UFC News
Conor McGregor coach Owen Roddy announces departure from SBG in Dublin
Tom Taylor - November 30, 2018
Owen Roddy, one of the long-time coaches of former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor, has announced that he will no longer be working at SBG Ireland in Dublin, and that he is instead moving to the gym’s Charleston location. Roddy made this announcement on his official Instagram page on Friday afternoon.
EXCLUSIVE | Jared Gordon discusses move to Roufusport: 'It's a perfect fit for me'
Mike Pendleton - November 30, 2018
UFC lightweight Jared Gordon is preparing to return from a 10-month layoff and is doing so with a new team behind him. Gordon took his first loss in the UFC when he came up short to Carlos Diego Ferreira at UFC Fight Night 126 back in February. Following the loss, Gordon decided to pack up from his New York home and move to Roufusport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Roufusport is home to plenty of UFC stars, including Anthony and Sergio Pettis, Paul Felder, John Makdessi and Belal Muhammad just to name a few.
Robert Whittaker responds to Dana White saying he doesn't like doing media obligations
Tom Taylor - November 30, 2018
Earlier this month, UFC President Dana White claimed that UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker was not a fan of the PR side of this sport. “We’re still talking about Rob becoming mainstream in his own country,” White said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph. “But from what I hear from my people here, Rob doesn’t love doing PR. But while you may not always remember what he says, you never forget the way he fights.
Artem Lobov calls out Renato Moicano for short-notice UFC 231 scrap
Tom Taylor - November 30, 2018
Earlier this week, it was announced that streaking UFC featherweight contender Renato Moicano will be flown into Toronto for UFC 231, and kept at the ready in the event that featherweight champ Max Holloway or undefeated challenger Brian Ortega is unable to make it to the cage for the card’s headlining bout. While this means it’s possible that Moicano could get a surprise title shot, it’s more likely that he winds up sitting cage-side as Holloway and Ortega fight as planned. Artem Lobov is offering him a different option. Instead of flying Toronto and hoping for a short-notice fight, Artem Lobov says Renato Moicano should fly to Toronto and fight him. While Lobov recognizes Moicano is currently situated quite a distance above him in the rankings, he believes he still has something very valuable to offer the Brazilian: publicity.
Israel Adesanya responds to Anderson Silva critics: 'He's not Chuck Liddell'
Tom Taylor - November 30, 2018
It was recently announced that UFC 234 will feature a middleweight showdown between streaking contender Israel Adesanya and former middleweight champ Anderson Silva. While some fans are thrilled about this clash of legendary strikers, others feel it’s irresponsible matchmaking; a chance to feed the aging legend Anderson Silva to a hyped-up young fighter. Israel Adesanya has heard these criticisms. While he agrees that Anderson Silva is perhaps not the fighter he once was, he assures he’s not Chuck Liddell, who was knocked out by Tito Ortiz last weekend.
UFC Adelaide weigh-in results: Headliners on point, Mark Hunt and Justin Willis involved in backstage confrontation
Tom Taylor - November 30, 2018
Early on Friday morning, the 24 fighters on the UFC Adelaide bill stepped onto the scales to weigh in for their respective battles.
Tecia Torres vs Weili Zhang official for UFC 235
Drake Riggs - November 29, 2018
The UFC strawweight division is deeper and better than it’s ever been right now and leading the new wave of talent is China’s Weili Zhang (18-1). Holding quite the impressive record of 18-1 in her 19 career bouts, Zhang’s lone loss came in her pro debut. Having not looked back since, Zhang has dominated her competition on route to 16 finishes (10 KO/TKOs, six submissions) and six titles in Kunlun Fight MMA.
VIDEO | Conor McGregor pokes fun at recent driving ban, finds 'new driver'
Thomas Taylor - November 29, 2018
Earlier this week, news surfaced that former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor had been handed a six-month driving ban. This ban is due to the former champ’s excessive speeding near his home city of Dublin. He was also fined 1,000 euro ($1136.62) for the incident. According to a report from the BBC, Conor McGregor “admitted to driving his Range Rover at 154kph (96mph) in a 100kph (62mph) zone near Kill, County Kildare, in October 2017.” This latest infraction follows a significant 12 other traffic violations that reportedly date back to his teenage years.
