MMA News
Artem Lobov "gutted" after return to MMA is cancelled due to COVID-19
Tom Taylor - December 8, 2020
Arena Fight Championship 2, an event that was slated to include the MMA return of Artem Lobov, has been cancelled due to several positive COVID-19 tests. The promotion announced this unfortunate news in a public statement on Tuesday.
Fan-favorite Clay Collard ready for PFL, boxing success
Tom Taylor - December 8, 2020
If there is one thing Clay Collard wants you to remember when he leaves the cage or boxing ring, it is that he gave everything he had. Collard, who will compete in the upcoming Professional Fighters League lightweight regular season in 2021, steps back into the boxing ring for Top Rank Boxing this Saturday night.
Kayla Harrison set to compete in rematch in Titan FC
Adam Martin - December 8, 2020
PFL women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison is set to compete in a rematch against Jozette Cotton in Titan FC next week. Harrison is still a member of the PFL roster but the promotion allowed her to take two fights outside of the organization in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Harrison ventured to Invicta FC in her last fight and picked up a vicious TKO win over Cortney King in a bloody battle. She will now head to Titan FC to take on Cotton, a former opponent in PFL, on December 17. The event takes place in Miami.
UFC Vegas 16 medical suspensions: Jack Hermansson facing long break
Tom Taylor - December 8, 2020
The medical suspensions for last weekend’s UFC Vegas 16 card are in, and a handful of fighters are facing long absences after their fights. Most notably, middleweight contender Jack Hermansson is facing a potential six-month sit due a fractured orbital he sustained in his decision loss to Marvin Vettori in the UFC Vegas 16 main event.
Jon Jones shares initial impression of Claressa Shields after training session
Tom Taylor - December 8, 2020
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has shared his initial thoughts on Claressa Shields after their first training sessions together. Shields, a three-division boxing champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, is set to make her MMA debut in the PFL cage in 2021. Ahead of this anticipated debut, Shields has set up camp at JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque—the training home of many top fighters, including Jones.
Daniel Cormier will not watch Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul, calls it a "work"
Adam Martin - December 8, 2020
UFC legend Daniel Cormier says he will not watch the Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul special exhibition boxing match, calling it a “work.” The Mayweather vs. Paul matchup was officially announced this week and the two will meet on February 20 in a special exhibition bout. Initially, reaction to the matchup has been mixed, with some fans saying that the fight is a joke, while others are intrigued by the spectacle of it all. Count Cormier in the camp of the former, as the former UFC double champion has no interest in watching this fight.
Charles Oliveira says Khabib Nurmagomedov swore on his father's grave he's retired
Adam Martin - December 8, 2020
UFC lightweight contender Charles Oliveira says that he was told Khabib Nurmagomedov swore on his father’s grave that he’s retired from MMA. Oliveira takes on Tony Ferguson this Saturday night at UFC 256 in what is the most important fight of his career to date. The Brazilian is currently riding a seven-fight wins streak and he is looking to earn a shot at the UFC lightweight title. While his focus is completely on Ferguson ahead of this weekend’s matchup, he can’t help but look at the rest of the landscape at 155lbs, including what Nurmagomedov is doing.
Just Scrap Radio Ep. 22 with Brandon Moreno, Artem Lobov, Renato Moicano, Daniel Pineda and Peter Barrett
Cole Shelton - December 8, 2020
The 22nd episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with Cole Shelton is here ahead of UFC 256. We’re first joined by one-half of the main event, Brandon Moreno (2:46). Next, the GOAT, Artem Lobov (22:16) joins the show. Then, UFC lightweight, Renato Moicano (38:29) comes on. UFC featherweight, Daniel Pineda (56:10) joins the program. Closing out the show is UFC featherweight, Peter Barrett (1:08:30).
Video | Tito Ortiz gets roasted at first city council meeting
Tom Taylor - December 8, 2020
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz is now a member of the Huntington Beach City Council, and he’s already receiving some hate in the role. This week, Ortiz attended his first City Council Meeting, where he was sworn in for the role—and also roasted by a citizen who called in to voice his disappointment with some of the former fighter’s recent remarks.
