Jeremy Stephens challenges Conor McGregor to boxing match: ‘Are your brittle bones ready to throw?’

Jeremy Stephens offers to fight Conor McGregor in boxing match UFCFormer top UFC featherweight Jeremy Stephens calls out his old foe Conor McGregor to a boxing match. The 36-year-old MMA veteran had a long lasting UFC resume which reigned between 2007-2021. Unfortunately for Jeremy Stephens, although he was a talented fighter, he gained an immense amount of fame for being on the wrong end of […]

Jeremy Stephens offers to fight Conor McGregor in boxing match UFC

Former top UFC featherweight Jeremy Stephens calls out his old foe Conor McGregor to a boxing match.

The 36-year-old MMA veteran had a long lasting UFC resume which reigned between 2007-2021.

Unfortunately for Jeremy Stephens, although he was a talented fighter, he gained an immense amount of fame for being on the wrong end of a verbal exchange with McGregor.

This exchange between McGregor and Stephens took place during a UFC 205 press conference and has become perhaps the most famous sound bite in UFC history.

Stephens has never shied away from an opponent, facing the likes of Jose Aldo, Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, and several other killers in the UFC.

‘Lil Heathen’ has an astounding total of 50 career MMA fights, with 19 knockouts to support his claims as a heavy hitter.

Jeremy Stephens is currently signed for PFL, and he has had an average start under their organization.

Jeremy Stephens has attempted to rekindle a rivalry with Conor McGregor

He recently called out Jake Paul, who is also signed with the PFL, and he has urged the promotion to book a fight with the social media star.

Paul has become a popular target in the MMA community and he is expected to make his PFL debut later this year.

As for McGregor, he may have only boxed professionally once in his career, but it has generated a significant wave of MMA fighters wanting to pursue matches in the ring.

McGregor recently concluded his filming of TUF 31 with rival coach Michael Chandler.

The Notorious one has stated several times since the mega fight with Floyd Mayweather that he will surely feature in a boxing ring at least once more before he steps away from combat sports.

Not much has been said between McGregor and Stephens since their viral encounter in 2016, but Stephens is persistent and will likely continue to take shots at the Irishman until he gets an answer.

Jose Aldo vs. Jeremy Stephens ruled a majority decision after six rounds – Gamebred Boxing 4 Highlights

Jose AldoJose Aldo and Jeremy Stephens first squared off on July 18, 2018. Nearly seven years later, the two former UFC standouts would have their long-awaited rematch in the co-main event of Gamebred Boxing 4 on Saturday night. Strapping on the 10oz gloves. Aldo looked to get his second straight win in the sweet science while […]

Jose Aldo

Jose Aldo and Jeremy Stephens first squared off on July 18, 2018. Nearly seven years later, the two former UFC standouts would have their long-awaited rematch in the co-main event of Gamebred Boxing 4 on Saturday night. Strapping on the 10oz gloves. Aldo looked to get his second straight win in the sweet science while Stephens made his pro boxing debut during the stacked pay-per-view event.

Jose Aldo and Jeremy Stephens delivered an entertaining six-round scrap on Saturday night. Throughout the bout, Aldo was more methodical in his approach, keeping a high guard and looking to pepper Stephens with the jab throughout. Stephens was a little more flat-footed and neglected to move his head, but made up for it in volume, landing a variety of strikes.

Aldo held the advantage in the early rounds, but Stephens began to gain momentum in the third as he increased his head movement and began to utilize feints to throw off Aldo’s striking. In the final ten seconds of the bout, both fighters let their hands go, looking to gain an edge on the scorecards. After six hard-hitting rounds, we went to the judges for the decision.

