EXCLUSIVE | Antonio Carlos Junior Thinks J?drzejczyk Has More To Show

Reigning PFL light heavyweight champion Antonio Carlos Junior thinks his teammate, Joanna J?drzejczyk shouldn’t hang up the gloves. J?drzejczyk announced her retirement following a knockout loss to Zhang Weili at UFC 275 this past weekend. She returned to the cage following a two-year layoff which began after her first loss to Weili in an instant…

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Reigning PFL light heavyweight champion Antonio Carlos Junior thinks his teammate, Joanna J?drzejczyk shouldn’t hang up the gloves.

J?drzejczyk announced her retirement following a knockout loss to Zhang Weili at UFC 275 this past weekend. She returned to the cage following a two-year layoff which began after her first loss to Weili in an instant classic in March 2020.

But Carlos Junior believes J?drzejczyk is leaving the fight game at a time when she still has a lot left in the tank.

During an exclusive interview with MMA News, Carlos Junior gave his thoughts on J?drzejczyk’s surprise retirement announcement.

“She’s very nice, I love her,” Carlos Junior said of “Everything she’s done for this sport. She’s really great and got the belt, kept it for so long. Very aggressive fighter. But I just wish her all the best in this new chapter of her life. I don’t see her stopping fighting. I see her in the training, she’s so good, I think she has a lot more to show. We always have to make some choices along in life and if she thinks it’s the best time for her, I’m always cheering for her.”

In her prime, J?drzejczyk was considered arguably one of the most electric champions in UFC history. She defended her strawweight title five-straight times after winning the belt against Carla Esparza at UFC 185.

J?drzejczyk seems content in her decision to retire, but Carlos Junior feels she has a lot more to give to the sport. She’s hinted at sticking around the sport for years to come, potentially as a manager for fighters.

As for Carlos Junior, he’s slated to return tonight at PFL 4 against Bruce Souto. He won the title in his first season with the league in 2021 following an up-and-down stay in the UFC.

Do you agree with Antonio Carlos Junior’s comments on Joanna J?drzejczyk?

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Ji?í Procházka Explains ‘Tapping’ During Teixeira Fight

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Ji?í Procházka has explained his ‘taps’ against Glover Teixeira at UFC 275, admitting he was playing a “dangerous” game. This past weekend, Procházka capped off a memorable three-fight run inside the Octagon with championship glory. While his fists had done the job in his previous two outings, sending Volkan Oezdemir and…

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UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Ji?í Procházka has explained his ‘taps’ against Glover Teixeira at UFC 275, admitting he was playing a “dangerous” game.

This past weekend, Procházka capped off a memorable three-fight run inside the Octagon with championship glory. While his fists had done the job in his previous two outings, sending Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes to sleep, Teixeira was built different in Singapore.

But in a fifth round where a finish was required to prevent the Brazilian retaining the gold, “Denisa” pulled something special out the bag, becoming the first man to submit Teixeira in professional MMA. With his last-gasp win, Procházka etched his name in UFC history as the promotion’s first titleholder from the Czech Republic.

Prior to his arrival on MMA’s biggest stage, Procházka built a reputation as a brutal knockout artist, but also one whose style was unique and somewhat flamboyant inside the cage.

While that was evident in his debut and sophomore appearances, the champ’s third walk to the cage saw him play a self-professed “dangerous” game inside the Octagon.

Throughout the memorable main event, “Denisa” found himself on his back and eating vicious elbows. Like the madman he is, the 29-year-old often responded by smiling and encouraging Teixeira to give him more. One way he did that was by playfully tapping the Brazilian on the back.

With many highlighting the taps on social media post-fight, Procházka sought to explain them during an appearance on The MMA Hour. While most, including referee Marc Goddard, acknowledged the faux nature of the patting, “Denisa” is aware of the risks and seemingly won’t be replicating them in future fights.

“I did that because I tried to push him, like to push him to give me more, give me more, show me more,” said Procházka. “Because I tried to make him (make) some action, and I wait for that action to do some (techniques) to reverse it. And that’s why I do I did that. Not for tapping, just for a strategy, but it was very dangerous. Now I realized that.

“Maybe (I’ll do it again), but not in the same (way), like with the same moves. Not with tapping.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

Had Goddard not been more aware, perhaps we’d have had a Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cu?elaba 1 situation on our hands…

Do you think Ji?í Procházka was playing a risky game by tapping Glover Teixeira at UFC 275?

