Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 18, 2024, we’re taking a look at: Conor McGregor Says Competing In BKFC Could Be An Option After UFC Run Conor McGregor has completed his first press conference for BKFC since becoming a part-owner of […]
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 18, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
McGregor teases BKFC future
Ankalaev was forced to shut Ngannou down
Curtis doubles down on Costa call-out
Conor McGregor Says Competing In BKFC Could Be An Option After UFC Run
Conor McGregor has completed his first press conference for BKFC since becoming a part-owner of the promotion in April.
He spoke ahead of BKFC 67 where “The Notorious” seemed to suggest that part of his investment in this company could see him take off the gloves and jump in the ring.
Referring to the fighters that are set to compete on October 12 in Marbella, he said that he’s not just here to talk about these athletes but potentially mix it up with them also.
“For me, I’ve a bit of business left with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, two fights left on my contract but for sure, we’ve got three lightweights up here on the deas and you know I have my eye on all of this. I’m not up here just as an owner, player-manager I’ll title myself on this one.”
Conor McGregor says he’s got 2 fights left on his UFC contract and then he “has his eyes on” Bareknuckle Fighting Championship
Magomed Ankalaev Recalls Heated Sparring Session With Francis Ngannou
During a recent appearance on the Badaev Podcast, light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev told a story about an encounter that he had with Francis Ngannou.
Ankalaev claims that the two men sparred with one another some time ago until the former UFC heavyweight champion started to become overly aggressive towards him.
He was left with no option but to try and avoid any danger by grabbing hold of his sparring partner until the end of the round.
Ankalaev also states that he believes the reason Ngannou was going so hard at him in sparring was because he had knocked out one of his friends back in 2019.
“I saw that [Ngannou] wanted to drop me. He was generally aggressive. I quickly went to his feet, put him down and held him. I was waiting for the time to run out so I could say ‘don’t come near me again’. Then we found out the reason – it turns out he is a friend of [Dalcha] Lungiambula whom I had knocked out before.”
Chris Curtis Calls To Fight Paulo Costa And Says It Will Be Much More Entertaining Than Costa’s Fight With Sean Strickland
In a recent interview on MMA Junkie Radio, “Action Man” said that a match-up between himself and Costa would be a much more entertaining affair than Costa’s last outing against Curtis’s friend and teammate, Sean Strickland.
Curtis reflected how he studied “Borrachinha” extensively for that fight but the styles simply didn’t gel well in the co-main event of UFC 302.
He believes that he and Costa would make for a far better watch because unlike Strickland, he will be willing to stand in front of the Brazilian to trade strikes.
“I cornered Sean that fight. When he took that fight…I literally went back, watched all of the Costa fights, and I had like a freakin’ four-page bulletin report on what to do…everything that Costa does, when he does it, why I think he does it,” Curtis said. “I just think it’s a fight that I match up well with.
“Costa’s usually a really fun guy to watch but the Strickland fight was just weird for him because Sean’s a weird guy to fight,” Curtis continued. “I think me and Costa, I think we can just sit there and beat on each other until somebody falls, and I’m okay with that. Sean doesn’t want to fight that way. He’s not trying to get his head bust in. I will gladly stand in front of you and we will just swing at each other.”
Magomed Ankalaev has revealed that he had one of the most difficult training camps of his pro career in the buildup to UFC 282. Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz got the call that they would be competing for the vacant light-heavyweight title as Jiri Prochazka was unable to compete after suffering a serious injury to […]
Magomed Ankalaev has revealed that he had one of the most difficult training camps of his pro career in the buildup to UFC 282.
Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz got the call that they would be competing for the vacant light-heavyweight title as Jiri Prochazka was unable to compete after suffering a serious injury to his shoulder.
Despite overcoming his issues and making the walk to the cage, it still would not be enough to see Ankalaev claim the UFC light heavyweight title as his bout against Jan Blachowicz would end in a split draw in the headline bout. Something that Ankalaev revealed he disagreed with once hearing Bruce Buffer announce the scorecard.
