MMA News

Christopher Taylor - February 10, 2021

Gina Carano has been dropped by Lucasfilm and ‘The Mandalorian’ after sharing “abhorrent” and “unacceptable” posts on social media. Carano (7-1 MMA), a pioneer of women’s mixed martial arts, had a key roll in Disney’s hit series ‘The Mandalorian’. However, due to some controversial posts, she is no longer employed by Lucasfilm.

Cole Shelton - February 10, 2021

Kamaru Usman is set to fight his former training partner and friend, Gilbert Burns in the main event of UFC 258. In the lead-up to the fight, the main storyline has been that Usman and Burns have trained together for years. The Brazilian claims they’ve had over 200 rounds of sparring and many believe one of them got the better of the other so they know who will win on Saturday night.

Cole Shelton - February 10, 2021

When Julian Marquez makes the walk to the Octagon on the main card of UFC 258 it will be 953 days since his last fight. The middleweight contender last fought back in July of 2018 and lost a very controversial split decision to Alessio Di Chirico. However, what made the loss worse was during the fight, Marquez tore latissimus dorsi. The injury eventually led to two other surgeries that kept him out of action. He was then looking to fight in 2020 but a global pandemic and an opponent botching his weight cut kept the layoff even longer. But, on the main card of UFC 258, Marquez will return against Maki Pitlo, and despite the layoff, isn’t too worried about ring rust.

Adam Martin - February 10, 2021

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov explained why school should come before sports, saying that “education must be the priority.” The UFC lightweight champion spoke to reporters in Russia following the recent EFC event in Dagestan. Nurmagomedov was asked about a recent Instagram post he made where he said parents need to raise their kids the right way. The legend then expanded on those comments with the media and spoke about the importance of education. One of the things that the Russian is concerned with is that too many young people are putting aside their studies. In Nurmagomedov’s estimation, going to school needs to come before anything, even sports.

Cole Shelton - February 10, 2021

Leon Edwards expects to dominate and finish Khamzat Chimaev at UFC Vegas 21 on March 13. In the main event of the card, Edwards and Chimaev will finally fight one another after both men were forced to pull out of the previously scheduled fights due to COVID-19. It is a very intriguing fight given Edwards has proven to be a legit title contender while Chimaev has yet to face a ranked opponent.

Cole Shelton - February 10, 2021

Glover Teixeira will be in attendance at UFC 259 as a backup fighter. In the main event of the pay-per-view card on March 6, Jan Blachowicz will defend his light heavyweight title against Israel Adesanya. Although it is a massive fight, many fans believed Teixeira should’ve gotten the title shot. Yet, that was not the case but the Brazilian will weigh-in as the official backup fighter for the main event.

Adam Martin - February 10, 2021

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya shared a new photo of himself looking lean and mean ahead of his 205lbs debut at UFC 259. Adesanya meets UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in the main event of the March 6 pay-per-view card. Instead of bulking up for his first fight at 205lbs, Adesanya and his coaching staff instead decided to stay at his natural walking around weight for this upcoming fight with Blachowicz. The team conceded that Blachowicz is the stronger fighter, so the hope is that by not having to cut weight, Adesanya will gain an advantage in speed and stamina.

Adam Martin - February 10, 2021

MLB player Michael Lorenzen, a baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds, explained why he has so much respect for MMA fighters. Lorenzen, who plays pitcher and outfield for the Reds, was recently a guest on “UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra.” The hosts and Lorenzen got into a discussion about brain trauma in the sport, bringing up the brutal flying knee KO that Cory Sandhagen recently landed on Frankie Edgar at UFC Vegas 18. It’s the fact that MMA fighters train so hard and show so much toughness in their fights that Lorenzen says he has so much respect for these athletes.

Adam Martin - February 10, 2021

Check out the complete betting odds for this Saturday’s UFC 258 pay-per-view featuring Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns in the main event. The headliner sees former Sanford MMA teammates Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns square off for the UFC welterweight title. The champion Usman comes into this fight on a 15-fight win streak overall, including an incredible 12-0 record in the UFC. He is looking to break GSP’s record for the longest win streak at 170lbs this weekend, but he’s no doubt in for a tough test against Burns. The Brazilian has won six straight fights including four straight at 170lbs. He is super confident heading into this bout and should be a real challenge for Usman.

