UFC 200 comes our way on Saturday, but the UFC will also give us two additional events in the days preceding the stacked card. Each card features a UFC championship on the line.
UFC Fight Night 90 takes place on Thursday live on UFC Fight Pass (subscri…
UFC 200 comes our way on Saturday, but the UFC will also give us two additional events in the days preceding the stacked card. Each card features a UFC championship on the line.
UFC Fight Night 90 takes place on Thursday live on UFC Fight Pass (subscription required) with the lightweight title up for grabs. Champion Rafael dos Anjos battles Eddie Alvarez in the main event, and heavyweights Roy Nelson and Derrick Lewis will scrap in the co-main.
On Friday, the finals of The Ultimate Fighter 23 take place. Headlining the show will be a rematch between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Claudia Gadelha. This time it will be five rounds and for the strawweight strap. The two tournament finals are not yet known as the final episode will air Wednesday evening.
It’s Fight Week, and Bleacher Report’s team is here to deliver our predictions to help you get set. Craig Amos (47-35), Scott Harris (40-42), Sydnie Jones (48-34), Nathan McCarter (47-35) and Steven Rondina (49-33) are set to deliver predictions for the main cards of both events.
Let’s see who the experts think walks out of Las Vegas with gold at UFC Fight Night 90 and The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale.
Brock Lesnar is back, and in a jovial mood.
The former UFC champion can sometimes have a steely demeanor, but at the UFC 200 press conference, he stole the show with his charm. (Warning: NSFW language in the following video.)
The former UFC champion can sometimes have a steely demeanor, but at the UFC 200 press conference, he stole the show with his charm. (Warning: NSFW language in the following video.)
The MMA media members in attendance were quick to address Lesnar, but not everyone got the answers they were looking for when Lesnar picked up the microphone. One of the first questions thrown his way was concerning why he’ll be sporting the Canadian flag at the event.
Kevin Iole of Yahoo asked about Lesnar’s health issues that sent him out of the cage, and the former heavyweight champion was having none of that talk. He was only focused on how great he feels now and didn’t want to elaborate on anything regarding his health. Damon Martin of Fox Sports recorded his reponse.
He was also asked about his future, should he win.
Lesnar remarked that Saturday could be a “teaser,” but that the question should actually be addressed to Vince McMahon—owner of the WWE. Lesnar mentioned that he was already booked for August for WWE’s SummerSlam. He was anything but committal regarding his future after that in either the UFC or WWE.
Lesnar also talked about his UFC 100 post-fight speech. He recalled: “I had two beers that night. One for the public to see and one to enjoy.” Dana White jokingly asked that no one ask Lesnar anymore questions.
MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani brought out some of the best in Lesnar. He was on the receiving end of a thoughtful, honest answer from Lesnar and one of his dismissive and witty retorts.
Lesnar was honest about taking the UFC for granted in his first go-around. The WWE Superstar mentioned that everything from the flight into Vegas and all the happenings of fight week are something he is taking in this time. He is enjoying the process of being back as a UFC athlete.
Then Helwani asked about how many rounds he sparred for this fight. Lesnar, once Daniel Cormier said the question was for him, stated very sarcastically, “3,000 rounds.” The crowd laughed along with the charismatic beast of the WWE and UFC.
If there is one feeling that could be taken away from the pre-fight press conference, it is that Lesnar is having fun. He looks like he is in fantastic shape and happy to be back to work. He was completely relaxed and having a good time answering—or maybe not answering—the questions.
Lesnar enjoyed himself, and the fans enjoyed his cheerful mood. But don’t expect him to take that comedic tone with him into the cage on Saturday when he meets Mark Hunt in the co-main event at UFC 200.
Miesha Tate will defend her newly minted championship against Amanda Nunes at UFC 200 on July 9.
The title tilt will be the second of three championship clashes on the card. Tate captured gold against Holly Holm at UFC 196 with a rear-naked choke in th…
Miesha Tate will defend her newly minted championship against Amanda Nunes at UFC 200 on July 9.
The title tilt will be the second of three championship clashes on the card. Tate captured gold against Holly Holm at UFC 196 with a rear-naked choke in the final round. She did exactly what she needed to do when she needed to do it. She showed her champion’s resolve in coming out with the belt.