Official Result: Jose Aldo vs. Jeremy Stephens is ruled a majority draw (58-56 Aldo, 57-57, 57-57)

Check Out Highlights From Jose Aldo vs. Jeremy Stephens at Gamebred Boxing 4 Below:

Jeremy Stephens Likens Himself To Jeffery Dahmer: ‘I Feel Like A Serial Killer’

Jeremy Stephens is chomping at the bit ahead of his PFL 10 bout with Natan Schulte. While he was always a tough out for any given fighter, Stephens left the UFC looking like his best days were behind him, exiting the promotion after going winless acros…

Jeremy Stephens is chomping at the bit ahead of his PFL 10 bout with Natan Schulte. While he was always a tough out for any given fighter, Stephens left the UFC looking like his best days were behind him, exiting the promotion after going winless across 6 contests. Then after losing once again in his…

Continue Reading Jeremy Stephens Likens Himself To Jeffery Dahmer: ‘I Feel Like A Serial Killer’ at MMA News.

Video: Jeremy Stephens Makes Weight After Shaving Head & Beard For PFL 4

Jeremy StephensJeremy Stephens went the extra mile to make weight for PFL 4. UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens is slated to take on Myles Price in a lightweight bout this Friday at PFL 4. He was going into the contest with a full beard and hair on his head but things took a bizarre turn when ‘Lil […]

Jeremy Stephens

Jeremy Stephens went the extra mile to make weight for PFL 4.

UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens is slated to take on Myles Price in a lightweight bout this Friday at PFL 4. He was going into the contest with a full beard and hair on his head but things took a bizarre turn when ‘Lil Heathen’ struggled to make the weight limit.

During the official weigh-ins for the upcoming PFL event in Atlanta, Stephens came in over the limit and was allowed time to shed off the remaining few pounds. With less than 10 minutes left to reach the division limit, Stephens took to the scale as the last fighter and looked very different than his initial try.

Jeremy Stephens shaves hair & beard to make weight

In a bid to make weight and retain 100 percent of his point tally, Jeremy Stephens brought out the razor to shave off his head and beard. The trick seemed to have worked for the 36-year-old Iowa native who needed to use a towel as he stripped down for his final attempt.

Stephens came in at 156-lbs making him eligible for the lightweight contest. Although title fights follow a rigid compliance to the divisional limit of 155 lbs, non-title fights are allowed a one-pound allowance.

PFL shared an image of Stephen sporting his new look on Twitter.

“Clean Shaven @LiLHeathenMMA hits the lightweight limit. #2022PFL4 156 lbs Stephens vs Price is official for tomorrow night!”

Stephens’ past struggles with weight

Having started his professional career in 2005, Jeremy Stephens made his way into the UFC in 2007 with an unsuccessful debut against Din Thomas. Towards the end of his run in the promotion, Stephens dropped five out of his last six with one being ruled a no contest. In January, he was let go after a nearly 15-year tenure that saw him compete in 33 fights under the banner.

Although he never missed weight when competing in the lightweight division, Stephens has had issues making weight at featherweight. He came in more than five pounds overweight at 150.5 lbs for his outing with Calvin Kattar at UFC 249 and also missed the mark by nearly five pounds against Dennis Bermudez, coming in at 149.5 lbs at UFC 189.

His first showing under PFL did not go his way as Clay Collard managed to secure a win by unanimous decision. Stephens will be looking to get back to winning ways after sacrificing his hair for the upcoming fight with Myles Price at PFL 4.

PFL 4 Results & Highlights: Martinez Tops Collard, Stephens Victorious

The next round of this year’s Professional Fighters League regular season took place tonight and MMA News will be right here to bring you the results and highlights! The headliner saw Clay Collard taking on Alexander Martinez. After the completion of the first go-around, the lightweights and light heavyweights returned for their sophomore outings of…

Continue Reading PFL 4 Results & Highlights: Martinez Tops Collard, Stephens Victorious at MMA News.

The next round of this year’s Professional Fighters League regular season took place tonight and MMA News will be right here to bring you the results and highlights!

The headliner saw Clay Collard taking on Alexander Martinez.

After the completion of the first go-around, the lightweights and light heavyweights returned for their sophomore outings of 2022.

