MMA News
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.
Dana White reacts to Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul fight
Tom Taylor - December 7, 2020
UFC President Dana White has shared his initial thoughts on the upcoming boxing exhibition match between Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul. The Mayweather vs. Paul fight, scheduled for February 20, was announced over the weekend. In an unsurprising twist, this clash between one of the greatest boxers of all time and a YouTube star with a 0-1 pro boxing record generated some interesting reactions from the stars of the combat sports world.
Conor McGregor sends advice, encouragement to PFL-bound Claressa Shields
Tom Taylor - December 7, 2020
Former two-division UFC champ Conor McGregor has some words of advice for boxing star Claressa Shields, who will transition to MMA under the PFL banner in 2021. Shields, a three-division boxing champ at just 25 years old, will make her MMA debut in the PFL cage in 2021. Ahead of that debut, Shields has been training at JacksonWink MMA alongside former UFC champs Jon Jones and Holly Holm. She’s also received some advice from another former UFC champ in McGregor.
Claressa Shields trains with Jon Jones, Holly Holm ahead of MMA move
Tom Taylor - December 7, 2020
Three-division boxing champion Claressa Shields has enlisted the help of two former UFC champs as she prepares to transition into mixed martial arts. Shields, widely considered one of the greatest female boxers of all time, recently signed with the Professional Fighters League, where she will begin her MMA journey in 2021.
Pros react after Dana White lays out plans to cut 60 UFC fighters
Tom Taylor - December 7, 2020
UFC President Dana White recently divulged that he plans on culling 60 fighters from the promotion’s ever-expanding roster. White dropped this information not long after it was revealed the former UFC middleweight title challenger Yoel Romero had been released from his contract with the promotion.
Francis Ngannou: Stipe Miocic "has been holding the heavyweight division up for a long time"
Tom Taylor - December 7, 2020
Top UFC heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou is getting frustrated with the inactivity of the division’s reigning champion Stipe Miocic. After rattling off consecutive knockout victories over Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Ngannou has irrefutably earned a second crack at Miocic, who he lost a decision to in 2018.
Dana White reacts to surge in COVID-19 fight cancellations
Tom Taylor - December 7, 2020
UFC President Dana White has commented on the recent spike of fight cancellations due to athletes and their cornermen testing positive for COVID-19. While the pandemic has gripped the world for close to a year now, there’s recently been an increased number of cancelled fights due to the virus. White commented on the issue at the post-fight press conference for last weekend’s UFC Vegas 16 card, which was particularly hard-hit by the COVID-related fight cancellations.
Angela Hill forced to withdraw from scheduled bout with Tecia Torres at UFC 256
Harry Kettle - December 7, 2020
Angela Hill has announced that she will not be fighting Tecia Torres at UFC 256 after testing positive for COVID-19. Hill is often viewed as a big fan favorite in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and rightly so, whether it be due to her fighting style or her overall personality. She was hoping to get another crack at Torres five years on from their battle at UFC 188, but now, she’ll have to wait and see whether or not the fight gets rebooked.
Photo | Cody Durden was pulled from UFC Vegas 16 due to pink eye
Adam Martin - December 6, 2020
UFC flyweight prospect Cody Durden says that he was pulled from Saturday night’s UFC Vegas 16 card due to a case of pink eye. Durden was set for his second fight in the UFC against fellow prospect Jimmy Flick in what was shaping up to be a really fun fight between two exciting flyweights. Unfortunately, Durden vs. Flick was one of three bouts scheduled for UFC Vegas 16 scratched from the card on fight day, along with a women’s flyweight bout between Montana de la Rosa and Taila Santos, and a featherweight bout between Movsar Evloev and Nate Landwehr. Those were canceled due to positive COVID-19 tests.
Henry Cejudo issues challenge to Jake Paul
Christopher Taylor - December 6, 2020
Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo has issued a challenge to YouTuber Jake Paul. Paul improved his professional boxing record to a perfect 2-0 at last weekends ‘Tyson vs Jones Jr.’ event, scoring a nasty second round knockout victory over former NBA player Nate Robinson.
Video | Marvin Vettori reveals facial injuries from Jack Hermansson fight: “It’s like he had a knife in his glove”
Adam Martin - December 6, 2020
UFC middleweight Marvin Vettori revealed the facial injuries from the Jack Hermansson fight feel “like he had a knife in his glove.” Vettori and Hermansson set a UFC record for the most combined significant strikes landed in a middleweight fight ever. Both men went to the well, taking the fight into deep waters and trying to get the knockout with every last swing. Ultimately at the end of 25 minutes, Vettori was given the nod by the judges on the scorecards. It was a close and competitive fight and both men landed some good shots, but Vettori landed the more significant strikes, including a big knockdown in the first round.
Jamahal Hill releases statement following breakthrough TKO win over Ovince Saint Preux
Adam Martin - December 6, 2020
UFC light heavyweight Jamahal Hill released a statement following his breakthrough TKO win over Ovince Saint Preux. Hill is one of the top 205lbs prospects in MMA. The 29-year-old American improved to 8-0, 1 NC in his professional MMA career with the TKO win over OSP, one that UFC president Dana White says will earn him a bonus. Hill previously picked up UFC wins over Darko Stostic and Kildson Abreu, who he finished by TKO back in May. However, Hill was fined and suspended and the result of that bout was changed to a No Contest after Hill tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight drug test.
Dana White on potential Marvin Vettori vs. Paulo Costa matchup: "Love it"
Adam Martin - December 6, 2020
UFC president Dana White said that he would “love” to watch a potential middleweight bout between Marvin Vettori and Paulo Costa. Vettori picked up the biggest win of his UFC career to date on Saturday night when he won a unanimous decision over Jack Hermansson in a “Fight of the Night” war between two of the best middleweights in the world. With the win, Vettori figures to take Hermansson’s spot at No. 4 in the UFC rankings. As for Costa, despite a TKO loss to Israel Adesanya in their title fight at UFC 254, he is ranked No. 2 right now.