MMA News

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes Conor McGregor would probably sustain another loss if he was matched up with Michael Chandler. McGregor last fought in the main event of UFC 257 in January, emerging from a year-long hiatus only to be stopped by Dustin Poirier in the fight’s second round. That setback brought McGregor and Poirier to a 1-1 tie, as McGregor won their first fight by knockout back in 2014, but it still shrouded the Irishman’s future in uncertainty. Though he remains the sport’s biggest star, he’s now 1-2 in the UFC lightweight division, and is in desperate need of a victory if he intends to maintain his reputation as one of the division’s best fighters.

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

The stacked UFC 259 pay-per-view will go down in Las Vegas, Nevada, and with a small number of fight fans in attendance. UFC 259 goes down on March 6, and immediately stands out as one of the promotion’s biggest pay-per-views of the year. The card will be topped by a whopping three title fights, as middleweight champion Israel Adesanya challenges light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in the main event, and Petr Yan and Amanda Nunes defend the men’s bantamweight and women’s featherweight titles against Aljamain Sterling and Megan Anderson respectively.

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

Patricio Freire believes Michael Chandler will become the UFC lightweight champion, but that still won’t make him the sport’s best lightweight. Freire and Chandler are easily the two most accomplished fighters in Bellator MMA history. The pair have fought once before, with Freire knocking Chandler out to capture the promotion’s featherweight belt—though many feel it was a premature stoppage.

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2021

You won’t catch UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman calling himself the Greatest of All Time. That’s because he doesn’t think anyone should bestow themselves with such a weighty title. Usman explained his objection to fighters proclaiming themselves the GOAT during a recent interview with MMA Fighting.

Harry Kettle - February 1, 2021

UFC legend Randy Couture remembers playing the role of “spoiler” when he beat Chuck Liddell way back at UFC 43. Couture is so often regarded as a legend in mixed martial arts and rightly so, but many often forget that it was towards the end of what many considered to be his “prime” that he did some of his best work.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier suggested that Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler fight each other for the vacant title. The race for the UFC lightweight title is high in the wake of Poirier’s knockout win over Conor McGregor at UFC 257. With UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov almost assuredly set to retire in the coming weeks and vacate the belt, Poirier — the self-named “uncrowned world champion” —  is fully expected to be one half of whatever the next lightweight title fight is. His opponent, however, is still up in the air, with McGregor, Chandler, Oliveira, and Nate Diaz all realistic options.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

Ahead of their upcoming main event matchup, UFC welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev admitted that he has never watched Leon Edwards fight. After two previous matchups fell apart due to COVID-19 issues, Chimaev and Edwards will now meet in the headliner of a UFC Fight Night card on March 13. Fight fans are crossing their fingers that both men remain healthy so this fight can finally take place as expected, with the winner of the bout potentially earning a title shot against the winner of UFC 258’s Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns championship fight.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

Bellator commentator Mike Goldberg parodied Conor McGregor’s “who da fook are you?” in a comical cameo from the former UFC play-by-play man. Goldberg was the long-time UFC play-by-play commentator and he now does the same job for Bellator. In a recent cameo, a fan asked Goldberg to talk about the UFC 257 main event fight between McGregor and Dustin Poirier, and “Goldie” made sure the fan got their money’s worth. Check out the hilarious cameo video of Goldberg parodying the infamous “who the fook are you?” McGregor moment below (via Borrachinha Depot).

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

BKFC fighter Paige VanZant blasted her haters ahead of her upcoming bout, telling them that she will still be beautiful even if she gets cut. VanZant left the UFC last year to sign a big-money, free-agent contract with BKFC. Next weekend, VanZant makes her bare-knuckle boxing debut against Britain Hart on February 5 during the Super Bowl weekend card. VanZant’s decision to move from MMA to BKFC, where the likelihood of her face getting cut is very high, has led to criticism from fans online, many of who believe she is making the wrong call. Her critics believe that VanZant will get cut open in BKFC which could harm her earning as an Instagram model. To those haters, VanZant has two words for them: grow up.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

UFC women’s bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd has officially challenged fellow divisional stalwart Julianna Pena to a fight this spring. Ladd took to her social media on Sunday to make the callout of Pena, in response to a tweet of Pena calling out UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes.

