UFC News
"I don't care if he wins" - Sean O'Malley announces he won't be cornering Petr Yan at UFC 273
Josh Evanoff - April 5, 2022
Sean O’Malley has joined Henry Cejudo by announcing he won’t be cornering Petr Yan this weekend. ‘No Mercy’ is set to return at UFC 273 this Saturday in a rematch against Aljamain Sterling. Their first encounter in March 2021 ended in a fourth-round disqualification victory for ‘Funk Master’. With the loss, Yan became the first-ever UFC fighter to lose his title via DQ.
Julianna Pena takes shot at Amanda Nunes holding UFC featherweight title: "Can you name anyone else in the division?"
Josh Evanoff - April 5, 2022
Julianna Pena is set to rematch UFC featherweight champion, Amanda Nunes, later this year. However, the bantamweight titleholder doesn’t really see it as a “champion vs. champion” clash. ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ first clashed with ‘The Lioness’ at UFC 269 in December 2021. Despite being a massive underdog, Pena preserved through a first-round knockout to win in the second round via submission. With the win, she captured the UFC bantamweight title and ended Nunes’s five-year run with the belt.
Brendan Schaub perplexed by UFC's hesitation to sign Jake Paul: "He's more suited than CM Punk"
Josh Evanoff - April 5, 2022
Brendan Schaub is a little confused by the UFC’s hesitation to sign Jake Paul. ‘The Problem Child’ has spent the last year running down the promotion and various fighters. He’s called out names such as Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, and Conor McGregor. Meanwhile, in the boxing ring, he’s knocked out UFC alumni such as Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.
Alex Volkanovski says the decision to stop trying to please everyone has paid off ahead of UFC 273
Susan Cox - April 5, 2022
Leading up to UFC 273 this coming Saturday, April 9th has Alex Volkanovski stating that the decision to stop trying to please everyone has paid off. It will be Alex Volkanovski (23-1 MMA) vs The Korean Zombie (17-6 MMA) in the featherweight main event title bout at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
Mackenzie Dern plans to make a "statement" and become the first person to finish Tecia Torres at UFC 273: "She hasn't fought someone with my ground game"
Cole Shelton - April 5, 2022
Mackenzie Dern plans to put the strawweight division on notice at UFC 273. Dern is coming off a decision loss to Marina Rodriguez in a bout which served as her first-ever main event. Before that contest, she was dealing a nagging injury but she is now fully healthy for UFC 273. She will return to the Octagon to take on Tores in a fight that has been talked about for years.
Alexander Volkanovski plans to silence his doubters in UFC 273 title fight with Korean Zombie: "I do think it will be an eye-opener"
Cole Shelton - April 5, 2022
Alexander Volkanovski plans to make a statement against Korean Zombie at UFC 273. Volkanovski will collide with ‘TKZ’ in Saturday night’s event headliner, this after his original opponent Max Holloway was forced out due to injury. Zombie was quick to step up in place of ‘Blessed’ and Volkanovski says this is now a “legacy fight” and one that he’s wanted for years.
Conor McGregor unloads on Henry Cejudo for continuing to criticize his training videos
Susan Cox - April 5, 2022
Apparently Conor McGregor has had enough and is tired of Henry Cejudo continuing to criticize his training videos. McGregor (22-6 MMA) has been out of the Octagon since his loss to Dustin Poirier (28-7 MMA) at UFC 264 in July 2021. It was at that fight that ‘The Notorious’ suffered a leg injury, forcing a halt to the bout at the end of the first round. It was the third time Poirier and McGregor had met in the cage, with Poirier ending up 2-1 in the series.
Petr Yan slams Aljamain Sterling for trying to make things political ahead of UFC 273: “Smiling, standing with Ukrainian flags”
Susan Cox - April 5, 2022
Petr Yan has had no lack of words for Ajamain Sterling in the lead up to UFC 273 this weekend, on Saturday, April 9th. Yan’s latest comments towards ‘Funk Master’ accuse him of making things political ahead of their rematch. It will be Yan (16-2 MMA) vs. Sterling (20-3 MMA) who will set the record straight in the Octagon this weekend, but both fighters have been sparing outside the cage for over a year now.
Alex Volkanovski shares his picks for the three greatest fighters in UFC history
Harry Kettle - April 5, 2022
UFC featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski has picked Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre and Israel Adesanya as his three greatest fighters in UFC history. This Saturday night at UFC 273, Alex Volkanovski returns to action as he puts his 145-pound title on the line against Chan Sung Jung – aka The Korean Zombie. If he wins, some have suggested it could move him pretty close to Kamaru Usman in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings given what he’s been able to accomplish during his time in the promotion thus far.
