Tag: Featured

Nate Diaz Denies Khamzat Chimaev Fight: ‘Don’t Disrespect Me Like That’

Nate Diaz says that he is not going to be fighting Khamzat Chimaev.

Diaz is on the last fight of his UFC contract and has been looking for a big fight to fill that position after having lost a decision to Leon Edwards in June. The UFC has had someo…

Nate Diaz Khamzat Chimaev

Nate Diaz says that he is not going to be fighting Khamzat Chimaev.

Diaz is on the last fight of his UFC contract and has been looking for a big fight to fill that position after having lost a decision to Leon Edwards in June. The UFC has had someone specific in mind, namely rising red hot prospect Khamzat Chimaev, which has caused mixed reactions from fans.

However, Diaz has been outspoken about his lack of desire to take that fight and spoke out about it once again while speaking with TMZ. Here, he explained that he felt it disrespectful for the UFC to offer him a fight against someone who has only had four fights in the UFC and that he instead wants someone in the top ten of either lightweight or welterweight.

“I’m trying to fight somebody in the UFC, like ASAP, but nobody don’t want to fight. I’ve been trying to get busy for a minute… Anybody in the top ten I’ve been trying to fight, you know, in any weight division, whoever want it. But they all want to keep their mouth shut, ’cause they’re all scared,” Diaz said.

“They’re coming at me with (Chimaev), and I’m like, don’t disrespect me like that. You’re going to try to offer me a rookie? I’m cool. You got four fights in the UFC, don’t even talk my name. Definitely do not even talk. Fight the newer guys in the UFC… There’s levels to this, and I don’t even want to here his name.”

That said, Nate Diaz did have someone in mind that Khamzat Chimaev could fight instead. He offered his teammate, undefeated Nick Maximov, who made his successful UFC debut at UFC 266 in September.

“Hey Khamzat, if you’re in there, don’t be a bitch. My boy’s right here (Maximov), fight him. Quit talking my name. And anybody in the higher level, even playing along with this Khamzat shit, you’re a bitch, too. Taking that shit.

“You’re a new rookie. Deal with new people. Don’t be talking my name.”

Nate Diaz ended the interview by saying that he hopes to be back in action at UFC 270, which takes place in his home state of California. It will be interesting to see if that comes together since he does not appear interested in being a part of the Khamzat Chimaev hype train.

Watch the full interview below:

Continue Reading Nate Diaz Denies Khamzat Chimaev Fight: ‘Don’t Disrespect Me Like That’ at MMA News.

Jon Jones Goes Scorched Earth On “Miserable Bastard” Mike Winkeljohn

Jon Jones has gone scorched earth on former coach Mike Winkeljohn after Jones was banned from training at the JacksonWink MMA gym.

Following Jon Jones’ September arrest for battery domestic violence and injuring/tampering with a vehicle, his longti…

Jon Jones, Mike Winkeljohn

Jon Jones has gone scorched earth on former coach Mike Winkeljohn after Jones was banned from training at the JacksonWink MMA gym.

Following Jon Jones’ September arrest for battery domestic violence and injuring/tampering with a vehicle, his longtime coach Mike Winkeljohn made the decision to ban Jones from the gym he’s called home throughout his UFC career.

Winkeljohn made this announcement publicly appearing on The MMA Hour, saying he had no other choice because he is the father of three daughters, has other loved females in his life, and he teaches a women’s self-defense class.  

Since this banishment, Jones has begun training at a Jackson Wink affiliate gym and has also been training at Fight Ready in Arizona alongside Henry Cejudo and others. After Winkeljohn’s decision was made public, Jones offered the following reaction on Twitter:

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“Had a heartbreaking conversation over the phone with one of my longtime coaches last night, really hurts to lose the support of someone I respect so much. Sincere thank you to the rest of the coaches for staying in the fight with me. Our journey continues..” the since-deleted tweet read.

Jones would have much more to say Wednesday night and with much less of a filter.

