UFC News
EXCLUSIVE | Jim Crute hopes to be in light heavyweight top-10 with three wins — starting with Paul Craig at UFC Adelaide
Tom Taylor - November 29, 2018
Back in July, undefeated Australian light heavyweight prospect Jim Crute earned himself a UFC contract with a first-round destruction of Chris Birchler on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. This Sunday in Adelaide, Australia (Saturday in North America), he’ll make his long-awaited UFC debut against Scotland’s Paul Craig. The last time Paul Craig was in action, he dazzled the MMA community with an epic comeback win, dodging near-certain defeat by submitting Magomed Ankalaev with a single second remaining in their fight. Jim Crute saw this fight, and he was as impressed as the rest of us. That being said, he assures Paul Craig will have no such victory at UFC Adelaide.
UFC Adelaide: Five reasons you should tune in
Mike Straus - November 29, 2018
The UFC returns to The Land Down Under this weekend with the exciting looking UFC Adelaide card. There are 12 scheduled fights in total for UFC Adelaide, many of them with future title implications. In the evening’s main event former heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos will take on the undefeated Aussie slugger Tai Tuivasa. Dos Santos is riding high off of a big win over Blagoy Ivanov this last July, while the heavy-handed Tuivasa is coming off a decision over Andrei Arlovski.
Max Holloway willing to fight Renato Moicano on an hour's notice if Brian Ortega doesn't show up
Tom Taylor - November 29, 2018
Yesterday afternoon, it was announced that Brazil’s Renato Moicano will be the standby fighter for the UFC 231 main event. He will be called to arms in the event that UFC featherweight champ Max Holloway or undefeated challenger Brian Ortega isn’t able to show up. Apparently, Moicano is very ready for the opportunity. In fact, he advised Max Holloway to just stay home.
Jon Jones calls Alexander Gustafsson a 'knockoff version' of himself
Tom Taylor - November 29, 2018
In September of 2013, in the main event of UFC 165, Sweden’s Alexander Gustafsson gave Jon Jones the toughest fight of his career, battling the long-time light heavyweight champion to a razor close decision. While Gustafsson did not leave Toronto with Jones’ belt, many fans felt he should have. Speaking on a recent episode of the UFC Unfiltered podcast, Jon Jones once again claimed that he was not in the right headspace heading into this first fight with Alexander Gustafsson. In fact, he says he felt like he was about to fight an off-brand version of himself.
Five Reasons To Watch The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale
Mike Straus - November 28, 2018
The Ultimate Fighter draws to an end in its historic 28th season. It will be the last of its kind. Here are five reasons to watch the TUF 28 Finale. The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) TV reality show has given fight fans a brief look into the crazy world that is mixed martial arts. Not to mention the countless stars that used the show as a catalyst to start their own career(s). Nate Diaz, Michael Bisping, and Forrest Griffen come to mind.
EXCLUSIVE | BJ Penn is "ready to go" after returning to his roots in Brazil
Chris Taylor - November 28, 2018
Former two-division UFC champion BJ Penn will return to the octagon on December 29 to battle Ryan Hall in a lightweight contest at UFC 232. “The Prodigy” has returned to his roots for this fight, training under his original jiu-jitsu coach Andre Pederneiras at Brazil’s famous Nova Uniao gym.
Mark Hunt thinks that a union would bring legitimacy to MMA
Drake Riggs - November 28, 2018
This Saturday night at UFC Adelaide, the legendary ‘Super Samoan’ Mark Hunt will make his final walk to the Octagon when he faces Justin Willis. The 44-year old Hunt isn’t calling it a career just yet though, he’s just planning to fight out of his UFC contract.
Joseph Benavidez believes flyweight division is 'more exciting than ever'
Drake Riggs - November 28, 2018
It’s been a bit of a wild time for the UFC’s lightest men’s division of flyweight. Seemingly doing away with the division overall, the weight class’ title will still be fought over come early next year which has left many confused.
Breaking! Ben Askren will make his octagon debut at January's UFC 233 event against Robbie Lawler
Christopher Taylor - November 28, 2018
Late last month it was announced that undefeated welterweight Ben Askren would be joining the UFC as part of a historic trade that sent pound-for-pound great Demetrious Johnson to ONE Championship. Four weeks later and we now know who the former Bellator and ONE title holder, Ben Askren, will be facing in his highly anticipated octagon debut.
