Kamaru Usman has responded to Nick Diaz saying he should be fighting the welterweight champ not Robbie Lawler at UFC 266. Diaz is making his highly-anticipated return to the Octagon in a rematch 17 years in the making against Lawler. The fight was supposed to happen at welterweight but earlier this week, the fan-favorite moved […]
Kamaru Usman has responded to Nick Diaz saying he should be fighting the welterweight champ not Robbie Lawler at UFC 266.
Diaz is making his highly-anticipated return to the Octagon in a rematch 17 years in the making against Lawler. The fight was supposed to happen at welterweight but earlier this week, the fan-favorite moved it to middleweight.
“I think I’ll beat Usman,” Diaz said to ESPN (via MMAMania). “I have a better shot at beating Usman than I do Lawler, just because I … I already beat Lawler. This doesn’t make sense, for me to go in there and fight Robbie Lawler. I don’t know why I’m doing this. This should not happen. Whoever set this up is an idiot. I don’t know why I’m doing this, why this happened — I should be fighting Kamaru Usman, and that’s it.”
To no surprise, Usman responded to Diaz’s callout and he seems to like the idea of fighting the Stockton, California native.
Although Usman responded to Diaz, it doesn’t seem likely this fight will happen anytime soon. First off, Diaz is now fighting at middleweight and given he couldn’t make welterweight at UFC 266, a bout against Usman doesn’t make sense. However, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Usman responded as Diaz is a massive name and would be a big payday for the welterweight champ.
Diaz is set to return to the Octagon on Saturday against Lawler. Usman, meanwhile, is set to headline UFC 268 as he looks to rematches Colby Covington as Usman looks to defend his belt for the third time in 2021.
We are two days away from UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega, which comes to you live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. And it’s not a UFC PPV without some MMA News staff picks, and we’ve got you well covered on that front. In the main event of the card, Alexander Volkanovski will […]
We are two days away from UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega, which comes to you live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. And it’s not a UFC PPV without some MMA News staff picks, and we’ve got you well covered on that front.
In the main event of the card, Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight championship against Brian Ortega. After months of tension between the two developed on The Ultimate Fighter, both competitors will look to stake their claim as the world’s best featherweight within the five rounds they are allotted.
The co-main event will feature another world title fight when the seemingly unstoppable Valentina Shevchenko looks to make another effortless defense of her flyweight strap. Lauren Murphy will obviously look to spoil the expectations of the champion as well as all those counting her out.
And who can forget the return of Nick Diaz after a six-year absence? Diaz will attempt to defeat Robbie Lawler for the second time in his career in what will be a special five-round attraction bout.
You can check out the full UFC 266 main card below!
UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortaga Main Card
UFC Featherweight Championship Bout: Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Brain Ortega
UFC Flyweight Championship Bout: Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Lauren Murphy
Five-Round Feature Bout: Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler
Curtis Blaydes vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Jéssica Andrade vs. Cynthia Calvillo
UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega Staff Predictions
MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 266 updates. Staff members Andrew Ravens, Ed Carbajal, Doug Murray, and Harvey Leonard have provided predictions for the card, which you can find below.
Jéssica Andrade vs. Cynthia Calvillo
Cynthia Calvillo, Jessica Andrade
Andrew Ravens: Both fighters are top tier, and this should be a close matchup. I’m interested in seeing how Andrade bounces back after dropping her previous fight to Valentina Shevchenko. Calvillo is no easy task, but I think the fire inside of Andrade will lead her to a decision win. (Prediction: Jéssica Andrade)
Ed Carbajal: This matchup is a good opener for the pay-per-view since both women possess the skills to end the fight early. However, Andrade seems to have a significant power advantage in this one, and if Calvillo risks grappling with her or even trading strikes, it’s hard not to see Andrade coming out on top. (Prediction: Jéssica Andrade)
Doug Murray: This might be the toughest fight on the main card to call. Both are coming off losses, but Andrade is coming off a brutal defeat to Shevchenko. While Calvillo has looked solid in the new weight class, I believe she has a long way to go before catching up to Andrade’s striking. I anticipate her looking uncomfortable during heated exchanges, and see Andrade running away with the fight. Calvillo is sturdy, and I think she makes it to the judge’s scorecards. (Prediction: Jéssica Andrade)
Harvey Leonard: This should be an interesting bout to open the main card. Calvillo is extremely talented on the mat, but she’s had a tendency to stand and strike with opposition more than she needs to. That’s not a mistake she can make against a hard hitter like Andrade. With a likely higher volume, as well as a power advantage, the Brazilian will be happy to keep the fight on the feet and in the clinch.
