Tag: MMA News

New Zealand’s deputy Prime Minister, Grant Robertson has condemned UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya after the 31-year-old made a since-deleted comment on an Instagram story in which he claimed he’d “rape” middleweight contender, Kevin Holland. 

In the video, posted on Adesanya’s official Instagram account which currently has 4.6 million followers, Adesanya responded to recent insults from Holland, following his UFC 259 light heavyweight championship challenge loss to Jan Blachowicz at the beginning of March. In response to Holland, Adesanya said, “Bro, I’ll f*cking rape you.“.

Drawing major criticism amid the deleting of the video, the post drew comments from Grant Robertson, who is the deputy Prime Minister and Minister for sport in New Zealand.

“We have to take rape seriously, it’s not an issue that anyone should be making jokes or flippant comments about at all,” Robertson said during an interview with Radio New Zealand. “I’m sure Israel (Adesanya) understands that, I believe he has deleted the tweet (sic) in question. It will be up to the UFC as to what they do.“

Whilst not directly commenting on the issue, Adesanya took to his official Twitter account, which currently has 860,000 followers, posting the following: “Incoming clickbait NZ (New Zealand) media in three, two, one… This is what it’s all about… CLOUT!!“

This is what it’s all about…CLOUT!! pic.twitter.com/GhWhPD6rPN

— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) March 24, 2021

Adesanya previously apologized for a distasteful comment alluding to the September 11th. 2001 terror attacks ahead of his middleweight championship defence against current Bellator light heavyweight, Yoel Romero last March, claiming he’d make the Cuban Olympian “crumble like the Twin Towers“.

“You speak on the mic (microphone) enough times and you’re bound to miss the mark with some bars… I did on this one and for that I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful in (the) future with my words,” Adesanya said.

Expected to return to the middleweight division ahead of his Octagon return, Adesanya most recently featured at the weight-class in the second defence of his middleweight championship last September on ‘Fight Island’ at UFC 253, stopping the then-undefeated, Paulo Costa with a second round knockout.

As of writing, the UFC have yet to comment on the situation, and it’s currently unknown if the Nigerian-Kiwi will be disciplined for his comments. 

Former Strikeforce middleweight champion, Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza will make his Octagon return on May 15 at UFC 262 — drawing his compatriot, Andre ‘Sergipano’ Muniz at the Toyota Centre card in Houston, Texas. 

Expected to feature in front of a capacity attendance, Souza makes his first Octagon appearance of the year, following a short-notice knockout loss to recent UFC Vegas 22 headliner, Kevin Holland at UFC 256 last December at the UFC Apex facility.

Dana White’s Contender Series alum, Muniz draws his compatriot, Souza, attempting to improve to 3-0 under the promotion’s banner, with his most recent victory coming at UFC Vegas 9 last September, submitting Bartosz Fabinski. News of the matchup was first reported by Combate reporter, Raphael Marinho. 

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu icon, Souza is a stunning eight-time World Jiu-Jitsu Championship gold medalist, as well as scooping gold in two separate ADCC World Championship tournaments. Transitioning to professional mixed martial arts back in September of 2003, the Espirito Santo native has amassed an incredible fourteen submission wins from a total twenty-six professional triumphs.

A former Strikeforce middleweight champion, Souza bested Tim Kennedy to lift the vacant crown, before lodging his sole successful title knockback against future UFC welterweight best, Robbie Lawler.

Dropping a trio of defeats consecutively, the 41-year-old fell to a knockout loss to the above-mentioned, Holland, a decision loss to Jack Hermansson, and in a brief light heavyweight excursion at UFC Fight Night Sao Paulo back in November of 2019, suffered a split decision defeat to current 205-pound titleholder, Jan Blachowicz. 

With a 26-9 professional record, Souza has bested the likes of Alexander Shlemenko, Jason Miller, Matt Lindland, Derek Brunson (x2), Yushin Okami, Gegard Mousasi, Vitor Belfort, and in his most recent win, stopped former middleweight champion, Chris Weidman with strikes back in November of 2018 at UFC 230.

31-year-old Minas Gerais native, Muniz is currently riding a six-fight undefeated streak, attempting to lodge his third Octagon win with a major scalp over the veteran, Souza. 

With thirteen submission victories across his twenty professional wins, Muniz has managed to score notable career wins over former WEC middleweight champion, Paulo Filho, as well as Tiago Monaco, Flavio Magon, Bruno Assis, Taylor Johnson, and in his UFC debut, managed a unanimous decision win over Antonio Arroyo. 

UFC 262 takes place on May 15th. from the Toyota Centre in Houston, Texas — with a vacant undisputed lightweight championship matchup between the #3 ranked contender, Charles Oliveira, and the #4 rated, former three-time Bellator lightweight best, Michael Chandler taking headlining honours. 

Making his Octagon comeback this weekend at UFC 260 against Brazilian Muay Thai standout, Thomas Almeida, polarizing bantamweight, Sean O’Malley still maintains that he’s entering the matchup in an attempt to defend his undefeated record, claiming he “wasn’t beaten” by Marlon Vera at UFC 252 last August.

O’Malley, who makes his return to the Octagon, suffered a first round knockout loss to the Ecuadorian finisher, suffering as he claims “drop foot” in the matchup with Vera, who landed a calf kick on O’Malley midway through the opening round. 

