Exclusive MMA Interviews News

Tom Taylor - August 17, 2017

On August 26, UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor will step into the boxing ring with undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. In the buildup to this fight, many members of the combat sports community have offered insights, expectations and predictions for it. One of the latest to do so is Richard Perez, who serves as the boxing coach for Nick and Nate Diaz – the latter of whom stands out as McGregor’s fiercest rival. Perez discussed this upcoming boxing match on the latest edition of BJ Penn Radio. In his opinion, McGregor has a few dangerous weapons at his disposal, but they probably won’t be enough.

Tom Taylor - August 17, 2017

In the buildup to his August 26 boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr., many pundits have argued that Conor McGregor’s only chance at a victory is a puncher’s chance. In the opinion of Richard Perez, who serves as the boxing coach for McGregor’s arch-rival Nate Diaz, McGregor doesn’t even have that. Richard Perez also believes McGregor’s cardio issues – which plagued him in his fights with Diaz – will be a problem against Mayweather, and that the Irishman might resort to shady tactics to combat this problem. “No, he doesn’t have a punchers chance – and he gasses out,” Perez said on Wednesday’s edition of BJ Penn Radio. “I don’t care how hard he trains. They’ve got to watch out for him, because he’s probably going to take the substance that he did when he [fought] with Nathan, that woke him up. I know they’re taking tests, but they’ve got to be careful with that because he will do it. There’s no way he’s going to do this without taking any substances, and be strong in boxing, because boxing is a lot of stamina.”

Tom Taylor - August 10, 2017

Earlier this week, rising UFC welterweight Colby Covington made a clever callout of recent welterweight title challenger Demian Maia. On Wednesday’s edition of BJ Penn Radio, Covington gave an update on this fight, telling host Kinch that he hopes it happens at UFC 217, inside Madison Square Garden, on November 4. “I’m looking for November 4 in Madison Square Garden against Demian Maia,” he said. 

Tom Taylor - August 10, 2017

Over the last few months, Colby Covington and his friend and training partner Jorge Masvidal have made repeated callouts of fellow welterweight contenders Rafael Dos Anjos and Neil Magny. Unfortunately, Magny and Dos Anjos didn’t oblige those callouts. So, you can imagine Covington and Masvidal’s frustration when a Magny and Dos Anjos were booked to fight each other at UFC 216. On the latest edition of BJ Penn Radio, Covington went off on Magny and Dos Anjos in a scathing rant. Check out what he had to say below:

Tom Taylor - August 8, 2017

Back in May, UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier very nearly picked up the biggest win of his career, as he had former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez on spaghetti legs during their UFC 211 undercard scrap. Regrettably, Poirier was then cracked with a salvo of illegal knees. When he was unable to continue, the bout was ruled a no contest. Unsurprisingly, Poirier then set his sights on a rematch with Alvarez, and for a time, it looked like he’d get one. Ultimately, however, the UFC opted to pit Alvarez against breakthrough star Justin Gaethje, leaving Poirier without a dance partner

Chris Taylor - August 6, 2017

Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson (22-9 MMA) has gone 2-1 since joining Scott Coker and Bellator MMA in August of 2015. The American Kickboxing Academy staple scored a third-round submission finish (arm-triangle choke) over Mike Bronzoulis in his Bellator debut in September of 2015.

Chris Taylor - August 6, 2017

At 38-years-old, former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson (22-9 MMA) remains one of the very best 155-pound fighters in the sport of mixed martial arts. The product of American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) was most recently seen in action this past February in San Jose, where he had his two-fight win streak snapped by Patricky Freire via a controversial second-round knockout.

Tom Taylor - August 3, 2017

On September 16, when the UFC touches down in Pittsburgh, PA, ever entertaining welterweight “Platinum” Mike Perry will step onto the canvas with former welterweight title challenger Thiago Alves. Alves, of course, has long stood out as one of the welterweight division’s most exciting – and dangerous  – fighters. The one knock against the Brazilian star, however, is that he’s had some real difficulty making weight in the past. To recount, Alves has missed weight for welterweight fights with Matt Hughes and Jon Fitch, and for his lone attempt at making lightweight, when he tipped the scales at 162 pounds rather than the mandated 155. And while he seemed to have his weight under control for his last fight – an exciting decision defeat of Patrick Cote – there seems to be an ever-present possibility that he misses again.

Tom Taylor - August 3, 2017

On September 16, when the UFC touches down in Pittsburgh, PA, rising welterweight slugger “Platinum” Mike Perry will look to take another big step up the ranks with a win over former title challenger Thiago Alves. Perry discussed the matchup on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio, telling host Kinch that he grew up watching Alves, but has no problem beating him up. In fact, he believes nobody has ever decisively defeated Alves, and hopes to be the first man to do so.

