MMA journalist Ariel Helwani believes the career of UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has been “mishandled” by the UFC, despite the fact he’s a “promoter’s dream.”
As we edge closer towards UFC 270, the main narrative at play is a remarkable…
MMA journalist Ariel Helwani believes the career of UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has been “mishandled” by the UFC, despite the fact he’s a “promoter’s dream.”
While comments about the money involved in celebrity boxing made most believe the contractual issues came from a desire to be paid more, the champ’s management recently revealed the two things Ngannou wants: more activity and positive promotion.
During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, renowned MMA voice Ariel Helwani discussed the ongoing situation regarding Ngannou’s status in the UFC. Describing the Cameroonian’s treatment as a “travesty,” Helwani suggested the Dana White-led promotion needs to stop playing politics and promote Ngannou in the way his image, ability, and style deserves.
“Anyone would recognize that Francis is a huge star. I would also say, and I’ve said this before, I think the way Francis’ career has been mishandled by the UFC as of late, and maybe they’ll say is a two-way street, has been a travesty, truly,” said Helwani.
“This man is a promoter’s dream. He fights the way in which every promoter wants a fighter to fight, especially a heavyweight champion. He’s got that incredible look, that incredible style, that incredible power, that incredible backstory, and I feel like we’ve heard nothing (about) him since March.
“He hasn’t been promoted. I’m really curious to see, let’s see how they promote him between now and January 22,” Helwani added. “They have a great runway here. They’ve got that show on the 15th, which isn’t the best show, is there a lot of Francis stuff being put out right now? Are you seeing him on billboards? This is the heavyweight champion of the world! And he looks like that and he fights like that, promote him! Because the heavyweight champion is the one that is always going to resonate with the people, more so than anyone, because he looks like a superhero, and he fights like a superhero., and he has power like a superhero. I just feel like we’re letting the politics get involved here. It’s very unfortunate.”
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After ascending the heavyweight mountaintop at UFC 260, it seemed like the rest of the year had big things in store for Ngannou.
While he certainly has a number of distractions heading into his first defense, namely his feud with the UFC and clear boxing ambitions, Ngannou must keep his eyes on the prize; victory over former teammate Gane.
If he does secure the win on January 22, Ngannou will have another UFC appearance in his future, before which the UFC will hope to come to agree on a new deal with their heavyweight titleholder if they fail to do so before the opening pay-per-view of the year.
Do you agree with Ariel Helwani? Has Francis Ngannou’s career been “mishandled” by the UFC?
Sean O’Malley doesn’t think the PPV price increase is a good idea.
Recently, the UFC announced that they will be raising the price of ordering a Pay-Per-View event in the new year. The prices will increase from $69.99 to $74.99 beginning with UFC …
Sean O’Malley doesn’t think the PPV price increase is a good idea.
Recently, the UFC announced that they will be raising the price of ordering a Pay-Per-View event in the new year. The prices will increase from $69.99 to $74.99 beginning with UFC 270 on Jan. 22. Expectedly, this news has been unwelcomed by fans. The displeasure now has trickled down to some athletes. Among those against the price bump is Sean O’Malley.
“Dana White raises pay-per-view by five dollars,” O’Malley said on a recent episode of his podcast (via BJ Penn). “What the hell are we doing here, Dana?”
Also, when asked if he thought the increase will be reflected in the paychecks of fighters, O’Malley was not so sure.
“No, I doubt it,” O’Malley said. “But, could be. It is just so easy to stream it illegally. Not talking from experience, but just saying it. Whoever is in control of legal streams at the UFC, they need someone that is good enough at hacking (them) right before the main event starts. Every single time that they just shut it right before the good stuff.”
In recent years the UFC was been actively trying to stop the illegal streaming of their events. The crackdown of social media posts and streams began with White issuing a threat of police action to anyone caught streaming illegally. O’Malley thinks of himself as one of the top earners for the UFC, so it will be interesting to see if a potential rise in illegal streaming has any impact on O’Malley’s bottom line or that of his peers.
Do you think the price increase is too much, or is it reasonable to expect a hike up each year?
UFC lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett is not at all impressed with Islam Makhachev and his title credentials, claiming he’d also be able to submit Dan Hooker in the first-round.
Since falling to his only loss professional MMA at the hands of Adri…
UFC lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett is not at all impressed with Islam Makhachev and his title credentials, claiming he’d also be able to submit Dan Hooker in the first-round.
Since falling to his only loss professional MMA at the hands of Adriano Martins in 2015, Makhachev has built a win streak impressive enough to ascend him into the top five at 155 pounds.
