MMA News
Paulo Costa confirms fight with Robert Whittaker "very close" to being booked
Adam Martin - November 4, 2020
UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa confirmed that a fight against former champion Robert Whittaker is “very close” to being booked. Costa recently called out Whittaker for what he said would be an “amazing fight” for the fans. Whittaker in turn said that he wasn’t interested in Costa at the moment, but it looks like the UFC has different plans. Speaking on his YouTube channel in a recent live chat with his fans, Costa confirmed that he’s deep into discussions with the UFC about the Whittaker fight, adding that a few details need to still be ironed out.
Stephen Thompson vs. Geoff Neal added to undercard of Khamzat Chimaev vs. Leon Edwards card
Adam Martin - November 4, 2020
An exciting matchup between two of the best welterweights in the UFC takes place in December when Stephen Thompson takes on Geoff Neal. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto was the first to report the Thompson vs. Neal fight. The bout will take place on the UFC Fight Night card on December 19, one that features a main event between Khamzat Chimaev and Leon Edwards. The card takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Israel Adesanya shares theory on swollen pectoral after undergoing medical tests
Tom Taylor - November 4, 2020
Israel Adesanya was the picture of dominance in his UFC 253 title fight with Paulo Costa, defending the middleweight title with second-round TKO. Unfortunately, many fans were talking about something else in the aftermath of the matchup: the champ’s swollen pectoral muscle. During the bout, some viewers noticed that Adesanya had some unusual swelling on the right side of his chest. As ever, fans were quick to speculate as to the cause of this abnormality, with some even accusing the champion of steroid use.
Niko Price among multiple UFC fighters to be suspended for marijuana use
Adam Martin - November 4, 2020
Niko Price was among the multiple UFC fighters who have been suspended in Nevada for marijuana use while another has tested positive for PEDs. According to MMAjunkie.com’s John Morgan, Price saw his temporary suspension for having carboxy THC in his system extended after testing positive for a prohibited cannabinoid following his fight against Donald Cerrone. Price fought to a draw in the fight. The Nevada State Athletic Commission has now placed Price under a temporary suspension and the two sides are expected to settle the matter in December.
Jan Blachowicz on Israel Adesanya super fight: "He will remember me for the rest of his life"
Tom Taylor - November 4, 2020
UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz is plotting an emphatic victory over the promotion’s middleweight titleholder, Israel Adesanya. Blachowicz is expected to defend his belt against Adesanya sometime in the new year. While the fight doesn’t yet have a date or a setting, the light heavyweight champion has named March as his preferred timeframe for the fight.
Video | Kevin Lee shows off new head tattoo
Tom Taylor - November 4, 2020
UFC lightweight contender Kevin Lee is going to look a little different next time he steps into the Octagon thanks to a brand new head tattoo. Lee began teasing his new ink a few weeks ago, and in a Tuesday post to Instagram, showed off what looks like the nearly-finished product. See it below.
UFC rankings update: Uriah Hall cracks top-10
Tom Taylor - November 4, 2020
The official UFC rankings have been updated after last Saturday’s UFC Vegas 12 card, and as always, there have been some interesting changes. The most notable change concerns Uriah Hall, who has cracked the middleweight division’s top-10 after scoring a fourth-round TKO win over retiring legend Anderson Silva in the card’s main event. By moving into the No. 10 spot, Hall pushes former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman into the No. 11 spot.
Tito Ortiz wins Huntington Beach city council seat
Tom Taylor - November 4, 2020
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz has won a city council seat in his hometown of Huntington Beach, California. Ortiz has been in the running for this position for several months, and ultimately achieved his political goal by winning 34,901 votes—14.26 percent of the votes cast overall (h/t MMA Junkie).
UFC submission specialist Ryan Hall receives medical clearance, promptly makes callout
Harry Kettle - November 4, 2020
UFC featherweight Ryan Hall has immediately issued a callout after being medically cleared to compete once again. Hall, who is considered to be one of the best submission specialists in all of mixed martial arts, hasn’t fought since back in July 2019 when he beat Darren Elkins via unanimous decision. He had, however, twice been booked to fight Ricardo Lamas, only for the bout to fall apart on two separate occasions – the latter being due to Hall sustaining an injury.
