UFC News
Dana White says select media members will be invited to UFC 249
Adam Martin - April 7, 2020
UFC president Dana White confirmed that select media members will be invited to be a part of UFC 249 despite the restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. White announced Monday the full UFC 249 card, including an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson at the top of the bill. Also on the card is a rematch between former women’s strawweight champions Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas, a heavyweight bout between Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and a featherweight bout between Calvin Kattar and Jeremy Stephens. The location is still a secret.
Eddie Hearn believes Dana White's determination to promote UFC 249 is "bad taste"
Tom Taylor - April 7, 2020
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has been vocal about his admiration for UFC President Dana White in the past, but he can’t get behind White’s determination to promote the UFC 249 card amid the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s unbelievable, I’d like to think that in boxing, there’s no-one more roll your sleeves up and get on with it than me,” Hearn told Express Sport. “But even I wouldn’t consider staging an event right now. I’m not even thinking about options, not even on the radar.
Dana White says UFC 249 fighters will be safer than people sitting at home or going to the grocery store
Adam Martin - April 7, 2020
UFC president Dana White claims that the fighters competing at UFC 249 will be safer than fans sitting at home or going to the grocery store. White made UFC 249 official on Monday, booking 12 fights for the card including an interim lightweight title bout between Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson for the main event. The event will go on as planned despite the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world, though White has not yet released a location for the card, instead deciding to keep it a secret.
Dana White explains why he's keeping the location of UFC 249 a secret
Adam Martin - April 7, 2020
UFC president Dana White explained why he’s keeping the location of UFC 249 a secret despite the event being less than two weeks away from happening. White announced the full card for UFC 249 on Monday, which includes a tremendous interim lightweight title bout between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje at the top of the card. However, while the UFC announced 12 fights that will take place at the event, one thing the promotion did not reveal was the location of the event.
Dana White discusses UFC 249's impact on Conor McGregor
Tom Taylor - April 7, 2020
UFC President Dana White isn’t sure what’s next for former two-division champ Conor McGregor, who is far and away the promotion’s biggest star. Things are quite chaotic at the top of the lightweight division at present, as undisputed champ Khabib Nurmagomedov is stuck in Russia due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions, and Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje are set to battle for the interim title in the short-notice main event of UFC 249 on April 18. It’s difficult to say where McGregor, the lightweight division’s biggest name and one of its top contenders, fits into this situation.
Gilbert Burns blasts “rapper” Tyron Woodley for ducking him at UFC 249
Harry Kettle - April 7, 2020
Gilbert Burns has taken a shot at Tyron Woodley on social media for allegedly ducking a fight against him at UFC 249 later this month. Burns, 33, is riding an impressive five-fight win streak with his last three coming at welterweight. Woodley, on the other hand, hasn’t fought since losing the UFC Welterweight Championship to Kamaru Usman last year.
VIDEO | Daniel Cormier reacts after realizing he had been duped by fake account regarding UFC 249 news
Natasha Hooper - April 7, 2020
Fans weren’t the only ones duped by a fake Ariel Helwani account this week, as former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier was also tricked into believing a false announcement about Khabib Nurmagomedov. Over the weekend, a fraudulent account impersonating Ariel Helwani (spelled Helvani) reported some breaking news. The account announced that UFC president Dana White and Vladimir Putin had arranged for UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov to travel the US to fight Tony Ferguson in their scheduled UFC 249 bout. The Twitter account used the same profile picture as Helwani’s official account, so it certainly looked the part.
Jon Jones reacts to Anthony Smith's home invasion story: "No way dude would have left my house walking"
Tom Taylor - April 7, 2020
Jon Jones had an interesting reaction to Anthony Smith’s story about fighting off a home invader over the weekend. Smith, who fought Jones last year, shared this harrowing account during an interview with ESPN, going into detail about his tooth-and-nail brawl with the intruder, who reportedly entered his home around 4:00am on Sunday
Dana White details “total mishap” which lead to Khabib Nurmagomedov being removed from UFC 249
Harry Kettle - April 7, 2020
Dana White has revealed the mishap which caused Khabib Nurmagomedov to be removed from the UFC 249 main event. It’s been public knowledge for a while now that Nurmagomedov would not be able to compete at UFC 249, where he was scheduled to defend his UFC Lightweight Championship against Tony Ferguson with the fight being arranged for the fifth time – and subsequently falling apart for the fifth time.
