 54th episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with host Cole Shelton is here ahead of Bellator 268 and ONE X in December. We’re first joined by former UFC flyweight champion and current ONE Championship fighter, Demetrious Johnson (2:23). Next, 14th-ranked UFC flyweight, Casey O’Neill (15:10) comes on. Bellator lightweight, Brent Primus (25:26) then joins the program. Closing out the show is ONE Championship bantamweight champion, Bibiano Fernandes (40:56).
Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards react to their upcoming fight booking at UFC 269
Adam D Martin - October 12, 2021
Top-ranked UFC welterweight contenders Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards reacted to their upcoming fight booking at UFC 269. It was revealed on Monday that the grudge match between Masvidal and Edwards will finally be happening at UFC 269, which takes place on December 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is a grudge match nearly three years in the making, ever since the “three-piece and a soda” incident at UFC London back in March 2019. Both Masvidal and Edwards do not like each other and this should be one of the most exciting fights of the year when it finally goes down in December. Now that the fight is official, both men took to their social media to react to the fight booking. Take a look at what both men said below.
Demetrious Johnson responds to Aljamain Sterling’s “karma” remarks
Harry Kettle - October 12, 2021
Demetrious Johnson stands by his thoughts on the “downed opponent” rule despite Aljamain Sterling’s karma remarks. We’ve over six months removed from Aljamain Sterling’s DQ win over Petr Yan that had many questioning Sterling as he went on to claim the UFC bantamweight title. Demetrious Johnson, in the immediate aftermath, said that the knee Yan struck Sterling with should’ve been deemed legal, suggesting Sterling knew where to put his hands as he could feel the momentum of the fight shifting.
Sean Strickland reacts after Luke Rockhold pulls out of UFC 268
Harry Kettle - October 12, 2021
UFC middleweight Sean Strickland has reacted to the news that Luke Rockhold has pulled out of UFC 268. It’s public knowledge that UFC 268 is shaping up to be one of the most stacked cards of the year for the UFC but unfortunately, a grudge match at 185 pounds has been lost after Luke Rockhold revealed a herniated disk will ensure he does not fight Sean Strickland at Madison Square Garden.
Luke Rockhold forced out of UFC 268 due to injury
Andrew Whitelaw - October 11, 2021
Luke Rockhold’s return to action will have to wait after the middleweight star announced that injury has ruled im out of his UFC 268 clash wish Sean Strickland. “There’s no easy way to really say it, but the fight is off in New York,” Rockhold said on his Instagram story. “I ended up herniating a disc in my back. L4, L5. The docs say it’s nothing I can play with. I need to do some treatment and recovery time.”
Lauren Murphy equates Valentina Shevchenko to Michael Jordan after UFC 266 loss
Drake Riggs - October 11, 2021
Lauren Murphy has high praise for Valentina Shevchenko after challenging for the UFC flyweight crown at UFC 266. The former Invicta FC bantamweight champion in Murphy rode her best winning streak since her days as a titleholder heading into UFC 266’s co-main event on Sept. 25. Unfortunately for her, “The Bullet” continued her dominant ways by outperforming “Lucky” en route to a fourth-round TKO victory – her first time being finished.
Chuck Liddell releases statement after allegedly being arrested for domestic violence: 'I was the victim'
Cole Shelton - October 11, 2021
Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Chuck Liddell has released a statement after allegedly being arrested for domestic violence. On Monday morning, TMZ Sports reported that the “L.A. Sherriff’s Department received a call about a fight at a Liddell’s San Fernando Valley home. When cops arrived, they investigated, and determined the 51-year-old former fighter was involved in a verbal argument that turned physical.”
Justin Gaethje explains why he thinks Charles Oliveira is not the best lightweight in the UFC: 'He still has quit'
Cole Shelton - October 11, 2021
Justin Gaethje doesn’t think Charles Oliveira is the best lightweight in the UFC, despite being the champion. Oliveira won the vacant lightweight title at UFC 262 as he knocked out Michael Chandler in the second round. However, for Gaethje, despite the Brazilian being the champ, “The Highlight” says Oliveira is not the best lightweight.