“We did everything we could, the fight turned out the way it did. Not too noteworthy. We earned the victory, but the judges decided not to give it to us and made it a draw.
“I feel like I did everything to get the victory, but the judges made their decision and there’s nothing you can do,” Ankalaev said.
Magomed Ankalaev Motivated As Ever Following UFC 282 Disappointment
Although the Russian did not achieve the result he wanted, he remains as determined as ever to achieve his lifelong goal and will use UFC 282 as fuel to the fire as he re-embarks on his title charge.
“I’m more motivated to prove myself now, soon we’ll take that belt. I’ll take a couple weeks for myself; I have some minor injuries. I’ll take care of that then it’s go time.” Ankalaev stated. (Transcribed by BloodyElbow)
Unfortunately for Magomed Ankalaev, he may have to face another challenger or wait until later on in 2023 to compete for the title once again. Jiri Prochazka has also been guaranteed a shot at the title after he vacated it due to his injury, however, his return date is still unknown.
Immediately after the disappointing ending in the main event of UFC 282, UFC president Dana White revealed former title holder Glover Teixeira will once again compete for gold at UFC 283 held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Tasked with defeating the Brazilian is rising prospect Jamahal Hill who will be challenging for the 205-pound title for the first time.
Who did you believe will be the new light heavyweight champion following UFC 283?
UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith feels Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev deserved a decisive outcome on the scorecards. Blachowicz and Ankalaev fought to a split draw in their five-round main event at UFC 282 last weekend. After their draw resulte…
UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith feels Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev deserved a decisive outcome on the scorecards. Blachowicz and Ankalaev fought to a split draw in their five-round main event at UFC 282 last weekend. After their draw resulted in a still-vacant light heavyweight title, Jamahal Hill and Glover Teixeira will fight for the…
UFC light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev doesn’t see what’s so special about the striking of his division’s champion. Alex Pereira finds himself atop most lists when it comes to the current top standup fighters competing on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. His fearsome reputation on the feet was built as a two-weight Glory Kickboxing champion. […]
UFC light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev doesn’t see what’s so special about the striking of his division’s champion.
Alex Pereira finds himself atop most lists when it comes to the current top standup fighters competing on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. His fearsome reputation on the feet was built as a two-weight Glory Kickboxing champion.
He’s since enhanced it inside the Octagon, where he’s delivered brutal knockout after brutal knockout to secure the crowns at both middleweight and light heavyweight.
“Poatan” currently reigns with the latter in his possession, and he cemented that status last weekend in the main event of UFC 303, where he got the better of Ji?í Procházka for the second time in emphatic fashion.
It didn’t take long for talk to turn to the Brazilian’s future, and one high-ranked contender was waiting in the wings to stake his claim with a number of posts on social media.
And as his campaign for another title shot continues, Ankalaev has made a bold assertion regarding the champ…
Ankalaev Downplays Pereira’s Striking Superiority
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Ankalaev reiterated his belief that a clash with Pereira makes sense later this year and assessed how they match up against one another.
“With Alex, you just have to watch a couple of his past fights,” Ankalaev said, via his translator. “With (Jan) B?achowicz, you know, his wrestling was on a level and Alex didn’t have much to offer. Same with (Israel) Adesanya, they’re both strikers but Adesanya was able to show him some wrestling.
“I think he is a great striker. But he is the kind of guy who always moves forward, and that is where sometimes he might make a mistake. That’s where I might catch him,” Ankalaev continued. “Definitely he has a strong punch, but I think just overall, his standup fight is overrated. Watch his fight with Jamahal Hill; he had something to offer to counter him. Same with the fight with Procházka. … He was probably lucky or didn’t face serious opposition. Wrestling is there, but I’m ready to fight with him standing up.”
In pleading his case for a showdown with Pereira, Ankalaev has vowed to knock the champ out. Whether that will be the path he pursues in a potential fight down the line or if he looks to overcome “Poatan” in the grappling realm remains to be seen.
