MMA News
Petr Yan open to fighting TJ Dillashaw if the price is right and he doesn't use PEDs
Adam Martin - January 28, 2021
UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan says he is open to fighting TJ Dillashaw as long as the price is right and he doesn’t use PEDs. Yan is set to fight No. 1 contender Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 on March 13. While he has a tough fight coming up against “Funk Master,” Yan can’t help but look to what other challenges there are in the division. One of those is Dillashaw, the former UFC bantamweight champion. After two years away from the Octagon due to a USADA suspension, Dillashaw is now eligible to return to action, and UFC president Dana White recently confirmed that he could fight for the belt in his first fight back.
Henry Cejudo tells Francis Ngannou to bend the knee and "sign the contract"
Cole Shelton - January 28, 2021
Henry Cejudo has issued a callout to heavyweight title challenger, Francis Ngannou. Despite the fact that Cejudo retired at UFC 249, he has been vocal about calling people out. He called out Alexander Volkanovski, Petr Yan, Deiveson Figueiredo, and boxer Ryan Garcia. Now, however, he has issued his biggest callout to date and that is against Francis Ngannou.
Megan Anderson lashes out at Casey Kenney for “disgusting” comments on recent podcast, Kenney issues quick apology
Adam Martin - January 28, 2021
UFC women’s featherweight contender Megan Anderson lashed out at Casey Kenney for the “disgusting” comments he made on a recent podcast. Kenney, the UFC bantamweight contender, was a guest during a recent edition of the “Timbo Sugar Show” with hosts Sean O’Malley and Tim Welch. After a bizarre discussion about using heroin between the hosts, Welch later asked Kenny if he would ever have sex with Anderson. Here’s how the exchange went and he said.
Justin Gaethje interested in fighting Nate Diaz if UFC offers it
Cole Shelton - January 28, 2021
Justin Gaethje says he has not been offered Nate Diaz but would be open to the fight. Recently, UFC president, Dana White revealed Diaz would be returning to lightweight and would fight a top contender. Many thought that would be Gaethje but he says he was not offered him and thought maybe Diaz can fight Diego Sanchez.
Curtis Blaydes expects to wrestle Derrick Lewis "until he breaks"
Cole Shelton - January 28, 2021
Curtis Blaydes has a specific gameplan for his upcoming main event fight against Derrick Lewis. On February 20, Blaydes and Lewis will finally fight after their bout on November 20 was postponed due to Blaydes testing positive for COVID-19. Now that “Razor” is healthy he says he is eager to fight Lewis as he knows there is a clear path to victory.
Charles Oliveira hoping to fight Dustin Poirier in May or June, predicts submission win
Adam Martin - January 28, 2021
UFC lightweight contender Charles Oliveira is hoping to fight Dustin Poirier in May or June for the title, and he is promising a submission. In the wake of Poirier’s knockout win over Conor McGregor at UFC 257 — and with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov liking set to retire and vacate his belt any day now — there has been strong support for a Poirier vs. Oliveira vacant title fight among fans and media. It’s a fight that Oliveira himself badly wants, too.
Raquel Pennington self-reports doping violation, suspended six months by USADA
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
UFC bantamweight contender Raquel Pennington has been suspended six months by the United States Anti-Doping Agency after self-reporting a doping violation. USADA explained the Pennington situation in a statement on Thursday.
City council members seek to remove Tito Ortiz for lack of "honor and dignity"
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Several Huntington Beach City Council members are seeking to remove former UFC champ Tito Ortiz from his position as Mayor Pro Tem of the city. Ortiz was elected onto Huntington Beach City Council last year, and was subsequently selected to serve as the city’s Mayor Pro Tem. Regrettably, his time in office has been marred by a long list of serious blunders and embarrassments.
Geoff Neal calls out Li Jingliang
Adam Martin - January 28, 2021
After losing a decision to Stephen Thompson his last time out, UFC welterweight contender Geoff Neal now has his sights set on Li Jingliang. After missing a year of action due to health issues, Neal finally returned to the Octagon in the main event of UFC Vegas 17 back in December. In his first five-round UFC fight, Neal was able to go the distance with an elite opponent in Thompson, ultimately losing a unanimous decision. Despite the loss, however, Neal is still a top-15 ranked opponent, coming in at No. 11 in the UFC. Right behind him at No. 12 is Jingliang — fresh off a KO win over Santiago Ponzinibbio — and Neal wants him next.
