MMA News

bjpenndotcom - July 27, 2017

Several weeks ago, news surfaced that Conor McGregor had extended an offer to former boxing champion Paul Malignaggi to join Team McGregor as the UFC lightweight champ prepared for his historic boxing match against Floyd Mayweather. Malignaggi ultimately did end up joining Conor McGregor‘s camp, as a photo of the pair sparring broke the news to the combat sports community on social media. Immediately of course, questions regarding McGregor’s training began to emerge, as Malignaggi revealed that his policy is to not discuss what takes place in the gym behind closed doors.

Tom Taylor - July 27, 2017

If you’ve been paying attention to the social media accounts of Cris Cyborg over the last few days, you’ll know that she’s been promoting an awesome contest for her fans. The winner of this contest will attend the fights, be given a special backstage experience, and have the opportunity to meet Cyborg and many of the card’s other stars. Only 2 days left in the #cyborgnation video challenge before a winner is selected! Have you entered? #ufc214pic.twitter.com/rLAMZ4Qr4k

Tom Taylor - July 27, 2017

This weekend, in the main event of UFC 214, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will attempt to reclaim his title from the current champion and his arch rival Daniel Cormier. In the buildup to this fight, much has been made of Jones’ last-minute withdrawal from July 2016’s UFC 200, when he was last scheduled to meet Cormier. UFC President Dana White in particular has had plenty to say about the former champ’s withdrawal from the card. And apparently, Jones is getting tired of it. Speaking with Lance Pugmire of the LA Times, Jones explained that he is giving the UFC boss the silent treatment.

Tom Taylor - July 27, 2017

This Saturday, the UFC will touch down in sun-soaked Anaheim, California with UFC 214. The card stands out as the biggest of the year thus far, thanks in large part to the three title fights that top the bill. The biggest of these title fights, and the card’s main event, will occur at light heavyweight, where reigning champion Daniel Cormier and former champion Jon Jones will battle for light heavyweight gold. The co-main event, meanwhile, will be a welterweight title fight between champ Tyron Woodley and challenger Demian Maia. The first title fight of the bunch, finally, will go down at featherweight, where women’s pound-for-pound stalwart Cris “Cyborg” Justino will battle former Invicta bantamweight champion Tonya Evinger for the vacant throne. Ahead of this massive fight, which will mark her long-awaited UFC debut, Evinger joined Ariel Helwani for a quick chat. During this discussion, Evinger made the somewhat surprising admission that she feels the UFC dislikes both her and Cyborg – she’s just not sure who the promotion dislikes more.

bjpenndotcom - July 26, 2017

This Saturday, the UFC will host a trio of title fights from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California as the light heavyweight title, the welterweight title, and the women’s featherweight title are all put on the line. In the main event, UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier puts his light heavyweight title on the line against former light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones in a highly anticipated rematch several years in the making. The fight, which has been scheduled and rescheduled several times in the past, is finally taking place this Saturday.

Russell Ess - July 26, 2017

UFC 214 takes place on Saturday, July 29 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The main event features a rematch between current UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and former champion Jon Jones. The two will be fighting for the second time in their careers with Jones getting the best of Cormier in their first match at UFC 182, winning a unanimous decision after their initial five round title fight.

Russell Ess - July 26, 2017

UFC 214 has a lot of great fights on the card with some big star power involved. With title fights on the card, it’s easy to overlook the rest of the fights but many fans are surely looking forward to seeing to the magical matchup between former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler and Donald Cerrone. The two scrappers are sure to bring fans to their feet as both are game competitors always willing to square up and throw everything they’ve got.

Russell Ess - July 26, 2017

UFC 214 takes place on Saturday, July 29 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The card is stacked with three title fights with UFC light heavyweight champion defending his belt against former champ Jon Jones in the main event of the evening. The co-main event will feature the welterweight title fight between champion Tyron Woodley and challenger Demian Maia. Also, fighting for the vacant UFC women’s featherweight title, Cris Cyborg and Tonya Evinger will each look to claim the belt of the new women’s 145-pound weight class.

bjpenndotcom - July 26, 2017

BJPENN.COM Radio is live at 8PM ET/5PM PT with another stacked guest list! 8:15PM ET- Kicking things off tonight we are joined by UFC welterweight, Alan Jouban. Just over a week removed from UFC Fight Night 114 in Mexico City, we’ll be previewing his bout with Niko Price. “Brahma” is focused on getting back in the win column following the submission loss to Gunnar Nelson back in March, and while he knows Niko Price is another challenge in his way, Jouban feels that he’s ready to show the world his true form. We’ll breakdown this matchup and talk shop with the Black House/10th Planet standout.

