MMA News
Bellator expected to kick off 2021 schedule in April
Drake Riggs - February 3, 2021
The 2020 Bellator MMA calendar concluded with a new champion on December 10. After a four-month hiatus, the promotion is expected to return. From July 24 onward, Bellator’s US events have taken place in Uncasville, Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena. Following an initial report from MMA DNA, MMA Fighting has confirmed the targeting of an April 9 event for the promotion — the Mohegan Sun again to play host.
Henry Cejudo is glad Conor McGregor took his advice, but says next time it will come at a cost
Christopher Taylor - February 3, 2021
Henry Cejudo says he is glad that Conor McGregor took his advice following UFC 257, but says he will be charging ‘Notorious’ next time around. McGregor made his highly anticipated return to the Octagon 10 days ago in Abu Dhabi for a rematch with Dustin Poirier. Unfortunately for the Irishman, history did not repeat itself on Fight Island, and ‘The Diamond’ ultimately walked away with a second round TKO victory.
Photo | Nick Diaz is looking absolutely shredded for potential return to UFC
Christopher Taylor - February 3, 2021
Former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz (26-9 MMA) is looking absolutely shredded for his potential UFC return. Diaz, who is one of the most popular fighters in MMA history, has not fought since a 2015 no contest with Anderson Silva, but began teasing a 2021 comeback earlier this year.
Bellator champion Juan Archuleta say's Kyoji Horiguchi is the 'Jon Jones of the lighter weights'
Andrew Whitelaw - February 3, 2021
A super-fight between Bellator champion, Juan Archuleta and Rizin champion, Kyoji Horiguchi has been discussed for more than two years. To all the Japanese mma fans be ready! We are going to sell out the TokyoDome when @kyoji1012 and I fight! It’s going to be a battle you don’t want to miss! @TheDiceTeam @rizin_PR @BellatorMMA
Jake Paul the Vegas favorite to defeat Ben Askren in boxing superfight
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is the betting favorite to defeat former UFC welterweight Ben Askren in their upcoming boxing superfight. Paul and Askren meet in a highly-anticipated boxing match on April 17 that airs on Triller. Paul has had two pro boxing fights and won both of them by knockout, while Askren is making his professional boxing debut. Of course, Askren is a highly-skilled MMA fighter and has been in the Octagon with some of the top welterweight fighters in the world. Nevertheless, the bookies don’t like his chances to win this fight.
Video | Merab Dvalishvili ends up in hospital after jumping headfirst into frozen pond
Cole Shelton - February 3, 2021
Merab Dvalishvili was out for a casual run and ended up in the hospital. During his run, the 12th-ranked bantamweight contender in Dvalishvili came across a pond. The Georgian native then decided to jump into it thinking it wasn’t frozen, but it turns out it was as he went headfirst into a frozen pond and cut his head on the ice and branches.
Cody Stamann uninterested in fighting Merab Dvalishvili next: "There are a lot bigger fish in the sea"
Cole Shelton - February 3, 2021
Cody Stamann isn’t sure he fights Merab Dvalishvili next. Stamann and Dvalishvili were supposed to fight on December 5 and February 6. Yet, Stamann hurt his back the first time it was booked and Dvalishvili got COVID-19 the second. For the 13th-ranked bantamweight in Stamann, he says having the fight postponed again wasn’t an option.
Dustin Poirier responds to Conor McGregor’s request for a trilogy fight: "We are going to do it a 3rd time"
Cole Shelton - February 3, 2021
Dustin Poirier remains confident he will have his trilogy with Conor McGregor. At UFC 257, Poirier and McGregor had a rematch over six years in the making. The first time they met, they fought at featherweight and it was McGregor winning by first-round knockout. However, in the rematch, it was Poirier who got the job done with a second-round knockout.
Fabricio Werdum: I will submit Jon Jones in heavyweight superfight
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum says he would submit Jon Jones on the ground in a potential cross-promotional superfight. Werdum, who will take part in PFL’s upcoming third season, was the former UFC heavyweight champion, a title that Jones is hoping to soon win. In Werdum’s final fight in the UFC, he picked up a big upset win when he tapped out Jones’ former rival Alexander Gustafsson. Werdum then signed with PFL, where he hopes to win the $1-mllion dollar grand prize. While winning the PFL title is his current goal, he still has Jones on his mind for a future fight someday between the PFL and UFC champions.