The card included a host of widely recognized names who looked to better their chances of playoff qualification.

In the main event spot, Clay Collard (21-9-1) headlined for the second time this season. Having spoiled the debut of former UFC champion Anthony Pettis in 2021, the 29-year-old played a similar role at PFL 1 last month, outpointing Jeremy Stephens in a three-round war that will be worthy of its inevitable place in the Fight of the Year conversation at the end of 2022.

Opposite Collard was Alexander Martinez (9-2-1). The Paraguayan opened his 2022 PFL account with a unanimous decision victory over Stevie Ray last time out.

The other PFL 1 headliner, former UFC veteran Stephens (28-20-1), opened the PFL 4 main card against Raush Manfio.

You can peep some of the highlights below!

Jeremy Stephens def. Myles Price

Alexander Martinez def. Clay Collard

PFL 4 Quick Results

Check out the quick results from PFL 4 below!

Preliminary Card – 7PM ET/4PM PT (ESPN+)

  • Josh Silveira def. Marthin Hamlet via TKO (strikes): R1, 3:27
  • Nate Jennerman def. Jake Childers via submission (rear-naked choke): R2, 2:00
  • Robert Wilkinson def. Viktor Pesta via TKO (punches): R1, 3:03
  • Delan Monte def. Emiliano Sordi via TKO (punches): R1, 1:32
  • Natan Schulte def. Marcin Held via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
  • Omari Akhmedov def. Teodoras Aukstuolis via submission (arm-triangle choke): R2, 2:50

Main Card – 10PM ET/7PM PT (ESPN & ESPN+)

  • Alexander Martinez def. Clay Collard via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Antonio Carlos Jr. def. Bruce Souto via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
  • Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Raush Manfio via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
  • Jeremy Stephens def. Myles Price via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Which fight are you most looking forward to at PFL 4?

Continue Reading PFL 4 Results & Highlights: Martinez Tops Collard, Stephens Victorious at MMA News.

Will The PFL Become Bigger Than Bellator, Or Even The UFC?

In March this year, the PFL pulled off what many did not expect. Kayla Harrison, arguably MMA’s biggest female star, was persuaded to remain with the promotion despite lucrative offers from both the UFC and Bellator. It was a watershed moment for the PFL, signaling its growing power within the MMA landscape and newfound ability…

Continue Reading Will The PFL Become Bigger Than Bellator, Or Even The UFC? at MMA News.

In March this year, the PFL pulled off what many did not expect. Kayla Harrison, arguably MMA’s biggest female star, was persuaded to remain with the promotion despite lucrative offers from both the UFC and Bellator.

It was a watershed moment for the PFL, signaling its growing power within the MMA landscape and newfound ability to compete with the big boys. The promotion, which was established upon the ashes of the World Series of Fighting just five years ago, now appears to be on a growth trajectory that could see it soon surpass Bellator as the number two name in MMA.

But if you ask PFL CEO Peter Murray, it already has.

“By a number of metrics, we’re the number two,” he told The MMA Hour earlier this month.

Murray, a former high-ranking executive at the NFL and UFC owner Endeavour Group, believes the PFL’s combination of top talent and broadcast partnerships with the likes of ESPN now make it second only to the UFC.

“How I value it; number one, it’s the quality of the production,” he continued. “Two, caliber of fighters and exciting fights. Three, distribution.”

So, is Murray right in saying the PFL has now surpassed Bellator? And can it ever become as big as the UFC?

Peter Murray Kayla Harrison PFL
PFL CEO Peter Murray awards Kayla Harrison with $1 million for winning the 2021 PFL Women’s Lightweight Tournament (Cooper Neill / PFL)

PFL Fighters Might Be Better Than You Think

Talent development, says Murray, is one of the key focus areas for the PFL. And the promotion’s strategy is to continually inject new talent into its roster.