Nunes earned her title shot with three consecutive victories. She stopped Shayna Baszler and Sara McMann before edging out Valentina Shevchenko on the judges’ scorecards.
Once again, the bantamweight title is in the spotlight. This time, it is helping to lock down a loaded fight card at UFC 200. Two of the best 135-pound women walking planet Earth will step inside the cage to exchange leather.
Who holds the advantages in this matchup?
There’s only one way to find out. Here is your head-to-toe breakdown of Saturday’s bantamweight championship clash between Nunes and Tate.
No. 1-ranked* Joanna Jedrzejczyk (11-0) and No. 2-ranked Claudia Gadelha (13-1) will be set to continue their feud at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale.
The two previously met in a closely contested title eliminator in 2014. Jedrzejczyk won a contentious …
No. 1-ranked* Joanna Jedrzejczyk (11-0) and No. 2-ranked Claudia Gadelha (13-1) will be set to continue their feud at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale.
The two previously met in a closely contested title eliminator in 2014. Jedrzejczyk won a contentious decision that sent her into becoming one of the UFC’s most beloved champions. She defeated Carla Esparza to win gold, and has successfully defended it against Jessica Penne and Valerie Letourneau.
Gadelha returned to action last August with a win over Jessica Aguilar.
The two were tapped to coach the 23rd season of TUF, and Gadelha’s team nearly swept Jedrzejczyk’s right out of action. Right from the start the two jawed back and forth nearly coming to blows. There is certainly no love loss between the two. And that makes their second fight all the more enticing to watch.
The rematch will be Jedrzejczyk’s toughest defense to date, and Gadelha will seek to ruin Jedrzejczyk’s perfect record just as she did hers back in December of 2014. Who will walk out of Las Vegas wearing gold?
Here is the head-to-toe breakdown for Friday’s stellar strawweight title tilt between Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha.
When the loaded UFC 200 pay-per-view gets underway it will be two of the best heavyweights in the world kicking off the show.
No. 3-ranked Cain Velasquez (13-2), according to Bleacher Report’s June MMA rankings, steps back insi…
When the loaded UFC 200 pay-per-view gets underway it will be two of the best heavyweights in the world kicking off the show.
No. 3-ranked Cain Velasquez (13-2), according to Bleacher Report‘s June MMA rankings, steps back inside the Octagon for the first time since losing the UFC heavyweight championship against No. 7-ranked Travis Browne (18-3-1).
Velasquez was once the undisputed kingpin of the division, but injuries have kept him away from the cage. His return last June removed any luster that was left with a tiring performance against Fabricio Werdum. Browne has not been lighting up the scene either, and is coming off a victory mired in controversy.
In January, Browne squared off against Matt Mitrione. He got the TKO win in the third round, but only after several fouls without a single point deduction. The eye pokes altered the course of the fight and gave Browne a clear advantage.
Now Browne is meeting the former champion with the hopes to establish himself as a title contender. Will he be able to stop the former champion? Can Velasquez return to former glory with a vintage nonstop performance? There is only one way to know, and how they match up is paramount. Here is the head-to-toe breakdown for UFC 200’s main card kick-starter.
The focus at UFC 200 on July 9 may be on the women’s bantamweight championship fight between Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes, but another bout at 135 pounds is worth keeping an eye on as well.
The featured prelim of the night features No. 4-ranked* Cat Zi…
The focus at UFC 200 on July 9 may be on the women’s bantamweight championship fight between Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes, but another bout at 135 pounds is worth keeping an eye on as well.
The featured prelim of the night features No. 4-ranked* Cat Zingano (9-1) vs. No. 8-ranked Julianna Pena (7-2).
Zingano has not been in action since her 14-second defeat at the hands of then-champion Ronda Rousey in February 2015. The former title challenger would have another strong claim at a title shot with a victory and Tate retaining her gold.
Pena, the season 18 winner of The Ultimate Fighter, has developed from prospect to contender. She is 3-0 inside the Octagon, and a win over Zingano would also give her a claim at a title shot. Unfortunately, nothing is guaranteed with Rousey‘s return looming over the division.
Zingano and Pena will do their best to state their case as the next challenger in a matchup between two of the most aggressive fighters in the division. Who will walk away victorious at UFC 200 in Las Vegas? Let’s break down the action for the featured preliminary contest of the UFC’s biggest card to date.