Adam Martin - January 31, 2021

Jessica Andrade says she is planning on fighting UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko sometime later this spring. After defeating Katlyn Chookagian in her 125lbs debut last fall on Fight Island, UFC president Dana White confirmed that Andrade would be next in line for Shevchenko after she took out Jennifer Maia at UFC 255. So far, we have not heard much in the way of progress in booking this fight, but Team Andrade is hoping to get some good news soon. Speaking to AG Fight, Andrade’s coach Gilliard Parana said they want to fight Shevchenko this fall, but would take another fight if the UFC decides on it.

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

UFC middleweight contender Marvin Vettori says he plans on taking the “European crown” from rival Darren Till when they meet in April. Vettori takes on Till in the main event of an upcoming UFC Fight Night event slated for April 10 in Las Vegas. It’s a battle between the Italian Vettori and the Brit Till, and the fact both men are from Europe adds an additional layer of intrigue to this contest. Taking to his social media in the days after the fight was officially announced, Vettori posted a promotional poster of the matchup on his Instagram, adding that the winner of this upcoming bout will wear the “European crown.”

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo promised to shut up “big mouth” Henry Cejudo after his rematch with Brandon Moreno. Figueiredo was the “MMA Fighter of the Year” in 2020 after an incredible year that saw him finish Joseph Benavidez twice, win the UFC flyweight title, defend the belt against Alex Prez by stoppage, and then be one half of a “Fight of the Year” in a draw with Brandon Moreno at UFC 256. Because that fight ended in a majority draw, the UFC has already revealed plans to book a rematch, and it will likely take place in April or May. That would put Figueiredo on track to fight once again later in 2021.

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

The wife of former UFC star-turned-boxer Ben Askren responded after his upcoming boxing opponent Jake Paul called Amy Askren “thicc.” Askren takes on Paul in a highly-anticipated boxing match on April 17 for the Triller app. It’s Askren’s first professional boxing match, while for Paul it’s his third fight following two knockout wins over AnEsonGib and Nate Robinson. As one would expect, both Askren and Paul have already begun their trash talk in the lead-up to the fight, and now things are getting personal. In the days after the fight was announced, Paul made lewd comments about Ben’s wife Amy, calling her “thicc.”

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

Former World’s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski returns to mixed martial arts when he takes on an opponent TBD at KSW 59 in March. The promotion itself announced that “Pudzian” will return on March 20 at KSW 59 for his first MMA fight since a TKO win over Erko Jun at KSW 51 in November 2019.

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

Former UFC bantamweight Francisco Rivera returned after a five-year layoff with a brutal KO win over Ryan Lilley at XMMA. Rivera previously fought for the UFC twice, in 2011 and then between 2012 and 2016. Overall, “Cisco” went 4-6, 1 NC in the UFC, with memorable knockout wins over Alex Caceres, George Roop, and Edwin Figueroa. However, after losing three straight fights between 2015 and 2016, the UFC released him after he failed a USADA drug test. USADA dropped the hammer on Rivera for using the banned substance clenbuterol, and he has been on the sidelines ever since July 2016.

Adam D Martin - January 31, 2021

UFC bantamweight Frankie Edgar believes a finish in his upcoming fight against Cory Sandhagen at UFC Vegas 18 could result in a title shot. Next Saturday, Edgar and Sandhagen fight in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 18: Overeem vs. Volkov, and there could be a 135lbs title shot on the line for the winner, especially with a great finish. UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan takes on No. 1 contender Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 in March and the winner of the Edgar vs. Sandhagen fight could very well get the winner of the title fight later this year.

Chris Taylor - January 30, 2021

Former UFC standout James Vick suffered his third consecutive stoppage loss at tonight’s XMMA event in West Palm Beach, Florida. Vick (13-6 MMA) became a free agent in October of 2019, this after the UFC opted against renewing his contract.