MMA News
Daniel Cormier encourages Chandler, Hooker to take advantage of fighting on McGregor card
Tom Taylor - January 12, 2021
Daniel Cormier believes Michael Chandler and Dan Hooker need to take full advantage of fighting on the same card as UFC superstar Conor McGregor. Chandler, the former Bellator lightweight champion, will make his Octagon debut against Hooker in the co-main event of UFC 257 on January 23.
UFC 257: 'McGregor vs Poirier 2' Fight Card and Start Times
Harry Kettle - January 12, 2021
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to pay-per-view on Fight Island with a blockbuster main event at UFC 257 as Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier meet inside the Octagon for the second time. Event: UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 Date: Saturday, 23rd January 2021 Location: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Broadcast: ESPN+ – 10pm EST (Main card)
Corey Anderson gives edge to Bellator light heavyweight division over UFC
Drake Riggs - January 11, 2021
To close out 2020, a hot topic was Bellator vs. UFC at 205-pounds. Having competed for both promotions, Corey Anderson leans towards his new home. Winning season 19 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2014, Anderson would go on to enjoy a 10-5 tenure inside the Octagon (14-5 overall). After suffering an early 2020 defeat in his rematch with the now-champion, Jan Blachowicz, “Overtime” departed from the UFC in mid-2020 to sign with Bellator. Thus bolstering a continuously growing division.
Reug Reug gets ONE Championship debut vs. Alain Ngalani
Drake Riggs - January 11, 2021
Senegalese wrestling sensation, Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane (1-0) is on his way to ONE Championship. It was initially reported in late December that Reug Reug had signed with the Singapore-based promotion. For his likely debut, he was expected to face off with BJJ wizard, Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida.
Zabit Magomedsharipov will fight in the next three months, says Dana White
Adam Martin - January 11, 2021
UFC president Dana White said that featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov will fight again within the next three months. The Russian had a nightmarish 2020 as he didn’t fight at all due to a proposed bout with Yair Rodriguez falling through on two occasions. The UFC keeps trying to book this awesome matchup, but it keeps falling apart. The promotion actually tried to book it way back at UFC 228: Woodley vs. Till in September 2018, but Rodriguez withdrew due to injury. The two were re-booked to fight at UFC Vegas in August 2020, but Rodriguez once again withdrew due to injury. The UFC was hoping to match them up for an event this past October, but that fight also fell through.
Dana White reveals getting lone loss removed from Jon Jones' record is "not looking good"
Cole Shelton - January 11, 2021
UFC president, Dana White has revealed he is having a hard time getting the lone loss removed from Jon Jones’ record. The former UFC light heavyweight champion has never truly lost, as his only loss on his record came in his 10th fight as he was disqualified due to illegal elbows. However, it was a controversial DQ and since the event, White has made it clear he wanted to get the loss overturned to a no-contest.
Max Holloway sends a warning to Calvin Kattar for saying he's the better striker: "Come find out"
Cole Shelton - January 11, 2021
Max Holloway doesn’t buy all the talk that Calvin Kattar is the best striker in the featherweight division. In the main event of UFC Fight Island 7, Holloway is set to return to the Octagon against rising contender, Calvin Kattar, which should be a phenomenal fight. Both men are elite strikers, with many saying Kattar has the best boxing at featherweight. However, for Holloway, he believes he is still the guy at 145-pounds and is still the best striker in the division.
Dana White updates on Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev bout: "I love that fight"
Tom Taylor - January 11, 2021
UFC President Dana White is still determined to book a fight between welterweight stars Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev. Edwards and Chimaev have been scheduled to fight twice now to no avail. The pair were first slated to collide on December 19 in Las Vegas, but the matchup fell through when Edwards was sidelined with COVID-19.
Alessio Di Chirico expects to derail the hype of Joaquin Buckley and remain a UFC fighter
Cole Shelton - January 11, 2021
Alessio Di Chirico knows his UFC Fight Island 7 fight against Joaquin Buckley is do-or-die for his UFC career. Di Chirico is on a three-fight losing streak and many were surprised he was fighting Buckley who is on a winning streak. However, the Italian was excited when he got the call to fight Buckley.