Bryan Caraway opens up on 'gnarly' Miesha Tate break up and 'miscommunication' with temporary UFC release
Drake Riggs - November 29, 2018
Once a burgeoning contender at 135-pounds, after a myriad of injuries and personal struggles, ‘Kid Lightning’ Bryan Caraway has been out of action more often than he would prefer. After scoring a big win by handing Aljamain Sterling the first loss of his career in May 2016, Caraway has only fought once since and it was in a close split decision loss to Cody Stamann in March.
VIDEO | Rachael Ostovich explains why she's still fighting at UFC Brooklyn
Drake Riggs - November 29, 2018
EXCLUSIVE: #UFC’s Rachael Ostovich speaks publicly for first time since hospitalization https://t.co/SfUHb41zQm pic.twitter.com/0pjxRXWvHX — Rob DeMello (@RobDeMelloKHON) November 29, 2018
EXCLUSIVE | BJ PENN: "I was honored to spend a week with Kid Yamamoto before he passed"
Christopher Taylor - November 29, 2018
The mixed martial arts community is still grieving after losing legendary Japanese fighter Kid Yamamoto to cancer this past September. Norifumi had announced that he was battling the disease back on August 26 via his official Instagram.
Anderson Silva says a title shot follows a win in 'best fight in the sport' vs Israel Adesanya at UFC 234
Drake Riggs - November 29, 2018
The middleweight division is getting the return of its old king as Anderson Silva takes on Israel Adesanya at UFC 234 in Melbourne, Australia on February 10. When just glancing at this bout, the initial reaction may be, ‘Why would Anderson Silva take this fight?’
Raphael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes to rematch in main event of UFC Fortaleza
Drake Riggs - November 29, 2018
With the UFC’s bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw chasing other division’s titles, his own division has to move on and it now begins to start doing so. After winning the title for the second time by defeating arch-rival, Cody Garbrandt, Dillashaw would defend it successfully against his foe in their immediate rematch at UFC 227.
EXCLUSIVE | Luis Pena explains why he is moving down to featherweight and calling out Artem Lobov
Cole Shelton - November 29, 2018
Luis Pena was an undefeated lightweight up until his last fight, when he came up short against TUF 27 winner Mike Trizano. Then, after the fight, the man they call ‘Violent Bob Ross’ announced that he would be moving down to the featherweight division. This news came as a bit of a shock to some, given that Pena is 6’3″. Pena himself, however, feels it’s the right move.
VIDEO | Conor McGregor trains alongside his father and his son
Tom Taylor - November 29, 2018
When Conor McGregor is gearing up for a fight, he sharpens his tools alongside dangerous fighters like Artem Lobov, Dillon Danis, and Gunnar Nelson. In a recent video clip uploaded to his official Instagram account, however, he can be seen training alongside some new faces: his father Tony and his young son Conor Jr. See it below:
EXCLUSIVE | Jim Crute hopes to be in light heavyweight top-10 with three wins — starting with Paul Craig at UFC Adelaide
Tom Taylor - November 29, 2018
Back in July, undefeated Australian light heavyweight prospect Jim Crute earned himself a UFC contract with a first-round destruction of Chris Birchler on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. This Sunday in Adelaide, Australia (Saturday in North America), he’ll make his long-awaited UFC debut against Scotland’s Paul Craig. The last time Paul Craig was in action, he dazzled the MMA community with an epic comeback win, dodging near-certain defeat by submitting Magomed Ankalaev with a single second remaining in their fight. Jim Crute saw this fight, and he was as impressed as the rest of us. That being said, he assures Paul Craig will have no such victory at UFC Adelaide.
Max Holloway willing to fight Renato Moicano on an hour's notice if Brian Ortega doesn't show up
Tom Taylor - November 29, 2018
Yesterday afternoon, it was announced that Brazil’s Renato Moicano will be the standby fighter for the UFC 231 main event. He will be called to arms in the event that UFC featherweight champ Max Holloway or undefeated challenger Brian Ortega isn’t able to show up. Apparently, Moicano is very ready for the opportunity. In fact, he advised Max Holloway to just stay home.
Jon Jones calls Alexander Gustafsson a 'knockoff version' of himself
Tom Taylor - November 29, 2018
In September of 2013, in the main event of UFC 165, Sweden’s Alexander Gustafsson gave Jon Jones the toughest fight of his career, battling the long-time light heavyweight champion to a razor close decision. While Gustafsson did not leave Toronto with Jones’ belt, many fans felt he should have. Speaking on a recent episode of the UFC Unfiltered podcast, Jon Jones once again claimed that he was not in the right headspace heading into this first fight with Alexander Gustafsson. In fact, he says he felt like he was about to fight an off-brand version of himself.