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Volkan Oezdemir explains why the fans chose him for title shot over Alexander Gustafsson
When Jon Jones failed a UFC 214 drug test, and the light heavyweight strap was returned to Daniel Cormier, the question of the next light heavyweight title challenger seemed to come down to two men: Sweden’s Alexander Gustafsson and Switzerland’s Volkan Oezdemir. In an effort to pick the next challenger for his reinstated title, Cormier […]
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Matt Mitrione discusses possible Bellator heavyweight title tournament
Over the last few years, Bellator’s heavyweight division has really come together, as the promotion has bolstered its roster with names like Cheick Kongo, Bobby Lashley, Matt Mitrione, Fedor Emelianenko, Sergey Kharitonov, Javy Ayala, Roy Nelson, and most recently, former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir. That said, the organization has not had a heavyweight champion […]
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Mike Perry discusses options for his next fight: Everybody goin’ to sleep
UFC welterweight Mike Perry is steadily climbing the UFC rankings after making his debut with the promotion last year. Now, with five fights in the UFC, “Platinum” spoke with BJPenn.com’s Chris Taylor about some potential fights and working his way to the top of the chain. Taylor asked Perry if we could expect to see […]
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EXCLUSIVE | Valentina Shevchenko discusses the injury she suffered against Amanda Nunes at UFC 215
Valentina Shevchenko (14-3 MMA) is one of the toughest and most talented fighters in the UFC. “The Bullet” proved her grit last month when she challenged “The Lioness” Amanda Nunes for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship at UFC 215 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Although Shevchenko suffered a controversial split-decision loss to Amanda Nunes at the […]
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Duane Ludwig explains why he and TJ Dillashaw are not bothered by Team Alpha Male’s trash talk
Over the last year, UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt and his allies at Team Alpha Male have had plenty to say about former Team Alpha Male staple TJ Dillashaw and his coach Duane Ludwig. With Garbrandt and Dillashaw’s UFC 217 bantamweight title fight now just weeks away, we can expect Team Alpha Male’s trash talk […]
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James Vick is tired of being avoided by top-10 lightweights
After weeks of trying to find a willing opponent, rising UFC lightweight James Vick has been booked for a scrap with Ireland’s Joe Duffy at UFC 217 this November 4. While Vick is satisfied with this fight, he would have preferred a ranked opponent. Unfortunately, he is finding it nearly impossible to enter the top-10. […]
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Yair Rodriguez reveals plans for his next big fight
Rising UFC featherweight Yair Rodriguez is one of the most entertaining fighters that you will see compete in the Octagon. With his exciting striking capabilities, “El Pantera” has grown a large fan base and many are surely curious as to when we’ll see the Mexico native back in the Octagon. BJPenn.com’s Chris Taylor caught up […]
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You can add ‘Wonderboy’ to the long list of fighters in Mike Perry’s crosshairs
“Platinum” Mike Perry is one of the fastest rising contenders in the UFC welterweight division. Since joining the UFC fold in August of 2016, he has knocked out Hyun Gyu Lim, Danny Roberts, Jake Ellenberger, and most recently, Alex Reyes. Though these knockout wins were interspersed by a decision loss to Alan Jouban, they have […]
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Jorge Masvidal is prepared to die inside Madison Square Garden
UFC 217, which goes down on November 4 inside Madison Square Garden in New York City, is one hell of a fight card. Topped by a trio of title fights, it could even be the biggest fight card of the year outright. Given the scale of the card, it should come as no surprise that […]
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Mike Perry was very inspired by his most recent KO victim, Alex Reyes
Last weekend, in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 116, rising welterweight slugger “Platinum” Mike Perry authored yet another brutal knockout, this time putting down Alex Reyes with a rocket-fuelled knee against the cage. Reyes, of course, was not supposed to be Perry’s opponent. Perry was originally expected to battle former UFC welterweight title […]
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Jorge Masvidal explains how he’ll avoid a defensive stalemate with ‘Wonderboy’ at UFC 217
On November 4, on the main card of the stacked UFC 217, fourth-ranked welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal will take on the division’s number-two fighter, Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson. This bout will serve as Thompson’s opportunity to rebound from back-to-back failed title bids opposite reigning champion Tyron Woodley – the first being a majority draw, the second […]
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After talking with managers, Mike Perry updates on desired Robbie Lawler fight
Last weekend, in the co-main event of the UFC’s latest trip to Pittsburgh, brick-fisted welterweight “Platinum” Mike Perry picked up a thunderous knee-induced KO win over Alex Reyes, who stepped in to replace Thiago Alves on short notice. Shortly after this win, Perry made an exciting callout of former UFC welterweight king and fellow knockout […]
