Marlon Vera: Sean O’Malley ‘Can Go F—k Himself’

Marlon Vera has had enough of the dismissive comments of Sean O’Malley.

One of the biggest wins to come in the career of “Chito” Vera was also his most controversial. When taking on “Suga'” Sean O’Malley at UFC 252, last August, he got a TKO after …

Marlon Vera Sean O'Malley

Marlon Vera has had enough of the dismissive comments of Sean O’Malley.

One of the biggest wins to come in the career of “Chito” Vera was also his most controversial. When taking on “Suga'” Sean O’Malley at UFC 252, last August, he got a TKO after a leg kick numbed the nerves in O’Malley’s ankle, leading to him falling to the ground and succumbing to ground and pound from the Ecudorian.

Ever since that fight, which was the first loss of O’Malley’s career, he denied that Vera had ever beaten him, regularly throwing shade his way and constantly saying that he is still undefeated. It would seem that “Chito” has had enough though, as when asked about it during the UFC 268 media scrum, he had some quite aggressive language about O’Malley, saying that he does not care what “Suga'” has to say.

“I said it many times before, we are in the times where everything is (about) clout. Everything is like… who you hang out with. I don’t give a shit what he says, I knocked him out. You can say whatever you want, you can make fun of it, but at the end of the day he’s going to bed every night knowing I put him out,” Vera said.

“We can talk crazy shit. I can use my social media and just say crazy shit, and I know people will like that, but I keep it real. I like to be real, I like to say facts, and I earned everything I have in my life by going forward and going hard. So he can go fuck himself.”

While an eventual rematch between the two is far from out of the question, they are on different paths in their careers at the moment. Marlon Vera is set to take on number eight ranked Frankie Edgar, as he continues to try chipping away at the bantamweight ranks, while Sean O’Malley does not seem particularly interested in facing ranked fighters at the current rate of pay that he is making.

Watch Marlon Vera’s full media scrum below:

Continue Reading Marlon Vera: Sean O’Malley ‘Can Go F—k Himself’ at MMA News.

White Explains Why Usman Is Sizably Favored To Beat Covington

The UFC 268 main event odds are surprising to the company’s president.

Tomorrow night, Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington will face-off in a rematch of their 2019 “Fight of the Year” contender. The first fight surprised many when the pair decided to…

The UFC 268 main event odds are surprising to the company’s president.

Tomorrow night, Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington will face-off in a rematch of their 2019 “Fight of the Year” contender. The first fight surprised many when the pair decided to forgo their superior grappling and throw hands for the duration. The bout ended with Usman earning a TKO victory in the fifth round. 

So while it makes sense that a defending champion who won the first fight would be a favorite in the rematch, Dana White is surprised at just how sizable a favorite Usman is.

“Yeah, that is pretty shocking. It means to me that the oddsmakers think Colby hasn’t fought in a while and Usman has gotten much better since their first fight. But Colby Covington’s a dangerous dude, man, and he is highly motivated to win this. I mean, just the hatred between these two alone is enough motivation, let alone becoming a world champion and life-changing money, and all that type of stuff,” White explained to Kevin Iole at Yahoo Sports

Kamaru Usman, Jorge Masvidal UFC 261
Kamaru Usman lands the final blows on Jorge Masviadal Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

At the time of writing, Bovada lists the champion as a -310 favorite with Covington coming back as the underdog at +240. This means that a $310 bet on Usman will net the bettor $100 should Usman win, while a $100 bet of Covington will bring in $240 for the bettor. 

As White pointed out, Usman’s activity since the first fight is likely a big factor in these odds. The Nigerian-American fought Jorge Masvidal twice, finishing him brutally in the second bout, and TKO’d Gilbert Burns since 2019.  

Covington’s only fight in that time saw him take a decision over a fading Tyron Woodley in September 2020.

Continue Reading White Explains Why Usman Is Sizably Favored To Beat Covington at MMA News.

UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington Staff Predictions

UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington is almost here and we’ve got you covered with our expert Staff Predictions.

Arguably the best card of 2021 goes down in The World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden in New York tomorrow, November 6. The event wi…

UFC 268 Poster

UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington is almost here and we’ve got you covered with our expert Staff Predictions.

