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(VIDEO) Bellator’s Dillon Danis Taken Into Police Custody

Submission ace and Bellator upstart Dillon Danis is facing trouble with the law. On Monday, a video of Danis was shared through social media that shows the 2-0 Bellator fighter being taken away in handcuffs. The fighter appeared to have a brace on his right knee and struggled with the police and security until they […]

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Submission ace and Bellator upstart Dillon Danis is facing trouble with the law.

On Monday, a video of Danis was shared through social media that shows the 2-0 Bellator fighter being taken away in handcuffs. The fighter appeared to have a brace on his right knee and struggled with the police and security until they swept him into their control. The establishment where Danis was arrested is believed to be located in New Jersey in Seaside Heights.

This is not the first time that Danis has been in trouble. Back in July of 2019, we ran a story of Danis allegedly being part of a destructive New York City, N.Y. nightclub brawl, with a video included.

An unconfirmed mugshot of Danis spread on social media after it was labeled with a Seaside Heights Police Department stamp. In the eyewitness video, Danis is seen being taken away by police officers in an apparent struggle. The video ends with his arms held behind his back and being walked to a marked police vehicle in handcuffs.

As of this writing, Danis has yet to make a statement following the suspected arrest. The 2-0 MMA fighter last stepped into the cage at Bellator 222 against Max Humphrey. The grappling ace put his specialty to use and scored an armbar finish in the first round. Danis was expected to compete at Bellator 238 in January of 2020 but was forced to withdraw with a knee injury. The 28-year-old insists that he sustained the injury while helping McGregor prepare for Donald Cerrone back in Jan.

In his most recent interactions on social media, Danis appeared to be fine just five earlier. Two days before that, Danis was seen standing next to his friend and training partner, former UFC double champion Conor McGregor in an Instagram post.

As details continue to emerge on the mysterious arrest of Dillon Danis, MMA News will keep you on the pulse if anything should come to light.

What do you think Dillon Danis got arrested for?

Continue Reading (VIDEO) Bellator’s Dillon Danis Taken Into Police Custody at MMA News.

Teixeira: Israel Adesanya Is No Match For His “Daddy” Alex Pereira

Glover Teixeira believes Israel Adesanya is “sh*t-scared” of his fellow Brazilian and newly signed UFC prospect, Alex Pereira. Pereira, a former two-division GLORY kickboxing champion, will make his promotional debut against Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268 on November 6. The 34-year-old is 3-1 in his MMA career, with his most recent victory ending in a […]

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Glover Teixeira believes Israel Adesanya is “sh*t-scared” of his fellow Brazilian and newly signed UFC prospect, Alex Pereira.

Pereira, a former two-division GLORY kickboxing champion, will make his promotional debut against Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268 on November 6. The 34-year-old is 3-1 in his MMA career, with his most recent victory ending in a scary first-round KO of Thomas Powell in November last year. 

Pereira will bring to the UFC stellar credentials as a kickboxer. But perhaps his most marketable asset will be his status as the only man to KO Israel Adesanya, way back in 2017. That left-hook blow was the last action of “Stylebender’s” illustrious 75-5 kickboxing career before he entered the UFC in 2018. 

The widely-shared footage of Israel lying flat on the canvas almost seems unbelievable given his dominance atop the UFC middleweight division. And it wasn’t the first time Pereira had defeated Adesanya, either. A year prior, the Brazilian did so via unanimous decision, and now in the UFC, he’s gunning for a trifecta against the middleweight champ.

Alex Pereira
Image Credit: Joao Alves/Facebook

Teixeira Says Adesanya Is “Praying” Not To Face Alex Pereira

One man who knows Pereira well is long-time training partner Glover Teixeira. Speaking to MMA Fighting, the #1 ranked UFC light heavyweight said he believes Adesanya will be “praying” to avoid his compatriot. 

