MMA News
Mike Dolce: something "very disturbing" happened during Khabib Nurmagomedov weigh-in
Tom Taylor - October 23, 2020
MMA nutritionist Mike Dolce claims something “very disturbing” happened when Khabib Nurmagomedov stepped onto the scale for his UFC 254 fight. Nurmagomedov, the undisputed UFC lightweight champion, will defend his title against Justin Gaethje in the UFC 254 main event on Saturday. On Friday, he and the other fighters on the bill stepped onto the scale to weigh in for their imminent contests.
Walt Harris says his goal is to win the UFC heavyweight title and then retire
Adam Martin - October 23, 2020
UFC heavyweight contender Walt Harris says his goal is to win the UFC heavyweight title and then retire from the sport without defending it. Harris takes on Alexander Volkov this Saturday at UFC 254 in a high-profile heavyweight bout between top-15 contenders. Harris is the No. 10 ranked fighter in the division while Volkov is No. 7, so this is a massive fight for both men as they look to inch one step closer to a title shot against UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic. It’s worth noting Volkov is the betting favorite for this fight against Harris according to the sportsbooks.
Thanh Le on Martin Nguyen title fight: "All I have to do is touch him"
Tom Taylor - October 23, 2020
Thanh Le isn’t taking ONE featherweight champion Martin Nguyen lightly, but knows what he needs to do to usurp the division’s throne. Le will challenge Nguyen, one of ONE Championship’s most dominant titleholders, in one of four title fights on the ONE: Inside the Matrix bill on October 30. As the fight draws ever closer, the Vietnamese-American is confident that he has the skills to swipe the belt from Nguyen’s waist.
Tony Ferguson trashes "b**ches" Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier
Tom Taylor - October 23, 2020
Tony Ferguson has some choice words for his fellow top-5 UFC lightweight contenders Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor. Ferguson was briefly expected to take on Poirier in the main event of this Saturday’s UFC 254 card. However, that plan ultimately fell through. Since then, Poirier has shifted his attention to a fight with McGregor, which is ostensibly in the works for a fight card on January 23.
Dan Hardy "50/50" on UFC 254 main event after seeing Khabib Nurmagomedov on scale
Tom Taylor - October 23, 2020
Dan Hardy is now “50/50” on the UFC 254 main event after watching UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov weigh in. Nurmagomedov is set to defend his title against Justin Gaethje in the card’s main event. The bout is widely considered the toughest test of his career to date.
Khabib Nurmagomedov on fighting without fans: "Honestly, this energy, I don’t like"
Tom Taylor - October 23, 2020
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t thrilled that there won’t be any fans in the building for his upcoming fight. Nurmagomedov, the undisputed UFC lightweight champion, is set to defend his title against the division’s interim champion, Justin Gaethje, in the main event of UFC 254 this Saturday on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
Islam Makhachev set to headline UFC Vegas card, says Dana White
Adam Martin - October 23, 2020
UFC president Dana White says that top lightweight contender Islam Makhachev will headline an upcoming card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Makhachev was originally set to take on former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos at this weekend’s UFC 254 card. However, the fight was scratched after RDA tested positive for COVID-19. Rather than keep Makhachev on the card against another opponent, the UFC has instead decided to re-book the fight between Makhachev and RDA for the UFC Vegas card on November 14, as we previously reported on BJPenn.com.
Dana White floats No. 1 contender fight between Tony Ferguson and Michael Chandler
Tom Taylor - October 23, 2020
UFC President Dana White is floating the idea of a lightweight No. 1 contender fight between Tony Ferguson and Michael Chandler. Ferguson stood out as the top contender in the lightweight division for many years, but after having a 12-fight win-streak derailed by Justin Gaethje in May, is now looking to reestablish himself. Chandler, on the other hand, is a former Bellator champion, and recently signed with the UFC to much acclaim.
Coach: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson "is not in the picture anymore," claims it's "jinxed"
Cole Shelton - October 23, 2020
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s head coach, Javier Mendez doesn’t think his pupil will ever fight Tony Ferguson. For years now, a fight many fans have wanted to see if Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson. Many pundits thought “El Cucuy” was the toughest test for the undefeated Dagestani champion. However, it was booked several times, but, due to botched weight cuts, fluke injuries, and a global pandemic, the fight was canceled five times.
