Tag: facebook

Ciryl Gane Admits Ngannou Sparring Footage Made Him Look Good

UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane agrees with Francis Ngannou that their leaked past sparring sessions were to his benefit.

Gane is set to face Ngannou for the UFC’s unified heavyweight title at UFC 270. The heavyweight slugfest will help…

Ciryl Gane

UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane agrees with Francis Ngannou that their leaked past sparring sessions were to his benefit.

Gane is set to face Ngannou for the UFC’s unified heavyweight title at UFC 270. The heavyweight slugfest will help ring in the new year for the promotion as the first pay-per-view main event of 2022.

Recently leaked sparring footage from Gane and Ngannou’s time together at MMA Factory in France has increased speculation for how the fight will play out. Ngannou has recently voiced his displeasure for the leaked clips, alluding that the footage made Gane look better than he is.

During a recent interview with French publication La Sueur, Gane gave his reaction to Ngannou’s latest comments about the footage.

“It’s true that in that clip – I’m not going to lie – it was a soft sparring and I could confidently develop my game,” Gane said. “There were other sparring sessions where he [Francis Ngannou] had more the edge. One time it was me, one time it was him. To say that he was far ahead, no, it’s not necessarily true. But it’s true that this particular clip made me look good.” (h/t LowKickMMA)

Ciryl Gane, Francis Ngannou Have A Complicated Relationship

While Gane and Ngannou appear to have mutual respect for one another ahead of their matchup, there has been tension between the two sides. Ngannou has a fractured relationship with his former coach, Fernand Lopez, who has helped direct Gane’s rise to the top of the heavyweight division.

Lopez has accused Ngannou of being a bad teammate during his time at MMA Factory and allegedly failing to pay an annual fee to train at the gym. Ngannou and Gane also had an awkward run-in backstage while both attended UFC 268.

While it’s debatable who got the better of the exchanges in their past sparring sessions, Gane and Ngannou will put it all on the line in their highly anticipated heavyweight battle.

What is your prediction for the UFC 270 main event?

Continue Reading Ciryl Gane Admits Ngannou Sparring Footage Made Him Look Good at MMA News.

Ricky Simon Reacts To Michael Bisping Interview Criticism

UFC bantamweight Ricky Simon has responded to Michael Bisping calling him a ‘little s**t’ after their uncomfortable UFC Vegas 45 interview.

Simon most recently earned a big win over bantamweight veteran Raphael Assuncao at UFC Vegas 45, knocking hi…

Ricky Simon, Michael Bisping

UFC bantamweight Ricky Simon has responded to Michael Bisping calling him a ‘little s**t’ after their uncomfortable UFC Vegas 45 interview.

Simon most recently earned a big win over bantamweight veteran Raphael Assuncao at UFC Vegas 45, knocking him out in the second round. After the bout, Bisping falsely stated that this was Simon’s first win over a ranked opponent, which seemed to irk Simon.

Bisping appeared to set up Simon for another callout of Sean O’Malley after the two had exchanged words and expressed interest in a fight in the past. While Simon ended up calling out O’Malley, the setup didn’t go as planned.

In a recent YouTube Q+A, Bisping explained his interview with Simon.

“He goes, ‘I’ve beaten ranked guys before,’” Bisping said. “I said, ‘Well, you definitely weren’t ranked,’ because he wasn’t ranked. He was trying to make me look silly. I’m literally relaying the information that I was told to say [by the producer].

“So how about you direct your venom at him and tell him not to be such a little sh*t.”

Bisping’s response raised eyebrows on social media, with many feeling that he didn’t take responsibility for the minor blunder. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Simon reacted to Bisping’s latest comments regarding their awkward post-fight encounter.

Ricky Simon Responds To Michael Bisping’s ‘Little S**t’ Comment

“Maybe he didn’t want to be corrected,” Simon said. “I mean, is there a rule that I’m not allowed to correct him on-air or something? I don’t know if there is, maybe I should’ve said something after, but this is my life. This is what I put everything into. Everything that I do is to wake up in the morning and get better at this specific sport.

