MMA News
Dana White teases Valentina Shevchenko vs. Amanda Nunes trilogy: "It just makes sense to see those two fight again"
Adam Martin - November 20, 2020
UFC president Dana White said that a Valentina Shevchenko vs. Amanda Nunes trilogy is possible, as is a superfight against Weili Zhang. Shevchenko, the reigning and defending UFC women’s flyweight champion, puts her belt on the line this weekend at UFC 255 when she takes on Jennifer Maia in the co-main event. Shevchenko has gone a perfect 5-0 since moving down to 125lbs and looks to hold the belt for a long time. Should she get by Maia this weekend as the betting odds suggest she will, the calls for a tougher matchup for Shevchenko in her next fight will be high.
Jon Anik suggests interesting solution to weight-cutting issues after Mike Perry scale fail
Tom Taylor - November 20, 2020
UFC commentator Jon Anik has suggested an interesting solution to MMA’s weight-cutting issues after a grievous scale fail from Mike Perry. Perry is slated to take on Tim Means on the main card of UFC 255 this Saturday. On Friday morning, he stepped onto the scale to weigh in for the fight, but missed the 171 welterweight limit by a significant 4.5 pounds.
Dana White previews Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier rematch
Tom Taylor - November 20, 2020
UFC President Dana White has shared his initial thoughts on the upcoming rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. McGregor and Poirier are slated to collide in the main event of UFC 257 on January 23, most likely on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
Dana White says the UFC has not spoken to Jon Jones about heavyweight move
Adam Martin - November 20, 2020
UFC president Dana White says his promotion has not spoken to pound-for-pound great Jon Jones about a move up to the heavyweight division. Jones vacated the UFC light heavyweight championship in the summer with a planned move up to heavyweight in the hopes of becoming a rare two-division champion. In recent weeks, Jones has been posting videos of him bulking up in anticipation of a move up in weight. However, we still haven’t gotten an official announcement from the UFC in regards to his debut in the promotion’s heaviest weight class, which figures to come in 2021.
UFC 255 weigh-in results: Title fights official, Mike Perry misses mark
Tom Taylor - November 20, 2020
On Saturday night, the UFC will promote its second last pay-per-view of 2020 in the under-the-radar UFC 255 card. The card will be topped by a pair of title fights, both in the 125-pound flyweight division. In the main event, men’s flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo will look to make the first defense of his title reign against the streaking Alex Perez. UFC 255 co-headling honors, meanwhile, will go to women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko and her underdog opponent, Jennifer Maia.
Paul Felder inks new, multi-fight deal with with UFC
Tom Taylor - November 20, 2020
Paul Felder isn’t going anywhere. According to a report from MMA Fighting, the lightweight contender has signed a new, multi-fight deal with the UFC. Paul Felder last fought in the main event of UFC Vegas 14 last Saturday, when he lost a split decision to former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. However, Felder accepted the fight on just five days’ notice—replacing dos Anjos’ original opponent, Islam Makhachev—so he hardly lost any ground in defeat.
Manager calls reports of Khabib Nurmagomedov staying retired "fake news"
Tom Taylor - November 20, 2020
Ali Abdelaziz has responded to widespread reports the UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will stick to his retirement plans. Nurmagomedov announced his retirement after he elevated his pro record to 29-0 with a submission of Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 last month. Despite that retirement announcement, UFC President Dana White has been adamant that Nurmagomedov will fight again.
Mike Perry "dying" during UFC 255 weight cut: "Maybe I should just lay the gloves down"
Tom Taylor - November 20, 2020
UFC welterweight Mike Perry is enduring a brutal weight cut for his UFC 255 main card showdown with Tim “The Dirty Bird” Means. Earlier this week, Perry admitted that his weight was quite high, and that he anticipated a significant cut to reach the 171-pound weight limit for his fight with Means.
Coaches suspended and their fighter fined after breaching COVID-19 protocol before Bellator 253
Harry Kettle - November 20, 2020
Henri Hooft and Greg Jones have been suspended after breaching COVID-19 protocol prior to last night’s Bellator 253 event. The two men were seen breaking quarantine by training with their fighter Bellator 253 co-main event fighter Jason Jackson in the lead-up to his fight against Benson Henderson, and as a result, both Hooft and Jones have been suspended for three months by Mohegan Tribe Athletic Department of Athletic Regulation head Mike Mazzulli.