“Daddy’s in the UFC,” said Teixeira. “Adesanya doesn’t wanna talk about it, ‘This guy is just getting here,’ but he knows it’s a tough one for him. No one gives Adesanya more trouble at 185 than him. I’m not saying he’s going to win, it’s another fight, another time, another style, but Adesanya must be praying, ‘For the love of God, put someone like Phil Davis for this guy.’”

While Teixeira gives credit to Adesanya’s UFC accomplishments, he believes Pereira’s KO power will be too much to handle in four-ounce gloves.

“Adesanya is no match for him,” continued Teixeira. “First of all, he’ll be coming in sh*t-scared. [Pereira] knocked him out with 10-ounce gloves. With four-ounce gloves on his hand now … and Adesanya doesn’t have the knockout power Poatan has. He’s f*cking good, don’t get me wrong, Adesanya is awesome, but he doesn’t hit like him. Adesanya hits like a normal guy, Poatan is not normal.”

What do you think? Is Alex Pereira a threat to Israel Adesanya’s middleweight dominance?

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Jake Paul: Vitor Belfort Disrespected The Sport Of Boxing

Jake Paul was not a fan of the Vitor Belfort vs. Evander Holyfield spectacle. Belfort went one-on-one with Holyfield in a boxing match on Sept. 11. Holyfield is 58 years old and looked every bit of it. Belfort ended up knocking down the “Real Deal” on his way to a first-round TKO win. Speaking to […]

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Jake Paul was not a fan of the Vitor Belfort vs. Evander Holyfield spectacle.

Belfort went one-on-one with Holyfield in a boxing match on Sept. 11. Holyfield is 58 years old and looked every bit of it. Belfort ended up knocking down the “Real Deal” on his way to a first-round TKO win.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting’s The MMA Hour, Paul said he feels Belfort disrespected the sport of boxing with his matchup against Holyfield.

“Look, he beat up an old man. He disrespected the sport of boxing in my opinion. Holyfield is a legend, but he shouldn’t be fighting somebody that’s in there early 40s. It should be Mike Tyson vs. Holyfield or something like that. It was just sad to see,  the whole entire thing.”

After the fight, Belfort issued a $30 million challenge to Paul. The popular YouTuber responded, saying that Belfort simply doesn’t have the name recognition to warrant such a bout.

“I mean, it’s a bit ridiculous. I mean, there’s better people out there. I mean, like you were saying, Vitor is not that big of a name. He just isn’t. He’s not even as big of a name as Tyron [Woodley]. So I’m trying to get bigger with each one of these fights. I’m trying to have more of a challenge. And I think Vitor is a lot easier of a fight than Tyron. He’s older, he’s on steroids, and such. But that doesn’t really excite me that much. The money excites me. If they would put the money into a bank account, an escrow account and show proof, then maybe that’s where the conversation could start. But it’s not as big of a fight as the 10 other people that are calling me out or that even we’re already talking to.”

Triller promoted Belfort vs. Holyfield. The company had promoted two of Paul’s bouts. Jake Paul ended up signing with Showtime Sports for his matchup Tyron Woodley. Paul won that fight via split decision.

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Alana McLaughlin Shares Details That Led To A Special MMA Debut

Alana McLaughlin and her arduous life journey were embedded with identity issues from the start, but that ultimately led to her successful MMA debut. At the age of ten, McLaughlin’s parents began to take notice that their young child had an indelible desire to transition. McLaughlin’s actions were often met with pushback, as her parents […]

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Alana McLaughlin and her arduous life journey were embedded with identity issues from the start, but that ultimately led to her successful MMA debut.

At the age of ten, McLaughlin’s parents began to take notice that their young child had an indelible desire to transition. McLaughlin’s actions were often met with pushback, as her parents have been resistant to her identity/transgender issues. While enduring the throes of physical and sexual abuse at a young age, she has fought persistently to be identified in the way she views herself. McLaughlin made history by becoming the second U.S. transgender fighter to come out.

