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No. 3-ranked UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier is set for the biggest fight of his MMA career when he meets featherweight champion Max Holloway for the interim lightweight championship in the main event of tonight’s (Sat., April 13, 2019) UFC 236 from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

The high-profile bout is the culmination of years of hard work for ‘The Diamond.’ After a first-round knockout loss to Conor McGregor in September 2014, Poirier ditched the cut down to 145 pounds and moved back to 155 pounds. The results have been magnificent, as he’s racked up an 8-1 (1 NC) record in his 10 fights since.

His recent three-fight run featuring stoppage wins over former champions Anthony Pettis, Eddie Alvarez, and Justin Gaethje finally has Poirier on the precipice of title contention. There hasn’t been a ton of trash talk for his bout with Holloway compared to other UFC title fights.

His Night

Yet Poirier felt the need to say a few words during their intense final staredown yesterday. While he respects Holloway, he simply believes his time at the top is near:

“It’s just how I’m feeling,” Poirier revealed after UFC 236 ceremonial weigh-ins via MMA Junkie. “I said what I said. I do have a lot of respect for Max. He’s a great champion, a good guy. But I’ve been working too hard and worked through too much and sacrificed and overcome so many things that tomorrow night I just can’t let him have it. This is my night. There’s no love in there.”

‘The Diamond’ has fought Holloway before, scoring an impressive mounted triangle finish over the Hawaiian champion in his UFC debut. That was over seven years ago, however. The featherweight champion now has a UFC-best 13 straight wins and two dominant stoppages in title defenses.

Because of his resumé, ‘Blessed’ is significantly favored to hold on to his gold. So even though he’s beaten ‘Blessed,’ he’s still relishing the role of underdog. Poirier plans to shock the world in Georgia:

“I feel like as of lately I’ve heard people say this is an easy fight for Max – just a lot of stuff like that,” Poirier said. “The oddsmakers have it like that, not that I even care or play into that stuff. But it’s just I’m going to shock the world.”

Only A Step Towards His Real Goal

Even if he wins the interim lightweight title, however, Poirier’s work is far from done. He called the interim belt only a piece of the real championship and said tonight is the next step towards getting it:

“Tomorrow night, this is a piece of the world championship,” Poirier said. “I want the whole thing. But none of that is even a reality until tomorrow night happens, so I can’t even talk about it.”

The post Dustin Poirier: I Respect Max Holloway, But ‘There’s No Love’ appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

The sport of MMA is still digesting the fallout of one of its most high-profile doping cases when TJ Dillashaw was suspended two years for using EPO earlier this week. A range of MMA personalities has understandably weighed in with collectively negative responses to his failure.

Color commentator Joe Rogan offered a seething opinion that Dillashaw’s legacy had been tainted during his JRE MMA Show podcast yesterday. That was a harsh, honest assessment, yet a former UFC champion had an even more critical assessment of his own.

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra absolutely went off on Dillashaw and the entire situation on this week’s “UFC Unfiltered” podcast. First, he was critical of how Dillashaw’s coach Duane Ludwig reacted in a somewhat nonchalant fashion. Overall, he thought Dillashaw had no legacy:

“Oh, he’s still my ninja! Get outta here. It’s downright disgusting. What f**king legacy? We don’t know what he could have done if the playing field was even, on a level playing field.”

Feeling Sorry For Garbrandt

A fair point to be certain because we aren’t sure what Dillashaw could have accomplished if had never doped. But Serra was far from done there. He shifted his focus to former champion Cody Garbrandt and how Dillashaw’s doping potentially altered his career. He believes ‘No Love’ may no longer have the opportunity to make as much money as he could have:

“Dude, I really feel for Cody, cause in that first fight, he hurt him too,” Serra said. “He almost took him out. Maybe that slight edge he had was because he’s a f**king cheater! Listen, you know I never had a problem with that kid, and I always got along with Duane, but hey man, this is just foul.

“Cody Garbrandt, I mean who knows what that takes out of the rest of his career? How about that, TJ? How about that? What does it take out of this kid’s career that he gets stopped twice by a f***ing cheater? What does it take? Who knows? He might not have as long as a career, so he might not have as many options to make the money he would have made. That sounds dramatic, but that’s the f**king truth of it. So f**k you man, TJ.”

