MMA News

Justin Golightly - October 6, 2017

After all of the problematic situations with Khabib Nurmagomedov, as well as Ray Borg having to pull out of UFC 215, fans and media were keeping a close eye on the UFC 216 weigh-ins. One after one, we watched them weigh in, waiting on all the events to be secured. It was a lot like sitting at a graduation, waiting for the name of your family member or friend to be called. The focus was mainly concentrated on two fighters: Ray Borg and Kevin Lee. .@MightyMouseUFC hittin’ all the poses on the scale #UFC216 💪🏾🐭 pic.twitter.com/eYB4UR7YSz

Justin Golightly - October 6, 2017

Back during the build-up for UFC 209, Tony Ferguson called himself the new John Wick. Well, we’re starting to believe him. First of all, he’s been secluded at a camp he built himself in California’s Big Bear. It’s secret, there is no huge team surrounding him and glossy posters of his face. What we get from his camp are personal Instagram videos of him doing ridiculous things: Elbowing speed bags, yoga, integrating Capoeira striking, you name it, he’s done it. You’re talking about a guy that looks at a laser maze as a active rest training device. So, it should be no surprise when it came to his UFC 216 open workout yesterday. Yet still, we’re surprised. .@TonyFergusonXT showed off his slick moves at the #UFC216 Open Workouts 👀. Full video: https://t.co/NJxWyRHjTs pic.twitter.com/yMwgmVjdrg

Justin Golightly - October 6, 2017

Do you remember when you were in school and someone did so well on a test that the teacher graded everyone on a curve? That curve is Demetrious Johnson. Were you ever jealous of a sibling that overshadowed the B you were proud of, because they got a A+? That A+ is Demetrious Johnson. An incredible fighter like Joseph Benavidez gets overlooked because Johnson is just that good, but he’s only ever lost to two men: Dominick Cruz and the one and only UFC flyweight champion. Out of 11 years and 25 fights, only losing to those two fighters is an amazing accomplishment. Still, as a fighter, you want the belt. You want to defeat the best in the world. Benavidez came very close at UFC 152, and it’s something he still gets lost in thought about. “I was that close to finishing someone many consider the best ever [in the first fight]. It’s something that goes through my head all the time. Every little thing that I could have done different. I will randomly be driving and get upset. My wife will say ‘what’s the matter?’ and I will say ‘nothing.’ But sometimes I think about little things like that and if it could have gone another way. When I fought [Demetrious Johnson] the first time, you couldn’t predict the epic run that he would go on. But when you see him going through other opponents you think, ‘Wow, he tears these guys apart and makes them look normal.’ [His speed] is something you can’t adjust to. I tried to go with the fastest people I could leading up to the fights with him and you still can’t get as fast as him until you get there.”

Justin Golightly - October 6, 2017

Fighting any opponent is more than just what they can do to you in the Octagon. It always has been. As the sport grew more popular, now it’s more different than ever. Kevin Lee just didn’t have to deal with preparing for Tony Ferguson’s unorthodox techniques, but endure social media trash talk, being around him for media obligations, and dozens and dozens of interviews. It’s a normal thing to not like what you’re opponent says, but much like Conor McGregor, going through the war of words with Tony Ferguson is a whole different ball game because of how… unique he is. “Yeah, [Tony Ferguson]’s a weirdo. Like I said, I hit you with facts. He comes up with all these scenarios in his head. I told him, he’s gotta’ stop smoking whatever it is you’s smoking, bro. I don’t know, he be on some — I just let him do what he do. He talk about how I’m a fake and all this but, let’s be honest, the man’s a Mexican from Michigan and he can’t even speak Spanish. So, it is what it is, he’s a weird dude. I don’t really like going back and forth with him. It’s kind of frustrating, I think you can even see it on my face.”

EVOLVE MMA - October 5, 2017

This video was first published on Evolve Vacation. In this video, 10th Planet black belt and Evolve instructor Rick Marshall shows us how to execute an Omoplata from the rubber guard. Rarely seen in competition, the Omoplata is one of the most creative submissions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It is also one of the most unique submissions in mixed martial arts. Paying close attention, you can successfully add this to your grappling game.

