MMA News
Khabib Nurmagomedov explains why Dustin Poirier is 'much better' than Conor McGregor
Thomas Taylor - August 30, 2019
Next weekend, in the main event of UFC 242, Khabib Nurmagomedov will attempt to defend his lightweight title opposite interim champion Dustin Poirier. While this fight is not generating the same kind of buzz as Nurmagomedov’s 2018 battle with Conor McGregor, the champ considers it a much more dangerous fight. Nurmagomedov shared his belief that Poirier is a more dangerous test than McGregor on Friday’s UFC 242 media conference call.
UFC Shenzhen loses main card fight
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
UFC Shenzhen has lost one of its main card fights at the eleventh hour. Lu Zhenghong has been forced out of his featherweight battle with Movsar Evloev due a cut. The cut was sustained earlier this week, and it did not heal fast enough to allow him to fight. This Zhenghong vs. Evloev bout has been replaced on the main card by a welterweight bout between between Song Kenan and Derrick Krantz.
Khabib Nurmagomedov willing to fight Georges St-Pierre in Montreal
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has been angling for a fight with former UFC welterweight and middleweight champ Georges St-Pierre for a long time. Even now that St-Pierre is retired, the lightweight champ remains interested in the matchup. He’d even be willing to accept the fight on St-Pierre’s home turf in Montreal.
Andrea Lee fighting for a lot more than title contention at UFC 242
Mike Heck - August 30, 2019
Andrea Lee has put herself in a position where a title shot is getting closer and closer. She will look to take a big step in that direction next Saturday night when she faces Joanne Calderwood at UFC 242. The event will take place at The Arena, Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and the women’s flyweight matchup will be the featured preliminary bout.
Junior dos Santos says trilogy fight between Stipe Miocic & Daniel Cormier doesn't make sense
Fernando Quiles - August 30, 2019
Junior dos Santos isn’t sold on a potential trilogy bout between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier. Miocic and Cormier are coming off their UFC 241 rematch earlier this month. While Cormier knocked out Miocic in their first encounter, Miocic got his revenge with a fourth-round TKO in the rematch to reclaim the heavyweight gold. With the pair tied at 1-1 and Cormier being up on all scorecards before being stopped, many believe a third bout makes sense should “DC” choose to stick around.
Mairbek Taisumov confident he'll soon be fighting ranked opponents on US soil
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
Mairbek Taisumov has won his last six fights — five of them via knockout. Under ordinary circumstances, the Russian-Austrian lightweight would have earned a ranked opponent by now. Yet his situation has been anything but normal. Despite his incredible success in the UFC lightweight division, Taisumov has been hindered by a litany of issues unrelated to fighting — most notably a longstanding difficulty obtaining a United States visa, and more recently, a United States Anti-Doping Agency suspension due to a tainted dietary supplement.
Cain Velasquez believes Daniel Cormier wants Stipe Miocic trilogy
Adam Martin - August 30, 2019
Cain Velasquez believes his close friend and teammate Daniel Cormier would like to fight at least one more time and have a trilogy fight against Stipe Miocic. The former UFC heavyweight champion Velasquez recently spoke to MMAjunkie.com and said he believes DC wants to fight Miocic for a third time and attempt to re-claim the heavyweight belt he recently lost at UFC 241.
Chael Sonnen to Jon Jones: 'I'd rather see you type lines than snort them'
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
Chael Sonnen often mentions Jon Jones on his podcast. Unfortunately, he feels his comments on Jones are occasionally taken out of context, which prompts Jones to fire back on Twitter. According to Sonnen, however, the silver lining is that Jones is better off trash talking on Twitter than getting into trouble outside the cage.
Dominick Cruz responds to Henry Cejudo callout
Tom Taylor - August 30, 2019
Earlier this week, UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo called for a showdown with the former champion Dominick Cruz — a man he considers an “easy” fight. A public service announcement from Triple C. “Tune up fight” @DominickCruz @danawhite pic.twitter.com/hkUnnz8xaD
UFC Shenzhen weigh-in results: one misses weight
Cole Shelton - August 29, 2019
The UFC heads to Shenzhen, China on Saturday, Aug. 31 for the first time in promotional history for UFC Shenzhen. In the main event, Jessica Andrade looks to defend her strawweight title when she takes on Weili Zhang. The co-main event of the card features a key welterweight contest as Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos takes on Li Jingliang.