Calvillo’s road to victory will involve dragging the fight to the ground. But whether it’s because Calvillo doesn’t fight to her strengths or because she’s not allowed to by Andrade, I think the former strawweight champ gets it done. (Prediction: Jéssica Andrade)
Consensus: 4-0 Andrade
Curtis Blaydes vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Curtis Blaydes, Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Andrew Ravens: A very close fight and an intriguing one of who can implement their game plan on the other. I think Blaydes is such a great wrestler and will be able to hold down Rozenstruik en route to yet another lackluster but effective decision win. (Prediction: Curtis Blaydes)
Ed Carbajal: Folks might not see it, but this is a striker versus grappler match. Blaydes likely has the edge in wrestling and Rozenstruik in striking. One has to nullify the other, unless someone goes off script like Neiman Gracie did at Bellator 266. Something tells me Rozenstruik will fire off something that could end this early. (Prediction: Jairzinho Rozenstruik)
Doug Murray: This is a big chance for Blaydes to get back into the running at heavyweight. After suffering a setback to the former title challenger Derrick Lewis, the heavyweight’s four-fight win streak since 2019 shattered. This looks like a classic grappler vs. striker matchup. The timidity Rozenstruick showed in his fight in Feb. against Ciryl Gane is enough reason for me to stay away from picking him. The workman-like style of Blaydes is more reliable in terms of showing up to the big nights. (Prediction: Curtis Blaydes)
Harvey Leonard: I hope I’m wrong, but I sense a Blaydes vs. Volkov 2.0 on Saturday night. With any luck, the atmosphere and the stage of a sold-out T-Mobile Arena will prevent that from happening. But given the devastating fashion in which he lost to Derrick Lewis last time out, I’m not sure Blaydes will mind 15 minutes of control and a comfortable decision. If Rozenstruik connects clean, it’s over. But will Blaydes change levels as carelessly as he did last time out and get caught? I don’t think so. (Prediction: Curtis Blaydes)
Consensus: 3-1 Blaydes
Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler
Nick Diaz, Robbie Lawler
Andrew Ravens: A perfect fight for Diaz to make his return as Lawler is an aging gunfighter who has lost his last four fights. However, I think this is a pick-’em. Lawler has been more active while Diaz hasn’t fought in 2015. I have Lawler edging out Diaz via unanimous decision. (Prediction: Robbie Lawler)
Ed Carbajal: Whether it be middleweight or welterweight, do we honestly care? These two men have been revered by MMA fans longer than the UFC has been popular to casuals. Although time has passed, neither Lawler nor Diaz are the same since their first bout in 2004. Time off could either help or hinder Diaz, Lawler could be carrying wear and tear into this fight. Oddsmakers have them at even money at the time of writing this so, flip a coin. (Prediction: Robbie Lawler (via TKO due to cuts)
Doug Murray: A rematch seventeen years in the making. This fight could easily sell as a PPV headliner. The last time I remember seeing vintage “Ruthless” show up was against Ben Askren, though he admits this fight got him motivated. I think the time off will favor Nick Diaz, and not taking damage while Lawler has will only benefit the cult favorite. I don’t see him scoring the knockout, but playing it smart in a five-round stand-up fight seems realistic. And it’s not as if Lawler will be shooting in for takedowns. (Prediction: Nick Diaz)
Harvey Leonard: I see this being a slower and older version of Leon Edwards’ victory over Nate Diaz at UFC 263. Even with Lawler’s current losing streak, I can’t pick against someone facing a Nick Diaz who’s been out of action since 2015, hasn’t won since 2011, and has forced a late weight class change. Across five rounds, I expect we’ll see “Ruthless” outstrike Diaz, while the Stockton native maintains his reputation in defeat by bringing back the entertainment that made him a fan favorite. (Prediction: Robbie Lawler)
Consensus: 3-1 Lawler
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Lauren Murphy
Lauren Murphy (Image: Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire), Valentina Shevchenko (Image: Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