Jon Jones Unloads On “Miserable Bastard” Mike Winkeljohn

UFC News - Jon Jones reacts to being temporarily suspended from the gym by Mike Winkeljohn
Jon Jones, Mike Winkeljohn

Wednesday evening, Jon Jones released the following tweets addressing his ban from JacksonWink MMA in October.

“Coach Wink gets on national TV and tells the world he wants the best for me, and then behind the scenes harassing the other coaches for continuing to work with me. What a miserable bastard.”

“This dude somehow has found a way to run away every single one of Gregs original fighters. I can’t think of a Jackson’s veteran that still talks with this ass whole”

“I didn’t leave the team because I couldn’t handle a punishment, I left the gym because I wasn’t training with Wink anymore anyways. This man hasn’t taught the students a new technique since I met him.”

“What type of friend gets on national TV and airs his “brothers” dirty laundry. That was his opportunity to take a moral high ground over someone who trust in him. He didn’t give two shits about what actually happened that night. Anything anything for some publicity.”

“If I was such a monster, he wouldn’t be still trying to monetize off of me being a former student there. There’s a John (sic) Jones poster in almost every wall in that building.”

“Wink suspending me from the team changed absolutely nothing for me. I’m still working with the same exact coaches on the same exact schedule we have been on over the last two years.”

“Just don’t go on TV and pretend to give a shit about someone who has made you so much money over the years, giving you so many world championships, and then behind closed doors secretly try to crush them. Real douche bag move Mike.”

https://twitter.com/JonnyBones/status/1466193111164461057

“We literally had a convicted rapist training on the team for years and now all of a sudden he has morals. Get out of here.”

As of this writing, that is where Jones’ Twitter onslaught against his former coach ends. It’s also worth noting that the above tweets may soon be deleted based on Jones’s prior Twitter habits.

Jon Jones is scheduled to appear in court for the battery domestic violence and vehicle charges on January 31.

What do you make of Jon Jones’ Twitter beratement of former coach Mike Winkeljohn?

Continue Reading Jon Jones Goes Scorched Earth On “Miserable Bastard” Mike Winkeljohn at MMA News.

A “Pissed” Kevin Lee Opens Up On Raw Emotions Following UFC Release

An emotional Kevin Lee has opened up and shared his thoughts following his UFC release.

Yesterday, news of Kevin Lee’s UFC release was made public. This marked the end of a seven-year UFC run for the 29-year-old, which included six main events. Lee…

Kevin Lee

An emotional Kevin Lee has opened up and shared his thoughts following his UFC release.

Yesterday, news of Kevin Lee’s UFC release was made public. This marked the end of a seven-year UFC run for the 29-year-old, which included six main events. Lee’s promotional record was 11-7.

Lee revealed that he learned about his release through an e-mail from an office clerk, which he described to be the worst part of finding out the news. The former UFC vet stated he would have liked to have received “proper notice” or a simple phone call.

After seven years in the promotion, several main events, and the willingness to face all comers, Lee felt he was deserving of a little more respect.

“Again, that’s the main thing that pisses me off about this. When you’re in the UFC, that’s really all you fighting for is your respect,” Lee said on The MMA Hour. “People respect you for being a UFC fighter. When they hear the name, they automatically give you some respect.

Kevin Lee
Kevin Lee

“We’re not doing it (for) the money, it ain’t a whole lot of fame in this shit, so it’s like, OK, I’ve done all this shit for y’all and put my body on the line, just to end up with an alcohol problem and some tax problems. And at the end of the day, you take my respect away from me, too?”

The lone conversation Lee had with a UFC official after his release was with Executive Vice President Hunter Campbell. Even then, it was Lee who reached out to Campbell. In the end, Lee exited the conversation with no more answers than he entered with.

“He fed me some shit, like, ‘You go beat a champion in another organization’ and I could make a whole lot more money outside the UFC. I think that they understand that, too. That’s definitely the truth. I could make a whole lot more money being a free agent. So he kinda told me what I already knew…I kinda cut him because he wasn’t really telling me what was the real reason, what’s really going on. So yeah, I kinda cut him off.”