Scott Coker says he is "happy" with current roster, not interested in signing Anderson Silva
Cole Shelton - November 19, 2020
Bellator will not be offering free agent, Anderson Silva a contract, Scott Coker revealed. On Thursday, it was revealed Silva was released from his UFC deal. The news came weeks after his knockout loss to Uriah Hall where Dana White made it clear he would not fight inside the Octagon again.
Bellator 253 Results: A.J. McKee submits Darrion Caldwell in the first round (Video)
Cole Shelton - November 19, 2020
In the main event of Bellator 253, Darrion Caldwell was taking on A.J. McKee in the semifinals of the featherweight grand prix. Darrion Caldwell (14-3) is riding a two-fight winning streak with both wins coming in the featherweight grand prix. In the opening round of the tournament, he defeated Henry Corrales by decision and then followed that up with a first-round submission win over Adam Borics. Before entering the grand prix, Caldwell lost back-to-back fights to Kyoji Horiguchi for the RIZIN bantamweight title and to lose his Bellator bantamweight title. He defended his bantamweight title once but does hold notable wins over Leandro Higo, Noad Lahat, Joe Warren, and Eduardo Dantas.
Brandon Royval says Brandon Moreno fight will be "15 minutes of me whooping his ass"
Cole Shelton - November 19, 2020
Brandon Royval is confident he will prove the doubters wrong once again when he fights Brandon Moreno. At UFC 255, Royval is the betting underdog once again as he has been in all three of his UFC fights. Yet, against Moreno, he believes this is a perfect matchup for him to have success against.
Bellator 253: 'Caldwell vs. McKee' Live Results and Highlights
Cole Shelton - November 19, 2020
Bellator remains in Uncasville, Connecticut for Bellator 253. The fight card features one-half of the featherweight grand prix semifinals as Darrion Caldwell takes on A.J. McKee. Darrion Caldwell (14-3) is riding a two-fight winning streak with both wins coming in the featherweight grand prix. In the opening round of the tournament, he defeated Henry Corrales by decision and then followed that up with a first-round submission win over Adam Borics. Before entering the grand prix, Caldwell lost back-to-back fights to Kyoji Horiguchi for the RIZIN bantamweight title and to lose his Bellator bantamweight title. He defended his bantamweight title once but does hold notable wins over Leandro Higo, Noad Lahat, Joe Warren, and Eduardo Dantas.
Anderson Silva released by UFC, eligible to sign with another promotion
Tom Taylor - November 19, 2020
Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, one of the greatest fighters in the promotion’s history, is no longer part of its roster. On Thursday, MMA Fighting reported that Silva has officially been released from the UFC roster, which means he’s now free to compete for another promotion, should he so choose.
Khabib Nurmagomedov responds to Dana White's comeback talk
Tom Taylor - November 19, 2020
Khabib Nurmagomedov says he will be sticking to his retirement, contrary to the recent remarks of UFC President Dana White. Nurmagomedov last fought in the main event of UFC 254 in late October, when he defended the lightweight title with a second-round submission of Justin Gaethje, and pushed his record to 29-0 in the process.
Minotauro Nogueira hospitalized with pneumonia, expected to make full recovery
Adam Martin - November 19, 2020
UFC legend Minotauro Nogueira was hospitalized with pneumonia in his native Brazil, but the heavyweight is expected to make full recovery. Nogueira, the former interim UFC heavyweight champion and PRIDE heavyweight champion, released a statement on Thursday explaining why he ended up in the hospital. According to Minotauro, he was kitesurfing in Jericoacoara when he became exhausted and was sent to the hospital for further evaluation. The legend says that he expects to be fine and he recovering and doing tests at a hospital in Fortalza.
Breaking: Conor McGregor signs contract, fight with Dustin Poirier set for January 23
Tom Taylor - November 19, 2020
Conor McGregor has reportedly signed his contract for a long rumored January 23 fight with fellow lightweight contender Dustin Poirier. News of this matchup was first reported by MMA Fighting earlier this month, but UFC President Dana White later insisted that contracts were not yet signed.
UFC 255 | Pro fighters make their picks for Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jennifer Maia
Cole Shelton - November 19, 2020
In the co-main event of UFC 255, Valentina Shevchenko is looking to defend her flyweight title against Jennifer Maia. Heading into the fight, the champ is a -1800 favorite while the Brazilian is a +850 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their prediction for the scrap. To no surprise, the pros are unanimous in thinking Valentina Shevchenko defends her belt by stoppage, with the majority thinking it will be by stoppage.