Search Results

Guido Cannetti's perspective on his life's work and his professional fighting career has significantly improved. After experiencing discouraging losses, the 42-year-old UFC bantamweight struggled for many years to feel happy and content with his MMA career. Cannetti (9-6 MMA, 3-5 UFC), who will make another appearance in the cage this Saturday against Randy Costa (6-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 211, is content and at peace with both his career accomplishments and what may lie ahead. Mentally speaking, Cannetti has now reached the location he has been looking for for a very long time, a sensation that eluded him for a very long time. “Man, we’ve done interviews with me crying and others like today where I’m feeling my best, I’m happy, smiling, and giving it my all,” Cannetti told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “With that alone, I’m at peace. Feeling great, that for me, it’s glory – being able to get to where I wanted to get and how I wanted to feel. Because I just wasn’t able to find a way to show up in a way where I could feel good and give it 100 percent. Now that I’m doing it, I feel joyful. I know Randy Costa is going to fight the best Guido ever.” After his most recent match in March, Cannetti saw a complete turnaround. The Argentine was able to end a three-fight losing record that lasted nearly four years with a first-round TKO victory over a strong Kris Moutinho. Cannetti felt like he was competing for his UFC job because he hadn't won a fight since 2018. The real sense of emancipation, though, came from how Cannetti felt inside the cage, not from being the winner. Cannetti believed he was underperforming and never thought he lived up to expectations, even in his UFC victories. Cannetti had high hopes when he joined the UFC after fighting in The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America's inaugural season. He began to question his ability to compete at the UFC level because of a peculiar sensation. Cannetti finally felt like himself after making drastic changes to his diet and training regimen before his most recent bout, and it was all he could have hoped for. Cannetti said, "In this final one, I showed up like never before. "I felt fantastic. And for this one, I believe I'm entering a bit better, therefore I believe this battle will reveal my true state. “If I win, then there’s more to give. And if I lose, well, I’m happy with how far I’ve come, but I’ll probably keep training, keep getting better and fight again. This is a decisive fight to see if the Guido that made those changes can continue in this manner or if it was, I don’t know, a luck factor, which I don’t think it was – I truly feel great.” Even though he is just in his early 40s, Cannetti is in the finest physical shape of his professional life. He is hopeful that this is the beginning of a string of victories that will allow him to call it a day in the ring. “I hope that things turn out well, I deserve it,” Cannetti said. “Maybe I’m not champion, but I could win a few consecutive fights and end my career with a little more money in the bank, so I could be more at ease and finish feeling happy, which is what I looked for the most.”

Bo Nickal's hype train is in full swing. In June, the former three-time DI national champion wrestler made his MMA debut. He fought his first fight on Dana White's Contender Series two months later. A little more than a month later, the 'Allen Assassin' signed with the UFC. Nickal is on his way to the big show after three fights and two and a half minutes of cage time. Not only does Nickal now have his first UFC contract, but ESPN reports that the phenom talent has already booked his first fight with his new promotional home. On December 10th, Nickal will face 2020 DWCS signing Jamie Pickett at UFC 282. Pickett (13-8) is coming off consecutive losses for the second time in his six-fight UFC career, having been TKO'd by Dennis Tiuliulin at UFC 279 in September. That defeat came on the heels of a defeat in February against Kyle Daukaus, in which the 'Night Wolf' was defeated by first-round submission. As previously stated, Nickal enters this fight on a 3-0 record to begin his MMA career. On the DWCS season 6 finale fight card, he recently won a 52-second submission victory over Donovan Beard. With his next fight not until early December, this will be the 26-year-longest old's gap between fights to date. UFC 282 is scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. No main event has been announced as of yet, but the card is expected to be the target venue for a rematch of Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka. Let us know your views on Bo Nickal. Is he a genuine contender in the UFC or just another hype train?