Jon Jones feels new motivation ahead of heavyweight move: "These guys are intimidating"
Tom Taylor - December 8, 2020
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is feeling new motivation ahead of his debut in the promotion’s perilous heavyweight division. Jones has not fought since he defended the light heavyweight title with a decision defeat of Dominick Reyes earlier this year. Not long thereafter, he vacated the light heavyweight title with plans to move up to heavyweight.
Video | Jorge Masvidal shares preview for his upcoming MTV Cribs appearance
Harry Kettle - December 8, 2020
UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal has given fans a preview of his upcoming appearance on MTV Cribs. Masvidal, who last fought on Fight Island in a losing effort against Kamaru Usman, continues to see his popularity rise as his star power outside of the Octagon goes from strength to strength.
Mike Perry vows to come back stronger following weight-miss and loss at UFC 255
Harry Kettle - December 8, 2020
UFC bad boy Mike Perry has vowed to return stronger after missing weight and losing to Tim Means at UFC 255. Perry caused quite a stir in the build-up to his bout with Means after struggling with his weight cut before it was revealed that he didn’t seem to take the process too seriously. That resulted in him losing the fight to Means via unanimous decision, dropping him to 3-6 in his last nine fights.
Jordan Leavitt wants slams banned from MMA: "I would prefer to have won in any other way"
Adam Martin - December 7, 2020
UFC lightweight Jordan Leavitt believes that slams should be banned from MMA after he knocked Matt Wiman out with a nasty one at UFC Vegas 16. Leavitt earned a UFC contract after picking up a finish on Dana White’s Contender Series this past summer. “The Monkey King” made his long-awaited Octagon debut in the opening main card bout of this past Saturday’s UFC Vegas 16 card against the veteran Wiman, and the result was a spectacular win for the newcomer. Not long after the opening bell rang, Leavitt picked Wiman up, carried him across the cage, and slammed him to the canvas, knocking him out cold in just 23 seconds.
Jake Paul roasts "mini champ" Henry Cejudo after "Triple C" tells him to sign the contract
Cole Shelton - December 7, 2020
Jake Paul has blasted former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion, Henry Cejudo. After Paul knocked out Nate Robinson and called out the likes of Conor McGregor, Dillon Danis, and Ben Askren, many in the MMA world took notice. Then, just recently, Cejudo called out Paul and said if he couldn’t finish him he would donate his purse to charity.
Kevin Holland sends a message to Jacare Souza ahead of UFC 256: “Don’t try and lay and pray”
Cole Shelton - December 7, 2020
Kevin Holland is hoping to give the fans an entertaining fight. On the main card of UFC 256, Holland is set to take on perennial middleweight contender, Jacare Souza in a very intriguing matchup. For many pundits, they believe if Kevin Holland can keep it standing he will have success, while Souza needs to get the fight to the ground.
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship interested in signing Yoel Romero: "He has BKFC written all over him"
Cole Shelton - December 7, 2020
David Feldman is hoping to meet with Yoel Romero in the coming days. On Friday, it was revealed Romero was shockingly released from the UFC. Immediately, many thought the middleweight would sign with Bellator or PFL. However, on Monday, it was reported both promotions aren’t interested in bringing in the 43-year-old.
Ali Abdelaziz tells Tony Ferguson that his management team tried obtaining the services of Justin Gaethje following UFC 249
Adam Martin - December 7, 2020
MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz told Tony Ferguson that his management team tried obtaining the services of Justin Gaethje following UFC 249. Abdelaziz is the manager of several notable fighters in the UFC including Gaethje, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, UFC bantamweight Frankie Edgar, and many more. Dominance MMA is one of the top management groups in the game today as several of their fighters have become UFC champions, not to mention many of Abdelaziz’s fighters are generally among the most highly-compensated athletes in the promotion.
Report | Bellator and PFL not interested in Yoel Romero
Adam Martin - December 7, 2020
Following his release from the UFC, middleweight Yoel Romero is reportedly drawing no interest from Bellator or PFL on the free-agent market. Romero was surprisingly released by the world’s leading MMA promotion last week as part of UFC president Dana White’s plan to cut 60 fighters from the roster. At 43 years of age, having lost three straight fights, and having a sizeable purse, the UFC decided it was in everyone’s best interest to release Romero. The former No. 1 contender in the UFC middleweight division was deemed expandable by White, but based on his resume, most expected the other top promotions to be interested.