MMA News
Saturday’s UFC Vegas 17 event is down to 12 fights after Aiemann Zahabi is forced to withdraw
Drake Riggs - December 17, 2020
UFC Vegas 17 continues to take hits as a bantamweight matchup has been canceled after Aiemann Zahabi tested positive for COVID-19. Initially shaping up to be a massive 18-fight end of the year showcase for the UFC, that is now far from the case as we quickly approach weigh-ins. In total, UFC Vegas 17 has lost 11 scheduled bouts including the event headliner pitting the red-hot Khamzat Chimaev opposite No. 3 ranked Leon Edwards.
Miesha Tate: Grappling Cris Cyborg 'would be amazing,' open to MMA return
Drake Riggs - December 17, 2020
Since retiring from MMA in 2016, former UFC and Strikeforce champ Miesha Tate has become a mother of two and a Vice President for ONE Championship. After a brief period of living over in Singapore where ONE is based, Tate recently came back home to Washington state for the holidays. As she gets to spend some time with her family, Tate is then planning to relocate to Las Vegas where she spent the majority of her fight career.
Geoff Neal sees both sides to Khamzat Chimaev getting Leon Edwards fight
Drake Riggs - December 17, 2020
Streaking welterweight contender Geoff Neal is prepared to compete in his biggest fight yet. But originally, he wasn’t supposed to be UFC Vegas 17’s main event. On December 19, Neal is set to take on former UFC welterweight title challenger Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. For the 30-year old Contender Series alum, this will be his first time as a UFC headliner.
Stephen Thompson confident he would "crush" Jake Paul
Cole Shelton - December 17, 2020
Stephen Thompson believes he would crush Jake Paul if they were to fight one another. Ever since Paul knocked out Nate Robinson on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. undercard he has become a massive star. The 23-year-old YouTube star has since taken over the combat sports world and has called out the likes of Conor McGregor, Chris Weidman, and Dillon Danis. Yet, for Thompson, he knows if he were to fight him, it would not end well for Paul.
Greg Hardy says he will knock out Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder
Adam Martin - December 17, 2020
UFC heavyweight Greg Hardy says he will knock out Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder if he fights them in a boxing match. Hardy, one of the most controversial fighters in MMA due to domestic violence issues while he was a football player in the NFL, takes on Marcin Tybura this Saturday night at UFC Vegas 17. It’s the last UFC card of the year and Hardy will look to end his 2020 on a high note with a victory over the veteran Tybura. Though the fight is very close on paper, Hardy is already looking past Tybura and into his future, where he sees himself in the boxing ring.
Khaos Williams expects to turn Michel Pereira into a wrestler "once I touch the chin"
Cole Shelton - December 17, 2020
Khaos Williams doesn’t expect Michel Pereira to strike with him this Saturday. At UFC Vegas 17, Williams is set to return to the Octagon just a month after scoring a highlight-reel one-punch KO over Abdul Razak Alhassan. Given he didn’t take much damage, Williams wanted to get one more in this year and that is what happened.
Derek Brunson accepts challenge from Kevin Holland
Adam Martin - December 17, 2020
UFC middleweight Derek Brunson accepted the challenge from Kevin Holland as the two middleweights appear to be on a collision course in 2021. Fresh off of a brutal KO win over Ronaldo Souza at UFC 256, Holland is now looking to break into the top-10 and one of the fighters standing in his way is Brunson. The veteran middleweight is coming off of a huge TKO win over Edmen Shahbazyan that showed he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. With Holland looking to break into the top-10 and with Brunson looking for a high-profile fight to elevate him at 185lbs, a matchup between Brunson and Holland seems to make a lot of sense as we head into the new year.
Christos Giagos steps in on short notice to face Carlton Minus at UFC Vegas 17
Alfredo Zullino - December 17, 2020
A new bout has been added to this Saturday’s card as Christos Giagos replaces Rick Glenn against Carlton Minus. As reported on Wednesday, Rick Glenn has been forced to pull out from the card due to an allegedly positive COVID-19 test. No official statement from the promotion has been made yet.
Kevin Holland calls Khamzat Chimaev a "wannabe gangster"
Adam Martin - December 17, 2020
UFC middleweight contender Kevin Holland called Khamzat Chimaev a “wannabe gangster” after hearing “crickets” following his recent call-out. Holland knocked out veteran Ronaldo Souza at UFC 256 last weekend with punches off his back on the ground. It was another incredible victory for Holland, who is 5-0 in 2020, with all five of his fights coming since May. After knocking Souza out in a $50,000 bonus-winning performance, Holland called out Chimaev, one of the hottest fighters in the UFC right now at either 170lbs or 180lbs. Chimaev currently has a date set with Leon Edwards for January 20 on Fight Island, but that didn’t stop Holland from calling the Swede out.