Kevin Lee Doubtful Of UFC Return, Optimistic About The Future

Kevin Lee calls
Image Credit: Patrick Smith/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

With the emotions still fresh, Kevin Lee expressed doubt that he would ever return to the UFC again. Not because he wouldn’t necessarily be welcomed back, but because he may not be willing to return after the way his release was handled.

“Yeah, I mean, I’m not gonna lie. I’m a little still emotional right now. So obviously, I’m pissed,” Lee said. “A lot of people telling me not to bash ’em and keep the bridge open, right? ‘OK, yeah, you can come back at some point.’

“Honestly, I don’t really want to. Why would I wanna work for somebody who is gonna disrespect me like that? It’s crazy. That’s the only thing we fight for in this game. So my only goal and objective right now is to show that they just made one of the worst mistakes that they did. And I’ll be a millionaire within a year, so that’s pretty fun.”

As Kevin Lee prepares to embark on free agency, he does not exit the promotion he’s called home for seven years with only these fresh scars. He is also grateful for his time in the promotion and the growth his brand has experienced under the UFC umbrella.

“I’ve had top-billing spots with the UFC, about eight main events, so that’s a lot of millions put towards marketing. So I’m gonna leverage that now. So there is a part of me that does want to thank the UFC for all that, you know? They made me famous in the game, at least. Anybody who understands even a little bit of MMA knows who I am, so it’s now time for me to leverage that and really make money with these other promotions.”

What do you think the future holds for “The Motown Phenom” Kevin Lee?

Continue Reading A “Pissed” Kevin Lee Opens Up On Raw Emotions Following UFC Release at MMA News.

Tony Ferguson Threatens To Make Khamzat Chimaev His “B*tch”

Tony Ferguson has blasted Khamzat Chimaev seemingly out of the blue, even going so far as threatening to make the surging UFC star his “bitch.”

Khamzat Chimaev is swiftly becoming one of the most active social media users on the UFC roster. Just ye…

Khamzat Chimaev, Tony Ferguson

Tony Ferguson has blasted Khamzat Chimaev seemingly out of the blue, even going so far as threatening to make the surging UFC star his “bitch.”

Khamzat Chimaev is swiftly becoming one of the most active social media users on the UFC roster. Just yesterday alone, Borz called out not one, not two, but three retired former UFC champions: Georges St-Pierre, Brock Lesnar, and Daniel Cormier. He also laid into Colby Covington for the second time in recent weeks.

After one of Chimaev’s tweets directed at Covington, there was one unexpected retweet from none other than former UFC interim lightweight champion, “El Cucuy” Tony Ferguson. Ferguson joined the list of those who have drawn comparisons to Chimaev and Khabib Nurmagomedov and then made an explicit threat to the undefeated phenom.

“you do not represent USA i represent USA you represent cowardice,” Chimaev posted in a tweet directed at Covington.

“The Fuck You Do. Ya Can’t Even Make Weight Like Fathead @TeamKhabib Sit Down Shut Up Before I Make You My Bitch Where Were You During The Start Of The Pandemic? # Merica’MF” Ferguson said in his re-tweet.

Tony Ferguson is currently on a three-fight losing streak and has not competed at welterweight since winning The Ultimate Fighter in 2011. Therefore, the chances of him being paired with undefeated welterweight Khamzat Chimaev in the near future are likely slim to none.

Chimaev is reportedly in talks to fight Gilbert Burns next, yet there has not been any movement or further reports on those negotiations since the initial report two weeks ago.

Do you have any interest in seeing a bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Tony Ferguson?

Continue Reading Tony Ferguson Threatens To Make Khamzat Chimaev His “B*tch” at MMA News.

Kevin Lee Signs With Khabib’s Eagle FC Promotion After UFC Release

Kevin Lee has a new home after his UFC release.

