The Pulse of MMA: Fans Hijack The UFC’s Best Submissions Of 2021 List

The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories

In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC’s nominations for Best Submission of 2021.

It’s the last week of 2021, whi…

Khamzat Chimaev, Li Jingliang

The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories

In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC’s nominations for Best Submission of 2021.

It’s the last week of 2021, which means it’s time to start looking back at the biggest and best moments of the year. Right now, that means taking a peek at the UFC’s nominations for the best submission of the year.

You can expect everyone and their grandpappy to break out their year-end lists over the next few days. But naturally, the UFC’s lists stand apart from the rest given that, well, it’s their promotion.

So on behalf of the UFC, we at MMA News present to you their nominations for best submission of 2021! After a brief recap of each submission, you can find the video showcasing all the action followed by the Pulse of MMA letting their collective voice be heard on their thoughts on the nominations list. And as you will find out, public opinion was, in large part, not in accord with the UFC’s thinking.

Vicente Luque Submits Tyron Woodley via D’Arce choke (UFC 260)

During what was an action-packed first round, Tyron Woodley brought the fight to Vicente Luque. No longer gun-shy and tentative, Woodley took a more proactive approach. Though he had some success in the beginning, eventually, Luque got the better of the stand-up exchanges, culminating with a barrage of strikes that had “The Chosen One” on wobbly legs before ultimately being dropped by a looping left hook by the Brazilian, which led to the D’Arce.

UFC 260 results: Vicente Luque submits Tyron Woodley with D'arce choke in  crazy opening round - MMA Fighting
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Brandon Moreno Submits Deiveson Figueiredo via Rear-Naked Choke (UFC 263)

Brandon Moreno came into UFC 263 as an underdog, but he exited as a champion. Heading into the third round, Moreno was up on two out of the three scorecards, with the third judge having it one round apiece. The judges would be taken out of the equation when he secured the rear-naked choke after peppering Figueiredo with a couple of left hands while applying a full body lock.

 Brandon Moreno Chokes Deiveson Figueiredo UFC 263

Glover Teixeira def. Jan Blachowicz via Rear-Naked Choke (UFC 267)

Coming into the fight, it was well known what was Glover Teixeira’s path to victory when he challenged Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight championship at UFC 267. The second-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt would be well served to get the fight to the mat and do what he had done in three of his previous five fights: get the submission. And that’s exactly what happened.

After getting the takedown in the second frame, Teixeira effortlessly passed Blachowicz’s guard into mount, prompting the Pole to give up his back, which is the last thing you want to do against Teixeira. Within seconds, the 42-year-old had secured the light heavyweight prize as well as his place in UFC history.

UFC 267 results: Glover Teixeira completes fairytale run to gold against  Jan Blachowicz as Khamzat Chimaev stars | The Independent
Glover Teixeira, Jan Blachowicz

Khamzat Chimaev def. Li Jingliang via Rear-Naked Choke (UFC 267)

Khamzat Smesh.

Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev (Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)

UFC’s Best Submissions of 2021 Video

You can check out each of the above submissions for yourself in the video below!

MMA Fans Weigh In

Finally, here is what the Pulse of MMA had to say about the UFC’s nominations list:

What do YOU think was the best submission of 2021?

Continue Reading The Pulse of MMA: Fans Hijack The UFC’s Best Submissions Of 2021 List at MMA News.

Henry Cejudo: Khamzat Chimaev Would Destroy Colby Covington

Henry Cejudo thinks that Khamzat Chimeav would give Colby Covington a run for his money and then some.

Henry Cejudo was one of the most successful fighters in the UFC when he was actively fighting. Having won two titles in two different divisions, …

Henry Cejudo Khamzat Chimeav Colby Covington

Henry Cejudo thinks that Khamzat Chimeav would give Colby Covington a run for his money and then some.

Henry Cejudo was one of the most successful fighters in the UFC when he was actively fighting. Having won two titles in two different divisions, Cejudo was a master of his craft. Now that he is retired, he is actively helping other fighters find the type of success he had during his reign.