Abu Dhabi Saudi Arabia, New York Vegas doesn’t matter anywhere anytime by KO be ready Alex
UFC 282 delivered for the most part a very enjoyable and entertaining card. Ten finishes in the opening ten matchups had everything set nicely for the co-main and main event to send off the UFC’s final pay-per-view of the year on a high. However, as we should expect by now, this was never going to […]
UFC 282 delivered for the most part a very enjoyable and entertaining card. Ten finishes in the opening ten matchups had everything set nicely for the co-main and main event to send off the UFC’s final pay-per-view of the year on a high. However, as we should expect by now, this was never going to be the case. A controversial decision and a draw in the main event sank the ship on what ultimately could have been a fantastic card.
Although the final two matchups did not quite live up to expectations, there are still matches to be made following them. So let us review UFC 282 and see what lies next for those who emerged victorious on the night.
Jan Blachowicz & Magomed Ankalaev
It seems only right to pair these two gentlemen up once again following their draw in the main event of UFC 282. Provided both men have escaped from their bout with relatively tame injuries and are looking to return around a similar time let us see two of the top contenders in the division fight each other again to establish who should be up in contention for the next title shot.
The light heavyweight championship…REMAINS VACANT.
Now like most of the MMA community, I feel it should be Jared Gordon I am matchmaking for next, as opposed to the now 4-0 UFC lightweight, Paddy Pimblett. However, the Scouse-star got the nod on the judges’ scorecards and therefore shall be moving forward with my matchmaking plans.
The former Cage Warriors champ should be taking a step up in competition next. Therefore, I would like to see Pimblett matched up with the No.10 ranked lightweight contender, Jalin Turner.
Santiago Ponzinibbio looked well on his way to a decision defeat against Alex Morono. However, in the final round, ‘The Argentine Dagger’ landed a devastating right hand, quickly followed up with a flurry of strikes to claim a TKO victory.
I was a big fan of Ponzinibbio’s original opponent, Robbie Lawler, and therefore would have no complaints should the two be matched up once again.
Dricus Du Plessis broke the hearts of many Darren Till fans when he locked in a rear-naked choke to submit the ‘Gorilla’ in the third round. Du Plessis remains undefeated in the promotion and has already established himself as a top contender in the middleweight division.
The South African called for a top-ten opponent next and he deserves nothing less. That is why for his next matchup I would like to see him take on 9th-ranked Jack Hermansson.
In what was widely considered one of the most intriguing and high-level fights on the card, Georgia’s Ilia Topuria turned in an almost flawless display at UFC 282. There is no doubt in my mind that Topuria will contend for a featherweight title in the future, and I can imagine it to occur sooner rather than later. I believe he is deserving of a crack at the top five and therefore would like to see him take on fellow contender, Arnold Allen.
The 18-year-old star boy delivered on his promotional debut as many had anticipated when he submitted Jay Perrin in the very first round. You can expect the UFC to take a slower approach with Rosas Jr given his age and allow him to grow inside the promotion. Brian Kelleher would make a good opponent for Rosas Jr as he aims to bounce back from a two-fight losing skid, both coming via submission.
‘Bigi Boy’ returned to winning ways after he delivered a blitzing 23-second knockout of Chris Daukaus. Having already fought many top contenders and fallen short, Rozenstruik finds himself in a bit of a peculiar position. However, there is one man who he has not fought, and would create fireworks should they fight – that man being Tai ‘Bam Bam’ Tuivasa.
Similarly to ‘Bigi Boy,’ Edmen Shaybayzan returned to the winning column, snapping a three-fight losing streak. A highly touted prospect when he first joined the promotion, Shabayzan is looking to get his career back on track following his UFC 282 victory. Therefore, next for Edmen, I would like to see him take on Jacob Malkoun.
Chris Curtis
Chris Curtis emerged victorious in the battle of heavy hitters when he knocked out Joaquin Buckley in the second round of their UFC 282 prelim matchup. Four wins from five have landed Curtis just inside the top fifteen of the middleweight division. Given most of the contenders already have been scheduled for early 2023 should Curtis wish to continue his ascent up the middleweight rankings he should look to take on Brazil’s Andre Muniz.
