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André Muniz Targets Till Clash In England Or Ranked Opponent In Brazil

UFC middleweight contender André Muniz has pitched two potential locations and opponents for his first Octagon appearance of 2022.

Muniz has quickly developed into one of the most promising rising 185lbers and one of the most dangerous men in the U…

André Muniz, Darren Till

UFC middleweight contender André Muniz has pitched two potential locations and opponents for his first Octagon appearance of 2022.

Muniz has quickly developed into one of the most promising rising 185lbers and one of the most dangerous men in the UFC on the ground. “Sergipano,” a 3rd-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Otávio Duarte, is 4-0 on MMA’s biggest stage, a record that includes three armbar submissions.

After back-to-back wins on Dana White’s Contender Series, Muniz earned an opportunity in the UFC, one that he has grabbed with both hands; hands that are capable of some terrifying things when they get hold of a limb.

After starting on the right track with a decision triumph against Antônio Arroyo and showcasing his submission skills in the UFC for the first time in his victory against Bartosz Fabi?ski, the Brazilian went from prospect to serious contender in his third appearance.

Muniz was matched up with the legendary Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza, regarded as one of the best submission grapplers in the promotion’s history, at UFC 262 last May. In an incredible performance, Muniz sunk in a unique armbar in the opening round, one that brutally (and audibly) snapped the arm of his compatriot.

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Muniz Targets Home Crowd Or Hostile Crowd

After a clash against fellow rising middleweight Dricus Du Plessis fell through, Muniz secured his second win of 2021 at UFC 269 against 13-fight promotional veteran Eryk Anders. How did he do it? You guessed it, with an armbar.

Ranked #13 at 185 pounds, Muniz will be hoping to break into the top 10 in 2022 and maybe even stake his claim for a shot at divisional gold. With that in mind, he knows what he wants from the UFC next.

“I hope that now, with these submissions (against Souza and Anders), that the UFC will give me a top 10 or even a top five (opponent),” Muniz told MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn. “I’d like to end the year in a top-five position. Maybe Darren Till.”

Muniz went on to suggest he’s hoping for a clash with “The Gorilla” in the Liverpudlian’s home country. The UFC is reportedly targeting the March 19 card as its return to London, England. While a host of European names and UK stars have had matchups booked for that date, it still lacks a main event. Perhaps the promotion will go down the Muniz vs. Till route.

If that doesn’t come to fruition, Muniz has his sights ready to divert to another international venture for the UFC, this time to his own home nation. Reports suggest the promotion is targeting a return to Brazil for a pay-per-view on May 7. Muniz said it would be “amazing” to fight in Rio de Janeiro against an opponent ranked higher than him. He named top-10 stalwart Uriah Hall as a potential foe.

“If I can’t hook them to put me against Darren Till in England, it would be great, it would be amazing to fight in Rio(de Janeiro) against somebody ranked ahead of me. Who knows, maybe a Uriah Hall or somebody like that. That would be amazing.”

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Some fighters get excited by the prospect of a delivering a winning-performance in front of their home crowd and making the walk to the Octagon with fanfare and cheers. Others relish in the chance to spoil a homecoming in an opponent’s backyard and walk to the cage amidst a chorus of boos.

Muniz’s 2022 targets are ambidextrous in that regard…

Would you rather see André Muniz face Darren Till in England or a high-ranked opponent like Uriah Hall in Brazil?

Continue Reading André Muniz Targets Till Clash In England Or Ranked Opponent In Brazil at MMA News.

UFC PPV Prices Just Went Up (Again)

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

The price of a standalone UFC pay-per-view (PPV) event, available exclusively on ESPN+, has been changed from $69.99 to $74.99, with the ESPN+ PPV Package (which includes one UFC PPV event…


UFC 269 Press Conference
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

The price of a standalone UFC pay-per-view (PPV) event, available exclusively on ESPN+, has been changed from $69.99 to $74.99, with the ESPN+ PPV Package (which includes one UFC PPV event and one annual subscription) also increasing from $89.98 to $99.98.

The price hike comes just a few weeks ahead of the promotion’s return to the PPV market, which starts with UFC 270: “Ngannou vs. Gane” on Jan. 22 in Anaheim, Calif., pitting heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou against interim titleholder Ciryl Gane.

Here’s the updated pricing tier for ESPN+ and its corresponding bundles:

ESPN+ Monthly Subscription
$6.99/mo (no change)

ESPN+ Annual Subscription
$69.99/yr (no change)

The Disney Bundle w/ Hulu Ad-Supported
$13.99/mo (no change)

The Disney Bundle w/ Hulu No-Ads
$19.99/mo (no change)

UFC PPV Standalone
$74.99 each ($5 increase)

UFC PPV Package (One UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual Subscription)
$99.98, then $69.99/year after the first year ($10 increase)

UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle
$88.98, then $13.99/mo ($5 increase)

UFC moved its PPV programming to the ESPN+ digital network in early 2019, part of a landmark deal with the “Worldwide Leader in Sports” that is expected to last until 2025. Non-PPV “Fight Night” cards are typically split between ESPN and ESPN+, depending on the fight calendar, but PPV orders require a standalone purchase, as well as an existing subscription to ESPN+.

