MMA News
Zak Cummings expects to finish Alessio Di Chirico, get ranked opponent next time out
Cole Shelton - August 27, 2020
Zak Cummings was surprised when he found out he would be fighting Alessio Di Chirico. Cummings will be returning this Saturday at UFC Vegas 8 after dropping a decision to Omari Akhmedov last September at UFC 242. The hope for Cummings was to make a quick turnaround. Yet, he was turned down a couple of times and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit leaving Cummings not being able to fight in nearly a year.
Ray Borg announces retirement from MMA at age 27
Adam Martin - August 27, 2020
Former UFC flyweight title challenger Ray Borg has announced his retirement from mixed martial arts at the age of 27. Borg has been a member of the UFC roster since 2014, fighting in the flyweight and bantamweight divisions. On Thursday, he took to social media to announce that he is retiring from MMA, citing personal reasons. Check out what Borg wrote on Instagram.
Pro fighters make their picks for Anthony Smith vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Cole Shelton - August 27, 2020
In the main event of UFC Vegas 8, Anthony Smith is returning just three months after his loss to Glover Teixeira to take on Aleksandar Rakic. Heading into the fight, Smith is a +215 underdog while the Austrian is a -275 favorite. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The majority believe the underdog in Smith will get back into the win column.
Francis Ngannou responds to Stipe Miocic after the champ says he wants new challenges
Adam Martin - August 27, 2020
Francis Ngannou has responded after UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic said he was looking for new challenges, which could be Jon Jones. UFC president Dana White said that Ngannou was next for Miocic in the wake of his trilogy fight victory over Daniel Cormier at UFC 252, but since then things have changed. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones decided to vacate his belt and announce his move up to heavyweight, and he has already expressed interest in a fight against Miocic. White has since confirmed that Jones could be in line for an immediate title shot.
Carlo Pedersoli Jr. slated to make his Bellator debut on September 24 against Grachik Bozinyan
Alfredo Zullino - August 27, 2020
A Bellator welterweight clash between Carlo Pedersoli Jr. (11-3 MMA, 0-0 Bellator) and Grachik Bozinyan (10-5 MMA, 0-1 Bellator) is set for September 24 in Milan, Italy, sources with knowledge of the situation told BJPENN.com. The sources asked for anonymity since the news hasn’t been officially confirmed yet. The Miami-born Italian fighter was supposed to make his promotional debut at Bellator 239 back in February against Mark Lemminger, in Thackerville, Oklahoma, but Pedersoli was eventually forced to pull out of the fight due to an infection.
Henry Cejudo rips Sean O’Malley for stealing his pose: “O’Malley should be sponsored by Viagra since all he does is go limp”
Tom Taylor - August 27, 2020
Former UFC bantamweight and flyweight champion Henry Cejudo has taken another shot at rising prospect “Sugar” Sean O’Malley. Cejudo, who retired from competition back in May, has had plenty of trash talk for O’Malley over the last few weeks. Even when O’Malley suffered a TKO loss to Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 252 earlier this month, the former champion did not dial back his verbal warfare.
Kamaru Usman blasts Colby Covington over LeBron James, NBA criticisms
Tom Taylor - August 27, 2020
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman was quick to respond to his former foe Colby Covington’s criticism of NBA star LeBron James. After Jacob Blake, an unarmed black man, was killed by police officers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sunday, several NBA teams, including James’ LA Lakers, have voted to boycott their upcoming games in an act of protest.
Neil Magny sees pros and cons to short-notice Robbie Lawler fight
Adam Martin - August 27, 2020
UFC welterweight contender Neil Magny admits there are pros and cons to his fight against Robbie Lawler on Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 33. Magny was set to fight Geoff Neal in a high-profile welterweight bout, but Neal was forced to withdraw due to a medical issue and Lawler stepper in on short notice. Lawler, the former UFC welterweight champion, has not fought since last summer and has lost four of his last five fights. That’s why the oddsmakers have installed Magny as the betting favorite for the contest. Then again, Lawler has proven he has the power to stop anybody at 170.
Nick Diaz responds to Diego Sanchez's accusations of hate e-mails
Tom Taylor - August 27, 2020
Nick Diaz has responded to a recent accusation from Diego Sanchez, who claimed the former Strikeforce welterweight champ used to send him angry emails. Earlier this week, during an appearance on Mike Swick’s Real Quick podcast, Sanchez accused Diaz of bombarding him with hateful emails, some of which even targeted his mother and father.
