MMA News

Justin Golightly - September 28, 2017

The power of the fans may have proven to be even more influential than they ever thought before. Just earlier today, Daniel Cormier addressed Twitter about their results when he asked who he should fight next. ‘No Time’ Volkan Oezdemir beat out light heavyweight number one contender Alexander Gustafsson as the fighter they want to see challenge Cormier for the UFC title. The champ replied to Oezdemir personally to let him know he has been chose. Now, the big Swiss armed with rocket arms accepted DC’s challenge, as well as giving him a little praise. @dc_mma you are a real champ! I'm glad they chose me. Fans are always right ! #fromnowheretothebelt #history #notime #blessed&honored pic.twitter.com/eo7UNw1eMJ

Justin Golightly - September 28, 2017

There was a media lunch today for UFC 216. It was outside the fresh air. Warm, but pleasant. Birds chirped, fruit and tea were served, it was nice. However, a can of whoop ass was also on the verge of being served before the meal even got started. Tony Ferguson was sitting at the table with Fabricio Werdum when the former UFC heavyweight champion interrupted Ferguson, then things just devolved into chaos from there. A blitz of English, Spanish and Portuguese exploded in front of the camera. Whether you can understand any of it or not, you can tell it was all bad. https://twitter.com/MMAFighting/status/913503884425023489

Russell Ess - September 28, 2017

Kevin Lee has the biggest fight of his career coming in just over a week as he will fight Tony Ferguson for the UFC interim lightweight title at UFC 216. While the two lightweights will battle for the interim title, Lee believes that this is the real lightweight title fight with Conor McGregor more of a business champ rather than a lightweight Ultimate Fighting Champion.

Justin Golightly - September 28, 2017

In just one week, Tony Ferguson will fight Kevin Lee for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 216. It’s the biggest fight of both of their careers so far, but Ferguson was ready to throwdown with another lightweight earlier today. Eddie Alvarez made some comments about the interim title scrap, Tony Ferguson was quick to respond saying the former champion wouldn’t last a round with him.

Justin Golightly - September 28, 2017

After an emotional defeat at the hands of  Nicco Montano on last week’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter 26, Lauren Murphy was very emotional. Losing is always hard, but feeling like you may have missed out on a shot in the UFC that you’ve worked years for is much harder. Nonetheless, she was expected at practice with the rest of her team the next by by her coach Eddie Alvarez. This was something that caused a huge rift between Murphy and her Alvarez, causing her to voice her frustrations about it on air.    “Eddie [Alvarez] met me super recently. He doesn’t know anything about me. I’m doing my best here and if I need two hours to process the fact that I just blew my shot at the UFC title, like give me two f-cking hours by myself to cry it out and f-cking think about it and miss my husband and miss my kid and figure out how I’m gonna’ explain to them that I f-cking blew it without somebody like correcting my boxing technique. For two f-cking hours.”

Russell Ess - September 28, 2017

Kevin Lee and Tony Ferguson are set to headline UFC 216 as the two will fight for the UFC interim lightweight title. There is also another title fight on the card as Demetrious Johnson will look to set a UFC record and surpass Anderson Silva for the most consecutive UFC title defenses, taking on Ray Borg in the co-main event. Interestingly, Johnson and Borg were set to headline UFC 215 but the bout was canceled just days before the fight date with Borg being sick and deemed unfit to compete by doctors.

Russell Ess - September 28, 2017

Daniel Cormier is still continuing to take the high road with his biggest rival Jon Jones going through the due process with his potential anti-doping violation stemming from their UFC 214 fight. Cormier recently spoke with Fight Hype on where his mindset is at and why.

Tom Taylor - September 28, 2017

After weeks of trying to find a willing opponent, rising UFC lightweight James Vick has been booked for a scrap with Ireland’s Joe Duffy at UFC 217 this November 4. While Vick is satisfied with this fight, he would have preferred a ranked opponent. Unfortunately, he is finding it nearly impossible to enter the top-10. In his opinion, top-10 fighters are given a little too much slack when it comes to losses, while rising contenders essentially have to move mountains to enter the top-10. Vick broke it down on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio:

Justin Golightly - September 28, 2017

Flashback to the chaos of Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather, with Paul Malignaggi orbiting the pandemonium like a satellite. The fight world moves so fast that their controversial sparring sessions and the infamous knockdown/pushdown photos seem like distant memories. Still, McGregor felt disrespected and wanted to take that out on Malignaggi during camp. According to his coach, the UFC ‘champ champ’ was willing to take it even further, wanting to drag the former boxer into the Octagon. “Conor [McGregor] wanted that. He said to me, ‘Let’s get [Paul Malignaggi] in the Octagon’, and I said that there was no way that he would fight in MMA. You’ve got to be able to prove yourself in the arena. When Conor wanted a boxing license they could look at the Diaz 2 fight where there was more or less 25 minutes of boxing. Why would Paulie go to MMA? He’d never go to MMA. Now, Conor could tweet now and say ‘I’m fighting Paulie Malignaggi’, and I guess I would be wrong then.”