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Shevchenko Sheds Deep Insight On Joanna J?drzejczyk’s Legacy

Former strawweight champion Joanna J?drzejczyk has received an outpouring of support after her retirement at UFC 275, and one of her greatest rivals has weighed in on the Polish striker’s legacy. Speaking at the post-fight press conference following her narrow split-decision win over Taila Santos, flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko was asked to reflect on Joanna’s…

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Former strawweight champion Joanna J?drzejczyk has received an outpouring of support after her retirement at UFC 275, and one of her greatest rivals has weighed in on the Polish striker’s legacy.

Speaking at the post-fight press conference following her narrow split-decision win over Taila Santos, flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko was asked to reflect on Joanna’s career.

“I think about Joanna that she’s (a true) martial artist,” Shevchenko said. “And she’s been in martial arts for so many years, and it’s amazing. She’s an amazing example for many people, an inspiration for many women to do martial arts, to be successful, to be powerful. “

J?drzejczyk has received well-wishes from all across the MMA world after UFC 275, but few are as qualified to speak on her legacy as Shevchenko. The two faced each other several times in Muay Thai competition, and their MMA careers finally overlapped at UFC 231.

“And you know, in our lives, we have this person who we are going parallel all the time. (I’ve known) Joanna since 2006. This is the first time when we fought together. We every time was opponents: in my Muay Thai career — even here, in the UFC, we had a fight.”

Shevchenko won a unanimous decision in their bout at UFC 231 and captured the flyweight title that she’s now defended 7 times. Regardless of the outcomes when they fought, Shevchenko thinks that her battles with Joanna cultivated a mutual respect over the years.

“But this rivalry, it’s made us gain respect (for) each other. I know how hard she’s worked. I know how dedicated she (is) as a person. And I just have true respect (for) her, and she deserve all love (from) the fans. And it’s another chapter of her career, and I think she will (have) the same success as she (had) in martial arts.”

What do you think of Shevchenko’s comments on Joanna’s legacy as a fighter and champion?

Continue Reading Shevchenko Sheds Deep Insight On Joanna J?drzejczyk’s Legacy at MMA News.

Chael Sonnen Questions Valentina Shevchenko, Her Character: ‘You’re Probably Very Insincere’

Valentina ShevchenkoFormer UFC middleweight and light heavyweight championship title challenger, Chael Sonnen has questioned the character and persona on show from reigning flyweight best, Valentina Shevchenko – speculating that the dominant division queen is likely “very insincere”. Sonnen, a former title challenger at both the middleweight and light heavyweight limit within the organization, called time on […]

Valentina Shevchenko

Former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight championship title challenger, Chael Sonnen has questioned the character and persona on show from reigning flyweight best, Valentina Shevchenko – speculating that the dominant division queen is likely “very insincere”.

Sonnen, a former title challenger at both the middleweight and light heavyweight limit within the organization, called time on his professional mixed martial arts career following a June 2020 loss to Lyoto Machida under the Bellator banner.

In the time since, the outspoken fan-favorite has successfully turned his hand to promotion, podcasting, as well as analyst work for the UFC. 

For Shevchenko, the Kyrgyzstan native co-headlined UFC 275 last weekend in Singapore against Brazilian contender, Taila Santos – narrowly leaving the Singapore Indoor Arena with her title in tow following a close, split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46) success.

Chael Sonnen questions the persona of Valentina Shevchenko following UFC 275

Following her seventh consecutive successful defense of the flyweight throne, Shevchenko was the subject of some scrutiny from the aforenoted, Sonnen – who questioned her persona throughout her entire UFC run.

“She (Valentina Shevchenko) just hasn’t a picked a side,” Chael Sonnen said on his official YouTube channel. “Anybody who has been in this organization (the UFC) as long as she has been in it and has never done anything to upset the audience is probably being pretty insincere. If you are caught on camera for seven straight years in some of your most glorious and some of most vulnerable moments and you never scuff your knee on the side of offending somebody, of being unsportsmanlike, or challenged of doing anything that will put you in a negative category.”

“You are probably a very insincere person,” Chael Sonnen said of Valentina Shevchenko. “You’re probably acting and playing a character.” 

Off the back of her narrow victory against Santos, Shevchenko, who revealed post-fight that she had suffered a foot injury ahead of the UFC 275 co-headliner, has been linked with both an immediate title rematch against the Brazilian – as well as a bantamweight division move for a rematch with either Julianna Pena or a rubber match with Amanda Nunes.

Henry Cejudo Blasts ‘Unreal’ Scoring In Shevchenko vs. Santos Fight

Add Henry Cejudo to the list of people who take issue with the scoring for Valentina Shevchenko and Talia Santos at UFC 275. In the co-main event of this past weekend’s pay-per-view (PPV), Shevchenko put her flyweight title up for grabs against the Brazilian challenger. Santos gave Shevchenko a challenge unlike any other she’s ever…

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Add Henry Cejudo to the list of people who take issue with the scoring for Valentina Shevchenko and Talia Santos at UFC 275.