Arguably the best card of 2021 goes down in The World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden in New York tomorrow, November 6. The event will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view, and the lineup in store for fans will be worth every penny. The main card begins at 10:00 PM ET, with the ESPNews preliminary card kicking off at 8:00 PM and the early prelims starting at 5:00 PM.

The UFC 268 main event will be a rematch of our 2019 Fight of the Year between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington. There will be another rematch with gold on the line when “Thug” Rose Namajunas puts up her strawweight title against Zhang Weili. And who could ever overlook the lightweight banger between Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler?

Also on the main card will be former champion Frankie Edgar facing Marlon “Chito” Vera. Plus, Shane Burgos will also be in action against Billy Quarantillo.

UFC 268 Staff Predictions

MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 268 updates. Staff members Andrew Ravens, Ed Carbajal, and Harvey Leonard have provided predictions for the main card. Here is the full main card lineup for tomorrow night:

UFC Welterweight Championship Bout: Kamaru Usman (c) vs. Colby Covington

UFC Strawweight Championship Bout: Rose Namajunas (c) vs. Zhang Weili

Frankie Edgar vs. Marlon Vera

Shane Burgos vs. Billy Quarantillo   

Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler

Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler

Justin Gaethje Michael Chandler
Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler

Andrew Ravens: This is the people’s main event right here. Two elite fighters that should take part in a war inside of the Octagon. Both fighters are coming off losses to the division’s bests so that’s nothing to take away from them. I see Chandler wanting it more and will find a way around Gaethje. If we’re being honest, it really could go either way, so I have Chandler winning the last two rounds to get the decision win. (Prediction: Michael Chandler)

Ed Carbajal: If any fight is for the harcore fans, this is it. This is their main-event. The former WSOF lightweight champion versus the former Bellator MMA lightweight champion. No one is more game than these two lightweights, but Chandler has lost to leg kicks in the Garden before. Leg kicks is something Gaethje is very good at and if luck has anything to do with it, Gaethje’s luck in The Garden has been good and Chandler’s, not so much. (Prediction: Justin Gaethje)

Harvey Leonard: This really is a coin flip. While the current Gaethje is a different iteration than the one who was finished by Alvarez and Poirier, he was still floored by Ferguson last year. With the power of Chandler, that could certainly happen on Saturday. In the same vein, “Iron” was finished by Oliveira, who is by no means a striking phenom or powerhouse. There’s no doubt “The Highlight” could get the job done with his hands.

Ultimately, I’d expect Gaethje to avoid Chandler’s takedown attempts, which, despite the pre-fight narrative, I think are inevitable. I’m not confident in backing either to finish the other. With that in mind, it comes down to who I believe will have the advantage across three rounds on the feet, and that’s Gaethje. (Prediction: Justin Gaethje)

Consensus: 2-1 Gaethje

Shane Burgos vs. Billy Quarantillo   

https://www.photojoiner.net/image/E6zEvk5E
Billy Quarantillo vs. Shane Burgos

Andrew Ravens: This is a really fun fight that is flying under the radar, but we have two finishers whether that’s knocking someone out or submitting them. Based on their recent histories, they do have a track record of finishing a fight then going to a decision, and they’re both coming off finishes so it will likely go to the judges. Burgos has been on a losing streak in his last two fights, but he’s faced tougher competition. Burgos rebounds with a decision win. (Prediction: Shane Burgos)

Ed Carbajal: This is a really good featherweight matchu,p with Burgos coming off two losses in a row and Quarantillo trying to keep his win streak going. Burgos will want to break the losing streak, and being the hometown fighter against a slow starter like Quarantillo makes me think he can do just that. (Prediction: Shane Burgos)

Harvey Leonard: Despite losing his last two, Burgos continues to entertain every time he enters the Octagon. This fight should see him maintain that reputation but also return to the win column. While Quarantillo is dangerous on the feet, “Hurricane” is just that bit slicker and sharper. If Burgos trust his chin too much like he did against Edson Barboza, and allows himself to get picked apart with kicks, that could be all she wrote for his place in the rankings.

