Exclusive MMA Interviews News

J Kindschy - April 25, 2019

Perseverance is undoubtedly a key component to success and arguably the most important. No matter your walk of life or your profession, we all must overcome the odds in some capacity. In seldom few professions is this fact more prevalent than combat sports. Grueling training, weight cutting, competing at the highest level, the painful sting of a loss, and of course injuries. The journey for combat athletes is typically a long and arduous road, which is why, statistically speaking, such a minority of these warriors reach the pinnacle. However, in several cases we have been fortunate enough to witness greatness manifest itself, and in the world of kickboxing, Gokhan Saki epitomizes the moxie of such greatness. Saki amassed an incredible record of 81-16-1 in the realm of striking and has competed against virtually every distinguished kickboxer of our generation. His illustrious career has already afforded him riches and notoriety, but as his aptly named monicker suggests, Gokhan is a rebel, and has always gone against the grain. Many argued that the Turkish-born Dutchmen was undersized to compete at heavyweight with the giants in K-1 and Glory. Yet his ferocious tenacity proved to be unrivaled, silencing his doubters time and time again.

Tom Taylor - April 24, 2019

Speaking on a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan shared his appreciation for ONE Championship and the way the Asian organization promotes mixed martial arts. “I appreciate the way ONE FC handles things,” Rogan said. “They just concentrate on fighters being honorable and fighting their best, and fighting the best fighters they can fight. They don’t emphasize that s**t talking at all. They emphasize the martial arts aspects of it.”

Tom Taylor - April 24, 2019

Last week, it was announced that Singapore based martial arts powerhouse ONE Championship had signed a partnership with Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA), an independent governing body for the sport of mixed martial arts. The goals of this partnership are multifaceted, but the most notable mission of the two organizations is to bring the sport of MMA to the Olympics.

Tom Taylor - April 23, 2019

This July, amid the buzz of the UFC’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas, Rich Franklin will be inducted into the Pioneer Era wing of the UFC Hall of Fame. The former UFC middleweight champion, who now serves as the Vice President of ONE Championship and CEO of ONE Warrior Series in Singapore, learned of this incredible honor on a phone call with UFC President Dana White.

Cole Shelton - April 23, 2019

There is no question the emotions were running high for Ilima-Lei MacFarlane’s last fight. MacFarlane got to defend her Bellator flyweight title at home in Hawaii where she defeated Valerie Letourneau in the third-round by submission. The win capped off an emotional fight week for MacFarlane. Now, she is set for yet another title defense this Saturday when she takes on Veta Arteaga at Bellator 220 in San Jose, California. Although Hawaii was MacFarlane’s real homecoming, she lives and trains in California which makes this yet another fight ‘at home’.

Cole Shelton - April 18, 2019

In the main event of UFC St. Petersburg, Alistair Overeem was supposed to take on Russian Alex Volkov. However, just a few weeks from the fight, Volkov pulled out of the fight leaving the UFC searching for a replacement. After a quick text message to the man who headlined the first-ever UFC event in Russia, in Alexey Oleynik, they had a new main event. “The UFC proposed me this fight,” Oleynik told BJPENN.com. “They texted me that we need an opponent for Alistair Overeem, and I said yes I am ready. This is very important for me. If I had to choose between a big name and a non-big name I will pick the big name even if it is more dangerous. Overeem has a name and a ranking and that is most important to me. Money doesn’t matter, it is the same money.”

Tom Taylor - April 18, 2019

ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera is currently gearing up for a showdown with ONE Light Heavyweight and Middleweight World Champion Aung La N Sang, which is set to occur in Tokyo this October. This fight with Aung La is currently consuming all of the Filipino-American titleholder’s focus. That being said, he is interested in a bout with new ONE Championship star Vitor Belfort, should the opportunity arise in the future.