In the co-main event of this past weekend’s pay-per-view (PPV), Shevchenko put her flyweight title up for grabs against the Brazilian challenger. Santos gave Shevchenko a challenge unlike any other she’s ever faced inside the Octagon.

Landing several takedowns and attempting numerous submission attempts, many actually scored the fight for Santos when the five rounds concluded. However, Shevchenko ultimately retained her title via split decision.

Speaking on a new episode of his podcast, “Triple C & The Schmo Show,” Cejudo admitted he believes Santos won the fight. He also took big issue with the judge who scored it 49-46 in favor of Shevchenko.

“With all due respect to Valentina [Shevchenko], but as an analyst, I had Santos winning that fight. I think the majority of the people did and you can hear it in the crowd. It’s not anything that Valentina didn’t do, it’s just maybe… 49-46 that’s kind of unreal.

“Congratulations to Valentina, I mean she was able to get the victory, but at the same time, it’s like, who are these judges, man? Who are judging us? Who’s judging our fights?”

The win marked Shevchenko’s seventh-straight successful title defense. As for Santos, the loss ended her four-fight win streak. Cejudo believes, given how challenging Santos proved against the champion, and the controversy surrounding the scoring, the pair should run it back next.

“You have to run it back. There’s no other way that you shouldn’t do it. I think Santos really needs to call it out. The most important thing when a fighter finishes, when he’s done, is your post-fight interview – the one you’re doing in the octagon.

“That’s where people create storylines. So she doesn’t say anything, people just pass you up. You got to create this idea so Santos, if you’re watching this, you have to ask for this fight and you have to sell it.”

What do you make of Henry Cejudo scoring the fight for Santos, and his issues with the judging of the bout? Sound off in the comments section below!

Quotes via Sportskeeda

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Procházka: Not Partying Enough Was My Biggest Pre-UFC 275 Mistake

Newly crowned UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Ji?í Procházka is looking to make up for some past mistakes with his post-UFC 275 celebrations. In this past weekend’s main event, Procházka and Glover Teixeira delivered a headliner worthy of marking the first pay-per-view event to be held in Southeast Asia. Inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the pair…

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Newly crowned UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Ji?í Procházka is looking to make up for some past mistakes with his post-UFC 275 celebrations.

In this past weekend’s main event, Procházka and Glover Teixeira delivered a headliner worthy of marking the first pay-per-view event to be held in Southeast Asia. Inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the pair went to war for the best part of five rounds, leaving absolutely everything inside the steel surroundings of the Octagon.

After a back-and-forth 24 minutes of wild and enthralling action, Procházka secured his place in UFC history, beating the Brazilian at his own game with a last-ditch rear-naked choke. Having been 28 seconds away from defeat, “Denisa” ensured that he’d be leaving Singapore one championship belt heavier and as the Czech Republic’s first UFC titleholder.

That’s certainly cause for celebration, right? Well, pre-UFC 275, Procházka wouldn’t have agreed. As it turns out, the 29-year-old hasn’t been hitting the town post-fight so far in the UFC. That’s despite recording a main event victory over Dominick Reyes via spinning back elbow last May.

Instead, Procházka focused his attention back to fight preparation straight away, something he’s identified as one of his mistakes leading into his championship challenge.

During the UFC 275 post-fight press conference, the 205-pound king discussed his party plans post-title win. The Czech star admitted that toning down his celebrations in the past has been an error, and hinted that it likely contributed towards what he perceives to have been a disappointing performance versus Teixeira.

“I’m conferring with my friends. We want to take a boat, some ship, and to celebrate it somewhere on the sea and just enjoy the time,” said Procházka. “Because after my last fight with Dominick [Reyes], I didn’t celebrate enough. And I think that was the mistake for the next fight, for the next preparation.

“Because you have to train a lot, fight a lot, and then celebrate a lot. Because it’s a very important part because you have to give everything for your celebration to show yourself how important (this is), and it is important. I’m looking forward (to) that,” concluded Procházka.

The champ has always had an incredibly focused aura around him, something that was even evident in the criticism of his own performance during his Octagon interview. But nevertheless, it seems that “Denisa” is looking to let his hair down for a period, before he begins preparation for his first title defense.

And it’s safe to say that he deserves some downtime after playing his part in one of the all-time great UFC title fights.

Do you think it’s important for fighters like Ji?í Procházka to celebrate their victories?

Continue Reading Procházka: Not Partying Enough Was My Biggest Pre-UFC 275 Mistake at MMA News.