In addition, she won her fight against newcomer Celine Provost by rear-naked choke at the recent Combate Global event.

McLaughlin was raped and traumatized throughout much of her early childhood. Dirt-poor, growing up in South Carolina, McLaughlin began taking estrogen pills she bought online behind her parents’ backs. Once the medication began to make her chest swell, she stopped taking it in fear of being caught by her parents. Years later and still puzzled by identity issues, McLaughlin’s struggles led her to join the U.S. Special Forces.

On the September 10th Combate Global card, McLaughlin–the second openly transgender fighter won and did so with a tight rear-naked choke submission. Much like her life, McLaughlin faced adversity early on in the fight but rallied back to make history for the transgender community. Upon hearing about McLaughlin’s success as the first open U.S. trans fighter, some outspoken MMA personalities like Sean Strickland have taken umbrage with that and especially her latest win.

After seizing her first win in MMA, McLaughlin believes her painful life journey has prepared her for the high-pressure moments of cage fighting. Once on the battlefield bandaging up wounded soldiers, McLaughlin is confident her military experience will only pay dividends down the line in her fighting career.

“On one hand inside I know who I am, but I’m trying to deny it,” said McLaughlin via The Guadian. “I’m telling myself: ‘No, you can do this, you can do this!’ I’m giving myself a pep talk, telling myself I am a man.”

Raped at a young age, McLaughlin was constantly hiding in thorny raspberry fields as a kid to deter the trauma that followed her during childhood. Her struggles and tribulations are out in the open, and that in itself is a giant win for the transgender community.

“My whole life I was a runt, I was undersized, I was bullied, I was raped, I was beaten, like I did not have an easy time,” said McLaughlin. “The story of my life has been trying to physically resist people that were larger and stronger and more skilled than me.”

While much of her life was spent avoiding physical altercations, McLaughlin is an MMA fighter now. After securing the win in her debut, fans will be clamoring to see what’s next for “Lady Feral”. A living inspiration for the trans community, McLaughlin’s presence in MMA has been exciting and polarizing.

Is there a place for transgender athletes in all sports?

Continue Reading Alana McLaughlin Shares Details That Led To A Special MMA Debut at MMA News.

Jon Jones Sends Teammate Carlos Condit A Heartfelt Retirement Message

Jon Jones, seemingly in semi-retirement himself these days, has taken to Instagram to wish friend and former training partner Carlos Condit well for his post-MMA career. “The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit figuratively laid his gloves down in the middle of the Octagon this week, ending an illustrious career that spanned 19 years and 46 […]

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Jon Jones, seemingly in semi-retirement himself these days, has taken to Instagram to wish friend and former training partner Carlos Condit well for his post-MMA career.

“The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit figuratively laid his gloves down in the middle of the Octagon this week, ending an illustrious career that spanned 19 years and 46 fights. The 37-year-old came to the fore in the WEC, becoming welterweight champion in 2007 and subsequently defending his title three times. 

On an eight-fight win-streak, Condit entered the UFC in 2009, losing on debut to Martin Kampermann. He then went on a five-fight unbeaten streak, earning victories over the likes of Rory MacDonald and Dan Hardy, before capturing the interim welterweight belt against Nick Diaz.

In 2012, Condit challenged Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight title, losing via unanimous decision in a battle that will live long in many fan’s memories.

Carlos Condit GSP
Carlos Condit and Georges St. Pierre face off at UFC 154 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Jon Jones Pays Homage To “Inspiration” Carlos Condit

A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Condit had since 2009 trained in that city’s—and one of the world’s—premier MMA gyms, Jackson Wink Academy.

The gym is famous for its stable of celebrated fighters past and present, including the likes of Holly Holm, Donald Cerrone, and of course, Jon Jones. And it’s with Jones whom Condit formed an enduring friendship and mutual respect over the years.

