Blog

Despite his struggles in recent years, B.J. Penn has continued to soldier onward in his mixed martial arts career. That could be changing, however.

In an Instagram Live interview with coach Jason Parillo, “The Prodigy” admitted that the preparation for a fight “takes too much f—-king work.”

“It takes a lot of work,” Penn said (transcription via MMAjunkie.com). “It takes too much. Too much f—-ing work. At this age, it just takes too much f—-king work. You never know what’s going to happen, but it takes so much work.”

The 41-year-old Hawaiian hasn’t been victorious in a bout since a first-round knockout of Matt Hughes in November 2010. Since that time, he has gone 0-7-1 in the Octagon, losing many of his appearances in lopsided fashion. Still, Penn has love for the sport in which he began competing professionally in 2001.

“If I can get anything else going it would be nice,” Penn said. “If I could get anything else going in life than just a fist fight, it woul…

Credit: Mike Sloan/Sherdog.com Credit: Mike Sloan/Sherdog.com

Weili Zhang will finally return home to China following her memorable strawweight championship victory over Joanna Jedrzejczyk on March 7.

The UFC champion, along with two teammates, was expected to fly to China from Las Vegas on Sunday, according to the fighter’s management. ESPN was first to report news of Zhang’s departure. Zhang stayed in the United States for an extended period to avoid the risks associated with travel as the coronavirus pandemic took hold across the globe. Zhang had been in Las Vegas since Feb. 21.

During her camp for UFC 248, Zhang was forced to leave China as the COVID-19 outbreak worsened in her home country, which was the original epicenter of the disease. Zhang was in both Abu Dhabi and Thailand before eventually arriving in the United States.

RELATED LINKS SPONSORED BY H&R BLOCK:The U.S. Government is providing tax relief on your upcoming tax returns due to the financi…

If he had the option to do it all over again, Michael Bisping would have ended his mixed martial arts career one fight earlier than he actually did.

After relinquishing the middleweight title via submission to Georges St. Pierre in a physically-demanding bout at UFC 217, Bisping agreed to face Kelvin Gastelum approximately three weeks later in the UFC Fight Night 122 headliner. The British veteran dealt with eye issues dating back to 2013, when he suffered a detached retina in his right eye in a knockout loss to Vitor Belfort. Bisping told Submission Radio that he wears a prosthetic and is essentially blind in that eye.

While that created some difficulties in his career, he was able to get cleared consistently enough to experience some of his greatest success from that point forward. However, Bisping briefly had fears of losing vision in his good eye following the knockout loss to Gastelum in November 2017.

“I fight Georges St. Pierre, I lose that fight, and he k…

Anderson Silva nearly retired with his 16-bout UFC winning streak intact.

“The Spider” recently revealed to the UFC’s Brazilian website that he and his management met with UFC president Dana White and then owner Lorenzo Fertitta in Las Vegas in late 2012 following his victory over Stephan Bonnar in October of that year. There, Silva informed UFC brass that he was considering calling it a career.

“I want to stop, I want a time for myself, to stay with my family,” Silva said he told White and Fertitta (translation via MMAFighting.com). “I have been doing this for years and I’m losing contact with my kids. I’m only training and training, it’s not working for me anymore.”

Shortly thereafter, Silva said that White and Fertitta gave him a Bentley Continental GT worth approximately $174,000, which he believes was an incentive to continue fighting. Of course, the Brazilian eventually agreed to fight again and was scheduled to defend the middleweight crown against Chris W…

Frank Mir is plotting his next move, both as a mixed martial artist and as a commentator.

While the heavyweight veteran still has one fight left on his current Bellator contract, Mir has essentially been free reign to test the free agent market despite his intentions to fulfill the last bout on his existing deal. Mir recently announced the news on the ”Phone Booth Fighting Podcast.”