Tom Taylor - April 18, 2019

ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La N Sang last fought at ONE: A New Era on March 31 Tokyo, Japan, when he defended his middleweight strap with a knockout of Ken Hasegawa. On that same night, we witnessed the ONE Championship debuts of two former UFC titleholders in Eddie Alvarez and Demetrious Johnson. The former UFC and Bellator champ Alvarez debuted first, and contrary to the widespread expectation among Western fans, he was stopped in the first round by his ferocious opponent Timofey Nastyukhin.

Tom Taylor - April 16, 2019

Shortly after Aung La N Sang defended his ONE Championship Middleweight World Title with a knockout of Ken Hasegawa at ONE: A New Era in March, he was joined in the cage by ONE Heavyweight Champion Brandon Vera and ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. It was announced right then and there, in front of throngs of Japanese fans, that Aung La would defend his other World Title — the ONE light heavyweight belt — against the heavyweight champ Vera.

Cole Shelton - April 12, 2019

At UFC 236, Khalil Rountree will take on Eryk Anders who is moving back up to light heavyweight. In the eyes of many observers, this fight looks like surefire entertainment. Rountree is no different. He believes this fight could very well be the Fight of the Night.

Cole Shelton - April 11, 2019

In the main event of UFC 236, this Saturday, featherweight champion Max Holloway will move up in weight to take on Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight championship. Ahead of the rematch, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the fight. The consensus is that it will be a close interesting fight.

Cole Shelton - April 11, 2019

In the co-main event of UFC 236 this Saturday, Israel Adesanya is set to take on Kelvin Gastelum for the UFC’s interim middleweight title. Ahead of the fight, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their predictions for the fight. Although many think Adesanya will win, some just can’t count out Gastelum.

Tom Taylor - April 10, 2019

At UFC Philadelphia, Josh Emmett delivered an undeniable Knockout of the Year contender, flattening Michael Johnson in the third round of their featherweight contest. Surprisingly, however, his jaw-dropping knockout victory didn’t earn him a post-fight bonus. Like many fans, he’s still scratching his head about that.

Cole Shelton - April 10, 2019

Most of the attention ahead of UFC 236 has surrounded the two interim title fights on the bill, and rightfully so. The matchups are interesting and gold is on the line. But, one fight that has been flying under the radar is a main card fight between Eryk Anders and Khalil Rountree. Anders is set to move up to light heavyweight for this fight, but he doesn’t see it as a permanent move.

Mike Pendleton - April 10, 2019

If there was ever a fighter who embodied the true definition of a martial artist, where the beauty is in the way the fighter fights, the way the fighter carries themselves, and the message they fight for, Michelle Waterson is that fighter. In fact, while the ‘Karate Hottie’ sees her fanbase grow with every dance-off, every fight, and every social media interaction she has, Waterson looks to inspire on a much deeper level.

Mike Pendleton - April 9, 2019

The UFC’s strawweight division has seen a fair share of new title contenders rise to the top of the division ever since Rose Namajunas dethroned former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in November 2017. While names like Tatiana Suarez, Nina Ansaroff, and Weili Zhang rising up the ranks and inching towards title contention, a veteran, Michelle Waterson, coming off the biggest win of her career, feels she deserves the next title shot and believes the timing is perfect for it.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

Ask undefeated UFC heavyweight Juan Adams how he feels about disgraced NFL veteran Greg Hardy, and he will not mince words. Adams went off on the former football player, who has been getting a massive push from the UFC, on the latest episode of BJPENN.com Radio.

Tom Taylor - April 8, 2019

Over the last few months, ONE Championship has signed some truly elite talent in Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Sage Northcutt and Vitor Belfort. Two of those fighters made their ONE Championship debuts at the recent ONE: A New Era card in Tokyo — and with very different results. Eddie Alvarez debuted first, and was knocked out by Russian juggernaut Timofey Nastyukhin in a jaw-dropping upset. Demetrious Johnson debuted next, submitting a game Yuya Wakamatsu in the second round.