Robbie Lawler issues classic response when asked how he’s dealing with pandemic
Tom Taylor - August 27, 2020
Former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler issued a classic response when he was asked how he’s coping with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Contrary to his reputation as one of the most violent fighters in MMA, Lawler has always been fairly reclusive and soft-spoken. During a virtual scrum ahead of his short-notice UFC Vegas 8 scrap with Neil Magny, the former welterweight titleholder was asked how he’s been fairing during the pandemic.
Stipe Miocic says Francis Ngannou rematch "isn't exciting," prefers a "new challenge"
Tom Taylor - August 27, 2020
UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic does not find the idea of a rematch with Francis Ngannou exciting, and would prefer a fresh challenge—perhaps even outside the sport. Miocic and Ngannou first met in early 2018. On that night, Miocic successfully defended his title with a lopsided decision victory over his highly regarded challenger.
Anthony Smith reacts to Jon Jones vacating the UFC light heavyweight title: “That’s a noble thing to do”
Harry Kettle - August 27, 2020
UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith has given his thoughts on Jon Jones vacating the Light Heavyweight Championship. Smith, 32, is hoping to get back to winning ways this Saturday when he squares off against rising star Aleksandar Rakic in a huge fight at 205 pounds. “Lionheart” was beaten by vetern Glover Teixeira in the fifth round of their main event in May, and ever since then he’s been itching to get back into the Octagon.
Alex Volkanovski scoffs at Patricio Freire’s challenge to Dana White, ‘Pitbull’ issues scathing response
Natasha Hooper - August 27, 2020
Alex Volkanovski shrugged off Patricio Freire’s fight challenge, leaving “Pitbull” to unload a scathing counterattack on the UFC featherweight champion. The Bellator two-division champion offered an astronomical bet to UFC president Dana White this week, that he could beat both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Alex Volkanovski.
Why the PFL could be the perfect home for Michael Chandler
Tom Taylor - August 27, 2020
After knocking out Benson Henderson at Bellator 243 earlier this month, Michael Chandler, the promotion’s former lightweight champ, is now a free agent. As one of the biggest stars Bellator has produced to date, Chandler can almost certainly expect lucrative offers from some of the sport’s biggest organizations. He’s already expressed interest in a potential move to the UFC, and UFC President Dana White has reciprocated that interest. Chandler has also discussed a potential move to ONE Championship, where a compelling trilogy fight with his chief rival Eddie Alvarez could await.
Colby Covington blasts “soft” LeBron James following NBA postponement: “Take a massive pay cut and perform the toughest job in America”
Natasha Hooper - August 27, 2020
Colby Covington has come for the neck of LeBron James following his NBA game boycott, as he called him “soft” and challenged him to take a pay cut and try the hardest job in America: being a police officer. The upcoming NBA games on August 26 have been postponed as players protest the recent murder of Jacob Blake, a black man who was shot seven times in the back on Sunday by police in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Anthony Smith still wants Luke Rockhold fight: "I'd love to beat up someone I don't like"
Cole Shelton - August 26, 2020
Anthony Smith is still interested in a fight with Luke Rockhold. Ahead of Rockhold moving up to the light heavyweight division, he trashed Anthony Smith. He claimed he would be able to have success at 205 if someone like Smith did. “Lionheart” did not like those words and since then the two have trashed one another leading many to think a fight would happen.
Diego Sanchez admits he's contemplating retirement: "I can see at the end of the tunnel"
Adam Martin - August 26, 2020
UFC welterweight Diego Sanchez admitted that he is contemplating retirement, saying that he can “see at the end of the tunnel.” Sanchez is one of the longest-tenured fighters on the UFC roster, having joined the UFC in 2005 after winning the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. Throughout the years, Sanchez has been one of the most active fighters on the entire roster, fighting at weight four weight classes: 185lbs, 170lbs, 155lbs, 145lbs. In 2009, Sanchez fought BJ Penn for the UFC lightweight title and lost the bout via fifth-round doctor stoppage.
Anderson Silva confirms Uriah Hall fight will likely be his last
Adam Martin - August 26, 2020
UFC legend Anderson Silva confirmed that his fight against Uriah Hall on Halloween will likely mark the end of his incredible MMA career. At age 45, Silva is the oldest fighter currently on the UFC roster and so him retiring should be no shock to anyone. UFC president Dana White said this week that Silva’s fight against Hall would be the final fight of his career and Silva has now confirmed that. Speaking to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Silva admitted that the Hall fight will likely be the end of his career.