MMA News
PFL postpones 2020 season, fighters to be paid monthly stipend
Adam Martin - April 20, 2020
The PFL announced on Monday that is has officially postponed its entire 2020 schedule and is going to reschedule it to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Professional Fighters League was set to begin its 2020 season in May, with events held monthly for the rest of the year until the finals on New Year’s Eve. Due to the coronavirus crisis, however, the promotion cannot run its third season as scheduled. Instead, it has shifted the entire schedule to 2021.
Demian Maia calls out Diego Sanchez, Sanchez responds with Fight Island suggestion
Tom Taylor - April 20, 2020
Demian Maia is hoping to close the book on his illustrious MMA career with a fight against Diego Sanchez. From the sounds of it, Sanchez is down.
Tyron Woodley wants to "see what Izzy is about" at middleweight
Tom Taylor - April 20, 2020
Tyron Woodley is currently focused on reclaiming the UFC welterweight title. That being said, the former champ also has ambitions to move up to middleweight and get his hands on that division’s reigning champ Israel Adesanya. “I’m just getting started. I’m not going to act like I’m going to be here until I’m 45, but I’m not going anywhere for a while. I’ve got a lot of people and mouths to shut up,” Woodley stated during a recent Instagram live session (transcript via Bloody Elbow). “And then I want to spend some time at middleweight too.
Vitor Belfort: ONE debut was in the works before pandemic hit
Tom Taylor - April 20, 2020
Vitor Belfort says his ONE Championship debut was in the works before the coronavirus pandemic took hold. Belfort revealed that his debut was nearly finalized in an interview with MMA Junkie.
Tyron Woodley hopes to fight on May 9 in case subsequent cards fall through
Tom Taylor - April 20, 2020
Former UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley is hoping to compete on the UFC’s planned May 9 card, as he’s worried the powers that be could derail the UFC’s subsequent events. The May 9 event is intended to serve as the UFC’s big return after a brief coronavirus-related shut-down. UFC President Dana White has been adamant that, following this May 9 card, the promotion will produce events every weekend to make up for lost time.
Stephen Thompson turns heel, joins Ariel Helwani in online feud with Darren Till
Harry Kettle - April 20, 2020
In a twist similar to Randy “Macho Man” Savage turning on Hulk Hogan, Stephen Thompson has shocked the world and turned heel. It’s safe to say that the ongoing war of words between Ariel Helwani and Darren Till has sent shockwaves through the MMA universe, to the point where it seems obvious that they’re going to throw down in what will almost certainly be one of the most highly anticipated fights in the history of mixed martial arts.
Aljamain Sterling claims “sensitive” Dominick Cruz blocked him on Twitter, responds to callout from Frankie Edgar
Natasha Hooper - April 20, 2020
Aljamain Sterling has called out Dominick Cruz for blocking him on social media, and also responded to a callout by Frankie Edgar. “The Funk Master” has been inching towards a title shot but the former champion, Cruz, has beaten him to it. The current bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo was scheduled to defend his title against Jose Aldo next. However, his Brazilian opponent had to pull out of their scheduled matchup due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dominick Reyes says Jon Jones is bluffing about Jan Blachowicz bout, tells everyone to “slow down”
Natasha Hooper - April 20, 2020
Dominick Reyes has called out his last opponent Jon Jones for bluffing about an upcoming matchup against fellow light heavyweight Jan Blachowicz. In the main event of UFC 247, Reyes challenged the division’s champion, Jones, for the 205-pound crown. “Bones” defended his title and claimed the decision victory, but many spectators believed “The Devastator” should have won the five-round war. The 30-year old claimed he’s ready for the rematch but Jones will not sign the contract.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk reflects on hospital visit after Weili Zhang fight: "I felt like my soul was bleeding"
Adam Martin - April 19, 2020
Joanna Jedrzejczyk reflected on her emotional hospital visit following her war with UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang at UFC 248. Her opponent Zhang recently shared a story of how she met Jedrzekczyk in the hospital following their classic at UFC 248. The champ said that Jedrzejczyk was “crying for hours” as the two shared a special emotional moment with each other after slugging it out for 25 minutes in the center of the Octagon. The bout won “Fight of the Night” and is already regarded by fans and media as one of the greatest MMA fights of all time.