Robert Whittaker reacts to callout from Paulo Costa: “He just lost his contention to the title”
Harry Kettle - November 4, 2020
UFC middleweight Robert Whittaker has issued his response after a recent callout by divisional rival Paulo Costa. Whittaker seems to be the next man in line for a shot at Israel Adesanya’s Middleweight Championship after his two decision wins over fellow contenders Darren Till and Jared Cannonier. Costa, on the other hand, was decisively beaten by Adesanya in a one-sided title fight back at UFC 253.
Kevin Holland says coach Travis Lutter wants him to fight two more times in 2020
Adam Martin - November 3, 2020
UFC middleweight contender Kevin Holland says that his coach, former UFC fighter Travis Lutter, wants him to fight two more times in 2020. Holland has been one of the most active fighters on the UFC roster during the COVID-19 pandemic era. Dating back to May, Holland has fought four times and he’s won all four fights in impressive fashion. In May, Holland knocked out Anthony Hernandez in the first round at UFC Jacksonville. Holland then returned in August at UFC Vegas: Lewis vs. Overeem and defeated Joaquin Buckley via KO, winning a 50k bonus for his efforts.
Michael Chandler calls out Tony Ferguson or Justin Gaethje for UFC debut: "We're going to have a blast"
Adam Martin - November 3, 2020
Recent UFC free-agent signing Michael Chandler is requesting a matchup against either Tony Ferguson or Justin Gaethje for his Octagon debut. Chandler was the backup for the UFC 254 main event between UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Gaethje, but he wasn’t needed as both men made weight and made it to the fight unscathed. A former three-time lightweight champion in Bellator, Chandler ended up getting introduced on the UFC 254 pay-per-view broadcast to UFC fans for the first time. But he went to Fight Island with the hopes of stepping into the cage.
Israel Adesanya understands why Robert Whittaker didn't force rematch: "I’ll probably see him again in New Zealand"
Cole Shelton - November 3, 2020
Israel Adesanya knows he and Robert Whittaker will fight again in the near future. After Whittaker defeated Jared Cannonier at UFC 254 to become the No. 1 contender, many figured the rematch with Adesanya would be next. However, Whittaker made it clear he would not fight until March as he wanted to spend the holidays with his family.
Conor McGregor vents his frustration after being “ignored” by UFC officials
Cole Shelton - November 3, 2020
Conor McGregor is venting his frustration with the UFC. In November of last year, McGregor announced he would be returning to the Octagon in January. His goal was to fight three times, the first in January, one in the summer, and then the rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov in October. However, that did not happen for a variety of reasons.
Ian Heinisch believes Brendan Allen is a "stepping stone," confident he will finish him
Cole Shelton - November 3, 2020
Ian Heinisch and Brendan Allen have been talking about fighting one another for years now. Both Heinisch and Allen were fighting in LFA and Allen had been calling Heinisch out. But, “The Hurricane” went on to win the interim middleweight belt and get on the Contender Series and get a UFC contract. Allen, meanwhile, had to stay fighting in LFA for another year, but when he signed to the Las Vegas-based promotion, he started calling out Heinisch once more, and at UFC Vegas 13, they will finally fight.
Welterweight contender Santiago Ponzinibbio makes long-awaited UFC return against Muslim Salikhov
Adam Martin - November 3, 2020
Welterweight contender Santiago Ponzinibbio will make his long-awaited return to the UFC against Muslim Salikhov in January. Ponzinibbio vs. Salikhov is set to take place at a UFC event on January 16, one that will most likely take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Other fights that have been announced for the event include Ricky Simon vs. Brian Kelleher, Justin Tafa vs. Carlos Felipe, and Tim Elliott vs. Jordan Espinosa. There is no main event confirmed for this card just yet, though there remains the possibility the Ponzinibbio fight could headline the card.
Two MMA fighters saved a police officer's life during shooting in Vienna
Alfredo Zullino - November 3, 2020
The world is mourning the death of at least four people killed during a terrorist attack in Vienna, Austria on November 2. The number of casualties of this attack could have been higher, though, if it wasn’t for Mikail Özen and Recep Tayyip Gültekin, two Turkish-born, Vienna-based mixed martial arts fighters who risked their lives to rescue a police officer in need.
South Korea's Sung Bin Jo hopes to draw in Asian-American fans as he takes his talents to PFL
bjpenndotcom - November 3, 2020
In his home country of South Korea, Sung Bin Jo is already a pretty big deal. The dashing 28-year old has looks that can rival any K-Pop star, and that has translated to gigs as an image model on television and magazine ads, as well as appearances on shows such as “Bad Papa” and “Cash Back”.