Justin Golightly - October 5, 2017

This Saturday, Demetrious Johnson will (finally) step into the Octagon with Ray Borg to attempt a record-breaking victory. If he can get past Borg, he’ll have beaten Anderson Silva’s tally mark of consecutive title defenses, forever cementing him into UFC history. An aura surrounded Silva due to the way he fought and the things he was able to accomplish. It’s the tingles and upset stomach you get when you reach the final boss of a video game. …And you doubt. Then, you panic. Eventually, you are defeated. Demetrious Johnson may never be Anderson Silva to some people, but he’s developing his own energy. It was this energy that Chris Cariaso felt on the night of UFC 178 right before he hit the cage.  “I didn’t feel pressure until about five minutes before I walked out. I thought ‘oh my god, what did I get myself into.’ I remember walking out and hearing Joe Rogan say ‘Cariaso needs to fight the fight of his life!’ and I was like ,’Oh my god, what am I going to do?’ It was during the pre-fight when they were talking about it. They had it on in the back room and it was playing. And I was like ‘oh sh-t, here we go.’ I threw a kick and slipped. He came up on top. I remember him going for the Kimura earlier. I remember stuffing my hand and hiding it and then I saw an opening to escape again. That’s when he went right to it. He caught my arm and it was too late.”

Justin Golightly - October 5, 2017

We’re mere days away from Tony Ferguson finally stepping back into the Octagon, after being plagued by some bad luck at the hands of Khabib Nurmagomedov. It seemed like MMA’s Groundhog Day. The fight would always go along and just never happen. Jokes about Nurmagomedov eating tiramisu caused by the UFC Embedded show leading up to the fight came and went, and came… and went again. Now, it’s been reported that Kevin Lee weighs as if he’s about to challenge for the interim welterweight title instead of the lightweight. Worst of all, he may have enjoyed tiramisu himself. … about the tiramisu, not the 174 pounds. Needs to hit 155 pounds in around 21.5 hours.

Justin Golightly - October 5, 2017

Just yesterday, Daniel Cormier spoke out on Anthony Johnson’s alleged return to the UFC in the heavyweight division. It wasn’t just that, but he told an in-depth story that took place backstage, detailing an interaction between him and then Jon Jones. Cormier had revealed he lost respect for his former opponent and called him ‘soft’, that he’d never look at him the same again. Well, Johnson got word of this and boy, did he have something to say about it. “Damn D.C. didn’t know you were salty cuz I talk to the 1 guy that knocked you out. F-cking soft is what you called me, oh well that’s your opinion. Saying I gave Jon [Jones] advice lol buddy what advice is there to give him? I wasn’t fighting either one of you, so there’s no point of giving advice. That’s not my style! I believe in fair fights period.”

Justin Golightly - October 5, 2017

The last time we saw Dustin Poirier, he was in the midst of what looked to be a Fight of the Night against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 211. A fight that ended due to illegal knees Alvarez landed to Poirier’s head. Since then, ‘Diamond’ Dustin Poirier has moved on to another former UFC lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis, who he’ll face at UFC Norfolk on November 11th. However, it could be the UFC in which he moves away from, according to a candid new interview. “I love fighting for the UFC. I grew up watching guys in the UFC. It was the biggest company that I know of for mixed martial arts. But as you get older, I have a family, I don’t know how long this window’s going to last. I’d like to fight until I’m 35, 36, we’ll see. But I might have two, three years — I don’t know how many years I have left, so I gotta make the most money that I can right now. And I’m not a guy who’s fighting for fame. I’m fighting because I love to fight and I got a family to feed. I’m a guy who, if I was given an opportunity, I would leave and go fight in ONE FC, go fight in a company you’ve never heard of to maximize my earning potential.”

Russell Ess - October 5, 2017

UFC 216 is set to take place this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee are featured in the main event of the evening as they will fight for the UFC interim lightweight title. In the co-main event of the evening, there is a chance history will be made by the current number 1 UFC ranked pound-for-pound fighter, Demetrious Johnson. “Mighty Mouse” will look to defend his UFC flyweight title for the 11th time against Ray Borg. Johnson is currently tied with former middleweight champion Anderson Silva for most consecutive title defenses in UFC history at 10 a piece and Johnson will look to set the new record on Saturday night.

Justin Golightly - October 5, 2017

Conor McGregor is a veritable money-making juggernaut. When he’s not laying out champions in the UFC, he’s strutting on yachts with silky opened-button shirts flapping in the wind like he stole the wardrobe from Baz” Luhrmann‘s ‘Romeo + Juliet’. He works when he’s not working, even suffering a rare loss, he makes more money than most fighters did while winning. But long before earning the fire-spitting Lamborghinis and getting the infamous gorilla tattoo emblazoned on his chest, he was on welfare and living in his parent’s house. Now a feature film documenting his rise will be hitting theaters and the intense trailer just dropped. The Irish takeover is nearly upon us… #Notorious. Coming soon. pic.twitter.com/5vj6ZDsJlU

Tom Taylor - October 5, 2017

Back in June, in the co-main event of the Bellator NYC pay-per-view, Bellator heavyweight star Matt Mitrione stepped onto the canvas with MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko. The fight was absolutely while it lasted. About a minute into the first round, Fedor and Mitrione both threw, both landed, and both hit the deck. In an instant, it all seemed to come down to who would be able to regain their composure and crank up the offense first. In the end, that man was Mitrione, who stormed his legendary foe with punches en route to a first-round knockout win.

