MMA News
Jake Paul slams "coward" Dillon Danis for being scared to fight him and turning down a "life-changing offer"
Cole Shelton - December 21, 2020
Jake Paul doesn’t believe that Dillon Danis actually wants to fight him. Paul and Danis have been taken shots at one another as of late and many fans hoped we would seem the box one another. Bellator president, Scott Coker also said he would allow Danis to box the 23-year-old YouTuber, but according to Paul, the fight offer was never returned.
Conor McGregor reveals UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy is highest-selling PPV of 2020
Adam Martin - December 21, 2020
UFC superstar Conor McGregor revealed that UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy has been confirmed as the highest-selling UFC pay-per-view of 2020. Initially, it appeared that UFC 251: Usman vs. Masvidal was the highest-selling PPV at 1.3 million buys. However, McGregor posted a photo on his social media on Monday showing a letter from the UFC indicating that UFC 246 sold 1,353,429 PPVs, which means it would edge out the 1.3 million number that UFC 251 did. McGregor, ever the salesman, took to his Twitter to share the news that he and Cerrone are the highest-selling PPV of the year.
Marcin Tybura issues statement after stopping Greg Hardy
Tom Taylor - December 21, 2020
UFC heavyweight contender Marcin Tybura has issued a statement after his victory over Greg Hardy at UFC Vegas 17 last weekend. Tybura met Hardy on the event’s main card. The Polish heavyweight ended up scoring a decisive win in the over the former NFL player, strafing his exhausted foe from top position to set up a second-round TKO.
Mackenzie Dern gets quick turnaround, slated for fight with returning Nina Ansaroff
Tom Taylor - December 21, 2020
Rising UFC strawweight star Mackenzie Dern is expected to return the Octagon against established contender Nina Ansaroff on April 10. News of this bout was first reported by Brett Okamoto of ESPN, the official broadcast partner of the UFC.
Jose Aldo calls TJ Dillashaw's past drug test failures "just a mistake," still considers him a champion
Adam Martin - December 21, 2020
UFC legend Jose Aldo called TJ Dillashaw’s past drug test failures “a mistake” and says he still considers him a champion in MMA. Dillashaw has not fought since January 2019 when he suffered a TKO loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC on ESPN+ 1. Following that fight, Dillashaw tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and he has missed the last two years of action. Next month, Dillashaw will finally be able to return to the Octagon after serving his two-year USADA suspension, and already several UFC fighters have called him out for his return.
Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson gets new date, now scheduled for March 6
Tom Taylor - December 21, 2020
A women’s featherweight title fight between champion Amanda Nunes and challenger Megan Anderson will now go down on March 6. Nunes and Anderson were originally slated to collide at UFC 256, which occured on December 12. Unfortunately, Nunes was forced out of that initially slated matchup with an injury, and the bout was put on ice.
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Li Jingliang added to UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Kattar
Adam Martin - December 21, 2020
An intriguing welterweight bout between Santiago Ponzinibbio and Li Jingliang has been added to UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Kattar. MMAFighting.com was the first to confirm that Ponzinibbio vs. Jingliang will take place on the UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Kattar card, which is set to take place on January 16 on Fight Island. It seems likely that Ponzinibbio vs. Jingliang will be placed on the main card considering it features two former top-15 welterweights who are exciting.
Jake Paul claims $50M fight offer is being discussed with Conor McGregor's team: "We've got proof of funds"
Tom Taylor - December 21, 2020
YouTuber turned boxing star Jake Paul claims that his team is in discussions with Conor McGregor’s over a $50M fight offer. Paul has been the talk of the combat sports world after he picked up a brutal knockout victory over former NBA star Nate Robinson on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. undercard last month.
SUG 19 Results: Bader defeats Rumble, Cerrone submits RDA
Harry Kettle - December 21, 2020
Ryan Bader and Donald Cerrone picked up big wins in what proved to be an entertaining night of action at Submission Underground 19. Chael Sonnen’s SUG promotion has been able to draw in some of the biggest names in mixed martial arts over the years, and that trend continued last night as several current and former UFC & Bellator stars hit the ground for some fun grappling exchanges.
Takanori Gomi returns at RIZIN 26 for 'special standing bout' with Kouzi
Drake Riggs - December 21, 2020
As per usual, RIZIN is closing out the year with a bang. For 2020, it’s RIZIN 26, and to fully complete the lineup, “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi is back. The promotion held a press conference on Monday to announce the finishing touches on the card. Which included the lightweight legend being booked for a “special standing bout” exhibition with Koji “Kouzi” Tanaka.
Photo | Stephen Thompson shows off facial cuts from war with Geoff Neal at UFC Vegas 17
Adam Martin - December 20, 2020
UFC welterweight contender Stephen Thompson showed off his facial cuts following his war against Geoff Neal in the UFC Vegas 17 main event. Despite entering the Octagon as the slight betting underdog to Neal based on closing odds, Thompson won the fight in a blowout, winning 50-45 on all three of the judges’ scorecards. Thompson showed that there are levels to this game as he stayed on the outside and landed nearly 200 significant strikes on Neal, who showed incredible durability by going the full five rounds in what was a shutout win for Thompson.
