Tag: ufc 270

Two Major Changes To UFC 270 Card Announced

UFC 270 is just a week away, but there have been a few changes to the card.

The UFC 270 card will be the first UFC Pay-Per-View in 2022 and it is stacked. The headliner is a heavyweight title matchup between Francis Ngannou and interim champion Ci…

UFC 270

UFC 270 is just a week away, but there have been a few changes to the card.

The UFC 270 card will be the first UFC Pay-Per-View in 2022 and it is stacked. The headliner is a heavyweight title matchup between Francis Ngannou and interim champion Ciryl Gane.

The interesting circumstances between these two fighters and the fact that they used to train together have made this bout the standout on the card. The rest of the main card and prelims are filled with top talent as well. However, there have been two important changes to the event recently.

The first change is Greg Hardy is off of the UFC 270 lineup. Aleksei Oleinik was originally booked to face Hardy but had to withdraw from the bout. Hardy was then paired against Sergey Spivak. Hardy made the announcement himself on Instagram.

The other shake-up to the UFC 270 fight card is Charles Jourdain has stepped in to face Ilia Topuria after his original opponent Movsar Evloev fell ill. This news was first reported by Álvaro Gª Colmenero on Twitter. Topuria is currently undefeated as a professional and is now on a three-win streak in the UFC. Jourdain is coming off a win over Andre Ewell just a few weeks ago.

With these last-minute changes, the current UFC 270 fight card is as follows:

  • Heavyweight Francis Ngannou (c) vs. Ciryl Gane (ic)
  • Flyweight Brandon Moreno (c) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
  • Bantamweight Cody Stamann vs. Said Nurmagomedov
  • Featherweight: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Jourdain
  • Middleweight Rodolfo Vieira vs. Wellington Turman
  • Bantamweight Raoni Barcelos vs. Victor Henry
  • Bantamweight Tony Gravely vs. Saimon Oliveira
  • Welterweight Trevin Giles vs. Michael Morales
  • Lightweight Matt Frevola vs. Genaro Valdez
  • Women’s Flyweight Kay Hansen vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius

What is your pick for UFC 270 Fight of the Night?

Continue Reading Two Major Changes To UFC 270 Card Announced at MMA News.

Ciryl Gane Likens Francis Ngannou To Video Game “Final Boss”

Ciryl Gane is looking to beat the “game” of the UFC.

Recently, we had a UFC champion in Charles Oliveira crowned after a long, hard-fought road in the UFC. Ciryl Gane is not like that. He has only seven fights in the UFC, but he has made them all c…

Francis Ngannou Ciryl Gane

Ciryl Gane is looking to beat the “game” of the UFC.

Recently, we had a UFC champion in Charles Oliveira crowned after a long, hard-fought road in the UFC. Ciryl Gane is not like that. He has only seven fights in the UFC, but he has made them all count.

Now, he is getting ready to fight for his first undisputed UFC title against a familiar foe, his former training partner and the reigning heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Gane is aware that this fight with Ngannou is the most important of his career, and the way he is looking at it could win him the “game” of the UFC in a way.

“For me, yes it’s (Ngannou fight) different than Derrick Lewis (at UFC 265), not because it’s Francis, but because it’s the champion, you see,” Gane explained on The MMA Hour. “And the champion is a really great fighter, with a lot of strength. I like to say that this is the ‘final boss’ (like in my) video games [LAUGHS]. It looks a little bit like that. So yes, this time, like every time, if I make a mistake, it’s gonna be okay, if I will make a mistake. If I lose, I’m really okay with that. Like every fight in my career it was like that, but this time I want to do the last step, you see, that’s why it’s a little bit different.”

If Gane is feeling pressure heading into UFC 270, he is hiding it well. He has already proven that he is one of the best heavyweights in the sport as he is now holding the interim belt. He and his coach Fernand Lopez are very familiar with Ngannou and his fighting style. They all trained together for some time before Ngannou left. Lopez has spoken numerously about how they know Ngannou’s tendencies and are ready for his fighting style.

