UFC News
Ben Saunders reveals Bellator and Bjorn Rebney almost made him retire
Cole Shelton - January 28, 2021
Ben Saunders was close to walking away from MMA in 2012 and 2013. After Saunders’ first stint in the UFC, he signed with Bellator. The hope for Saunders was to win a Bellator tournament and become the face of the promotion or eventually get back to the UFC. However, throughout his time in the promotion, he realized Bellator and Bjorn Rebney had him in a horrible contract that nearly made him walk away from the sport.
Curtis Blaydes expects to wrestle Derrick Lewis "until he breaks"
Cole Shelton - January 28, 2021
Curtis Blaydes has a specific gameplan for his upcoming main event fight against Derrick Lewis. On February 20, Blaydes and Lewis will finally fight after their bout on November 20 was postponed due to Blaydes testing positive for COVID-19. Now that “Razor” is healthy he says he is eager to fight Lewis as he knows there is a clear path to victory.
Charles Oliveira hoping to fight Dustin Poirier in May or June, predicts submission win
Adam Martin - January 28, 2021
UFC lightweight contender Charles Oliveira is hoping to fight Dustin Poirier in May or June for the title, and he is promising a submission. In the wake of Poirier’s knockout win over Conor McGregor at UFC 257 — and with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov liking set to retire and vacate his belt any day now — there has been strong support for a Poirier vs. Oliveira vacant title fight among fans and media. It’s a fight that Oliveira himself badly wants, too.
Raquel Pennington self-reports doping violation, suspended six months by USADA
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
UFC bantamweight contender Raquel Pennington has been suspended six months by the United States Anti-Doping Agency after self-reporting a doping violation. USADA explained the Pennington situation in a statement on Thursday.
Gilbert Burns: I will finish Kamaru Usman at UFC 258
Adam Martin - January 28, 2021
Gilbert Burns is confident that he will be the new UFC welterweight champion, boldly predicting he will finish Kamaru Usman at UFC 258. Burns and Usman had been booked to fight twice previously, at UFC 251 last July and then again at UFC 256. The first time the fight fell apart was due to Burns testing positive for COVID-19, and the second time it was due to Burns needing more time to heal from injuries. The two are now booked to fight for the third time and they are set to meet in the main event of UFC 258, on February 13 in Las Vegas.
Geoff Neal calls out Li Jingliang
Adam Martin - January 28, 2021
After losing a decision to Stephen Thompson his last time out, UFC welterweight contender Geoff Neal now has his sights set on Li Jingliang. After missing a year of action due to health issues, Neal finally returned to the Octagon in the main event of UFC Vegas 17 back in December. In his first five-round UFC fight, Neal was able to go the distance with an elite opponent in Thompson, ultimately losing a unanimous decision. Despite the loss, however, Neal is still a top-15 ranked opponent, coming in at No. 11 in the UFC. Right behind him at No. 12 is Jingliang — fresh off a KO win over Santiago Ponzinibbio — and Neal wants him next.
Jake Paul drills 4-second KO punch with Jorge Masvidal
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Jake Paul is already training for his April 17 boxing match with Ben Askren, and he’s enlisted the help of UFC star Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal fought Askren in 2019, knocking the wrestling specialist out with a flying knee in just five seconds. It was the fastest knockout in UFC history. In anticipation of his April boxing match with Askren, Paul has moved to Miami to pick Masvidal’s brain. The pair are already working together, and drilling attacks that Paul hopes will beat Askren even faster than Masvidal did.
Manny Pacquiao no longer interested in fighting Conor McGregor
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Manny Pacquiao and his team feel there’s no longer any demand for a boxing match with former two-division UFC champ Conor McGregor. Heading into his UFC 257 fight with Dustin Poirier, McGregor was linked to a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao sometime later in the year. After McGregor lost to Poirier via second-round TKO, however, interest in the matchup has waned.
Justin Gaethje "will think about never fighting in the UFC again" if Conor McGregor gets title shot
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Justin Gaethje would consider walking away from the UFC forever if Conor McGregor is granted an immediate lightweight title shot. McGregor fought in the main event of UFC 257 last weekend, when he was knocked out by Dustin Poirier. With this result, McGregor and Poirier entered into a 1-1 tie, as McGregor beat Poirier by first-round knockout in the featherweight division in 2014.
