MMA News
Video | Derrick Lewis roasts Curtis Blaydes in hilarious UFC promo
Harry Kettle - November 26, 2020
UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis has taken part in one of the most hilariously sarcastic interviews you’re likely to see from an MMA fighter. It’s important to find the right balance in mixed martial arts between not taking yourself too seriously and remaining focused on the task at hand. Lewis has been able to work within those limits very well over the course of the last few years, and he isn’t going to stop heading into his highly anticipated bout against Curtis Blaydes this weekend.
Dustin Poirier discusses options for Michael Chandler's UFC debut
Tom Taylor - November 26, 2020
Dustin Poirier believes Michael Chandler should get a tough test in his UFC debut—somebody like recent lightweight title challenger Justin Gaethje. Chandler, the former Bellator lightweight champion, signed with the UFC earlier this year, but has yet to take his first steps into the Octagon. That being said, it sounds like he will do so in the very near future.
Ben Askren responds to challenge from Jake Paul
Tom Taylor - November 26, 2020
Former Bellator and ONE welterweight champ Ben Askren has responded to a challenge from YouTube star turned boxer, Jake Paul. Paul is slated to box former NBA player Nate Robinson on the main card of this Saturday’s Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. card. Ahead of the fight, the YouTuber set his sights on future fights with Askren, Jorge Masvidal, and Conor McGregor.
James Krause claims he's requested Joaquin Buckley fight twice, manager responds
Tom Taylor - November 26, 2020
James Krause says he’s requested a matchup with surging UFC middleweight prospect Joaquin Buckley on two separate occasions. After consecutive highlight reel knockouts of Impa Kasanganay and Jordan Wright, Buckley is one of the hottest prospects in MMA at present. Krause, however, isn’t impressed by the middleweight, and has made no secret of that fact, repeatedly sharing criticisms on social media and in interviews.
Rachael Ostovich wary that she could be cut with UFC Vegas 15 loss
Tom Taylor - November 26, 2020
UFC flyweight star Rachael Ostovich recognizes that she could be cut from the promotion is she comes up short in her next fight. Ostovich is slated to return to the Octagon at UFC Vegas 15 this weekend when she takes on Gina Mazany. The Hawaiian will enter this fight having not fought since she was submitted by Paige VanZant all the way back in January 2019. That loss, meanwhile, was preceded by a submission loss to Montana De La Rosa.
Anthony Smith explains what he's changed to correct two-fight skid
Tom Taylor - November 26, 2020
Anthony Smith has made a few changes heading into his UFC Vegas 15 co-headlining battle with fellow light heavyweight contender Devin Clark. Smith, who was previously ranked among the top-5 in the UFC light heavyweight division, has recently fallen on hard times, losing back-to-back fights. The first of those two losses occurred in May, when he was thrashed to a fifth-round TKO loss by Glover Teixeira. The second occured in August, when he was thumped to a decision loss by Aleksandar Rakic.
Pro fighters make their picks for Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis
Cole Shelton - November 26, 2020
In the main event of UFC Vegas 15, a pivotal heavyweight bout headlines the card as Curtis Blaydes takes on Derrick Lewis. Heading into the fight, Blaydes is a -400 favorite while “The Black Beast” is a +300 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The majority of pros believe it will be Blaydes using his wrestling to get his hand raised.
Kayla Harrison reveals advice she received from Ronda Rousey: "You need to have thicker skin"
Tom Taylor - November 26, 2020
PFL star Kayla Harrison has revealed a crucial piece of advice she received from former UFC champ Ronda Rousey earlier in her career. Like Rousey, Harrison is a former Olympic judoka who later turned her attention to mixed martial arts.
Video | Reddit MMA poster reveals behind-the-scenes look at being in the corner of Mike Perry at UFC 255
Adam Martin - November 25, 2020
A poster on Reddit MMA revealed himself to be in the corner of Mike Perry at UFC 255 and shared a behind-the-scenes look at the experience. In October, Perry took to social media to announce that he would be auctioning off one of his corner spots at UFC 255 to the highest bidder. UFC middleweight Darren Till was among those who tried to get in on the action, but eventually, Perry found a private seller and sold his corner spot. Although UFC president Dana White said that Perry wouldn’t be allowed to sell his spot in the corner, it turns out that he did it anyway.
