MMA News
Georges St-Pierre announces new partnership with Budweiser Zero
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2020
Georges St-Pierre told fight fans he’d be making a special announcement on Wednesday, and he came through on that promise. Whether it’s the announcement fight fans were hoping for, however, is up for debate.
Dustin Poirier "most deserving of a title shot," says Khabib Nurmagomedov coach
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2020
Coach Javier Mendez believes that if his star pupil, UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, retires, Dustin Poirier should fight for the vacant belt. Nurmagomedov announced his retirement after a submission victory over Justin Gaethje in October. That being said, he still hasn’t vacated the lightweight title, due primarily to the fact that UFC President Dana White hopes he’ll fight again.
Joanne Calderwood excited to punch Jessica Eye in the face and make her bleed at UFC 257
Adam Martin - December 30, 2020
UFC women’s flyweight contender Joanne Calderwood says she is excited to punch rival Jessica Eye in the face and make her bleed at UFC 257. Calderwood meets Eye at UFC 257, which is set for January 23 on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. Calderwood is the No. 7 ranked women’s flyweight while Eye is ranked No. 6, so this is an important matchup between top-10 ranked 125lbers. But for Scotland’s Calderwood, it’s more than just a fight. For her, this matchup with Eye is personal.
Daniel Cormier believes Jon Jones deserves heavyweight title shot
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2020
Daniel Cormier believes former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones deserves an immediate crack at the UFC light heavyweight title. Jones ruled over the UFC light heavyweight division for many years—battling Cormier twice in that span—but recently vacated his throne with plans to move up to heavyweight.
Minowaman previews "explosively inspiring, wacky fight" at RIZIN 26
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2020
Minowaman, a legend among hardcore fight fans, is headed to the RIZIN Fighting Federation ring. The 44-year-old, who has competed in well over 100 mixed martial arts bouts and many pro wrestling matches, will take on jūryō-ranked sumo Tsuyoshi Sudario at RIZIN 26 inside the Saitama Super Arena on New Years Eve.
Magomed Ankalaev set to return against fellow light heavyweight contender Nikita Krylov on February 27
Harry Kettle - December 30, 2020
Top light heavyweight contenders will meet in late February as Magomed Ankalaev prepares to lock horns with Nikita Krylov. These two titans at 205 pounds will be hoping to make a statement to kickstart 2021 with both coming off the back of 2020 wins over legitimate names – Ion Cutelaba and Johnny Walker respectively.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk on a Weili Zhang rematch: 'Maybe she doesn't want to face me'
Drake Riggs - December 29, 2020
Early into 2020, Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk put on an instant classic in what many are touting as the fight of the year. The co-main event of March’s UFC 248 pay-per-view saw the new strawweight champion from China defending opposite Poland’s former queen. For a full 25 minutes, they went to war.
Conor McGregor will finish Dustin Poirier inside two rounds at UFC 257, says Dillon Danis
Cole Shelton - December 29, 2020
Dillon Danis expects Conor McGregor to beat Dustin Poirier pretty quickly at UFC 257. On January 23, McGregor and Poirier will have their rematch six-and-a-half years in the making. The two first fought in September of 2014 with the Irishman winning by first-round knockout. For Danis, he believes the result at UFC 257 will be very similar as he expects his teammate to KO “The Diamond” inside two rounds.
Cris Cyborg teases "big news soon" in Bellator
Adam Martin - December 29, 2020
Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg teased her fans on social media that she has “big news soon” as Bellator heads into 2021. Taking to her social media ahead of the new year, Cyborg teased her fans that she has big news coming soon, all while tagging Bellator in the post, indicating a fight announcement. Check out what the Brazilian wrote on her social media below.
UFC odds: Which fighters will close out 2021 as champions?
Tom Taylor - December 29, 2020
The bookmakers at BetOnline.ag are expecting fighters like Francis Ngannou, Israel Adesanya, and Petr Yan to conclude 2021 as UFC champions. This week, the sportsbook released betting lines for the champions of a number of UFC weight classes by the end of 2021.
Leon Edwards: "Where that b*tch Jorge at?"
Tom Taylor - December 29, 2020
Leon Edwards has issued a scathing callout of his fellow UFC welterweight contender and arch nemesis Jorge Masvidal. Edwards was previously slated to take on Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card on January 20. Unfortunately, news broke this morning that Chimaev has been forced out of the fight.
Kevin Holland gets March headlining spot against Derek Brunson
Adam Martin - December 29, 2020
UFC middleweight contenders Kevin Holland and Derek Brunson will meet in the headliner of a UFC Fight Night card that is set for March 2021. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto was the first to report that Holland vs. Brunson will headline a UFC Fight Night event that takes place on March 20 at a location that has yet to be determined. The report says that both Holland and Brunson have verbally agreed to the bout with the only thing left being for both men to put fresh ink on the contract.
Leon Edwards targeted by Holland and Luque after Chimaev withdrawal
Tom Taylor - December 29, 2020
Kevin Holland and Vicente Luque have both offered to step in against Leon Edwards on January 20. Edwards, the UFC’s No. 3-ranked welterweight, was originally expected to battle Khamzat Chimaev in the January 20 card’s main event. Unfortunately, Chimaev has been forced out of that fight for undisclosed reasons, casting Edwards’ immediate future in uncertainty.
Gilbert Burns admits its a "blessing" he didn't fight Kamaru Usman in July
Tom Taylor - December 29, 2020
Gilbert Burns says it’s a “blessing” he didn’t end up fighting Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight championship in July. Burns was originally slated to challenge Usman, the UFC welterweight champion, for the division’s strap in the main event of UFC 251 in July. Regrettably, he ended up coming down with COVID-19, and was forced out of the fight as a result.
Georges St-Pierre teases "announcement tomorrow"
Tom Taylor - December 29, 2020
Former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre says he’ll have an announcement for his fans on Wednesday. St-Pierre is currently retired, but has frequently been linked to a potential fight with unbeaten UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. While it certainly seems like a long shot that he’ll be announcing that fight tomorrow, it’s clear he has something in the pipeline.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk reacts to receiving 2020 Fight of the Year honors
Tom Taylor - December 29, 2020
Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk has reacted to receiving Fight of the Year honors at the 2020 World MMA Awards. Jedrzejczyk received this honor for her part in a fight with UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang. The pair met in the co-main event of UFC 248 in March, with Zhang’s title on the line. While Jedrzejczyk ultimately came up short in the matchup, there were no real losers in the fight, as the two women left everything they had in the Octagon.
Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev fight reportedly off again
Tom Taylor - December 29, 2020
An anticipated welterweight matchup between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev is off again, according to reports out of Sweden and Russia. Edward and Chimaev were originally expected to meet in the main event of a Fight Night card in Las Vegas on December 19. Unfortunately, that plan was derailed when Edwards came down with COVID-19.
Conor McGregor boosted ESPN+ subscriptions from 6.6 to 7.6 million, says Disney exec
Harry Kettle - December 29, 2020
Earlier this year, Disney’s Bob Iger claimed that Conor McGregor helped drive ESPN+ subscriptions rise from 6.6 million to 7.6 million. While there is so confirmation as to whether or not these numbers came directly from his win over Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at the start of the year, there’s no way of denying the overwhelming impact that can be felt throughout the sport of mixed martial arts whenever McGregor is in town.