MMA News

Adam Martin - February 1, 2021

Former UFC women’s strawweight title contender Jessica Penne is set to return to the Octagon this March at UFC 260 against Hannah Goldy. Penne has not fought since April 2017, when she lost a unanimous decision to Danielle Taylor at UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Lobov. Since then, Penne has dealt with various USADA-related issues that have led to her being on the shelf that whole time. She is now ready to resume her career at age 38 and after four years away from the sport. The UFC matchmakers have booked Penne to take on Goldy at UFC 260, likely set to take place on March 27 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

Charles Oliveira has reportedly turned down a short-notice offer to meet Michael Chandler in a non-title fight on the upcoming UFC 258 card. UFC 258 is scheduled for February 13 in Las Vegas. According to a report from AG Fight, the UFC attempted to schedule a last-minute lightweight contender fight between Oliveira and Chandler for the rapidly approaching card, but Oliveira declined because there would be no title up for grabs.

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker has opened up on his loss to Michael Chandler, and revealed why he removed his gloves in the Octagon post-fight. Hooker met Chandler in the co-main event of UFC 257 last month. The bout was Chandler’s first in the UFC after a prolonged stint in Bellator, and Hooker was viewed as a tough welcome committee.

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

Ben Askren will have no trouble visualizing Jake Paul as he prepares for their anticipated professional boxing match. Askren, the former ONE Championship and Bellator welterweight titleholder and a former contender in the UFC, is slated to meet Paul in an eight-round pro boxing match on April 17. Ahead of the fight, he’s received a customized punching bag adorned with an image of Paul’s face.

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

The stacked UFC 259 pay-per-view will go down in Las Vegas, Nevada, and with a small number of fight fans in attendance. UFC 259 goes down on March 6, and immediately stands out as one of the promotion’s biggest pay-per-views of the year. The card will be topped by a whopping three title fights, as middleweight champion Israel Adesanya challenges light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in the main event, and Petr Yan and Amanda Nunes defend the men’s bantamweight and women’s featherweight titles against Aljamain Sterling and Megan Anderson respectively.

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

Patricio Freire believes Michael Chandler will become the UFC lightweight champion, but that still won’t make him the sport’s best lightweight. Freire and Chandler are easily the two most accomplished fighters in Bellator MMA history. The pair have fought once before, with Freire knocking Chandler out to capture the promotion’s featherweight belt—though many feel it was a premature stoppage.

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

You won’t catch UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman calling himself the Greatest of All Time. That’s because he doesn’t think anyone should bestow themselves with such a weighty title. Usman explained his objection to fighters proclaiming themselves the GOAT during a recent interview with MMA Fighting.

Harry Kettle - February 1, 2021

UFC heavyweight Francis Ngannou is preparing for his rematch with Stipe Miocic in a unique way – by taking body shots from Dan Ige. Ngannou is gearing up for the biggest fight of his life as he prepares to lock horns with Miocic who, just three years ago, dominated him in a unanimous decision win back at UFC 220.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier suggested that Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler fight each other for the vacant title. The race for the UFC lightweight title is high in the wake of Poirier’s knockout win over Conor McGregor at UFC 257. With UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov almost assuredly set to retire in the coming weeks and vacate the belt, Poirier — the self-named “uncrowned world champion” —  is fully expected to be one half of whatever the next lightweight title fight is. His opponent, however, is still up in the air, with McGregor, Chandler, Oliveira, and Nate Diaz all realistic options.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

Ahead of their upcoming main event matchup, UFC welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev admitted that he has never watched Leon Edwards fight. After two previous matchups fell apart due to COVID-19 issues, Chimaev and Edwards will now meet in the headliner of a UFC Fight Night card on March 13. Fight fans are crossing their fingers that both men remain healthy so this fight can finally take place as expected, with the winner of the bout potentially earning a title shot against the winner of UFC 258’s Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns championship fight.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

Bellator commentator Mike Goldberg parodied Conor McGregor’s “who da fook are you?” in a comical cameo from the former UFC play-by-play man. Goldberg was the long-time UFC play-by-play commentator and he now does the same job for Bellator. In a recent cameo, a fan asked Goldberg to talk about the UFC 257 main event fight between McGregor and Dustin Poirier, and “Goldie” made sure the fan got their money’s worth. Check out the hilarious cameo video of Goldberg parodying the infamous “who the fook are you?” McGregor moment below (via Borrachinha Depot).

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

Former UFC fighter Nik Lentz posted a graphic video to his social media showing him removing his own stitches from above his eye. Lentz recently announced his retirement from mixed martial arts following a split decision loss to Movsar Evloev on Fight Island. Lentz took more damage to his previously-injured eyes during the fight, prompting him to hang his gloves up. Of course, there was still the matter of the stitches that remained, and Lentz took care of it himself. The video might not be for everyone so viewer discretion is advised. In the video, you can see Lentz removing multiple stitches from above his right eye. Check out Lentz removing his stitches “Carnival style” below via his Twitter.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

UFC women’s bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd has officially challenged fellow divisional stalwart Julianna Pena to a fight this spring. Ladd took to her social media on Sunday to make the callout of Pena, in response to a tweet of Pena calling out UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

Jessica Andrade says she is planning on fighting UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko sometime later this spring. After defeating Katlyn Chookagian in her 125lbs debut last fall on Fight Island, UFC president Dana White confirmed that Andrade would be next in line for Shevchenko after she took out Jennifer Maia at UFC 255. So far, we have not heard much in the way of progress in booking this fight, but Team Andrade is hoping to get some good news soon. Speaking to AG Fight, Andrade’s coach Gilliard Parana said they want to fight Shevchenko this fall, but would take another fight if the UFC decides on it.

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

UFC middleweight contender Marvin Vettori says he plans on taking the “European crown” from rival Darren Till when they meet in April. Vettori takes on Till in the main event of an upcoming UFC Fight Night event slated for April 10 in Las Vegas. It’s a battle between the Italian Vettori and the Brit Till, and the fact both men are from Europe adds an additional layer of intrigue to this contest. Taking to his social media in the days after the fight was officially announced, Vettori posted a promotional poster of the matchup on his Instagram, adding that the winner of this upcoming bout will wear the “European crown.”

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao believes that Conor McGregor underestimated Dustin Poirier heading into their main event rematch at UFC 257. McGregor entered the rematch with Poirier as a huge betting favorite yet lost in shocking fashion when he suffered a brutal second-round knockout loss. McGregor and Poirier previously met back at UFC 178 in September 2014, with McGregor winning that fight by first-round knockout. It’s because he won the first meeting between the pair that Pacquiao believes that McGregor underestimated Poirier.

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

The wife of former UFC star-turned-boxer Ben Askren responded after his upcoming boxing opponent Jake Paul called Amy Askren “thicc.” Askren takes on Paul in a highly-anticipated boxing match on April 17 for the Triller app. It’s Askren’s first professional boxing match, while for Paul it’s his third fight following two knockout wins over AnEsonGib and Nate Robinson. As one would expect, both Askren and Paul have already begun their trash talk in the lead-up to the fight, and now things are getting personal. In the days after the fight was announced, Paul made lewd comments about Ben’s wife Amy, calling her “thicc.”

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

Former World’s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski returns to mixed martial arts when he takes on an opponent TBD at KSW 59 in March. The promotion itself announced that “Pudzian” will return on March 20 at KSW 59 for his first MMA fight since a TKO win over Erko Jun at KSW 51 in November 2019.