Andrew Ravens: Shevchenko will win this fight and do it with ease. Somehow, though, she will make it memorable like she always does. Props to Murphy for the winning streak to get to this point, but I find it hard to think anyone gives her a real chance. Shevchenko gets it done with a TKO win. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Ed Carbajal: Murphy’s rise to this moment has been something that has been fun to watch. From being bullied by Eddie Alvarez on The Ultimate Fighter, she fought her way up to this moment at UFC 266. It would be really great if she won, I kind of hope she does, but Shevchenko has been so dominant as champion, it does not seem she will be toppled anytime soon. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Doug Murray: The first title fight on the PPV and Shevchenko will be looking for her sixth title defense. She has held the belt since Dec. of 2018 and I don’t see that changing. “The Bullet” continues to make vast improvements each fight out. It is beginning to become difficult to decipher which offensive route she will take. Nonetheless, her ability to adapt in live situations will earn her the dominant victory against an opponent five years her elder in Murphy. Murphy is on a solid five-fight winning streak, but the speed and intensity of Shevchenko is a difficult puzzle to prepare for. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Harvey Leonard: No fighter should ever be written off completely. However, if there was ever a fight I’d bet my house, car, and prized possessions on, it’s probably this one. Shevchenko’s dominance at flyweight has been as brutal as it’s been impressive. It’s hard to see what Murphy will bring that “Bullet” won’t be ready to deal with swiftly and destructively. The challenger is well-rounded and solid across the board, but Shevchenko is well-rounded and immaculate across the board. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Consensus: 4-0 Shevchenko
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brain Ortega
Alexander Volkanovski, Brian Ortega
Andrew Ravens: We’ve waited long enough to see this fight play out, and now it’s time. I find it hard to pick against Volkanovski in nearly any fight thinkable right now as he is truly in his prime. Ortega brings an intriguing challenge that will keep it close. However, I see Volkanovski pulling away down the stretch and walking away with the decision win. (Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski)
Ed Carbajal: The build-up to this match, I suppose, was their coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter. None of that will play into what happens in this fight. It’s hard to call, like many matches on this card. Ortega’s submissions could surprise Volkanovski in the early rounds, but if the fight goes longer, Volkanovski will likely dish out more damage. I see this going the distance. (Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski)
Doug Murray: The two coaches finally meet, and Vokanovski faces a different opponent after fighting/preparing for Max Holloway twice in a two-year timespan. The time away from the cage is a reason to pause, but Volkanovski’s skill inside the pocket has shown itself in his previous fights. “The Great” has only lost once, and it came by decision in 2013. If the champ was able to handle coronavirus restrictions a year ago, I trust he will come adequately prepared this weekend. However, after he admitted to coughing up blood and being hospitalized with COVID-19, I’ll be on the edge of my seat. (Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski)
Harvey Leonard: As many people have said, picking Volkanovski for this one would be a lot easier had we not seen Ortega’s performance against The Korean Zombie last year. His striking looked like it had progressed massively, and we know how talented he is on the ground. However, against Volkanovski’s relentless pace, power, and volume, I think the fight will run away from “T-City” as he slows in the later rounds. There’s a chance Ortega gets the better of the opening frames and utilizes his jiu-jitsu. But I can’t see him getting the finish. From there, I believe the Australian will grind out a decision like he did twice against Max Holloway. (Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski)
Nick Diaz is making a return to the Octagon after spending six years away, but maybe he chose the wrong comeback fight. Nick Diaz is making a comeback to fighting. He has been out of the game for six years but is returning in style at the mega UFC 266 event this coming Saturday night. […]
Nick Diaz is making a return to the Octagon after spending six years away, but maybe he chose the wrong comeback fight.
