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UFC 271 goes down Saturday in Houston, and it looks like it will be an excellent night of fights. In the main event, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will look for his fourth successful title defense…
UFC 271 goes down Saturday in Houston, and it looks like it will be an excellent night of fights. In the main event, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will look for his fourth successful title defense…
UFC middleweight Derek Brunson has revealed he’s planning on retiring after two more appearances inside the Octagon. Brunson’s recent form has certainly been one of the more surprising stories of resurgence in recent memory. Entering 2019, the North Carolina native, who’s been a part of the UFC roster since 2012, was 2-4. A pair of…
Continue Reading Brunson Lays Out Retirement Plan: Beat Cannonier, Beat Izzy, Peace Out at MMA News.
UFC middleweight Derek Brunson has revealed he’s planning on retiring after two more appearances inside the Octagon.
Brunson’s recent form has certainly been one of the more surprising stories of resurgence in recent memory. Entering 2019, the North Carolina native, who’s been a part of the UFC roster since 2012, was 2-4.
A pair of two-fight skids, which featured defeats to reigning champion Israel Adesanya, former titleholder Robert Whittaker, GOAT contender Anderson Silva, and Brazilian grappling legend Ronaldo Souza, were separated by triumphs over Dan Kelly and Lyoto Machida.
But since being finished by “The Last Stylebender,” Brunson has built an impressive five-fight win streak that has seen him climb to within touching distance of a title shot.
After rebounding with wins against Elias Theodorou and Ian Heinisch, Brunson hit the form of his life following his transition to the now-infamous “Blonde Brunson.” Since making the hair alteration, the 38-year-old has finished Edmen Shahbazyan and Darren Till and outpointed Kevin Holland, all three of which came in main event contests.
Having firmly placed himself in the title picture, “Blonde Brunson” will hope to maintain his unbeaten run against Jared Cannonier at UFC 271 this weekend, and secure a second clash with Adesanya, this time with gold on the line.
A reminder: Blonde Brunson is undefeated
[ @DerekBrunson | #UFC271 | Saturday | Live on ESPN+ PPV: https://t.co/IkVh0Xzos5 ] pic.twitter.com/wVMpcy5lbZ
— UFC (@ufc) February 7, 2022
While he may be on the best run he’s had across his decade in the promotion, Brunson is still planning on hanging up his gloves soon.
During his appearance at UFC 271 media day, the #4-ranked middleweight was asked whether he’ll be content waiting for a title shot if Adesanya and Whittaker, who are set to headline this Saturday’s pay-per-view card, complete a trilogy later this year.
After confirming that a championship opportunity is the only fight he’ll accept if he’s victorious over Cannonier, Brunson laid out his retirement plan, and it’s one that is perhaps further along than most would have expected.
“I’m gonna sit and wait for a title fight after I win this fight. For sure. I’ve done everything I needed to do in this division,” said Brunson. “Honestly, I plan on fighting two more times. I feel like I’m lucky and blessed to like, fight in the UFC 20 times, and I’m super smart and got a good brain in my head, so I don’t wanna fight until I can’t fight no more. I’m in the best shape. I’m feeling good. So that’s all I’m thinking about right now; beat Cannonier, beat Izzy, and riding out. That’s it.”
Brunson went on to confirm that regardless of the situation, he’s limiting himself to two more Octagon outings. He cited his desire for more family time and his target of retiring without accumulating significant damage as the reasons behind his decision.
“Just two more times. You know, I spend a lot of time getting ready for these fights away from my family and stuff, and I’m 38,” Brunson continued. “I’m missing like, soccer games and stuff like that for my daughters. So, that’s more important to me than chasing money and stuff like that. I’ve been smart with my money, made enough money.
“I have no excuses. I’m in really good shape. I feel really good. I’m motivated. I don’t even plan on losing. But I just know that you can’t do combat sports forever, and end peacefully. I feel like I’ve got a super good brain, my head is good, no injuries, nothing. I think finish my goal, finish my task, complete the mission, get the title, and be like, ‘Peace, I’m out,’” Brunson concluded.
With toes dipping in the realms of real estate, gym ownership, fight promotion, and management, Brunson certainly won’t be short of new ventures and exciting possibilities moving forward when he does call an end to his fighting career.