Taking a look now at the welterweight division, Cejudo had some assessments for the athletes at 170 pounds, in particular, Khamzat Chimeav.

Henry Cejudo Heaps High Praise On Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev

Cejudo, like many people, is a big fan of Chimaev and what he has been able to do in his four fights with the UFC. Cejudo believes Chimaev would easily beat almost any man in the UFC welterweight division, and he spoke a bit about this on The Triple C & Schmo Show.

“I am super high on that dude,” Cejudo said. “I believe that he would destroy Colby [Covington]. I believe that he would destroy the majority of the people at 170 pounds. The only one that can beat Chimaev is Kamaru Usman. But I think everybody else, I think he takes to school. No joke.”

Chimaev has been calling for a fight with a ranked opponent. He had been turned down by a few people, including Nate Diaz. However, now it seems there is rising interest coming from a few top ten fighters. Most recently, Belal Muhammad expressed interest in stopping the hype train that is Chimaev. Also, Neil Magny has repeatedly challenged Chimaev.

“I think Chimaev at 185 pounds, especially against a style like Stylebender, I think it’s an easy fight for him,” Cejudo said. “He’s big, he’s nasty, he’s ferocious. When people praise and talk about wrestling like he does, it just makes you dangerous. He’s gonna get on top of you, Khabib style, and he’s gonna hurt you. Chimaev is dangerous and I understand why nobody in the 170-pound weight division wants to fight the damn man.”

Chimaev has four straight wins in the UFC so far. He has stopped each of these four opponents in less than two rounds. It is no wonder why many people, Cejudo included, think Chimaev has what it takes to make a run at the title.

Cejudo has seen some great fighters up close during his career, including having taken down one of the greats Demetrious Johnson. Now, Cejudo gets to see greatness on a daily basis as he is helping to train some of the best in the sport, including Jon Jones and Weili Zhang.

Do you think Khamzat Chimaev would defeat Colby Covington if they faced off now?

Continue Reading Henry Cejudo: Khamzat Chimaev Would Destroy Colby Covington at MMA News.

Chimaev & Muhammad Engage In Drawn-Out Twitter Battle

Khamzat Chimaev and Belal Muhammad may or may not fight one another in the Octagon, but they have already engaged in a drawn-out Twitter battle.

Belal Muhammad has gone unbeaten in his last seven fights. Heading into this past Saturday’s UFC Vegas …

Belal Muhammad, Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev and Belal Muhammad may or may not fight one another in the Octagon, but they have already engaged in a drawn-out Twitter battle.

Belal Muhammad has gone unbeaten in his last seven fights. Heading into this past Saturday’s UFC Vegas 45 event, Muhammad’s latest win had come over legendary grappler Demian Maia at UFC 263. This earned the Chicagoan a headliner opposite Stephen Thompson in what was arguably the most difficult test of Muhammad’s career.

He aced it with flying colors.

UFC: Belal Muhammad decries 'drunken hick screaming racist words' in win  over 'Wonderboy', and demands a title shot | South China Morning Post
Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

For his reward, he moved up a few grade levels up to the #5 ranking in the welterweight division. While Muhammad firmly believes reigning champion Kamaru Usman is in need of some fresh challenges, he’d also be willing to fight undefeated juggernaut Khamzat Chimaev, despite Borz being ranked six spots beneath him at #11.

In fact, Muhammad has stated that a victory over Chimaev would be more valuable than beating any other ranked opponent. It’s not often that a fighter in the top 5 calls out someone outside of the top 10 with so much gusto.

Yet, despite the rarity of this occurrence, Borz isn’t taking the callout all that seriously based on the following tweet published Thursday.

“When you got a finger in your eye you gave up, how you even gonna think to fight me? Bullshit boy,” Chimaev asked with a series of crying laughing emoji beside his rhetorical question.

Khamzat Chimaev Continues Trolling Muhammad

This was among many other shots Chimaev launched Muhammad’s way in yesterday’s Twitter barrage.