Anthony Pettis credits cutting down on drinking as key to recent UFC success
Adam Martin - December 20, 2020
Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis says that cutting down on drinking has been a key to his recent success in the Octagon. Pettis defeated Alex Morono via unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 17 for his second straight win after beating Donald Cerrone at UFC 249. Considering that Pettis began his year with a submission loss to Diego Ferreira at UFC 246, ending the year with back-to-back wins over Cerrone and Morono showed that he still has the ability to win fights at the highest level of the sport. Following the win over Morono, Pettis is now a free agent and figures to test the free-agent market but says the UFC is his preferred destination.
TJ Dillashaw called out by Rob Font following KO win over Marlon Moraes
Adam Martin - December 20, 2020
Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw was called out by Rob Font following his vicious KO win over Marlon Moraes at UFC Vegas 17. Font was making his long-awaited return to the Octagon after a year away due to injuries, his first fight since defeating Ricky Simon at UFC Washington, D.C. last December. Against Moraes on Saturday night, Font showed why he is one of the best bantamweights in the world when healthy as he viciously knocked out the former title challenger in the first round. The win improves Font’s UFC record to 8-3 overall, and he is currently riding a three-fight win streak as he’s proven himself to be a top-10 fighter.
Former UFC fighter Cody Gibson shares story of Henry Cejudo inspiring high-school wrestler
Adam Martin - December 20, 2020
Former UFC fighter Cody Gibson shared a motivational story of pound-for-pound great Henry Cejudo inspiring a high-school wrestler. Cejudo was one of the top MMA fighters on the planet when he abruptly retired in May following a vicious second-round TKO win over Dominick Cruz at UFC 249. Since then, Cejudo has stayed on the radar of fight fans as he continues to stay active on social media. Embracing the “King of Cringe” moniker, Cejudo is known for posting memes and taking shots at numerous UFC champions. Some believe his cringe gimmick is hilarious and works, while others believe that he needs to ditch the cringe persona.
Canelo Alvarez slams Jake Paul and Logan Paul: "They lack respect"
Adam Martin - December 20, 2020
Canelo Alvarez, the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, slammed Jake Paul and Logan Paul, suggesting the two brothers “lack respect.” Alvarez is the best boxer on the planet, and he reaffirmed his No. 1 P4P ranking on Saturday night when he defeated the much larger Callum Smith by lopsided decision to improve his professional record to 54-1-2. As the top boxer in the world today, Alvarez’s opinions about the current state of boxing mean more than most. So when he was recently asked what he thinks about the Paul brothers, it’s worth listening to him.
Sijara Eubanks issues statement following loss to Pannie Kianzad at UFC Vegas 17
Adam Martin - December 20, 2020
UFC women’s bantamweight contender Sijara Eubanks issued a statement following her unanimous decision loss to Pannie Kianzad at UFC Vegas 17. Eubanks came into the bout ranked No. 13 in the world at 135lbs, but she suffered her second straight defeat with a unanimous decision defeat to Kianzad. It was a close, competitive fight throughout the 15 minutes, but Kianzad was sharper with her boxing and her effective striking was what ultimately won her the fight on points. The judges scored the fight unanimously in the favor of Kianzad, with all three judges giving her the fight 29-28. It was a very close fight that came down to who won the last round.
Aljamain Sterling responds to TJ Dillashaw’s claim that everyone is calling him out “cause they all know that’s my belt”
Adam D Martin - December 20, 2020
UFC bantamweight Aljamain Sterling responded to TJ Dillashaw’s claim that everyone is calling him out “cause they all know that’s my belt.” Dillashaw, the former UFC bantamweight champion, has not fought since January 2019 after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs and being suspended for two years. With Dillashaw’s suspension up next month, he has become a popular target for other top fighters at 135lbs to call out. One of those fighters was former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, who called Dillashaw out following his decision win over Marlon Vera at UFC Vegas 17, a callout that Dillashaw responded to on his Twitter.
Stephen Thompson says he will consider Khamzat Chimaev "the real deal" only if he beats Leon Edwards
Adam Martin - December 20, 2020
UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson says he will consider top prospect Khamzat Chimaev “the real deal” only if he beats Leon Edwards. Thompson was one of the top-ranked welterweights who were called out by Chimaev after he beat Gerald Meerschaert in September, but Thompson turned down the fight citing him being far above Chimaev in the rankings. The UFC was eventually able to book Chimaev against Leon Edwards, and the two will meet on Fight Island on January 20 after their original booking for UFC Vegas 17 fell through due to COVID-19. Thompson, meanwhile, went on to fight No. 11 ranked Geoff Neal and won a decision.