Although Eddie Alvarez was pleased with his choice to join ONE Championship, he has decided to make an effort to leave the organization amicably as his contract and career come to an end. Alvarez previously disclosed that he and ONE Championship were successful in doing so, but he remained vague as to why until now. On Wednesday's broadcast of The MMA Hour, he said that he wants to complete his career in his own nation. “The contract was coming to an end, and I spoke with my agent and I told him, ‘I would like my career to finish up in the United States.’ And when we originally sat down with ONE, the idea was that [they] would progressively move to the U.S.,” Alvarez said on The MMA Hour. “The plan was to have fights in Asia, and then my idea in my head was I would start in Asia, and towards the end of my contract, we would move closer to the U.S. and eventually get a fight there. “Unfortunately, the pandemic threw a wrench into all of those plans and slowed the progression of that up by a lot. “I’m going to more than likely be signing my last contract, and I just want to be fighting here in the United States,” Alvarez continued. “I really want and need to fight in the United States to finish my career here.” “The Underground King” left the UFC following a second-round TKO loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC on FOX 30 in July 2018. Before that, Alvarez and former Bellator president Bjorn Rebney engaged in a very publicized argument. Alvarez claims that no bridges were destroyed in terms of his connection with ONE. “One-hundred percent [we’re on good terms],” Alvarez explained. “I’ve only had one bad split with one company, and it was public. Everybody knew about it. I never want to be involved in anything like that again. I never did ever since then, and I don’t think I ever will. I’m an adult. I know the sport, I know the business. I try to add value to whatever promotion I go to. The people that I sign with, they know that. Besides the one promotion, I never really had a reason to butt heads with anybody.” Alvarez claims he has meetings scheduled with "all of the major personalities" for promotions starting in early October, so that's where he may end up. Alvarez, 38, would be open to joining the PFL, which is one organization that appears to be the choice among the MMA world. This is mainly because he likes the season format. Alvarez would be more than delighted to return to the UFC and Bellator, two American organizations that he helped grow, even though that would give his professional resume a new coat of paint. “Yes [I would return to the UFC],” Alvarez said. “Yeah [I would go back to Bellator]. My messy divorce was with Bjorn Rebney, it wasn’t with Scott Coker. I was freed by Scott Coker. “My issue was never with Bellator the name — I had a spat with the president and that president got fired. “But as long as there’s big fights and big names involved in that company, I’ll more than likely say yes and keep my options open.”

Luke Rockhold is already considering a comeback just one month after his UFC 278 retirement fight against Paulo Costa. Rockhold lost the fight by unanimous decision, but he won over many fans with his gutsy performance and crazy in-cage antics, including smearing blood on Costa's face in the final seconds. Despite being retired, the former Strikeforce and UFC middleweight champion is still training hard in the gym and admits that the prospect of Alex Pereira defeating Israel Adesanya for the title may inspire him to make a comeback. “If I get inspired, if someone inspires me to get back in it…you never know,” Rockhold told Submission Radio in a recent interview. “[Maybe] That Brazilian dude winning the title. Alex Pereira.” “I mean, there’s tons of opportunity. I’m not looking to get out of shape in any way, shape, or form. I really still enjoy the training aspect. I just don’t want to do the part that really hurts me. I’ll do some boxing sparring, but like, you get into full MMA sparring and everything starts to break down when you’re fighting the bad dudes. I’m just gonna work on getting better.” The only thing that would deter Rockhold from returning to the UFC if 'that Brazilian dude' Pereira wins the belt is facing former champion Robert Whittaker in a number one contender's bout. Rockhold was once regarded as one of the world's best middleweight fighters, having won world titles in multiple MMA promotions and defeating fighters such as Chris Weidman, Michael Bisping, and Lyoto Machida, to name a few. He has gone 1-3 in his last four fights and hasn't looked like himself since losing his title to Bisping in 2016.

This Saturday's UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas will be different because it will be closed to the public and the media. UFC president Dana White told ESPN's Brett Okamoto on Tuesday that he simply wanted to give the media "a night off." However, strawweight fighter Mackenzie Dern told reporters on Wednesday that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to rent out the event, which is why it is being canceled. "I know Mark Zuckerberg rented out the whole event," Dern said at media day in Las Vegas. "I know he'll be there, but I don't know if it's literally him, his wife or if he'll have friends--some type of party. But from someone who wanted a main event with a crowd, [it's now] going to be very, very private." Dern (12-2) will compete in the main event of Saturday's fight card against China's Yan Xiaonan (15-3). Despite the fact that she won't have any fans cheering her on, Dern said it hasn't changed her mindset about the fight. "I'm excited. That just makes me more driven to put on a good show," she said. "I know everyone is watching on TV, but for Mark and whoever is going to be there, put on a show. If that's what they want to see, is a show, then we're going to give a show." Regular media members were notified earlier this week that press credentials for Saturday's event would not be issued. The UFC has not released an official explanation for the decision, but White stated on Tuesday that there is "no big secret" behind it. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto pointed out that Zuckerberg is an MMA fan who recently posted a video of himself doing some drills. The 38-year-old is probably one of the few people who can rent out an entire UFC event. Do you guys think it is right for a huge global personality to influence such an important fight card due to his stature? Will it compromise the focus of the fighters performing that night? Let us know in the comments.

