-
UFC Phoenix weigh-in results: Three fighters miss weight
The octagon will return to the state of Arizona tomorrow night for UFC Phoenix, a thirteen-bout fight card headlined by Francis Ngannou vs. Cain Velasquez. All 26 fighters participating at tomorrow night’s UFC Phoenix event stepped on the scales this morning, but only 23 made their respective weights. Jessica Penne missed weight by two pounds […]
-
EXCLUSIVE | Pro fighters make their picks for Francis Ngannou vs. Cain Velasquez
The UFC’s first ever event on ESPN is upon us. In the main event, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will be making his long awaited return to the Octagon to take on Francis Ngannou. Ahead of this heavyweight fight, which could have title implications, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro fighters to get their […]
-
Cain Velasquez will retire if he’s not satisfied with performance against Francis Ngannou
This Sunday, in the main event of the UFC’s debut card on ESPN, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will step into the Octagon for the first time in almost three years, where he’ll look to return to heavyweight prominence with the win over the fearsome Francis Ngannou. While Velasquez is determined to make the […]
-
Francis Ngannou will be ‘well prepared’ for Cain Velasquez’s wrestling
This Sunday, in Phoenix, Arizona, former UFC heavyweight title challenger Francis Ngannou will face the monumental task of welcoming former champion Cain Velasquez back to the cage. The bout will serve as the headliner of the UFC’s first-ever card on ESPN. Heading into this fight, each fighter seems to have a clear set of advantages. […]
-
UFC on ESPN 1: Velasquez vs. Ngannou Fight Card and Start Time
On Sunday, February 17, the UFC will make its debut on ESPN with an exciting, 13-fight card. In the main event of this debut UFC on ESPN card, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon, where he will battle ferocious knockout puncher Francis Ngannou in an cage-shaking showdown. […]
-
VIDEO | Cain Velasquez gives hilarious response to Dana White comparing Ngannou’s power to a Ford Escort
This Sunday night, in the main event of the first-ever UFC card on ESPN, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will make his long-awaited return to the cage. His welcome committee will be former title challenger Francis Ngannou. Ahead of this compelling heavyweight showdown, it’s abundantly clear what Cain Velasquez needs to be most wary […]
-
PHOTOS | Francis Ngannou opens ‘first full MMA gym’ in Cameroon
Today, Francis Ngannou is one of the UFC’s most fearsome heavyweight contenders. Yet not all that long ago, he was living in poverty in Cameroon. Having established himself in the UFC, Ngannou is now giving back to his community in Cameroon. He’s now opened up the country’s first “first full MMA and combat sport gym” […]
-
VIDEO | Cain Velasquez shares training footage ahead of fight with Francis Ngannou
Cain Velasquez (14-2 MMA) will return from a thirty-month hiatus in the main event of UFC Phoenix on February 17 to take on Francis Ngannou. The former UFC heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez, has not competed inside the octagon since July of 2016, where he defeated Travis Browne via first-round TKO at UFC 200. Velasquez has […]
-
Cain Velasquez signs a new four-fight deal with the UFC and will return to the octagon February 17
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has signed a new four-fight deal with the UFC and will return tot he octagon on February 17 in Phoenix, Arizona. The news of Cain’s new four-fight contract came via ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, who posted the following on Twitter. Cain Velasquez, who meets Francis Ngannou on Feb. 17 in […]
-
Francis Ngannou vs Cain Velasquez targeted for UFC Phoenix main event
According to essentially everyone at the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), one of the best fighters to ever walk through their doors has been ready to return to action for the entirety of 2018. And now it looks like he will be finally doing so. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani has reported that a big-time heavyweight bout between […]
-
What’s next for the heavyweight stars of UFC Beijing?
UFC Beijing featured two heavyweight fights that had major impacts on the divisional rankings. In the main event, Francis Ngannou took on Curtis Blaydes in a highly anticipated rematch. Meanwhile, in the co-main event, veteran Alistair Overeem took on UFC newcomer Sergey Pavlovich. Ultimately, both Overeem and Ngannou won their fights by knockout, which will surely cause […]
-
Joe Rogan and Brendan Schaub react to Francis Ngannou’s first-round KO of Curtis Blaydes
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan was not on duty for Saturday’s UFC Beijing broadcast, and instead hosted one of his popular Fight Companion podcasts for the card, alongside his friends Brendan Schaub, Bryan Callen and Eddie Bravo. As you can probably imagine, the whole gang was quite impressed by the UFC Beijing main event, which […]
-
Alistair Overeem guarantees “a very different fight” in rematch with Francis Ngannou
Former Strikeforce and DREAM heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem snapped his two-fight losing skid at today’s UFC Beijing event. “The Reem” needed less than five minutes to hand promotional newcomer Sergey Pavlovich the first loss of his professional mixed martial arts career. After a back and forth opening few minutes, Alistair Overeem was able to score […]
-
Curtis Blaydes issues statement following second loss to Francis Ngannou
A heavyweight tilt between perennial division contenders Curtis Blaydes and Francis Ngannou headlined today’s UFC Beijing event. The bout served as a rematch, as Francis Ngannou and Curtis Blaydes had previously met at UFC Fight Night 86 in April of 2016, with “The Predator” emerging victorious by way of second-round TKO (doctors stoppage). Blaydes entered […]