Victories over Arman Tsarukyan, Davi Ramos, and Drew Dober landed the Dagestani his first main event slot. At UFC Vegas 31, he made the most of it by submitting formerly-ranked contender Thiago Moisés. Having risen to #5 on the lightweight ladder, much to the bemusement of some, Makhachev had the chance to jump closer to the title three months later on Fight Island.
The Abu Dhabi fan favorite faced short-notice opponent Hooker at UFC 267 after a clash with long-time rival Rafael dos Anjos fell through for the third time. In the opening round, Makhachev showed his superiority on the ground by submitting “The Hangman” with a brutal kimura.
GIVE THIS MAN HIS RESPECT!!!@MakhachevMMA with the round 1?? kimura.
Having defeated a top-10 opponent and extended his active win streak to nine, many are beginning to sing the praises of Makhachev and brand him a future champion, suggesting he could perhaps even hold gold by the end of 2022. However, one rising 155lber doesn’t share the same sentiment.
During a recent appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett downplayed Makhachev’s form and résumé. After suggesting the #4-ranked lightweight hasn’t beaten anyone of note except Hooker, Pimblett claimed he’d be able to beat the New Zealander in a similar fashion.
“Makhachev hasn’t fought anyone lad,” Pimblett said. “He’s only fought Hooker. I think I’d submit Hooker in the first round. That’s what I mean, he’s a kickboxer lad. I’d take him down and submit him.”
Pimblett Can’t See Makhachev Beating Gaethje, Oliveira Or Dariush
Following his victory over Hooker, many expected Makhachev to perhaps be accelerated to the title next. Unfortunately for him, Justin Gaethje’s winning performance in a Fight of the Year contender against Michael Chandler effectively prevented that from being a possibility.
With “The Highlight” set to challenge for Charles Oliveira’s gold this year, Makhachev has had to settle for a title eliminator against #3-ranked contender Beneil Dariush.
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But while many see Makhachev ending Dariush’s seven-fight win streak before dethroning the winner of Gaethje vs. Oliveira in late 2022, Pimblett doesn’t believe the Dagestani has what it takes to beat any of them.
“Whoever wins out of Oliveira/Gaethje (will enter 2023 with the title), because I can’t see Makhachev beating either of them… I think Dariush beats Makhachev. I rate Dariush mate, I think he’s very underrated. He’s fucking quality.”
Barring an inconclusive end to the next title fight or the intervention of a certain Conor McGregor, it stands to reason the victor will be joining the champion inside the Octagon at the end of this year.
Who do you think will have their hand raised on February 26, Islam Makhachev or Beneil Dariush?
UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling likes Jake Paul’s chances in a hypothetical boxing match against MMA legend Anderson Silva.
Paul wrapped up his impressive run in 2021 with back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley. An und…
UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling likes Jake Paul’s chances in a hypothetical boxing match against MMA legend Anderson Silva.
Paul wrapped up his impressive run in 2021 with back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley. An undefeated boxer, Paul was originally scheduled to face Tommy Fury before Fury pulled out with an injury.
Speculation has run rampant regarding who Paul could face next in the boxing ring. One of the names that has come up is Silva, who was allegedly in brief talks to fight Jake’s brother Logan before negotiations stalled.
“I know Anderson Silva was supposedly a frontrunner to fight Jake,” Sterling said. “If Jake were to connect, I think he would really hurt Anderson. I think Paul is going to tie him up, lean on him. He’s a young guy, he’s going to grab him. Against Woodley, he clinched 30 times over the first five rounds. With this one, Silva’s got hands. But the only thing is, can he take a shot?”
Following his latest knockout win over Woodley, Paul alluded to taking some time away from the boxing spotlight. He’s allegedly anticipating a return to the ring this summer, although a scheduled fight earlier is certainly possible.
Silva most recently defeated former UFC colleague Tito Ortiz in a first-round knockout. Before that, he had defeated Julio César Chávez in an impressive decision victory.
Silva has vocalized his interest in boxing the Paul brothers at some point, although it’s unclear if a fight between the two sides will come to fruition. He’s also hinted at a potential boxing rematch against Vitor Belfort.
Paul seems determined to continue to fight MMA stars, including Nate Diaz and Conor Mcgregor. However, Silva could be a name to watch for a potential bout in 2022.
Do you agree with Aljamain Sterling? Would Jake Paul “hurt” Anderson Silva in a boxing match?
UFC star Dustin Poirier remains optimistic that a showdown with Nate Diaz can still happen next.
Poirier most recently fell to UFC lightweight champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. After the disappointing result, he has hinted at a potential move to w…
UFC star Dustin Poirier remains optimistic that a showdown with Nate Diaz can still happen next.