Dominick Reyes injured, out of fight with Jiri Prochazka
Tom Taylor - February 3, 2021
Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes has sustained an injury, and is out of his planned fight with Jiri Prochazka. Reyes was slated to fight Prochazka, the former RIZIN Fighting Federation light heavyweight champion, on February 28 in Las Vegas. According to a report from MMA Fighting, that unfortunately won’t be happening due to an undisclosed Reyes injury.
MMA community reacts to Stephen A. Smith's comments about female fighters
Tom Taylor - February 3, 2021
Stephen A. Smith is in hot water after expressing his disinterest in seeing women compete in mixed martial arts and boxing. Smith recently appeared on the “Black on the Air” podcast, where he expressed his objection to women fighting men in combat sports, and later, his disinterest in seeing women fight at all.
Chris Weidman shares plan for 2021: KO Uriah Hall and make a run at the belt
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman says he plans to KO Uriah Hall at UFC 261 and make another run at the belt he once held. Weidman was supposed to fight Hall this weekend in the co-main event of UFC 258, but the fight was postponed until UFC 261 in April after Weidman caught COVID-19. Weidman was once the UFC middleweight champion and one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but it’s been a struggle for him the last few years. Though he got back into the win column against Omari Akhmedov in his last fight, Weidman had lost five of six fights by knockout before that much-needed win. Despite the losing skid, however, Weidman has remained confident the whole time.
Vitor Belfort calls out Chris Jericho for cross-promotional match, Jericho responds
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
ONE championship superstar Vitor Belfort called out AEW wrestler Chris Jericho for a cross-promotional match, and Jericho has now responded. Belfort, a former UFC champion, signed with ONE Championship a few years ago but he has yet to make his debut with the organization. He’s hoping to do so in the coming months, especially now that ONE Championship has a network television deal with TNT. The promotion kicks off the partnership on April 7, when Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez lead the pack on the network. Along with ONE, TNT is also the home to AEW wrestling, and Belfort believes that creates cross-promotion opportunities.
Joe Rogan lauds "excellent" Jake Paul ahead of fight with Ben Askren
Tom Taylor - February 3, 2021
Joe Rogan has some high praise for Jake Paul ahead of the YouTube star’s professional boxing match with former UFC fighter Ben Askren. Paul will meet Askren, who previously held the ONE Championship and Bellator welterweight titles, in an eight-round boxing match on April 17. The bout will be Paul’s third as a pro after stopping fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib and former NBA star Nate Robinson. Askren, meanwhile, will be making his pro boxing debut.
The Golden Cage looks to make MMA mainstream in Italy—starting Feb. 6 on UFC FIGHT PASS
Tom Taylor - February 3, 2021
Italy is as sports-crazed as any country on earth, but so far, mixed martial arts has not caught on inside its famous, boot-shaped border. The Golden Cage, an upstart MMA promotion based in Rome, is hoping to change that. TGC is the brainchild of President Luigi Perillo, a tax lawyer and the president of the Swiss MMA Federation, and Steve Dapper, a music industry executive and expert in linguistics. After two successful events in 2017 and 2018, the TGC team will promote its third this Saturday in Rome. The card, which will feature 10 pro bouts and 10 amateur bouts, will mark the promotion’s debut on UFC FIGHT PASS.
Chris Weidman opens up on battle with COVID-19: "I ended up losing 12 pounds"
Tom Taylor - February 3, 2021
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman has opened up on his battle with COVID-19, and it does not sound fun. Weidman had been expected to rematch fellow middleweight contender Uriah Hall at UFC 258 next weekend, but was unfortunately forced out of the fight when he tested positive for COVID-19. The matchup has been rescheduled April 24, and it sounds like the new date was very necessary.
Tito Ortiz to keep position as Huntington Beach Mayor Pro Tem
Tom Taylor - February 3, 2021
Former UFC champion Tito Ortiz will keep his position as Mayor Pro Tem of Huntington Beach, California. Ortiz was elected onto Huntington Beach City Council last year, and was subsequently selected to serve as the city’s Mayor Pro Tem, a role that puts him in position to serve as the city’s next mayor. Regrettably, his time in office has been marred by several high-profile blunders, primarily related to his refusal to wear a mask and his spreading of conspiracy theories.
Pro fighters make their picks for Alistair Overeem vs. Alexander Volkov
Cole Shelton - February 3, 2021
In the main event of UFC Vegas 18, Alistair Overeem is looking to continue his final run to a heavyweight title shot as he battles Alexander Volkov. Heading into the fight, Overeem is a +155 underdog while the Russian is a -190 favorite. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. Maybe to some surprise, nearly all the pros have Overeem edging it out as he will mix in his striking and wrestling.