MMA News

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez will once again throw down for the promotions vacant flyweight title at tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 event. The flyweight standouts, Figueiredo and Benavidez first met this past February in Virginia, with the Brazilian emerging victorious by way of TKO shortly following an accidental headbutt.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

Tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 co-main event featured a key middleweight bout between perennial division contenders Kelvin Gastelum and Jack Hermansson. Gastelum (15-5 MMA) was looking to snap a two-fight losing skid when he squared off with ‘The Joker’ this evening. In his most previous effort at November’s UFC 244 event, ‘KG’ wound up on the wrong end of a split-decision against Darren Till.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

The co-main event of UFC Fight Island 2 features a key middleweight bout between perennial division contenders Kelvin Gastelum and Jack Hermansson. Gastelum (15-5 MMA) will be looking to snap a two-fight losing skid when he battles ‘The Joker’ this evening. In his most recent effort at November’s UFC 244 event, Kelvin wound up on the wrong end of a split-decision against former welterweight title challenger Darren Till.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

Joseph Duffy announced his retirement from fighting shortly following his submission loss to Joel Alvarez at tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 event. Duffy (16-5 MMA) squared off with Alvarez (17-2 MMA) on the preliminary card of this evenings event on Yas Island. The result was a quick submission victory for the Spanish fighter, this after he locked up a guillotine choke while ‘Irish Joe’ was shooting in for a takedown attempt (see that here).

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

It appears fight fans will finally get to see undefeated middleweights Paulo Costa and Israel Adesanya throw down inside of the Octagon. Initially, it looked like the highly anticipated title fight might occur in late 2019. Unfortunately, that plan was derailed by a Costa bicep injury, and Adesanya ultimately accepted a title defense against Yoel Romero in March instead.

Chris Taylor - July 18, 2020

The Octagon remains on Yas Island for tonight’s UFC Fight Island 2 event, a twelve-bout fight card headlined by a rematch between Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez. The flyweight standouts, Figueiredo and Benavidez, will once again collide for the promotions vacant 125lbs title this evening.

Adam Martin - July 17, 2020

Former UFC welterweight star Ben Askren named Khabib Nurmagomedov as the one dream opponent he wanted outside of his normal weight class of 170lbs. Askren retired from MMA last year after compiling a 19-2, 1 NC record from 2009 to 2019. A former champion in Bellator and ONE Championship, Askren joined the UFC in a game-breaking trade for pound-for-pound great Demetrious Johnson in 2018. The journey to the UFC didn’t go as planned for Askren, who suffered back-to-back stoppage losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia before deciding to hang up his gloves at age 34. He cited the need for a hip replacement as one of the reasons why he decided to retire.

Cole Shelton - July 17, 2020

Joseph Benavidez has bad intentions for Deiveson Figueiredo on Yas Island. In the main event of UFC Fight Island 2, Benavidez and Figueiredo are having an immediate rematch. The two fought back at UFC Norfolk on February 29 for the vacant flyweight title. Yet, the Brazilian missed weight but went on to score a second-round KO win over Benavidez following a controversial headbutt.

Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020

UFC President Dana White has responded to Dan Hooker calling for a showdown with former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson. Hooker last fought in late June, when he lost a decision to Dustin Poirier in a 2020 Fight of the Year contender. Since that setback, he’s expressed interest in fights with Charles Oliveira and Tony Ferguson.

Harry Kettle - July 17, 2020

UFC bantamweight contender Jimmie Rivera has given his thoughts on Petr Yan capturing the UFC Bantamweight Championship at UFC 251. Rivera made a return to winning ways on Wednesday night when he beat Cody Stamann in a short notice featherweight showdown on Fight Island. While the 31-year-old did admit that the win wasn’t his best performance, it did help him break a two-fight losing streak – with one of those defeats coming against the aforementioned Yan at UFC 238 in June 2019.

Alfredo Zullino - July 17, 2020

A featherweight scrap between Georgia’s Giga Chikadze (10-2 MMA; 3-0 UFC) and Alex Caceres (16-12 MMA; 11-10-1 NC UFC) is in the works for August 8; sources with knowledge of the situation told BJPENN.com. The former Glory kickboxer Chikadze made his UFC debut less than a year ago, in September 2019, and since then he racked up a perfect record of 3 victories and no losses, triumphing over Brandon Davis, Jamall Emmers and Irwin Rivera. All of these wins came by decision.

Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020

UFC President Dana White has confirmed that Colby Covington signed a contract to fight former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, adding that the promotion is waiting on Woodley to sign and make the bout official. Woodley and Covington have been engaged in a heated war of words since the height of Woodley’s reign as the UFC welterweight champion. They’ve been linked to fights several times over the years, but as of yet, have not stepped into the cage together.

Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020

UFC flyweight contender Paige VanZant is officially a free agent, and will begin discussing the next phase of her career with the UFC and any other interested promotions. VanZant fulfilled the final obligation of her latest UFC contract at UFC 251, where she took on the streaking Amanda Ribas. Unfortunately for the fan favorite and her legions of supporters, this fight didn’t go as she planned, as she was submitted in the first round.

Adam Martin - July 17, 2020

UFC president Dana White says that welterweight superstar Nate Diaz will “definitely” fight again inside the Octagon, though he doesn’t know when exactly. Diaz is one of the biggest superstars in the UFC but he hasn’t fought since November 2019 when he lost via TKO (doctor stoppage) to Jorge Masvidal in a battle for the first-ever UFC BMF title. There have been rumblings of a potential rematch between Diaz and Masvidal, as well as a potential trilogy fight between Diaz and rival Conor McGregor, but so far nothing has been booked and the Stockton native continues to sit on the sidelines.

Cole Shelton - July 17, 2020

In the main event of UFC Fight Island 2, Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez are having an immediate rematch for the vacant flyweight title. Heading into the fight, the Brazilian, Figueiredo, is a -225 favorite while the American is a +175 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The majority of the fighters believe Benavidez will finally become a UFC champion and beat Figueiredo in the rematch.

Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020

UFC President Dana White has responded to talk of a potential super fight between UFC stars Jorge Masvidal and Conor McGregor. Masvidal fought at UFC 251 last weekend, taking on UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman on just six days’ notice. While Masvidal put up forth valiant effort, he wound up losing the fight by unanimous decision.

Tom Taylor - July 17, 2020

UFC President Dana White believes there’s cause for a third fight between Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski. Holloway and Volkanovski have fought twice previously.

Harry Kettle - July 17, 2020

UFC middleweight Kelvin Gastelum believes he is in a good place heading into his UFC Fight Island showdown with Jack Hermansson. In early 2019 there was a whole lot of momentum behind The Ultimate Fighter 17 winner after he beat Michael Bisping and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in back-to-back fights. Unfortunately for him, since then, he’s been on a two-fight skid after losing an epic encounter against Israel Adesanya before falling to a split decision loss against rising contender Darren Till.