MMA News
Jimmy Crute provides update on injured leg in Anthony Smith fight at UFC 261
Adam D Martin - April 29, 2021
UFC light heavyweight contender Jimmy Crute provided an update on his injured leg from the Anthony Smith fight at UFC 261. Crute appeared to be in serious pain due to a leg injury and unable to walk properly at the end of the first round with Smith. After attempting to put pressure on the leg, his knee buckled and the cage-side doctor called a stop to the fight as Crute lost via injury TKO. A few days after the fight and Crute has now provided an update on the injury he suffered. According to the Aussie, there is the belief he suffered a knee injury in the fight.
Pro fighters make their picks for Dominick Reyes vs. Jiri Prochazka
Cole Shelton - April 29, 2021
In the main event of UFC Vegas 25 on May 1, Dominick Reyes is looking to snap his two-fight losing streak as he battles Jiri Prochazka. Entering the fight, Reyes is a +110 underdog while the former RIZIN champ is a -130 favorite. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the scrap. The pros are split on this one but the slight majority lean towards Prochazka picking up his second UFC win.
Kevin Holland stumps for short-notice opportunity against Donald Cerrone
Adam D Martin - April 29, 2021
UFC middleweight Kevin Holland is stumping to take on veteran Donald Cerrone on short notice next weekend in a 175lbs catchweight bout. Holland has lost his last two fights to Marvin Vettori and Derek Brunson after being taken down and controlled for 25 minutes in both of those bouts. “Trailblazer” was expected to take some time off to work on his wrestling skills, but it appears as though he wants to step back into the Octagon as soon as possible for a short-notice fight with Cerrone.
MMA legend Shinya Aoki takes a shot at Sage Northcutt
Harry Kettle - April 29, 2021
ONE Championship’s Shinya Aoki left a short and sweet message for Sage Northcutt after calling him out on the ONE on TNT 4 broadcast. The controversial Aoki has long since been viewed as one of the most unpredictable men in mixed martial arts, whether that be with ONE Championship or elsewhere.
Emil Weber Meek calls out Donald Cerrone for "Cowboy vs. Viking" matchup
Adam D Martin - April 29, 2021
UFC welterweight Emil Weber Meek called out veteran Donald Cerrone after he recently lost Diego Sanchez as his next opponent. Cerrone was set to fight Diego Sanchez in a battle of two of the sport’s most-respected veterans next Saturday at UFC Vegas 26. Unfortuantely for Cerrone, he lost Sanchez as an opponent and now he is without a dance partner for May 8. Well, it looks like Cerrone now has interest from another welterweight in taking the fight, as Meek has called him out.
ONE on TNT 4 Results: Reinier de Ridder becomes double champ, Eddie Alvarez suffers defeat
Harry Kettle - April 29, 2021
Another hectic night of ONE on TNT action saw Reinier de Ridder win another belt and Eddie Alvarez lose an incredibly close fight. It marked the end of ONE Championship’s first run of events on the TNT platform at ONE on TNT 4, with the show taking place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.
Anthony Johnson: 'Yoel Romero is the most dangerous fighter I’ve actually faced'
Drake Riggs - April 28, 2021
Anthony Johnson has fought a who’s who of tough opponents throughout his career. But he expects his next to be the most dangerous. Set to make his Bellator MMA debut on May 7 as part of the light heavyweight Grand Prix at Bellator 258, “Rumble” squares off with a fellow former multi-time UFC title challenger. It’s “Rumble” vs. the “Soldier of God,” Yoel Romero.
Reug Reug suffers first career loss in bizarre fashion at ONE on TNT 4
Drake Riggs - April 28, 2021
Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane has fallen for the first time in his MMA career… but it wasn’t the most traditional of bout endings. Opening up the ONE on TNT 4 main card, Reug Reug took on Kirill Grishenko. At the end of the second round, the unbeaten Senegalese wrestling sensation absorbed a punch to the throat that forced him unable to continue. Thus resulting in a TKO loss.
Michelle Waterson confirms flyweight main event fight on May 8 against Marina Rodriguez
Cole Shelton - April 28, 2021
Michelle Waterson and Marina Rodriguez will headline UFC Vegas 26 on May 8, but the fight will take place at flyweight, Waterson revealed to BJPENN.com. After TJ Dillashaw was forced out of the headlining spot against Cory Sandhagen due to a nasty cut, the UFC reached out to Waterson and Rodriguez to step up on short notice to headline the card. Now, according to “The Karate Hottie” the fight is a done deal and the scrap will happen at 125lbs.