Adam D Martin - February 10, 2021

MMA analyst Rashad Evans said that UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is no longer part of Sanford MMA as far as the team is concerned. Evans is part of the Sanford MMA team alongside the likes of UFC lightweight Michael Chandler, veteran Robbie Lawler, and welterweight contender Gilbert Burns. A former member of the team was Usman, but he left the team last year knowing that he would be fighting Burns next. Usman has been working in Colorado with coach Trevor Wittman in preparation for his upcoming fight at this weekend’s UFC 258 against Burns, who has remained loyal to Sanford MMA.

Adam D Martin - February 10, 2021

UFC fighter Charlie Ontiveros has been suspended for six months following a failed drug test with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Ontiveros made his UFC debut on short notice when he took on top-ranked middleweight contender Kevin Holland at the UFC Fight Night: Hall vs. Silva card on Halloween. The fight did not go well for Ontiveros, as he suffered a brutal neck injury when Holland slammed him on the ground and finished him early in the fight. To make matters worse for Ontiveros, he tested positive for a banned substance after the fight and he was given a six-month retroactive suspension.

Adam D Martin - February 10, 2021

Patricio Pitbull promised to be “more violent and better” in his upcoming Bellator 255 rematch against rival Emmanuel Sanchez. On Tuesday, the promotion officially announced that Pitbull and Sanchez will meet on April 2 in the main event of Bellator 255. It will be a five-round fight with the Bellator featherweight title on the line, and the match is also a semifinal bout in the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix, with the winner facing off against the unbeaten AJ McKee in June to crown the winner of the tournament.

Adam D Martin - February 10, 2021

UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen says he is open to fighting TJ Dillashaw or Cody Garbrandt if he doesn’t get a 135lbs title shot. Sandhagen has been vocal about his desire to fight for the belt next after knocking out Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes in his last two fights. With UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan set to defend his belt against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 next month, Sandhagen is hoping to get the winner of that fight. However, UFC president Dana White hasn’t guaranteed him anything yet, and there are rumors that Dillashaw could be the one who gets the shot instead.

Adam D Martin - February 10, 2021

UFC lightweight contender Charles Oliveira is not interested in fighting Nate Diaz, with his coach saying his goal is to fight for the belt. On the heels of an eight-fight win streak, Oliveira is one of the top-three ranked lightweights on the UFC roster right now. With UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov set to retire at any point, the Brazilian has made it clear that he believes he should be fighting for the vacant title. Of course, that didn’t stop Diaz from throwing his name into the hat to fight Oliveira. On Monday, Diaz said that he is intrigued by the possibility of a welterweight matchup with Oliveira.

Adam D Martin - February 10, 2021

UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes and his Elevation Fight Team teammates were beyond excited watching Cory Sandhagen KO Frankie Edgar. Blaydes, UFC welterweight Neil Magny, and several other Elevation Fight Team members were guests of UFC lightweight Drew Dober to watch UFC Vegas 18. Two of their teammates were fighting on the card, with heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem taking on Alexander Volkov in the main event and Sandhagen against Edgar in the co-main event. While Overeem’s performance would prove to be a tough watch for his team, Sandhagen’s was about as good as it gets. The bantamweight needed less than a minute to KO Edgar with a flying knee.

Harry Kettle - February 10, 2021

He may have lost to Dustin Poirier, but Conor McGregor is still enjoying life in the fast lane – as evidenced by his recent interaction with “Salt Bae”. The chef known as Salt Bae welcomed McGregor to his Nusr-Et Steakhouse Dubai restaurant where he quite literally fed him the Golden Tomahawk dish – a wagyu cut wrapped in a 24-karat gold leaf.

Drake Riggs - February 9, 2021

This past Friday night at BKFC: KnuckleMania, Paige VanZant had her bare-knuckle boxing debut spoiled by the promotional veteran, Britain Hart. What immediately followed was one of the more talked about post-fight interviews in recent memory. Taking to the mic, Hart described herself as not a person but “a f*cking feeling.” Then proceeded to tell viewers and spectators alike that they were all going to feel what’s coming.

Drake Riggs - February 9, 2021

Islam Makhachev is finally set to make his highly anticipated return. Welcoming him back to the Octagon will be the streaking Nebraskan, Drew Dober. At 18-1 and training the majority of his career alongside the undefeated lightweight king, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has garnered a lot of attention in his own right. However, Dober believes that can mostly be attributed to his connection with “The Eagle.”