MMA News
Dustin Poirier hints that a win over UFC champion Charles Oliveira could result in his retirement
Christopher Taylor - August 2, 2021
Dustin Poirier is expected to be the first fighter to challenge newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. After falling short in his effort to dethrone former lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242, ‘The Diamond’ has since gone on to win three fights in a row.
Rafael dos Anjos set to take on Islam Makhachev in October, 'Islam doesn't want to fight five rounds'
Drake Riggs - August 2, 2021
Islam Makhachev is officially set for his biggest fight yet as he and Rafael dos Anjos have been rebooked for an October showdown. ESPN broke the news on Monday that the pair of ranked lightweights are set to compete at UFC 267 on October 30 in Abu Dhabi. They were originally scheduled to clash twice in 2020. The first being for October only to fall through due to dos Anjos contracting COVID-19. Makhachev was then forced out with an injury when rebooked for a month later.
Coach believes AJ McKee and Patricio Pitbull should rematch in Brazil
Drake Riggs - August 2, 2021
AJ McKee is the new Bellator featherweight king. Bellator 263 this past Saturday night saw the 26-year old crowned to close out the 145-pound one-million-dollar Grand Prix. To do so, McKee put away the greatest fighter in promotional history, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, in just a single round.
Cody Garbrandt set to make flyweight debut in December against Kai Kara-France
Cole Shelton - August 2, 2021
Cody Garbrandt will be making the drop to flyweight after all. After Garbrandt lost to Rob Font in May he hinted at a drop to flyweight. He was supposed to fight Deiveson Figueiredo for the belt at UFC 255 last year but was forced out of the bout. Now, according to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, the former bantamweight champion will face Kai Kara-France on December 11. At this time, it’s uncertain whether that will be a pay-per-view event or just a Fight Night. The location of the event is also unknown.
Dustin Poirier after checking Conor McGregor's kicks at UFC 264: "Never before have I left fight week and been sore on my actual bone"
Chris Taylor - August 2, 2021
Dustin Poirier admittedly felt the effects of Conor McGregor’s leg kicks after UFC 264, suggesting that he had never left a fight week so sore. Poirier and McGregor collided for a third time in the headliner of last months UFC pay-per-view event, with ‘The Diamond’ once again emerging victorious. While the fight only last one round, ‘The Diamond’ says the leg kicks he received from ‘Notorious’ during their trilogy definitely left a mark.
What's next for Sean Strickland and Uriah Hall after UFC Vegas 33?
Cole Shelton - August 2, 2021
In the main event of UFC Vegas 33, top-15 middleweights collided as Sean Strickland took on Uriah Hall. Strickland entered the fight riding a four-fight winning streak including being 3-0 since making his return to middleweight after a motorcycle accident. He also was 17-0 at middleweight entering the fight. Hall, meanwhile, was also on a four-fight winning skid and he was looking to cement himself as a legit middleweight contender once again.
Watch Nick Diaz's live reaction to his brother Nate rocking Leon Edwards at UFC 263
Chris Taylor - August 2, 2021
Nick Diaz was in attendance to watch his younger brother Nate battle Leon Edwards in a five-round welterweight contest at June’s UFC 263 event. Nate (20-13 MMA) was returning to action that evening for the first time since suffering a TKO loss (doctors stoppage) to Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 in November of 2019.
Marina Mokhnatkina is the PFL's new queen of Sambo
Drake Riggs - August 2, 2021
Russia’s Marina Mokhnatkina is on her way to the PFL. After achieving everything she could in Sambo, her intentions are clear: conquer MMA. Mokhnatkina made the move to Florida’s Sanford MMA in February 2021 after initially negotiating with the neighboring American Top Team. The male-dominated gym originally greeted the 33-year old with skepticism, but she was quickly welcomed after her skills were displayed. Now, Mokhnatkina is the lone woman training at the gym daily.
Video | 3 on 1 MMA match in Poland turns out exactly how you would expect
Harry Kettle - August 2, 2021
If you want to watch something utterly mad happen in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA), heading to Poland is probably a good idea. In addition to KSW, often regarded as one of the best MMA promotions in Europe, Poland is the home of some really wacky events. From celebrities squaring off to new innovations previously never seen before at the elite level, they’re always looking to find interesting ways of reinventing the sport.
Conor McGregor set to compete in charity wheelchair boxing match on September 11th
Harry Kettle - August 2, 2021
Conor McGregor is set to return to his Dublin roots in order to compete in a charity wheelchair boxing match. Just a few short weeks ago McGregor competed in the main event of UFC 264 against Dustin Poirier as their thrilling trilogy came to an end. Despite the Irishman coming forward with real purpose, he ultimately came up short as a result of a broken leg in the dying seconds of the first round.
BJ Penn details terrifying near-death experience after being trapped inside of a wave pool tank
Christopher Taylor - August 1, 2021
UFC legend BJ Penn took to social media earlier today where he detailed a previous near-death experience after being trapped inside of wave pool tank. The former two-division UFC champion recounted the harrowing incident on Instagram.
