MMA News
Rafael dos Anjos renews calls for Conor McGregor fight: "We already have a history"
Tom Taylor - February 4, 2021
Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos is once again calling for a fight with former two-division champ Conor McGregor. Dos Anjos and McGregor were briefly scheduled to fight in 2016. Dos Anjos, then the lightweight champion, was slated to defend his belt against McGregor, the featherweight champion, who sought to become the sport’s first concurrent two-division titleholder. Unfortunately, the fight fell through when dos Anjos sustained an injury. McGregor then accepted a short-notice fight with Nate Diaz, which he ended up losing via submission.
Tony Ferguson challenges Nate Diaz: "All you do is b*tch out"
Tom Taylor - February 4, 2021
UFC lightweight star Tony Ferguson has issued a challenge to Nate Diaz, accusing the fan favorite of “b*tching out.” Diaz hasn’t fought since November, 2019, when he was stopped by Jorge Masvidal in a welterweight fight. Recently, however, UFC President Dana White divulged that he’s working on a lightweight fight for Diaz. While Diaz has since protested fighting at lightweight, expressing his preference for the 170-pound welterweight division, the good news is that he seems interested in fighting again.
Kayla Harrison issues gutsy response to latest callout from Cris Cyborg
Harry Kettle - February 4, 2021
PFL star Kayla Harrison has given her thoughts on a potential fight against Cris Cyborg after the latter’s latest callout. Harrison, who took her professional MMA record to 8-0 with a dominant win over Courtney King at Invicta FC 43 back in November, is waiting for the opportunity to get back inside the cage once again as the hype behind her continues to grow.
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.
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
Markus Perez asks the UFC to cut him: "Send me away, I don't deserve to be in the UFC"
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
UFC middleweight Markus Perez took the unusual approach of asking the UFC to cut him, telling the promotion to “send him away.” Perez, whose nickname “Maluko” (Crazy), is a former LFA middleweight champion and a seven-fight veteran of the UFC. After going 2-2 in his first four UFC fights, he has since lost three in a row including suffering the first KO loss of his career when Dricus du Plessis flattened him cold. With the UFC matchmakers in the midst of cutting 60 fighters, anyone on a three-fight losing skid such as Perez is at risk of being released. In Perez’s case, he’s making it easy and asking the UFC to cut him.
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.
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.
Conor McGregor admits he overlooked Dustin Poirier with eye on Manny Pacquiao boxing match
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
UFC superstar Conor McGregor admitted he overlooked Dustin Poirier because he was already thinking about a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao. McGregor entered the rematch with Poirier as a big favorite, but he suffered a second-round knockout loss when Poirier was able to finish him with strikes. “The Diamond” came into the bout with a great gameplan of using low kicks to slow McGregor’s mobility, only to wear him out and then eventually go for the finish with punches. It was an amazing performance by Poirier, no doubt about it. But it was also a big disappointment seeing McGregor receive his first knockout loss in MMA.
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.
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.
Israel Adesanya will not put on extra weight or muscle ahead of 205lbs debut against Jan Blachowicz
Adam Martin - February 3, 2021
Israel Adesanya will not put on any extra weight or muscle ahead of his upcoming UFC light heavyweight title fight against Jan Blachowicz. Adesanya, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, is moving up to light heavyweight to take on Blachowicz in a champion vs. champion superfight that headlines UFC 259. With Blachowicz being one of the biggest and strongest light heavyweights, many thought Adesanya would maybe want to bulk up and put on some extra weight or muscle for this 205lbs fight. However, that isn’t the case.
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.
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.