MMA News
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.
Junior dos Santos won't accept Ciryl Gane loss due to "illegal" elbow
Cole Shelton - December 17, 2020
Junior dos Santos is not accepting defeat. At UFC 256, dos Santos suffered his fourth-straight loss as he was knocked out by Ciryl Gane in the second round. However, there was some controversy involving the stoppage as the elbow the Frenchman threw was borderline on if it was to the back of the head. For the former champion, he believes it was an illegal shot.
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.
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.
Maycee Barber reflects on 2020, confident she will "prove everyone wrong" in return fight
Cole Shelton - December 17, 2020
Maycee Barber’s 2020 did not go the way she envisioned. In January at UFC 246, Barber was looking to improve to 9-0 when she took on Roxanne Modafferi. The goal for the 22-year-old was to beat Modafferi, get another win in the summer and fight for the belt at year’s end. Unfortunately for her, she lost the fight by decision and tore her ACL which has kept her out of action for the remainder of the year.
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.
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.
Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier rematch will be "completely different" than first fight, says Dana White
Tom Taylor - December 17, 2020
UFC President Dana White believes the upcoming rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will be “completely different” than their first fight. McGregor and Poirier first met in the featherweight division in 2014. On that night, McGregor won by first-round knockout, taking another leap up the featherweight ranks in the process.
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.
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.
Mike Perry reveals his Christmas wish: a fight with Nate Diaz
Harry Kettle - December 17, 2020
UFC fighter Mike Perry wants to test himself in a big way for his next fight by squaring off against Nate Diaz. Perry, who is coming off the back of a defeat to Tim Means, has been a source of great debate amongst MMA fans for a long time now. Some enjoy his antics and are always excited to see him fight, whereas others are disturbed by his actions outside the cage.
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.
Dave Leduc responds to callouts from Simon Marcus, Yohan Lidon
Tom Taylor - December 17, 2020
As “The King of Lethwei,” Dave Leduc is well accustomed to receiving callouts from prospective opponents keen to usurp his throne. This month, however, has been particularly busy for the French Canadian Lethwei legend.
Oddsmakers largely favor Conor McGregor in potential Jake Paul boxing match
Drake Riggs - December 16, 2020
If the world ends up getting to see the fantasy boxing matchup between former UFC champion Conor McGregor and YouTube star Jake Paul, the odds lean heavily toward the Irishman. After an entirely one-sided war of words between McGregor and Paul, those words coming from the latter, oddsmakers have now revealed the betting numbers for several possibilities. Unsurprisingly, each category supports the MMA veteran. (via MyBookie.ag)