Do you think Derek Brunson has what it takes to beat Jared Cannonier and dethrone Israel Adesanya?
Continue Reading Brunson Lays Out Retirement Plan: Beat Cannonier, Beat Izzy, Peace Out at MMA News.
UFC 271, the promotion’s second pay-per-view of 2022, is less than two weeks away, and excitement is starting to build…
UFC 271, the promotion’s second pay-per-view of 2022, is less than two weeks away, and excitement is starting to build…
UFC middleweight contender Jared Cannonier has described surging welterweight star Khamzat Chimaev as “the second coming of Conor McGregor.”
In just four appearances in the Octagon, Chimaev has established himself as one of the hottest rising prosp…
UFC middleweight contender Jared Cannonier has described surging welterweight star Khamzat Chimaev as “the second coming of Conor McGregor.”
In just four appearances in the Octagon, Chimaev has established himself as one of the hottest rising prospects in the UFC and a likely future champion. Not many have had as big an impact in as few outings as the Chechen-born Swede has.
After three wins in a modern-UFC record space of just 66 days in 2020, Chimaev firmly cemented his status as a name to watch. Those victories bought such prominence and attention that he was even matched up with top contender Leon Edwards multiple times.
After that matchup fell through and Chimaev was sent to the sidelines with a nasty bout of COVID-19, the 27-year-old’s charge was briefly stalled. But despite over a year away from the cage, “Borz” picked up where he left off last October at UFC 267.
Against ranked-contender Li Jingliang, Chimaev showcased his dominance with a fourth UFC finish in as many fights. Inside the opening round, the Allstars Training Center product rag-dolled “The Leech” to the mat and choked him unconscious.
From fans and pundits to UFC President Dana White and play-by-play commentator Jon Anik, many in the MMA community are extremely high on Chimaev. That includes current #3-ranked middleweight contender Cannonier.
During an interview with LowKick MMA, “The Killa Gorilla” praised Chimaev’s perfect start on MMA’s biggest stage. The veteran even suggested he could be the “second coming” of the sport’s biggest superstar, former two-division UFC champion McGregor.
“You know, (he’s a) hot prospect right now. Dana’s pretty hot on him, and from what he’s shown in the Octagon, the dude looks like the second coming of Conor McGregor,” said Cannonier. “But I don’t even like to make that comparison because he is his own self, he is his own man, and he’s doing his own thing. I tip my hat to the man. He’s doing a good job… If he comes up to ’85 that’d be cool too. The more the merrier as far as I’m concerned.”
If Chimaev is to come close to reaching the heights of the “Notorious” irishman in the UFC, he’ll have to get past some top contenders on his way to 170-pound gold. The first of those challenges looks set to come against the #2-ranked Gilbert Burns.
A matchup between “Borz” and “Durinho” was initially rumored for this month. After talk of it appeared to die down, a recent report and subsequent social media posts from both seemingly hint towards a meeting in the Octagon later this year.
Chimaev, currently ranked #11 in the division, could secure a shot at Kamaru Usman’s welterweight title with a victory over Burns, who fell short of reaching the mountaintop at UFC 258 last February.
Would you like to see Khamzat Chimaev face Gilbert Burns next?
Continue Reading Cannonier: Chimaev Looks Like The Second Coming Of McGregor at MMA News.
Jared Cannonier believes the world needs more of Sean Strickland and his approach to life.
Strickland has been vocal in interviews and on social media as he speaks his mind and doesn’t hold back. To many, they don’t want to ruffle any feathers, but…
Jared Cannonier believes the world needs more of Sean Strickland and his approach to life.
Strickland has been vocal in interviews and on social media as he speaks his mind and doesn’t hold back. To many, they don’t want to ruffle any feathers, but Strickland doesn’t care. For Cannonier, he says that is a welcomed sight and something he wishes more fighters would do.
“That’s absolutely why. I don’t like having to figure you out. Be who you are. If you’re not being honest with me, you’re definitely not being honest with yourself. You’re just putting on another face. You’re hiding your true self, and I don’t trust that,” said Cannonier to LowKick MMA. “I don’t trust somebody who’s hiding their true selves. If you’ve done something bad, that’s shadow work that needs to be done within that individual, so that they can come out and be their authentic self, so they can love themselves in front of the world, you know what I’m saying? Without having to hide ‘hide this part of me, hide that part of me.’