Just Scrap Radio Ep. 73 with Alexander Volkanovski, Mackenzie Dern, Ian Garry, Eddie Cha, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Vinc Pichel, and Jared Vanderaa
Cole Shelton - April 5, 2022
The 73rd episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with host Cole Shelton is here ahead of UFC 273 and it is stacked. We’re first joined by the UFC’s featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski (3:23). Fifth-ranked strawweight, Mackenzie Dern (26:57) then comes on. UFC welterweight, Ian Garry (42:58) joins the show. Korean Zombie’s head coach, Eddie Cha (1:04:42) then stops by. Eighth-ranked UFC heavyweight, Jairzinho Rozenstruik (1:18:29) then joins the show. UFC lightweight, Vinc Pichel (1:30:45) comes on. Closing out the program is UFC heavyweight, Jared Vanderaa (1:47:37).
Anthony Smith on surging UFC light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev: “He’s not the boogeyman that everyone made him out to be”
Harry Kettle - April 5, 2022
UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith has given his thoughts on divisional rival and rising star Magomed Ankalaev. Out of all divisions in the UFC, there’s an argument to be made that light heavyweight is the most unpredictable. From Glover Teixeira and Jan Blachowicz winning the title to a host of new faces cropping up in the top 15, things have been pretty wild since Jon Jones vacated the belt and started his transition up to heavyweight.
Casey O’Neill defends Ronda Rousey following recent criticism from UFC champion Julianna Pena
Harry Kettle - April 5, 2022
UFC flyweight star Casey O’Neill has defended Ronda Rousey following recent criticism from Julianna Pena. There’s a strong argument to be made that without Ronda Rousey, women’s MMA simply would not be where it is today. “Rowdy” came into the UFC and set the place alight with some tremendous performances, firmly establishing herself as one of the biggest stars in the history of the sport.
Gilbert Burns explains why he asked to fight Khamzat Chimaev
Cole Shelton - April 4, 2022
Gilbert Burns did what not many people have done and that is call out Khamzat Chimaev. For the longest time, UFC president Dana White claimed that no one wanted to fight Chimaev and suggested how hard it was getting him a fight. Now, at UFC 273, the Swede will have the toughest challenge of his career when he faces former title challenger Gilbert Burns.
Demetrious Johnson blasts the UFC for attempting to book Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 4: "Let someone totally different fight"
Josh Evanoff - April 4, 2022
Demetrious Johnson has given his thoughts on the UFC booking Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno yet again. ‘Mighty Mouse’ departed the UFC in 2019 in the first-ever “MMA trade”. Johnson was sent to the Asia-based ONE Championship promotion, and Ben Askren was sent to the UFC. The former UFC flyweight champion was last seen in action this past weekend, defeating Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a mixed-rules bout.
Henry Cejudo says Alexander Volkanovski doesn't have any power, believes Korean Zombie sleeps the champ at UFC 273
Cole Shelton - April 4, 2022
Henry Cejudo has all the confidence that his teammate, Korean Zombie will become the new featherweight champion on Saturday. Zombie trains out of Fight Ready in Arizona and Cejudo has been coaching him for his title fight against Volkanovski at UFC 273. Although ‘Triple C’ was campaigning for the fight himself, but has taken a back seat to coach Zombie instead. Since working with him, Cejudo now believes this is a terrible style matchup for the champ as he believes Zombie will find the KO shot.
Julianna Pena takes aim at former UFC champion Ronda Rousey: “She's kind of a joke in the MMA world now”
Josh Evanoff - April 4, 2022
Julianna Pena has taken shots at former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. The current UFC bantamweight champion is currently expected to rematch Amanda Nunes later this year. ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ captured gold by upsetting ‘The Lioness’ at UFC 269 in December 2021.
Josh Fremd plans to prove he's "a much better fighter" than Anthony Hernandez at UFC 273
Cole Shelton - April 4, 2022
Josh Fremd is excited to show just how good he is on Saturday night. Fremd is set to make his Octagon debut against Anthony Hernandez at UFC 273 in a fight he accepted on just over a weeks’ notice. It’s an intriguing matchup and Fremd is excited to test himself against Hernandez.
Michael Bisping shares his prediction for Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns
Susan Cox - April 4, 2022
Michael Bisping has weighed in on who he thinks will be the victor this weekend at UFC 273. It will be Khamzat Chimaev (10-0 MMA) vs Gilbert Burns (20-4 MMA) in the much anticipated welterweight bout on Saturday April 9th, 2022 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.