UFC News
Cain Velasquez reportedly set to corner Gabriel Benitez at UFC Vegas 84
Cole Shelton - January 9, 2024
Cain Velasquez will be back at a UFC event and in the corner this coming Saturday. Velasquez is the former UFC heavyweight champion and currently remains free on bail after facing 10 charges, to which he has pled not guilty, which include attempted murder; shooting at an occupied motor vehicle or aircraft; three counts of assault with a firearm; three counts of assault with a deadly weapon; willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle, and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony.
WATCH | Colby Covington gets trolled and booed by fans at Miami Heat game
Cole Shelton - January 9, 2024
Colby Covington was getting heckled by fans at a recent Miami Heat NBA game. Covington has hailed himself as The King of Miami, ever since beating Jorge Masvidal by lopsided decision at UFC 272 in March of 2022. However, since scoring that impressive win, ‘Chaos’ has fallen out of favor with some fans due to his actions both in and out of the cage. Prior to his title fight with Leon Edwards at UFC 296, Colby Covington upset many people when he brought up Rocky’s deceased father. Colby’s underwhelming performance against Edwards certainly did not help his cause, and now he’s apparently getting trolled in his own city.
Michael Page highly doubts Kevin Holland will make the same mistake he did against Stephen Thompson at UFC 299
Josh Evanoff - January 9, 2024
UFC welterweight contender Michael Page doubts that Kevin Holland will have a kickboxing match with him later this year. ‘Venom’ recently ended his high-profile free agency. In March, Michael Page competed in his last fight in the Bellator cage, scoring a stoppage win over Goiti Yamaguchi. Following that bout, he became a free agent. After months of speculation, he signed with the UFC last month and was booked against Kevin Holland.
Dricus du Plessis reveals insane fine for jumping the fence to meet Donald Trump at UFC 290: "Too cool of a moment for me to let by"
Josh Evanoff - January 9, 2024
UFC middleweight contender Dricus du Plessis was handed quite a fine for meeting Donald Trump last year. ‘Stillknocks’ is currently slated to face Sean Strickland later this month in the main event of UFC 297. The bout will be the first title shot of Dricus du Plessis’ career, as he faces the newly crowned champion. ‘Tarzan’ famously won middleweight gold back in September, with an upset decision win over Israel Adesanya.
Michael Bisping explains why 'crazy' Tom Aspinall vs. Brock Lesnar fight could headline UFC 300
Josh Evanoff - January 9, 2024
UFC commentator Michael Bisping believes that Tom Aspinall vs. Brock Lesnar isn’t as crazy as it sounds. The milestone UFC 300 event is now just a few months away. As of now, there are a slew of matchups announced for the event, including Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan. However, beyond comments from names such as Leon Edwards, there’s no clear champion to headline the card.
Manager details why Islam Makhachev doesn't have a fight booked, gives timeframe for return
Cole Shelton - January 9, 2024
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev appears to be on the sidelines for quite some time. Makhachev defended his lightweight title for the second time with a first-round knockout over Alexander Volkanovski back in October. After the fight, many expected Makhachev to return in the first quarter of 2024 before Ramadan and he was pushing to return on March 9.
Jon Jones sounds off on Tom Aspinall following recent Twitter exchange: “That intern championship means absolutely nothing if you seriously haven’t noticed yet”
Susan Cox - January 9, 2024
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has sounded off on Tom Aspinall following their recent exchange on ‘Twitter’. Tom Aspinall (14-3 MMA) is not giving up on his claims that he should be given undisputed champion status and if the UFC won’t do that, it is he who should get the opportunity to fight Jon Jones for the heavyweight belt.
Khamzat Chimaev says he will “one hundred percent” be fighting the winner of Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis: “They should be afraid”
Susan Cox - January 9, 2024
Khamzat Chimaev says he will ‘one hundred percent’ be fighting the winner of Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis. Strickland (28-5 MMA) is set to make his first title defense against Dricus Du Plessis (20-2 MMA) at UFC 297 which takes place on Saturday, January 20th at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Jon Jones responds to latest troll job from UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall
Susan Cox - January 9, 2024
Jon Jones has responded to the latest troll job from UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Jones (27-1 MMA) is the current UFC heavyweight champion.