Video | Watch Jake Paul ambush Dillon Danis from a new angle
Tom Taylor - December 17, 2020
New footage has emerged of YouTube star Jake Paul pelting Bellator MMA’s Dillon Danis with water balloons and rolls of toilet paper in LA earlier this week. Paul, who became a star on YouTube, recently burst into the combat sports limelight by knocking out former NBA player Nate Robinson on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. undercard.
Dana White defends Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev booking
Tom Taylor - December 17, 2020
UFC President Dana White has explained why the promotion booked a controversial welterweight fight between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev. Chimaev was one of the breakout stars for the UFC in 2020, rattling off a trio of wins over John Philips, Rhys McKee and Gerald Meerschaert in the span of just a few months. While those wins were impressive, however, he’s yet to beat a ranked opponent at either middleweight or welterweight.
Tony Ferguson responds to claims that he'll but cut after UFC 256 loss
Tom Taylor - December 17, 2020
Tony Ferguson has responded to a recent claim that he’ll be cut from the UFC roster after his unanimous decision loss to Charles Oliveira. Ferguson’s loss to Oliveira pushed him onto a two-fight skid, as he was also defeated by Justin Gaethje by TKO back in May. While losses to Gaethje and Oliveira—two of the best lightweights on earth—are certainly excusable, the UFC is currently downsizing it’s roster, and after the release of fighters like Jussier Formiga and Yoel Romero, it seems that nobody is safe from the chopping block.
Pro fighters make their picks for Stephen Thompson vs. Geoff Neal
Cole Shelton - December 17, 2020
In the main event of the UFC Vegas 17 which is the final UFC event of 2020, Stephen Thompson returns to the Octagon against rising contender, Geoff Neal. Heading into the fight, Neal is a -120 favorite while “Wonderboy” is a -110 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. The majority of pros believe it will be Thompson getting the job done and remaining a top-five welterweight.
Tony Ferguson claims Charles Oliveira "was mentally broken" in the first round of their fight
Tom Taylor - December 17, 2020
Tony Ferguson believes Charles Oliveira broke mentally in the first round of their recent lightweight fight. Ferguson and Oliveira met in the co-main event of UFC 256 last weekend. After three rounds of action that unfurled mostly on the ground, Oliveira was named the winner by unanimous decision.
Brandon Moreno describes "very painful" low blow in Deiveson Figueiredo fight: "It was a nasty kick directly to my balls"
Adam Martin - December 17, 2020
UFC flyweight Brandon Moreno described the “very painful” low blow in the Deiveson Figueiredo fight as “a nasty kick directly to my balls.” Moreno and Figueiredo went the full 25 minutes in a classic fight that headlined UFC 256. At the end of the five rounds, the judges scored the bout a majority draw, and UFC president Dana White has since confirmed the rematch is happening in 2021. It was a very competitive fight that turned out to be a draw because of a foul that occurred in the third round of the fight. In that round, Figueiredo landed a brutal low blow on Moreno, and referee Jason Herzog took one point for the foul, which ultimately led to the draw.
Dana White on Khabib Nurmagomedov comeback: "I’m a little confident that I can talk him into it"
Tom Taylor - December 17, 2020
UFC President Dana White is feeling confident that he can convince UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov to fight again. Nurmagomedov retired in November, after he submitted Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi. After the fight, the unbeaten Russian shocked the MMA world by announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts, citing the recent death of his father and mentor Abdulmanap and a promise to his mother as the reasons.
Eddie Grant and Sam Hughes respond to Daniel Cormier’s “hurtful” comments from UFC 256
Harry Kettle - December 17, 2020
UFC fighter Sam Hughes and her coach Eddie Grant have responded to Daniel Cormier’s comments from UFC 256. On Saturday night, Hughes lost to Tecia Torres as a result of a doctor stoppage courtesy of an eye injury. It turns out that she wound up being diagnosed with hyphema, or pooling of blood inside the eye, and the UFC’s ophthalmologist said that her iris was 80% filled with blood.
Full betting odds for UFC Vegas 17: Thompson vs. Neal
Adam Martin - December 17, 2020
The full betting odds have been released for the 14 fights scheduled to take place at Saturday’s UFC Vegas 17: Thompson vs. Neal. The main event sees former UFC welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson take on surging contender Geoff Neal. Thompson last fought at UFC 244 in November 2019, taking home “Fight of the Night” in his unanimous decision win over Vicente Luque. As for Neal, he is 5-0 in the UFC and is coming off of a head kick TKO win over Mike Perry at UFC 245. However, Neal has not been able to fight so far this year due to some health issues.