However, I expect this to essentially be a flip of the script from Burgos’ defeats to Emmett and Barboza. While the fights were entertaining and competitive, Burgos was narrowly worse off from the exchanges. I expect that to be the opposite this time around. (Prediction: Shane Burgos)

Consensus: 3-0 Burgos

Frankie Edgar vs. Marlon Vera

Frankie Edgar Marlon Vera
(via Zuffa LLC)

Andrew Ravens: Both guys are entering this fight with a roller coaster of past performances as of late. Edgar is an aging fighter who is past his prime, and I just see a way he beats the younger Vera, who will be in the division to stay for the next five years as a notable fighter. Vera makes a statement with a first-round KO win. (Prediction: Marlon Vera)

Ed Carbajal: This one’s tough because Edgar’s not only a favorite for NY/NJ MMA but has fought some legendary fights. He’s the older fighter, in a weight class that has not been kind to him when he went lighter. His career was originally at lightweight, and his last loss at that weight class was a knock out. Vera might be able to pick up the win here if there are no issues on fight week (Marlon Vera).

Harvey Leonard: Edgar no longer has the volume and output that gave him the edge over so many on the feet. Against a young, hard-swinging contender like “Chito,” Edgar might find himself taking more damage than he wants. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see “The Answer” try and take the fight to the ground to secure a couple of rounds in a fashion similar to José Aldo’s victory over Vera last December.

However, we saw Munhoz defend a few takedowns against Edgar and I’d expect Vera to keep the majority of the fight on the feet. In that scenario, I believe his vicious body and leg attacks will do the damage. (Prediction: Marlon Vera)

Consensus: 3-0 Vera

Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili

Andrew Ravens: This fight answers the question of whether Rose is truly back or not. While yes, she dominated Jéssica Andrade and did beat Weili in their past fight, some could argue that Zhang just got caught. Let’s find out. MSG is also the same spot where Rose won the strap, so there’s that. I think Zhang just had an off-night. And as much as I would love to see Rose be the dominant fighter she once was, I see Zhang edging her out by split decision to reclaim her title. (Prediction: Zhang Weili)

Ed Carbajal: One thing Namajunas has proven in her career is that when she gets a rematch, she wins the rematch. All of her rematches are to former champions an bothl of them she won. This is her third rematch, and it’s hard to see it going any differently. Maybe it will go the distance, but Namajunas’ track record and evolution as a mixed martial artist are hard to ignore. (Prediction: Rose Namajunas)

Harvey Leonard: Zhang hadn’t been knocked out like she was against UFC 261 in her 22 fights prior. That’s not to say Namajunas’ victory was a fluke. But given Zhang’s record and the war she went through with J?drzejczyk, in which she ate the hardest shots the Pole had to offer, I’m confident to assume a KO like that won’t happen again, especially considering how clear her errors were.

I expect this weekend’s co-main event to go the distance. If Zhang can stay in range and maintain the level of volume she did against J?drzejczyk, I can’t see her being outpointed across five rounds. It’s always tough to bet against “Thug Rose” but before April, I believed Zhang was set for a long reign. That KO loss hasn’t changed my view on her ability to dominate the division. (Prediction: Zhang Weili)

Consensus: 2-1 Zhang

Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington

Andrew Ravens: A highly anticipated rematch, but not much has changed with these two fighters as Covington got one impressive win over an aging Tyron Woodley while Usman continues to be the best fighter in the division and backing up that statement every time he fights. While I think Covington is the best fighter to give Usman a real challenge, Usman will overcome that challenge en route to a unanimous decision win. (Prediction: Kamaru Usman)

Ed Carbajal: Usman has evolved into a beast as of late. To the point he is rematching opponents he has already beaten. First it was Jorge Masvidal, who he finished after winning the decision in their first outing, and now Covington. He finished Covington in the final round in their first fight; he probably does it sooner at UFC 268. (Prediction: Kamaru Usman)

Harvey Leonard: Given what Covington’s done since UFC 245 and what Usman’s done in comparison, I can’t see any logical explanation for suggesting “Chaos” will beat the champion. Not only has Usman been far more active and comfortably turned away the challenges of top contenders, but he’s grown exponentially under the tutelage of Trevor Wittman.

