Tag: UFC 266

Dan Hooker Makes A Callout Following UFC 266 Victory

Dan Hooker knows who he would like to be standing across the cage from in his next fight. At UFC 266, Dan Hooker got back in the win column when he defeated Nasrat Haqparast via unanimous decision. Hooker is currently ranked #8 in the lightweight division while Haparast entered the bout unranked. Nevertheless, The Hangman […]

Continue Reading Dan Hooker Makes A Callout Following UFC 266 Victory at MMA News.

Dan Hooker knows who he would like to be standing across the cage from in his next fight.

At UFC 266, Dan Hooker got back in the win column when he defeated Nasrat Haqparast via unanimous decision. Hooker is currently ranked #8 in the lightweight division while Haparast entered the bout unranked. Nevertheless, The Hangman believes that with the number he currently has next to his name and the way the current lightweight landscape is shaking out, there is one name that he thinks would make the most sense for his next fight: #3-ranked Beneil Dariush.

“He’s the only one sitting there without a fight,” Hooker said at the UFC 266 post-fight news conference. “If you look at the rankings, every single one of them is booked except Tony Ferguson and Beneil Dariush.

“They just fought, so it doesn’t make sense for that fight to happen again. So Beneil Dariush is sitting there without a dance partner and that gets me out of bed in the morning, a fight like that. I like the look of his little number next to his name, I’d like to take that off him.”

Hooker had already inquired about Ferguson’s availability as well prior to being booked for UFC 266, but he revealed that he’s been told El Cucuy was unreachable and has gone rogue.

One person who won’t be thrilled to see yet another snub from Hooker will be the #13-ranked Arman Tsarukyan, who has been involved in a heated war of words with the New Zealander for weeks. He has specifically accused Hooker of ducking him out of fear, an accusation that The Hangman has scoffed at.

Who do you think would make more sense for Dan Hooker’s next fight: Beneil Dariush or Arman Tsarukyan?

Continue Reading Dan Hooker Makes A Callout Following UFC 266 Victory at MMA News.

Video: Watch Georges St-Pierre, Nick Diaz Shake Hands Backstage At UFC 266

Diaz St-PierreNick Diaz met an old friend at UFC 266 last night. Diaz returned to action for the first time since January 2015 when he fought Robbie Lawler in a middleweight rematch on the main card of the UFC 266 pay-per-view event. Despite having his moments, Diaz looked very slow and ultimately suffered a third-round TKO […]

Diaz St-Pierre

Nick Diaz met an old friend at UFC 266 last night.

Diaz returned to action for the first time since January 2015 when he fought Robbie Lawler in a middleweight rematch on the main card of the UFC 266 pay-per-view event.

Despite having his moments, Diaz looked very slow and ultimately suffered a third-round TKO defeat after it appeared that his knee gave out.

Regardless, it was still a unique experience to watch Diaz live again with many fans watching him for the first time. One fan in particular who was rooting for him was old rival Georges St-Pierre.

Having stated his desire to see Diaz do well and go on to challenge for the title in the future during fight week, “GSP” would even end up meeting the Stockton native before his fight in the locker room and shake hands with him.

You can see the interaction below:

This was especially cool to see given how heated the pair were with each other in the buildup to their highly-anticipated welterweight title fight back in 2013.

St-Pierre would end up winning a unanimous decision victory on that occasion.

Murphy Addresses Criticisms Of Her Corner In Post-UFC 266 Statement

Lauren Murphy has issued a statement following her loss to Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 266. At UFC 266, Valentina Shevchenko delivered the performance that, frankly, was expected from her by the MMA community and gamblers. It was a virtually flawless showing that saw Murphy outclassed from bell to bell before the fight came to a […]

Continue Reading Murphy Addresses Criticisms Of Her Corner In Post-UFC 266 Statement at MMA News.

Lauren Murphy has issued a statement following her loss to Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 266.

At UFC 266, Valentina Shevchenko delivered the performance that, frankly, was expected from her by the MMA community and gamblers. It was a virtually flawless showing that saw Murphy outclassed from bell to bell before the fight came to a close late in the fourth round.

Between rounds, Murphy tried to reset with the help of her coaches, but it was to no avail. The UFC commentating team, particularly Daniel Cormier, criticized the corner work of Murphy’s team. He likened their coaching to the type of treatment a parent would give their child who doesn’t have the heart to tell the harsh truth of what is taking place and what needs to be done to change it.