Nick Diaz is making a comeback to fighting. He has been out of the game for six years but is returning in style at the mega UFC 266 event this coming Saturday night. Diaz will be facing off against a former foe, Robbie Lawler. These two fought each other back in 2004 with Diaz walking away as the winner.
Now, years later the rematch is set but maybe it isn’t the right matchup for Diaz’s return. The 38-year-old spoke to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto about how he feels facing Lawler again after so many years.
“Do I feel confident? I never do,” Diaz explained. “I never have. I always feel like I’m gonna get trashed out there. Every fight I’ve ever done. So, ‘Oh, how do you feel against Robbie Lawler? How do you feel?’ I feel like I’m gonna get the [MUTED] beat out of me. And even when I win, I get beat up worse.”
Just a few days out from this scheduled fight, Diaz asked the UFC and Lawler to move the bout from welterweight to middleweight. Although not optimal, Lawler agreed. Now in this ESPN interview, the doubts Diaz has with this fight altogether have come to light. Despite these doubts, when asked if Diaz believes himself to be the best fighter in the world, he gladly responds.
“Yes, I do believe that,” Diaz said. “I do believe that. Like, who do you have, Usman? I think I’d beat the [MUTED] out of Usman. I’ve got a better shot at beating Usman than I do Lawler just because I already beat Lawler. This doesn’t make sense for me to go in there and fight Robbie Lawler again.
I don’t know why I’m doing this. I don’t know why I’m doing this. This should not happen. Whoever set this up is an idiot. I don’t know why I’m doing this; I don’t know why this happened. I should be fighting Kamaru Usman, and that’s it.”
Diaz vs. Lawler will go down on the main card of UFC 266 Saturday, Sept. 25 live from Las Vegas.
Does this kind of talk from Nick Diaz so close to his UFC return worry you as a fan?
Lauren Murphy will challenge for Valentina Shevchenko’s 125-pound belt this weekend and believes she may have found a kink in the armor of the “Bullet.” Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko will look to make history against Lauren Murphy this Saturday with a potential sixth title defense. The Kyrgyzstan native captured UFC gold in 2018 and has […]
Lauren Murphy will challenge for Valentina Shevchenko’s 125-pound belt this weekend and believes she may have found a kink in the armor of the “Bullet.”
Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko will look to make history against Lauren Murphy this Saturday with a potential sixth title defense. The Kyrgyzstan native captured UFC gold in 2018 and has laid waste to the 125-pound division since wearing the crown. While many thought Jéssica Andrade would present the stiffest test for Shevchenko with her violent slams and jousting hooks, Shevchenko won in utter dominance and showed why she believes she will sit atop the throne forever.
Nonetheless, accolades will not matter to Lauren Murphy who has been cutting her teeth on the MMA scene since 2010. In Murphy’s claim to her first shot at gold, the Alaskan fighter has notched five wins in a row against all UFC-ranked opponents at 125 pounds.
Speaking to MMA News reporter James Lynch, Murphy illuminated a possible avenue of success when she offered to put her clinch game on the line against anybody—including “The Bullet”.
“I just have a lot of respect for her as a champion. Obviously, she’s known for her kickboxing, but I think she has probably the best clinch in all of women’s MMA. And I’ve always said I’m willing to put my clinch on the line with anybody. So I’m really excited to see how it matches up against Valentina because I truly believe her clinch is one of the best in the world. Her ground game is actually super-underrated.
“So just watching her, I mean, she does have a submission win over Julianna Peña, who’s known for her ground game. I watched the way that she dealt with Jennifer Maia on the ground, who’s a black belt. Valentina has super, super, super good hips, and she knows how to move.” Murphy said.
