Sean O’Malley Slams Marlon Vera For “Super Weird” Charity Criticism

UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has responded to Marlon Vera after “Chito” criticized a video of “Sugar” giving out money to strangers.

O’Malley and Vera’s feud has been well-documented across the past year-and-a-half. The rivalry began when they me…

Sean O'Malley, Marlon Vera

UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has responded to Marlon Vera after “Chito” criticized a video of “Sugar” giving out money to strangers.

O’Malley and Vera’s feud has been well-documented across the past year-and-a-half. The rivalry began when they met inside the Octagon at UFC 252 in August 2020. Inside the opening round, the Ecuadorian handed O’Malley his first professional MMA loss.

Since then, the pair have thrown shade at each other on social media and in interviews, with Vera even accusing O’Malley of ducking a rematch last year. The latest exchange came after “Sugar” put his charitable side on full display in a video uploaded to YouTube.

But while many praised the #12-ranked bantamweight for passing on $100 to other individuals who were perhaps in more need of it than him, “Chito” had a different view. Taking to Twitter, he branded O’Malley a “piece of shit” for recording the good deed.

“U don’t need a camera guy to help people. you piece of shit”

O’Malley Fires Back

As you’d expect, O’Malley has since responded to his foe’s comments. In a recent episode of his podcast, the Montana native slammed Vera, suggesting he wouldn’t have given the same charitable donations back to the community as he has.

O’Malley added that Vera showed his true colors by speaking out against his video and insisted he still felt good about his money-giving venture despite his fellow ranked bantamweight’s opinion.

“Giving out money. Some people didn’t like it,” O’Malley said. “This one guy (Vera) tweeted something like, ‘You can give money out, you don’t need a cameraman,’ something stupid… He said camera guy, I’m like, well, first of all, it’s my sister, she’s a girl, don’t be sexist. Girls can record videos, too. Some people have no respect.

“‘I thought it was pretty fun. I enjoyed it. I had a good feeling in my heart, giving money to those people. Most of them were like, ‘Oh my god, dude, I needed this.’ I still feel like a good person… It doesn’t matter what someone thinks. I think he got a lot of hate for it. I’m like, ‘Dude, you look like an idiot. Why would you say that? I’m helping people.’ I guarantee I gave more to my people than he ever has. My people, random people, there’s just no way he’s done that… Super weird. I think it just shows true colors.”

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Since his setback against Vera, O’Malley has been back to his best. With three victories in 2021, “Sugar” recorded three finishes, earned three post-fight bonuses, and broke into the bantamweight top 15.

With “Chito” on a similar run having beaten Davey Grant and Frankie Edgar, it seems we could be seeing the pair run it back sooner rather than later. O’Malley has previously claimed the rematch is inevitable, and as both continue rising the ranks, it’s hard to imagine them not meeting in the cage again.

Do you think Marlon Vera was wrong to criticize Sean O’Malley’s charitable video?

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Slams Marlon Vera For “Super Weird” Charity Criticism at MMA News.

Erin Blanchfield: Maverick Fight Was “Easier” Than I Expected

UFC women’s flyweight Erin Blanchfield described her UFC 269 fight with Miranda Maverick as “easier” than she thought it would be.

At the final pay-per-view of 2021, two of the UFC’s top female prospects collided, both looking to move closer to a s…

UFC 269: Blanchfield vs. Maverick, Erin Blanchfield

UFC women’s flyweight Erin Blanchfield described her UFC 269 fight with Miranda Maverick as “easier” than she thought it would be.

At the final pay-per-view of 2021, two of the UFC’s top female prospects collided, both looking to move closer to a spot in the 125-pound rankings.

24-year-old Maverick was about as highly touted as they come, and entered last summer 2-0 in the UFC following victories over Liana Jojua and Gillian Robertson. After a controversial split decision loss to Maycee Barber, a result most disagreed with, “Fear The” Maverick was hoping to rebound by halting the charge of a fellow future star on December 11.

Blanchfield, meanwhile, had made her way to the UFC and established herself as rising name at the age of just 22. After back-to-back Performance of the Night performances under the Invicta FC banner, “Cold Blooded” debuted on MMA’s biggest stage with a win against Sarah Alpar last September.