Tom Taylor - August 3, 2017

Last Saturday, in the first fight of the stacked UFC 214 main card, rapidly rising light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir picked up yet another thunderous first-round knockout win, this time over one of the division’s top dogs in Jimi Manuwa. With this win, Oezdemir solidified his status as one of the top light heavyweight contenders, and one of the most deserving men of a crack at the new champ, Jon Jones. Unfortunately for Oezdemir, there are a number of high-profile opponents on Jones’ menu at present. The biggest name of the bunch is former heavyweight champ and WWE star Brock Lesnar, though Alexander Gustafsson and the recently retired Anthony “Rumble” Johnson would also seem to be options.

Tom Taylor - August 2, 2017

Last Saturday, in the co-main event of UFC 214, Tyron Woodley made a third defense of the UFC welterweight title with a decision defeat of Demian Maia. Unfortunately, Woodley suffered a torn labrum in the bout, which is likely to keep him on the sidelines for at least five months. Though Woodley is likely to be out of action for the latter half of 2017, he has already begun considering the possibilities for his next title defense. Speaking to BJPenn.com’s Chris Taylor, the champ explained that there is not exactly a clear welterweight contender out there at the moment. He also ran through some potential welterweight matchups that might produce a clear-cut contender.

Tom Taylor - August 2, 2017

UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley (18-3-1) successfully defended his title this past weekend in Anaheim, scoring a unanimous decision victory over top contender Demian Maia in the co-main event of UFC 214. “The Chosen One” was able to stuff all 21 of Demian Maia’s takedown attempts, and left the Brazilian submission specialist with two badly swollen eyes. Shortly following the UFC 214 event, Tyron Woodley revealed that he had suffered a torn labrum during the opening five minutes of his bout with Maia. On Wednesday, “T-Wood” spoke to BJPENN.com’s Chris Taylor about his five-round fight with Maia at UFC 214 and how the shoulder injury affected his performance:

Tom Taylor - July 27, 2017

This weekend, in the opening bout of the UFC 214 main card, Swiss striker Volkan Oezdemir will collide with British knockout artist Jimi Manuwa in what is widely perceived as a light heavyweight number one contender. Earlier this week, Oezdemir took time out of his busy fight week for an interview with BJ Penn Radio. During this interview, the Swiss upstart broke down his looming matchup with Manuwa, and gave a very bold prediction for the fight.

Tom Taylor - July 27, 2017

Stipe Miocic has established himself as one of the most fearsome and dominating heavyweight champions in UFC history. We have, however, seen him lose in the past. His most recent loss – which he just avenged with a first-round knockout – was a close decision defeat at the hands of Junior Dos Santos. His next most recent hiccup occurred in 2012, when he wilted under a storm of second-round punches dealt by towering Dutchman Stefan Struve. On the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio, Struve weighed in on a potential rematch with Miocic – which could well happen, so long as Struve wins his September 2, UFC Fight Night 115 headlining showdown with Alexander Volkov.

Tom Taylor - July 23, 2017

On August 26, UFC lightweight Conor McGregor will step into the boxing ring with undefeated great Floyd Mayweather Jr. While McGregor is tremendously talented as a mixed martial artist, he’s being given little chance against Mayweather in the boxing ring. On the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio, top UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal weighed in on this fight, and explained why he shares the widespread belief that McGregor will most likely lose decisively. “In a fight with two guys with their hands up with bad intentions, there’s always a chance – always in a fight,” Masvidal explained. “You can get beat up for 14 minutes, and at 14:55, you land that one blow that changes the whole fight. Anything can happen to anybody. But those chances are so slim against Mayweather… The only way I can see Mayweather losing is if Mayweather just doesn’t take him seriously at all. If he does like an Anderson Silva, you know – hands straight up and he actually lets him hit him in the chin. But I don’t see Mayweather losing this.”

Tom Taylor - July 23, 2017

Jorge Masvidal doesn’t like UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping. When Bisping ripped up a Cuban flag during Yoel Romero’s UFC 213 fight with Robert Whittaker – a flag Masvidal also calls his own – Masvidal’s dislike for the middleweight king ballooned even bigger. Apparently, however, his distaste for the champ is older than most fans would guess. Jorge Masvidal recounted his longstanding dislike for Bisping on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio.

Tom Taylor - July 20, 2017

UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal does not like UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping. He has made no secret of this fact over the last few months, as he has happily bashed the Brit whenever the opportunity has presented itself. Interestingly enough, however, the two rivals had never met face-to-face until recently. When they did finally encounter each other in person, things got pretty tense. Masvidal recounted his heated run-in with Bisping, which occurred in the buildup to UFC 213, on the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio.

Tom Taylor - July 20, 2017

Several weeks ago, top UFC welterweights Jorge Masvidal and Stephen Thompson agreed to fight – once Thompson was all healed up from his recent surgery. On the latest edition of BJ Penn Radio, Jorge Masvidal updated on the status of this exciting scrap.