Gane has yet to lose in his career. He burst onto the UFC scene just three years ago and has been turning heads ever since. If he can beat Ngannou and claim the heavyweight strap, that will not be the end of this “game.” In fact, Gane could find himself in a “murderers row” of fighters waiting to try their hand at the new boss. Waiting in the wings for the champion come Jan. 23 are former champion Stipe Miocic and former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

Who do you think will win and become the UFC’s “final boss” at heavyweight on Jan. 22, Francis Ngannou or Ciryl Gane?

Continue Reading Ciryl Gane Likens Francis Ngannou To Video Game “Final Boss” at MMA News.

Tyson Fury Offers To Fight Francis Ngannou With UFC Gloves In Boxing Match

Tyson FuryReigning WBC heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury has questioned his followers if they would be interested in seeing him clash with UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou in a professional boxing match – with the pair sporting mixed martial arts gloves. Tyson Fury, who most recently scored his second career win over former champion, Deontay Wilder – […]

Tyson Fury

Reigning WBC heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury has questioned his followers if they would be interested in seeing him clash with UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou in a professional boxing match – with the pair sporting mixed martial arts gloves.

Tyson Fury, who most recently scored his second career win over former champion, Deontay Wilder – stopped the Alabama native with an eleventh round knockout back in October.

Francis Ngannou is set to headline UFC 270 later this month against interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane

For Ngannou, the Cameroon native is slated to take main event status at UFC 270 on January 22. – clashing with former teammate, Ciryl Gane in a heavyweight title unification bout at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. 

However, Ngannou, who retains just one fight on his current UFC contract, has admitted that he would love to test his striking skills inside the boxing ring, but the Batie native would be subject to a ‘champion’s clause’ should he unify the titles against Gane later this month, tying him to the UFC for at least another fight.

Posting on his official Twitter this Thursday, Tyson Fury gauged fan interest in a potential boxing match against Ngannou, sharing a fan-made poster of the duo.

“Who would like to see me fight this beast (Francis Ngannou) (with) boxing rules (and) @ufc gloves?” Tyson Fury tweeted. “@danawhite @francis_ngannou”

Issuing his response to Tyson Fury, Ngannou suggested the two should meet in a professional mixed martial arts fight, sporting boxing gloves, instead.

“How about MMA rules with boxing gloves?” Francis Ngannou tweeted. “I can do you that favor.”

Once more issuing a tweet directed at Ngannou, Fury claimed that he would knockout the heavyweight champion, and secure him the most lucrative payday of his professional career to date in the same night.

“You want to come in to (sic) my world calling me & (Deontay) Wilder out to a boxing match,” Tyson Fury tweeted. “What I can guarantee you would be knocked out & also paid your highest purse to be so! So have a think (thinking face emoji).”

In a final response to Fury, Ngannou claimed that once he concludes business with Gane later this month, he wants to fight the Manchester native, whether that come inside the Octagon, in a boxing ring, or a phone booth. 
“After I handle business on Jan. 22 (UFC 270) I’ll fight you under any special rule set you want,” Francis Ngannou tweeted. “In a ring, an Octagon or a phone booth.”

Sean Strickland On Sparring With Francis Ngannou: ‘He Touches Me Once And I Go To Dreamland’

Sean StricklandSurging UFC middleweight contender, Sean Strickland has detailed his experience of sparring with reigning heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou at Xtreme Couture – claiming that if the Batie puncher was to land on his once, sporting four ounce gloves, he would send him to “dreamland”. Strickland, who holds the #7 rank at middleweight, is slated to […]

Sean Strickland

Surging UFC middleweight contender, Sean Strickland has detailed his experience of sparring with reigning heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou at Xtreme Couture – claiming that if the Batie puncher was to land on his once, sporting four ounce gloves, he would send him to “dreamland”.

Strickland, who holds the #7 rank at middleweight, is slated to headline UFC Vegas 47 on February 5. – taking on former Cage Warriors champion and slick grappling talent, Jack Hermansson. 

For Ngannou, the Cameroon native is set to take main event honors at UFC 270 on January 22. – attempting to successfully unify the heavyweight titles as he meets with interim gold holder, Ciryl Gane. 

