Author: Dan Hiergesell

Eryk Anders has encountered some of the best fighters Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has to offer throughout his five-year tenure, but the veteran ran into an opponent he couldn’t defeat on Friday night.

Instead of battling another human being inside of the cage Anders found himself going to war with a chainsaw. It’s not something you see every day, especially from a professional fighter, but Anders lost his battle to the chainsaw and shared some pretty gnarly photos of a badly cut foot.

You can check them out below, but please know some of these images are not for the faint of heart.

“They don’t make left handed chainsaws,” wrote Anders in a caption.

Luckily, it looks like Anders avoided any serious damage to his foot. Aside from some hospital time, a bunch of stitches, and few weeks to heal, the UFC fighter should be back to normal in due time. It could have been much worse, but still a gruesome injury to sustain at any point in life.

Anders, 34, is coming off a disappointing submission loss to surging middleweight contender Andre Muniz at UFC 269 this past December. Before that, Anders captured a decision win over Darren Stewart in a light heavyweight affair at UFC 263. The veteran fighter hasn’t won back-to-back fights since 2019 so after this recent injury heals Anders will be looking to make some noise once again inside of the Octagon.

What about you, fight fans? Ever have a run-in with a chainsaw or another unforgiving power tool?

Let’s hear it!

Gilbert Burns will be the next fighter in line to try to derail the growing hype train that is Khamzat Chimaev. The two welterweights will collide at UFC 273 this coming April.

While Burns is a former UFC title challenger who is regarded as one of the very best 170-pound fighters in the world today he’s still being looked at as an underdog in his matchup with Chimaev. It’s a testament to how good Chimaev has looked inside of the Octagon and how many people believe he’s a future champion of the division.

That said, Burns is as well-rounded as they come and he’s going to present Chimaev with more problems to solve than he ever has been. This includes a world-class ground game and knockout power that has shined time and time again inside of the Octagon.

“I see it going very hard,” Burns said in an interview with Helen Yee. “Especially in the beginning, he might be very strong. I do believe he’s gonna strike a little bit, but I do believe he’s gonna grapple too. He’s gonna try and take me down, wrestle, stay heavy on top, good ground-and-pound, and that’s what I think he’s gonna do.

“I think I’ll have a lot of answers to the game, takedown defense, getting up, a lot of striking too. I see a war. I don’t think it’s gonna be easy for me. I don’t think it’ll be easy for him. I think we’re gonna grind down, and it’s gonna be – I see my arms getting raised, but I think it’s gonna be a war.”

It’s a massive fight for both fighters. For Chimaev, it’s his opportunity to finally beat a top 10 opponent and prove that he is as good as advertised. For Burns, it’s his chance to prove that he’s still a legitimate title threat and capable of fending off the best contenders the division has to offer.

Making things more interesting is the fact that UFC president Dana White declared Burns vs. Chimaev a No. 1 contender’s fight. Burns already lost to current UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman back at UFC 258 so he’s taking White’s word with a grain of salt, but if he can destroy Chimaev and end the hype it would be hard not to grant Burns another shot at the belt.

“Yeah, but Dana also said that women will never fight in MMA (UFC),” said Burns. “I respect that when you have one opinion, but later on you change it. He can change it. We will see. I think everything is about the performance. I gotta go there and get a finish and then I can have a title shot, but it’s all about the performance nowadays. If the fight ends up being boring or ends up being not what people expect, for sure we’ve got to do one more fight.”

What do you think, Maniacs? Will Burns vs. Chimaev be a war? Who wins?

Sound off!

Kevin Lee outpointed fellow UFC veteran Diego Sanchez in their main event showdown last night (Fri., Mar. 11, 2022) at Eagle FC 46 live on FLXcast from inside FLXcast Arena in Miami, Fla., as “Motown Phenom” captured a unanimous decision win.

Sanchez landed some really good leg kicks in the early going that ended up hurting Lee’s knee. “Motown Phenom” eventually worked his way inside and secured a big takedown along the cage. Lee landed some solid shots before trying to extend one of Sanchez’s leg. Sanchez would work his way back to the feet and Lee ended up throwing about three late punches after the bell rang.

Sanchez fired more leg kicks in the second round and it really started to wobble Lee. It left Lee open for a bunch of straight punches from Sanchez, but “Motown Phenom” scored a timely takedown to regain control and rack up some damage. Lee was able to score another takedown late into the third only to have Sanchez launch sharp elbows off his back. Lee sustained a nice cut, but he still finished the fight on top.

Check out the full fight video highlights below courtesy of Eagle FC 46:

For complete Eagle FC 46 results and coverage click here.

Terrance McKinney is looking to take his UFC lightweight stock to an entirely new level tomorrow night (Sat., Mar. 12, 2022) at UFC Vegas 50 live on ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, when the young prospect steps up on short notice to fight veteran Drew Dober on the main card.

McKinney, who made his Octagon debut in June 2021, has looked tremendous in first two UFC appearances. He first finished lightweight veteran Matt Frevola with a seven-second knockout back at UFC 263 and then stopped Fares Ziam via first-round submission at UFC Vegas 49 just last month. That extended his current overall win streak to five and put “T.Wrecks” on a short list of top contenders to watch in 2022.

Luckily, McKinney will have another opportunity to steal the show when he steps up on short notice for an injured Ricky Glenn and meets Dober this weekend. Dober is a dangerous lightweight who has some serious striking skills, but he’s a beatable fighter that McKinney believes he has an answer for.

