Author: Dan Hiergesell

The combat world was thrown for a loop earlier this week when it was revealed that perennial bantamweight contender John Lineker had been released from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Lineker, only 29, had compiled a 12-4 record inside of the Octagon since his UFC debut back in 2012. As someone who threw knockout power with each and every one of his punches Lineker seemed like the type of fighter UFC would want to keep around for a long time.

Until now, fight fans weren’t sure why UFC cut ties with one of the best knockout artists south of 155 pounds. In a recent interview with TSN, UFC president Dana White detailed the promotion’s decision to let “Hands of Stone” go.

“I think it was because he hasn’t made weight a few times,” said White, “and I just know that the matchmakers were super frustrated with him. The guy wasn’t being professional.

“When you don’t make it to the octagon either a bunch of times, it’s a waste of everybody’s time, energy and money. We expect guys to be professional, do what they’re supposed to do, show up. The matchmakers were done. They had it.”

Lineker, who dropped a split decision to rising contender Cory Sandhagen back at UFC on ESPN+ 8 this past April, was hoping to land a quick turnaround fight to get back into the bantamweight win column. When UFC seemed slow to book his next fight Lineker went as far as telling the promotion to release him.

Despite White’s claim that Lineker’s release revolved around his inability to cut weight, Lineker hadn’t missed weight since coming in at 136.5 pounds for his bantamweight clash with John Dodson back in 2016. The Brazilian successfully touched the scale for his next four fights, which was the longest streak of his UFC career.

Still, UFC felt like now was a good time to part ways with the heavy-handed knockout artist and let another promotion take on a disgruntled fighter with a history of failed weight cuts.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans had a Hall of Fame induction to remember last night (Fri., July 5, 2019) from inside The Palms as a California earthquake shook the Las Vegas venue.

The 6.9 quake originated near Ridgecrest, Calif., at around 8:16 p.m. PT and made its way to Vegas. Right about the same time, Evans was delivering his speech to be inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame. Evans had to pause his speech due to the shaking and ad-lib one of the most important moments in his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career.

“Oh … it’s an earthquake,” shouted out Evans (shown above courtesy of ESPN MMA). “Oh, man – I feel it. Yeah. Wooo … OK. Earthquake, baby. All right. Hey – that’s me bringing the heat. That’s me bringing the heat.”

While Evans was likely hoping to bring the house during his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame’s modern wing he probably didn’t expect to delivery something so ground-breaking. But considering the 39-year-old New Yorker made a living out of split-second decisions and timely defense his reaction to the quake shouldn’t come as a surprise.

The earthquake itself is the second recorded in the Ridgecrest area in the past week, as a 6.4 quake struck just a few days ago. It was the largest to hit the Southern California area in the past 20 years until last night’s quake, felt by Evans all the way out Vegas, surpassed it.

Some hell of a Hall of Fame induction, huh?

Many people believe Thiago Santos will struggle to get past UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones tomorrow night (Sat., July 6, 2019) at UFC 239 live on ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV) from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and rightfully so.

While Santos has been an absolute nightmare for opponents since moving up to 205 pounds late last year he’s about to face the greatest fighter in MMA history. It’s an extremely tough task to complete, especially considering Jones has never been defeated inside of the Octagon, but it’s something that Santos feels confident in entering UFC 239’s main event.

The streaking Brazilian contender certainly acknowledges the legendary accomplishments of Jones, but believes the champion is just another man who hurts and feels pain like the rest of us.

“We can’t take the merit (away from) Jon Jones,” Santos said earlier this week at UFC 239’s media day (h/t MMA Junkie). “He’s a great fighter. He’s done what he’s done with all these tough guys. But at the end of the day, he’s a man who has two legs and two arms. I don’t care how big of a fighter or how big of a name he has. I’m going to go out there and beat him.

“I’m aware of the challenge, but I look at him as just another man who feels and bleeds just like everybody else. It’s never easy. I know the challenge that’s in front of me. I’m sure he’s very well prepared as I am, and I’m going to go out there and show that.”

Santos, who failed to lock down a UFC title shot at middleweight through 15 fights in five years, quickly rose the ranks at light heavyweight with consecutive knockout finishes over Eryk Anders, Jimi Manuwa, and most recently Jan Blachowicz. He looks more suited for the bigger weight class and has really put the squeeze on opponents in the striking department.

Despite his success at 205 pounds, fight fans everywhere are worried that “Marreta” is biting off more than he can chew against a complete fighter like Jones. But despite Jones possessing more skill and experience in almost every facet, Santos has the ability to finish the fight with one single shot.

So even though fight fans, along with the oddsmakers, are skeptical about the Brazilian’s chances to upset Jones this weekend in Vegas, the 35-year-old finisher is ready to lay the smack down.

“I’m ready,” Santos said. “It is what it is. I think the fans are more nervous than I am.”

If Santos is able to defeat Jones and hand him his first true loss inside of the cage he’ll forever be cemented in MMA history. But if the Brazilian falls flat in his first ever UFC title shot he’ll become just another statistic in Jones’ pursuit of all-time greatness.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 239 fight card below, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Two of the most explosive lightweight strikers in the world today will collide for a second time this summer as Paul Felder and Edson Barboza square off at UFC 242 on Sept. 7 from Abu Dhabi, per a recent report by MMA Junkie.

