UFC News
UFC 249 safety protocol includes no post-fight interviews inside the Octagon
Natasha Hooper - May 6, 2020
The updated safety protocols for UFC 249 during the coronavirus pandemic include a policy of no post-fight interviews in the Octagon. The eagerly anticipated UFC 249 fight card was inked for April 18 but was postponed due to the pandemic. Not one to be defeated, UFC president Dana White rescheduled the event for May 9.
VIDEO | Tony Ferguson receives COVID-19 nasal swab test for UFC 249
Harry Kettle - May 6, 2020
UFC 249 headliner Tony Ferguson has released footage of himself receiving a COVID-19 nasal swab test ahead of this weekend’s event. One of the biggest concerns from critics of the event on Saturday going ahead has been the safety of the fighters involved. While there’s still no guarantee as to what the accuracy of these tests will be, it does appear as if the UFC has put certain measures in place to try and ensure things go as smoothly as they possibly can.
Henry Cejudo outlines his plans following victory at UFC 249, Aljamain Sterling responds
Harry Kettle - May 6, 2020
UFC champion Henry Cejudo has outlined his plans following UFC 249 this weekend — with divisional rival Aljamain Sterling taking exception to it. Cejudo will defend the UFC Bantamweight Championship against former king Dominick Cruz on Saturday night in Jacksonville, Florida. In addition to the event itself being controversial, the decision to make Cruz the number one contender has also received quite a bit of pushback.
Dana White disputes Stipe Miocic’s claim that “fighting will be there forever”
Cole Shelton - May 5, 2020
Dana White doesn’t agree with Stipe Miocic that fighting will last forever after the heavyweight champion says he won’t fight during the pandemic. Daniel Cormier has been clamoring for the trilogy to happen against Miocic for weeks now. Yet, Miocic, who’s also a part-time firefighter, says he’s focused on helping fight the COVID-19 pandemic. But, for White, he’d rather see the heavyweight champ fight and do so often.
Michelle Waterson plans on knocking out Carla Esparza to put her in talks to fight for belt
Cole Shelton - May 5, 2020
Michelle Waterson believes her UFC 249 fight against former champion Carla Esparza has title implications on the line. Waterson will make her return to the Octagon after a decision loss to Joanna Jedrzejczyk back at UFC Tampa last October. She says she learned a lot about herself in that fight and says it proves she belongs at the top.
Dana White updates on plan for Conor McGregor
Mike Pendleton - May 5, 2020
Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor promised that he’d be active during his 2020 “season” while he was preparing for his return at UFC 246 in January, and then the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. McGregor had a successful return to the Octagon when he defeated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone with a 40-second first-round TKO victory and immediately jumped back into the conversation for big fights in 2020. With the UFC having to shuffle events and matchups due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s uncertainty around many of the superstars in the sport including McGregor.
Dana White promises safety will be a priority at UFC 249: "I don't wanna die"
Tom Taylor - May 5, 2020
The UFC will return to our screens with UFC 249 this Saturday, and UFC President Dana White promises safety is going to be a priority. White was asked about the precautions he’s taking for this event in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic during an interview with Sports Illustrated.
Stipe Miocic wants full training camp, targeting Daniel Cormier trilogy in late fall
Adam Martin - May 5, 2020
UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic says he requires a full training camp and is aiming to complete his trilogy with Daniel Cormier in the late fall. Miocic and Cormier first met at UFC 226 in July 2018 with Cormier taking home the title with a first-round KO. The pair then rematched at UFC 241 in August 2019, with Miocic winning back his belt with a fourth-round TKO. The UFC has been targeting a trilogy fight between the two rivals ever since, but to date, the fight has not been booked due to injuries to both men and also to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang slams UFC over fighter pay
Tom Taylor - May 5, 2020
Former United States presidential candidate Andrew Yang believes UFC fighters aren’t getting a big enough piece of the pie. Yang, who recently withdrew from the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, opened up on the topic of fighter pay in an interview with Karim Zidan of BloodyElbow.
Henry Cejudo willing to "marry" Jose Aldo to get him into the US for title fight
Tom Taylor - May 5, 2020
UFC bantamweight champ Henry Cejudo really wants to fight Jose Aldo. So much so that he recently joked he’s willing to “marry” the Brazilian to get him into the US for a fight. Cejudo was originally expected to battle Jose Aldo at UFC 250 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 9. Regrettably, this event fell apart amid the coronavirus crisis.
Dana White: Conor McGregor vs. Jorge Masvidal BMF title fight "a possibility" for Fight Island
Tom Taylor - May 5, 2020
UFC President Dana White recently divulged that a blockbuster showdown between BMF champion Jorge Masvidal and former two-division champ Conor McGregor is “a possibility” for his widely discussed Fight Island. White dropped this McGregor vs. Masvidal bombshell during an appearance on the Menace and The Man podcast with former UFC featherweight contender Dennis Bermudez.
UFC 249 | Pro fighters make their picks for Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje title fight
Cole Shelton - May 5, 2020
In the main event of UFC 249, Tony Ferguson is taking on Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title. Heading into the fight, “El Cucuy” is a -190 favorite while Gaethje is a +155 underdog. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the scrap. The pros believe it is a pick’em fight but the majority believe we will see Gaethje pull off the upset.