PFL to offer blockchain fan tokens through new partnership
bjpenndotcom - October 23, 2020
Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced a global partnership with Socios.com, a leading blockchain fintech company in the sports space. This new partnership will see the PFL launch Fan Tokens, digital assets that provide fans with engagement opportunities – including voting rights and the chance to earn exclusive rewards, on blockchain-based fan voting and rewards app Socios.com, the “Official Fan Token Partner of the PFL.”
Justin Gaethje among 19 fighters to hold a UFC interim title
Harry Kettle - October 23, 2020
UFC lightweight Justin Gaethje is one of only nineteen fighters in UFC history to hold an Interim Championship. Gaethje will be hoping to get his hands on the undisputed 155-pound title tomorrow night when he finally gets his shot at the king of the division Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, his first taste of gold in the UFC came earlier this year when he dominated Tony Ferguson, who was also a former interim title holder, to win the belt and set up the fight against “The Eagle”.
UFC 254 weigh in results: Two fighters come in heavy
Harry Kettle - October 23, 2020
Two fighters failed to make weight heading into UFC 254 – but the main event between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje is on. The fighters on the UFC 254 card all weighed in earlier today in Abu Dhabi with the main focus being on Nurmagomedov and Gaethje. While fans are excited by the prospect of Michael Chandler competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, many were praying that the lightweight title showdown would remain intact.
Report | Leon Edwards turned down multiple opponents including Covington and Neal before being removed from rankings
Cole Shelton - October 22, 2020
Leon Edwards reportedly turned down multiple opponents before he was removed from the UFC rankings. Edwards hasn’t fought since July of last year when he defeated Rafael dos Anjos by decision. Since then, he was scheduled to fight Tyron Woodley in March. However, the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Edwards was then locked down in England and couldn’t train properly so he turned down multiple fights.
Conor McGregor calls for Bellator to start drug testing fighters: "It is long overdue"
Cole Shelton - October 22, 2020
Conor McGregor is calling for Bellator to start drug testing fighters. Ever since 2015 when the UFC and USADA partnered for anti-doping testing, many wondered when Bellator would follow suit. However, they have yet to partner with a company to do year-round testing as currently fighters are only tested by the Athletic Commissions during fight week.
Khamzat Chimaev accepts challenge from Leon Edwards: "Let's go"
Adam Martin - October 22, 2020
UFC prospect Khamzat Chimaev has accepted a challenge from top welterweight Leon Edwards after “Rocky” called him out on Twitter. Edwards was removed from the UFC rankings due to inactivity on Thursday in a decision that has ignited plenty of criticism online. Although Edwards hasn’t fought in 15 months, Brian Ortega hadn’t fought in 22 months and was kept in the rankings the entire time. It seems as though Edwards being removed from the rankings is as much about the UFC being frustrated with him turning down fights than it was to him sitting on the sidelines.
Casey Kenney wants to derail top prospects, expects to finish Nathaniel Wood at UFC 254
Cole Shelton - October 22, 2020
Casey Kenney wants to be the person to derail some fighters hype at bantamweight. At UFC 254, Kenney is making a quick turnaround to battle Nathaniel Wood on Fight Island. Despite Kenney competing on a card just three weeks ago, he went back home for 10 days to do a small training camp and is ready to return.
Michael Chandler explains how he is preparing to be a backup fighter at UFC 254: "I am the alternate until I am needed no more"
Adam Martin - October 22, 2020
UFC lightweight Michael Chandler explained how he is preparing for his role as the backup fighter for this main event of Saturday’s UFC 254. Chandler recently signed with the UFC as a free agent following a spectacular run in Bellator where he was a three-time lightweight champion in the promotion. UFC president Dana White admitted that a five-minute phone call with Chandler when he became a free agent was enough to convince him he belonged in the UFC. Not only that but also maybe even get a title shot if anything happens to the headliners of this weekend’s UFC 254.
Khabib Nurmagomedov prepared for the kicks of Justin Gaethje, vows to land 100 takedowns if needed
Adam Martin - October 22, 2020
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov says he is prepared for the kicks of Justin Gaethje, but vowed to land 100 takedowns if needed. Nurmagomedov is the top wrestler in the UFC lightweight division and he has used his powerful takedown ability throughout his career to go 28-0 so far. On the other end of the spectrum, Gaethje is a former collegiate wrestler who has opted to strike exclusively throughout his own career. It makes the matchup between the two of them in the main event of this weekend’s UFC 254 event a fascinating clash of styles, to be sure.