Author: admin

Nutritionist Tristin Kennedy talks about the possibility of Conor McGregor competing at featherweight again.

The last time Conor McGregor competed at 145 pounds was his title fight with Jose Aldo in December 2015. Since then, “The Notorious” only went back-and-forth between 155 and 170 pounds, ultimately abdicating the featherweight throne without a single defense.

At this point, no one will likely entertain the idea of seeing McGregor back at featherweight. Nutritionist Tristin Kennedy also has apprehensions, but believes it could be done.

“He’s a big guy these days. I wouldn’t like to see it from a personal point of view,” Kennedy told ESPN.

“Everything is achievable. Look at Jose Aldo at bantamweight. But at what cost? Going down so low nowadays — when you see a man who fights at 170 no problem and competes very, very well at 170 and has no issues, why would he go down to 145? Especially when he conquered all that.

“Conor loves challenges. The 155 division, he’ll capitalize on that next, no problem,” he added. “He’s already capitalized, and then probably the 170 division or whatever. That’s the great thing about Conor. He can go in between weight classes.

“Once you’re consistent with the diet and the training, you can point it wherever you need to go. Right now, it’s 155. Who knows what it’ll be in the future?”

McGregor will make his UFC return after a year-long absence in a rematch against Dustin Poirier. The two will headline UFC 257 on Jan. 23 on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.

As happy as he’s been in the UFC, Pettis is ready to take a leadership role in turning the PFL’s next million dollar tournament into must-watch television.

Every so often, one fighter’s departure from the UFC seems to re-open everybody’s eyes to the possibility that maybe, just maybe, there are viable options for fighters outside of the monopsony that is Ultimate Fighting Championships. Anthony Pettis seems to have sparked that light again. In the weeks since he has announced his jump from UFC to PFL, a lot of digital ink has been spilled on “Showtime.” Honestly, we don’t think the interest has been this high in Pettis since he knocked out Stephen Thompson back in 2019.

The general vibe now is that Pettis will no longer be just another face in the crowded UFC lightweight and welterweight divisions, a dangerous former champion but one that found himself getting merc’d on the ground way too often. Now in the PFL he comes in as the biggest star of his division and a fan favorite (if not betting favorite, we’d wager) to win the million dollar 2021 season. It might be a smaller pool, but he’s a much bigger fish now. It’s a status — and responsibility — that Pettis is eagerly embracing.

“Their format for becoming a champion, I can become a champion in 12 months,” he said on MMA Fighting’s What the Heck podcast. “It’s a season. I know when I’m gonna fight, it’s definitely a whole different experience for me having the tournament-style like this. And also I get to be the face of this company. I know there’s other big names in this, but I’m taking it on my own shoulders to be the face of this company.”

“I feel like it’s my job to make this company a household name and people want to tune in and know when the next PFL fights are happening.”

That chance to stand at the front of the company rather than getting constantly shuffled back into the pack with the UFC was a big part of “Showtime’s” decision to leave the UFC.

“I wasn’t getting cut, I wasn’t on the chopping block, I had an offer from the UFC,” Pettis explained. “But that offer was like putting me back in the same rat race I’ve been in, if you will. I’ve been in that rat race. I know I was going down to 155, everybody’s trying to get that belt again. There’s some names in front of me. It would have been fun to go back and take care of some guys that I know I could have beaten and that I lost to, but when I made this decision I took all that emotion away from it.”

“I took away trying to be a champion in the UFC, trying to come back from losses that I had, rematches that I wanted. What makes sense for my career? What makes sense for Anthony Pettis right now? It didn’t take long. I knew what my goals were and these guys are giving me a format for it.”

It’s big risk, big reward. In a year, Pettis could capture his fourth major world title and bank a million dollar prize on top of whatever sweet bout agreement he’s wrangled out of the PFL. But if he loses to one of the unheralded sharks also in the PFL lightweight tournament, that’s going to hurt him a lot.

“I’ve had the best opportunities, I’ve gotten treated very, very well in the UFC, taken care of very, very well,” he said. “Great opportunities. I grew up under them lights, them gloves are part of my life. Then deciding that I’m going to go see what’s next, the next part of my career, the next chapter of my career, turning the page onto the next part of my career, I was nervous. I still am nervous. Anything could happen.”

“Follow the leader.”

The past few days have been chaotic for the United States. On Wednesday, supporters of President Donald Trump stormed Capitol Hill, which left five people dead.

The MMA community is no stranger to die-hard Trump crusaders. One of them is UFC “BMF” champion Jorge Masvidal, who’d e even gone out of his way to “fight communism and socialism” with Donald Jr.

“Gamebred’s” undying loyalty stems from what he feels is Trump’s show of support for minorities, his fellow Latinos included. Here’s what he said in a July interview.

He’s actually helping out my people. And I’m supposed to not give credit for that?

Do I agree with all his policies? Hell no. There’s a million things that need to change, as well. But I see him doing more right in the sense of freedom and for my Latin people than a lot of other motherf—ers.

And for the Black community, also the lowest Black unemployment rates. That’s huge, man. That’s huge. People are forgetting about that.

So when Twitter decided to permanently kick out Trump from its platform on Friday, Masvidal is now looking to “follow the leader.”

Many fans, however, don’t seem to be losing sleep over it.

As for his fighting career, Masvidal hasn’t seen action seen his short-notice championship bout against Kamaru Usman at UFC 251 in July. He lost by unanimous decision.