Remember, Barboza and Felder first met back at UFC on FOX 16 nearly four years ago. While “Junior” ended up edging out Felder to the tune of a unanimous decision, the two lightweights produced a high-octane Fight of the Night showdown.

Felder, 35, recently rebounded from a loss to Mike Perry at welterweight when he defeated lightweight contender James Vick this past February. The talented lightweight striker hasn’t lost at 155 pounds since a doctor’s stoppage against Francisco Trinaldo back in 2016 and has looked better than ever in his last few Octagon appearances. Felder is hoping to create even more momentum entering the final months of 2019 as he tries to push his way towards title contention in the jam-packed lightweight division.

Barboza, 33, has struggled over the past two years with an Octagon record of 1-3, including a recent first-round knockout at the hands of divisional bruiser Justin Gaethje. The Brazilian veteran has always struggled to get over the hump at 155 pounds and desperately needs a win over Felder to right the ship entering 2020. If Barboza is unable to get past “Irish Dragon” like he did back in 2015 then maybe it’s time to consider him a contender of the past.

UFC 242 will be headlined by a lightweight championship bout pitting current king Khabib Nurmagomedov against interim titleholder Dustin Poirier.

For more UFC 242 fight card news click here.

Donald Cerrone is hoping to land a big rematch with streaking lightweight contender Tony Ferguson later this year.

Cerrone, who had returned to 155 pounds in 2019 to capture back-to-back wins, dropped a second-round TKO loss to “El Cucuy” at UFC 238 this past June. The fan-friendly matchup ended in an indecisive manner as Cerrone’s badly damaged eye forced an early doctor’s stoppage, but Ferguson was getting the best of “Cowboy” through the first two rounds.

Despite the outcome, though, fight fans have already voiced their need for a rematch between the two lightweights. After all, Cerrone and Ferguson are two of the most entertaining fighters in UFC today and didn’t quite finish their business inside of the Octagon last month.

Cerrone, who hadn’t lost a fight at lightweight since getting finished by then champion Rafael dos Anjos back in 2015, agrees with the masses and is doing everything in his power to get another crack at Ferguson’s ongoing 12-fight win streak.

“Tony Ferguson rematch, I’m begging for it,” Cerrone told MMA Junkie Radio. “August, hopefully no later than September. I can’t fight any later than September, because now I’m running into not being able to get two more at the end of the year.”

Ferguson, who hasn’t lost since dropping a decision to Michael Johnson back in 2012, is hoping to land a title shot later this year, and certainty deserves to get one. But with current UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov scheduled to fight interim titleholder Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 this September, and other contenders like Conor McGregor and Justin Gaethje jostling for their own shot at UFC gold, “El Cucuy” may be open to a reboot with Cerrone for the time being.

Cerrone sure hopes Ferguson takes the bait and UFC books a rematch they seem to be interested in making, especially considering “Cowboy” has been unable to land a much-anticipated showdown with the aforementioned McGregor.

“The funny thing is, when Diaz fought McGregor (at UFC 202), I just fought, and I was flying on that Sunday, and they called me and were like, ‘Hey, do you want the McGregor fight?’ So he turned me down back then, turned me down three or four other times now. It’s crazy to me,” Cerrone said.

“His last fight, we were supposed to do it, and it just deteriorated. I don’t know, he just won’t sign his end of the deal.”

While Cerrone is unlikely to land a money fight with “Notorious” coming off a loss, it would be justifiable if the UFC veteran lands an immediate rematch with Ferguson this summer. But if Cerrone’s wishes aren’t granted we’re sure he’ll be happy fighting anyone the promotion throws in front of him.

What say you, Maniacs? Who should Cerrone fight next?

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) took full advantage of International Fight Week earlier today (Fri., July 5, 2019) in Las Vegas by hosting a summer press conference (full video HERE) featuring some of the best upcoming fights of 2019.

Leading the charge was undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim titleholder Dustin Poirier, who will meet at UFC 242 on Sept. 7 in Abu Dhabi. Poirier, who is coming off a masterful performance against featherweight champion Max Holloway at UFC 236 this past April, will try to become the first fighter to defeat Khabib inside of the cage. Remember, Nurmagomedov is 27-0 in his professional MMA career and has never lost a round in UFC competition.

Check out the staredown above and the press conference highlights below:

Also in attendance was reigning UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and former titleholder Stipe Miocic, who will meet in an anticipated rematch at UFC 241 on Aug. 17 in Anaheim, California. Cormier, who held the UFC light heavyweight championship last year, moved up to heavyweight to take out Miocic via first-round knockout at UFC 226 to become an official double champ. The two have been on a collision course ever since and officially booked their rematch following Brock Lesnar’s retirement this past April.

Check out the staredown and press conference highlights below:

The next two fighters to take the stage earlier today at UFC’s summer press conference was the aforementioned Holloway and former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. The two featherweights were scheduled to fight twice before but injuries derailed their Octagon encounter. Assuming the injury bug lays dormant for their next scheduled affair for UFC 240 on July 27 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, “Blessed” will have the chance to further cement his legacy at 145 pounds, while Edgar takes one final shot at UFC featherweight gold.

Check out the staredown and press conference highlights below:

Last but not least, reigning UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and interim titleholder Israel Adesanya squared off for the first time in front of a wild Vegas crowd. The two fighters will meet in a title unification bout at UFC 243 this October, which was made official just earlier today.

Check out the staredown and press conference highlights below:

For complete UFC 240, UFC 241, and UFC 242 fight card news click here, here, and here.