As initially reported by MMA Fighting on Wednesday, Kevin Lee has signed with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC promotion following his UFC release last month. Eagle FC will also create a 165-lb division…

Kevin Lee

Kevin Lee has a new home after his UFC release.

As initially reported by MMA Fighting on Wednesday, Kevin Lee has signed with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC promotion following his UFC release last month. Eagle FC will also create a 165-lb division, something Lee had lobbied for throughout his UFC run. The 29-year-old went 11-7 in the UFC and currently has a professional record of 18-7.

Kevin Lee and Khabib Nurmagomedov have a one-sided history of Lee calling out Khabib for a fight for years. In a true case of irony, Lee will ultimately fight for Khabib instead of against him. Lee currently does not have an Eagle FC debut date or opponent set at this time.

Lee made his UFC in 2014. After losing his debut to Al Iaquinta, Lee strung together four consecutive victories before his next defeat to Leonardo Santo at UFC 194.

UFC Fight Night 106 results: Kevin Lee stuns Brazilian fans, taps out Francisco Trinaldo | MMA Junkie
Kevin Lee vs. Francisco Trinaldo. Image Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

After this loss, Lee would win his next five fights, including two Performance of the Night bonuses for his rear-naked choke victories over Magomed Mustafaev in 2016 and Michael Chiesa in 2017. The victory over Chiesa was Lee’s first main event in the promotion.

Each of his next four fights was also main events. Lee would go 2-5 in these bouts, including a 2017 loss to Tony Ferguson in an interim lightweight title fight and another loss to Al Iaquinta, losing his welterweight debut to Rafael dos Anjos, and most recently losing to Daniel Rodriguez back in August.

What are your thoughts on Kevin Lee’s decision to sign with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC promotion?

Continue Reading Kevin Lee Signs With Khabib’s Eagle FC Promotion After UFC Release at MMA News.

Blachowicz vs. Raki? March Bout Scraped, Potentially Moved To May

MMA reporter Ariel Helwani revealed today via his substack page that Jan Blachowicz has withdrawn from his March 26 bout against Aleksandar Raki?. According to the Thursday report, the hope is to reschedule the bout for May. Former Blachowicz’s reign at the top of the 205-pound mountain came to a crashing halt at UFC 267 […]

Continue Reading Blachowicz vs. Raki? March Bout Scraped, Potentially Moved To May at MMA News.

MMA reporter Ariel Helwani revealed today via his substack page that Jan Blachowicz has withdrawn from his March 26 bout against Aleksandar Raki?.

According to the Thursday report, the hope is to reschedule the bout for May. Former

Blachowicz’s reign at the top of the 205-pound mountain came to a crashing halt at UFC 267 in October. Having won the vacant title in memorable fashion against Dominick Reyes, and successfully defended it once by handing middleweight king Israel Adesanya his first loss in MMA, the Polish star faced the test of Glover Teixeira in Abu Dhabi.

At 42 years of age, it was the Brazilian’s final chance to have UFC gold wrapped around his waist. With a second-round rear-naked choke, Teixeira dethroned Blachowicz and did exactly that.

Given his prior form, which had seen him build a five-fight winning streak that dated back to a loss against Thiago Santos in 2019, many had expected Blachowicz to send Teixeira into retirement and move onto a European clash with Ji?í Procházka. Having seen those plans collapse, the 38-year-old will be looking to rebound back to the belt in 2022.

During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Blachowicz discussed his plans for 2022, revealing his intentions of returning to the Octagon in the year’s first quarter and discussed a potential bout against Raki?.

“Yeah, it’s good fight, you know. He’s good, he’s strong, you know, young fighter. All fighters in the UFC, top 10, top five, you know, they are amazing fighters and (it’s a) pleasure for me to fight against all of them. Raki? is good for the next fight, but we will see.”

If this pivotal light heavyweight bout gets rescheduled or either fighter gets a new opponent, MMA News will bring you the scoop.

Continue Reading Blachowicz vs. Raki? March Bout Scraped, Potentially Moved To May at MMA News.