The Embarrassment

Serra offered a harsh-yet-true assessment of the sticky situation. The topic obviously had him raving mad, which he openly admitted. He argued that every fighter who was beaten by him should be furious. Regardless, he claimed it was easy to see in hindsight. Overall, Serra said it just isn’t fair how they were embarrassed by a man who was doping.

“I’m mad, dude. Now I’m in a bad mood. This is f**king bulls**t, man. This is disgusting. I can’t say it enough. Everybody that got stopped by him should be just furious. And at the same time, look at yourselves and say, ‘Alright, now it makes sense. Now it makes f**king sense.’ He puts these guys’ lights out. And he looked on a different level, you know what I mean?

“Dude, it’s not fair, man. It’s not fair to these guys, it’s not fair to their families. It’s not only the injuries, what about the mental damage? What about getting embarrassed in front of all your families and friends after the lead-up, after the trash talk? What about poor Team Alpha Male, man? Oh, you’re carrying the flag for them, oh, you feel you let your team down. Hey Cody, you didn’t let nobody down. This f**king guy cheated.”

Serra closed by forcefully suggesting Dillashaw owes the world an apology, but was nowhere to be found:

“He owes the world an apology. Where is he? Where’s the f**king sorry?”

The post Former UFC Champ Destroys TJ Dillashaw: ‘What F**king Legacy?’ appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

The entire MMA world was met with a bit of shock and disbelief when news came that TJ Dillashaw had been suspended for two years by USADA this week. It’s time Joe Rogan sounds off on the disappointing circumstances.

Dillashaw tested positive for EPO in a drug test stemming from his TKO loss to Henry Cejudo this January. He quickly relinquished the UFC bantamweight title when it was announced he had failed said test. The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) gave him a one-year suspension as a result.

But few expected Dillashaw to be given a two-year ban by USADA for his first offense. EPO is only injected or ingested, making his violation towards the top of voluntary doping infractions.

Rogan’s Stance

Rogan, long a supporter of Dillashaw, called the news a “bummer” during his JRE MMA Show podcast (via MMA Junkie) this week. However, he also acknowledged that a positive test for EPO simply taints the onetime great’s legacy as a fighter:

“To me, it’s a shame because I’m a T.J. fan. I think he’s a phenomenal fighter and I’m a big fan of watching him perform. But it just taints his legacy. It just does. There’s no way around it. When you get caught cheating – this stuff, there’s no way it’s not cheating. This is just cheating. This isn’t any accident. It taints your legacy, and the guy had an amazing legacy: two-time bantamweight champion, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters.”

A Long Time Off

Dillashaw will be eligible to return to action in January 2021. With a stacked bantamweight division set to move forward when Cejudo meets Marlon Moraes at UFC 238, it’s hard to envision how he fits into the picture when he does return at 35 years old.

‘The Viper’ has remained quiet on the proceedings since his ban was announced. Many have not, however. Dillashaw’s coaches did offer words of support for their fighter while calling the usage ‘inexcusable.’ His longtime rival Cody Garbrandt went off on the failure in a highly-publicized Twitter rant. Conor McGregor was quick to take “No Love’s’ side in that battle.

Benefits Of EPO?

Overall, the damage done to Dillashaw’s reputation has been more than significant. EPO was also found in a re-tested sample of his from December, suggesting he used it during his preparation to fight Cejudo in a losing effort.

Rogan claimed using EPO gave him more time to train and recover. He was so interested in its potential effects, he said, that he even considered trying it himself:

“T.J.’s an amazing fighter, but (expletive),” Rogan said. “To test positive for EPO in the Henry Cejudo fight … You’ve got to think, if you’re on EPO – how much does that allow you to train extra time? How much does it allow you to recover? What is the quantifiable benefit? It must be pretty significant. … I almost want to try it.”

The post Joe Rogan Sounds Off On TJ Dillashaw’s ‘Tainted Legacy’ appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

MMA legend BJ Penn is facing some concerning abuse allegations.

According to a report from MMA Junkie, Penn’s estranged partner, Shealen Uaiwa, filed for a temporary restraining order and petition for an order of protection in Hawaii Family Court last fall. In it, she alleged the UFC Hall of Famer abused her throughout their 10-year relationship. The order was extended following a court hearing in February and now lasts until October 8, 2021.

