MMA News

Adam D Martin - June 29, 2021

UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley is in need of a new opponent after Louis Smolka withdrew from their scheduled upcoming bout at UFC 264. O’Malley and Smolka were set to meet on the main card of UFC 264, which is scheduled to take place on July 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, the fight is now off, according to MMA journalist Ariel Helwani. He confirmed the news that Smolka has withdrawn from the fight following a cryptic tweet from O’Malley suggesting a change.

Adam D Martin - June 29, 2021

Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen reacted after one of his longtime rivals, UFC superstar Jon Jones, blocked him on Twitter. Sonnen took to social media on Tuesday to reveal that Jones hit the block button and no longer will see Sonnen’s tweets, to which “The West Linn Gangster” wrote the following.

Cole Shelton - June 29, 2021

Artem Lobov believes Conor McGregor overlooked Dustin Poirier back in January at UFC 257. Although Lobov says McGregor was focused on the fight, he says he was also preparing to box Manny Pacquiao which was a done deal. With that, Lobov says McGregor didn’t give Poirier the respect he deserved as he expected to be able to walk through him.

Cole Shelton - June 29, 2021

Charles Rosa was shocked when he saw that Justin Jaynes was betting his entire fight purse on himself. Rosa and Jaynes were set to fight on the prelims of UFC Vegas 30 and on paper, it was a competitive fight. Yet, the fight garnered major attention on fight week when Jaynes revealed he was betting his entire fight purse on himself. For Rosa, he says he doesn’t know why he did that as he believes it added more pressure on him than necessary.

Adam D Martin - June 29, 2021

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov says UFC president Dana White and co. still want him to fight in the Octagon again. Nurmagomedov first revealed his intentions to retire from MMA following his submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 last October. After taking several months to consider his future, Nurmagomedov vacated his title earlier this year and retired from the sport. However, even though “The Eagle” is no longer flying, it isn’t stopping White and the rest of the UFC’s top executives from trying to convince the Russian to fight one more time.

Adam D Martin - June 29, 2021

Gilbert Burns broke down his upcoming matchup with Stephen Thompson at UFC 264, saying that “we have a very different style.” Burns and Thompson meet in the co-main event of next weekend’s UFC 264 pay-per-view blockbuster event. This is a very important fight at 170lbs as both Burns and Thompson are ranked in the top-five of the division and looking to get closer to a title shot. Burns, of course, lost in his chance to become the UFC welterweight champion earlier this year when he was knocked out by Kamaru Usman at UFC 258, but Thompson hasn’t fought the champ yet and knows a win over Burns could get him where he wants to go. It’s a very fun fight between two fighters who are among the very best the 170lbs weight class has to offer.

Adam D Martin - June 29, 2021

UFC heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane called Jon Jones the GOAT, and says he is interested in a future heavyweight fight with “Bones.” Gane defeated Alexander Volkov via unanimous decision last weekend to improve to 9-0 in MMA and 6-0 overall in the UFC. The win was so impressive to UFC president Dana White and the promotion’s top executives that Gane was given an interim title shot against Derrick Lewis at UFC 265 this summer with Francis Ngannou out. The Gane vs. Lewis winner will likely be in line to face Ngannou sometime later this year for the undisputed title. Of course, there’s one other factor in the heavyweight equation, and that’s Jones.

Adam D Martin - June 29, 2021

UFC superstar Conor McGregor flaunted his incredible physique 12 days away from his UFC 264 main event trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier. McGregor and Poirier meet in the main event of UFC 264, which takes place on July 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will be the third and, presumably, the final meeting between these two bitter rivals. McGregor took home the first fight between these two back in 2014 when he knocked Poirier out at UFC 178. Seven years later and they met again earlier this year at UFC 257, this time with Poirier knocking McGregor out. With the all-time series between the two now 1-1, the trilogy fight next weekend will be massive.

Christopher Taylor - June 28, 2021

Dana White shocked fight fans this afternoon when he announced that Derrick Lewis would be fighting Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 265. After weeks of the UFC President insinuating that a rematch with ‘The Black Beast’ would be next for reigning UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto announced that Lewis vs. Gane was official for August 7 in Houston.