Poirier most recently fell to UFC lightweight champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. After the disappointing result, he has hinted at a potential move to welterweight to avoid harsh weight cuts at this stage of his career.
When asked about a name who would excite him to return, Poirier immediately pointed to Diaz. The two were supposed to fight in November 2018 at UFC 230, but the bout fell through and both men were issued different opponents.
Fight talks have been all over the place regarding a Poirier vs. Diaz bout, with Diaz appearing to dismiss the fight on social media and recent reports stating the UFC has moved on from the idea for the time being. But in a recent tweet, Poirier alluded to his targeted foe.
Both fighters have accused the other of the stalled negotiations. Poirier has alleged that Diaz doesn’t want the fight, and Diaz has indicated that Poirier’s recent loss makes him an unworthy opponent.
Poirier and Diaz are both also in the running for a rematch with Conor McGregor in 2022. Poirier most recently defeated McGregor via doctor’s stoppage at UFC 264 and a fourth fight is certainly on the table.
Poirier allegedly accepted a short-notice bout against Diaz slated for this month, but it never came to fruition. Despite Poirier vs. Diaz still being a question mark, the former interim lightweight champion still wants to make it happen.
Do you think we’ll see Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz in 2022?
Happy New Year, fight fans! To kick off our 20th anniversary, we will be rolling out the MMA News Top 100 UFC fighters of 2021 throughout the month of January as voted on by our panel.
This list is NOT solely based on fights and performances of 202…
Happy New Year, fight fans! To kick off our 20th anniversary, we will be rolling out the MMA News Top 100 UFC fighters of 2021 throughout the month of January as voted on by our panel.
This list is NOT solely based on fights and performances of 2021. Being active in 2021 is what QUALIFIES one to make the list. Instead of only considering performances of the year, we are taking a holistic look at who is the better overall fighter exiting 2021 based on our selected criteria. A full explanation of the criteria can be found below.
1: Career Trajectory/Recent Performances (50%)
Where are the fighters trending right now? How much evidence-backed momentum do they have?
2: Career Success/Body of Work (25%)
Championships, wins, résumé, etc.
3: Likelihood To Be The Betting Favorite In Any Fight In 2021 (25%)
This was determined using past betting history, betting lines during 2021, and the projected odds moving forward as determined by the panel. This category is being used to get a gauge of the talent level the public feels the fighter is/was at.
Be sure to keep checking back right here at MMANews.com for frequent updates to this list throughout the month of January as we continue to update this list!
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Attention, UFC Featherweight Division: London’s Calling, and it’s ready to drown out the other voices at 145.
Arnold “Almighty” Allen is our #60-ranked fighter of 2021 because he has not lost a fight since 2014 and is undefeated in his seven-year UFC career. It’s just that simple. His victory over our #95-ranked fighter, Sodiq Yusff, is what really cemented his place on our list. At 17-1 and only 27 years old, the career trajectory of Allen is unmistakenly on the rise.
What’s preventing Allen from a higher place on the ranking are two factors. Though his record is impressive, his performances haven’t left too much of a footprint on the imaginations of the audience, with only two of his eight UFC wins being finishes, the most recent being four years ago. Furthermore, he is not overly feared by the oddsmakers and pundits, which is considered in our third category. For instance, Arnold was an underdog going into his most recent fight against Yusuff.
Heading Into 2022: Ranked at #7, Arnold Allen is theoretically only two fights away from potentially landing a world title shot. As it is, he is already on an eight-fight winning streak, so a case could be made that with the right win, that number could drop down to just one fight away. Where do YOU see Allen sitting in the UFC standings by the end of the year? It’s one of the quietest, yet most relevant questions in the featherweight division that could carry the loudest impact.
#59: Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal, Image Credit: USATSI
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Jorge Masvidal was arguably the UFC’s Fighter of the Year in 2019. Had this list been in existence then, it would have been interesting to see where he’d have been placed. However, since becoming the inaugural BMF champion at UFC 244 in Madison Square Garden, Masvidal is yet to win a fight. There is absolutely no shame in that when you consider that the losses have come to the UFC”s pound-for-pound #1-ranked fighter, Kamaru Usman, but that doesn’t change the fact that his lack of activity and viral KO loss didn’t do him any favors in terms of this year’s list.
All that said, his placement at #59 is warranted because, aside from losing to Usman, he had won his there prior fights by viral finishes and has competed against the best in the world for multiple years now. Down from his toes all the way up to his face, the battle scars of this Miami nativecan be vicariously felt by viewers and directly felt and shared by his opponents. Not counting the Usman losses, Masvidal has won six of his last eight fights and has looked to be just as athletic and game as he’s ever been.