Sean Strickland most recently scored a July unanimous decision win over Uriah Hall

Earlier this week, Xtreme Couture trainer, Eric Nicksick explained how Strickland routinely welcomes the opportunity to spar with heavyweight champion, Ngannou at the Las Vegas facility – and even manages to hold his own against the devastating knockout artist.

“That dude (Sean Strickland) will literally spar anybody in our gym,” Nicksick told MMA Fighting. “He calls Francis (Ngannou) out every sparring session. He loves to spar Francis because he goes, ‘I want to feel as close to death as possible and I want to have that fear of God in my heart every time I spar a guy like Francis Ngannou.’ So sure, we throw him in there and let him get some rounds with Francis. I watched him and Roy Nelson get after it (spar) last week. Those two try to knock each other’s heads off and here’s Sean Strickland, big old smile ear-to-ear.”

“The rounds between him (Francis Ngannou) and Sean (Strickland) are actually very competitive,” Nicksick said. “Sean gets in there and gets after it and Francis will entertain him if you will, and not knock him out. There’s some great rounds and credit to Sean, not everybody is chomping at the bit to hop in the cage with Francis.”

Confirming his sparring sessions with Ngannou, Strickland tweeted that while he feels comfortable sharing the sparring room with the champion whilst throwing 16 ounce gloves, a showdown with Ngannou sporting four ounce gloves would bring a different result.

“Everyone ask me how do I do with francious (sic) (Francis Ngannou) lol!!” Sean Strickland tweeted. “I will tell you that I do really well with him (Francis Ngannou) with 16 [ounce] gloves in the GYM lol!!! Bottom line is you put 4 ounce gloves on him in a FIGHT and he touches me once and I will go to dreamland!!! LOL.”

Dustin Poirier Reveals He Has Received Offer To Fight Nate Diaz On Short Notice

Dustin PoirierFormer interim UFC lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has revealed this Tuesday that he has received and agreed to an offer from the promotion to meet with arch-rival, Nate Diaz on less than six-weeks notice. Lafayette native, Poirier most recently headlined UFC 269 in December, suffering an eventual third round standing rear-naked choke loss to defending […]

Dustin Poirier

Former interim UFC lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has revealed this Tuesday that he has received and agreed to an offer from the promotion to meet with arch-rival, Nate Diaz on less than six-weeks notice.

Lafayette native, Poirier most recently headlined UFC 269 in December, suffering an eventual third round standing rear-naked choke loss to defending lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira.

In the days and weeks following the main event clash, Poirier had received numerous call-outs from the aforenoted, Diaz, who claimed he would fight the Louisianan in January after Poirier maintained that that fight was the only bout which currently interested him.

However, in late December, Poirier appeared to pour cold water on a fight with Diaz, claiming the Stockton native was no longer interested in fighting him anymore, before then claiming that a showdown was most likely to take place in February than January, and then cryptically tweeting, “I’m in, let’s go!!!” alluding to a quickfire Octagon return.

Speaking with iconic boxing coach, Teddy Atlas on THE FIGHT podcast, Poirier revealed he has received an offer to fight Diaz on short notice, less than six weeks, in fact, and he has subsequently agreed to it.

“Honestly – another thing that kinda got that flame going, is a couple days ago, I got a phone call – but I can’t talk about it,” Dustin Poirier said. “It’s a very short notice thing. Something I would hate to do is stack things against myself and take a fight on short notice, but, we’ll see what happens, man. I don’t want to give too much ‘cause I don’t know what I can say. No contract has been signed yet, but if this goes go through, I’m gonna take it.”

THE FIGHT co-host, Ken Rideout then speculated that Poirier had accepted to fight Diaz on short-notice, which the former interim lightweight champion confirmed.

“Hey, look! I don’t owe these guys (the UFC) nothing, man, I’m not biting my tongue,” Dustin Poirier said. “It is Nate Diaz. And just like he got on Twitter – I’m not gonna say what card, I’m not gonna say a date or whatever, but he got on Twitter talking, everybody’s a tough guy. This guy really fights – and I’m a fan of him. But everybody’s a tough guy on the internet.”

