MMA News

Adam D Martin - August 17, 2021

Former UFC champion Weili Zhang explained how Chris Weidman’s leg injury factored into her performance against Rose Namajunas at UFC 261. Zhang was starched with a high kick in the first round of her first UFC women’s strawweight title defense in the co-main event of UFC 261. It was a quick and brutal ending to Zhang’s short-lived reign as the champion, but according to “Magnum,” there are more reasons why she lost than just Namajunas being the better fighter that night. According to Zhang in a recent interview in the documentary “My Bronze Age,” she lost focus on her fight with Namajunas because, just two fights earlier, Weidman snapped his leg against Uriah Hall. According to the former champ, she couldn’t remain focused after that incident.

Adam D Martin - August 17, 2021

Michael Bisping urged Dustin Poirier to fight Charles Oliveira and not Nate Diaz, telling him to “keep your eye on the prize baby boy.” Poirier is currently the No. 1 contender in the UFC lightweight division and is next in line to fight the champion, Charles Oliveira, hopefully at the end of the year. However, “The Diamond” has recently been going back-and-forth with Diaz on social media, leading to speculation that he could be pursuing a fight with the Stockton native instead. However, if you ask Bisping, Poirier would be making a mistake if he chooses to fight Diaz next instead.

Harry Kettle - August 17, 2021

Stephen Thompson has said he’s open to the idea of a future match-up with UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. Thompson, better known to the masses as “Wonderboy”, has had his fair share of ups and downs throughout the course of his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He’s come within touching distance of the UFC welterweight title on multiple occasions only to fall short, and after his recent defeat to Gilbert Burns, many wonder whether or not he can ever challenge for the belt again.

Harry Kettle - August 17, 2021

UFC middleweight contender Darren Till believes he’ll beat Derek Brunson in the first round of their upcoming main event clash. It’s been over a year since we last saw “The Gorilla” over on Fight Island when he lost a close decision to former champion Robert Whittaker. Now, after his return bout against Marvin Vettori earlier this year was cancelled, he’s ready to get back into the Octagon on September 4 to meet the in-form Derek Brunson.

Andrew Whitelaw - August 16, 2021

As one of the first major crossover stars in MMA, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson knows what it’s like to be under the constant glare of public scrutiny. Accordingly, he’s in a good position to empathise with the sport’s current biggest star – Conor McGregor. The former UFC and Pride champion appeared on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour this week and gave his opinion on the Irishman and some of his past incidents.

Drake Riggs - August 16, 2021

Yana Kunitskaya is going to be taking some time away from the octagon. The No. 6 ranked UFC bantamweight contender teased her pregnancy on Sunday. On April 1, Kunitskaya and her partner, UFC light heavyweight Thiago Santos, announced a fake pregnancy for April Fool’s Day. MMA Fighting has confirmed that this time the announcement is legitimate.

Drake Riggs - August 16, 2021

Kayla Harrison calls it as she sees it. The PFL held a media call over Zoom on Monday to promote this weekend’s upcoming event headlined by Harrison and New Zealand’s Genah Fabian. The winner will advance to the playoff finals for their opportunity at 1 million dollars against either Larissa Pacheco or Taylor Guardado.

Cole Shelton - August 16, 2021

Israel Adesanya still believes he will fight Jon Jones sometime in the future. Adesanya and Jones had a feud in 2019 and 2020 and many thought a fight between them would happen. However, in March of this year, Adesanya lost a decision to Jan Blachowicz, and many thought that ended hope of the scrap happening as it provided a blueprint for “Bones” to win.

Cole Shelton - August 16, 2021

Kalyl Silva, the son of former UFC middleweight champion, Anderson Silva had a phenomenal kickboxing debut. Kalyl, who is 22-years-old and used to play soccer in the United Premier Soccer League, made his kickboxing debut at FightersRep 10 over the weekend in California. He was fighting Anthony Reynaga in a 159-pound fight and Silva scored an eight-second KO win. He recorded the knockout on the first kick he threw.

