Tag: ufc 270

UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker II Pre-Fight Press Conference Highlights

The UFC 271 pre-fight press conference took place earlier tonight, and we’ve got the highlights for you right here! UFC 271 takes place Saturday, February 12, 2022, from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The co-main event will feature a middleweight championship rematch between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. In the co-main event, Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa…

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The UFC 271 pre-fight press conference took place earlier tonight, and we’ve got the highlights for you right here!

UFC 271 takes place Saturday, February 12, 2022, from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The co-main event will feature a middleweight championship rematch between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. In the co-main event, Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa will square up and bang it out in front of a worldwide audience and, for “The Black Beast”, a hometown crowd.

Each of the above fighters was in attendance during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference. Here were some of the most memorable moments from the event.

The Arrivals

Memorable Moments

Extended Highlights & Face-Offs

Notes

Here are a few notable moments not covered in the above highlights:

  • Adesanya says he still owns property in Robert Whittaker’s head
  • Adesanya vehemently defends Joe Rogan amid controversies, advises him to “Fuck the noise” and keep doing him. 
  • Dana White agreed to do a shoey, never does
  • Ngannou Negotiations Update: Dana White says that he had dinner with Ngannou before he left to Cameroon following UFC 270 and plans to have dinner with him again when he returns to the States.

Full Replay

Finally, if you’d like to experience the full UFC 271 pre-fight press conference uncut, you can do so right below!

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Moreno: Regaining Title Will Be For Myself, My Family & My Country

Brandon Moreno is even more fired up to regain the flyweight championship after his UFC 270 loss to Deiveson Figueiredo. At UFC 263, Brandon Moreno defeated Deiveson Figueiredo and became the first Mexican-born UFC champion. On January 22, “The Assassin Baby” had his first opportunity to defend the flyweight throne, but lost by a unanimous […]

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Brandon Moreno is even more fired up to regain the flyweight championship after his UFC 270 loss to Deiveson Figueiredo.

At UFC 263, Brandon Moreno defeated Deiveson Figueiredo and became the first Mexican-born UFC champion.

Brandon Moreno
Brandon Moreno at UFC 263, Photo Credit: Getty Images

On January 22, “The Assassin Baby” had his first opportunity to defend the flyweight throne, but lost by a unanimous decision. Figueiredo took back the belt, and now Moreno is more determined to win the championship.

But for Moreno, regaining the belt is about much more than owning the flyweight champion title. As Mexico’s first and only UFC champion, Moreno carries a lot of weight on his shoulders.

“Man, right now, my fire is like, wow, I feel like I’m more (hungry) right now in myself, and more right now because I lost the title. I need to fix something, I need to do something in my life. I want that title back. I’m hungry because I wanna do a lot of huge things in my life, for my family, for my country. Last fight (UFC 263), with the title, the mixed martial arts in Mexico grow a lot. I need to keep working on that. Obviously, I’m very, in some points, very selfish. I want to keep doing everything for myself and my family. But, if I can help my country to do something and help other kids to accomplish their dreams, I will,” Moreno told Teddy Atlas on The Fight.

And after such a close decision, 48-47 by all judges, we will more than likely be seeing Figueiredo vs Moreno 4.

Being the world champion comes with heavy responsibility, especially if you are the first in your country to accomplish it. Moreno shares that record with Kamaru Usman, who became Africa’s first UFC champion in 2019.

A champion has the power to promote positive change. People who grew up in a similar lifestyle or culture to Moreno now have someone to look up to because something they thought impossible has just been achieved.

And to balance training, family life, and being the world champion is no easy task, yet some fighters make it look easy.

Amanda Nunes, Kamaru Usman, Julianna Pena
Amanda Nunes, Kamaru Usman, Julianna Pena; Photo Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC / Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC / Instagram

For example, Amanda Nunes and her wife have a baby girl. Kamaru Usman also has a wife and a daughter to build a future for. And Women’s Bantamweight Champion, Julianna Pena, is also a mom.

Now that Moreno has experienced failure and being a champion, reevaluating his focus could be what puts him back on top of his game.

Moreno V. Figueiredo

Brandon Moreno, Dana White, Deiveson Figueiredo
Brandon Moreno, Dana White, Deiveson Figueiredo; Photo Credit: UFC 270 face-off

Since 2020, Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo have only seen each other as opponents in the cage.

The flyweights spent 13 rounds together in the Octagon.

Their first fight at UFC 256 ended in a draw. They would fight again to settle the draw at UFC 263 in 2021. “The Assassin Baby” finished “Dues Da Guerra” by rear-naked choke in round 3 and became the new flyweight champion.

It was a major feat for himself and Mexico, which never saw a UFC champion until that moment.

Deiveson Figueiredo obviously wanted the belt back. Before UFC 270 began, the Brazilian let everyone know he wanted the trilogy to avenge his loss. And when their last bout was won by unanimous decision, the belt returned to Figureido.

