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Exclusive | MMA Fighter Veronika Smolkova Discusses Title Wins and Nude Modelling ‘Show off those girly things’

Exclusive | MMA Fighter Veronika Smolkova Discusses Title Wins and Nude Modelling 'Show off those girly things' Oktagon MMA fighter Veronika Smolkova is preparing for her next bout with a potential title opportunity on the horizon….

Oktagon MMA fighter Veronika Smolkova is preparing for her next bout with a potential title opportunity on the horizon. The Slovakian athlete has made a name for herself with her aggressive striking and finishing ability, and a victory in her upcoming fight could put her in line for a championship shot.

Veronika Smolkova

Speaking ahead of her fight, Smolkova expressed confidence in her preparation and reaffirmed her goal of securing a title. “I win this fight, and the belt is next,” she said. “I will do everything in my power to get it and defend it.”

“My dream is to do what I love, inspire others, and, along the way, maintain my joy, my happiness, and, most importantly, my health. I also see myself with titles—that’s a given.”

In addition to her fighting career, Veronika Smolkova has also gained attention outside the cage for her nude modeling. While some fighters prefer to keep their public image strictly focused on competition, Smolkova embraces both sides of her persona. She explained:

“After all, even though I’m a fighter, I’m also still a girl—a woman—and I like to show off those girly things. Even though it’s not too much, I still like to feel sexy and that kind of stuff, even alongside the sport … I am feminine, and I’m very sensitive. When I go to training, I have that sensitivity and those emotions—anger and other emotions you could call “bad” emotions, but also the ones that make you like an animal. I leave all of that at the gym and get it all out there. Then, after training, I can embrace my other emotions—my more feminine and sensitive side.”

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Veronika Smolkova’s openness about balancing athletics and femininity has echoed with fans, particularly as more female fighters challenge traditional expectations in combat sports. At Oktagon 67, on February 22, she will be facing the top-ranked Aitana Álvarez.

“The message I’d like to send is to love yourself and not be afraid to be yourself. Even show off those quirks and unique things about you. Just express yourself in the most loving way toward yourself, and I feel absolutely honored to be able to show that to the younger generation of fighters—especially female fighters coming up.”

With a crucial fight ahead and a growing profile beyond MMA, Veronika Smolkova remains focused on both her professional goals and personal expression. If she secures a victory, a title fight could be next, another step in her rising career.

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I Had No Idea She Was a Porn Star! Rampage Jackson on His Adult Film Dating Surprise

Former UFC champion and MMA legend Quinton Rampage Jackson recently shared a wild story about a night out that…

Former UFC champion and MMA legend Quinton Rampage Jackson recently shared a wild story about a night out that took an unexpected turn. Speaking candidly, Jackson recalled meeting a woman at a bar, hitting it off, and even exchanging numbers—only to later discover she was an adult film star.

Rampage Jackson And the Adult Film Star

According to Jackson, the night started casually as he and his group, which included his manager Tiki Ghosn, were out socializing and having drinks. At some point, Rampage Jackson and a young lady hit it off and exchanged numbers. Later on, they were hanging out and Tiki seemed to recognize the woman but couldn’t immediately place her. Rampage Jackson, on his podcast, explained:

“I met this hot-ass, uh, chick—she looked Asian or some, and we hit it off and stuff like that. At the end of the night, she gave me a kiss and gave me her phone number… We were chilling and getting drinks later at the bar, and Tiki was like, “I know this girl from somewhere” …

“She was like, “You really don’t know who I am?” I’m like, “Hell no, I don’t know who you are.” She said, “I’m a porn star.” I was like, “Shut the F* up! What’s your name?” She told me her porn name, and I went back and told Tiki . He said, “Yeah!” … Then she got into a conversation where she said she wanted to date me ’cause she was like, “Look, we’ve been having fun.””

That’s when she directly asked Jackson, “You really don’t know who I am?”Jackson admitted he had no idea. That’s when she revealed she was a porn star, a revelation that left Jackson stunned. He immediately asked for her stage name, then went back to confirm the news with Tiki who apparently recognized her right away.

This was revealed in a conversation with MMA fighter Rob McCullough who had married adult film actress Lexxi Tyler.

While Rampage Jackson didn’t disclose the woman’s identity, he mentioned that the conversation eventually turned more personal, with the woman expressing interest in dating him, citing how much fun they had together. The story has since sparked curiosity among fans, leaving many wondering who the mystery adult film star might have been. Fans speculate from Asa Akira to Mia Khalifa and everyone in between.

