MMA News
Cub Swanson returns to the Octagon on May 1 against Gavin Tucker
Adam Martin - February 4, 2021
UFC featherweight fan-favorite Cub Swanson returns to the Octagon on May 1 when he takes on Canadian Gavin Tucker. Marcel Dorff of MMA DNA broke the news that Swanson vs. Tucker will be on a UFC Fight Night card that is set to take place on May 1. So far, there are few other details known about that event, but it is likely going to be a Fight Night card in Las Vegas. In addition to Swanson vs. Tucker, featherweight bouts between TJ Laramie vs. Damon Jackson and Kai Kamaka III vs. TJ Brown were also added to that card.
Tyson Fury shares thoughts on why Conor McGregor lost at UFC 257
Tom Taylor - February 4, 2021
Heavyweight boxing superstar Tyson Fury has shared his thoughts on why Conor McGregor came up short against Dustin Poirier at UFC 257. After being stopped by a volley of strikes in the second round of his UFC 257 fight with Poirier, McGregor was quick to blame his prolonged stretches of inactivity for his performance.
Rory MacDonald, Tom Lawlor among additions to PFL welterweight and light heavyweight rosters
Adam Martin - February 4, 2021
Former UFC fighters Rory MacDonald and Tom Lawlor are among the latest additions to the PFL’s upcoming 170lbs and 205lbs tournaments. After announcing the promotion’s upcoming featherweight and lightweight rosters, PFL has now revealed what fighters will be involving in the promotion’s upcoming welterweight and light heavyweight tournaments. See the full list below via PFL.
Frank Mir trashes Stephen A. Smith for anti-women's MMA comments: "Send him back to the NBA"
Adam Martin - February 4, 2021
Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir trashed ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith for the controversial comments he made about women competing in MMA. Mir was not happy with Smith’s recent anti-women’s MMA comments when the ESPN talking head controversially said that women had no business being in the Octagon. A number of fighters have since taken to social media to post their disagreements with Smith for his outlandish comments. One of those fighters is Mir, the former UFC heavyweight champion. Mir’s daughter Bella is one of the top women’s MMA prospects in the United States right now, so now wonder Mir wasn’t thrilled with what Smith had to say. Check out Mir trashing Smith today on his Twitter.
Charles Oliveira responds after Dustin Poirier suggests Conor McGregor trilogy fight
Tom Taylor - February 4, 2021
Charles Oliveira has chimed in after Dustin Poirier opened the door to a tie-breaking trilogy fight with Conor McGregor. Poirier and McGregor have fought twice. The pair first met in the featherweight division in 2014, with McGregor winning by first-round knockout. They then met a second time at UFC 257 last month, when Poirier evened the score with a second-round stoppage.
UFC Vegas 18: Overeem vs. Volkov full betting odds
Adam Martin - February 4, 2021
Check out the full betting odds for this weekend’s UFC Vegas 18 card headlined by heavyweights Alistair Overeem and Alexander Volkov. The main event for this weekend’s offering sees Overeem continue his march towards the UFC heavyweight title as he puts his two-fight win streak on the line against Volkov, who has won two of his last three fights. Overeem is one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, but Volkov will surely put up a stiff challenge. These are the No. 5 and No. 6 ranked heavyweights in the UFC so the winner of this fight will put themselves in a prime position to compete for the title by year’s end.
Bare knuckle fighters rate Paige VanZant's chances in BKFC
Tom Taylor - February 4, 2021
Paige VanZant is days out from her Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) debut. The former UFC star will battle Britain Hart, sans gloves, at BKFC: Knuckle Mania this Friday in Lakeland, Florida. Ahead of VanZant’s imminent BKFC debut, we reached out to several experienced bare knuckle fighters to get their thoughts on how she’ll perform in the ring.
Rafael dos Anjos renews calls for Conor McGregor fight: "We already have a history"
Tom Taylor - February 4, 2021
Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos is once again calling for a fight with former two-division champ Conor McGregor. Dos Anjos and McGregor were briefly scheduled to fight in 2016. Dos Anjos, then the lightweight champion, was slated to defend his belt against McGregor, the featherweight champion, who sought to become the sport’s first concurrent two-division titleholder. Unfortunately, the fight fell through when dos Anjos sustained an injury. McGregor then accepted a short-notice fight with Nate Diaz, which he ended up losing via submission.
Kayla Harrison issues gutsy response to latest callout from Cris Cyborg
Harry Kettle - February 4, 2021
PFL star Kayla Harrison has given her thoughts on a potential fight against Cris Cyborg after the latter’s latest callout. Harrison, who took her professional MMA record to 8-0 with a dominant win over Courtney King at Invicta FC 43 back in November, is waiting for the opportunity to get back inside the cage once again as the hype behind her continues to grow.