Covington has recorded a sole win over a declining Woodley, and whilst we’re yet to see a real demonstration of “Covington 2.0” since his ATT departure, I can’t see a way his growth will have surpassed Usman’s in the same period. The pair engaged in a stand-up war in 2019 before the champ’s striking was polished. As we saw against Masvidal, “The Nigerian Nightmare” is now lethal on the feet. If the fight stays standing, Usman ends it before the final horn. (Prediction: Kamaru Usman)

Consensus: 3-0 Usman

That’ll do it for our UFC 268 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the UFC 268 undercard below.

Preliminary Card (ESPN+ & ESPNews, 8:00 PM ET)

  • Al Iaquinta vs. Bobby Green (Lightweight)
  • Alex Pereira vs. Andreas Michailidis (Middleweight)
  • Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Nassourdine Imavov (Middleweight)
  • Ian Garry vs. Jordan Williams (Welterweight)

Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass, 6:00 PM ET)

  • Gian Villante vs. Chris Barnett (Heavyweight)
  • Aleksa Camur vs. John Allan (Light Heavyweight)
  • Dustin Jacoby vs. John Allan (Light Heavyweight)
  • Melsik Baghdasaryan vs. Bruno Souza (Featherweight)
  • Ode Osbourne vs. CJ Vergara (Flyweight)

Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 268!

Continue Reading UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington Staff Predictions at MMA News.

Usman Would Like Covington Trilogy Even If He Beats “Chaos” Again

Despite planning for an emphatic second victory over Colby Covington at UFC 268, UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman doesn’t want it to signal the end of their rivalry.

Since reaching the top of the 170-pound mountain, Usman has been dominant. T…

Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman

Despite planning for an emphatic second victory over Colby Covington at UFC 268, UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman doesn’t want it to signal the end of their rivalry.

Since reaching the top of the 170-pound mountain, Usman has been dominant. There’s no doubt he’s developed into one of the top champions in the UFC, and he’s certainly making a run for GOAT status. Having dethroned Tyron Woodley in 2019, Usman’s first challenge came from Covington.

At UFC 245, the pair collided in a memorable main event. After four competitive rounds, many had it 2-2 on their scorecards. Ultimately, the champ’s power and conditioning proved to be the edge. After two knockdowns, referee Marc Goddard ended the fight with less than a minute remaining.

Whilst Covington has entered the cage just once in the near-two-year period since, a stoppage victory over the now-released Tyron Woodley, “The Nigerian Nightmare” has defended his belt a further three times. Having pushed past the challenges of Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal, Usman will look to prove his dominance over “Chaos” this Saturday inside Madison Square Garden.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVvBj5MNOe4/

Usman Hopes Covington Stays In Contention

As well as a high level of competition and activity since his first meeting with Covington, Usman has also formed a formidable partnership with renowned coach Trevor Wittman. The champion’s team switch has seen him grow to new levels on the feet, resulting in the finish of Burns in February and the brutal knockout of “Gamebred” in April.

While Covington has also changed camps, making the move from American Top Team to MMA Masters, his new setup is yet to be tried and tested against a top opponent. With that said, many, including Usman’s teammate Justin Gaethje, have predicted another display of dominance from the champ.

While he certainly wants to put his arch-rival away again, Usman isn’t keen on closing the Covington chapter of his career. Speaking at UFC 268 media day, “The Nigerian Nightmare” suggested he’d like the former interim champ to make his way back into title contention following this weekend’s event. That desire derives from Usman’s monetary aspirations, something he believes pay-per-view headliners with Covington help fulfil.

“I don’t know. Because now, I’m in the business of pay-per-views. So I don’t know if I want him that far back. Of course, I want to go out there and stop him, but I want him to quickly make his way back so I can stop him again for a little bit more money,” Usman said with a wide smile. 

Interestingly, Covington doesn’t believe Usman will want a trilogy even if he loses the title on Saturday night. Whilst a third fight seems likely if we hear ‘and new’ at UFC 268, another shot at Usman’s throne would likely be some way away for “Chaos” if he falls short of gold again. That’s especially true with contenders like Leon Edwards, Vicente Luque, and now Khamzat Chimaev all vying for a crack at unseating the champ.

Who do you think will leave Madison Square Garden with the welterweight gold, Kamaru Usman or Colby Covington?

Continue Reading Usman Would Like Covington Trilogy Even If He Beats “Chaos” Again at MMA News.