“Basically, I had a good conversation with [Bellator president] Scott Coker. “[I’m] still going to have a fight with them, just because there’s a fight left on my fight contract,” Mir said. “Scott was very easy to talk to about it – their company’s shut down, he hasn’t even left his house in three weeks – so, once they start up, there’s going to be a backlog of fights because they have so many fighters on their roster. “So now I’m basically, not basically, I am a free agent. Even though I would still do fights for Bellator, I’m not beholden to any contract to anybody now. So I can try out t…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iwt_2riugY&w=560&h=315]

Tyron Woodley was one of the first fighters to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Initially scheduled to square off against Leon Edwards in the UFC Fight Night 171 headliner in London on March 21, Woodley’s bout was postponed as the disease began to take effect all over the world. At one point, the former welterweight champion was reportedly in talks for a grudge match with former American Top Team stablemate Colby Covington, but nothing would come of it.

With the UFC’s next event now slated for May 9, Woodley is still without an opponent. And while Dana White revealed what is expected to be the full lineup for that card, Woodley is hopeful that me might get a chance to compete at the event. If not then, the sooner the better.

“I want to fight sooner than later. One, because I think it’s a chance that a fight can go down May 9. And then they might have in their mind, OK May 9 we’re gonna …

The UFC has a couple interesting possibilities when it comes time to choose Jon Jones's next challenger. 

Recently, the current UFC light heavyweight champion and former title challenger Dominick Reyes engaged in a quarrel on social media. “The Devastator” started the beef after he claimed that the champion is avoiding him.

On Saturday morning, "Bones" took to Twitter to reply to those accusations. Jones reminded his opponent the outcome of their last encounter, then teased a future match with Jan Blachowicz (26-8).

“Now suddenly I’m afraid of a good dogfight? Pretty sure I walked him down for 25 minutes straight when we fought,” Jones wrote. “One thing about being the champion of the world, you got to search for fresh meat on every soil. I’m feeling like popping some [cherries] in Poland, haven’t had that yet.”

Now suddenly I’m afraid of a good dogfight? Pretty sure I walked him down for 25 minutes straight when we f…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship held its first of two meetings briefing fighters about plans in place.

On Friday, MMA Junkie reported several of the discussion topics that UFC President Dana White talked about in a meeting among fighters. MMA Fighting also reported additional information from other fighters following the invite-only meeting. White first gave a statement to his roster, and then answered questions the athletes submitted with topics ranging from fight camps to “Fight Island.”

White made certain to repeatedly elucidate that the fighters were not obligated to compete under these circumstances. If they do not feel comfortable taking a matchup during the coronavirus pandemic, they will not be penalized or negatively impacted in any way. He also explained that in the event any fighter on the roster is struggling financially or with their health, the UFC would take care of them.

Of the fighters that choose to compete, those affected by event cancellations wou…

On April 13, the UFC filed 22 new trademarks for:

'FIGHT ISLAND'

&

'UFC FIGHT ISLAND'

The filings were made based on an "intent to use" FIGHT ISLAND as the name of a mixed martial arts competition and for branded goods such as clothing and jewelry.#UFC #ufc249 pic.twitter.com/Q9cHHQJFBK— Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) April 17, 2020

If these filings are any indication, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is going full steam ahead with “Fight Island.”

Attorney Josh Gerben first reported on Friday that the UFC has filed trademarks for 22 uses of “Fight Island” and “UFC Fight Island.” In addition to the promotion looking to use these trademarks for events, they are also being filed for items the UFC plans to market including clothing and jewelry.

The existence of “Fight Island” was first brought to light by UFC President Dana White, when concerns about the coronavirus threatened international fight cards. T…

Hey @MMARLONMORAES, can you send me location and explain how to get there? pic.twitter.com/Sitgad8LRx

— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) April 13, 2020 Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight contender Petr Yan is ready for his next bout, which he predicts will undergo some changes before it takes place.

Archangel Michael Club representative Yan (14-1) believes his five-round fight with Brazilian Marlon Moraes (23-6-1) will take place in the U.S., not in Kazakhstan, as expected earlier. The two are currently slated to meet at UFC Kazakhstan on June 13, which is scheduled go down at the Astana Arena in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Yan expects the organization will relocate it.