Justin Golightly - October 5, 2017

After already becoming the official drink of Conor McGregor’s giant boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, it nails its biggest marketing deal in company history. The UFC has officially entered into a multi-year partnership with Kobe Bryant’s sports drink company, BODYARMOR. The partnership will begin in 2018 and it feature the company becoming heavily involved in the events and the UFC brand, not just taking a seat in the background. UFC announced this morning that @kobebryant‘s @DrinkBODYARMOR will be the official sports drink of the UFC in the United States beginning in 2018. Multi-year partnership. #likekobeifIcouldbelikekobe

Tom Taylor - October 5, 2017

When Jon Jones failed a UFC 214 drug test, and the light heavyweight strap was returned to Daniel Cormier, the question of the next light heavyweight title challenger seemed to come down to two men: Sweden’s Alexander Gustafsson and Switzerland’s Volkan Oezdemir. In an effort to pick the next challenger for his reinstated title, Cormier took to social media to let the fans decide. Apparently, they landed on Oezdemir. From there, Cormier offered Oezdemir the title shot, and the Swiss knockout artist quickly accepted.

Justin Golightly - October 5, 2017

You can’t talk about the UFC’s featherweight division without Cub Swanson. He’s been one of the top guys at his weight for a long time. After fighting in WEC, he put on a six-fight win streak in the UFC. His most recent losses are to Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar — the current champ and the current title challenger — with four more wins straight pushing them into the past. Matter of fact, all his losses are former champions or fighters who have fought for the title. This is one of the reasons that, after his fight with Brian Ortega, he will not renew his UFC contract. “It’s a power move. Of course, I want to get paid more. The thing people don’t understand is that I’ve got to a point where I’m making good money and it’s enough to live on, but it’s not retirement money. Not even close. I’ve been doing this for 13 years and I’m in the prime of my career, but at some point it’s going to dip off and I’d like to walk away before I start having really bad performances with enough money in my account to make smart investments and do the right things. I just want that opportunity. [Max Holloway fighting Frankie Edgar] is the 20th title fight since I’ve been in this division. I’ve been in the top tier of guys my entire career. It’s a little frustrating seeing somebody like Frankie, who is great, get tons of title fights. I just don’t understand it. I wanted some leverage for that [in my contract]. I’m next. They’re always saying, ‘We can’t guarantee anything,’ and it’s like, c’mon, yes, you can.”

Tom Taylor - October 5, 2017

Over the last few years, Bellator’s heavyweight division has really come together, as the promotion has bolstered its roster with names like Cheick Kongo, Bobby Lashley, Matt Mitrione, Fedor Emelianenko, Sergey Kharitonov, Javy Ayala, Roy Nelson, and most recently, former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir. That said, the organization has not had a heavyweight champion since it stripped the undefeated Vitaly Minakov of the belt after a bevy of contract issues. Matt Mitrione is hoping that changes soon. The Bellator heavyweight star discussed Bellator’s empty heavyweight throne on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio.

Tom Taylor - October 5, 2017

This weekend, in the co-main event of UFC 216, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will attempt to defend his title against Ray Borg. If Johnson is successful, it’ll mark his 11th consecutive title defense – the all-time record in the UFC. Despite the fact that Johnson is just days removed from potentially establishing himself as the most dominant champion in UFC history, he’s not really paid as such. Luckily, Johnson has worked out a new deal that means he will finally be getting pay-per-view points – a luxury afforded to most other champions – for this UFC 216 bout with Borg.

Tom Taylor - October 5, 2017

This Saturday, on the main card of the stacked UFC 216, former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum will step into the cage with hulking Houstonian Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis. If Werdum wins this fight, he feels he deserves a shot at reigning UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, the man he relinquished the divisional crown to back in 2016. “I deserve (a title shot),” Werdum said at Wednesday’s UFC 216 media day (via MMAJunkie). “Stipe (hasn’t fought) for a long time. I don’t know how long, but he don’t fight for a long time. I think all three. Me, [Alistair] Overeem and Francis [Ngannou] can go for the title shot. I think maybe, maybe, if Derrick Lewis beats me (he can get one). But he doesn’t deserve it at this moment to go for the title shot.