Uaiwa alleged that the former UFC champ verbally abused her in the presence of their two children and her mother. He even threatened to kill her family, she alleged. Finally, she claimed he sexually abused her in a written statement attached to the protective order obtained by MMA Junkie in a public records request.

Concerning Allegations

Penn is accused of some seriously disturbing behavior. Uaiwa said she only detailed recent incidents over the last three years. Uaiwa claimed she did not turn Penn into police “because of his name, reputation, the control he has had over my life and I was scared.”

She said she feared for her children’s lives:

“I feel fearful for my safety and my childrens (sic) life, and for the influence he has over my children.”

While Penn did not comment on the subject when contacted by MMA Junkie, his attorney John Schmidtke Jr. called the report ‘incomplete information.’ He wondered why the courts had released the report as it was not public knowledge. The attorney claimed he could not comment on the allegations because they involve children. Online court records showed that Penn’s attorneys attempted to have the court records sealed but were turned down.

Children Allegedly Involved

Uaiwa filed the order on October 9. It was two days after she alleged that Penn got violent and “came up to the car threatening my mother that he will kick her dumb (expletive) ass out of her house, he was harashing (sic) me and my mother with verbal abuse, calling us (expletive), manipulators, stealers. I was trying to get out of the driveway and he was making it hard like he wanted to attack me and my mom through the window. My children witnessed this incident.”

During the alleged incident, she said Penn told her, “because your (sic) not a man you think you can’t get knocked the (expletive) out.” She also claimed Penn threatened to kill her brother and her whole family. She alleged he tried to wrestle her and take her phone. On Oct. 5, their 11-year old daughter allegedly said she would “rather jump off our balcony at our home than hang out with her father.”

Claims Of Drug Use

Uaiwa said Penn attempted to get her to have sex with other men. He also allegedly pressured her to smoke marijuana. She claimed Penn has been a drug addict since he was only 14 years old. His training camps, she said, were attempts to stay sober. Apparently, his drug use supposedly affected his family life:

“I woke up one night to him scared because he got cocaine on my oldest daughter,” she wrote. “He was freaking out and he wanted to commit suicide.”

Another incident allegedly occurred after Penn was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Uaiwa said Penn did cocaine with his friends in the hotel bathroom before verbally abusing her and smashing her cell phone.

Not Charged

A former employee of his website, BJPenn.com, named Pedro Carrasco also alleged Penn was a cocaine addict. His girlfriend accused Penn of sexual assault. Penn denied the allegations, calling them a plan to extort him. Police investigated the claims but never filed charges. The UFC decided not to sanction Penn as a result. They did, however, reserve the right to “reevaluate the matter should new information be made available.”

It’s important to note that Penn has not been arrested nor charged with a crime. When the order was initially filed, he was required to stay 100 feet away from Uaiwa and refrain from contacting her. However, he was later allowed supervised visits with their two children. Penn was also granted limited contact with her involving each sides’ attorneys.

The UFC has yet to comment on the matter. Penn is scheduled to face Clay Guida at May 11’s UFC 237 from Curitiba, Brazil. The UFC has professed a zero-tolerance policy on domestic violence in the past, but they’ve mainly deferred to the legal system and their own investigators to decide if fighters were punished. Several fighters have been involved with domestic violence but allowed to return when no formal charges were filed.

For example, the promotion came under fire for signing controversial ex-NFL star Greg Hardy and then putting him on the same card as domestic violence victim Rachael Ostovich. Hardy’s conviction was overturned when the victim failed to appear to testify.

The post BJ Penn Accused Of Sexual Abuse, Drug Use In Restraining Order appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Former UFC champ Junior dos Santos has made it no secret he isn’t a fan of the rumored Daniel Cormier vs. Brock Lesnar heavyweight title fight.

‘Cigano’ has made a late-career resurgence to find himself in somewhat unlikely title contention. He’s won three straight fights over Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, and Blagoy Ivanov to reinvigorate his path and silence the haters who said he was done. All that’s left to him conceivably securing another title shot is his upcoming bout with Francis Ngannou, no easy task.

But if the Brazilian striking artist is able to stop ‘The Predator’s’ own resurgence at July’s UFC 239, it would be difficult to deny him that fight. The problem is the belt is somewhat on hold with champion Cormier injured and waiting for Lesnar to possibly return. ‘DC’ could retire after that as well, making dos Santos’ fighting future uncertain as a result.

