MMA News
Khamzat Chimaev withdrew from Edwards fight due to COVID-19 complications, says manager
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2020
Khamzat Chimaev withdrew from his planned fight with Leon Edwards due to complications stemming from his recent COVID-19 infection, according to his manager. Chimaev was slated to fight Edwards in the main event of a card on Fight Island on January 20. Unfortunately, he was forced out of the bout earlier this week.
Cory Sandhagen opens as big favorite over Frankie Edgar
Adam Martin - December 30, 2020
UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen opened up as a big betting favorite for his upcoming battle against Frankie Edgar in early 2021. Sandhagen takes on Edgar on the undercard of the upcoming Alistair Overeem vs. Alexander Volkov card that is set for February 6 of next year. With the fight now official, the sportsbooks have released the opening betting odds for this intriguing Sandhagen vs. Edgar bout. Check out the opening odds below (via BestFightOdds).
Joanna Jedrzejczyk reacts to potential Carla Esparza title shot: "Rose is next"
Adam Martin - December 30, 2020
UFC women’s strawweight contender Joanna Jedrzejczyk reacted to the potential of Carla Esparza getting a title shot, saying “Rose is next.” We all thought the plan was for UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang to fight Rose Namajunas next, but UFC president Dana White recently got into a public disagreement with Team Namajunas about her desire to actually fight for the belt. According to White, Namajunas doesn’t want to fight Zhang for the belt and the UFC is considering giving the title shot at 115lbs to the former champion Esparza instead. On her end, Team Namajunas has denied that and says that she just wants to fight.
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.
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.
Tony Ferguson reflects on meeting with Conor McGregor
Tom Taylor - December 30, 2020
UFC lightweight contender Tony Ferguson recently took a little trip down memory lane, reflecting on a meeting with his long-time rival Conor McGregor. Ferguson and McGregor have stood out as two of the UFC’s top lightweights for many years. Somewhat miraculously, however, the pair have never shared the cage.
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.
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.
Coach: If Calvin Kattar doesn't get a title shot with a win over Holloway "there is superior politics going on"
Cole Shelton - December 29, 2020
Tyson Chartier believes Calvin Kattar will be fighting for a UFC title sometime in the middle of 2021. Entering 2020, Chartier and Kattar set out a goal of going 3-0 after a disappointing loss to Zabit Magomedsharipov in November. The hope was the New England Cartel member would get the hype behind his name back and everyone would forget about the loss. So far, that is exactly what has happened.
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.
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 makes his intentions clear after Chimaev exit: "I want to fight January 20th on the island"
Tom Taylor - December 29, 2020
UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards has made his intentions very clear: he wants to compete on UFC Fight Island on January 20. Edwards was previously expected to fight rising prospect Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of a Fight Night card scheduled for January 20 on the island. Regrettably, Chimaev has been forced out of the fight for undisclosed reasons, leaving Edwards without a dance partner for the card.
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.
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.