“I do appreciate that (in Sean Strickland). The world needs more of that,” added Cannonier. “We’ve been living in this Dionysus-themed thing, with the social media and the media in general. People just put on faces, they put on masks whenever they go in front of a camera or in front of other people. I find it hard to trust that. One thing I will trust is somebody who’s gonna be themselves in front of me, whether you’re gonna be my friend or my enemy, I wanna know who you are and what’s your intent here?”
Although Cannonier believes the world needs more Stricklands, he has gotten in trouble for some of the things he has said online. He does cross the line on multiple occasions, but as Cannonier says, that is truly Strickland, and he isn’t hiding anything.
Jared Cannonier is set to return in the co-main event of UFC 271 on February 12 as he takes on Derek Brunson in a number one contender bout. Sean Strickland, meanwhile, headlines the February 5 Fight Night card opposite Jack Hermansson.
Do you agree with Jared Cannonier that the world needs more Sean Stricklands?
Continue Reading Jared Cannonier: The World Needs More Sean Strickland’s at MMA News.
UFC middleweight contender Jared Cannonier says upcoming opponent Derek Brunson’s blonde “gimmick” will be irrelevant on fight night next month.
Since back-to-back losses to Ronaldo Souza and Israel Adesanya appeared to suggest he’d slipped to the …
UFC middleweight contender Jared Cannonier says upcoming opponent Derek Brunson’s blonde “gimmick” will be irrelevant on fight night next month.
Since back-to-back losses to Ronaldo Souza and Israel Adesanya appeared to suggest he’d slipped to the role of veteran gatekeeper at 185 pounds, Brunson has been in the form of his life. What did his change in fortunes coincide with? A new blonde hairstyle.
“Blonde Brunson” debuted against Edmen Shahbazyan in the UFC Vegas 5 main event in 2020. At that point, the 38-year-old was already on a two-fight win streak, having had his hand raised against both Elias Theodorou and Ian Heinisch. But while Brunson’s career had previously been a tale of beating those below but often falling short against the elite, “Blonde Brunson” was a different beast.
After brutally handing hot-prospect Shahbazyan his first loss, Brunson went on to halt the charge of five-time 2020 victor Kevin Holland last March, before submitting former welterweight title challenger Darren Till in his third-straight main event.
Brunson is now set for the chance to stake his claim for a title shot and a rematch with “The Last Stylebender.” If he’s to do so, he’ll have to get through Jared Cannonier, who boasts championship aspirations of his own. The pair are set to collide on the UFC 271 main card on February 12.
While the “Blonde Brunson” gimmick is unbeaten in the Octagon to date and has firmly broken free of the gatekeeper shackles non-blonde Brunson was in three years ago, Cannonier has reminded his upcoming opponent that whatever color hair he has, it won’t change the result.
During a recent interview with LowKick MMA, “The Killa Gorilla” credited Brunson for being able to keep himself relevant with another iteration of himself. However, the former heavyweight and light heavyweight fighter noted it has no relevancy to their fight, which he believes will see the 38-year-old get his “ass whooped.”
“I mean, it’s a gimmick. Good for him. He’s found another gimmick that keeps him relevant for a little while longer,” said Cannonier. “But that shit is irrelevant to me. Those are all antics and that has absolutely fuck all to do with me whooping your ass. So that’s it.”
After a damaging loss to Robert Whittaker at UFC 254 in October 2020, both physically and his surge towards the title, Cannonier rebounded in style when he returned to action in 2021. In a main event contest against perennial contender Kelvin Gastelum, “The Killa Gorilla” returned to to the win column with a comfortable victory on the scorecards.
Sitting at #3 in the division with a 4-1 middleweight record, which includes wins against Anderson Silva and Jack Hermansson, Cannonier will be looking to book a date with Adesanya when he faces Brunson at next month’s pay-per-view.
If Cannonier has his way, he’ll be turning “Blonde Brunson” into “Blood Brunson” come February 12.
Do you expect Jared Cannonier to get the better of “Blonde Brunson” at UFC 271?
Continue Reading Jared Cannonier: Blonde Brunson Gimmick Is Irrelevant To Me at MMA News.