-
UFC Beijing bonuses: Francis Ngannou takes home an extra $50k
Francis Ngannou, Li Jingliang, Alex Morono and Song Kenan each pocketed an extra $50,000 for their respective performances at today’s UFC Beijing event. Francis Ngannou and Li Jingliang took home “Performance of the Night” awards, while Alex Morono and Song Kenan earned “Fight of the Night” honors. Today’s UFC Beijing event was headlined by a […]
-
Francis Ngannou has three oponents in mind following TKO win at UFC Beijing
Francis Ngannou (12-3 MMA) snapped his two-fight losing skid in tonight’s UFC Beijing main event, scoring a first-round TKO victory over Curtis Blaydes. “The Predator” was able to land a beautifully timed right hand just seconds into the opening round which sent Curtis Blaydes crashing to the canvas. Blaydes would quickly scramble back up to […]
-
MMA Community reacts to Francis Ngannou defeating Curtis Blaydes
A heavyweight collision between perennial division contenders Curtis Blaydes and Francis Ngannou headlined tonight’s UFC Beijing event. The bout served as a rematch, as Francis Ngannou had previously defeated Curtis Blaydes via second-round TKO (doctors stoppage) at UFC Fight Night 86 in April of 2016. Curtis Blaydes entered tonight’s headliner on a five-fight win streak, […]
-
UFC Beijing Results: Francis Ngannou stops Curtis Blaydes (VIDEO)
A key heavyweight rematch between perennial division contenders Curtis Blaydes and Francis Ngannou headlined tonight’s UFC Beijing event. Curtis Blaydes enters tonight’s UFC Beijing main event on a five-fight win streak, his latest being a third-round TKO victory over Alistair Overeem at UFC 225. Blaydes most recent setback came at the hands of Francis Ngannou, […]
-
Francis Ngannou explains how his mindset has changed after recent losses
Francis Ngannou began the year 2018 as arguably the most hyped fighter on the UFC roster. Unfortunately, the year hasn’t gone quite the way he planned. Currently riding back-to-back losses to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis, the hulking Cameroonian-French knockout artist will enter his Saturday, UFC Beijing rematch with Curtis Blaydes in a must-win scenario. From […]
-
UFC Beijing: Curtis Blaydes vs. Francis Ngannou 2 fight card
The next UFC event on the calendar is UFC Beijing, which goes down this Saturday morning in Beijing, China. This UFC Beijing card will be headlined by a heavyweight rematch between top contender Curtis Blaydes and former title challenger Francis Ngannou. The pair first met in August of 2016. On the night of their first […]
-
Curtis Blaydes questions Francis Ngannou’s headspace ahead of battle in Beijing
The year 2018 has not been kind to Francis Ngannou. Though the hulking Cameroonian-French heavyweight began the year as perhaps the UFC’s most hyped fighter, he was then dominated in his anticipated title fight with Stipe Miocic, and defeated by Derrick Lewis in one of the most disappointing fights ever. After this tough run in […]
-
Francis Ngannou eager to squash issues with UFC President Dana White
There was a time when UFC President Dana White was one of Francis Ngannou’s most vocal supporters. A little less than a year ago, the UFC boss was referring to the Cameroonian-French heavyweight as a future superstar and the next big thing at heavyweight. Yet in the wake of Francis Ngannou’s back to back decision […]
-
Coach refutes Dana White’s negative comments about Francis Ngannou
After Francis Ngannou’s back-to-back decision losses to then UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis, UFC President Dana White accused the Cameroonian-French heavyweight contender of having an ego problem. “I can tell you that his ego absolutely did run away with him,” White said of Francis Ngannou in an interview with MMA Fighting. “The […]
-
Curtis Blaydes vs. Francis Ngannou rematch official for UFC Beijing main event
The UFC’s big debut in Beijing, China will have a suitably big main event. In keeping with recent reports, the card will be headlined by heavyweight rematch between top contenders Curtis Blaydes and Francis Ngannou. The UFC made the bout official on Twitter on Sunday evening. https://twitter.com/UFC_Asia/status/1033882920660828161 Curtis Blaydes and Francis Ngannou first met in […]
-
Coach agrees with Dana White’s claim that Francis Ngannou has an ego problem
Shortly after Francis Ngannou gave up a decision to Derrick Lewis at UFC 226 — in inarguably one of the worst UFC fights ever — UFC President Dana White suggested that the former title challenger was being hindered by an ego problem. Francis Ngannou’s long-time coach Fernand Lopez agrees with the UFC President on this […]
-
Report | Curtis Blaydes vs Francis Ngannou 2 in the works for UFC Beijing
The heavyweight division over the past so many years has been one of the shallower ones in MMA. But that has begun to change recently. Leading the charge are several talented fighters from all over the world. The man who arguably started leading the wave of new top heavyweights was Cameroon’s Francis “The Predator” Ngannou. […]
-
Derrick Lewis says Francis Ngannou “looked scared from the get-go” at UFC 226
Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou’s UFC 226 heavyweight contender bout was expected to produce fireworks. Given the pair’s shared propensity for violent, one-punch knockouts, it seemed almost impossible that the fight would go to a decision. In the end, of course, it did. And, man, it wasn’t pretty. Over the course of three-round contest, Derrick […]
-
Dana White on Francis Ngannou’s struggles: “I completely saw it coming”
Heading into his January heavyweight title fight with then champion Stipe Miocic, Francis Ngannou was easily one of the most hyped title challengers in UFC history. In the end, of course, this title shot did not go the way he planned, as he was soundly walloped by Miocic en route to a unanimous decision loss. […]