At UFC 269, it was the younger of the two prospects who made her way further up the mountain. By securing a dominant unanimous decision triumph, Blanchfield moved closer to the group of contenders and put the rest of the weight class on notice.

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Blanchfield Promises To “Keep Surprising People”

In the eyes of many leading up to the blockbuster year-ending PPV, Blanchfield was the underdog and was expected to make way for the division’s hottest prospect. Ultimately, that couldn’t have been further from reality. With a flyweight record seven takedowns and some hard shots on the ground, Blanchfield imposed her will with ease.

During her appearance at the post-fight press conference, “Cold Blooded” suggested the only thing that really surprised her was how easy the contest was. Given the hype surrounding Maverick and her muscular build, Blanchfield understands why her opponent was favored. However, she promised to keep upsetting the odds on her way to the top.

“I’m pretty happy with it. I wish I could’ve hit her a little bit more. She was good at holding my wrist and stopping my ground and pound that I like. But you know, the fight felt pretty smooth, it went the way I wanted it to, so I’m happy with it.

“I think her striking, she had decent fakes. But other than that, everything felt easier than I thought it was gonna be, honestly. I mean, I know everyone picked her to win, but I feel like that’s probably just because she looks a little more muscular. I don’t look like I should be able to be this strong and beat these people. But I know I can and I have the technicality and the ability to do so. I’m gonna keep surprising people until I’m champ.”

Blanchfield was initially scheduled to face Barber on December 11, but “The Future” was forced to withdraw. With Barber sat at #13 in the rankings, we could well see that clash re-arranged in 2022.

For Blanchfield, it would provide the chance to secure her place on the divisional ladder. For Barber, it would give her the opportunity to cement herself as the top flyweight prospect.

What did you make of Erin Blanchfield’s latest performance? Do you see her as a future champion?

Continue Reading Erin Blanchfield: Maverick Fight Was “Easier” Than I Expected at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling & Petr Yan To Unify Belts At UFC 272

The UFC Bantamweight Championship will be unified later this year, as current champ Aljamain Sterling will meet interim titleholder Petr Yan at UFC 272.

The fight is set to happen on March 5th, as confirmed by Brett Okamoto of ESPN on Wednesday. It…

Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling

The UFC Bantamweight Championship will be unified later this year, as current champ Aljamain Sterling will meet interim titleholder Petr Yan at UFC 272.

The fight is set to happen on March 5th, as confirmed by Brett Okamoto of ESPN on Wednesday. It joins a card that is currently set to happen at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, which will also feature the featherweight championship trilogy between Alex Volkanovski(c) and Max Holloway.

The matchup gives Yan the chance to reclaim the undisputed bantamweight title. But on the other side, it gives Sterling the opportunity to get another win and override his most controversial victory yet.

Sterling became champion in March 2021 as a fourth-round illegal knee landed by Yan disqualified him from their title fight. This result caused the belt to change hands and gave Yan his first loss since joining the UFC.

While Sterling’s title win in 2021 was controversial, it came after a respected run up the bantamweight rankings. He picked up five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2020, including two submission victories.

He has yet to compete since he earned the belt in the first quarter of 2021.

Sterling Suffers Injury, Yan Earns Interim Belt In Late 2021

Petr Yan Aljamain Sterling
Photos via Instagram @espnmma @petr_yan

UFC has attempted to re-book the fight in two different instances, although it has fallen off a card for various reasons. A previous iteration of the bout lined it up to take place on UFC 267 in October. That fight was later scrapped due to Sterling suffering health complications following neck surgery.

Yan still competed on that card, using the opportunity to further solidify himself as the rightful challenger for Sterling’s belt. He went five rounds against Cory Sandhagen at that event, defeating him via decision to become the interim UFC bantamweight champion.

A win for Yan would begin his second title reign as bantamweight champ. His first run started in 2020 after he defeated former featherweight champion José Aldo.

Now that they are booked to meet again, who do you see as the winner?

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling & Petr Yan To Unify Belts At UFC 272 at MMA News.