To see the updated UFC 270 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

Fury: If Jake Paul Was Serious About Boxing, He’d Reschedule Our Fight

Tommy Fury still hopes to meet Jake Paul inside the ring this year, and believes “The Problem Child” has to reschedule their clash if he’s “serious” about fighting.

Having built an unblemished 4-0 record that included victories over YouTuber AnEson…

Tommy Fury, Jake Paul

Tommy Fury still hopes to meet Jake Paul inside the ring this year, and believes “The Problem Child” has to reschedule their clash if he’s “serious” about fighting.

Having built an unblemished 4-0 record that included victories over YouTuber AnEsonGib, former NBA star Nate Robinson, and former MMA champions Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, Paul was set for his first test against a professional boxer in the form of Fury last month.

However, “TNT” pulled out just weeks before the encounter, citing a broken rib and bacterial chest infection as the reasons for his withdrawal.

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In Fury’s place stepped in Woodley, who was looking to exact revenge on Paul for the split-decision loss the YouTuber-turned-boxer handed him last August. In the end, the former UFC welterweight champion ended the fight face down on the canvas, rendered unconscious by a brutal right hand.

While the now-5-0 Paul ponders his next opponent and step in combat sports, Fury looks set to continue pushing for a rescheduled date with the Cleveland native.

Paul Is Still The Fight Fury Wants

Despite claiming he’s targeting titles and killers in the ring this year, Fury has admitted the scale of a matchup with a star like Paul, along with the handsome paycheck, has him keen on putting the fight back together. But with Paul’s focus seemingly being on UFC stars Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz, it remains to be seen if his wish will be granted.

During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Fury claimed that if Paul doesn’t look to reschedule their match, it will prove he simply isn’t serious about fighting and the sport of boxing.

“My only thing that I wanna get done now is this fight to reschedule,” said Fury. “When somebody gets an injury that is out of their hands, completely out the hands with a broken rib, the first thing that I’d look to do, if I’m serious about fighting and seriously think I could’ve beat that guy, I would have thought, ‘Okay, no problem, you’re out, when can we reschedule?’ I’d wanna reschedule, and I’d want to prove to the world that I can beat a serious boxer, not just another MMA guy.

“That’s what we’re trying to get over at the minute. I know he’s offering (fights) to all kinds of people, but the fact of the matter is, there’s unfinished business here and this fight needs to take place,” added Fury. “How can he be serious about fighting if he’s never fought a boxer before? How can he be serious about this?

“He keeps referring to the UFC, if he wants to go and fight in the UFC, don’t put a pair of boxing gloves on. Don’t call yourself a boxer if you’ve never even fought one.”

In recent days, Jake Paul has actually created an opportunity for his presence in the sport of boxing to dwindle. Taking on Dana White and the UFC’s fighter pay structure, as he often has since stepping into the combat sports limelight, “The Problem Child” laid down a challenge.

He’s offered to enter the USADA testing pool for a fight against Masvidal inside the Octagon, and with it, his retirement from boxing. For that to happen, White must fulfill a number of clauses relating to the pay of UFC athletes and healthcare coverage.

With White’s hatred of Paul meaning the offer is extremely unlikely to be met with a serious response, it stands to reason we’ll be seeing the YouTube star enter the squared circle again in 2022. Tommy Fury will be hoping he’s the one standing opposite Paul when it happens.

Do you think Jake Paul should reschedule his fight with Tommy Fury next?

Continue Reading Fury: If Jake Paul Was Serious About Boxing, He’d Reschedule Our Fight at MMA News.

Bisping says Ngannou leaves too many openings to be successful in boxing

Michael Bisping speaks to reporters at the UFC Gym press conference at Glaziers Hall in London, England on March 15, 2018. | Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“You know there’s no reason why he…


UFC Gym Press Conference
Michael Bisping speaks to reporters at the UFC Gym press conference at Glaziers Hall in London, England on March 15, 2018. | Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“You know there’s no reason why he couldn’t knock out these boxers but he’d have to catch them first and I don’t know if he could, okay.”

Brendan Schaub thinks Francis Ngannou could beat Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder at their own game, but UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping isn’t so sure.

Ngannou wants to compete in both boxing and MMA as part of his new UFC contract but ‘The Count’ thinks ‘The Predator’ leaves too many openings to be successful against the boxing elite.

“The man is absolutely terrifying and hits ridiculously hard,” Bisping said of the Ngannou, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, in a YouTube video on Tuesday (h/t BJPenn.com). “However, against a boxer, you couldn’t do that because when he swings he leaves a lot of openings.

“Hey listen, if he catches him god blessed because you are f*cked. You know there’s no reason why he couldn’t knock out these boxers but he’d have to catch them first and I don’t know if he could, okay.”

Ngannou might have his sights set on a boxing crossover but the Cameroonian knockout artist currently has his hands full with Ciryl Gane, who he will take on in a heavyweight title unification bout in the UFC 270 main event.