Belal Muhammad Fires Back

Not one to stand idly by and get bullied, @bullyb170 clapped back.

“Didn’t You retire because you had a cold? Don’t worry Friend I got some nyquil for you,” Muhammad posted prior to the following barrage of his own:

Seeds Planted For Potential Welterweight Showdown?

The only fight that Belal Muhammad did not win in his last seven fights was against Leon Edwards in March, a fight Chimaev referenced in one of his memes. The bout was ruled a no-contest when Muhammad was unable to continue following a gruesome accidental eye poke from Edwards in the second round.

Khamzat Chimaev has been on the hunt for his next opponent ever since making easy work of Li Jingliang at UFC 267. Both he and Dana White have been very public about the struggles they’ve faced in finding a willing opponent for the rising star.

Chimaev’s Twitter exchange with Muhammad could be planting the seeds for a 2022 collision between the two welterweights. Or, it could merely be trash-talking done just to pass the time with no UFC fights on the horizon for the MMA community anytime soon.

Friday morning, Chimaev dropped yet another meme of Muhammad for good measure, this time of a more festive nature.

Do you believe Belal Muhammad vs. Khamzat Chimaev is the fight to make?

Continue Reading Chimaev & Muhammad Engage In Drawn-Out Twitter Battle at MMA News.

Muhammad Thinks Beating Chimaev Is “Worth More” Than Any Ranked Win

Belal Muhammad isn’t shying away from a possible fight with Khamzat Chimaev.

Belal Muhammad is coming off what was arguably the biggest win of his career. He defeated former title challenger Stephen Thompson last weekend and now has his eyes set on…

Belal Muhammad Khamzat Chimeav

Belal Muhammad isn’t shying away from a possible fight with Khamzat Chimaev.

Belal Muhammad is coming off what was arguably the biggest win of his career. He defeated former title challenger Stephen Thompson last weekend and now has his eyes set on a title shot.

Muhammad believes he could be next for champion Kamaru Usman following the win and his most recent bump up the rankings. However, if that title shot doesn’t come right away, Muhammad has another plan to get him there.

Khamzat Chimaev
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Muhammad thinks that a win over streaking Khamzat Chimaev would get him the momentum he needs to vie for the welterweight title. He explained his rationale to MMA Junkie.

“He has the most hype in the division right now,” Muhammad said of Chimaev. “He has that (Conor) McGregor X-factor stardom right now, where the fans think he’s untouchable. The boss thinks he’s untouchable. They all think it’s just a matter of time before he becomes champion.

“So for me, if I beat him, I steal all of his hype, and I think it’s worth more than beating anybody ranked in the division. Beating him is probably worth more than beating Colby Covington just because of all the hype he has right now.”

It is true that Chimaev has a lot of hype surrounding him. He made a splash in the UFC when he won two fights back to back on Fight Island during the summer of 2020. He is now 4-0 in the UFC and undefeated as a professional. He is a fan favorite, and it seems like he is a favorite of Dana White as well. White has been high on Chimaev and has even expressed that no other fighter wants to fight him.

“So in this game, it’s about momentum, it’s about hype, and it’s about who’s hot right now. He’s the hottest right now,” Muhammad said. “So beating him, I steal all that shine. I steal all that heat, so why wouldn’t I?”

Muhammad isn’t the only man with this idea, Neil Magny has been asking for a shot at Chimaev as well. On the flip side, Chimaev has been asking for a shot at a ranked opponent. Muhammad is now sitting in the #5 spot in the rankings. If he wants to fight Chimaev, it seems likely that fight can be made.

Do you think Belal Muhammad fighting Khamzat Chimaev is a good idea?

Continue Reading Muhammad Thinks Beating Chimaev Is “Worth More” Than Any Ranked Win at MMA News.