“I hope the fight with Moraes will maintain the five-round status as we signed,” said Yan to Sherdog.com. “Now, I don't know about Kazakhstan or the fighting island. There are a lot of points to consider - how quickly the si…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight queen is ready to return in a few months, and has a destination in mind for her next outing.

On Thursday, Valentina Shevchenko spoke with MMA Junkie, where she explained how excited she was at the prospect of competing on a special island built for MMA competition.

“From the very, very first second when I heard about the island, it was already my favorite idea,” she explained to MMA Junkie Radio. “Yes, I would definitely love to fight there.

Shevchenko was originally slated to compete against Joanne Calderwood at UFC 251 in June, but an MCL injury forced her out of her title fight. Her timetable for return to action is currently around the end of August, where she is more than willing to compete on this private island currently in the works, according to UFC President Dana While.

“Now I hope it’s going to happen sometime in the end of August, and why not -- why not on the island,” asked Shevchenko. “It can be like a dou…

You have to be a real hardcore fan to have heard of Cristian Binda before last month. The ones that do know him, though, will remember the wars he put on every time he fought. “Mano di Pietra” — “Hand of Stone” for non-Italian speakers — started his long MMA career back in 2006. His name is among the trailblazers of the sport in Italy, together with Michele Verginelli, Alessio Sakara, and Ivan Serati. Apart from fighting at the 135-pound weight limit when he is a natural flyweight, perhaps too many injuries marked Binda’s regional career. After his last couple fights, he decided to hang up the gloves in 2018.

In the last month, though, the Italian pioneer’s name hit the headlines after he became the first MMA athlete in the world to test positive for COVID-19. Now, Binda sounds relieved while he is doing his last days of hospitalization at the Lanzo Intelvi Hospital, about a half an hour from the majestic Lake Como.

“I think I’m healed but my last swab turned out to be po…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvNfDltLfc4&w=560&h=315]

Undefeated prospect Sam Hughes has re-signed with Legacy Fighting Alliance.

A promotion official confirmed the multi-fight deal to Sherdog.com on Thursday. After making her LFA debut at flyweight, Hughes plans to drop to strawweight for her next appearance. Hughes will have freedom to be released from her contract if the UFC were to come calling.

A 27-year-old representative of Catalyst Fight House, Hughes made her first organizational foray at LFA 81, where she earned a unanimous decision triumph against Lisa Mauldin on Jan. 31. The Everett, Wash., native had finished her first three professional appearances inside the distance.

“So excited to finally announce signing with [LFA]!” Hughes wrote on Instagram. “What an amazing promotion to be a part of. I can’t wait to show everyone an even better performance than my debut next time I step in that cage! Big things are coming, get ready.”

RELATED…

When Georges St. Pierre officially announced his retirement in 2019, he mentioned that one of the final hang-ups was a potential bout with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomeodov.

“We tried to organize the fight with Khabib, I know Khabib want it and I want it, but the UFC had other plan[s],” St. Pierre said at a press conference that day. “To the point where I am in my career, for me it’s more taking one fight at a time instead of being there for several fights, and the way the business works … if they promote someone, they want to keep him somewhere … it’s like an investment.”

In a recent interview with ESPN, St. Pierre reiterated those thoughts, as he was aware the promotion didn’t want him vacating a belt like he did with the middleweight title. He also believes the promotion didn’t want to tarnish the Dagestani’s record with a one-off opponent.

“They had other plans. I know Khabib wanted to have that fight. I wanted it,” St. Pierre told ESPN. “But if y…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHvNg5sBxm4&w=560&h=315]

UFC featherweight Andre Fili made his motion picture debut in the recently-released film Green Rush, which was co-produced by Team Alpha Male founder Uriah Faber.