“And I have the receipts: I’ve fought a ranked guy before. I beat a ranked guy. I was ranked before. I just thought that I would clear that up.”

Simon has now won four-straight fights and is quickly rising in the stacked bantamweight division. Following back-to-back losses to Rob Font and Urijah Faber, he has rebounded nicely and appears set to possibly earn a big-name opponent for his next fight.

There were plenty of off-kilter post-fight interviews in the UFC in 2021, but Simon and Bisping’s odd moment is probably near the top of the list. Regardless, it’ll be interesting to see if Simon and Bisping bury the hatchet at some point.

What was your reaction to the awkward Ricky Simon/Michael Bisping interview?

Continue Reading Ricky Simon Reacts To Michael Bisping Interview Criticism at MMA News.

Ricky Simon Reacts To Michael Bisping Interview Criticism

UFC bantamweight Ricky Simon has responded to Michael Bisping calling him a ‘little s**t’ after their uncomfortable UFC Vegas 45 interview.

Simon most recently earned a big win over bantamweight veteran Raphael Assuncao at UFC Vegas 45, knocking hi…

Ricky Simon, Michael Bisping

UFC bantamweight Ricky Simon has responded to Michael Bisping calling him a ‘little s**t’ after their uncomfortable UFC Vegas 45 interview.

Simon most recently earned a big win over bantamweight veteran Raphael Assuncao at UFC Vegas 45, knocking him out in the second round. After the bout, Bisping falsely stated that this was Simon’s first win over a ranked opponent, which seemed to irk Simon.

Bisping appeared to set up Simon for another callout of Sean O’Malley after the two had exchanged words and expressed interest in a fight in the past. While Simon ended up calling out O’Malley, the setup didn’t go as planned.

In a recent YouTube Q+A, Bisping explained his interview with Simon.

“He goes, ‘I’ve beaten ranked guys before,’” Bisping said. “I said, ‘Well, you definitely weren’t ranked,’ because he wasn’t ranked. He was trying to make me look silly. I’m literally relaying the information that I was told to say [by the producer].

“So how about you direct your venom at him and tell him not to be such a little sh*t.”

Bisping’s response raised eyebrows on social media, with many feeling that he didn’t take responsibility for the minor blunder. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Simon reacted to Bisping’s latest comments regarding their awkward post-fight encounter.

Ricky Simon Responds To Michael Bisping’s ‘Little S**t’ Comment

“Maybe he didn’t want to be corrected,” Simon said. “I mean, is there a rule that I’m not allowed to correct him on-air or something? I don’t know if there is, maybe I should’ve said something after, but this is my life. This is what I put everything into. Everything that I do is to wake up in the morning and get better at this specific sport.

“And I have the receipts: I’ve fought a ranked guy before. I beat a ranked guy. I was ranked before. I just thought that I would clear that up.”

Simon has now won four-straight fights and is quickly rising in the stacked bantamweight division. Following back-to-back losses to Rob Font and Urijah Faber, he has rebounded nicely and appears set to possibly earn a big-name opponent for his next fight.

There were plenty of off-kilter post-fight interviews in the UFC in 2021, but Simon and Bisping’s odd moment is probably near the top of the list. Regardless, it’ll be interesting to see if Simon and Bisping bury the hatchet at some point.

What was your reaction to the awkward Ricky Simon/Michael Bisping interview?

Continue Reading Ricky Simon Reacts To Michael Bisping Interview Criticism at MMA News.

Sean O’Malley Tells Bizarre, NSFW Story About Sparring A Stranger

During his recent appearance on The Full Send Podcast, “Sugar” Sean O’Malley found just the right opening to start talking crap.

O’Malley and the hosts covered a range of topics during the bantamweight’s appearance on the podcast. They discussed O’…

Sean O'Malley

During his recent appearance on The Full Send Podcast, “Sugar” Sean O’Malley found just the right opening to start talking crap.

