Tag: UFC 260

Francis Ngannou Details Inner Struggles After UFC 220 Loss to Miocic

Francis Ngannou has a chance that not everyone is guaranteed in this life: an opportunity to vanquish past demons when he faces Stipe Miocic at UFC 260. Losing is never a pleasant experience for any true, pure competitor, but the levels of despair that…

Francis Ngannou has a chance that not everyone is guaranteed in this life: an opportunity to vanquish past demons when he faces Stipe Miocic at UFC 260. Losing is never a pleasant experience for any true, pure competitor, but the levels of despair that accompany it vary from person to person. For Francis Ngannou, the […]

Vicente Luque: Tyron Woodley Still Dangerous Despite Recent Setbacks

Luque Tyron WoodleyVicente Luque will not be underestimating Tyron Woodley one bit. Luque takes on the former welterweight champion in the co-main event of UFC 260 which takes place Saturday at the Apex facility in Las Vegas. For Luque, it’s not only a chance to earn arguably the biggest win of his career, but also climb up […]

Luque Tyron Woodley

Vicente Luque will not be underestimating Tyron Woodley one bit.

Luque takes on the former welterweight champion in the co-main event of UFC 260 which takes place Saturday at the Apex facility in Las Vegas.

For Luque, it’s not only a chance to earn arguably the biggest win of his career, but also climb up further up the welterweight ranks as he currently rides a two-fight winning streak.

Oddsmakers believe he will do it as well as Woodley is on the worst stretch of his career with three straight defeats including losing his last 14 rounds of competition.

That said, Luque still believes Woodley can be dangerous.

“This is a great fight,” Luque told MMA Junkie. “It makes sense for this bout to happen now. Woodley is an ex-champion. He’s not in a good spot right now, but he remains highly dangerous. He has several great wins in his career, and I’m on a new winning streak. I’m hungry to get a title shot.

“Both of us have something to prove. He wants to be champ again, and I want to prove that I can also get there and be one of the most dominant fighters in our weight class. I believe now is the ideal time for this fight. Fans should not miss this one.”

Luque has won eight of his last nine outings. His only defeat in that run came at the hands of Stephen Thompson who denied him an opportunity to crack into the top five.

However, the Brazilian is viewing that as a learning experience as he has quickly rebounded with two impressive wins and will look to make it three this weekend.

“Now I’m coming off two good wins,” Luque added. “Before that, I lost a decision to Stephen Thompson. I learned a lot about sticking to a strategy. I made mistakes against Thompson, mainly in the second and third rounds. I ended up not doing things in the fight which we had planned for.

“It was a big learning experience. I was able to apply those lessons during the rematch against Niko Price, and especially against Randy Brown. I had good results because I followed our gameplan. There were lessons I needed to learn. Now I’m back to my winning ways. I’m looking forward to another great fight.”

Who do you have winning this fight?

Brian Ortega Sends Message To Alexander Volkanovski After UFC 260 Fight Is Called Off

Ortega VolkanovskiBrian Ortega is wishing Alexander Volkanovski a speedy recovery. Ortega was set to challenge Volkanovski for the featherweight title in the co-main event of the UFC 260 pay-per-view event taking place next week. However, it was recently reported that it had been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. Later on, it was revealed that the reason […]

Ortega Volkanovski

Brian Ortega is wishing Alexander Volkanovski a speedy recovery.

Ortega was set to challenge Volkanovski for the featherweight title in the co-main event of the UFC 260 pay-per-view event taking place next week.

However, it was recently reported that it had been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. Later on, it was revealed that the reason was because Volkanovski had tested positive.

“So devastated to share that I’ve tested positive for Covid and my fight is off and will be rescheduled,” Volkanovski wrote on social media. “I tested negative leaving Australia, negative before entering the UFC bubble but my latest test was positive. We have worked so hard getting ready for this fight and I’m absolutely gutted this has happened. We followed every policy and process to remain covid free but it wasn’t meant to be this time.