Dana White confirms that the winner of Justin Gaethje vs. Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 will fight Khabib Nurmagomedov next
Christopher Taylor - April 6, 2020
Dana White has confirmed that the winner of UFC 249’s new main event between Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson will receive the next shot at Khabib Nurmagomedov. ‘The Eagle’ was originally slated to put his undisputed UFC lightweight world title on the line against Ferguson in the April 18 headliner. However, due to travel restrictions, the undefeated champion was forced to withdraw from the card while remaining in Russia.
Dana White securing private island for events, adds UFC 249 fighters will be tested for Covid-19
Adam Martin - April 6, 2020
UFC president Dana White is working on securing a private island for upcoming UFC cards and also said fighters at UFC 249 will be tested for coronavirus. TMZ Sports reported on Monday night that White is close to locking up a private island to host upcoming UFC events. This would not include UFC 249 and UFC Nebraska, which are both tentatively scheduled to move to another location that hasn’t been announced. After the next two months of UFC cards are held in that mystery location, White plans on holding UFC events on a private island every week after that.
Anthony Smith details brawl with home intruder: "It was one of the toughest fights I've had in my whole life"
Adam Martin - April 6, 2020
UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith said he got into a vicious brawl with a home intruder on early Sunday morning in what he calls “one of the toughest fights” of his life. Smith told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani the whole story about what happened, and it really is as crazy as it sounds.
Daniel Cormier understands why Stipe Miocic doesn't want to fight him: "He's going to have a lot of trouble"
Cole Shelton - April 6, 2020
Daniel Cormier knows why Stipe Miocic is reluctant to fight him. Cormier and Miocic have fought twice before where they first met at UFC 226. There, “DC” knocked out Miocic in the first round to become the heavyweight champ. They had their rematch at UFC 241 where Cormier arguably won the first three rounds before Miocic earned a fourth-round TKO win to reclaim his heavyweight belt.
Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik added to UFC 249
Adam Martin - April 6, 2020
A heavyweight bout between top contenders Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik is the latest addition to the revamped UFC 249 card. Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik was originally set to take place at UFC Columbus in the main event before that card was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both men have been campaigning to appear on the new UFC 249 card and it appears they will now get their wish. According to Rozestruik, the fight will indeed take place at UFC 249. It won’t be for the interim heavyweight belt like Rozenstruik suggested, but it has been booked nonetheless.
Tyron Woodley says Colby Covington turned down fight against him at UFC 249
Adam Martin - April 6, 2020
Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley says that Colby Covington turned down a fight against him for the fifth time at UFC 249. There is no love lost between Woodley and Covington, as they have been talking smack to each other for the better part of two years now. The two have been connected to a fight multiple times in the past but for whatever reason, it’s never been booked.
Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro set for new UFC 249 card
Cole Shelton - April 6, 2020
Greg Hardy and Yorgan De Castro will indeed fight, but it will now happen at UFC 249. Hardy and De Castro were expected to fight at UFC Columbus, yet that was one of the three promotional events postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, sources tell BJPENN.com that Hardy and de Castro will be on this month’s new UFC 249 card at a location to be announced.
UFC 249: MMA community reacts to Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje booking
Thomas Taylor - April 6, 2020
It’s official: Justin Gaethje has stepped in to fight Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC 249, replacing undisputed lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. As expected, this announcement generated a wide range of reactions from fighters, fans, and members of the media alike. See some of the early reactions to this Ferguson vs. Gaethje fight at UFC 249 below.
Justin Gaethje reacts to short-notice Tony Ferguson booking
Tom Taylor - April 6, 2020
It’s official. Justin Gaethje will fight Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC 249 on April 18. Fighting a juggernaut like Ferguson on less than two weeks’ notice amid a pandemic when neither adequate training nor the fight itself can be guaranteed is certainly a risky move.