O’Malley and the hosts covered a range of topics during the bantamweight’s appearance on the podcast. They discussed O’Malley’s business goals, his unwillingness to fight a five-round fight without a massive pay bump, and he even expressed interest in a future fight against boxing champion Gervonta Davis.

With over an hour of conversation, naturally, any other random topic is liable to come up. Such was the case when O’Malley was asked if he has ever had to get violent with a fan or civilian.

According to the rising star, the closest thing to it is when a stranger challenged him to a spar and wound up…well, you read it.

“He didn’t believe that I was a fighter. Tim [Welch] worked at this UFC gym, so they had a ring, and we brought him over there, not in like a mean way, he wanted to fight me, not fight, he wanted to spar. I fucking kicked him in the body and he shit all over the mat. Literally shit all over the mat. But we didn’t know, we kept going, kept fighting; I stepped in it, stepped in his shit. It was horrible.

Hiltzik: Judges wrong to order Ivermectin COVID treatment - Los Angeles Times

“I step in it, we finish the round, and then Tim was like, ‘There’s shit,’ and we thought it was by dog, ’cause we recorded the video. I wish we still had it, dude. It was probably seven or eight years ago… In the video you can see, we thought it was my dog, my little dog was there, so I ended up cleaning it up because I thought it was my dog. We watched the video back; you can see the shit come out of his shorts… That was the only time anyone ever kind of wanted to fight me and didn’t believe that I was a fighter.”

We recently ran a story about Khabib Nurmagomedov having a mildly similar incident, where he was prepared to fight an overzealous fan who wouldn’t take no for an answer when requesting a photo. Luckily for the fan and for our readers, there was no violence or feces involved in that incident.

Years have passed since this stomach-turning sparring session, and O’Malley is now a 27-year-old superstar in the making. By the end of the year, O’Malley may find himself with more random incidents with strangers, whether in a gym, at Walmart, or anywhere else the “Suga Show” rolls through.

But most of all, fans are always eager to see The Suga Show featured in an actual MMA fight, which includes a full clean-up crew ready to assist whenever their duties are needed.

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Tells Bizarre, NSFW Story About Sparring A Stranger at MMA News.

Archives: Khabib Willing To Pay Tony Ferguson to Fight (2017)

On this day five years ago, the MMA world was still eager to see a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. In this article, Khabib does everything in his power to make the fight happen before it was ultimately booked as an interim lightwe…

Tony Ferguson Khabib Nurmagomedov

On this day five years ago, the MMA world was still eager to see a fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. In this article, Khabib does everything in his power to make the fight happen before it was ultimately booked as an interim lightweight title bout at UFC 209, which he had to pull out from due to weight-cutting complications.

The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

On This Day Five Years Ago…

[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2017, 4:59 PM]

HEADLINE: Khabib Nurmagomedov Willing To Pay Tony Ferguson to Fight

Author: Adam Haynes

Khabib Nurmagomedov took to social media this morning to offer Tony Ferguson a cash incentive to fight.

Conor McGregor may be the lightweight champion of the world, but there is a strong case to suggest that no one is more deserved of a title shot than “The Eagle”. Nurmagomedov is currently the #1-ranked lightweight in the UFC, and intends to secure a showdown with “The Notorious” by ensuring a clear path is made to a bout with the Irishman.

The 28-year-old Dagestani has been pragmatic in his efforts to secure a shot at the 155lb strap in the past, and he will hope that his challenge to Ferguson is accepted in order to edge closer to his designs on UFC gold.

A much-anticipated bout between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson hit the skids last week after it emerged that Dana White had called it off on the grounds of a dispute over pay from the American’s camp. White is reluctant to negotiate on a contract that has recently been signed by Ferguson, suggesting that “El Cucuy” should honor the existing terms of their agreement. White [via Fox Sports] insisted:

“We were trying to make that fight — Tony said he will not do that fight unless he makes the same exact money that Khabib makes. Khabib has a different deal. That ain’t happening. Count that out.”