“Thanks to everyone here in the States for your support since arriving and everyone back home and around the world for your positive messages. To my fans, I’m certain I’ll be bouncing back stronger than ever before.”

It’s a big blow to the card and to both fighters, but Ortega is seemingly handling it well as he responded to Volkanovski soon after.

“Volkanovski tested positive for COVID. He’s done everything right, we’ve done everything right,” Ortega said in a video posted on social media. “I know you would have took the fight no matter what, even with COVID. That’s the type of human you are. I respect that. I hope you get better, I hope you heal up fast. We’ll postpone it and we’ll just reschedule it [when] we got to. Stay sharp, we’re staying sharp. Whenever this sh*t is meant to happen, it’ll happen.

“… Some things are out of our control. Learn to accept the things you have no control of. Don’t let it influence your emotions.”

Hopefully, Volkanovski recovers quickly and we won’t have to wait too long to see what should be an explosive matchup.

Alexander Volkanovski Issues Statement After Ortega Fight Cancellation

The UFC featherweight championship bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega is off the UFC 260 lineup next Saturday. It was reported during the UFC Vegas 22 broadcast that there will now be only one championship bout on the UFC 260 card afte…

The UFC featherweight championship bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega is off the UFC 260 lineup next Saturday. It was reported during the UFC Vegas 22 broadcast that there will now be only one championship bout on the UFC 260 card after featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski tested positive for COVID-19. The main event between […]

Brian Ortega Wouldn’t Feel Like A Champion Without Beating Max Holloway

OrtegaBrian Ortega won’t feel like a champion until he defeats Max Holloway. Ortega returns to action on March 27 when he challenges Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title in the co-main event of UFC 260. It will be his second attempt at the 145-pound strap after suffering a brutal fourth-round TKO defeat to Holloway in […]

Ortega

Brian Ortega won’t feel like a champion until he defeats Max Holloway.

Ortega returns to action on March 27 when he challenges Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title in the co-main event of UFC 260.

It will be his second attempt at the 145-pound strap after suffering a brutal fourth-round TKO defeat to Holloway in their title fight back in December 2018.

And while beating Volkanovski and inflicting the Aussie’s first UFC defeat would be some achievement, Ortega still can’t feel “100 percent the champ” until he exacts revenge on Holloway.

“I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately,” Ortega told ESPN (via MMA Junkie). “It’s like, OK, you win, you’re the champ, but this man beat you. I wouldn’t feel 100 percent the champ if I didn’t run it back. That man has that on his resume. He gave you your first loss, something you can never take from him. So now it’s like, well, we gotta make this right. So, yes, it would be amazing (to win the title) because there’s no credit taken from Alex Volkanovski. This man won twice over Max despite what everyone wants to talk about or say.

“Obviously it would be amazing to be a champ and say mission accomplished. You told yourself you’re gonna get this belt, and you did it. Congratulations. Now f*ck this belt – Max. I’m a fighter, bro. I think he said it, ‘Bro, you beat me one time, I’m gonna want to fight you again. You beat me two times, I’m gonna want to fight you 80 times so I can beat you,’ and that’s the same mentality that I have. You f*ck me up 20 times, I’m gonna come back the 21st time. I still want something. I’m stubborn or a competitor, whatever you want to call it, but I have that fire in me, and that’s how I got better in the gym.”

Of course, this is all under the assumption that Ortega beats Volkanovski.

That hasn’t happened as of yet, and “T-City” is not underestimating the current featherweight king at all.

“I feel like he’s very technical,” Ortega added. “I feel like it’s gonna be somewhat of that type of fight. The man is a specimen when he goes in there and how he moves and how he creates his opportunities and how he goes and wins rounds and does what he does. Then when you try and push the pace and someone knows how to stop you, you also get respect.

“So he’s an interesting one. So now it’s time to go in there and decipher this puzzle. Who knows what it’s gonna take? I still have to get punched by him and feel what it has to take or share the octagon with him, but it’s something I look forward to.”

Do you think Ortega can become featherweight champion and go on to face Holloway in a rematch?