Dustin Poirier embracing underdog role at UFC 242
Cole Shelton - August 29, 2019
Dustin Poirier is once again an underdog in his next fight, but this time he can’t blame the oddsmakers. He is taking on the undefeated lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC 242. For Poirier, he has the chance to become the undisputed lightweight champion and hand Nurmagomedov his first career loss. He also wants to show people if your mindset is right, you can do anything.
Frankie Edgar explains why he hesitated on moving down to bantamweight
Fernando Quiles - August 29, 2019
Frankie Edgar is making the move to 135 pounds, but it took quite a bit of time. Edgar has always been known as the underdog who proved his doubters wrong. Despite his size, “The Answer” captured the UFC lightweight title and was one of the elite title contenders with his featherweight move. While Edgar enjoyed great success at 145 pounds, he never could capture the gold in that weight class.
Nick Diaz to Georges St-Pierre: 'Come and get some'
Tom Taylor - August 29, 2019
Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, who is retired from competition, recently explained that he has nothing to gain by rematching his former foe Nick Diaz. “I think this guy’s gonna hate me until the day I die. It’s unbelievable,” St-Pierre told Chael Sonnen of Diaz. “I know he doesn’t like me, and he looks to get me all the time. But, I genuinely like the guy. I’m telling you the truth.
Paulo Costa, five others, encouraged to change weight classes by CSAC
Mike Heck - August 29, 2019
UFC 241 went down a couple of weeks ago in Anaheim, Calif., but the aftermath of the memorable event continues as six fighters — including Paulo Costa — have been recommended to move up a weight class by the California State Athletic Commission. Along with Costa, who defeated Yoel Romero in their middleweight featured bout at the event, bantamweights Brandon Davis, Manny Bermudez, and Kyung Ho Kang, women’s flyweight Sabina Mazo, and featherweight Sodiq Yusuff have been given the recommendation.
Mickey Gall proclaims himself the "new Natural Born Killer" ahead of Condit fight
Tom Taylor - August 29, 2019
Yesterday afternoon, it was announced that former UFC interim welterweight champ Carlos Condit —who fights with the nickname “The Natural Born Killer” — will return to the cage opposite Mickey Gall. The bout is scheduled for December 7 in Washington D.C. For Mickey Gall, this bout represents a huge opportunity, as Condit is perhaps the most decorated and accomplished opponent he’s fought to date. Gall seems to be excited about this challenge.
Cain Velasquez discusses UFC return after lucha libre debut
Tom Taylor - August 29, 2019
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez recently made his lucha libre debut at Triplemania XXVII in Mexico City. Not only did the former champ look very impressive in this debut, be he also loved the experience. So much so that he’s not sure when he’ll return to the Octagon. “For me, I know what I can do and I feel like learning wrestling for the short time that I’ve learned it, it feels very natural to me,” Velasquez told MMA Junkie of his pro wrestling debut. “I loved it. I love going out there and competing and I can’t wait to do more of it.
Michael Bisping: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier lacks hype
Fernando Quiles - August 29, 2019
Robert Whittaker opens up on recent struggle with depression
Tom Taylor - August 29, 2019
Robert Whittaker was expected to defend his UFC middleweight title against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 234 in in Melbourne, Australia back in February. Regrettably, the Australian was forced out of this fight at the last minute with a hernia and a collapsed bowel that required immediate, emergency surgery. Whittaker says this unfortunate twist of fate left him in a pit of depression and despair. He opened up on this struggle on a recent episode of Submission Radio.
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos not frustrated by having to fight unranked opponents
Cole Shelton - August 29, 2019
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos is currently ranked 14th in the UFC welterweight division and is on a seven-fight winning streak. Despite his success, the Brazilian continues to be matched up with unranked opponents. Yet dos Santos doesn’t care if he fights ranked or unranked opponents. Instead, he is just focused on fighting.