Eddie Hall vs. Dillon Danis Falls Apart But UFC Veteran Aspires To Rebook It: ‘I Love the Idea’

According to Chael Sonnen, a fight between Dillon Danis and renowned British strongman Eddie Hall damn near came to…

According to Chael Sonnen, a fight between Dillon Danis and renowned British strongman Eddie Hall damn near came to fruition.

Our deal old Uncle Chael broke the news on his YouTube channel, claiming that a fight between Danis and 2017’s World’s Strongest Man was all set, but ultimately fell apart. Unfortunately, we don’t really get many more details than that, but ‘The American Gangster’ made it clear that whoever was in the process of putting that fight together should get back on the ball and seal the deal ASAP.

“Eddie Hall versus Dillon Danis—okay, they were set for an MMA showdown,” Sonnen said. “Now, here’s how I got the news: I heard about it after the fact. But the news is that there’s no showdown, no match. And honestly, I almost wish I hadn’t even heard about it because I love the idea.

“I don’t know what those two were going to do. It was MMA, sure, but if Eddie was involved, I wouldn’t even have to question it. Eddie doesn’t get enough credit. Whoever lost this match, I’m sorry you lost it, but get it back.”

It’s hard to imagine a fight like that being sanctioned anywhere within the United States considering Eddie Hall weighs in at around 362 pounds while Danis typically walks around at half that. Chances are it would take place in the United Kingdom which Hall hails from and still calls home.

After establishing himself as an accomplished BJJ specialist, Danis made the move to mixed martial arts in 2018 and won back-to-back bouts under the Bellator banner. He has not competed since scoring a first-round finish against Max Humphrey in June 2019.

Dillon Danis set for boxing match with KSI ahead of a return to MMA

Danis did return to the spotlight in October 2023 for an exhibition boxing match with Logan Paul. ‘El Jefe’ ended up losing the bout after being disqualified in the waning seconds of the sixth round after attempting to land a takedown on Paul during the critically panned scrap.

On March 29, Danis is expected to return to the squared circle for another exhibition boxing bout, this time against Logan Paul’s PRIME Hydration business partner Olajide Olatunji, also known as KSI.

Danis was also drafted by Team New York in the first-ever Global Fight League draft and is expected to compete for the promotion in the future. No official dates have been announced regarding his debut, but GFL founder Darren Owen suggested that a fight with former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson could be in the cards for Conor McGregor’s old BJJ coach.

Eric Nicksick Stands by Sean Strickland Criticism but Admits Going on Ariel Helwani Was a Mistake

Days after shredding Sean Strickland over his performance at UFC 312, coach Eric Nicksick knew he’d f*cked up. Strickland…

Days after shredding Sean Strickland over his performance at UFC 312, coach Eric Nicksick knew he’d f*cked up.

Strickland came up short in his long-awaited rematch with reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis in Sydney, Australia, delivering a lackluster performance en route to a decisive unanimous decision defeat. Strickland’s poor outing was made all the more worse by the fact that the fighter had challenged ‘DDP’ to fight him “to the death” 48 hours earlier.

Addressing his fighters’ shortcomings on an episode of The Ariel Helwani Show following UFC 312, Nicksick called Strickland’s showing “uninspired” and that it seemed like he was “sleepwalking” through the whole 25-minute affair.

Nicksick then went on to suggest that if Strickland is not interested in becoming a world champion once again, he may need to look for another coach.

“It was just uninspired fighting to me,” Nicksick said. “It just seemed like he was sleepwalking. … It was a tough 25 minutes to travel all the way out there. Let’s not forget, this was a title fight. I take these title fights very seriously, and I don’t know. I was just very disappointed, man. I was disappointed with the whole entire outcome and the whole fight as a process. I just thought it was kind of flat.”

Nicksick continued, “I think he needs to evaluate what he wants to do in this sport. If it’s just to make money, then that’s great. Let us know. I want to coach world champions, so my motivations are different.”

Getting wind of Nicksick’s comments, Strickland launched a lengthy response on X revealing that Nicksick likely won’t be in his corner going forward.

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— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) February 12, 2025

Eric Nicksick express regret after lambasting Strickland over UFC 312 loss

Looking back on all the drama during a recent episode of his Verse Us podcast, Nicksick stood by the message he delivered on Helwani’s show but admitted that his delivery could have been a lot better.

