facebook | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

Sean O’Malley Trolls Public With His “Fighter Of The Year” Proclamation

Is Sean O’Malley your fighter of the year?

The colorful bantamweight is a talented prospect in a division full of killers. Besides a loss to Marlon Vera in 2020, O’Malley has looked great in his UFC run. “Suga” shows solid power and pinpoint accur…

Is Sean O’Malley your fighter of the year?

Yet, as many on the internet will quickly point out, O’Malley hasn’t exactly faced the stiffest competition. But that seemed to be neither here nor there, for the flashy fighter recently took to Instagram to proclaim himself the “Fighter of the Year.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXeN9KAPago/

“2021 fighter of the year. Thanks ??

UFC 260 3rd round KO-Bonus

UFC 264 3rd round KO-Bonus

UFC 269 1st round KO-Bonus” .

In a later appearance on The Full Send Podcast, O’Malley admitted he was intentionally trying to rile people up by making this claim and gave his nod to Kamaru Usman as the true fighter of the year.

How Does The Suga Show Compare?

Of course, when deciding who should be crowned “Fighter of the Year,” one has to dig a bit into the competition faced.

O’Malley fought zero ranked opponents in 2021. Thomas Almeida was on a three-fight losing streak when he met the 27-year-old striker. Chris Moutinho had never fought on the big stage and was brought in as a late replacement, even though multiple UFC-proven fighters offered to step up on short notice for the bout.

O’Malley’s most recent victim, Raulian Paiva, was on a three-fight win streak, but the undersized bantamweight had bounced between 125lbs. and 135lbs. over the last few years. All in all, it’s easy to see that O’Malley was trolling with his Instagram post.

There are no easy fights in a promotion like the UFC, but there are levels to this stuff. Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman also went 3-0 in 2021. His current run saw him knockout Jorge Masvidal, Gilbert Burns and take a decision over Colby Covington.

Another fighter that comes to mind for his 2021 streak is Charles Oliveira. The lightweight champ overcame adversity in bouts with Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier to win and then defend his UFC gold.

Who is your 2021 fighter of the year?

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Trolls Public With His “Fighter Of The Year” Proclamation at MMA News.

Dana White Reveals His “No Brainer” UFC Fight Of The Year For 2021

UFC President Dana White thinks “Fight of the Year” isn’t up for debate this year.

White recently revealed that his favorite fight from 2021 was the back-and-forth brawl between Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje from UFC 268. The stand-up lightwe…

UFC President Dana White thinks “Fight of the Year” isn’t up for debate this year.

White recently revealed that his favorite fight from 2021 was the back-and-forth brawl between Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje from UFC 268. The stand-up lightweight battle took a Madison Square Garden crowd by storm earlier this year. The bout saw the ranked fighters willfully trade wailing punches on one another for three rounds.

Gaethje walked away with the win against Chandler, earning a unanimous scorecard nod in the end. The fan-friendly fight was a big victory for Gaethje, potentially placing himself as the next contender for UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira to face.

UFC President White didn’t hesitate to call the fight the best that has taken place this year.

“That’s a no brainer. Off the top of my head right here asking me that question, it would have to be Gaethje/Chandler,” said White in an interview with Barstool Sports. “It was insane. The fact that it was at MSG, the fans were absolutely f*cking insane, and just everything with that fight.”

Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler, Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

White later reflected on how the fight was so impactful to the live New York crowd that it tired out the live crowd. This caused the follow-up act, a fast-paced fight between featherweights Shane Burgos and Billy Quarantillo, to not elicit much of a reaction from the audience.

The bout was another example of Gaethje’s tough striking style that often sees him consume damage en route to breaking the will of his opponent. Gaethje was ending an absence from the cage with the fight. He was appearing for the first time since he lost a title fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254.

The fight admittedly took a toll on Chandler. The former Bellator champ later admitted that he wouldn’t want to compete in a “scrap” like that ever again.

Could you name what your FOTY was or is there just too many?

Continue Reading Dana White Reveals His “No Brainer” UFC Fight Of The Year For 2021 at MMA News.

Dana White Explains What Makes UFC Shows Better Than Boxing Programming

UFC President Dana White believes his promotion’s product is consistently better than what boxing competitors are offering.

White recently explained why he believes the UFC to be the top combat sports program out there. He mainly discussed how he f…

UFC President Dana White believes his promotion’s product is consistently better than what boxing competitors are offering.