Sean O'Malley, a rising contender in the UFC's bantamweight division, has made a name for himself thus far. And as he progresses through the ranks, he sees himself fighting in the weight class above. In a recent video posted to his YouTube channel, "Sugar" Sean discussed a possible featherweight move with his trainer Tim Welch. “I’m 27 years old, I’m gonna be in this sport for ten more years. I think I will bump up to ’45, especially when my jiu-jitsu is at a level that I’m like, ‘f—k with me.’ “I’m very confident in my jiu-jitsu, but once it gets to a point where I feel like Charles (Oliveira) on the ground, I’ll move up to ’45.” Even without the jiu-jitsu prowess he's aiming for, O'Malley claims he can hold his own at 145 pounds. “At ’45 right now, people are probably bigger than me. Even now, (if) I go up to ’45, I feel like I could still beat a lot of those turds. “The top, top guys, I’ll have trouble with right now, but it’s ‘cause I’m trying to keep my weight down and low enough for 135.” For the time being, O'Malley is preparing to face former champion Petr Yan at UFC 280 on October 22 in Abu Dhabi. However, he has been labeled a huge underdog in his next fight. Many experts think the matchup is too big of a step for the Suga Show. But he remains calm and focused on his training. In an interview with Helen Yee he stated that he intends to put on a show at UFC 280 by surprising many doubters. “ I’m a little surprised, but also I kind of get it from other people’s perspective. But I believe I’m better than Petr Yan, and I believe I’m going to go out there and beat his ass, so I guess I am kind of surprised.” What do you guys think? Can Sean O'Malley beat Petr Yan at UFC 280 and challenge for the title in the future?

At UFC 281, who has the upper hand between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya? Let Jared Cannonier respond to your query. In kickboxing, The "Last Stylebender" has lost both times against "Po Atan," once by decision and once by knockout. Helen Yee was informed by Cannonier that supporters should support the champion in this MMA match because of his superior level of expertise. “It definitely favors Izzy more,” Cannonier said of the upcoming middleweight title fight. “He’s been here longer. He’s had all these five-round championship fights with the best in our sport, so it’s definitely different. He definitely has the experience in that regard. He’s altered his kickboxing style more for MMA. Alex still has sort of a kickboxing base, if you will, in his stance. Not to say that it’s a detriment to him, but it can be exploited as far as MMA goes. I think the advantage lies with Israel in that regard.” However, the "Killa Gorilla" also mentioned that Pereira's strength may be an X-factor. Cannonier wouldn't be shocked if he used his renowned left hook against Adesanya once more because it has helped him both in the ring and in the Octagon. “The power lies with Alex, for sure,” said Cannonier. “They’re both the same size. Alex is definitely going to be a denser opponent, so he’s probably a little bit heavier. It’s definitely going to be an exciting fight.” Cannonier, who Adesanya defeated by majority decision at UFC 276 this past July, was the opponent for the sixth bout that Adesanya defended his UFC middleweight championship. The same evening, Pereira defeated Sean Strickland in the opening round to earn a shot at the title. Cannonier and Strickland are anticipated to headline the year's last UFC event on December 17 at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas following their respective defeats.

Aspen Ladd, a once-promising bantamweight prospect, is no longer on the UFC roster following her latest weigh-in miscalculation. Ladd was supposed to fight Sara McMann on Sept. 17 at UFC Fight Night 210, but the fight was canceled after Ladd checked in two pounds overweight for the 135-pound contest. Ladd's loss was her third in the UFC, as she also came in heavy for fights against Macy Chiasson in 2021 and Leslie Smith in 2018. As a result, both of those fights were canceled. She also failed to make weight for a fight against Jessica Hoy under the Invicta FC banner in 2016, but the fight went on as scheduled. In addition to those issues, Ladd struggled to make weight for a fight against Germaine de Randamie in the main event of UFC Fight Night 155 in July 2019. Despite visibly shaking on the scales, she managed to land at bantamweight. One day later, however, she was defeated by de Randamie in a 16-second TKO. Ladd, 27, is 9-3 as a professional and 4-3 in UFC competition. She has defeated Sijara Eubanks (twice), Tonya Evinger, Yana Kunitskaya, and Lina Lansberg in her career. She briefly fought at 145 pounds before losing a unanimous decision to Norma Dumont in the main event of UFC Fight Night 195 last October. Ladd could be a good fit for the PFL. The PFL has a women's lightweight division led by Kayla Harrison, and it has recently added former UFC fighters Marlon Moraes and Shane Burgos.