Jake Paul drills 4-second KO punch with Jorge Masvidal
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Jake Paul is already training for his April 17 boxing match with Ben Askren, and he’s enlisted the help of UFC star Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal fought Askren in 2019, knocking the wrestling specialist out with a flying knee in just five seconds. It was the fastest knockout in UFC history. In anticipation of his April boxing match with Askren, Paul has moved to Miami to pick Masvidal’s brain. The pair are already working together, and drilling attacks that Paul hopes will beat Askren even faster than Masvidal did.
Manny Pacquiao no longer interested in fighting Conor McGregor
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Manny Pacquiao and his team feel there’s no longer any demand for a boxing match with former two-division UFC champ Conor McGregor. Heading into his UFC 257 fight with Dustin Poirier, McGregor was linked to a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao sometime later in the year. After McGregor lost to Poirier via second-round TKO, however, interest in the matchup has waned.
Jorge Masvidal needs "very big, very entertaining" fight, says coach
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
American Top Team coach Mike Brown believes UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal has earned a marquee fight. Masvidal has not fought since July, when he lost a decision to Kamaru Usman in a short-notice welterweight title fight. Prior to that, he was riding stoppage wins over Darren Till, Ben Askren and Nate Diaz, which turned him into one of the sport’s biggest stars.
Dillon Danis trashes Michael Bisping over Paul bros criticism: "Stay in the commentary booth where it’s safe"
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Bellator star Dillon Danis has some choice words for former UFC middleweight champion turned MMA analyst Michael Bisping. Danis has spent the last few months angling for a boxing match with YouTube star turned pro boxer Jake Paul. While Paul recently signed on for a boxing match with former UFC fighter Ben Askren, Danis hasn’t relented in his callouts of the YouTuber.
Marc Goddard sends message to "cold and cynical souls" who kick fighters when they're down
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Veteran mixed martial arts referee Marc Goddard has a message for fans who berate fighters when they’re riding tough losses. Goddard took to Twitter to share this message over the weekend, seemingly in response to Conor McGregor’s shocking, second-round TKO loss to Dustin Poirier.
Dillon Danis: "I would submit Justin Gaethje in under 30 seconds"
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Bellator MMA star Dillon Danis believes he could submit UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje in less than 30 seconds. Danis, an accomplished Brazilian jiu jitsu blackbelt who never shies away from a little pot-stirring, made this bold proclamation on Twitter on Wednesday night.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik welcomes future fight with Jon Jones
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
UFC heavyweight contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik is interested in a future fight with former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Jones ruled over the UFC light heavyweight division for many years, but recently vacated his title with plans to make a permanent move up to the heavyweight division.
Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa opening betting odds released
Adam Martin - January 27, 2021
The opening betting odds have been released for the upcoming middleweight bout between top contenders Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa. It was announced this week that Whittaker and Costa will meet in a five-round, non-title main event at a UFC Fight Night event scheduled for April 17. Both men had conveyed interest in an interim or vacant title fight with UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya fighting up at 205lbs in his next bout, but the promotion decided to just make it a non-title five-rounder, with the winner likely in line for a title shot.
Rafael dos Anjos says he's a bad matchup for Conor McGregor: "I use a lot of those calf kicks"
Adam Martin - January 27, 2021
UFC lightweight Rafael dos Anjos says he’s a bad matchup for Conor McGregor, suggesting he would utilize a lot of calf kicks if they fought. Dos Anjos and McGregor were originally supposed to meet back at UFC 196 in March 2016, but dos Anjos pulled out of the fight due to injury. He was replaced by Nate Diaz, which led to one of the greatest moments of all time when Diaz tapped McGregor out. Instead of fighting McGregor in a money fight that day, dos Anjos instead didn’t get that fight, and then he lost his title in his very next outing in an upset to Eddie Alvarez, while McGregor and Diaz exploded into mega superstars.