Lauren Murphy will have the chance to fight and become only the third flyweight champion in UFC history. Inside a packed T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega will not only feature two title fights but the return of the one and only Nick Diaz. In a rematch seventeen years in the making, Diaz will face Robbie Lawler right before Murphy attempts to rip the title from the hands of one of the most dominant champions in UFC history.
Do you think Lauren Murphy can pull off the upset at UFC 266?
Don’t expect Dana White to throw a wickedly bad first pitch like his UFC superstar Conor McGregor did this week. Tuesday, Conor McGregor threw out one of if not the single worst first pitches in the history of Major League Baseball prior to a Chicago Cubs home game at Wrigley Field. By now, the majority […]
White did not partake in the roasting of McGregor for his awful pitch. Instead, he used it as a textbook example of why he has and will continue to refuse to ever suffer the same fate as his cash cow (h/t MMA Mania).
“Let me start here: Do you know how many times I’ve been asked to throw a first-pitch somewhere? And I’ll never do it. Never,” White told the Jim Rome Show on Wednesday. “Just like all those guys who think they can fight, guys think they can throw a baseball to home plate. It’s a lot harder than it looks.
Instead of nearly brawling with rock stars and throwing out historically bad pitches, what White really wants is for McGregor to recuperate from his recent leg surgery. The UFC boss is hopeful for a speedy recovery, and he laid out a key indicator for when that might be.
“This kid needs to heal up,” White said. “I don’t know how fast that leg is going to recovery. It’s basically going to be all about when can he start kicking again and, more importantly, when can he start taking kicks again. That will determine when he fights again.”
How do you think Dana White would do if he was forced to throw out a first pitch?
Nick Diaz has somewhat shocked the MMA world by admitting that he never had any love for fighting just days before his long-awaited return to the Octagon. January 31, 2015, was the last time we saw Nick Diaz compete in the sport of mixed martial arts. Although he suffered a decision loss to Anderson Silva, […]
Nick Diaz has somewhat shocked the MMA world by admitting that he never had any love for fighting just days before his long-awaited return to the Octagon.
January 31, 2015, was the last time we saw Nick Diaz compete in the sport of mixed martial arts. Although he suffered a decision loss to Anderson Silva, which was later overturned by the NSAC, his star power never died down, and he remains just as popular to this day.
While the wait for his comeback is almost over, Nick Diaz has boldly claimed that he was never the biggest fan of fighting, despite being a former Strikeforce and WEC welterweight champion.
Image Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“I never enjoyed fighting. It’s just something that I do.” Diaz said.
Aside from his self-proclaimed “inevitable” return, Nick Diaz explained his reasoning behind his UFC return.
“All the people around me and all the money, and the sponsors, they don’t let me get away from fighting. There’s things I could do, but that’s not gonna work out. I might as well just go and take my punches,” expressed Diaz. “I don’t want to look back and say, ‘Why did I not just do it? Because even though I don’t feel great about everything, if I don’t do this, then I don’t know how I’m gonna feel about myself if I don’t—two years down the road if I’m sitting here going, ‘Why didn’t I just go do these fights? I would’ve won.”
Diaz then insisted that nothing excites him anymore when questioned whether he enjoys any part of the entire process that accompanies these huge events.
“No, nothing. Nothing at all. This whole thing is for everybody else. I’m glad that the fans are happy, and they love it, and that’s just what gets them going, you know? It got me going when I was a kid. Five months in, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, in five months, man, I’m gonna be good!’ And I was good.
And I’m like, ‘After I make 5-0, I’m gonna be so good.’ And I didn’t even make it to 5-0. So then, I had to go back for more. And after that, it was just no way out.” Diaz stated.
Although he may not enjoy it anymore, Nick Diaz is set to compete for the first time in over six years when he faces off against Robbie Lawler at UFC 266 on September 25.
Do you believe that Nick Diaz not enjoying MMA gives him a disadvantage leading into fights?
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