White recently explained why he believes the UFC to be the top combat sports program out there. He mainly discussed how he feels his promotion is putting out the most entertaining events due to high-level fights and unexpected upsets.

His recent appearance on podcast THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas saw him show what he likes about the UFC and what he hates about current boxing events.

“Every week we put on fights with the best versus the best. And many times, the massive underdogs in this sport wins,” said White on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas. “Which makes this sport fun [and] exciting. You get these ‘holy s***’ moments. And more importantly, it makes it very fun to bet on too.”

White Rips Boxing In Recent Rant

Dana White — Image Credit: The Mega Agency

White ranted about flaws he sees in boxing. He said he is “brutally honest” about the sport, as it is something he enjoys. After all, he found time for the most recent Canelo Alvarez bout while he went head-to-head on TV with UFC 268 in November.

White also has shown interest in promoting boxing. In his recent interview, the UFC President said he hasn’t given up on the Zuffa Boxing project—something he has teased for years.

When ranting about boxing, he claimed that promoters aren’t focused on entertaining fans.

“Every time they put on a fight it’s like a ‘going out of business’ sale. ‘How much can we steal from everybody?’ And every time you turn off the TV, you’re pissed you stayed home and watched the fight. You wished you did something else,” said White.

While boxing has its problems, UFC certainly isn’t a flawless product either.

Do you agree with White’s claim that his promotion is currently outdoing major boxing promoters?

Continue Reading Dana White Explains What Makes UFC Shows Better Than Boxing Programming at MMA News.

Kevin Holland: Chimaev Will Give Everyone Problems

UFC middleweight prospect Kevin Holland thinks Khamzat Chimaev is for real and could present issues to some of the best fighters in the UFC.

Holland is looking to return sometime in January or February after multiple attempts at rebooking his fight…

UFC middleweight prospect Kevin Holland thinks Khamzat Chimaev is for real and could present issues to some of the best fighters in the UFC.

Holland is looking to return sometime in January or February after multiple attempts at rebooking his fight with Kyle Daukaus have failed. He and Chimaev are two of the brightest young prospects on the UFC roster.

Holland, like many of his other UFC colleagues, hasn’t ignored what Chimaev has been able to do in the Octagon so far. During an interview with MMA journalist Helen Yee, Holland spoke about what impresses him about Chimaev’s rise.

“I think he’s big for welterweight,” Holland said. “He’s big for welterweight. He’s gonna give everybody problems, you know what I mean. The way he went through Jingliang. Man, that was crazy. It’s like, if you doubted him before that, it’s kinda hard to doubt him after that. I think he’s doing pretty good.”

“We were talking about it, me and my manager, and then me and one of my coaches, and honestly, I think that he gets straight to the title,” Holland said. “One more win and he gets a title shot. The motherf*cker’s just rag-dolling people. So, yeah, be good to see.”

Chimaev is coming off arguably the biggest win over his career at UFC 267 over Li Jingliang. He’s anticipating a return to the Octagon in early 2022 against a top contender.

Meanwhile, Holland is planning to commit to the welterweight division next year. While there’s respect for Chimaev from Holland, the two young UFC stars could be on a collision course if both find their footing in the welterweight division.

Do you agree with Kevin Holland’s comments?

Continue Reading Kevin Holland: Chimaev Will Give Everyone Problems at MMA News.

Ngannou Will Only Re-Sign With UFC If Boxing Fury & Wilder Is Possible

UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has revealed another pillar that could stand in the way of a potential contract extension with the UFC.

Not many heavyweight fights have had stakes as high as the upcoming unification title fight between Nga…

UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has revealed another pillar that could stand in the way of a potential contract extension with the UFC.

Not many heavyweight fights have had stakes as high as the upcoming unification title fight between Ngannou and Ciryl Gane. Without even delving into the Cameroonian’s contractual status, an enticing backstory has always existed: ‘Coach Fernand Lopez brings a new threat to take down his former student-turned-foe…’

But beyond the story of former teammates and clashing heavyweight styles lies an uncertain future and a fractious relationship between the UFC and one of its top champions, one that could mend or break at the culmination of the UFC 270 main event.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWo0AecBPon/

Ngannou Won’t Let The UFC Stand In The Way Of His Boxing Aspirations

With the January 22 headliner marking the final appearance on Ngannou’s contract should he be defeated by his French heavyweight rival, the build-up to the first pay-per-view of 2022 has largely surrounded the public feud and negotiations between the titleholder, his management, and MMA’s premier organization.