In 2010, less than a year before Jones captured the UFC light heavyweight belt for the first time, Condit paid respect to the then promising talent and predicted his future success.

“The sky’s the limit for Jon,” Condit told ESPN. I feel honoured to work with him because he’s going to be one of the greats.”

Carlos Condit Jon Jones
PHOTO: LOWKICK MMA

Following Condit’s retirement announcement, it was Jones’ turn to pay respect to his long-time peer. On Saturday, the consensus MMA GOAT took to Instagram to celebrate the accomplishments of Condit and wish him well for his post-fight career.

“Carlos, my brother, you have kicked lots of ass, won world titles, traveled the world, built excellent relationships, and have made lots of money. I will say your MMA career was a great success. Thank you for being an inspiration over the years. I respect you more than you will ever realize. I know you’re going to kill it in whatever it is you decide to do next. Always in your corner,” said Jones on Instagram, with the hashtag #happyretirement.

Continue Reading Jon Jones Sends Teammate Carlos Condit A Heartfelt Retirement Message at MMA News.

Smith On Spann’s Disregard Of Accomplishments— “I Bet He Cares Now”

Anthony Smith wanted to make a statement against Ryan Spann on Saturday—and he did it in emphatic style. Smith notched up his third successive win by defeating Spann via first-round submission in the main event of UFC Vegas 37. The 33-year-old dropped Spann multiple times before sinking in a rear-naked choke to earn his eighteenth […]

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Anthony Smith wanted to make a statement against Ryan Spann on Saturday—and he did it in emphatic style.

Smith notched up his third successive win by defeating Spann via first-round submission in the main event of UFC Vegas 37. The 33-year-old dropped Spann multiple times before sinking in a rear-naked choke to earn his eighteenth career submission victory and a Fight of the Night bonus. 

Anthony Smith Spann
PHOTO: MMA FIGHTING

Against Spann, Smith had more to fight for than just title contention. Perhaps as importantly, he wanted to put respect back on his name, and Spann in his place, for the disrespect shown by his opponent leading into the fight.

Immediately after releasing Spann from his rear-naked choke, a fired-up Smith let his pent-up emotions fly, dispensing some choice words to his opponent before the duo were held apart by security. Once tensions simmered down, and Spann offered his respect to Smith, the duo embraced, squashing the beef then and there.

Anthony Smith Explains His Emotional Reaction To Spann’s Comments

Their beef may now be squashed, but Smith still had some words for Spann at the UFC Vegas 37 post-fight press conference. “Lionheart” revealed that he came into the bout carrying a fair amount of pent-up anger thanks to Spann’s comments.

“Oh, I was holding a lot of that shit back. It really pissed me off. I just didn’t want him to know that,” said Smith.

As a veteran of 52 professional MMA fights, Smith has unquestionably put in the hard yards to get where he is today. And he said that’s why Spann’s disrespect cut so deep.

“And maybe this is gonna sound arrogant or pretentious, but I have earned the respect from my peers,” said Smith. “I put a lot of work into this game. I’ve sacrificed my entire adult life to be here, to be in the position I’m sitting in right now. That’s time with my kids, that’s friendships, that’s life opportunities. I could’ve been a goddamn surgeon by now, you know what I mean? I’ve put a lifetime of work into this, and most of my peers respect me.”

Finally, Anthony made it clear why Spann’s comments were so disrespectful.

“And that’s all I ask. You don’t have to like me, we don’t have to get along, we don’t have to be friends. You can say you’re gonna kick my ass, and sometimes you might.

“But I think just respecting my journey is the only thing I ever expect from anybody. And he didn’t. Saying he doesn’t care what I’ve done, he doesn’t care about the main events, he doesn’t care who I’ve beaten, he doesn’t care about the bonuses—I bet he cares now.”

Continue Reading Smith On Spann’s Disregard Of Accomplishments— “I Bet He Cares Now” at MMA News.