Khamzat Chimaev Calls For Neil Mangy Fight: ‘Let Me Eat This Guy’

Khamzat ChimaevKhamzat Chimaev had one of the most impressive starts within the UFC that we have seen for a very long time, smashing his way through his first four opponents ‘Borz’ is now looking for his fifth. Chimaev has been extremely active on social media calling out pretty much every fighter on the UFC roster in […]

Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev had one of the most impressive starts within the UFC that we have seen for a very long time, smashing his way through his first four opponents ‘Borz’ is now looking for his fifth.

Chimaev has been extremely active on social media calling out pretty much every fighter on the UFC roster in hopes for scheduling his next bout, however, Dana White has admitted that finding an opponent has been a lot harder than anticipated.

The likes of Nate Diaz, Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington and most recently Belal Muhammad have all been potential matchups that ‘Borz’ has been calling for, however, given his time in the UFC only consisting of four fights many of these more experienced UFC fighters are opting against running such a high risk in a fight against Chimaev.

“@danawhite let me eat this guy bro neil_magny170,” Chimaev wrote on Instagram.

Khamzat Chimaev vs Neil Magny?

Following reports on social media, it appears now that an opponent has been found, and a more than willing one in the form of welterweight contender Neil Magny.

Neil Magny has been vocal on social media for quite some time now trying to not only get himself a fight but get himself a fight against Chimaev. Dana White would go on to say that Magny is one of few fighters and if not currently the only one in the division willing to accept a deal and test himself against the undefeated prospect.

Magny last competed at UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson where he was able to beat Geoff Neal via unanimous decision. Khamzat Chimaev’s last outing came at his return following a year off against Li Jingliang and UFC 267 where Chimaev was able to secure the submission victory inside of the first round.

Who do you think would win a fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Neil Magny?

Khamzat Chimaev Asks Dana White For Permission To ‘Eat’ Neil Magny

Borz is asking for permission to continue his feasting of the UFC roster.

If there’s one thing we know about “Borz,” it’s that he’s always hungry. Since his debut in the UFC as 2020’s breakout star, Khamzat Chimaev has done nothing but fill up stat…

Neil Magny, Khamzat Chimaev

Borz is asking for permission to continue his feasting of the UFC roster.

If there’s one thing we know about “Borz,” it’s that he’s always hungry. Since his debut in the UFC as 2020’s breakout star, Khamzat Chimaev has done nothing but fill up stats. The fights have been about as one-sided as a four-plater against a Thanksgiving spread. The only struggle that comes is after the meal has already been smeshed.

For Chimaev, that struggle has been the constipation of his fight bookings. According to both White and Chimaev, the UFC has had quite the time finding Chimaev’s next opponent.

The UFC and Chimaev pushed for a pairing with Nate Diaz, but the Stockton native said the very idea of such a fight was disrespectful to him. There were also reports of a Chimaev/Burns match last month, but those talks have seemingly stalled or evaporated.

One Potential Feast Victim Steps Up To The Plate

Neil Magny
Credit: Getty Images

There is one individual who has constantly been volunteering his services to end Borz’s feast draught: #7-ranked welterweight Neil Magny. Magny has been calling for a fight against the UFC’s new boogeyman since last year. Chimaev himself even once commended Magny for his bravery and self-sacrifice.

Dana White recently stated that no welterweight wanted to fight Khamzat Chimaev. He would later walk back this claim, admitting that Neil Magny was more than willing to accept that fight.

Now, with his patience far past its limit, Chimaev is asking his supplier if he can begin eating again.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXuJDdHAIgf/

“@danawhite let me eat this guy bro neil_magny170,” Chimaev posted on Instagram.

Khamzat Chimaev’s latest feasting took place at UFC 267 against #13-ranked Li Jingliang. Not unlike his three UFC beatdowns that preceded this bout, Chimaev had his way with his opponent en route to a flawless 10-0 record.

Neil Magny last competed in May at UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson. Magny defeated Geoff Neal via unanimous decision, making that four victories out of his last five fights.

Are you interested in a fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Neil Magny?

Continue Reading Khamzat Chimaev Asks Dana White For Permission To ‘Eat’ Neil Magny at MMA News.