As a result, O’Malley’s lateral and forward motion mobility was significantly hampered, with Vera able to capitalise on the injury flare up, to score a damaging ground-and-pound stoppage in the latter stages of the premier frame.

In the months since, O’Malley has echoed his initial claims that he’s still undefeated despite holding a 12-1 record, and although those claims have become somewhat of a “joke” to him, he still maintains he “wasn’t beaten‘ by the Team Oyama standout.

“I’ve been saying it (mentally undefeated) since the fight,” O’Malley said during a recent interview with ESPN MMA reporter, Ariel Helwani. “It’s kinda turned into a joke for me — I’ve explained it a bunch, but I’ll say it again for you. I don’t feel — I wasn’t beaten that night because my skills weren’t as good (as Vera’s) — I know you said, I think looking back on it — it was the calf kick. It definitely wasn’t a calf kick if you go back and rewatch it. Literally, his big toe hit my peroneal nerve and it caused drop foot.“

“It wasn’t a — calf kicks suck, you know, they hurt bad,” O’Malley explained. “But they don’t give you drop foot, at least with the first one, but yeah, I don’t know. It was — I didn’t feel like I lost cause my skills weren’t better than his. I had a great training camp, everything felt good, it just happened that way. But I don’t think I lost — I got a lot of sh*t for saying that, ‘mentally undefeated’ or whatever, but it is what it is. I’m excited to go back in there and perform.“

Forced to return to the win column for the first time in his career, O’Malley saw his twelve-fight undefeated streak halted by Vera, following Octagon victories over Terrion Ware, Andre Soutkhamthat, Jose Alberto Quinonez, as well as a Knockout of the Year candidate against former WEC bantamweight best, Eddie Wineland at UFC 250 last June.

Drawing 29-year-old Sao Paulo native, Almeida this weekend on the main card of UFC 260, the Brazilian enters the matchup attempting to snap a three-fight skid, most recently capped by a unanimous decision loss to UFC Vegas 21 feature, Jonathan Martinez on short-notice at UFC Fight Island 5 last October. 

Despite his ongoing battle with health effects amid a 2020 positive COVID-19 test result, surging prospect, Khamzat Chimaev insists he will return to active competition and continue his professional mixed martial arts career — claiming he’s “coming back to smash everybody“.

Chimaev, who has been forced to withdraw from two of three attempted main event pairings with the #3 ranked Leon Edwards since January, is still suffering from lingering health issues amid a positive test for the novel coronavirus late last year. 

The Chechen-born standout is currently in Las Vegas, Nevada where he is being treated by doctor’s per travel arrangements made by the UFC and is currently taking a course of the steroidal medicine, prednisone according to UFC president, Dana White.

Warned against training or preparing for an Octagon return, Chimaev, as per White ignored the advice issued by doctors, instead, maintaining a training schedule. 

On March 2nd., Chimaev posted on his official Instagram account, appearing to announce his retirement from mixed martial arts amid the ongoing health issues he’s been suffering.

“I want to say thank you all so much for supporting me in my journey in this sport,” Chimaev wrote via Google Translate. “I think I’m done, yes I know I didn’t take the belt but it’s not the most important victory in this life. It may upset you but my heart and body tell me everything. I want to say a big thank you to my team @allstargymsweden. I want to say a big thank you to @ufc.” 

Posting on his story, Chimaev shared an image of a bathroom sink containing droplets of blood, before detailing how the novel coronavirus is not something that can be easily overcome. “Take yourself and your family this is the most important thing. The main thing is I do not know what this disease is but it is not easily outlived.“

According to White, however, the promotion is still expecting Chimaev to return as soon as May. Republic of Chechnya leader, Ramzan Kadyrov also explained how he has spoken with the AllStars mainstay on the phone, more or less persuading the 26-year-old to continue with his career, noting how much of an influence he has on the younger generation in Chechnya. 

Chimaev’s manager, Dominance MMA leader, Ali Abdelaziz also posted on his official Twitter this afternoon, inviting the prospect of a return for his client against either Neil Magny or recent UFC Vegas 22 headliner, Kevin Holland.

“The wolf (Khamzat Chimaev) been in the mountain plotting coming to you in the summer @KChimaev #hungrywolf. I personally like (Neil) Magny or Kevin Holland both good test for the young man.“

I personally like Magny or Kevin Holland both good test for the young man https://t.co/8x5EsKahmb

— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) March 23, 2021

Appearing to confirm his manager’s claims of a summer return, Chimaev posted some artwork tonight, with the caption reading: “Surprise surprise I’m coming back to smash everybody.“

Surprise surprise I’m coming back to smash everybody pic.twitter.com/2oOFJ1N4CN

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) March 23, 2021

Out of action since UFC Vegas 11 in September last, Chimaev burst onto the UFC scene back on ‘Fight Island’ in July — notching a second round kimura win over John Philips, before handing former Cage Warriors standout, Rhys McKee an opening round knockout loss in a short-notice promotional bow just ten-days later in record-setting fashion.

In September, Chimaev met with Roufusport submission specialist, Gerald Meerschaert, launching a massive highlight-reel win — stopping the middleweight mainstay with a single-punch in just seventeen-seconds.