Dillon Danis trashes Michael Bisping over Paul bros criticism: "Stay in the commentary booth where it’s safe"
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Bellator star Dillon Danis has some choice words for former UFC middleweight champion turned MMA analyst Michael Bisping. Danis has spent the last few months angling for a boxing match with YouTube star turned pro boxer Jake Paul. While Paul recently signed on for a boxing match with former UFC fighter Ben Askren, Danis hasn’t relented in his callouts of the YouTuber.
Marc Goddard sends message to "cold and cynical souls" who kick fighters when they're down
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Veteran mixed martial arts referee Marc Goddard has a message for fans who berate fighters when they’re riding tough losses. Goddard took to Twitter to share this message over the weekend, seemingly in response to Conor McGregor’s shocking, second-round TKO loss to Dustin Poirier.
Dillon Danis: "I would submit Justin Gaethje in under 30 seconds"
Tom Taylor - January 28, 2021
Bellator MMA star Dillon Danis believes he could submit UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje in less than 30 seconds. Danis, an accomplished Brazilian jiu jitsu blackbelt who never shies away from a little pot-stirring, made this bold proclamation on Twitter on Wednesday night.
Dustin Poirier sees large boost in social media following after defeating Conor McGregor
Drake Riggs - January 27, 2021
In the past, the few fighters that have defeated Conor McGregor have gone on to become superstars in their own right. Perhaps Dustin Poirier is next? Well, social media metrics from the UFC 257 event would indicate that things are trending in the right direction for “The Diamond”.
Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa opening betting odds released
Adam Martin - January 27, 2021
The opening betting odds have been released for the upcoming middleweight bout between top contenders Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa. It was announced this week that Whittaker and Costa will meet in a five-round, non-title main event at a UFC Fight Night event scheduled for April 17. Both men had conveyed interest in an interim or vacant title fight with UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya fighting up at 205lbs in his next bout, but the promotion decided to just make it a non-title five-rounder, with the winner likely in line for a title shot.
Rafael dos Anjos says he's a bad matchup for Conor McGregor: "I use a lot of those calf kicks"
Adam Martin - January 27, 2021
UFC lightweight Rafael dos Anjos says he’s a bad matchup for Conor McGregor, suggesting he would utilize a lot of calf kicks if they fought. Dos Anjos and McGregor were originally supposed to meet back at UFC 196 in March 2016, but dos Anjos pulled out of the fight due to injury. He was replaced by Nate Diaz, which led to one of the greatest moments of all time when Diaz tapped McGregor out. Instead of fighting McGregor in a money fight that day, dos Anjos instead didn’t get that fight, and then he lost his title in his very next outing in an upset to Eddie Alvarez, while McGregor and Diaz exploded into mega superstars.
Justin Gaethje says he has to get his "revenge" against Dustin Poirier
Cole Shelton - January 27, 2021
Justin Gaethje is hoping to rematch Dustin Poirier in the very near future. In April of 2018, Gaethje and Poirier headlined a Fox card in what many thought could be a Fight of the Year contender. Ultimately, it did not disappoint as both men had moments in the fight but Gaethje seemed to tire out and was TKO’d in the fourth round.
Justin Gaethje "loved" seeing Conor McGregor get knocked out: "There is nothing that makes me happier"
Cole Shelton - January 27, 2021
Justin Gaethje was very happy to see Conor McGregor get knocked out by Dustin Poirier at UFC 257. Throughout McGregor’s career, he has been full of trash talk, but in his last two fights that have changed. However, the Irishman and Gaethje have still taken shots at one another, and many thought they would fight last year, but it never came to fruition. After all the talk, “The Highlight” says he loved seeing a loudmouth like McGregor get knocked out.
Mario Yamasaki announces plans to return to MMA refereeing "as soon as possible"
Tom Taylor - January 27, 2021
Controversial mixed martial arts referee Mario Yamasaki has outlined his plans to return to officiating the sport in 2021. Yamasaki has not worked as a referee since February of 2018, when he was on duty for a Fight Night in Belem, Brazil. He was the subject of much controversy that night, after he allowed Priscila Cachoeira to sustain far more punishment that most viewers deemed necessary in a fight with future UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.