The pay-per-view extravaganza is scheduled to take place on Jan. 22 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

MMA Depressed-us: Randy Couture’s ‘The Hard Way’

June M. Williams

We’re diving back into the cinematic career of one of the UFC’s most notable champions of yesteryear. The UFC is taking one last week off before getting into the swing of their 2022 schedule, so the MMA …


The MMA Depressed-Us, Holiday Edition
June M. Williams

We’re diving back into the cinematic career of one of the UFC’s most notable champions of yesteryear.

The UFC is taking one last week off before getting into the swing of their 2022 schedule, so the MMA Depressed us is taking the opportunity to dive back into one of their favorite holiday traditions. That’s right, we’re watching yet another Randy Couture film.

Promising the badass thrills of Michael Jai White, alongside the wall-n-maul prowess of one of the UFC’s most legendary champs, who could say no to 2019 action blockbuster ‘The Hard Way’—co-starring former Brit pop-rocker, from the band Bros (pronounced ‘bross’), Luke Ross? We certainly couldn’t.

MMA Depressed-us, Zane Simon, Connor Ruebusch, Phil, Mackenzie, UFC Fight Pass, UFC Archives, UFC Podcast, Best of the Worst Fights,
June M. Williams

For all interested in watching along with us, ‘The Hard Way’ is available on a number of platforms, including Netflix. But more importantly, there’s also a copy hanging out free on YouTube. As always, we’re starting at the beginning of the video. So, anyone following along just needs to hit play when Zane says “go”.

Throughout the 2021-2022 holiday UFC break we will continue to bring you podcast content every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday minimum, more days if we can. Watch for shows like ‘Crooklyn’s Corner’, ‘Show Money’, more from ‘The MMA Depressed-us’, ‘6th Round Retro’, maybe even a guest podcast episode or two of ‘The Eugene S. Robinson Show Stomper!’ — among others! On behalf of all of our crew on the entire Bloody Elbow Presents Podcast Network Team, have a safe and happy Holiday Season & be sure to stay tuned!

If you enjoy our show, give us a shout out in the comments here on Bloody Elbow, or give us a “like”, share & subscribe over on whichever BE Presents Podcast Channel happens to be your listening platform of choice: SoundCloud, YouTube, iTunes & Apple TV, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, OverCast, or Player FM, & Amazon Music – While you’re there, don’t forget to subscribe to Bloody Elbow Presents; that way you’ll always be the first to get all of BE’s daily MMA offerings. For previous episodes of the show, check out our playlists on all of our BE Presents channels.

Bloody Elbow Presents, UFC Podcast, MMA Podcast, Happy Holidays,
June M. Williams
Happy New Year to all of you from your entire Bloody Elbow Presents Podcast Network Crew!

Lopez Threatens To Release Sparring Footage Of Gane Dropping Ngannou

The beef between Francis Ngannou and former coach Fernand Lopez continues to grow.

The UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has a date set to defend his title against his old training partner Ciryl Gane. The matchup is arguably one of the most …

Francis Ngannou Ciryl Gane Fernando Lopez

The beef between Francis Ngannou and former coach Fernand Lopez continues to grow.

The UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has a date set to defend his title against his old training partner Ciryl Gane. The matchup is arguably one of the most anticipated heavyweight title fights in a long time. Now, the growing animosity between Ngannou and Gane’s head coach Fernand Lopez is adding even more drama to this bout.

Recently, Lopez set forth some heavy claims that accused Ngannou of trying to keep Gane out of the UFC. Ngannou was also the target of some released footage that showed Ngannou and Gane training together.

The Cameroonian was unhappy with the clip that was released and called it misleading. According to Lopez, however, Ngannou could have been made to look much worse. And now, he is willing to release the entire length of training footage.

“That footage didn’t tell the whole story of what happened in training,” Lopez told Low Kick MMA. “There were so many opportunities where they got the better of each other in sparring, so we couldn’t have manipulated the footage. He didn’t want me to release the whole footage because, in that specific training, Francis Ngannou ate a knee shot to the liver and got dropped. Stopped the whole training. These are facts. Francis was on his backside. If he’s saying this isn’t true, I’ll release the whole footage. But, my content manager didn’t want to release it because we have privacy in the gym. When guys train in your gym, they expect things to stay in the gym.”

Ngannou and Gane trained together at MMA Factory in France before Ngannou left. Lopez, now the head coach of Gane, has expressed his problems with Nagnnou in a public capacity. In return, Ngannou publically ignored them while both were backstage at UFC 268 in New York.

Everything will soon enough be settled inside the Octagon. The real fight will be taking place on Jan. 22 at UFC 270. At that time, all sparring footage will become obsolete and the truly better man and fighter will be crowned as the UFC heavyweight champion.

Do you think Francis Ngannou has what it takes to defeat Ciryl Gane at UFC 270?

Continue Reading Lopez Threatens To Release Sparring Footage Of Gane Dropping Ngannou at MMA News.