UFC News
Francis Ngannou recounts journey from “sleeping outside in the woods” of Morocco to fighting for the UFC
Tom Taylor - December 3, 2020
Top UFC heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou has opened up on the turbulent journey that led him to the bright lights of the Octagon. Ngannou, a native of Cameroon, emigrated to Paris, France before making transitioning into MMA. His journey from the Central African country Europe was not easy.
Breaking: Yair Rodriguez gets six-month USADA suspension due to whereabouts violations
Tom Taylor - December 3, 2020
UFC featherweight contender Yair Rodriguez has been handed a six-months by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) due to repeated whereabouts violations. USADA released a statement on the Rodriguez situation on Thursday (h/t MMA Fighting)
Khabib Nurmagomedov outlines plan to bring MMA to the Olympics
Tom Taylor - December 3, 2020
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is hoping to bring the sport of mixed martial arts to the Olympic games. Nurmagomedov last fought in the main event of UFC 254 last month, when he defended his title with a submission of Justin Gaethje and improved to 29-0 as a pro—easily one of the best records in the sport’s history.
Aljamain Sterling slams "cheater" TJ Dillashaw, suggests he could have found a way to dope during layoff
Adam Martin - December 3, 2020
UFC bantamweight Aljamain Sterling slammed “cheater” TJ Dillashaw, suggesting that he could have found a way to dope during his long layoff. In January 2019, Dillashaw failed a drug test for EPO and was suspended for two years. He also lost the UFC bantamweight title in the process. After two long years away from the Octagon, Dillashaw is now ready to resume his MMA career next month. The former two-time UFC bantamweight champion does not have his next opponent booked yet, but after speaking with ESPN during a Thursday interview, it’s clear that he has his sights set high.
Rafael dos Anjos claims he had Khabib Nurmagomedov "snoring" with choke in 2014 fight
Tom Taylor - December 3, 2020
Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos claims that he briefly put Khabib Nurmagomedov to sleep in their 2014 fight. Nurmagomedov, the reigning UFC lightweight champion, retired after a submission defeat of Justin Gaethje in the UFC 254 main event last month. Despite that retirement announcement, UFC President Dana White is optimistic the champion will fight again.
TJ Dillashaw admits he "would have been able to justify" EPO use if he'd never been caught
Tom Taylor - December 3, 2020
TJ Dillashaw says he would have been able to “justify” his use of the banned substance Erythropoietin (EPO) if he’d become a two-division UFC champ. In early 2018, Dillashaw, then the UFC bantamweight champion, dropped down to flyweight to challenge divisional champ Henry Cejudo in a bid to become a two-division titleholder. After losing the fight via first-round TKO, Dillashaw tested positive for the injectable-only banned substance EPO, and was stripped of his title and suspended two years as a result.
UFC 256: ‘Figueiredo vs Moreno’ Fight Card and Rumors
Harry Kettle - December 3, 2020
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to pay-per-view next weekend with UFC 256 as Deiveson Figueiredo prepares to defend the Flyweight Championship once again – this time against rising contender Brandon Moreno. Event: UFC 256: Figueiredo vs. Moreno Date: Saturday, 12th December 2020 Location: UFC APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada Broadcast: ESPN+ (6pm/8pm/10pm EST)
Phil Baroni issues hilarious response to rumor that Nick Diaz forced him to tapout in a bathroom
Christopher Taylor - December 2, 2020
MMA veteran Phil Baroni issued a hilarious response when confronted with a rumor that Nick Diaz had forced him to tapout in a bathroom at Cheetah’s. Earlier today on Twitter, ‘The New York Bad Ass’ commented on a photo of Diaz that was captioned “All you motherf*ckers, all of you are on steroids”.
After doing part of training camp through Zoom, Montana De La Rosa expects to finish Talia Santos
Cole Shelton - December 2, 2020
Montana De La Rosa had a unique fight camp for her short-notice fight against Talia Santos. De La Rosa is stepping up on about a month’s notice to battle Santos at UFC Vegas 16. It is a very intriguing matchup, and for the 25-year-old in De La Rosa, she just wanted to get another fight in this year.
Manager says it's a "99.9 percent chance" Nick Diaz fights in 2021
Cole Shelton - December 2, 2020
Nick Diaz could very well be fighting again next year. Ever since videos of him training came out earlier this year, many wondered if he was coming back. Well, according to his manager, Kevin Mubenga, Nick Diaz has been training consistently and is looking to get back in there soon.
Cody Garbrandt calls Brandon Moreno "a lamb being led to the slaughterhouse" against Deiveson Figueiredo
Adam Martin - December 2, 2020
UFC flyweight contender Cody Garbrandt called Brandon Moreno “a lamb being led to the slaughterhouse” against Deiveson Figueiredo. Garbrandt was actually supposed to be the one who fought Figueiredo at UFC 255 for the UFC flyweight title, but he injured his arm and then got sick with COVID-19. Instead, Figueiredo fought Alex Perez and he finished the challenger in the first round of their main event title fight in November. On the undercard of the same event, Brandon Moreno finished Brandon Royval and earned the next title shot against Figueiredo. The two will now clash in the main event of UFC 256 next weekend in Las Vegas.
Full betting odds released for UFC on ESPN 19: Hermansson vs. Vettori
Adam Martin - December 2, 2020
The full betting odds have been released for the 11 fights scheduled to take place at Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 19: Hermansson vs. Vettori. In the main event, Marvin Vettori steps up on short notice to fight top-ranked Jack Hermansson. Vettori was set to fight Jacare Souza next weekend at UFC 256 and moved up on short notice to fight Vettori, who lost two opponents in Darren Till and Kevin Holland. This should be a great fight with the winner figuring to be in title contention.