Not A Real Fighter?

Of course, Lesnar could become champ, and then it’s anyone’s guess as to which fight comes next. Like most, however, dos Santos doesn’t expect that to happen. He told MMA Junkie that Lesnar is more of an actor or a performer to him. Because of that, he expects Cormier to easily roll over Lesnar like he did Lewis:

“I don’t think (Lesnar can defeat Cormier). For me, he’s not a real fighter. He’s an actor, a performer. I don’t know. But, of course, a fight is a fight. He’s a huge guy; he has a lot of power. But his chances to beat Cormier will be very, very little. Cormier will do the same gameplan, to take him down, make him tired and finish the fight. As he did with Derrick Lewis last time.”

It’s safe to say that Lesnar hasn’t been the most active UFC competitor in recent years. In fact, he has only one UFC fight since 2011, a unanimous decision win over Mark Hunt at July 2016’s UFC 200. The result was later overturned to a no contest when Lesnar tested positive for banned estrogen blockers and was suspended by USADA.

Another Money Fight

The rare appearances have led to many to believe Lesnar isn’t deserving of a UFC title shot after so long, and he doesn’t. But even ‘JDS’ can acknowledge that it would be big business nonetheless, and that’s why it may happen:

“But, of course, like you said, it’s a money fight. I don’t know why, but people like to see Brock Lesnar fighting. Because he talks a lot, because he’s huge, because he’s an entertaining guy. We have to understand that. We have to respect that.”

It’s a money fight Cormier appears focused on securing as potentially his final fight before he retires. It’d be a shame to see him step down without fighting the winner of dos Santos vs. Ngannou, yet that may simply be the reality of the situation. ‘DC’ only wants the biggest fights, and Lesnar or even Jon Jones would unfortunately fit that bill before dos Santos or Ngannou.

The post JDS Says ‘Actor’ Brock Lesnar Is Not A Real Fighter appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Fan favorite Artem Lobov will make his bare knuckle boxing debut when he meets Jason Knight in the main event of tonight’s (Sat., April 6, 2019) Bare Knuckle FC 5 from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss.

Lobov recently asked for and was granted his release from the UFC in order to sign with Bare Knuckle FC. ‘The Russian Hammer’ was recently slapped by former boxing champ Paulie Malignaggi, but he has to get through Knight first.

If you listen to him, that’s not going to be a problem. Lobov recently told MMA Junkie Radio he plans to make short work of Knight in incredibly violent fashion:

“I feel free, relaxed, nothing to worry about. Just walk up to Jason Knight, break his jaw, and go home.”

A Different Style

In order to do so, Lobov admitted he did watch some of Knight’s UFC bouts. But he’s not sure if they will be of much use if any, because he knows he’ll implement different stances in a boxing-only fight. Without having to worry about takedowns, he can show his full stand-up potential:

“It’s not much use, and I know this for myself because my style of boxing is very different from how I fight in MMA,” Lobov said. “Because I don’t have to worry about takedowns. Because I can close the distance, and in MMA it was always hard to show my true standup potential. I have a pretty short reach, so I have to close the distance just to strike. But then when I close the distance, I was in wrestling range. So I always was in this weird situation.”

Not Afraid Of A Broken Hand

Due to the hard-hitting boxing in BKFC, Lobov also knows broken hands are a part of the game. He’s used to fighting through them in training camps, however, and will keep throwing hammers if he does suffer one:

“When you look at it close, it’s technical,” Lobov said. “It’s very easy to break your hands in boxing. So if you break your hand, what are you going to do for the rest of the fight? So of course, if you’re me, then you don’t give a [expletive] if you break your hands. My hammers, I’ll still be throwing them.”

Plan For Pro Boxing

If and when he’s able to get past Knight, the obvious grudge match with Malignaggi awaits him. Yet Lobov knows he needs to make a statement in Biloxi tonight. It’s his first stepping stone towards establishing a career in professional boxing, so just a decision will not be enough:

“I want to get through Jason first,” Lobov said. “I want to make it nice and quick. Just a win is not enough for me here. I feel I want to put on an impressive performance because I am planning on moving to boxing eventually. Jason is my step toward Paulie and Paulie is my step toward professional boxing. That’s my plan.”

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