The film was released on Tuesday, and Fili was looking forward to watching the film in full for the first time. He has already critiqued a few of his parts, however, and he’s aware that people will be skeptical of a movie that involves UFC athletes.

“I haven't watched the whole thing yet but I've seen a couple of my own scenes,” Fili told UFC.com. “Some I was happy with, some I felt I could have done better, but I'm always going to be my own hardest critic. I just want to see it and I want people around me to see it because I know they're excited and I'm excited for the people who were talking s--t about it when we said we were making a movie to see it because it's really, really well-made.

“People saw me and they saw Faber and they were t…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWdWXaBatvc&w=560&h=315]

The UFC Apex in Las Vegas could be the host for a number of the promotion’s events beginning in May.

In an email to Variety, UFC president Dana White revealed that the facility has been targeted for upcoming cards after the coronavirus pandemic forced the organization to postpone four recent events in March and April.

“We built the Apex facility next door just in time to save the day from this pandemic,” White wrote. “Live fights will be produced out of there starting next month and for the foreseeable future.”

Unveiled in 2019, the UFC Apex is a 130,000 square foot production facility adjacent to the promotion’s headquarters in Las Vegas. Last year, the venue was host to Season 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series. Due to the ongoing pandemic, all upcoming events would be closed to the public.

Like most of the United States, Nevada is currently under a stay-at-home order until April 30 due to t…

Donald Trump: “We have to get our sports back. I’m tired of watching baseball games that are 14 years old.” pic.twitter.com/YUOonLFR5V

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 14, 2020

UFC president Dana White will be part of a group of industry leaders and executives that will help the United States restart an economy that has been damaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

President Donald Trump revealed the group during his daily coronavirus press conference on Tuesday. Numerous prominent figures in professional sports will join White on the task force, including commissioners from the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.

JUST NOW: Adam Silver, Rob Manfred, Roger Goodell, Gary Bettman, Robert Kraft, Jerry Jones, Dana White, and Vince McMahon are part of a large group that will help advise on how to restart the economy, President Trump says.

— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) April 14, 2020

The panel, which the Wh…

There remains some uncertainty regarding the status of UFC 250.

While the promotion indefinitely postponed all events last week, no specific timeline was given regarding the upcoming schedule. That includes UFC 250, which was originally slated for Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 9. UFC president Dana White has claimed that he has secured a private island and could have it ready within a month, but details regarding that potential venue are limited.

Henry Cejudo, who was expected to defend his bantamweight title against Jose Aldo at UFC 250, is still in camp preparing as if he will fight next month.

"I think we need to have a conversation with Dana and everybody there, because you don't want to train and have them give you a certain date, and then you're not peaking at the right time," Cejudo told ESPN. "My training is very methodical. Everything I do has to be precise, to make sure I'm 100 percent. You can't surprise me before, two weeks.

"I need to know today. I…

Thank you @TheRock for your kind words. You give us all real motivation. Let’s train together and have some @Teremana tequila after. pic.twitter.com/gRqfEbI51V

— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) April 13, 2020

One of the biggest stars in Hollywood had some high praise for Francis Ngannou.

Ngannou shared a message from “The Rock”, aka Dwayne Johnson, in which the WWE star turned actor praised the UFC heavyweight contender during an Instagram Live Q&A session over the weekend.

“Francis Ngannou, let me tell you something, brother – you ain’t ready for me,” Johnson said in response to Ngannou’s invitation to join him for a workout.

“I respect and love this guy so much. He is one of the top heavyweights in MMA, and in the world, and he is a dominant beast of a man. I can’t wait to see him fight again.”

Ngannou was supposed to face Jairzinho Rozenstruik in the UFC on ESPN 8 headliner in Columbus, Ohio, on March 28, …

With no fights on the horizon, Conor McGregor recently took a moment to reflect on his triumphant return to the Octagon this past January.

McGregor made short work of Donald Cerrone in the UFC 246 headliner on Jan. 18, ending the contest just 40 seconds after it began. The Irish superstar initially stunned his opponent with a series of shoulder strikes from the clinch before clipping Cerrone with a head kick. From there, McGregor overwhelmed “Cowboy” with punches near the fence for his first UFC triumph since November 2016.