Frankie Edgar interested in fighting Aljamain Sterling next
Adam Martin - April 19, 2020
Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar says he’s interested in fighting Aljamain Sterling in his bantamweight debut. Edgar was supposed to fight Cory Sandhagen back at UFC Raleigh in January in what was supposed to be his first fight at 135lbs. But Edgar was pulled from the card and instead fought Chan Sung Jung at UFC Busan at featherweight, where he suffered a nasty KO loss to The Korean Zombie. The fight with Sandhagen was subsequently wiped out as a result and Edgar has still yet to make his official bantamweight debut.
Anderson Silva says he planned to retire in 2012, before KO loss to Chris Weidman
Adam D Martin - April 19, 2020
In a new interview, former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva said he wanted to retire in 2012 before his first fight with Chris Weidman at UFC 162. Silva was the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport at the time and was coming off of a 17-fight win streak with culminated in a vicious TKO over Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153. There were talks of a superfight against UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre and Silva were in attendance for GSP’s win over Carlos Condit at UFC 154, but the fight never materialized for whatever reason. When the GSP fight didn’t happen, Silva had planned on retiring.
Paulo Costa speaks on issues of brain damage in MMA, willing to donate brain for research
Adam D Martin - April 19, 2020
UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa spoke about the effects of blows to the head in MMA and says he’s willing to donate his brain for research. Costa is one of the top middleweights in MMA and is known for pulverizing his opponents’ heads and being the one who dishes out the damage. But in a recent interview with AG Fight, Costa admitted he thinks about the effects of blows to the head on his brain, and it’s the reason why he plans on retiring from the sport by the time he’s 36.
Weili Zhang finally headed back to China over a month after UFC 248
Adam D Martin - April 19, 2020
UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang is finally headed home to China after being stuck in the United States following UFC 248. Zhang fought rival Joanna Jedrzejczyk for five hard rounds in the co-main event of UFC 248 in an instant classic that is already regarded as one of the best fights in UFC history. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Zhang has been unable to travel back home to her native China and has stayed in Las Vegas for over a month since UFC 248 took place in nearly March.
Tim Kennedy explains why he refused anesthesia for sutures at UFC 178
Adam D Martin - April 19, 2020
Former UFC middleweight Tim Kennedy explained why he refused anesthesia for sutures following his fight against Yoel Romero at UFC 178. Kennedy and Romero got into one of the wildest brawls of 2014, with Romero eventually earning the third-round stoppage via TKO in controversial fashion at UFC 178’s “Fight of the Night.” Kennedy suffered brutal facial damage during the knockout and was forced to get his face stitched up by the doctors after the fight. However, it looks like the pain didn’t end for Kenney with the knockout.
Darren Till tells Michael Bisping to send his son to Liverpool so he can “make a man out of him”
Adam D Martin - April 19, 2020
UFC middleweight contender Darren Till told former champ and fellow Brit Michael Bisping to send his son to Liverpool so he can “make a man out of him.” Bisping and his son often have funny back-and-forth banter on their social media, especially during quarantine as not much else is going on. Till recently took notice of Bisping’s conversation with his son on social media and jokingly offered to teach his son a lesson. Here’s what Till wrote on Twitter.
Henry Cejudo fires back after Alexander Volkanovski calls his choice of opponents “embarrassing”
Adam D Martin - April 19, 2020
UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo fired back at featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski, who recently called his choice of opponents “embarrassing.” Volkanovski was critical recently of Volkanovksi calling out aging legends like Dominick Cruz and Frankie Edgar for his next fight after his UFC 250 matchup against another legend in Jose Aldo was wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic travel restrictions. Instead of calling out top contenders like Aljamain Sterling, Petr Yan or Cory Sandhagen, Cejudo has instead focused on older fighters who are coming off of losses, and Volkanovski noticed.
Darren Till takes aim at ESPN's Ariel Helwani who promptly responds
Chris Taylor - April 18, 2020
UFC middleweight standout Darren Till had a interesting exchange with ESPN journalist Ariel Helwani this evening on social media. The former UFC welterweight title challenger, Till (18-2-1 MMA), took to Twitter with the following statement in which he issued some choice words for Helwani.
VIDEO | UFC Fighter Zabit Magomedsharipov spars with a Goat
Chris Taylor - April 18, 2020
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