Tom Taylor - July 26, 2017

If you saw the first official promo for UFC 214, which is headlined by a light heavyweight grudge match between champ Daniel Cormier and challenger Jon Jones, you probably noticed that it did not portray Jones especially well. Instead, it detailed Jones many recent indiscretions in rapid succession. During the official UFC 214 media conference call, which occurred earlier this week, Jones addressed the tone of this promo. At first, the former champ said, he wasn’t especially keen on it. Since then, however, he’s come to appreciate it and embrace the bad guy image he’s been painted with.

bjpenndotcom - July 26, 2017

Wednesday morning, surprising news surfaced that the Association of Boxing Commissions had unanimously approved the introduction of four new weight classes to Mixed Martial Arts. In addition to the nine weight classes that were already sanctioned, there are now four new weight classes being added to the mix!

bjpenndotcom - July 26, 2017

The 50 Cent vs. Conor McGregor war of words continues! Several weeks ago, Conor McGregor made headlines during the New York stop of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor world tour when he took the mic and boldly proclaimed:

bjpenndotcom - July 26, 2017

Recently, UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor made headlines ahead of his highly anticipated showdown with Floyd Mayweather on August 26th when footage of the champ sporting a throwback Golden State Warriors jersey surfaced on the internet. In the footage McGregor can be seen wearing and old-school style #23 Warriors jersey, which was once worn by NBA veteran Jason Richardson. Richardson played in the NBA from 2001-2015, and racked up two NBA dunk contest wins during his professional career. Given Richardson’s renowned status in the NBA, it didn’t seem that unlikely that McGregor was sporting his jersey, despite the champ admittedly not being much of a basketball fan.

bjpenndotcom - July 26, 2017

This past weekend, former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman picked up a much needed win as he defeated Kelvin Gastelum via submission to snap a 3-fight skid that saw ‘The All American’ go winless for two years. Following the win, Weidman called for a fight with middleweight champion Michael Bisping in his post-fight Octagon interview. He then called out the champ on social media in the days following the fight, mocking Bisping for having a crossed eye, an injury sustained during a fight. Bisping shot back, understandably mad that a fight injury was the root of Weidman’s insult.

Tom Taylor - July 26, 2017

This weekend, on the main card of UFC 214, England’s Jimi Manuwa will battle Volkan Oezdemir in what could well be a light heavyweight number one contender fight. From the sounds of it, however, a title shot isn’t the only big opportunity on Manuwa’s horizon. Speaking to BT Sport, Manuwa recently reiterated that his desired boxing match with David Haye is still indeed in the works, and that it could happen sometime in early 2017.

Tom Taylor - July 26, 2017

Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and former champion Jon Jones don’t like each other. That’s as clear today, when we’re days out from their blockbuster UFC 214 rematch, as it has been for the last three years. The two rivals are constantly berating each other in interviews and on social media, and they’re poised to take it out on each other in the cage this weekend. Surprisingly, however, the two rivals can conjure up some compliments about one another when pressed. In a recent segment called “Fighting Words” with Fox Sports, Jones and Cormier did just that.

Tom Taylor - July 26, 2017

Last year, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was pencilled in for a comeback fight opposite reigning champ and heated rival Daniel Cormier. Jones’ big-ticket comeback was expected to occur in the main event of UFC 200, which served as the crescendo of 2016’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas. Regrettably, Jones failed a drug test in the lead-up to this event, which meant that his main event battle with Cormier was scrapped at the last minute. In the wake of this biblical disaster, UFC President Dana White assured he would never trust Jon Jones to headlined a UFC card again.

Tom Taylor - July 26, 2017

Earlier this week, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones generated headlines by expressing interest in a hypothetical showdown with former heavyweight champion and current WWE star Brock Lesnar. “I would love to fight Brock Lesnar,” Jones during a live Facebook Q&A in the buildup to his Saturday night showdown with reigning light heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier. “He’s a massive dude, it would be a massive draw. Really big for the sport. It would be a great challenge. That’s a big, old boy. I doubt Brock Lesnar would take that fight, though.”