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Colby Covington explains why he respects Demian Maia, but not “little b*tch” Tyron Woodley
On October 28th, on the main card of UFC Fight Night 119 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, red-hot welterweight contender Colby Covington will battle recent title challenger Demian Maia. While Covington has repeatedly shared his confidence in the way he matches up with Maia, he actually has ample respect for the Brazilian grappling specialist. That respect […]
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Ray Borg on how he’ll beat Mighty Mouse: He has no clue what he’s in for
This Saturday night, in the main event of the anticipated UFC 215, 24-year-old flyweight contender Ray Borg will attempt to do the seemingly impossible and derail the historic win-streak of champ Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. Borg, of course, is not the first man to attempt to end Mighty Mouse’s reign. Ten others have tried and […]
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Ben Askren breaks down retirement bout with “legend of the sport” Shinya Aoki
Shortly after his destruction of Zebaztian Kadestam at last weekend’s ONE Championship: Shanghai event, it was announced that Ben Askren’s next fight would be his last. His opponent in this November 24 retirement fight, it was revealed, would be Japanese lightweight veteran Shinya Aoki, who stands out as one of the finest submission players in MMA […]
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UFC 215’s Ray Borg explained how he built the “perfect” fight camp to beat Demetrious Johnson
This weekend, in the main event of UFC 215, dominant flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson will attempt to make history with an eleventh-consecutive title defense. The man standing in his way will be the 24-year-old Ray Borg. For all Borg’s talent, he’s being counted out the majority of the MMA community, as Johnson is […]
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Cub Swanson targeting end of the year return, open to a rematch with Jose Aldo
Perennial UFC featherweight contender Cub Swanson (25-7 MMA) is currently riding an impressive four fight win streak and is on the cusp of earning a shot at the promotions coveted featherweight title. Swanson was last seen in action this past April in the main event of UFC Fight Night 108 where he scored a unanimous […]
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Bellator star AJ McKee updates on beef with “dumb ass” James Gallagher
AJ McKee (9-0) and James Gallagher (7-0) are two of the hottest prospects on the Bellator roster, and they happen to compete in the same division. As such, the two rising featherweights have developed a pretty memorable rivalry – one that will inevitably have to be settled in the cage. Speaking on the latest edition […]
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Valentina Shevchenko shares her take on why Amanda Nunes pulled out of UFC 213
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko are scheduled to fight once again at UFC 215. Nunes and Shevchenko first met in the Octagon in March of last year at UFC 196 where Nunes won a unanimous decision after Shevchenko turned things up in the third round. The two were set to fight […]
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Richard Perez compares Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz’s chances against Floyd Mayweather
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 […]
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Diaz coach Richard Perez claims Conor McGregor took “substance” to help with stamina, mass gains
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 […]
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Colby Covington gives update on possible fight with Demian Maia
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 […]
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Colby Covington trashes Magny and RDA: They wouldn’t fight me if I went up and b*tch-slapped them in front of their girl
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 […]
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Dustin Poirier wanted a top-5 opponent next, but will settle for Chiesa or Pettis
Last weekend, during the UFC Fight Night 114 broadcast, former UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis made an interesting callout of fellow contender Dustin Poirier. It did not take Poirier long to respond. “I’m down,” he said matter-of-factly on Twitter. Speaking to BJPenn.com’s Chris Taylor on Monday, Dustin Poirier explained his interest in this fight with […]
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Dustin Poirier: Eddie Alvarez knows “the truth” about UFC 211 no contest
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 […]
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Josh Thomson shares an update on his return, eyes two rematches in the future
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. Thomson followed up that win with an electrifying knockout victory […]
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Josh Thomson details how Dana White prevented him from commentating for FOX Sports
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 […]
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Mike Perry on Thiago Alves: “I hope he does miss weight!”
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, […]