Ngannou’s manager, Marquel Martin, recently suggested his client’s grievances with the promotion stretch beyond money and were rooted in a feeling of disrespect and underappreciation. While Dana White recently provided a positive update, it appears “The Predator” is looking to include an unlikely clause in his contract.

During an interview with TMZ Sports, Ngannou reiterated his intention to try his hand at boxing, a future venture he’s consistently expressed his desire to pursue. Hoping to see how his power crosses over into the squared circle, the powerhouse suggested he wants to test himself against two of the top heavyweight boxers in the world.

“Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder. I would like to test myself to that level. It’s not the same sport, although I’m the champion, I’m in the top in this division. At the end of the day, it’s just about like trained hands, trained punches, having a good delivery system to produce bombs, and I’m sure that if I deliver my own punch, it’s pretty good, I can make some damage.”

With that in mind, Ngannou won’t be letting his UFC career hamper his ambitions in the ring. If he’s to re-sign with the promotion in the coming weeks, “The Predator” wants the option to transition to boxing to be a part of any new deal, which is a seemingly ambitious ask given White’s reluctance to allow his athletes to compete elsewhere.

“It’s always been down the line. This is something I’m not taking my eyes off of,” Ngannou said. “It’s gonna happen, either way. Even if, when the UFC and I finalize a deal, the boxing part has to be into it because I can’t see myself retire without boxing.” (h/t LowKick MMA)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CX1cUuqICq6/

Despite his uncertain future and ongoing negotiations with the UFC, not to mention his apparent increasing boxing ambitions, Ngannou will need to have his focus streamlined on the immediate task in front of him. That’s to unify the heavyweight belts by stalling the surge of undefeated interim champion Gane.

Beyond that, not much is known about who Ngannou could face and whether he will re-sign with the UFC, but what appears certain is we’ll be seeing the Cameroonian behemoth inside the squared circle before his career is done.

How do you think Francis Ngannou would fare in the ring against Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder?

Continue Reading Ngannou Will Only Re-Sign With UFC If Boxing Fury & Wilder Is Possible at MMA News.

Chandler Explains Why Oliveira Is His Fighter Of The Year Over Usman

Michael Chandler thinks Charles Oliveira’s 2021 run of two title fight wins secured him Fighter of the Year status.

Chandler recently joined The Fighter vs. The Writer show to discuss his personal fighter of the year. He gave the award to UFC Light…

Michael Chandler thinks Charles Oliveira’s 2021 run of two title fight wins secured him Fighter of the Year status.

Chandler recently joined The Fighter vs. The Writer show to discuss his personal fighter of the year. He gave the award to UFC Lightweight Champion Oliveira, claiming his two high-profile wins in the division in 2021.

Chandler sees those victories as what puts him ahead of the pack for this year.

Oliveira became a UFC champion in May, stopping Chandler in the second round to claim a vacant belt. He returned seven months later to beat Dustin Poirier, stopping him in the second round with a rear-naked choke.

“Watching what Charles Oliveira has done this year, claiming gold and then defending it against one of the best to ever do it, one of the greatest lightweights of all time [who] will inevitably be a UFC Hall of Famer, Dustin Poirier. So hat’s off to him, he would be my pick for fighter of the year,” said Chandler.

Chandler: Oliveira Takes Award Over Welterweight Champ Usman

When asked about runners-up for this year’s fighter of the year award, Chandler compared Oliveira to dominant UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. While Usman had a highly successful year with three wins, Chandler thought the “unexpected” factor of Oliveira’s success is what earned him the award in the end.

“Unfortunately, it’s almost as if we expected Kamaru [Usman] to be that dominant … When it comes to exceeding expectations and that feeling you get when you say ‘man what that guy did, that makes him fighter of the year,’ that for me is Charles Oliveira because I feel it was unexpected,” said Chandler. “Would we ever have thought Charles Oliveira would be the champion a year [or] a year-and-a-half ago?”

Who is your 2021 Fighter of the Year? Do you agree with what Michael Chandler said?

Continue Reading Chandler Explains Why Oliveira Is His Fighter Of The Year Over Usman at MMA News.