Should this bout take place, it will be the first time in UFC history that two fighters compete against each other for a world title four times. But the question is, will the fight take place immediately, as their sequel and trilogy bouts did? That question remains unanswered.

How soon do you want to see Brandon Moreno fight Deiveson Figueiredo again for the flyweight belt?

Continue Reading Moreno: Regaining Title Will Be For Myself, My Family & My Country at MMA News.

Ngannou: I Looked At Gane In The 3rd Round & Saw My 2018 Self

UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou was reminded of his first Stipe Miocic fight when he looked at Ciryl Gane midway through UFC 270. Ngannou made his first title defense against Gane in the UFC 270 main event, winning via unanimous decision. It wasn’t the striking showcase everyone expected, but the champion demonstrated his improved grappling […]

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UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou was reminded of his first Stipe Miocic fight when he looked at Ciryl Gane midway through UFC 270.

Ngannou made his first title defense against Gane in the UFC 270 main event, winning via unanimous decision. It wasn’t the striking showcase everyone expected, but the champion demonstrated his improved grappling skills to get the victory over Gane.

The first two rounds weren’t going in Ngannou’s favor according to two of the UFC 270 judges. However, he was able to turn the tide in Rounds 3 through 5 and control the path to retaining his belt.

Ngannou’s journey to the UFC title was anything but easy. After a difficult loss to Miocic at UFC 220, he would lose a lackluster bout against Derrick Lewis before going on his current six-fight winning streak.

Ngannou has alluded to his UFC 220 fight with Miocic as a completely different version of who he is today. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, he revealed that Gane’s body language at the end of Round 3 reminded him of his former self.

“By the end of the round, I looked at him, I saw me when I fought Stipe the first time,” Ngannou said. “I’m like, ‘This guy is done.’ Yeah, and he wasn’t even able to listen to his coach. I was listening to his corner talk to him and he wasn’t reacting. I’m like, he’s done. That is exactly me when I fought Stipe the first time. That’s the moment that I knew I won the fight, at the end of the third round… He was broken, I could tell. I look him in his eyes and was like it’s a done deal.”

Francis Ngannou’s UFC Future Remains Uncertain

Ngannou went through quite the buildup to UFC 270. He’s been dealing with tense contract talks with UFC President Dana White and the promotion, and negotiations have seemingly hit a dead end.

This was further supported when White declined to put the belt around Ngannou as the official decision was read at UFC 270. White also was notably absent from post-fight media obligations, though White has since claimed external issues prevented him from carrying out these activities.

When asked by Helwani to forecast his future with the promotion, Ngannou remained cautiously optimistic. There are tears in the relationship with the UFC that need repair, and Ngannou seems hell-bent on getting the promotion back on his side.

What are your takeaways from Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane?

Continue Reading Ngannou: I Looked At Gane In The 3rd Round & Saw My 2018 Self at MMA News.

Coach: We Knew Ngannou’s Injury Was Leaked When The Odds Moved

Francis Ngannou’s coach Eric Nicksick has revealed what convinced him and his team that the UFC heavyweight champion’s knee injury had been leaked prior to UFC 270. At the opening pay-per-view of 2022, Ngannou overcame adversity, pressure, and the odds to secure his status as the undisputed heavyweight king. In a battle against undefeated Frenchman […]

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Francis Ngannou’s coach Eric Nicksick has revealed what convinced him and his team that the UFC heavyweight champion’s knee injury had been leaked prior to UFC 270.

At the opening pay-per-view of 2022, Ngannou overcame adversity, pressure, and the odds to secure his status as the undisputed heavyweight king. In a battle against undefeated Frenchman Ciryl Gane, who was widely expected to bring a new breed of technical heavyweights to the top, “The Predator” adapted and re-strategized to hunt down his prey.

After struggling to get close to Gane on the feet in the opening two rounds, Ngannou capitalized on a caught kick and took the fight to the ground. From there, he showed his improved wrestling game and maintained top control for much of the remaining minutes and, in doing so, secured a unanimous decision victory.

As if the performance wasn’t impressive enough, Ngannou revealed in his post-fight interview that he’d fought through a torn MCL and damaged ACL. While rumors of a potential knee injury appeared to have been proven true when he entered the Octagon wearing knee wraps, not many would have expected the extent of the injury to have been as serious as it was.

Nicksick Explains Why Ngannou’s Injury Was Always Going To Get Out

Despite some rumors floating around, talk of a potential injury wasn’t as prevalent as many would have expected given the nature of it. That discussion came up during a recent episode of Bruce Buffer’s It’s Time! podcast. Co-host TJ De Santis questioned how the lines, which had Ngannou as an underdog, would have looked had news of the injury broke.

Eric Nicksick, who appeared on the podcast alongside Ngannou and the champ’s manager Marquel Martin, pointed out that they knew people were aware of the damage prior to UFC 270. According to the Xtreme Couture coach, the leak was obvious once the betting lines began to shift.

