Tag: ufc 224

Amanda Nunes Only Focused On Keeping Title At UFC 224

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes hasn’t competed since September 2017 when she scored a split-decision victory over Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 215 and when she returns to action in the main event of May 12’s UFC 224 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she’ll meet a familiar face – well, sort of. Nunes will be […]

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UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes hasn’t competed since September 2017 when she scored a split-decision victory over Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 215 and when she returns to action in the main event of May 12’s UFC 224 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she’ll meet a familiar face – well, sort of.

Nunes will be taking on Raquel Pennington, the fiancé of strawweight contender Tecia Torres, who Nunes has trained with.  That, however, will not play a factor in the fight according to “The Lioness”:

“I don’t think it matters that much,” Nunes told MMAjunkie earlier this week in Rio. “When the door closes, only me and ‘Rocky’ know what’s going down. We think we know each other, but we don’t know because we never fought before, we never trained together before. It’s going to be a surprise for both of us.

“I know we’re going to be ready, but things are going to happen. Somebody has to win, and I know everything she brings, I’m going to be ready. I did train with Tecia (at American Top Team), and we were close in the gym. But stepping in that cage, no one knows what’s going down.”

There were rumors indicating that Nunes could next take on featherweight champion Cris Cyborg in a super fight, but Pennington ultimately received the call and she’s a deserving challenger nonetheless, as she’s won four consecutive fights.

Heading into this bout, Nunes is the betting favorite, however, which is a rarity for her, although she’s only focused on one thing and that’s making sure she walks out of the arena with her belt wrapped around her waist:

“This is the dangerous thing – I have to be careful,” Nunes said. “MMA is MMA – things can happen. When people underestimate somebody, they get stronger. I’ve been there before. I know how she feels right now, and I’m not going to let that get me down. That’s why it’s going to be good for me this camp, because I know all about what people say. I’m going to worry about me, do my thing, get 100 percent and keep my belt.”

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Tyron Woodley Reacts To Interim Title Bout Rumors

Some surprising news surfaced in mixed martial arts (MMA) yesterday (Thurs., March 22, 2018) when a report arrived the UFC was targeting an interim welterweight title bout between Rafael dos Anjos and Colby Covington at May’s UFC 224 from Rio de Janeiro. Upon second glance, it may not be all that surprising considering the UFC’s […]

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Some surprising news surfaced in mixed martial arts (MMA) yesterday (Thurs., March 22, 2018) when a report arrived the UFC was targeting an interim welterweight title bout between Rafael dos Anjos and Colby Covington at May’s UFC 224 from Rio de Janeiro.

Upon second glance, it may not be all that surprising considering the UFC’s extreme focus on interim title fights over the past year-and-a-half or so, but the timing was a bit odd because divisional champ Tyron Woodley, although on the sidelines since last July with a shoulder injury, was planning to return this summer.

So the outspoken 170-pound champ not surprisingly spoke up on the situation on this week’s episode of UFC Tonight (via MMA Weekly), detailing his recovery and projecting a July return:

“I feel really good. I had surgery in December. I had two series of PRP, as well as stem cell injections to my shoulder. I have one more series in April. After that, I’ll be in training camp.

“I fought four world title fights in 12 months, if anybody deserves to heal and be back at 100 percent (it’s me). I will be back when it’s time for Tyron Woodley to be back.

“My projection is July. The doctors are telling me that. I’m feeling good about it. I’m healing up very well. I’m back to training again. After I do that third series of PRP and stem cells, I’m gonna be 100 percent. Somebody is getting hurt.”

With Woodley predicting he’d be back in three months, he predictably scoffed at the prospect of an interim title being made after he had fought so often the year prior:

Woodley is on the mend, but his next fight is unknown in terms of date and opponent. He urged everyone to be a little patient with him, insisting that the top-ranked combatants in the deeply talented welterweight division would all get sent packing one by one.

He believes it’s an exciting time for the weight class, with surging names like dos Anjos and Convington joining rising contenders like Darren Till and Kamaru Usman stirring things up on social media, even if Woodley believes they ultimately don’t really want to face his jaw-dropping power:

“Everybody is gonna get it. It doesn’t matter. It’s just a matter of when. At the end of the day, every welterweight that wants to be at the top is gonna have to see me at some point,” Woodley said when asked about who is next for him.

“I could fight (Rafael Dos Anjos), I could fight Colby (Covington), I could fight (Kamaru) Usman, I could fight Darren Till. It’s a good time for the sport because I’ve got the red dot on me, but to be honest, I don’t think any of these guys want to see me. I’ve already beat the toughest guys in the division. I’m the champion for a reason. I got here the old school way,” he continued.