Billy Quarantillo simply does not know how to be involved in a boring fight and this sentiment was fitting following his TKO victory over Alexander Hernandez. Next for Billy Q is a man who would bring the same type of fire that he does already. Nathaniel Wood looked excellent in his most recent outing, and I feel these two would match up extremely well.
TJ Brown
TJ Brown notched his tenth submission victory this past weekend at UFC 282 when he dispatched Erik Silva in the final round. Three victories in his last four outings have Brown finding some stronger form inside the promotion. For his next test, I would like to see him take on experienced featherweight, Andre Fili.
Cameron Saaiman
Another debutant and another victory, Cameron Saaiman extended his undefeated record to 7-0 this past weekend following his TKO victory over a short-notice opponent, Steven Koslow. Next for Saaiman, I would like to see him take on Chad Anheliger.
Be sure to share your thoughts on my selections and leave suggestions in the comments on whom you would like to see the winners from UFC 282 face next.
Jared Cannonier and Sean Strickland will close out 2022 for the UFC as the two middleweight contenders both look to return to winning ways and set themselves up for an exciting 2023.
Paul Craig has called the subtitling of his interviews disrespectful to all Scottish people. Craig is set to take on Brazilian heavy-hitter, Johnny Walker, on the UFC 283 card in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Craig is one of the very few Scottish fighters that are or ever have competed in the UFC and is the […]
Paul Craig has called the subtitling of his interviews disrespectful to all Scottish people.
Craig is set to take on Brazilian heavy-hitter, Johnny Walker, on the UFC 283 card in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Craig is one of the very few Scottish fighters that are or ever have competed in the UFC and is the country’s most successful product in the promotion. The 35-year-old has been a part of some massive events in the United States and has put on entertaining fights since he entered the promotion back in 2016.
Still, Craig is left frustrated about how his interviews are handled. Craig, from Airdrie, has a thick Scottish accents but says it’s ‘disrespectful’ that he has to have an interpreter for some events along with his speech being subtitled
“Our trash-talking is tremendous but the issue we have got is nobody can understand it,” Craig said to Off The Ball.
“It’s a bit disrespectful when you’re still speaking English and it’s getting broadcast to the English-speaking world and they are subtitling it because they can’t understand it.
“You do a post-fight interview. I’ve had an interpreter relaying what I’ve said. That’s disrespectful to all Scottish people.” (H/T The National)
Paul Craig vs. Johnny Walker
Craig will have his hands full with Walker who is currently coming off an impressive first-round victory over Ion Cutelaba.
Walker has been up and down since first entering the promotion, but has consistently proved he can be extremely dangerous with all of his victories coming in the first round.
Craig though has one of the most dangerous BJJ games in the UFC and holds submission victories over Jamahal Hill, Nikita Krylov and Magomed Ankalaev.
@bareknucklefc pic.twitter.com/jJz0xQGkvM
Magomed Ankalaev has revealed that he had one of the most difficult training camps of his pro career in the buildup to UFC 282. Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz got the call that they would be competing for the vacant light-heavyweight title as Jiri Prochazka was unable to compete after suffering a serious injury to […]
UFC 282 delivered for the most part a very enjoyable and entertaining card. Ten finishes in the opening ten matchups had everything set nicely for the co-main and main event to send off the UFC’s final pay-per-view of the year on a high. However, as we should expect by now, this was never going to […]
PADDY. THE. BADDY. PIMBLETT. 
Raul Rosas Jr. has unlimited potential after a FLAWLESS debut! 
THE ACTION MAN DOES IT AGAIN!
Paul Craig has called the subtitling of his interviews disrespectful to all Scottish people. Craig is set to take on Brazilian heavy-hitter, Johnny Walker, on the UFC 283 card in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Craig is one of the very few Scottish fighters that are or ever have competed in the UFC and is the […]