While Murphy did not reference these criticisms directly, she did stick up for the job her corner did during the fight amid other topics addressed in her heartfelt statement posted on Instagram, which you can read in full below.

Rough night at the office ? I couldn’t do shit in there last night. Sometimes it just be like that. It was an honor to share the cage with a fighter of Valentina’s caliber. I am proud to have earned a spot across from her. I loved the walkout and felt great in the cage. My corners did a great job too. They just kept it simple and positive, like I asked them to.

I can’t stand it when corners rush in and scream at a fighter about how they’re losing rounds… I know when I’m losing rounds and I knew I needed to make something happen. I couldn’t make it happen due to getting hit every time I tried?. As the great Chael P Sonnen once said, “The problem is, I was in there with a much better fighter tonight”

Shit happens, but I’m okay. We live to fight another day. Thank you @ufc @mickmaynard @danawhite for the opportunity, and thank you @bulletvalentina for the fight. It was an amazing experience to fight for the UFC title, I’ll never forget it or regret it. I’ll be back but for now I want to enjoy some time off.

What do you think of the job Lauren Murphy’s corner did during her fight against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 266?

Continue Reading Murphy Addresses Criticisms Of Her Corner In Post-UFC 266 Statement at MMA News.

Shevchenko Names Her Ultimate Goal As A Mixed Martial Artist

After yet another dominant title defense at UFC 266, Valentina Shevchenko has revealed her lofty ambitions as a mixed martial artist. Shevchenko (22-3) made light work of Lauren Murphy to defend her women’s flyweight title for the sixth time on Saturday night before a packed Las Vegas crowd. Murphy just didn’t have an answer for […]

Continue Reading Shevchenko Names Her Ultimate Goal As A Mixed Martial Artist at MMA News.

After yet another dominant title defense at UFC 266, Valentina Shevchenko has revealed her lofty ambitions as a mixed martial artist.

Shevchenko (22-3) made light work of Lauren Murphy to defend her women’s flyweight title for the sixth time on Saturday night before a packed Las Vegas crowd. Murphy just didn’t have an answer for the clinical strikes and blistering speed of the “Bullet,” who smashed her way to a TKO in the fourth round. 

The loss snapped Murphy’s five-fight win streak, which included victories over Joanne Calderwood and Roxanne Modafferi. For Shevchenko, she’s now unbeaten in eight fights, with her last loss coming against the only woman to ever pose a challenge, Amanda Nunes.

Valentina Shevchenko
PHOTO: MMA FIGHTING

Valentina Shevchenko Reveals Her Driving Ambition As A Fighter

Back-to-back losses to Nunes in 2016 and 2017 are the only blemishes on Shevchenko’s otherwise perfect fight record. And to her credit, the second loss came via split decision at bantamweight—a weight class for which Valentina is not naturally suited—against a much physically larger opponent in Nunes.

At flyweight, however, the “Bullet” seems untouchable. And speaking at the UFC 266 post-fight press conference, Shevchenko revealed that this is her ultimate goal as a mixed martial artist.

“I didn’t expect easy fight,” said Shevchenko. “Lauren, she’s a tough opponent. She’s physically very strong. But I wanted to play my game. And my ultimate goal as a martial artist: to reach the level when your opponents, when they’re fighting each other, they look like furious, powerful, very strong. But when they fight me, it’s kinda like they cannot touch you, but you can feel yourself. What I want (to be) as a martial artist: untouchable.”

What do you think? Is Valentina Shevchenko untouchable at flyweight?

Continue Reading Shevchenko Names Her Ultimate Goal As A Mixed Martial Artist at MMA News.

Shevchenko Names Her Ultimate Goal As A Mixed Martial Artist

After yet another dominant title defense at UFC 266, Valentina Shevchenko has revealed her lofty ambitions as a mixed martial artist. Shevchenko (22-3) made light work of Lauren Murphy to defend her women’s flyweight title for the sixth time on Saturday night before a packed Las Vegas crowd. Murphy just didn’t have an answer for […]

Continue Reading Shevchenko Names Her Ultimate Goal As A Mixed Martial Artist at MMA News.