Justin Gaethje Addresses Spat With ‘Incredibly Biased’ Daniel Cormier

Justin Gaethje was not happy with Daniel Cormier suggesting Islam Makhachev gets the next title shot.

Cormier made this declaration after seeing his teammate, Makhachev victiorious at UFC 267, saying in the Octagon that he should get the next title…

Justin Gaethje Daniel Cormier

Justin Gaethje was not happy with Daniel Cormier suggesting Islam Makhachev gets the next title shot.

Cormier made this declaration after seeing his teammate, Makhachev victiorious at UFC 267, saying in the Octagon that he should get the next title shot. The only problem with that is Gaethje is fighting Michael Chandler at UFC 268 in what many are looking at as a #1-contender’s fight.

Following Cormier’s declaration in the Octagon, he and Gaethje had a bit of a back and forth on Twitter, that started with the lightweight contender accusing DC of verbal fellatio on his teammate. It then turned into a back and forth that saw the former two-division champ tell Gaethje to be focused on what’s ahead.

“Suck it harder @dc_mma” Gaethje wrote.

“I can’t fight you, but Islam can my guy. You just go and do what you do next week. You may be safe I’m not sure champ. @Justin_Gaethje” Cormier responded.

“You brought my name up. It wasn’t going to come out of anybody’s mouth,” Gaethje fired back.

“I literally asked why he should get title shot over you? Because he has to convince he deserves to jump you. Hell I thought you should have been in the fight with Charles. Have said it publicly. Calm down highlight , you’re my favorite fighter,” Cormier replied.

Justin Gaethje Addresses Social Media Spat With Cormier

Naturally, this tension between Justin Gaethje and Daniel Cormier was brought up during the UFC 268 pre-fight press conference. Here, the former interim lightweight champ made it clear that he has nothing personal against DC, but feels that he crossed the line into being too biased during his duties as a commentator, no matter how impressive Makhachev looked.

“Yeah (Makhachev’s win) was impressive. Sucks for Dan, late replacement. He wasn’t the guy coming off a full camp for Islam. That’s what that was,” Gaehtje said.

(Cormier) was incredibly biased. At the end of the day, I love Cormier… I felt it was my job that night to tweet and call it out because that’s what I saw. Outside that, it doesn’t matter. I think he knows that he should be in an unbiased mindset when he’s doing this, and I would hope that’s important to him.”

There are certainly some good points that Justin Gaethje is making here, even if he is speaking from a place of his own biases. It will be interesting to see if the UFC goes with Islam Makhachev as the next title contender or the winner of his fight with Michael Chandler.

You can watch the full media scrum below:

Continue Reading Justin Gaethje Addresses Spat With ‘Incredibly Biased’ Daniel Cormier at MMA News.

Highlights & Recap Of Volatile UFC 268 Pre-Fight Press Conference

The UFC 268 pre-fight press conference has wrapped up, and you can find the recap and highlights of all its intensity right here.

At UFC 268 in Madison Square Garden, there will be two title fights, but it will feel more like a triple-header of mai…

Usman Covington Face-Off

The UFC 268 pre-fight press conference has wrapped up, and you can find the recap and highlights of all its intensity right here.

At UFC 268 in Madison Square Garden, there will be two title fights, but it will feel more like a triple-header of main-event-worthy bouts. That’s because the third wheel of the trio of big fights will be “The Highlight” Justin Gaethje taking on “Iron” Michael Chandler in a bout that will kick off the main card.

In the title fights, fans will see Rose Namajunas defend her strawweight title against Zhang Weili in a rematch of their April encounter. And the night will conclude with another championship rematch when Kamaru Usman defends his welterweight championship against Colby Covington in a rematch of their 2019 classic.

All six competitors were in the house for the press conference, and you can find some of the most memorable moments below.

Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili

Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler

Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington

Extended UFC 268 Pre-Fight Press Conference Highlights

You can find an extended collection of the biggest moments from the UFC 268 pre-fight press conference below in the following video.

Full UFC 268 Pre-Fight Press Conference

If you want to check out the full, uncut UFC 268 pre-fight press conference, you can watch the video below!

Continue Reading Highlights & Recap Of Volatile UFC 268 Pre-Fight Press Conference at MMA News.