Heading Into 2022: Jorge Masvidal remains in the mix at welterweight ranked #6 in the division. He was originally expected to fight Leon Edwards next, but he has recently hinted that a long-awaited grudge match against former best buddy Colby Covington could be next instead.
#58: Stephen Thompson
Stephen Thompson, Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Entering 2021, many people wondered, “Just what is the secret to Wonderboy keeping all his majestic powers at 37 years old?” After turning 38, however, Thompson lost his 2021 fights decisively, first to Gilbert Burns and then to Belal Muhammad, both by unanimous decisions.
Nevertheless, Thompson still holds a win over our #59-ranked fighter, Jorge Masvidal, and also holds recent wins over two other names on our list: Geoff Neal and Vicente Luque. In addition to that, at this point, Thompson has proven to be a legend in our sport and has been competing against the very best of the best since circa 2013, including a TKO victory over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
Heading Into 2022: After back-to-back losses and now pushing 40, Thompson may very well be in a must-win situation in 2022. One name who has thrown out his name as a potential opponent is Sean Brady.
#57: Merab Dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili, Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Reasoning Behind Ranking: From the second a Merab Dvalishvili fight begins, his message to his opponent is unmistakable: “Welcome, my son, welcome to The Machine.” And from one part to the other, the machine operates nonstop. It doesn’t tire, malfunction, and it damn sure doesn’t break.
After beginning his UFC career at 0-2, Dvalishvii hasn’t looked back, turning in seven consecutive wins, including arguably the comeback of the year over Marlon Moraes at UFC 266.
One of the ???????? fights of the year ?@MerabDvalishvil is your final nominee for Comeback of the Year ?
Heading Into 2022: Merab Dvalishvili enters 2022 ranked #6 at bantamweight. During his win streak, he has picked up victories over Casey Kenney, former UFC title challenger John Dodson, Cody Stamann, and the aforementioned Marlon Moraes. Up next? Does it matter? Whomever the machine feeds him will be prepared to be spat out.
#56: Paulo Costa
Paulo Costa
Reasoning Behind Ranking: The last two years haven’t been kind to Paulo Costa, which makes this position very debatable if not controversial. First, Israel Adesanya made short work of the Brazilian at UFC 253 with an easy second-round KO. Then, Costa lost his next bout to Marvin Vettori after questionable fight-week conduct regarding his weight cutting.
Still, it’s important to remember that one of those two losses came against one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the promotion, and the other fight against Vettori might have won Fight of the Night if Costa’s fight-week antics didn’t all but disqualify him from that honor.
Regarding our criteria, one would be hard-pressed to find many fighters on the UFC roster, let alone the middleweight division, who would be considered more likely to win a fight by oddsmakers and pundits. The reason for that is fairly obvious: Costa has consistently marched forward like a terminator set to “Eraser Mode.” 11 of his 13 wins have been by knockout. And in terms of résumé and body of work, Costa has notable wins over Uriah Hall, Johny Hendricks, and of course, the great Yoel Romero, among others.
Heading Into 2022: Paulo Costa remains a top-5 middleweight directly at #5. There is currently no word on who will be his next opponent. At the moment, the larger story is about which division he will be competing in moving forward. Costa’s management insists that he will remain at middleweight while Dana White has mandated the Brazilian move up to light heavyweight after his latest scale issues.
#55: Yair Rodríguez
Yair Rodríguez, Image Credit: PHOTO BY ESTHER LIN / MMAFIGHTING.COM
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Much like Paulo Costa, Yair Rodríguez hasn’t given our panel much to work with in terms of recent wins. But also like Costa, based on the eye test and likelihood to win a fight, Rodriguez has proven to be among the best in his division, especially considering that he is still only 29 years old.
Rodríguez also holds a quietly impressive résumé, with wins over names like Dan Hooker, Alex Caceres, B.J. Penn, Jeremy Stephens, and one of the most memorable knockouts in MMA history that came over someone higher on our list, The Korean Zombie, Chan Jung Sung.
Has Rodríguez been inactive over the past couple of years? Sure. But when he returned, Rodriguez made a Panther’s dash back to the Octagon in giving Max Holloway the toughest fight he’s had in years with the exception of current champion Alexander Volkanovski. In fact, a very strong case can be made that Rodríguez/Holloway was the 2021 Fight of the Year.
Heading Into 2022: Yair Rodríguez is currently ranked #3 at featherweight. Will the mysterious featherweight contender fight in 2022? If so, against whom? You’ll want to stay glued to MMA News for the latest update because, love him or hate him, Rodríguez has proven to be must-see TV and has earned respect with his blood spilled inside the Octagon.