Tom Taylor - September 28, 2017

Cub Swanson, one of the UFC featherweight division’s most dangerous contenders, is reportedly looking at a return to the cage this December 9th in Fresno, California. Swanson’s opponent at this Fight Night card is expected to be red-hot prospect Brian Ortega. This report comes from Farah Hannoun on Twitter.

Tom Taylor - September 28, 2017

11th-ranked UFC welterweight contender Kamaru Usman has been looking for a fight, and from the sounds of it, he’s found one. On Wednesday afternoon, the grappling specialist announced on Twitter that his fans want to see him fight Neil Magny, and that he intends on heeding their calls. In his Tweet, he suggested UFC 218 on December 2 and UFC 219 on December 30 as possible dates for this potential scrap.

Tom Taylor - September 28, 2017

Over the last few years, Bellator MMA has signed a procession of high-profile free agents. One of the finest free agents they’ve picked up to date is Michael McDonald, a former UFC bantamweight who once fought Renan Barao for the interim bantamweight crown. McDonald’s Bellator debut is now set, per MMAJunkie.com. He’ll make that debut when Bellator takes over the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England on December 15. His opponent has not yet been made official, but should be announced soon. 

Tom Taylor - September 28, 2017

On November 4, in the co-main event of the stacked UFC 217, UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt will attempt to defend his title against his most heated rival in TJ Dillashaw. If Garbrandt successfully defends his title, the expectation is that he’ll then turn his attention to the next contender on the docket – perhaps the winner of Jimmie Rivera and Dominic Cruz’s UFC 219 scrap. Apparently, however, Garbrandt’s team is still eying a drop to flyweight for a battle with dominant UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. Garbrandt’s head coach Justin Buchholz shared the plan on Five Rounds podcast.

Justin Golightly - September 27, 2017

When it rains, it totally pours. Four giant fights are slated for UFC 218, including Alistair Overeem and Francis Ngannou being official. Now, we have our first three fights announced for the UFC’s year-end  card on December 3oth. Former UFC champions, Carla Esparza and Dominick Cruz will return to action in high-profile fights for their divisions. HOLD UP!

Justin Golightly - September 27, 2017

There has been tumbleweeds rustling down these MMA news streets lately. We’ve been holding our breaths waiting on fights to be announced and confirmed for UFC 218, but not just the fans and media have been pacing back and forth. Francis Ngannou has been searching for a fight ever since Junior dos Santos had to pull out of their UFC 215 battle. He called out everyone he could think of until he got to Alistair Overem and UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic. Now, it seems like he may be getting an opponent for UFC 218 and we’ll have some fight announcements. Max Holloway vs Frankie Edgar being discussed for #UFC218 in Detroit!

Justin Golightly - September 27, 2017

Even before Conor McGregor stepped into the ring with Floyd Mayweather, the talk has been McGregor would come back to the UFC to fight Nate Diaz. Even other UFC fighters said it had to happen. Champ champ Conor McGregor said he wanted to fight before the end of this year, making it clear that the Diaz fight would take place in the lightweight division. Unfortunately, his coach has came out and said that UFC 219 will not happen, but has an even bigger date in mind to settle the trilogy. “[Conor McGregor fighting Nate Diaz on] December 30th is definitely not happening. I don’t know how these things get started, but they have a certain way of gaining momentum. I can also tell you that his manager [Audie Attar] rang me this morning saying that him and Conor had been in meetings all day. Obviously, tomorrow is when we would start to consider the date. If it was my choice, and I must stress that this is only my choice and that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, it would be Nate Diaz in March.”

Russell Ess - September 27, 2017

Come on @lukerockhold all I want is to train man. Come on champ!!! A post shared by Daniel "DC" Cormier (@dc_mma) on Sep 27, 2017 at 12:18pm PDT

Jason Kindschy - September 27, 2017

BJPENN Radio returns tonight at 8PM ET/5PM PT with more of what you crave! 8:15PM ET- Kicking things off we are joined by former K-1 MAX champ and UFC welterweight turned world-renowned coach, Duane “Bang” Ludwig. Calling us from Holland, we’ll catch up with Duane about his journey of coaching athletes under his Bang Muay Thai system and growing as a martial artist himself. You’ll hear the latest on TJ Dillashaw’s preparation for UFC 217 and the opportunity to reclaim his title agains former teammate Cody Garbrandt. Also, we’ll get Ludwig’s expert opinion and analysis for the stacked card at UFC 217, his thoughts on May-Mac and Conor’s future in boxing, as well as the talk of Ronda Rousey fighting one last time against Cyborg. Always an informative and entertaining conversation with “Bang!”