“Lately atop my striking, I’ve been striking them where they believe they can’t be struck also. And with shots they don’t understand to be shots,” McGregor wrote on Instagram. Look at the range of limbs and bone joints I strike with here alone. The hip. The bone of the clavicle, the infamous collar bone! The knee. The foot. The fist (both). A lovely array.

“That will be all kids now take down your notes and your homework tonight is... enter a …

Henry Cejudo’s first bantamweight title defense will have to wait, but the Olympic gold medalist continues to ooze confidence even as the UFC’s schedule has been indefinitely suspended.

Cejudo was supposed to defend his 135-pound belt against Jose Aldo at UFC 250 on May 9 until ESPN and Disney executives requested that the promotion postpone all events due to the coronavirus pandemic. “The Messenger” recently released a statement regarding the cancellation on his Instagram account.

“A big thank you to my training partners and [coaches] for these last incredible weeks of training. The [GOAT] rampage is officially postponed,” Cejudo wrote. “[GOAT] will be served another day.”

RELATED LINKS SPONSORED BY H&R BLOCK:The U.S. Government is providing tax relief on your upcoming tax returns due to the financial impact of Coronavirus. Find out what additional savings you qualify for your 2019 federal tax return by clicking here. UFC 250 was initially slated for Ibirap…

While the UFC attempted to push its schedule through during the coronavirus pandemic before eventually being shut down, Bellator MMA opted for a different approach, quickly canceling all events through May.

That included a massive Bellator 242 event on May 9 that included a showdown between Gegard Mousasi and Douglas Lima for the vacant middleweight crown. However, if Bellator had given Mousasi the chance to fight, he would have accepted the opportunity. That said, the Armenian-born Dutchman understands that safety precautions must be taken during a crisis has forced the shutdown of all major sports organizations across the world.

"All the fighters are gonna fight anyway, so no one says no,” Mousasi recently told ESPN. “Obviously if they would have offered me, I would have fought too.

“I don’t think the promotion can guarantee the safety of the fighters. Let’s say the commentator or the cameraman is sick, or one of the fighters is sick -- you’re gonna make everyb…

.@lionheartasmith says he's still ready to fight on 4/25 even after he fought off an intruder at his home over the weekend. This is video for the suspect after he allegedly broke into another man's home before going to Smith's. Smith describes what happened.@3NewsNowOmaha pic.twitter.com/mGwSlTjimo

— Jake Wasikowski (@jakewasikowski) April 9, 2020

The intruder who Anthony Smith fought with on April 5 after the man broke into the UFC fighter’s Nebraska home allegedly attempted to enter other residences in the area.

In a video shared by 3KMTV Omaha, Luke Haberman is shown attempting to break into another home. When Haberman finds the door locked, he screams loudly before leaving the front porch. The man was later able to enter Smith’s home, where he was subdued by the title challenger. Smith told KMTV that he accidentally left his garage door open.

"No normal human is able to fight like that," Smith said. "I'm by no means the bad…

Cub Swanson has designs on making his Octagon return late this year.

The veteran featherweight tore his ACL and meniscus during a grappling match with Jake Shields at Quintet Ultra this past December. The cost of the surgery was covered by the UFC, and Swanson targeted a November or December return in the aftermath.

With the promotion and every other sports organization in a holding pattern due to the coronavirus pandemic, Swanson’s comeback plans haven’t changed. In fact, it’s probably a better time than most for injury rehabilitation.

“I think the biggest thing about my comeback is I had a date of around November, and nothing’s stopping me from that,” Swanson said in a recent Instagram post.

“This whole thing, it’s really challenged me to stay focused. I look at it on the bright side, like I’ve picked a great time to be injured, so I’m just focusing on being at home with my kids and enjoying my time, and knowing that I will be back by November. If there’s…