Uriah Hall reacts following decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC Vegas 33: "This one hurts"
Adam Martin - August 1, 2021
Veteran UFC middleweight Uriah Hall reacted following his decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC Vegas 33, saying that “this one hurts.” Hall was outpointed for five rounds by Strickland en route to a unanimous decision loss on the judges’ scorecards in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 33. Although Hall landed over 100 significant strikes in the fight, he was out-volumed by Strickland, who landed nearly 200 significant strikes, and the result was a mostly decisive victory for Strickland.
Quinton Jackson could make MMA comeback, hints Bellator champ AJ McKee
Adam Martin - August 1, 2021
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson could make an MMA comeback, hinted Bellator new Bellator featherweight champ, AJ McKee. McKee defeated Patricio Pitbull via first-round submission on Saturday night in the main event of Bellator 263 to claim the promotion’s 145lbs title, and the $1 million grand prize for winning the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix sixteen-man tournament. Now a perfect 18-0 in MMA, McKee appears to be a superstar for Bellator for years to come. It hasn’t come out of anywhere either, as the son of former UFC fighter Antonio McKee was always considered a natural in mixed martial arts, training under his veteran father.
Sean Strickland breaks down potential future UFC middleweight title fight against Israel Adesanya
Adam Martin - August 1, 2021
Top-ranked contender Sean Strickland broke down how a potential future UFC middleweight title fight against champion Israel Adesanya would go. Strickland defeated Uriah Hall in the main event of UFC Vegas 33 via unanimous decision to earn the biggest win of his career and jump into the top-10 at 185lbs. Ever since returning from a potentially life-threatening motorcycle accident last fall as a middleweight, Strickland has looked absolutely exceptional. He defeated Jack Marshman in his middleweight debut in a memorable fight that involved plenty of trash-talking, then he knocked out top prospect Brendan Allen, beat veteran Krzysztof Jotko, and then beat Hall to pick up the biggest win of his career and get one step closer to fighting for the belt.
Anthony Johnson vs. Vadim Nemkov, Ryan Bader vs. Corey Anderson set for fall Bellator event
Adam Martin - August 1, 2021
Light heavyweight bouts featuring Anthony Johnson vs. Vadim Nemkov and Ryan Bader vs. Corey Anderson have been set for a fall Bellator event. ESPN’s Marc Raimondi was the first to report that Johnson vs. Nemkov and Bader vs. Anderson will take place on October 16 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The Johnson vs. Nemkov fight will be for the promotion’s 205lbs belt that Nemkov currently possesses, while the winner of Bader vs. Anderson will meet the winner of the Johnson vs. Nemkov fight next year to crown a tournament winner and the new champion at 205lbs.
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor rematch shot down by Ali Abdelaziz: "Conor is not even a high-level fighter anymore"
Adam Martin - August 1, 2021
A Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor rematch was shot down by Ali Abdelaziz, who says “Conor is not even a high-level fighter anymore.” Nurmagomedov and McGregor were involved in the biggest pay-per-view blockbuster fight in UFC history when they met back at UFC 229 in October 2018, as the fight sold a UFC record 2.4 million pay-per-view buys. But despite the fight being a complete blowout for Nurmagomedov, there have always been suggestions that a rematch could happen one day just because of how much money is involved. However, with Nurmagomedov now retired from MMA and with McGregor coming off of back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier, we have never seen these two legends of the sport farther apart, and a rematch seems unlikely.
Nina Nunes announces she and Amanda Nunes have tested negative for COVID-19
Adam D Martin - August 1, 2021
Women’s strawweight Nina Nunes announced that she and her wife, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes, tested negative for COVID-19. Amanda Nunes was scheduled to fight rival Julianna Pena in the co-main event of UFC 265 next Saturday night at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, but the fight was scratched this week after Nunes was forced to withdraw due to a positive COVID-19 test. According to the UFC, the plan is for the promotion to rebook Nunes vs. Pena later this year for the women’s 135lbs belt, with December being thrown around as a potential date. But according to Nina Nunes, she and her wife have tested negative for COVID-19 and are already feeling better.
Khabib Nurmagomedov suggests next UFC opponent for Henry Cejudo must "bring some numbers" to the table
Adam D Martin - August 1, 2021
Former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov suggested that the next UFC opponent for Henry Cejudo must “bring some numbers” to the table. Nurmagomedov has been retired from MMA since earlier this year, and Cejudo has been retired since last summer. Both men hung up their gloves at the top of their games as both fighters were champions who vacated their titles before retiring from the sport. But with both men still in their 30s, there have been suggestions that the right fight could be enough to coax back either Nurmagomedov or Cejudo to the Octagon. Who that fight could be is anyone’s guess, but if the numbers are big enough, a comeback could be in store.