Cole Shelton - June 28, 2021

Dana White is clearly not a fan of Francis Ngannou’s management as he took to social media and let the whole world know about it. On Monday, it was revealed the UFC booked Derrick Lewis vs. Ciryl Gane to headline UFC 265 on August 7 for the interim heavyweight title. Immediately, Ngannou and his team vented their frustration and said they were surprised by the news, which White says shouldn’t have been the case.

Andrew Whitelaw - June 28, 2021

As coach of arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time, Firas Zahabi is well-placed to judge what makes a good fighter. In this case, the Canadian heaped praise on the resilience of Nate Diaz. Speaking in a Q&A on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel, Zahabi said,

Chris Taylor - June 28, 2021

Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane have reacted after being booked in a interim heavyweight title fight at UFC 265. After weeks of Dana White insinuating that a rematch with ‘The Black Beast’ would be next for reigning UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, the promotion shocked fight fans today with the announcement of Lewis vs. Gane.

Cole Shelton - June 28, 2021

Ciryl Gane has opened as a sizeable favorite over Derrick Lewis for the interim heavyweight title. The hope for the UFC was to have Ngannou defend his heavyweight title for the first time at UFC 265 on August 7 against Lewis. Yet, the timing didn’t work so the promotion went to an interim belt between Gane and Lewis and the undefeated Frenchman has opened as a sizeable favorite.

Cole Shelton - June 28, 2021

Francis Ngannou isn’t too thrilled the UFC is creating an interim heavyweight title. Ngannou won the heavyweight title back at UFC 260 at the end of March with a KO win over Stipe Miocic. The plan was for him to face Jon Jones, but the promotion couldn’t come to an agreement with “Bones” and then shifted to Derrick Lewis. Yet, Ngannou’s timeframe didn’t work for August so the promotion booked an interim title fight between Lewis and Gane at UFC 265.

Cole Shelton - June 28, 2021

Derrick Lewis will be fighting for UFC gold on August 7 in Houston, it just won’t be for the undisputed belt. Lewis was reportedly set to face Francis Ngannou in the main event of UFC 265 for the heavyweight title. Yet, the promotion couldn’t come to terms with Ngannou on the timeframe and now the UFC is set for an interim title. According to UFC president, Dana White, who told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Lewis will face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 265.

Adam D Martin - June 28, 2021

Former Bellator fighter and GLORY kickboxer Joe Schilling brutally knocked out a patron at a bar in a video going viral on social media. The video of Schilling knocking a man out has been making the rounds. Watch the video below and see what you think for yourself. In the video, it appears as though Schilling and a man bump into each other, the man says something, then he gets knocked out cold.

Adam D Martin - June 28, 2021

UFC welterweight Warlley Alves reacted after his upset KO loss to Jeremiah Wells at UFC Vegas 30, saying that “I have no excuses.” Alves was knocked out by Wells in the second round of their welterweight fight that took place on the UFC Vegas 30 preliminary card. For Alves, it was a shocking defeat to a fighter who was making his UFC debut on short notice in Wells. The veteran Brazilian entered the fight as the betting favorite to get his hand raised, but he was brutally knocked out in the second round by his powerful opponent. For Alves, it was yet another tough loss for him in the Octagon. While Alves is a solid 8-5 overall in the UFC, he is just 2-3 in his last five fights and he was knocked out or submitted in all three of those recent losses he’s had.

Adam D Martin - June 28, 2021

The future betting odds have been released for a potential fight between UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and challenger Ciryl Gane. Gane defeated Alexander Volkov in the main event of UFC Vegas 30 this past Saturday to improve to 9-0 in MMA including a 6-0 mark in the Octagon. Following the fight, Gane said that he intends to sit out and wait for a title shot against Ngannou, who is slated to take on Derrick Lewis in a rematch in his first UFC heavyweight title defense. The UFC has not confirmed the Ngannou vs. Gane fight by any means, but with this matchup a future possibility, the oddsmakers have opened the odds for a potential fight between the two.