Tag: UFC 277

Anthony Smith Reacts To Odds For Ankalaev Fight: “That’s Criminal”

UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith has a bone to pick with the oddsmakers having seen the line for his upcoming fight against Magomed Ankalaev. At UFC 277 late next month, two top-five contenders will look to their stake their claim to the next title shot. Following Ji?í Procházka’s memorable crowning in Singapore, two options for…

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UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith has a bone to pick with the oddsmakers having seen the line for his upcoming fight against Magomed Ankalaev.

At UFC 277 late next month, two top-five contenders will look to their stake their claim to the next title shot. Following Ji?í Procházka’s memorable crowning in Singapore, two options for his first defense have been heavily discussed: an immediate rematch with Glover Teixeira or an all-European collision with Jan Blachowicz.

In Dallas on July 30, one of Ankalaev or Smith will likely insert themselves in that discussion, and with an impressive display, perhaps surpass the Brazilian and the Pole in the eyes of the UFC.

The man heavily favored to do so is Ankalaev. The Dagestani has torn through his competition so far in the UFC, amassing an 8-1 record inside the Octagon. The only blemish on that slate came on debut when Ankalaev suffered a submission loss to Paul Craig with just one second left of a fight he was winning.

Having breezed past Nikita Krylov and Volkan Oezdemir, as well as emerged victorious over Thiago Santos in his first main event appearance earlier this year, Ankalaev is tipped for big things, which is reflected in the odds for his fight with Smith.

Per BetOnline.ag, Ankalaev currently sits as a -450 favorite, with “Lionheart” carrying underdog status at +350. Reacting to those odds during an interview with The Schmo, Smith, a former title challenger, branded them as “criminal.”

“+350? Go get your money. +350? That’s crazy,” said Smith. “That’s criminal. Goddamn. You hear that? [gestures behind camera] +350. That is crazy. If I was fighting goddamn Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou at the same time, I (still) shouldn’t be f*cking +350, that’s crazy.”

52-fight veteran Smith has experienced the highs and lows in MMA and has shared the cage with the best during his time under the UFC banner.

Following a failed title bid against Jon Jones and quick rebound victory over Alexander Gustafsson in 2019, “Lionheart” went through one of the rougher patches of his career, losing back-to-back fights in the UFC for the very first time.

But since tough setbacks to former champ Glover Teixeira and top-five contender Aleksandar Raki?, Smith has returned to contention by halting the surge of Jimmy Crute and picking up a pair of main event victories over Devin Clark and Ryan Spann.

With that in mind, Smith is a difficult man to count out, something he’ll hope to prove by spoiling the plans of Ankalaev at UFC 277.

Do you agree with Anthony Smith? Is he being regarded as too big of an underdog for his fight against Magomed Ankalaev?

Continue Reading Anthony Smith Reacts To Odds For Ankalaev Fight: “That’s Criminal” at MMA News.

UFC Matchmaking Bulletin (6/6-6/11): Perez Meets Pantoja At UFC 277

MMA News has you covered with this week’s matchmaking bulletin, featuring fights for top-five flyweight Alexandre Pantoja, bantamweight veteran Brian Kelleher, and powerhouse Kennedy Nzechukwu. With UFC cards being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week….

Continue Reading UFC Matchmaking Bulletin (6/6-6/11): Perez Meets Pantoja At UFC 277 at MMA News.

MMA News has you covered with this week’s matchmaking bulletin, featuring fights for top-five flyweight Alexandre Pantoja, bantamweight veteran Brian Kelleher, and powerhouse Kennedy Nzechukwu.

With UFC cards being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

In recent days, a number of huge fights were reported, confirmed or made official by the UFC and reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:

If you’ve had your fix of big announcements since last Monday, scroll down and check out this week’s matchmaking bulletin, featuring a number of bouts that may have flown under your radar between June 6 and June 11.

Brian Kelleher vs. Mario Bautista – UFC Vegas 57 (June 25)

Later this month, bantamweight veteran Brian Kelleher will enter the Octagon for the third time in 2022 and 15th time in his UFC career. At UFC Vegas 57 on June 25, the 35-year-old will look to return to the win column at the expense of prospect Mario Bautista.

Kelleher (24-13) has faced some of the best since joining the MMA leader in 2017, sharing the cage with the likes of of current ONE champion John Lineker, the great Renan Barão, and current top-five contender Marlon “Chito” Vera.

After a defeat on the scorecards to ranked bantamweight Ricky Simón last February, Kelleher won consecutive fights for the third time in his UFC tenure, including a featherweight victory over Kevin Croom in January this year. But he failed to secure his first three-fight win streak in the Octagon at UFC 272, falling to a submission at the hands of surging prospect Umar Nurmagomedov.