“And it was very disappointing to hear where his headspace was and what his thought process was about being a champion or all these things. And that’s personal. I should have known better. I took that energy and had to process that while I go on Ariel’s show. I f*cked up. I f*cked up. … I made a miscalculation in that moment in ever accepting to go on the show. My wording was piss poor.

“What I said was accurate—the fight was uninspiring. We all know Sean. That is not how Sean fights. What I said was accurate. Am I to shoulder some of that blame? 100%. I made a calculated error on that part. But what I was trying to do, in a roundabout way, was challenge my fighter to perform better the next time out.”

UFC’s Molly McCann Knocks Out Man in Bar Brawl: “Boom! And Then He’s on the Floor”

Don’t rush up on Molly McCann if you bump into her at the club. ‘Meatball’ became an instant UFC…

Don’t rush up on Molly McCann if you bump into her at the club.

‘Meatball’ became an instant UFC fan favorite a few years ago with her nearly identical back-to-back spinning elbow knockouts of Luana Carolina and Hannah Goldy.

However, McCann has run into some struggles as of late, dropping three of her last four inside the Octagon, including a pair of first-round submission defeats at the hands of Erin Blanchfield and Julija Stoliarenko.

But just because McCann has had some difficulty finding the win column, that doesn’t mean the Irish lass-kicker won’t put your lights out, whether it be on the Octagon or at the local watering hole.

“I was at the Temple Bar in Dublin, and I was just like, ‘Good, good.’ But this lad’s looking at me like that, and I was like, ‘What? Weird. Why would you do that?’ Well, I didn’t know what his thing was,” McCann told UNTAPPED. “He’s run over to me, and he’s coming like he’s about to hit me. I’ve just stepped back and gone—boom! And then he’s on the floor.

“I looked—two days, er—no, the doormen have picked him up, dragged him outside. I’ve come outside, and he’s getting all at me. And I was like, ‘I don’t know. I said—I don’t know what—like, what?’ And he’s like, ‘But I’m a fan! I—I—I will pay for this to be fixed!’ You can’t—you’re a grown man running at me!”

Molly McCann returns to the octagon at UFC London in march

Unfortunately, that won’t count towards her official win/loss record, but ‘Meatball’ will have the chance to get back into the win column on March 22 when the UFC heads back to London for another Fight Night card in The Big Smoke.

McCann is scheduled to square off with Istele Nunes who will be looking to score her first victory inside the Octagon after dropping her first four appearances with the promotion.

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire Joins UFC: Former Bellator Champ Eyes Featherweight Gold

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in Bellator history, has officially signed with the…

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in Bellator history, has officially signed with the UFC after his recent release from the PFL. The 37-year-old Brazilian fighter, a three-time Bellator Featherweight Champion and former Lightweight Champion is set to bring his impressive resume and skills to the UFC’s featherweight division.

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire Signs with the UFC

Patricio Freire’s move to the UFC follows months of speculation and public calls for his release from the PFL. After Bellator was acquired by the PFL in late 2023, Freire expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of fight opportunities and requested an unconditional release. PFL Chairman Donn Davis confirmed Freire’s release earlier this year, allowing him to explore new opportunities in mixed martial arts’ premier promotions.

Patrício “Pitbull” Freire achieved an extraordinary list of accolades during his tenure in Bellator MMA. He was a three-time Bellator Featherweight World Champion and also held the Bellator Lightweight World Championship, making him the second fighter in the promotion’s history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously. In addition, he won the Bellator Season Nine and Season Four Featherweight Tournaments, further solidifying his dominance in the division.

Freire holds numerous records in Bellator, including the most wins in the promotion’s history (24), the most title wins (15), and the most fights (30). In the featherweight division specifically, he has the most wins (23), most knockouts (8), and is tied for the most finishes (13, alongside A.J. McKee). Across all divisions, he is tied with Michael Chandler for the most finishes in Bellator history with 15.

Known for his knockout power, Freire has already set his sights on top-tier competition in the UFC. He has publicly expressed interest in facing fighters such as Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria, and Diego Lopes, signaling his ambition to climb quickly within the division. “I want that belt,” Freire stated during a recent interview, emphasizing his readiness to compete against elite opponents.

UFC President Dana White had previously hinted at interest in signing Freire, acknowledging his status as one of MMA’s most accomplished free agents. With Freire now officially part of the UFC roster, fans eagerly await his debut and potential matchups against some of the sport’s biggest names.