Derrick Lewis says he will KO Francis Ngannou in the "first exchange"
Cole Shelton - April 28, 2021
Derrick Lewis believes he will beat Francis Ngannou again, but this time will do it in a more dramatic fashion. Lewis and Ngannou first met in the co-main event of UFC 226. It was a highly anticipated heavyweight scrap as they are to KO artists. However, the fight was a lackluster one as Lewis was dealing with a bad back and Ngannou was coming off being dominated by Stipe Miocic so his confidence wasn’t there. It resulted in the two barely throwing any punches and Lewis edging out a boring decision.
Video | Israel Adesanya reacts to Chris Weidman’s horrible leg break at UFC 261
Cole Shelton - April 28, 2021
Israel Adesanya had a similar reaction to many others when Chris Weidman broke his leg at UFC 261. On the main card of the stacked pay-per-view, Weidman and Uriah Hall were having a rematch over 10 years in the making. It was a crucial fight for both men, but unfortunately, on the first strike of the fight, Weidman threw a leg kick that was checked and his leg completely snapped.
Dustin Poirier makes prediction for UFC 264 main event: "I'm going to finish Conor McGregor again"
Cole Shelton - April 28, 2021
Dustin Poirier is confident he will finish Conor McGregor again on July 10. In the main event of UFC 264, Poirier and McGregor are set for their trilogy bout in what will be a highly anticipated fight. They first met back in 2014 at featherweight with McGregor winning by KO. They then had their rematch in January and Poirier exacted his revenge with a second-round knockout.
Drakkar Klose not happy after being "injured on the job" following shove by Jeremy Stephens
Adam Martin - April 28, 2021
UFC lightweight Drakkar Klose is not happy that he was “injured on the job” following a shove by Jeremy Stephens before UFC Vegas 24. Klose and Stephens were set to meet in the co-main event of the UFC Vegas 24 card two weeks ago. However, the fight fell apart at the last second when Klose was unable to compete after being injured following a shove from Stephens at the weigh-ins on Friday. Klose was apparently feeling the affects of whiplash and he was unable to fight the next day. That meant that the fight was off, and though Klose was eventually paid his show money, he believes that the UFC should have given him his full win bonus, as well.
Photos | Francis Ngannou shares pictures of victory tour in Cameroon
Adam Martin - April 28, 2021
UFC heavyweight Francis Ngannou shared photos of his victory tour as he headed back home to his native Cameroon with the heavyweight belt. Ngannou knocked out Stipe Miocic last month at UFC 260 to win the UFC heavyweight title for the first time. Following the victory, Ngannou has now gone back home to Cameroon. On Wednesday, “The Predator” took to his social media to share photos of the trip home.
Dustin Poirier thanks Conor McGregor for charitable donation: "Mission accomplished"
Adam Martin - April 28, 2021
UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier thanked rival Conor McGregor for his charitable donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana. Poirier recently took to his social media to reveal that McGregor’s $500,000 donation to “The Good Fight Foundation” never came through despite his team suggesting the money had been sent. McGregor then put Poirier on blast for his comments and threatened to break apart their fight at UFC 264. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and the fight remains intact. Still, there was that question about the charity money that McGregor promised floating out there. Now, we know McGregor has made good on his word.
Randy Brown says he and Alex Oliveira nearly fought backstage after weigh-ins, wants to return at UFC 264
Cole Shelton - April 28, 2021
Randy Brown knew he would finish Alex Oliveira, but did expect the fight to play out differently. Brown and Oliveira were the prelim headliner and early on in the scrap, the two exchanged punches and Brown knocked him down. After that, “Rude Boy” got ahold of his back and submitted the Brazilian with a one-arm rear naked choke.
Cody Stamann doesn't understand why he's an underdog against Merab Dvalishvili, says he will KO him: "I'm going to put him to sleep"
Cole Shelton - April 28, 2021
Cody Stamann doesn’t understand the hype around Merab Dvalishvili. Stamann and Dvalishvili are set to finally meet at UFC Vegas 25 after being scheduled two times previously. After the fight has fallen apart two times previously, Stamann says he had some reluctance to accept the fight for the third time until Dvalishvili started to train at his gym and some of his training partners told him he would be able to win the fight with ease.
Report | UFC 261 sold over 700k pay-per-view buys domestically in the United States
Harry Kettle - April 28, 2021
A recent report suggests that Saturday night’s UFC 261 event sold over 700,000 PPV buys domestically in the United States. The showcase featured three title fights and also marked the return of fans to the arena after more than a year of them not being able to attend.