After yet another dominant title defense at UFC 266, Valentina Shevchenko has revealed her lofty ambitions as a mixed martial artist.

Shevchenko (22-3) made light work of Lauren Murphy to defend her women’s flyweight title for the sixth time on Saturday night before a packed Las Vegas crowd. Murphy just didn’t have an answer for the clinical strikes and blistering speed of the “Bullet,” who smashed her way to a TKO in the fourth round. 

The loss snapped Murphy’s five-fight win streak, which included victories over Joanne Calderwood and Roxanne Modafferi. For Shevchenko, she’s now unbeaten in eight fights, with her last loss coming against the only woman to ever pose a challenge, Amanda Nunes.

Valentina Shevchenko
PHOTO: MMA FIGHTING

Valentina Shevchenko Reveals Her Driving Ambition As A Fighter

Back-to-back losses to Nunes in 2016 and 2017 are the only blemishes on Shevchenko’s otherwise perfect fight record. And to her credit, the second loss came via split decision at bantamweight—a weight class for which Valentina is not naturally suited—against a much physically larger opponent in Nunes.

At flyweight, however, the “Bullet” seems untouchable. And speaking at the UFC 266 post-fight press conference, Shevchenko revealed that this is her ultimate goal as a mixed martial artist.

“I didn’t expect easy fight,” said Shevchenko. “Lauren, she’s a tough opponent. She’s physically very strong. But I wanted to play my game. And my ultimate goal as a martial artist: to reach the level when your opponents, when they’re fighting each other, they look like furious, powerful, very strong. But when they fight me, it’s kinda like they cannot touch you, but you can feel yourself. What I want (to be) as a martial artist: untouchable.”

What do you think? Is Valentina Shevchenko untouchable at flyweight?

Continue Reading Shevchenko Names Her Ultimate Goal As A Mixed Martial Artist at MMA News.

Volkanovski Responds To Conor McGregor’s Tweet After UFC 266 Win

Alex Volkanovski has responded to a tweet Conor McGregor sent out following his UFC 266 victory. Volkanovski put the UFC Featherweight Championship on the line against Brian Ortega. The bout provided five rounds of action with some thrilling moments, including a near-submission victory from Ortega that Volkanovski somehow escaped. In the end, it was the […]

Continue Reading Volkanovski Responds To Conor McGregor’s Tweet After UFC 266 Win at MMA News.

Alex Volkanovski has responded to a tweet Conor McGregor sent out following his UFC 266 victory.

Volkanovski put the UFC Featherweight Championship on the line against Brian Ortega. The bout provided five rounds of action with some thrilling moments, including a near-submission victory from Ortega that Volkanovski somehow escaped. In the end, it was the champion who retained his gold.

McGregor sent out the following tweet at the conclusion of the barn burner.

“Not a bad fight. Congrats shartsy.”

Volkanovski was made aware of McGregor’s comments and had the following response.

“I heard about it, sounds like he’s on the piss. Good on em’, so am I. I would be too. Something about sharting or farting, doesn’t really make sense. It’s Conor, man. Conor doing Conor things, good on em’. I don’t know if it’s like he wants to come back down to 145, well obviously that’ll never happen.”

A reporter then pointed out that McGregor was likely responding to the UFC broadcast team claiming that Alex Volkanovski has beaten the two best featherweights of all time in Jose Aldo and Max Holloway.

“Yeah that would’ve stung him a little bit, that would’ve stung him a little bit. Especially while he’s on the piss, ya know. So anyway, I’m gonna be on the piss. Maybe you’ll see some weird f*cking tweets from me too.”

McGregor has often flirted with fighting featherweights such as Max Holloway again. The “Notorious” one was never beaten for the 145-pound gold, rather he was stripped after winning the lightweight title. McGregor hasn’t been seen in the featherweight division since Dec. 2015 when he knocked out Jose Aldo for the championship.

It appears that Volkanovski and McGregor are on two different paths. Volkanovski is the reigning champion at a lighter weight class, while McGregor is trying to snap out of a funk and once again become the lightweight king. He’s currently recovering from a broken tibia.

What do you make of Conor McGregor addressing Alex Volkanovski’s win over Brian Ortega?

Continue Reading Volkanovski Responds To Conor McGregor’s Tweet After UFC 266 Win at MMA News.