“He has a contract that he just signed, not long ago. I honor every contract no matter what it is. I get into some (expletive) deals, too. You’ve got a guy who’s making tons of money but he was a champion, but that was the deal I cut. I cut that deal and I signed it and I’ve got to live with my deal.”

Nurmagomedov has handled this latest setback accordingly, offering $200,000 dollars to Ferguson from his own pocket. It appears that Russia’s premier UFC star will not entertain the idea of fighting anyone else other than Ferguson, going as far as suggesting that he is being kept from reaching the top via clandestine politics by the UFC top-brass. “The Eagle” took to Instagram recently to confirm that his sights are firmly set on the 155lb throne:

“This message to UFC — it is clear to everyone that you hiding Conor from me. But stop lying to your fans like I don’t want fight with Aldo, I’m ready to fight with anyone in my division. Give me relevant fight, so you won’t be able to hide the belt from me after. But not the fight, where people say after my victory: he is too small, Khabib too big for him etc”.

While there are many fights out there for the sambo-expert, not many can deny his credentials as a worthy challenger to McGregor. With the Dubliner having all but confirmed his temporary hiatus from the octagon for the foreseeable future, Nurmagomedov knows that he must remain active and solidify his status as the next man in line for a title shot. A victory against Tony Ferguson will surely stake his claim for a “red panty night”, and propel him closer to the fight which many believe is long overdue.

Continue Reading Archives: Khabib Willing To Pay Tony Ferguson to Fight (2017) at MMA News.

Scott Coker Reveals Fedor Emelianenko Wants Ryan Bader Rematch

MMA heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko wants a title shot against Ryan Bader for his retirement bout, according to Bellator’s Scott Coker.

Emelianenko most recently made his return to the Bellator cage at the promotion’s Russia event in October. …

Fedor Emelianenko

MMA heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko wants a title shot against Ryan Bader for his retirement bout, according to Bellator’s Scott Coker.

Emelianenko most recently made his return to the Bellator cage at the promotion’s Russia event in October. After a two-year hiatus, he knocked out former interim title challenger Tim Johnson less than two minutes into the fight with a barrage of punches.

Bader is slated to face interim champion Valentin Moldavsky for the title unification at Bellator 273. Depending on how things play out, Coker says Emelianenko could get the next title shot, as he’s allegedly already requested.

During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Coker revealed a recent conversation with Emelianenko for his next, and more than likely last, appearance in the cage.

“That’s what Fedor asked me,” Coker said. “If Ryan Bader beats Moldavsky, I want Bader, that’s what he said. I’m going to give him some other options for the beginning of January and go from there. So we’re going to see how the fight plays out, and then make a business decision.”

Fedor Emelianenko Fell To Ryan Bader In 2019

Emelianenko lost to Bader back at Bellator 214 for the then-vacant heavyweight championship via first-round TKO. Many speculated that the Russian legend would retire following the loss, but he ended up taking a fight against Rampage Jackson later that year, earning a knockout.

Emelianenko is arguably the greatest heavyweight in MMA history, with a decorated record against some of the top names in the sport. He won 31 of his first 32 professional fights, including titles in Strikeforce and PRIDE.

Some in the MMA community, including former UFC champion Daniel Cormier, have called for Emelianenko to ride into the sunset after his knockout in his home country.

As of now, Emelianenko is the third-ranked Bellator heavyweight in the latest rankings, and a title shot next wouldn’t be too far-fetched. Depending on how things play out, we could see Bader and Emelianenko battle in the cage once again before ‘The Last Emperor’ calls it quits.

What are your favorite memories from Fedor Emelianenko’s career?

Continue Reading Scott Coker Reveals Fedor Emelianenko Wants Ryan Bader Rematch at MMA News.