Adam D Martin - August 16, 2021

UFC featherweight fighter Justin Jaynes was cut by the UFC on his birthday, says his coach at Xtreme Couture, Eric Nicksick. Jaynes most recently made headlines when he admitted he bet his entire $25,000 purse on himself in June for his fight against Charles Rosa. Although Jaynes put up a valiant effort and nearly had a third-round comeback submission win, he ultimately came up short and lost a split decision. The loss to Rosa dropped Jaynes’ UFC record to 1-4 with a four-fight losing skid. Typically, when a fighter loses four in a row, they will be released by the promotion, so it’s not surprising that he was released considering his record. However, what is especially odd about this cut is that the UFC allegedly waited until his 32nd birthday on August 10 to inform Jaynes that he was cut for a fight that took place back on June 26.

Adam D Martin - August 16, 2021

UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira says he is open to a future boxing match, saying that “I want to test myself” in the ring. Oliveira is the best lightweight fighter in MMA right now and the UFC champion, so he has plenty of opponents to face in the Octagon — including UFC superstar Dustin Poirier — before he even thinks about making a move to boxing. But in a recent interview with AG Fight, Oliveira admitted that he is interested in making the move to the sport of boxing in the future. According to “Do Bronx,” he is intrigued by participating in a boxing match.

Adam D Martin - August 16, 2021

UFC middleweight Luke Rockhold criticized the UFC and Dana White for creating a narrative “for the fans to want to hate on fighters.” Rockhold is set to make his return to the Octagon for the first time in over two years in November at UFC 268 when he takes on rising contender Sean Strickland. Rockhold has voiced his frustrations about the way the UFC has handled their relationship with him in the past, and now that he’s coming back to the Octagon, he continues to vent his issues.

Adam D Martin - August 16, 2021

UFC champ Kamaru Usman fired back at Conor McGregor, telling him to “be quiet before I call Poirier or Khabib or Diaz to finish you again.” McGregor did a Q&A with fans this weekend and during one point in the conversation, he said that he will go up to 170lbs and spark the champ, Usman. “The Nigerian Nightmare” saw the comments from McGregor and fired back at him in a tweet of his own.

Adam D Martin - August 16, 2021

Former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub defended youngster Sean O’Malley, telling matchmaker Sean Shelby to treat UFC fighters like “human beings.” O’Malley is one of the biggest young stars in the UFC right now, and the promotion reportedly wants him to fight veteran Frankie Edgar at UFC 268 in November at Madison Square Garden in New York City. However, “Suga” reportedly turned the fight down, citing his desire to fight in Las Vegas instead of New York due to tax reasons. As well, O’Malley said his coach, Tim Welch, will not be available to corner him the week of UFC 268. In response to O’Malley turning down the fight, the UFC matchmaker Shelby apparently had some strong words for O’Malley, including taking a shot at his friendship with 6ix9ine.

Harry Kettle - August 16, 2021

Former two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor has given his thoughts on what he believes to be the most effective martial art. “The Notorious” has had many great successes throughout the years in his mixed martial arts career, and while he may seemingly be on the downward turn after consecutive losses to Dustin Poirier as well as a broken leg, he still has the kind of spirit that will lead anyone to believe he can rise back to the top once again.

Adam D Martin - August 16, 2021

Deiveson Figueiredo trashed “p*ssy” UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, while saying that he demands a trilogy fight for the 125lbs title. Figueiredo and Moreno have fought in a pair of memorable fights over the past year. The first time they met was in the main event of UFC 256 last December, with the pair fighting to a majority draw in a “Fight of the Year” candidate. Figueiredo actually would have won the fight had it not been for a point deduction for a low blow. Because it was a draw and since it was such an action-packed fight, the UFC booked the immediate rematch for UFC 263 in June, and this time, Moreno won the belt with a rear-naked choke submission win.

Harry Kettle - August 16, 2021

Ali Abdelaziz has claimed the reports linking Khabib Nurmagomedov with a move to a Russian football club are “fake news”. Over the course of the last few days there have been rumblings that Khabib, who retired from professional mixed martial arts last year, has formally signed a contract with Russian third division side FC Legion Dynamo.

Adam D Martin - August 16, 2021

Conor McGregor fired back at Michael Bisping over his recent Daniel Cormier comments, saying that “I collect commission on all of his fights.” In the wake of his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, McGregor and Cormier have been going at it on social media. Taking to his own podcast to defend Cormier, Bisping then told McGregor that DC would “rip him limb from limb” if the two ever met in the Octagon. During a Q&A session with fans on Sunday evening, one fan asked McGregor what he thought about Bisping’s recent comments. The Irishman replied to the poster, though he later deleted the comment. Check out what “Notorious” said in response to Bisping below.