Bo Nickal has put on yet another scintillating performance in his second outing at the Dana White Contender series. He picked up the second-fastest finish of the DWCS Season 6 finale on Tuesday night. Given his first performance, a quick finish that helped promotion president Dana White get some additional shine on his talent-development network, Nickal's trip to the UFC was likely a foregone conclusion. Nickal, on the other hand, needed only 52 seconds to tap his opponent, Donovan Beard, and the triangle he rolled for was the third finish he attempted in the short time he was in the small octagon at UFC APEX. It started with an overhand left, then a guillotine choke, and finally the triangle choke, which left Donovan - and the audience - baffled. Nickal, fresh off a 52-second stoppage on Tuesday night's up-and-comer showcase, bypassed the formalities and called his own fight against Chimaev, another hype train that, despite weight issues, has taken the welterweight division by storm. “If the UFC wishes, give me that Swedish dude,” said Nickal, undoubtedly one of the brightest prospects among the 43 fighters signed to the UFC after Season 6 of the Contender Series wrapped. “He might not even be the best guy, because he can’t even make weight, but if that’s the case, I’ll take him. “If not, then give me Logan Paul. UFC debut. Me vs. Logan Paul, I know he has some skills. If we can’t do it in the UFC, let’s do it in the WWE. I’ll meet you in the ring. But Dana White was quick to dismiss those links and branded them as crazy. He told the media at the press conference that the next step for Nickal was to get some fights and build him up. “You don’t test him against ranked talent,” the UFC exec said. “You bring him in just like you would bring in any prospect. You build him up, give him fights. Nickal may have to jump through a few more hoops before he can fight top-ranked fighters, and a fight with Paul is pure fantasy. But, in terms of confidence, he's on the right track. When it comes to opportunities, that counts for a lot. While giving his interview to Laura Sanko he seemed super pumped and called out Khamzat Chimaev. “Let’s get it baby,” Nickal told Laura Sanko of his Chimaev callout. “I’m here. I’m training every day. I put the work in. I make weight. Let’s do it.” Do you guys think Bo Nickal can become the Champion one day? Let us know your views in the comments.

Robert Whittaker is still on the hunt for Israel Adesanya. The middleweight title rematch between "The Reaper" and Adesanya took place at UFC 271 in February of this year. However, "The Reaper" made a strong comeback by defeating top challenger Marvin Vettori by unanimous decision at UFC Paris. Whittaker, who is ranked No. 2 at 185 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, has won 13 of his last 15 fights. His only defeats in that time have come at the hands of "The Last Stylebender." Whittaker made it obvious that he still wants to win the UFC championship after successfully retaining his No. 1 contender position. “I’m hunting that title shot,” Whittaker said on a recent episode of The MMA Hour. “That’s what I’m doing and that’s what I’m always going to be doing because that’s the only up direction. I’m a fiend for progress, I just want to move forward. “I want to move up. And whoever’s got that ‘C’ above me, whoever is above me in the ranking is my next target, obviously.” Given his two defeats to Adesanya, Whittaker's declaration that he was "the most dangerous man" in the middleweight class during his UFC Paris post-fight address drew questions. He said on The MMA Hour that he frequently does his adversaries more harm than Adesanya does, which was an especially incisive statement given the criticism Adesanya has recently faced for championship defences that have been largely drama-free. “I’m the most dangerous man in the division,” Whittaker said. “Izzy, he’s the champion of the division, he beat me the last fight as well. He’s a great fighter. But I’m the most dangerous man. I can beat anyone in the division. That last fight against Israel I got within a hair’s breadth of taking everything away from him. Just the fights that I’ve been in and the opponents that I’ve had, I’m not just beating them. I’m flogging them. There’s a difference in that." “I’m hurting these guys and that’s what makes me so dangerous. It’s because I don’t just come to the fight to win, I come to break my opponents. And I’m not a big talker or anything, but mentality-wise, that’s what I do when I go in there. I don’t go in there expecting to leave there. … That’s why a lot of the injuries I have when I leave the octagon, it’s because I’ve done them to myself. Throwing too many kicks or throwing too many punches with reckless abandon, it’s just how it is.” Whittaker attributes the change in view of Adesanya more to the opponents that the champion has faced than to any adjustments in approach. “Israel’s fighting the exact same way he has always fought,” Whittaker said. “He’s a picture-perfect defensive striker that uses his physical attributes perfectly with the way he fights. The only difference now is that he’s fighting much higher quality guys and they’re harder to stop, harder to go away, a bit tougher. He’s always fought that way. He’s always fought defensively, safe. And he gets the W. I guess that’s what you want.” Whittaker began his UFC career at 170 pounds and has hinted at moving up another weight class. He feels that if he ever moves up to compete at 205 pounds, that is the division he will eventually retire in. He is currently anticipating Adesanya's subsequent championship defence against Alex Pereira at UFC 281, which will happen on Nov. 12. Whittaker is certain that, regardless of the outcome, he will continue to be mentioned as a top contender for the championship. “I know that I have one more shot against Izzy if that’s what it is or if he gets dethroned I definitely have another shot at gold,” Whittaker said. “I think getting that third fight with Israel will be a deciding point for that or whoever else it is.” “Definitely [there will be a third fight with Adesanya,]” he added. “It would be silly not to because I’m just running through everybody else. Especially the way the second fight left off, I’d have to have come the closest since he’s gotten the title to taking it back off him.”

