UFC News

Thomas Taylor - December 19, 2018

Khabib Nurmagomedov was recently asked by a journalist from the Russian publication URA.ru whether he represents the Russian republic of Dagestan, or the wider country of Russia as a whole. The UFC lightweight champion, who proudly represents his Dagestani heritage, but also identifies as a Russian, did not appreciate the question, retorting that he felt that the journalist was trying to spark division in the country. “I always do (represent Russia),” the champion said (translation via RT Sport). “There is always a Russian flag on the screen. Everyone in the States, who doesn’t know what Dagestan, Chechnya or Caucasus is, calls me Russian.”

Tom Taylor - December 19, 2018

At a hearing earlier this month, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), advised former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones to enroll in VADA drug testing in addition to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) drug testing that he’s subject to as a UFC fighter. This extra testing was not mandatory, merely encouraged. “I, for one, would like to put the doubts to sleep and to put them away once and for all,” commissioner Martha Shen-Urquidez told Jones at the hearing. “And for people to believe you, that you are that talented and that you are the greatest, and that you can win a fight just clean, and that this is Jon Jones, and to put those doubts away once and for all.”

Tom Taylor - December 19, 2018

It took the UFC a long time to find a main event for UFC 230, which went down on November 3 in New York City. One of the options that was on the table before the promotion landed on the card’s eventual Daniel Cormier vs. Derrick Lewis headliner was a welterweight scrap between Colby Covington and Nick Diaz. Unfortunately for the fans, however, this fight never came to fruition.

Tom Taylor - December 19, 2018

The official UFC rankings have been updated in the wake of last weekend’s UFC Milwaukee card, and as expected, Al Iaquinta has surged up the list at lightweight after springing the upset on Kevin Lee in the card’s main event. With his decision defeat of Kevin Lee, Al Iaquinta has usurped the number five spot in the lightweight rankings. Interestingly, this move actually forced Edson Barboza out of the top-5, despite his destruction of Dan Hooker in the UFC Milwaukee co-main event.

Tom Taylor - December 19, 2018

Michael Bisping had a legendary MMA career, highlighted by victories over some of the sport’s biggest names, and of course, a UFC middleweight title win. Despite his massive successes, however, Bisping says he would still do a few things differently if he could go back. Speaking on a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Michael Bisping was asked what he’d do differently if he could go back and start his MMA career over again.

Tom Taylor - December 19, 2018

On December 29, in the main event of the stacked UFC 232 card in Las Vegas, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will step back into the cage with the fiercest opponent of his career: Sweden’s Alexander Gustafsson. Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson first met in the main event of UFC 165, in 2013 in Toronto. On that night, Jones walked away with a unanimous decision win, though many fans felt Gustafsson should have been awarded the decision. Whatever the case, the bout is widely regarded as one of the best in UFC history.

Tom Taylor - December 19, 2018

On February 9, at UFC 234 in Melbourne, Australia, former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will battle red-hot contender Israel Adesanya. Heading into this matchup, many fans have suggested that Silva and Adesanya are quite similar. Some have even suggested that the latter is a newer, younger version of the former.

Drake Riggs - December 18, 2018

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrjbwM2FBHQ/ “Yo, I know I just made a picture post about this, but I was laughing,” Ben Askren said in a video on Instagram. “I was laughing to myself and I had to share this with you.

James Lynch - December 18, 2018

Jon Jones will step back into the cage for the first time this year when he faces Alexander Gustafsson in a rematch on Dec. 29 at UFC 232. The lack of cage time is no surprise to those who have followed Jones’ career over the last few years. Drug testing suspensions and a hit-and-run accident have kept the 31-year-old limited to just one fight a year since 2014 and also cost him his light heavyweight title.

Tom Taylor - December 18, 2018

Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has a lot of respect for former welterweight and middleweight champ Georges St-Pierre, but he feels that St-Pierre is averse to high-risk challenges. Anderson Silva gave his assessment of Georges St-Pierre at a press conference at his new Spider Kick gym on Monday.

Tom Taylor - December 18, 2018

Last Saturday night, in the main event of the UFC’s final show on FOX, highly regarded lightweight contender Kevin Lee hit a speed bump in the form of Al Iaquinta. Though Lee was not without his moments in the pair’s five-round encounter, he ultimately gave up a unanimous decision to his foe, which derailed his lightweight title dreams for the moment. That being said, Lee promises that he will still capture the belt in the future. While he is disappointed in this loss, his resolve has not been shaken.

Tom Taylor - December 18, 2018

UFC President Dana White recently suggested that the winner of Anderson Silva and Israel Adesanya’s UFC 234 middleweight fight will get the next crack at the middleweight belt. Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza, who has been chasing a UFC title shot since he arrived in the UFC in 2013, was not happy to hear this. Speaking to the Brazilian website PVT last week, Jacare shared his belief that neither Silva nor Adesanya deserves a title shot.

Thomas Taylor - December 17, 2018

It definitely seems like former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor is planning on fighting again in 2019. On Monday evening, the MMA superstar took to Twitter with a hint that he’ll be throwing more of his patented rocket-fuelled punches in the New Year.

Drake Riggs - December 17, 2018

At UFC 231 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, one of the most highly anticipated matchups in recent memory took place as two men battled over the UFC featherweight crown. To say that Brian Ortega took some damage in that fight against Max Holloway would be a bit of an understatement. But you wouldn’t know it just by looking at him today.

Drake Riggs - December 17, 2018

One of if not the brightest prospect to come from Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series is the bantamweight division’s ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley. Unfortunately for the 24-year old star in the making, he’s been sidelined since March with injury as well as a suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).

Cole Shelton - December 17, 2018

Geoff Neal may very well have earned the 2018 Knockout of the Year honors with his UFC 228 head-kick knockout of Frank Camacho, but he’s not resting on his laurels. On January 19, when the UFC debuts on ESPN+ in Brooklyn, New York, Neal will take a big step up in competition as he battles Belal Muhammad. Muhammad is currently 14-2 as a professional, and there is no question that this will be Neal’s toughest fight to date.

Tom Taylor - December 17, 2018

Over the last few weeks, fight fans have been very excited about a potential fight between Nick Diaz and Jorge Masvidal, which was expected to occur at UFC 235 on March 2. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like it’s happening after all. On Sunday night, Nick Diaz threw a wrench into this planned Jorge Masvidal fight.

Tom Taylor - December 17, 2018

UFC welterweight star Colby Covington has long flirted with the idea of a move to the WWE ring, but these days, when he’s having an increasingly difficult time getting his long-desired title fight with Tyron Woodley, he’s finding a move to the pro wrestling world more appealing than ever. He’s spoken to his training partner Bobby Lashley, as well as other WWE stars like Ronda Rousey and Paul Heyman, and he’s heard that the organization treats its athletes with great respect.