“They are doing what they are supposed to. They’re supposed to want to fight me. They’re supposed to want to be the UFC champion, but it’s not gonna happen.”

‘The Chosen One’ is correct in his suggestion that the welterweight division is buzzing with top contenders and talent at the present moment, but the issue is all of them are just talking about fighting each other instead of actually sorting out the mess at the top.

With dos Anjos rumored to face Covington in Brazil and Till supposedly headlining UFC Liverpool against former title challenger Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson, the division should get some much-needed direction in the somewhat near future.

If and when it does, the returning ruler will hopefully have his next rival.

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Amanda Nunes Unfazed by Past Training Link Ahead of UFC 224

Amanda Nunes isn’t worried about a training link with Raquel Pennington before their title clash. Nunes will put her Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight title on the line against Pennington at UFC 224. The bout will be…

Amanda Nunes isn’t worried about a training link with Raquel Pennington before their title clash. Nunes will put her Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight title on the line against Pennington at UFC 224. The bout will be held inside the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It’ll be “The Lioness’” third title defense. There’s […]

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Colby Covington vs. Rafael dos Anjos Targeted For Interim Welterweight Title (Updated)

UPDATE: Sources have confirmed that Covington vs. dos Anjos is indeed in the works for UFC 224. Verbal agreements are in place. Original: If reports are to be believed, then Colby Covington and Rafael dos Anjos may be headed for an interim welterweight…

UPDATE: Sources have confirmed that Covington vs. dos Anjos is indeed in the works for UFC 224. Verbal agreements are in place. Original: If reports are to be believed, then Colby Covington and Rafael dos Anjos may be headed for an interim welterweight title clash. Chris Taylor of BJPenn.com says that sources have informed him […]

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Mackenzie Dern’s Next Fight Set For UFC 224

Mackenzie Dern isn’t wasting any time returning to the Octagon. The hyped 6-0 strawweight prospect just made her UFC debut with a hard-fought split decision win over Ashley Yoder at March 3’s UFC 222, and after calling for a fight at UFC 224 in the momenta afterward, she’s headed back to the origins of her championship-winning […]

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Mackenzie Dern isn’t wasting any time returning to the Octagon.

The hyped 6-0 strawweight prospect just made her UFC debut with a hard-fought split decision win over Ashley Yoder at March 3’s UFC 222, and after calling for a fight at UFC 224 in the momenta afterward, she’s headed back to the origins of her championship-winning Brazilian jiu-jitsu pedigree.

News broke from MMA Brasil Wednesday that Dern will make a fast turnaround to face former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 20 finalist Amanda Bobby Cooper at May 24’s UFC 224 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Dern, the daughter of BJJ great Wellington “Megaton” Dias, is widely regarded as one of the finest female submission artists in the world, owning a win over feared champion Gabi Garcia. She’s submitted her foe in three of her six total mixed martial arts bouts, and the 24-year-old Brazilian-American would appear to have a match-up tailor-made for her skillset in Cooper, who has lost all three of her defeats by submission.

But the 3-3 Cooper did make it to the TUF 20 finals, and also picked up a one-sided TKO win over Angela Magana in her last bout to regain some much-needed momentum after tapping out to a Cynthia Calvillo rear-naked choke in her prior fight at UFC 209 in 2016.

Dern did show some wild inexperience on the feet against Yoder. She was prone to wild, lunging punches that left her chin incredibly open, and indeed Yoder dropped her with a big punch at one point. Yet there’s little doubt Cooper will be in imminent danger if the fight hits the mat.

‘ABC’ doesn’t seem to be phased by that fact, however, posting that she’s been training for a long while to beat Dern and would derail her hype train:

UFC 224 features a women’s bantamweight championship bout between hometown fan favorite Amanda Nunes and challenger Raquel Pennington.

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Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Cooper Expected for UFC 224 in Brazil

Mackenzie Dern wanted to waste no time before booking her next fight and it appears she will get her wish with a matchup against Amanda Cooper in the works for UFC 224 in Brazil. Sources close to the matchup confirmed the news on Wednesday following an…

Mackenzie Dern wanted to waste no time before booking her next fight and it appears she will get her wish with a matchup against Amanda Cooper in the works for UFC 224 in Brazil. Sources close to the matchup confirmed the news on Wednesday following an initial report from MMABrasil.com. Dern made her Octagon debut […]

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