“They knew, TJ,” said Nicksick. “‘Cause I said to Marquel, ’cause we’re Vegas boys, I said to Marquel, like two weeks out, I go, ‘Hey, when we start seeing these lines move, the lines start moving, we’ll know that the word is out that he’s messed up.’ There’s enough eyes, enough people around, and it’s not like, malicious; it just happens to be that way.”

Nicksick added that news of Ngannou’s hurt knee was always likely to get out, especially in Las Vegas.

“If he’s at the PI getting his knee wrapped or he has a knee brace on, if one person sees it, he’s gonna tell three or five people,” added Nicksick. “And in Vegas, we know, we’re born and raised here, so they’re looking for any way they can to move that line. I told Marquel, ‘Hey, that line’s moving, the word is out.’”

In late December, Ngannou was set as a narrow favorite by FanDuel, a line that flipped in the weeks prior to the event.

In the aftermath of 2022’s first UFC PPV, the seriousness of Ngannou’s injury was put into perspective. According to the Cameroonian, he’d been warned against fighting by a doctor due to the possibility of “irreversible damage.”

Having bet on himself and on his knee, and won, Ngannou has emerged from the other side in a strong position, both in terms of his status in the heavyweight division and in contract negotiations with the UFC.

What did you make of Francis Ngannou’s performance at UFC 270, especially given his knee injury?

Continue Reading Coach: We Knew Ngannou’s Injury Was Leaked When The Odds Moved at MMA News.

Lopez Reveals How Usman Played Peacekeeper Between Him & Ngannou

Ciryl Gane’s coach Fernand Lopez has revealed what Kamaru Usman said to him after Francis Ngannou’s victory at UFC 270. While it may have somewhat drifted into the background with the remarkable situation surrounding the heavyweight champion’s future in the UFC and ongoing contractual dispute with the promotion, Ngannou’s bitter and public feud with MMA […]

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Ciryl Gane’s coach Fernand Lopez has revealed what Kamaru Usman said to him after Francis Ngannou’s victory at UFC 270.

While it may have somewhat drifted into the background with the remarkable situation surrounding the heavyweight champion’s future in the UFC and ongoing contractual dispute with the promotion, Ngannou’s bitter and public feud with MMA Factory founder and head coach Lopez was an intriguing narrative heading into the opening pay-per-view main event of 2022.

Fueled by a dramatic backstage snub at UFC 268 that was worthy of a place in a soap opera, Lopez and Ngannou’s 2019 split rose back to the surface in recent months. While the Frenchman accused his former student of refusing to pay the gym membership and attempting to sabotage Gane’s rise to the UFC, the Cameroonian branded his ex-tutor as “evil”.

In the end, it was Ngannou who had the last laugh. Pushing through a heap of adversity, including the possibility of “irreversible damage” from a torn MCL and damaged ACL, “The Predator” wrestled his way to a unanimous decision victory over “Bon Gamin.”

Usman Pushed For Peace

With the culmination of the unification showdown and the crowning of an undisputed titleholder, most will hope we’ve seen the end of the public criticisms and insults between Ngannou and Lopez. One man who certainly feels that way is reigning UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.

Usman, a good friend of his fellow African UFC champ, was in Ngannou’s corner for the UFC 270 main event. While Lopez didn’t share any words with “The Predator” after Gane’s defeat, he did interact with “The Nigerian Nightmare.”

During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Lopez revealed Usman pleaded with him to leave his differences with Ngannou in the past, something the 43-year-old says he is more than happy to do.

“When I shake Kamaru Usman’s hand, he stopped me and said to me, ‘Fernand, we are brothers. Let’s stop this. Let’s just move on.’ And I said, ‘You’re right. Let’s move on…’ I’m done. I’m exhausted with that topic,” said Lopez.

While we may not have seen the interaction and in-person make up between Lopez and Ngannou many wanted, the Frenchman’s post-fight words with the likes of Usman and opposition coach Eric Nicksick suggest both sides are willing to put their differences behind them.

That is, until we see Ngannou vs. Gane 2 down the line…

Should the beef between Fernand Lopez and Francis Ngannou be put to bed now that UFC 270 has passed?

Continue Reading Lopez Reveals How Usman Played Peacekeeper Between Him & Ngannou at MMA News.

(Archives) O’Malley To Ngannou: You Can’t Bash The UFC & Expect No Backlash (2022)

On this day one year ago, Sean O’Malley spoke up about the frigid relationship between Francis Ngannou and the UFC. One of the many major stories to kick off 2023 was the now-former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou parting ways with the p…

On this day one year ago, Sean O’Malley spoke up about the frigid relationship between Francis Ngannou and the UFC. One of the many major stories to kick off 2023 was the now-former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou parting ways with the promotion after a one-year negotiation period. On this day last year, fresh off…

Continue Reading (Archives) O’Malley To Ngannou: You Can’t Bash The UFC & Expect No Backlash (2022) at MMA News.