Exclusive MMA Interviews News

Cole Shelton - April 10, 2019

Most of the attention ahead of UFC 236 has surrounded the two interim title fights on the bill, and rightfully so. The matchups are interesting and gold is on the line. But, one fight that has been flying under the radar is a main card fight between Eryk Anders and Khalil Rountree. Anders is set to move up to light heavyweight for this fight, but he doesn’t see it as a permanent move.

Mike Pendleton - April 10, 2019

If there was ever a fighter who embodied the true definition of a martial artist, where the beauty is in the way the fighter fights, the way the fighter carries themselves, and the message they fight for, Michelle Waterson is that fighter. In fact, while the ‘Karate Hottie’ sees her fanbase grow with every dance-off, every fight, and every social media interaction she has, Waterson looks to inspire on a much deeper level.

Mike Pendleton - April 9, 2019

The UFC’s strawweight division has seen a fair share of new title contenders rise to the top of the division ever since Rose Namajunas dethroned former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in November 2017. While names like Tatiana Suarez, Nina Ansaroff, and Weili Zhang rising up the ranks and inching towards title contention, a veteran, Michelle Waterson, coming off the biggest win of her career, feels she deserves the next title shot and believes the timing is perfect for it.

Tom Taylor - April 9, 2019

When Kevin Belingon and Bibiano Fernandes stepped into the cage to battle for the ONE Bantamweight World Title at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, Japan, the expectation was that their fight, no matter how it ended, would settle their long-time rivalry. Fernandes had won their first fight by submission. Belingon had won their second by decision. And there, under the bright lights of Ryōgoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward, we finally had our tie-breaker. Much like their second fight, which occurred in November, this third fight looked like it would be a fun one from the get-go. First, Belingon rocked Fernandes. Then, Fernandes rocked Belingon. All signs pointed to a riveting, back-and-forth war.

Tom Taylor - April 8, 2019

Over the last few months, ONE Championship has signed some truly elite talent in Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Sage Northcutt and Vitor Belfort. Two of those fighters made their ONE Championship debuts at the recent ONE: A New Era card in Tokyo — and with very different results. Eddie Alvarez debuted first, and was knocked out by Russian juggernaut Timofey Nastyukhin in a jaw-dropping upset. Demetrious Johnson debuted next, submitting a game Yuya Wakamatsu in the second round.

Mike Straus - April 8, 2019

“The Immortal” Matt Brown has been in the MMA game for nearly 15 years, and the 38-year-old welterweight is showing few signs of slowing down. Although Brown hasn’t had a fight since smashing Diego Sanchez back at Fight Night 120 in November of 2017, the veteran of 24 Octagon appearances has been staying busy.

Cole Shelton - April 8, 2019

Max Griffin is looking to get back into the win column at UFC 236. Griffin is currently on a two-fight losing streak with losses to Curtis Millender and Thiago Alves, although many thought Griffin beat Alves back in February.

Tom Taylor - April 7, 2019

On March 31, at ONE: A New Era in Tokyo, Bibiano Fernandes and Kevin Belingon met for what was expected to be a third and final time. Regrettably, this bout ended in controversy. Mid-way through the third round, Fernandes completed a takedown on Belingon. Belingon responded by unleashing a salvo of elbows, most of which seemed to land in the forbidden zone on the back and top of Fernandes’ head.

Mike Pendleton - April 7, 2019

Leon Edwards is more than just some guy that got into it with Jorge Masvidal at UFC London this past March. In fact, Leon Edwards has the resume that should see him inside the top-10 in the UFC’s welterweight division, yet because he doesn’t trash talk like others in his division, he still sits waiting for his chance at a top-ranked opponent. In an exclusive interview with BJPenn.com, Edwards discussed how he’s enjoying the momentum of his current winning streak, fighting for his country and family, and having his sights set on a title shot by the end of 2019.