“What I love about our format, the product’s fresh every year. Forty-five percent of the roster, new fighters,” said Murray on The MMA Hour. “One of the key KPI’s for us is, a minimum of 25 to 30 percent of the roster, to ensure that their rankings are in the top 25 in the sport.”

Perhaps the most notable inflow of talent has been from the UFC. And despite many considering the PFL a step down in competition, it’s not uncommon to see UFC fighters beaten by the promotion’s mainstays.

Former UFC featherweight Jeremy Stephens became the latest this month, losing to Clay Collard in what was an absolute war that surely converted many UFC fans to the PFL. It must be noted, however, that the 35-year-old Stephens is hardly in his prime, having been cut by the UFC after losing five of his last six fights.

But then there’s Anthony Pettis, who after defeating Donald Cerrone and Alex Morono in the UFC, has lost both of his fights since joining the PFL in 2021. Rory MacDonald, both a Bellator and UFC alum, has been similarly tested in the PFL. Additionally, former UFC-turned-PFL heavyweights Fabricio Werdum and Klidson Abreu have found it harder than expected to get their first win in the promotion.

The PFL Is Making Moves To Expand Its Fanbase and Talent Pool

One of the key strengths of the PFL over Bellator, and one that Murray highlights regularly, is the promotion’s distribution through the world’s biggest broadcasters.

In 2019, the PFL followed in the UFC’s footsteps by becoming a broadcast partner of ESPN. But while it’s yet to stage pay-per-view events, Murray says the PFL’s championship event this year will “100 percent” be a pay-per-view event. And next year, he says the pay-per-view structure will expand.

“Then we’ll launch a pay-per-view division in 2023 and we’re working on those details right now, including [signing] some fighters who are in our view and [are of] pay-per-view stature,” Murray told The MMA Hour.

Challenger Series 3 at the Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, Friday, March 4, 2022. (Cooper Neill / PFL)

But perhaps the biggest potential game-changer for the PFL is Challenger Series—the promotion’s answer to the UFC’s Contender Series, which launched this year. Like it’s UFC counterpart, the Challenger Series gives up-and-coming fighters the chance to compete for a PFL contract.

This means they have the chance to potentially make $1 million within a year, thanks to the generous compensation offered by the PFL’s seasonal tournament structure. For many, this is a refreshing change from the remuneration practices of the UFC, who are notorious for paying their new talent relative peanuts.

The Challenger Series hasn’t all gone to plan, however. Earlier this month, it was flagged for suspicious betting activity after the PFL announced that the final event of the series would be broadcast live, but was later discovered to be pre-recorded.

The PFL Aims To Capitalize On MMA’s Growing Popularity 

Despite the PFL still lacking several divisions offered by the UFC and Bellator, including middleweight and bantamweight, the promotion seems to have all the ingredients to challenge the big boys. And while Murray believes the PFL has already surpassed Bellator, challenging the UFC’s near-monopolistic hold on the MMA market is another thing entirely.

But Murray believes the PFL will only continue to grow and prosper alongside the UFC, thanks to the ever-expanding global MMA fanbase.

“Our thesis and why we launched the PFL four years ago; there’s room for more than one leader in the sport,” he told The MMA Hour. “600 million fans. This is Nielson data; three years ago, 400 million fans. So, in three years’ time, you have fan growth around the world of 200 million. So, it’s the third-largest fan base in all of sports, behind soccer and basketball, it’s the fastest-growing, it’s the youngest of all major sports in terms of the fans, and half of this fan base is not watching stick and ball sports.”

Anthony Pettis PFL
PHOTO: PFL

Murray says that the PFL’s goal isn’t necessarily to steal fans away from the UFC. By having a tournament-based structure, the promotion is simply offering them a different experience and more fights.

“So [MMA fans are] underserved; they want access to more premium MMA content and fights,” said Murray. “For the PFL, that is simply our business thesis, we’re fulfilling that demand with a quality product, with great fighters, and a differentiated experience.”

Continue Reading Will The PFL Become Bigger Than Bellator, Or Even The UFC? at MMA News.