Holloway Out of UFC 272 Trilogy Against Volkanovski Due To Injury

The third meeting between UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway will have to wait after Holloway was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury.

The new matchup was a chance for Holloway to regain the 145-pound belt…

Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway

The third meeting between UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway will have to wait after Holloway was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury.

The new matchup was a chance for Holloway to regain the 145-pound belt and avenge the two previous losses he took to Volkanovski in recent years. ESPN broke the news Friday about Holloway’s withdrawal. There is currently no timetable set for his return.

The two featherweights first met in late 2019. Volkanovski went five rounds with Holloway in that fight to walk away with a unanimous decision win. The fight was re-booked for just seven months later, giving Holloway an opportunity to even his score with Volkanovski.

Volkanovski pulled off the win in that meeting as well—albeit in a closer split-decision outcome.

Calvin Kattar & Max Holloway
Calvin Kattar & Max Holloway (Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Holloway has worked his way towards another title opportunity since then, fighting in two UFC main event bouts. He kicked off his 2021 with a dominant striking performance against Calvin Kattar. Later in the year, he fought in a more competitive five-round battle against Yair Rodriguez for another decision win.

Volkanovski defended his belt for the second time in September, defeating Brian Ortega in a hard 25-minute scrap. The result not only continued Volkanovski’s reign as champ but marked his 10th consecutive win since joining the UFC in 2016.

MMA News will keep you posted on if this trilogy fight is rebooked or if Volkanovski draws another opponent for the UFC 272 event.

Continue Reading Holloway Out of UFC 272 Trilogy Against Volkanovski Due To Injury at MMA News.

Quote: The UFC Is Pushing Chimaev To Draw Khabib Back

Former UFC welterweight Kevin Lee believes the promotion is heavily pushing Khamzat Chimaev in order to draw Khabib Nurmagomedov out of retirement.

Not many fighters have burst onto the scene quicker than Chimaev, yet alone twice in two years. In 2…

Khabib Nurmagomedov, Khamzat Chimaev

Former UFC welterweight Kevin Lee believes the promotion is heavily pushing Khamzat Chimaev in order to draw Khabib Nurmagomedov out of retirement.

Not many fighters have burst onto the scene quicker than Chimaev, yet alone twice in two years. In 2020, “Borz” established his name with consecutive victories over John Phillips and Rhys McKee in the space of just 10 days, marking a modern UFC record.

In his US debut a few months later, Chimaev showed his mettle at middleweight by knocking out divisional veteran Gerald Meerschaert. The fact he was booked to face elite contender Leon Edwards soon after his three unranked wins showed just how high the UFC was on the Chechen-born Swede.

But after a tough battle with COVID-19, which almost saw him retire from the sport, Chimaev’s rise was put on hold. His battle with the virus left him on the sidelines for over a year. When he returned, he immediately brought back the hype he accumulated the year before.

Against ranked opponent Li Jingliang at UFC 267, Chimaev secured his place on the welterweight ladder and even jumped into title contention in the eyes of many by brutally choking out “The Leech.”

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Lee Senses A UFC-Chimaev Masterplan

One man who hasn’t been impressed with Khamzat Chimaev is former interim lightweight title challenger Kevin Lee. The 29-year-old revealed he’s yet to board the rising star’s hype train because he hasn’t seen him do anything worthy of it.

“The Motown Phenom” recently signed for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC following his release from the UFC. He’s now suggested his former promotion’s desire to bring his new boss back to the Octagon has led to Chimaev’s push.

During an appearance on The Schmozone podcast, Lee suggested Dana White and the promotion are trying to play on Khabib’s ego by attempting to build another Dagestani brute to greater heights in the sport, something he believes could draw “The Eagle” back for more.

“The Khamzat push, I think is to kind of make up for the gap that Khabib had. I think if they feel like he can get bigger than Khabib, they may be able to play with Khabib’s ego a little bit. As humble as Khabib wants to say he is, he’s got an ego, too. I think if somebody is to be looked at as above him in his own community, then maybe he might make that comeback, and then they’ll make a whole lot of money off him. I think that’s probably the push.”