On Nov. 13 in Dubai, Floyd Mayweather's exhibition tour will resume with a pay-per-view matchup between the Hall of Famer and British YouTuber Deji. Deji released a statement on Monday confirming the fight. "Huge gratitude to Global Titans and my team for creating this great chance," she added. "It's an honour to be the star of this incredible event in Dubai, going up against the legendary Floyd Mayweather. It's going to be enjoyable! “Huge thanks to Global Titans and my team for creating this incredible opportunity,” Deji said in a statement announcing the fight Monday. “It’s a privilege to be headlining this phenomenal spectacle in Dubai, against the all-time great Floyd Mayweather. This is going to be fun!” Said Mayweather, “I am delighted to bring this incredible boxing experience to Dubai. Global Titans will give fans an unrivalled boxing match with a huge undercard. It is an honour to be a part of such an iconic event in an iconic city, and I would like to thank the Global Titans team for reaching out to me and giving back so much to the sport I love.” Deji is KSI's brother, who in 2019 defeated fellow YouTuber Logan Paul in a match that was officially sanctioned. Paul and Mayweather engaged in an exhibition match in June of last year. On Sunday in Saitama, Japan, Mayweather, 45, submitted Japanese mixed martial artist Mikuru Asakura in the second round of their scheduled three-round showcase. Additionally, he has shown desire in rematching with UFC champion Conor McGregor. Additionally, Manny Pacquiao was a guest on invitation at the Super RIZIN event on Sunday, fueling rumours that a Mayweather-Pacquiao exhibition is imminent. In 2017, Mayweather stopped McGregor to end his career with a 50-0 record in his final bout under the rules. Since then, he has profited from his notoriety by competing in lucrative pay-per-view performances against Asakura, Paul, retired boxer Don Moore from this past May, and Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa.

Islam Makhachev, in the words of The Rock, wants Michael Chandler to understand his duty and shut his mouth. When responding to Chandler's criticism on Twitter on Monday, Makhachev (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) made that point quite apparent. In an MMA Fighting interview, Chandler criticized Makhachev's résumé. “He hasn’t really fought anybody,” Chandler said. “That’s really the truth.” It is true that Makhachev, who defeated Bobby Green by TKO at UFC 280 after Beneil Dariush backed out of their scheduled fight in February, will soon face Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight championship. Before that, Makhachev's biggest victory came over Dan Hooker, who had been on the decline and had dropped four of his previous five matches, including one to Makhachev. Nevertheless, Makhachev has won 10 consecutive fights dating back to September 2016 and feels he is entitled to a championship opportunity in Abu Dhabi next month. Makhachev responded after hearing Chandler's remarks. Haha., your only two win [sic] in UFC is Hooker who came out of loss, and Tony who has 5 losses in the row now.,” Makhachev tweeted, “please shut up and stay in line:zipper_mouth_face: ” In response to Makhachev's comment on Chandler, the former lightweight champion of Bellator is 2-2 since entering the UFC, with victories over Hooker and Tony Ferguson coming in May at UFC 274. Following his victory against Hooker by TKO, Chandler was given the opportunity to challenge Oliveira for the vacant championship. Despite controlling the first round, Chandler lost by TKO in the second. In the 2021 Fight of the Year versus Justin Gaethje, who accepted a unanimous decision following a three-round brawl, Chandler suffered his other UFC defeat. A championship fight between Chandler and Makhachev may occur if Chandler defeats Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November and Makhachev wins gold at UFC 280.