Bellator expected to kick off 2021 schedule in April
Drake Riggs - February 3, 2021
The 2020 Bellator MMA calendar concluded with a new champion on December 10. After a four-month hiatus, the promotion is expected to return. From July 24 onward, Bellator’s US events have taken place in Uncasville, Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena. Following an initial report from MMA DNA, MMA Fighting has confirmed the targeting of an April 9 event for the promotion — the Mohegan Sun again to play host.
Henry Cejudo is glad Conor McGregor took his advice, but says next time it will come at a cost
Christopher Taylor - February 3, 2021
Henry Cejudo says he is glad that Conor McGregor took his advice following UFC 257, but says he will be charging ‘Notorious’ next time around. McGregor made his highly anticipated return to the Octagon 10 days ago in Abu Dhabi for a rematch with Dustin Poirier. Unfortunately for the Irishman, history did not repeat itself on Fight Island, and ‘The Diamond’ ultimately walked away with a second round TKO victory.
Photo | Nick Diaz is looking absolutely shredded for potential return to UFC
Christopher Taylor - February 3, 2021
Former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz (26-9 MMA) is looking absolutely shredded for his potential UFC return. Diaz, who is one of the most popular fighters in MMA history, has not fought since a 2015 no contest with Anderson Silva, but began teasing a 2021 comeback earlier this year.
Markus Perez asks the UFC to cut him: "Send me away, I don't deserve to be in the UFC"
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
UFC middleweight Markus Perez took the unusual approach of asking the UFC to cut him, telling the promotion to “send him away.” Perez, whose nickname “Maluko” (Crazy), is a former LFA middleweight champion and a seven-fight veteran of the UFC. After going 2-2 in his first four UFC fights, he has since lost three in a row including suffering the first KO loss of his career when Dricus du Plessis flattened him cold. With the UFC matchmakers in the midst of cutting 60 fighters, anyone on a three-fight losing skid such as Perez is at risk of being released. In Perez’s case, he’s making it easy and asking the UFC to cut him.
Jake Paul the Vegas favorite to defeat Ben Askren in boxing superfight
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is the betting favorite to defeat former UFC welterweight Ben Askren in their upcoming boxing superfight. Paul and Askren meet in a highly-anticipated boxing match on April 17 that airs on Triller. Paul has had two pro boxing fights and won both of them by knockout, while Askren is making his professional boxing debut. Of course, Askren is a highly-skilled MMA fighter and has been in the Octagon with some of the top welterweight fighters in the world. Nevertheless, the bookies don’t like his chances to win this fight.
Video | Merab Dvalishvili ends up in hospital after jumping headfirst into frozen pond
Cole Shelton - February 3, 2021
Merab Dvalishvili was out for a casual run and ended up in the hospital. During his run, the 12th-ranked bantamweight contender in Dvalishvili came across a pond. The Georgian native then decided to jump into it thinking it wasn’t frozen, but it turns out it was as he went headfirst into a frozen pond and cut his head on the ice and branches.
Cody Stamann uninterested in fighting Merab Dvalishvili next: "There are a lot bigger fish in the sea"
Cole Shelton - February 3, 2021
Cody Stamann isn’t sure he fights Merab Dvalishvili next. Stamann and Dvalishvili were supposed to fight on December 5 and February 6. Yet, Stamann hurt his back the first time it was booked and Dvalishvili got COVID-19 the second. For the 13th-ranked bantamweight in Stamann, he says having the fight postponed again wasn’t an option.
Conor McGregor admits he overlooked Dustin Poirier with eye on Manny Pacquiao boxing match
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
UFC superstar Conor McGregor admitted he overlooked Dustin Poirier because he was already thinking about a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao. McGregor entered the rematch with Poirier as a big favorite, but he suffered a second-round knockout loss when Poirier was able to finish him with strikes. “The Diamond” came into the bout with a great gameplan of using low kicks to slow McGregor’s mobility, only to wear him out and then eventually go for the finish with punches. It was an amazing performance by Poirier, no doubt about it. But it was also a big disappointment seeing McGregor receive his first knockout loss in MMA.
Fabricio Werdum: I will submit Jon Jones in heavyweight superfight
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum says he would submit Jon Jones on the ground in a potential cross-promotional superfight. Werdum, who will take part in PFL’s upcoming third season, was the former UFC heavyweight champion, a title that Jones is hoping to soon win. In Werdum’s final fight in the UFC, he picked up a big upset win when he tapped out Jones’ former rival Alexander Gustafsson. Werdum then signed with PFL, where he hopes to win the $1-mllion dollar grand prize. While winning the PFL title is his current goal, he still has Jones on his mind for a future fight someday between the PFL and UFC champions.