Khabib is widely regarded as one of, if not the, greatest of all time. The 33-year-old built an incredible unblemished 29-0 record across his illustrious career, a résumé that includes the names of Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Rafael dos Anjos, Al Iaquinta, Edson Barboza, and Justin Gaethje.

Following his successful defense against “The Highlight” in 2020, Khabib announced his retirement, citing the promise he’d made to his mother after the tragic passing of his father. While he’s remained committed to his decision to hang up his gloves ever since, it seems unlikely the UFC will ever fully give up hope of a monumental return.

Do you agree with Kevin Lee? Is the UFC pushing Khamzat Chimaev to try and draw Khabib Nurmagomedov out of retirement?

Continue Reading Quote: The UFC Is Pushing Chimaev To Draw Khabib Back at MMA News.

Strickland Explains The “Fear” He Has Sparring Ngannou

UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland has described what it’s like to spar with UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou in the gym.

Strickland, one of the most outspoken, unique, and controversial personalities in MMA, has never shied away fr…

Francis Ngannou, Sean Strickland

UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland has described what it’s like to spar with UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou in the gym.

Strickland, one of the most outspoken, unique, and controversial personalities in MMA, has never shied away from detailing his interactions in the gym, which includes a near-bust-up with BJJ champion Orlando Sanchez.

As he gears up for his second consecutive UFC main event, a clash of 185-pound contenders against Jack Hermansson on February 5, “Tarzan” has been preparing at the renowned Xtreme Couture gym under the tutelage of Eric Nicksick. Among his training partners is a certain “Predator.”

While some would shy away from sparring with a man who has bombs as fists and boasts the hardest recorded punch in history, Strickland is not “some,” as Nicksick recently revealed to MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin.

“That dude will literally spar anybody in our gym,” Nicksick said. “He calls Francis out every sparring session. He loves to spar Francis because he goes ‘I want to feel as close to death as possible and I want to have that fear of God in my heart every time I spar a guy like Francis Ngannou.’ So sure, we throw him in there and let him get some rounds with Francis.”

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Strickland discussed his experience sparring the Cameroonian behemoth while speaking to combat sports journalist Helen Yee. The #7-ranked middleweight contender suggested Ngannou cannot relate to the level of fear he feels while standing opposite the heavyweight titleholder in the gym.

“You know, I would like to think that I fucked Francis up, but I really think that he’s very nice… He’s a good dude, man. I was actually sparring him the other day and I told Francis, ‘You’ve never experienced this in your life, but when I spar you and you’re throwing punches at me, like, I genuinely have fear. You’ve probably never felt that in your life.’ But Francis is a great guy. He throws hard, I trust him not to hurt me. Anytime he fucking wants to bang, dude, I welcome it.”

Not much can prepare a fighter for an opponent’s power better than training with the biggest power-puncher in the world. And from trading blows with “The Predator” donning the 16oz gloves, Strickland certainly has respect for the power Ngannou possesses.

In a tweet on Wednesday, “Tarzan” admitted a shot from the heavyweight behemoth with 4oz gloves would send him to sleep.

“Everyone ask me how do I do with francious lol!! I will tell you that I do really well with him with 16 Gloves in the GYM lol!!! bottom line is you put 4 ounce gloves on him in a FIGHT and he touches me once and I will go to dreamland!!!! LOL.”

Ngannou Is Gearing Up For A Crucial Unification Showdown At UFC 270

While Strickland is preparing for a main event contest with Hermansson, Ngannou’s work in the gym is going towards his upcoming unification showdown with interim champ Ciryl Gane.

Since ascending the heavyweight mountain last March with a knockout victory over Stipe Miocic, Ngannou has been on the sidelines, watching on as his former teammate emerged triumphant in two main events and had interim gold wrapped around his waist.

At UFC 270 on January 22, the pair will collide to determine who will lead the division as its undisputed king. With the title and potentially Ngannou’s future at stake, the year’s opening pay-per-view headliner is certainly not one to miss.

Who do you think will leave UFC 270 as the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion, Francis Ngannou or Ciryl Gane?

Continue Reading Strickland Explains The “Fear” He Has Sparring Ngannou at MMA News.