Cynthia Calvillo to take on Cortney Casey at UFC 233
Drake Riggs - November 28, 2018
It’s no secret that Cynthia Calvillo likes to stay active with her MMA career and after losing out on some fight time due to a suspension, she’s ready to make up for the time that’s been lost. Calvillo made her professional debut in August 2016…she’s amassed a record of 7-1 since then and five of those fights came in 2017 (four in the UFC).
EXCLUSIVE | Khabib's training partner Luis Pena explains how a rematch against McGregor would play out
Cole Shelton - November 28, 2018
At UFC 229, Conor McGregor made his long-awaited return to the Octagon. He took on Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title. Ahead of the fight, not many people knew how it would turn out. Some people believed McGregor would be able to catch Nurmagomedov and knock him out. Others thought Nurmagomedov would just take McGregor down and ground and pound him or submit him, which ultimately is what happened.
Renato Moicano to serve as alternate for Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega fight
Tom Taylor - November 28, 2018
If UFC featherweight champ Max Holloway or undefeated challenger Brian Ortega isn’t able to make it to the cage for their anticipated UFC 231 main event title fight, Renato Moicano will be called up to step in and replace the absent fighter. The streaking Brazilian featherweight contender will fly to Toronto, the card’s host city, and weigh-in as an understudy, according to ESPN. Moicano was originally expected to battle Mirsad Bektic on this anticipated card, but unfortunately, this bout was nixed when Bektic sustained an injury. Though the promotion apparently sought a replacement opponent for him, they ultimately decided to simply fly him into Toronto as an understudy.
Anderson Silva scolds Georges St-Pierre for ducking 'big challenges'
Tom Taylor - November 28, 2018
MMA fans have been dying to see former UFC champions Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva fight for years. That was true at the height of their title reigns, when St-Pierre guarded the welterweight strap and Silva simultaneously sat in the middleweight throne, and it’s true today, when Silva is a mere middleweight contender and St-Pierre appears to have once again retired. Unfortunately, the fight has never materialized, and Anderson Silva assures that’s no fault of his own. Speaking to ESPN recently, the former middleweight champion shared his belief that Georges St-Pierre is only interested in taking easy fights, rather than truly challenging himself.
Jon Jones says he would have left UFC if USADA issued four-year ban
Tom Taylor - November 28, 2018
In the end, the United States Anti-Doping Agency handed Jon Jones a 15-month suspension for the failed drug test that caused his July, 2017 win over Daniel Cormier to be overturned. That being said, the agency was apparently contemplating a much more severe punishment: a four-year ban. Speaking to ESPN earlier this week, Jon Jones admitted that, had USADA issued this four-year suspension, he would have asked to be released from his UFC contract so that he could fight overseas, outside the jurisdiction of the anti-doping agency.
At UFC 233, Aleksandra Albu returns for second bout since 2015
James Lynch - November 28, 2018
A compelling women’s strawweight matchup has been added to the UFC 233 lineup, as Aleksandra Albu is set to face Oregon’s Emily Whitmire on the card. The UFC’s official Russian Twitter account confirmed the news on Wednesday.
With UFC contract almost up, Mark Hunt shares plans for the next chapter of his career
Tom Taylor - November 28, 2018
When Mark Hunt battles Justin Willis in the co-main event of UFC Adelaide this weekend, it will mark the final obligation on his current UFC contract. Do not expect him to re-sign with the promotion. Speaking to MMAjunkie ahead of his fight, Hunt explained that he’s happy to be parting ways with the UFC, and that he will continue to fight outside the promotion.
Jon Jones roasts Daniel Cormier on social media
Christopher Taylor - November 27, 2018
Former UFC light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones will make his highly anticipated octagon return at January’s UFC 232 event in Las Vegas. “Bones” is scheduled to rematch former division title challenger Alexander Gustafsson at the December 29 event.
Max Holloway believes that health issues are a thing of the past, 'We're going to make it'
Drake Riggs - November 27, 2018
Three separate opponents, three-fight cancellations. That’s not exactly the type of year that any fighter wants to have. Let alone a champion of Max Holloway’s caliber. Unfortunately, that’s exactly how his 2018 played out so far. Holloway’s first fight cancellation came early for March’s UFC 222 event which saw him set to take on Frankie Edgar. However, a leg injury would end up forcing Holloway out of the bout.