UFC News
ONE Championship fighters describe experience of fighting at closed-door event
Tom Taylor - March 13, 2020
This Saturday’s UFC Brasilia card has been closed to the public, meaning the fighters on the bill will compete in an arena completely devoid of fans. This is an experience a number of ONE Championship fighters are already familiar with. Late last month, amid growing concerns surrounding the coronavirus, ONE Championship elected to convert its ONE: King of the Jungle card to a closed-door event—just as the UFC has decided to do with the UFC Brasilia card.
Jon Jones not worried about fighting, says Coronavirus is 'bigger than sports'
Natasha Hooper - March 13, 2020
Jon Jones has prioritized coronavirus safety over MMA as he dubbed the crisis “bigger than sports.” The light heavyweight champion last fought in February when he defended his title against surging contender, Dominick Reyes. The fighters collided in the main event of UFC 247 in a five-round war. Jones ultimately won by unanimous decision, but the closely contested bout raised many eyebrows and criticism that Reyes should have won.
Kevin Lee plans to show he's 'number one already' at UFC Brasilia
Cole Shelton - March 12, 2020
Kevin Lee is entering his UFC Brasilia main event fight against Charles Oliveira with a ton of confidence. Lee, who is coming off of a first-round knockout win over Gregor Gillespie, will go into enemy territory to battle Oliveira. Yet, the atmosphere will be a little different as there will be no fans in the arena.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk set for surgery in Poland for hematoma suffered in UFC 248 fight
Cole Shelton - March 12, 2020
Joanna Jedrzejczyk will have surgery in Poland to help the swelling go down from the hematoma she sustained in her UFC 248 fight. In the co-main event, Jedrzejczyk was fighting Weili Zhang for the strawweight belt. She was looking to reclaim the title after losing it to Rose Namajunas back in 2017. Yet, after a hard-fought five rounds, where many consider it to be one of the best fights of all-time it was Zhang who won a split-decision.
How Leon Edwards went from living in a "tin shack" in Jamaica to becoming a MMA star
Natasha Hooper - March 12, 2020
As his main event showdown against Tyron Woodley quickly approaches, Leon Edwards revealed how he went from living in a “tin shack” in Jamaica to the bright lights of the UFC. “Rocky” moved to Birmingham in the UK in his younger years, but was originally born in Kingston, Jamaica. During an interview with Adam Catterall from BT Sport, Edwards recalled living in poverty and the impact it had on him:
Valentina Shevchenko says Halle Berry "has the skills" to be an MMA fighter
Natasha Hooper - March 12, 2020
Current UFC flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko recently discussed her upcoming title fight with Joanne Calderwood as well as her budding friendship with Halle Berry. The pair recently worked together in Berry’s directorial film debut “Bruised”. Not only does Shevchenko believe in the star’s director abilities, she thinks she has what it takes to make it big in MMA. The Peruvian champion accomplished another successful title defence last month against Katlyn Chookagian at UFC 247. She is set to take on number three ranked flyweight Joanne Calderwood at UFC 251 in Perth, Australia on June 6th, 2020. The clash will mark Shevchenko’s fourth title defence which she is more than ready for:
Weili Zhang details emotional moment at hospital with Joanna Jedrzejczyk: 'She kept crying for hours'
Adam Martin - March 12, 2020
UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang shared details of an emotional moment she had with rival Joanna Jedrzejczyk at the hospital following UFC 248. Zhang and Jedrzejczyk went toe-to-toe for 25 minutes in the co-main event of UFC 248, producing a banger of a title fight that pundits immediately called an instant classic. Both women landed hundreds of strikes on each other’s faces and bodies in a bloody battle that is already being labeled one of the greatest MMA fights of all time.
UFC 249 in jeopardy as New York state bans large public gatherings
Tom Taylor - March 12, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the sporting world. UFC 249 could be one of its next causalities. On Thursday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that gatherings of more than 500 people will be forbidden in the state effective tomorrow (Friday, March 13).
Cody Garbrandt hospitalized, out of Raphael Assuncao fight
Tom Taylor - March 12, 2020
Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt will have to wait to mount his comeback. On Thursday, Brazilian publication agfight.com broke the news that Garbrandt has been hospitalized with kidney issues and forced out of his UFC Columbus matchup with Raphael Assuncao.
Kevin Lee reacts to Charles Oliveira fight going down behind closed doors
Tom Taylor - March 12, 2020
When Kevin Lee fights Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC Brasilia this weekend, there will not be any fans in the building. That’s because the UFC has converted the card to a closed-door event to mitigate risk associated with the coronavirus. While this quiet, closed-door event will be an unfamiliar setting for Lee, he doesn’t seem to worried about it.
Khabib Nurmagomedov concedes Henry Cejudo is currently the greatest combat athlete of all time
Natasha Hooper - March 12, 2020
Step aside Demetrious Johnson and Jon Jones. UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov says that UFC bantamweight champ Henry Cejudo is currently the greatest combat athlete of all time. The all-access docu-series Anatomy Of A Fighter followed Nurmagomedov as he attended a recent media day for his management company, Dominance MMA. “The Eagle” made this appearance surrounded by MMA stars including Kayla Harrison, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Justin Gaethje.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk praises Weili Zhang: 'She's a very tough b*tch'
Adam Martin - March 12, 2020
Joanna Jedrzejczyk praised her rival Weili Zhang after their war at UFC 248, calling the UFC women’s strawweight champion ‘a very tough b*tch.’ Jedrzejczyk and Zhang fought 25 of the most action-packed minutes you will ever see in an MMA fight in the co-main event of last weekend’s UFC 248. The two slugged it out for five rounds, battering each other’s faces and bodies, with Zhang eventually emerging as the winner by a narrow split decision to keep the belt.