Tom Taylor - April 5, 2019

When Al Iaquinta upset Kevin Lee at the final UFC on FOX event in December, he sent himself rocketing up the lightweight rankings, and set himself up for another big fight in the crowded division. He’ll get that next big fight in the main event of the UFC’s May 4th return to Ottawa, Canada, where he’ll battle fan favorite contender Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. Cowboy last fought in January, when he slowed the rise of Alex Hernandez, putting the young contender down with a head-kick and salvo of followup punches in the second round. Iaquinta believes that his experience will help him avoid meeting a similar fate when he battles the lightweight gunslinger in the Canadian capital.

Cole Shelton - April 5, 2019

Johnny Walker has been on a roll. Since his first UFC fight back in November, the massive Brazilian has earned three wins, all by first-round knockout. His total Octagon time is at just 2:48. There is no question that Walker posses a unique skillset that not many light heavyweight have, or can figure out.

Thomas Taylor - April 4, 2019

The first time Isaac Vallie-Flagg climbed through the ropes to compete in a bare knuckle fight, he didn’t end up getting paid for his work. WBKFF, the promotion he fought for, disintegrated almost immediately after its first event, and Tom Stankiewicz, the man behind it, wound up in jail after failing to pay the majority of the fighters he’d hired.

Cole Shelton - April 4, 2019

When Conor McGregor made his return to the Octagon at UFC 229 to take on Khabib Nurmagomedov it was the biggest pay-per-view in the UFC’s history. Part of the reason the card was so successful was because of McGregor and Nurmagomedov’s heated rivalry. First, it was the Nurmagomedov confronting McGregor’s friend and teammate in Artem Lobov. Then, it was McGregor throwing the dolly at the bus. And, finally, after the fight there was a post-fight melee to top it all off.

Cole Shelton - April 4, 2019

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) returns this Saturday with Artem Lobov and Jason Knight making their promotional debuts in the main event of BKFC 5. Although the two are set to headline the card, the pre-fight discourse has been dominated by Lobov and Paulie Malignaggi’s potential fight. With all the buzz surrounding a potential Lobov vs. Malignaggi fight, Knight thinks Lobov is looking past him and that this will be a mistake for Lobov.

Mike Pendleton - April 3, 2019

Coming off their respective wins at UFC London, Leon Edwards and Jorge Masvidal set themselves up for a potential fight. Although they could have just met in the cage, the two instead met backstage following their wins, and an altercation took place that saw Masvidal get his hands on Edwards, who is now looking for revenge. With the dust from their altercation settling, the UFC decided to move past the new rivalry and have been in talks to schedule a fight between Masvidal and Ben Askren this summer. While the UFC has made it clear they don’t have any current plans for Masvidal and Edwards to face each other, “Rocky” isn’t going to stop pursuing the fight.

Mike Straus - April 3, 2019

Fresh off his most impressive victory to date over the weekend, Sweden’s Jack Hermansson says he is ready to get right back to work. Hermansson made quick work of David Branch in the co-main event of UFC Philadelphia on Saturday night. “The Joker” needed only 49 seconds to submit the Renzo Gracie black belt with a brutal guillotine choke.

Tom Taylor - March 29, 2019

Anthony Engelen wrapped up the year 2018 in incredible style, picking up a pair of first-round victories in the span of two weeks in November. Unfortunately, this incredible success didn’t carry into the first phases of 2019, as he lost his first bout of the year, succumbing to a storm of strikes from Won Il Kwon in Jakarta in January. With some time between himself and this tough setback, Engelen admits that he wasn’t as focused as he should have been heading into the matchup.

Tom Taylor - March 28, 2019

In 2011, Filipino Wushu specialist Eduard Folayang was invited to headline the debut event from a brand new promotion called ONE Fighting Championship. Folayang was originally booked to fight fellow Filipino Ole Laursen on the card, but was later matched up with streaking Korean A Sol Kwon when Laursen was sidelined with a knee injury. Folayang prevailed despite the opponent change, winning a unanimous decision. Almost eight years later, Folayang has competed 14 more times for this promotion (which has since dropped the word “Fighting” from its name).