#54: Rob Font
Rob Font, Image Credit: AP Photo/Gregory Payan
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Despite losing his most recent fight against the great José Aldo last month, Font has won four of his last five fights, including over former champion Cody Garbrandt and former title challenger Marlon Moraes. Additionally, he defeated another ranked bantamweight in Ricky Simon as well as the current Bellator bantamweight champ, Sergio Pettis.
In terms of overall performance, although Font does have five losses on his record, by street rules, one could argue that he has never truly tasted defeat because he’s never been turned into a metaphorical chalk outline via KO or TKO.
Heading Into 2022: Entering 2022, Rob Font is ranked #5 in one of the deepest divisions in the UFC. After his war with Aldo, he may decide to sit out for a while and bide his time before making his Octagon return.
#53: Belal Muhammad
Belal Muhammad, Image Credit: Zuffa LLC
Reasoning Behind Ranking: One of the quietest ascensions over the past two years has been Belal Muhammad. Muhammad began his UFC run at 1-2 and has had his share of close fights since then. It is perhaps for these reasons that many are overlooking the fact that he has won 10 of his last 11 bouts, sans the No-Contest result against Leon Edwards last March.
In fact, Muhammad is unbeaten in his last seven fights, including a one-sided victory over our #58-ranked fighter, Stephen Thompson. With this level of consistency, Muhammad has proven that his success is 0% luck and rather 100% reason to Remember the Name.
Heading Into 2022: If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Muhammad over the years, it’s that he is willing, eager, and ready to fight anyone, anywhere, and on any amount of notice. That said, even though he is now ranked #5 at welterweight, I wouldn’t expect him to guard his spot with caution but instead continue to throw himself toward the wolves without reservation.
#52: Alexandre Pantoja
Alexandre Pantoja
Reasoning Behind Ranking: Coming in at #52 is #3-ranked flyweight Alexandre Pantoja. Pantoja’s 2021 campaign was a successful one, with the Brazilian going 2-0 on the year, including a Performance of the Night-winning victory over Brandon Royval at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Gastelum in August. In terms of his career, many, many men have been left grounded by “The Cannibal,” with Pantoja gnawing at their records with a total of 17 of his 24 victories of his own coming by way of finish, including his rear-naked choke victory over Royval.
Pantoja has won six of his last eight bouts, and we would be remiss if we didn’t point out that he holds two victories over current champion Brandon Moreno (one official, one TUF/amateur). Suffice it to say, that was highly factored into our body of work/résumé category.
Heading Into 2022: There’s not too many places for Pantoja to go but either a title shot or title eliminator. In fact, Pantoja was originally scheduled to face the aforementioned Moreno in a championship bout, but Pantoja was forced to withdraw due to injury. Will he be returning to a title shot in 2022? Or will he have to take another fight?
It is unclear how long Pantoja will be sidelined, but in the meantime, the upcoming bout between Askar Askarov and Kai Kara-France could serve as the title eliminator to settle who is next for the winner of Moreno/Figueiredo III.
#51: Alexander Volkov
Alexander Volkov, Image Credit: Zuffa LLC
Reasoning Behind Ranking: When it comes to dues paid, Alexander Volkov is one of the most established fighters on our list. With a total of 43 fights to his name and experience across multiple top-tier promotions, “Drago” has seen pretty much everything this game has to offer.
In terms of his body of work and résumé, he holds wins over names like Fabricio Werdum, Roy Nelson, Blagoy Ivanov, and most recently over Marcin Tybura at UFC 267. And in terms of recency, he has won three of his last four fights and is firmly in the heavyweight title picture ranked #5 in the division.
From a skillset and likelihood-to-win standpoint, Volkov has an extremely impressive finish rate of nearly 75%. And with 22 of those 34 finishes coming by knockout, Drago has shown that despite his usual technical and patience approach, he packs a very legitimate bang.
Heading Into 2022: Alexander Volkov’s only losses in the UFC have come against names that remain very much relevant in the division: interim champion Ciryl Gane, #4-ranked Curtis Blaydes, and KO king and #3-ranked Derrick Lewis. Also, despite his many years of experience, Volkov is still only 33 years old, which is considered a relatively vibrant age in the heavyweight division.
So 2022 will reveal if this veteran will move up or downward from his #5 position. Because with the many new faces and active veterans in the division, it’s difficult to see him remaining firm without movement in one direction or the other.
Stay tuned to find out who is next on the MMA News Top 100 Fighters Of 2021 in Part 6!
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