UFC News

Tom Taylor - January 21, 2019

Over the last few weeks, UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and fan favorite contender Nate Diaz have engaged in a number of skirmishes on social media. If you thought this might eventually lead to a fight between them, however, think again. Speaking on Submission Radio this week, Khabib Nurmagomedov gave his assessment of Nate Diaz and his 19-11 pro record. Safe to say he’s not impressed.

James Lynch - January 21, 2019

Lando Vannata never had any doubts that he wouldn’t be back with the UFC. The 26-year-old came to terms with the UFC on a new four-fight deal and is set to face Marcos Rosa Mariano at UFC 234 on Feb. 9 “I figured [the UFC] would want to re-sign me. I’m a pretty exciting fighter, I put on a show every time I step into the cage,” Vannata told MMA News. “I wasn’t too surprised they came back looking to re-sign me to a new deal. I was keeping my options open but I figured they would want to [re-sign me] and if the figures were right then yeah I would go back. The UFC had exclusive rights [to negotiating].”

Tom Taylor - January 21, 2019

According to a release from the ESPN Public Relations team, the first UFC on ESPN card was a massive success, driving hundreds of thousands of new ESPN+ subscriptions, and drawing massive viewership to the ESPN channel. Here’s what the release had to say:

Cole Shelton - January 21, 2019

Elias Theodorou’s toughest fight is not against any UFC fighter. Rather, it is taking on the United States Anti-Doping Agency to get a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for medical cannabis which has been prescribed by his doctor. Although cannabis is legalized in Canada where Theodorou lives, it doesn’t matter to USADA.

Tom Taylor - January 21, 2019

On Saturday night, after spoiling the UFC debut of former KSW star Ariane Lipski, Scottish flyweight contender Joanne Calderwood made a callout of fellow contender Jessica Eye. According to UFC President Dana White, however, Eye will likely be given the next shot at new UFC women’s flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko — meaning Calderwood is out of luck for the moment. “I think Eye is next,” White said after Saturday night’s UFC Brooklyn card (via MMAjunkie)

Drake Riggs - January 21, 2019

Russia’s first and only UFC champion is none other than ‘The Eagle’, the 27-0 Sambo machine, Khabib Nurmagomedov. In Nurmagomedov’s last time out, he participated in the biggest fight in UFC history when he made a successful title defense of his lightweight crown.

Thomas Taylor - January 20, 2019

Streaking UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier was briefly scheduled to return to the cage opposite Nate Diaz at UFC 230 in early November, but unfortunately, that plan was derailed when he sustained a hip injury that forced him off the card. At least, that’s what we thought. Responding to a fan on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, Dustin Poirier claimed that, by the time he withdrew from the card with a hip injury, Nate Diaz had already dropped out of the matchup himself.

Christopher Taylor - January 20, 2019

It appears that a lightweight fight against Cowboy Cerrone could be next for former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor. The former 155-pound title challenger, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (35-11 MMA), returned to the lightweight division yesterday evening following a ten-fight stint at welterweight.

Tom Taylor - January 20, 2019

Last night, in the co-main event of the UFC’s first card on ESPN, former NFL player Greg Hardy made his debut in the Octagon. In the end, this debut went rather disastrously for Hardy, as he was disqualified for an illegal knee in the second round. Given the controversial past of Greg Hardy, many fans imagined that this DQ loss would signal the end of his stint in the UFC. UFC President Dana White, however, seems to be looking at the situation very differently.

Tom Taylor - January 20, 2019

On Saturday night, on the main card of UFC Brooklyn, wrestling ace Gregor Gillespie secured the dominant victory he was seeking, thrashing the dangerous Yancy Medeiros to second-round stoppage. Unfortunately, it’s not all good news for the surging lightweight contender. At some point during the night, a slimy fan slithered into the Barclay’s Center and stole Gregor Gillespie and his coach’s fight bags. In doing so, they made off with not only his gear, but his wallet.

Tom Taylor - January 20, 2019

Late last year, fan favorite welterweight and lightweight contender Donald Cerrone started calling for a fight with former lightweight and featherweight champ Conor McGregor. Though Cerrone was then booked for a fight with Alexander Hernandez, he once again called for a fight with McGregor after beating Hernandez at UFC Brooklyn on Saturday night. And this time around, McGregor answered. Evidently impressed by Cerrone’s victory over Hernandez, Conor McGregor announced that he is willing to accept the fight.

Cole Shelton - January 20, 2019

Last night, the UFC held its first show on ESPN and ESPN+, in Brooklyn, New York. The card was headlined by a flyweight title fight between current flyweight champion Henry Cejudo and bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw. Cejudo needed only 32 seconds to put Dillashaw away. Meanwhile, headlining the ESPN portion of the card was a lightweight fight between Alexander Hernandez and Donald Cerrone. ‘Cowboy’ was back at lightweight and looking to start off his title run with a win. In the end, he put on a masterful performance and won a performance bonus and fight of the night bonus.