“I can’t tell you that,” Dustin Poirier replied when pressed on when the fight could possibly occur. “But not a lot. Because fans are too good, they’re gonna know exactly what card, you know – I don’t wanna get that far (ahead). Less than six weeks for sure. I said yes, now we’re waiting on him.” 

Dustin Poirier confirms a fight with Nate Diaz on short notice would take place at welterweight

Whilst no official date, event, or location for the potential fight between Poirier and Diaz has been confirmed at the time of publication, a less than six-week timeframe presents two potential landing pads for the bout; UFC 270 on January 22. – and UFC 271 on February 12. 

Given the short notice nature of the potential pairing, Poirier also confirmed that he would be moving to the welterweight limit of 170lbs for the possible fight with Diaz – marking his divisional return for the first time in 15 years.

Sonnen: Ngannou/Gane Is The Most Compelling Heavyweight Fight Ever

Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has described the upcoming unification showdown between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane as the “biggest” and most “compelling” heavyweight fight of all time.

The two behemoths are set to open the…

UFC 270: Ngannou vs. Gane, Chael Sonnen

Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has described the upcoming unification showdown between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane as the “biggest” and most “compelling” heavyweight fight of all time.

The two behemoths are set to open the UFC’s pay-per-view account for 2022 in style, headlining January 22’s UFC 270 event. When a champion and interim titleholder collide, the stakes are always that much higher. But for this one, they’re through the roof.

Ngannou has held the title since March 2021, when he dethroned Stipe Miocic with a brutal second-round knockout. After being unable to return to the US for an August defence against Derrick Lewis, Gane was drafted in for an interim title clash with “The Black Beast,” much to the fury of Ngannou and his management team.

By dominating Lewis in the UFC 265 main event, Gane set up a blockbuster unification clash with “The Predator,” whom he used to train with at Paris’ MMA Factory gym. The heavyweight landscape will alter one way or another at UFC 270, but it could drastically shift should “Bon Gamin” emerge victorious.

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

Sonnen Reveals What Ngannou/Gane Has That No Other HW Fight Did

There are a number of storylines at play heading into the next PPV headliner. While Ngannou’s feud with his former coach and Gane’s current mentor Fernand Lopez is providing a nice narrative, as is the champ’s frustration at the creation of interim gold, chief among them is Ngannou’s current contractual situation.

With failed negotiations and a feeling of under-appreciation within the Cameroonian’s camp, it appears there’s a chance Ngannou could depart the UFC if he’s dethroned by Gane in in a few weeks time. While Dana White recently provided a positive update on the stand-off, he also doubled down on his criticism of the champ’s manager.

Discussing the fractious relationship between the promotion and one of its top titleholders in a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen suggested the uncertainty surrounding Ngannou’s future has helped make his clash with Gane the biggest, most interesting, and most compelling heavyweight fight of all time.

“I believe by the time Francis gets in there with Gane, I think when this promotion is done, when we get excited and when we all get told this story over these next three weeks, I think it’s going to be the biggest heavyweight fight of all time. Not the biggest fight of all time. It’s not going to beat UFC 100. It’s not gonna beat a Conor McGregor (fight). I think it’s going to be the biggest heavyweight fight of all time.

“It is, for sure, the most interesting. It is, for sure, the most compelling. It, for sure, comes with the most at stake here. Where Francis’ contract stands and what Francis wants to do within the organization as the champion, whether he wins or he loses, he brings those pressures with him. That story alone is better than any heavyweight story I’ve ever been told, and I’m not even starting the story of this fight… I submit to you that no other heavyweight fight has ever gone off in this particular situation, where the heavyweight champion himself, is looking to fulfil a contract and say, ‘Adios.’ The pressure that comes with that alone is more compelling than any other heavyweight fight we’ve had.”

Despite White’s latest remarks, it appears things are far from being sorted with regards to Ngannou’s contract. With all the factors at play leading up to UFC 270, the main event and the aftermath of it is set to be an intriguing affair.

Do you agree with Chael Sonnen? Is Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane the biggest and most compelling heavyweight fight of all time?

Continue Reading Sonnen: Ngannou/Gane Is The Most Compelling Heavyweight Fight Ever at MMA News.