“We did our studies, we’ve got the game plan, and we’re just going to push the pressure like we always do. Come in their face and let’s fight,” McKinney said during Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour (via MMA Fighting). “I think I’ve got the range, I got the height, so I’m just going to use those to my advantage — make him have to do something big, and look for nice counters.

“I can’t expose [Dober’s weaknesses we discovered], but just know that everyone should expect something spectacular this weekend … We can get another finish, 100 percent.”

McKinney, 27, is hoping to push his UFC record to 3-0 with a win this weekend and claw his way to the lightweight top 10 by the end of the year. It’s a lofty goal for a young fighter like “T.Wrecks,” but he’s extremely talented in all facets and already has the backing of UFC, which is why the promotion just gave him a new contract ahead of his clash with Dober.

“I actually just really enjoy fighting and it’s just fun to compete, man,” McKinney said. “I’m like a little kid at the candy store when I get to go out there, because it’s just so surreal every time, and it’s just like a miracle every time, and I’m so grateful, man. Every time I’m out there, I’m like, man, this can’t get any sweeter than this.

“A couple years ago, I didn’t even have my own place. I died twice. I got kicked out of school. Like, I had no choice but to make this happen, man,” McKinney continued. “And for it to happen finally? That’s why I always stay in shape, because I refuse to let this go, man. This has been my dream for so long.”

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 50 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN+ main card start time at 7 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 50 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For the updated and finalized “Santos vs. Ankalaev” fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.

Thiago Santos will look to regain the respect of the light heavyweight division tomorrow night (Sat., Mar. 12, 2022) at UFC Vegas 50 live on ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, when the former UFC title challenger faces off against streaking contender Magomed Ankalaev in the main event.

This is a big opportunity for Santos to remind the light heavyweight division that he remains a force this late into his UFC career. The 38-year-old veteran is coming off a decision win over Johnny Walker this past October, but it wasn’t the greatest performance by “Marreta.” In total, he has lost three out of his last four trips to the Octagon and really needs a big performance to keep things rolling in 2022.

Luckily, Santos has a real chance at redemption as he gets another main event bid this weekend against Ankalaev. The Russian contender is a massive favorite to defeat Santos, but “Marreta” remains a viable veteran capable of landing powerful shots at will. He has more than a puncher’s chance and will look to showcase his current ability when the cage door shuts on Saturday.

“Ankalaev is a tough guy, He’s on a good win streak and he’s really dangerous. I must keep my eyes open,” said Santos in a recent interview with Combate. “A lot of people say he’s going to take me down and use his wrestling, but I can’t just worry about that. He’s a great striker, too. He has KO wins. I’ve prepared in every single way possible and I’m ready for him.”

“I think I have an advantage when it comes to experience.” Santos continued. “Not only in cage time, but the opponents I’ve faced, too. I’m used to fighting five rounds and main events. I don’t think he has ever fought for five rounds. I’ll use all of my experience in my favor. The perfect way to end the fight would be my way. The sledgehammer.”

Ankalaev certainly has a grappling advantage over Santos, but the Russian contender is a legitimate striker as well. He likes to do damage on the feet and it could allow “Marreta” to score some serious strikes when the two mix it up. After all, Santos had racked off three-straight knockout finishes to spark his move to 205 pounds from 2018-2019.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 50 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN+ main card start time at 7 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 50 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For the updated and finalized “Santos vs. Ankalaev” fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.

Add Conor McGregor to the list of fighters former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo is willing to face.

McGregor, who has been sidelined since July 2021 after suffering a nasty leg injury in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier, is currently plotting his return to the Octagon. “Notorious” is following doctor’s orders and will stay away from sparring until next month, but that hasn’t stopped the former UFC champion from training in every other aspect.

Some fight fans have commented on the size of McGregor since the Irish star hit the sidelines with his injury. McGregor seemed to put a lot of focus on building muscle over the past six months or so and he’s looking pretty jacked these days. McGregor posted the following video to social media earlier today showing off some powerful combinations:

Cejudo, who is a fairly outspoken member of the MMA community, quickly commented on the video of McGregor. “Triple C” didn’t mention anything about the size of McGregor, but he did question the Irishman’s technique, defense, and range control during the short clip.

“Your hands are down and your distance is off. Stay away from them yes men. Just a tip from the GOAT,” wrote Cejudo.

The former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion threw more fuel on the fire when he proclaimed he’d stop McGregor in a potential fight at 155 pounds.

McGregor fired back by calling Cejudo a “little fart,” but that only prompted another savvy response from Cejudo firing shots at the cardio of “Notorious.”

Finally, McGregor replied with a since-deleted tweet featuring a video of Cejudo holding pads for Cris Cyborg. In his post, McGregor took a shot at Cejudo’s size and lack of striking experience.

“The audacity of this little fat midget novice to be holding a kick pad for Cris Cyborg. Look at the state of him omg,” McGregor wrote. “Fat midget novice. @HenryCejudo u are a little fat midget novice.”

Regardless of this back-and-forth with Cejudo, McGregor does have some things to prove when he steps back inside of the Octagon, which is expected to happen later this year. Over his last four trips to the cage “Notorious” is just 1-3, losing his last two via TKO to Poirier. It will be interesting to see what the 33-year-old superstar has left in the tank and if he can ever recapture his stranglehold on the fight game.