Curtis Blaydes believes Derrick Lewis "only has one punch, almost like Ngannou"
Cole Shelton - November 25, 2020
Curtis Blaydes believes Derrick Lewis is very predictable. In the main event of UFC Vegas 15, Blaydes and Lewis will finally meet after trash-talking each other for quite some time. It is a very intriguing matchup and one many are looking forward to. For many pundits, they believe it will either be Lewis by knockout or Blaydes will use his wrestling to dominate the fight, yet Blaydes is not impressed by Lewis’ skill.
Jake Paul calls out Conor McGregor, Jorge Masvidal, and Ben Askren: "They’re going to get the smoke"
Cole Shelton - November 25, 2020
Jake Paul will return to the boxing ring against former NBA All-Star, Nate Robinson in the co-main event of the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. undercard. Although Paul is just 1-0 as a pro boxer, where he knocked out another YouTuber, the 23-year-old is extremely confident in his skills. Paul says he has been training with WBC and WBA champions and has been doing well.
AJ McKee says Dana White will owe him lunch for bet made in 2008
Adam Martin - November 25, 2020
Bellator featherweight contender AJ McKee vowed that UFC president Dana White will owe him lunch for a bet made all the way back in 2008. At the time, McKee was just 13 years old and his father Antonio was the one who was a professional fighter. According to McKee, he was once behind the scenes at a youth wrestling event in 2008 that White also attended with former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. McKee says that he met White that day and told him that one day he would be a world champion. If he won the world title, White would owe him lunch. Fast forward to 2020 and it looks like McKee wants to collect on lunch.
Video | Dana White hands Deiveson Figueiredo 50k in cash, admits he "f*cked up" not giving bonus for UFC 255
Adam Martin - November 25, 2020
UFC president Dana White handed UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo $50,000 in cash and admitted he snubbed him of a bonus at UFC 255. Figueiredo had an incredible performance at UFC 255 last weekend as he submitted challenger Alex Perez in the first round with a guillotine choke for his first official title defense. Following the event, the UFC handed out its customary post-fight bonuses. Winning “Performance of the Night” was Antonina Shevchenko and Joaquin Buckley, and “Fight of the Night” went to Sasha Palatnikov and Louis Cosce. Somehow, White didn’t give Figueiredo a bonus despite having a great finish in a title fight. He was snubbed.
Francis Ngannou says heavyweight division is "stuck" due to lack of title fights
Tom Taylor - November 25, 2020
Francis Ngannou is frustrated by the lack of title fights in the UFC heavyweight division, and the log jam of contenders it has created. Ngannou, who is riding four-straight knockout wins over Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, is expected to get the next crack at UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic in early 2021—most likely in March.
Jared Cannonier names four potential opponents for his UFC return following arm surgery
Adam Martin - November 25, 2020
UFC middleweight Jared Cannonier named four potential opponents for his return to the Octagon in 2021 following his recent arm surgery. Cannonier lost a unanimous decision to Robert Whittaker in the co-main event of UFC 254 and during the fight, he suffered a broken arm that will see him on the sidelines for the foreseeable future. After returning to the United States from Abu Dhabi, Cannonier had successful surgery on his left arm to fix a fractured ulna. According to “The Killa Gorilla,” surgery went well and he could return in March.
Joaquin Buckley has no plans to quit his job at Walgreens just yet
Adam Martin - November 25, 2020
Rising UFC middleweight contender Joaquin Buckley says he has no plans of quitting his job working at Walgreens just yet. Buckley has turned heads since joining the UFC over the summer. After losing by knockout to Kevin Holland as a short-notice replacement in his debut in August, Buckley has since become a star in the UFC with back-to-back KO wins over Impa Kasanganay and Jordan Wright, both of which earned him a $50,000 bonus for “Performance of the Night.”
BKFC fighter Sheena Starr under fire after controversial Paige VanZant comments
Tom Taylor - November 25, 2020
BKFC fighter Sheena Starr is under fire after a controversial comment about former UFC fighter and new BKFC signee Paige VanZant. Starr, who is 1-1 as a bare knuckle fighter, recently shared her belief that VanZant’s hype train will be derailed in the BKFC ring. Regrettably, her trash talk included a comment that immediately stood out as extremely distasteful given VanZant’s history of sexual abuse.
UFC rankings update: Champs climb p4p lists, Shogun exits
Tom Taylor - November 25, 2020
The official UFC rankings have been updated after last weekend’s UFC 255 card, and as expected, there have been some big changes. Most notably, men and women’s flyweight champions Deiveson Figueiredo and Valentina Shevchenko have both climbed up their respective pound-for-pound lists, while former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has exited his division’s rankings.