Just Scrap Radio Ep. 149 with Jim Miller, Mario Bautista, and Marcus McGhee
Cole Shelton - January 9, 2024
The 149th episode of Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com with host Cole Shelton is live ahead of UFC Vegas 84, which is the first event of 2024. We’re first joined by UFC lightweight Jim Miller (1:33). Next, UFC bantamweight Mario Bautista (17:24) comes on. Closing out the program is UFC bantamweight Marcus McGhee (25:21).
Demetrious Johnson reacts to rumors that Joe Rogan facilitated his trade from UFC to ONE Championship
Harry Kettle - January 9, 2024
Demetrious Johnson has given his thoughts on the rumors suggesting Joe Rogan helped facilitate his trade to ONE Championship. Many years ago, Demetrious Johnson was traded to ONE Championship with Ben Askren joining the UFC in return. It was a fairly unprecedented move in the world of mixed martial arts, as “trades” don’t tend to happen often in the sport. Alas, it happened the way it happened, and it seemed to work out well for everyone involved.
Henry Cejudo critical of Sean Strickland and Alex Volkanovski opening up about mental health: “Keep some of that sh*t to yourself”
Harry Kettle - January 9, 2024
Henry Cejudo has questioned Sean Strickland and Alexander Volkanovski for opening up on their mental health issues. It’s been, to put it lightly, a chaotic few months for Sean Strickland. From winning the UFC middleweight championship to getting in brawls at events, he’s as much of a wildcard as he’s ever been. Now, fans have seen another side of him after he got visibly emotional talking about his childhood trauma during an interview with Theo Von.
Louis Smolka entering tech world as fighting future in doubt after UFC release: "I went back to school"
Cole Shelton - January 8, 2024
Louis Smolka has done a complete 180 with his career. After Smolka suffered a KO loss to Davey Grant at UFC Vegas 54 in May of 2022, which was his second straight loss, he was released from the UFC. With Smolka having been cut from the promotion for the second time, the Hawaiian wasn’t sure what his future held, so he decided to go back to school with an eye toward a tech job.
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones provides injury update after undergoing second surgery
Jeffrey Walter - January 8, 2024
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has provided an injury update after undergoing a second surgery, this time on his elbow. Jones (27-1 MMA) captured the promotion’s vacant heavyweight world title in March of 2023, scoring a first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane in the main event of the UFC 285.
Israel Adesanya opens up on decision to take UFC hiatus: "I missed the beast"
Josh Evanoff - January 8, 2024
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya felt that he badly needed time off after his last fight. ‘The Last Stylebender’ has been out of the octagon since a clash with Sean Strickland last September. Fighting in Australia in the main event of UFC 293, Israel Adesanya approached the title defense as any other. The normally-active middleweight had famously re-captured the title from Alex Pereira just months prior, by knockout.
Bo Nickal opens up on 2024 plans, reveals plans to fight four times
Josh Evanoff - January 8, 2024
UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal is hoping to have a busy, busy year in MMA. The former NCAA champion has been out of action since a knockout win over Val Woodburn in July at UFC 290. That stoppage victory was Bo Nickal’s fifth, all of which came in the first round. The middleweight is largely viewed as MMA’s greatest prospect at the moment, and for good reason.
Israel Adesanya reveals his corner advised him against going for broke in fifth round of UFC title fight with Sean Strickland
Susan Cox - January 8, 2024
Israel Adesanya has revealed that his corner advised him against going for broke in the fifth round of his UFC title fight with Sean Strickland. UFC 293, which took place in September of last year, saw the then current champion Israel Adesanya (24-3 MMA) take on Sean Strickland (28-5 MMA) in a middleweight title bout.
Renato Moicano says Paddy Pimblett’s weight gains between fights will be “very detrimental” to his career: “Look how fat he is!”
Susan Cox - January 8, 2024
Renato Moicano says Paddy Pimblett’s weight gains between fights will be ‘very detrimental’ to his UFC career. Pimblett (21-3 MMA) most recently fought and defeated Tony Ferguson (25-10 MMA) in a lightweight battle this past December at UFC 296. The 29-year-old has won all 5 of his fights since joining the UFC in 2021.