Weili Zhang could make next title defense in Asia, says Dana White
Adam Martin - January 11, 2021
UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang could make her next title defense in Asia, according to UFC president Dana White. Zhang is one of the top female fighters in the sports and she is looking to make a grand return to the Octagon in 2021, following a “Fight of the Year” performance against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248 in March 2020. Zhang was not able to fight again following the COVID-19 pandemic, but she is hoping to fight again in the next few months. While most assumed she would make her next title defense in Las Vegas or on Fight Island, there is now a chance she could fight in Asia instead.
Jon Jones vs. Israel Adesanya should happen at light heavyweight, says Dana White
Tom Taylor - January 11, 2021
UFC President Dana White believes a potential fight between Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya should happen in the light heavyweight division, not at heavyweight. Jones and Adesanya are two of the biggest stars in MMA at present, and White has made no secret of his interest in a fight between them. That being said, it’s unclear what weight class this potential superfight would occur in.
Brandon Moreno has a question for Deiveson Figueiredo: "How you want to be a BMF if you can’t beat a little Mexican kid?"
Adam Martin - January 11, 2021
Brandon Moreno questioned UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo’s BMF title talks after the two fought to a majority draw at UFC 256. Moreno and Figueiredo put on one of the best fights of 2020 back in December when the two fought in a 25-minute war that served as the main event of UFC 256. At the end of five rounds, the judges couldn’t decide on a winner, with a point deduction due to a Figueiredo low blow leading to the bout being scored a majority draw. UFC president Dana White has since confirmed there will be a rematch this year, and there have been talks that the UFC could run this fight back in April or May.
Photos | See how Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier have transformed since their first fight
Tom Taylor - January 11, 2021
UFC lightweight contenders Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier both look very different than they did ahead of their first fight. McGregor and Poirier, the No. 4 and 2-ranked lightweights respectively, are slated to collide in the main event of UFC 257 on January 23. The bout will be a rematch of a 2014 featherweight fight, which McGregor won by first-round knockout.
Tito Ortiz reflects on last fight, says he's "getting ready to go again"
Tom Taylor - January 11, 2021
Tito Ortiz currently has his hands full with his duties as the Mayor Pro Tem of Huntington Beach, California, but he still intends to fight again. Ortiz, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, last fought in December, 2019, when he submitted former pro wrestler Alberto Del Rio under the Combate Americas banner.
Dustin Poirier plans to fight "eight more times" before considering retirement
Tom Taylor - January 11, 2021
UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier plans to compete at least eight more times before giving retirement too much thought. Poirier, who currently holds the No. 2 spot in the UFC lightweight rankings, is gearing up for a fight with former two-division champion Conor McGregor, which will headline the UFC 257 card on January 23.
Georges St-Pierre makes his pick for MMA GOAT, but it admits "it's a subjective thing"
Tom Taylor - January 11, 2021
UFC legend Georges St-Pierre believes Royce Gracie is greatest fighter in MMA history, but admits it’s “a subjective thing.” St-Pierre, who previously held the UFC welterweight and middleweight titles, but is now enjoying retirement, recently partook in a interesting interview with UFC.com. One of the topics of the chat was his place among the GOATs of MMA.
UFC files applications with the NSAC to hold four events in February
Harry Kettle - January 11, 2021
Conor McGregor shares bold prediction for rematch with Dustin Poirier at UFC 257
Harry Kettle - January 11, 2021
UFC star Conor McGregor has made an incredibly brave prediction ahead of his rematch with Dustin Poirier at UFC 257. McGregor is set to return to the Octagon for the first time in twelve months, hoping to build off of his dominant welterweight win over Donald Cerrone last January. Dustin Poirier, on the other hand, is coming off the back of an electric decision victory against divisional rival Dan Hooker.
Diego Sanchez announces his next fight will be his last
Adam Martin - January 10, 2021
UFC legend Diego Sanchez announced on social media that his next fight inside the Octagon will be the final fight of his career. Sanchez has been criticized in recent years by fans and media for fighting too long considering the amount of head trauma he’s endured over his 15 years in the Octagon. A member of the UFC roster since 2005, Sanchez is by far the longest-tenured fighter the promotion has under contract. But at age 39 and coming off of several lackluster performances, including a lopsided decision defeat to Jake Matthews at UFC 253, it appears as though Sanchez is finally ready to hang ’em up.