Betting odds released for Leon Edwards vs. Jorge Masvidal at UFC 269
Adam Martin - October 11, 2021
The opening betting odds have been released for the upcoming welterweight bout featuring Leon Edwards vs. Jorge Masvidal at UFC 269. The news that Edwards would be fighting Masvidal at UFC 269 on December 11 came out Monday. The two welterweight rivals have not liked each other ever since the “three-piece and a soda” incident in London in March 2019. In the two-and-a-half years since then, they have talked a lot of smack to each other. Finally, they will meet inside the Octagon.
Jorge Masvidal vs. Leon Edwards set for UFC 269
Cole Shelton - October 11, 2021
Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards will finally share the Octagon with one another. According to MMA reporter, Ariel Helwani, Masvidal and Edwards have agreed to fight one another at UFC 269 on December 11 in a three-round welterweight fight. The event will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. With the fight being added to the pay-per-view, Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo 3 has been moved to UFC 270 in January. That event is targeted to happen in Las Vegas or Anaheim, according to Helwani.
Vicente Luque shares prediction for Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington 2
Adam D Martin - October 11, 2021
UFC welterweight contender Vicente Luque shared his prediction for the upcoming rematch between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington at UFC 268. Usman and Covington first met back at UFC 245 in December 2019, with Usman winning the fight via fifth-round TKO near the end of a back-and-forth war. The rematch takes place next month at UFC 268 and it promises to be one of the best fights of the year. Luque, in particular, will be very invested in watching the fight himself. As one of the welterweight division’s top contenders, Luque could eventually face the winner of this fight for the belt down the road. But if you ask Luque, he believes he knows who will win.
Dominick Reyes not planning on UFC return until 2022: "I gotta take care of my brain a little bit"
Adam D Martin - October 11, 2021
UFC light heavyweight fighter Dominick Reyes is not planning on a UFC return until 2022, saying “I gotta take care of my brain a little bit.” Reyes is one of the best light heavyweights in the UFC but he is coming off of three straight losses to Jiri Prochazka, Jan Blachowicz, and Jon Jones. The fight against Prochazka, in particular, was a brutal war that left Reyes knocked out cold. It was a very difficult fight for Reyes and he has taken off the past four months since then. In fact, Reyes says that he wants to take even more time off in order to heal his brain from that fight. He recognizes how much damage he took and he wants to make sure he does his comeback right.
Giga Chikadze reacts to the news he is fighting Calvin Kattar next
Adam D Martin - October 11, 2021
UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze reacted to the news that he is fighting Calvin Kattar in his next fight in early 2022. Chikadze has been pushing for a big-name opponent, and he was calling out the likes of UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and former champ Max Holloway. In the end, Chikadze has been booked to fight a top-five opponent in Kattar next. The two featherweights are being targeted to meet in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card on January 15, 2022. With a win, Chikadze could be in line to earn a title shot at 185lbs.
What's next for Marina Rodriguez and Mackenzie Dern after UFC Vegas 39?
Cole Shelton - October 11, 2021
In the main event of UFC Vegas 39, top-six strawweights collided as Mackenzie Dern was looking to extend her winning streak as she took on Marina Rodriguez. Dern entered the fight coming off an impressive submission win over Nina Nunes which was her fourth win in a row. Rodriguez, meanwhile, was combining off her first UFC main event where she beat Michelle Waterson by decision, and before that, she scored a vicious KO over Amanda Ribas.
Video | Convenience store clerk one punch KO’s irate shopper
Adam D Martin - October 11, 2021
A convenience store clerk one punch knocked out an irate shopper in a viral video that was making the rounds on social media this weekend. In the video, a customer appears to get into a disagreement with the convenience store clerk. The video does not have any audio, so you can not hear what the two men say to each other, but it is clear there was a major disagreement over something, and it escalated into violence. After the clerk emerged from behind his booth, the customer shoved him. The two then decided to throw down, and the convenience store clerk got the best of the customer as he landed a brutal right hand right down that pipe that knocked him out cold.
Chuck Liddell reportedly arrested for domestic violence
Adam D Martin - October 11, 2021
UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell was reportedly arrested for domestic violence and he is currently sitting in a Los Angeles jail. TMZ Sports reported that Liddell was arrested on Monday morning. According to TMZ, the “L.A. Sherriff’s Department received a call about a fight at a Liddell’s San Fernando Valley home. When cops arrived, they investigated, and determined the 51-year-old former fighter was involved in a verbal argument that turned physical.”