The veteran is now set to go toe-to-toe with another prospect as he looks to rebound. Bautista (9-2) has gone 3-2 since entering the UFC as an undefeated up-and-comer, with one of the losses coming at the hands of former interim title challenger Cory Sandhagen.

Having returned to the win column last time out against Jay Perrin, the 28-year-old will look to further establish his name in the division with a win over fan favorite “Boom” Kelleher.

This matchup was first reported by Bautista’s management team, Iridium Sports Agency.

Karl Roberson vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu – UFC Vegas 58 (July 9)

UFC Vegas 58 looks set to have a tough act to follow, coming just a week after UFC 276 headlines International Fight Week. Looking to do their best to match the pay-per-view action will be light heavyweights Karl Roberson and Kennedy Nzechukwu.

Roberson (9-5), a nine-fight UFC veteran, is perhaps on his final life inside the Octagon. After winning four of his first six outings, with one of the losses coming to former light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira, the American’s form fell off a cliff.

First, in a bad blood co-main event with Marvin Vettori, “Baby K” missed weight by a mammoth 4.5 pounds and was submitted in just one round. He then fell to a two-fight skid at middleweight courtesy of another submission, this time at the hands of Brendan Allen. His attempt to rebound back at 205 pounds earlier this year didn’t go to plan, with Khalil Rountree Jr. stopping him via TKO in the second round.

Also looking to bounce back from a skid will be Nzechukwu (9-3). Roberson’s fellow Dana White’s Contender Series alum showed immense promise after bonus-worthy knockouts of Carlos Ulberg and Danilo Marques left him 3-1 in the Octagon, with the only loss being to ranked contender Paul Craig.

But after back-to-back defeats against Da Un Jung and Nicolae Negumereanu, the 29-year-old Nigerian is in desperate need of finding his way back into the win column.

It’ll be three-fight skid versus two-fight skid on July 9, with both men’s places on the UFC roster perhaps on the line. This matchup was first reported by Paradigm Sports.

Nathaniel Wood vs. Charles Rosa – UFC London (July 23)

Thank the Lord, Nathaniel Wood finally has a fight.

Wood (17-5) hasn’t been in a action since a unanimous decision loss to Casey Kenney in October 2020. After a bout with Jonathan Martinez was shelved, the Englishman sat out 2021, with his sights set on an impactful 2022 comeback.

If everything had gone to plan, that would have happened in front of a home crowd on March 19. “The Prospect” was initially scheduled to share the Octagon inside The O2 with Liudvik Sholinian. But when he pulled out due to the war in Ukraine, featherweight Vince Morales stepped into save the day, or so we thought.

Just days before the memorable event, “Vendetta” withdrew through illness, leaving Wood without an opponent and watching his compatriots thrill the English crowd from the side. But now, after a long search for a willing opponent, it appears that Wood has gotten his wish in the former of veteran 145lber Charles Rosa.

Rosa (14-7) has competed in the Octagon since 2014, facing the likes of Yair Rodriguez, Shane Burgos, and Bryce Mitchell. “Boston Strong” looks set to enter enemy territory on July 23 and will look to rebound from an unsuccessful lightweight bout against TJ Brown last time out.

This addition to UFC London was first reported by Al Zullino, with Wood himself later confirming his participation on July 23.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Alex Perez – UFC 277 (July 30)

Former flyweight title challenger Alex Perez was originally set to be in action at UFC Long Island on July 16. However, his scheduled opponent, #3-ranked Askar Askarov, was forced to withdraw.

With that , the UFC has made a like-for-like substitution, rankings-wise, with Askarov’s fellow #3 contender Alexandre Pantoja stepping into face Perez two weeks later at UFC 277.

When he makes the walk on July 30, Perez (24-6) will be doing so for the first time since a failed attempt at dethroning Deiveson Figueiredo in November 2020’s UFC 255 main event, which saw him submitted in less than two minutes. Thanks to a failed booking against Askarov and a cursed pairing with Matt Schnell, 2021 marked Perez’s first inactive year since he made his professional debut in 2011.

When he makes his comeback, Perez will be hoping to find the form that led him to 6-1 in the UFC prior to meeting “Deus Da Guerra.” But that will be no easy task against Pantoja (24-5), who can perhaps feel unlucky not to be fighting for the title. The Brazilian seemingly cemented himself as the first challenger to Brandon Moreno late last year after back-to-back victories over Manel Kape and Brandon Royval.

But after a knee injury prevented him from making the desired December date, Figueiredo stepped in, and after a one-month delay, regained the gold. Now back to full health, “The Cannibal” will be looking to move back in line for a championship opportunity at the expense of the returning Perez.

This matchup was first reported by AgFight.

Who do you envision having their hands raised in these UFC matchups?

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Peña Believes UFC 269 Upset ‘Lit A Fire Underneath Nunes’ Behind’

UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña is expecting a focused and motivated Amanda Nunes when they meet for the second time at UFC 277. At UFC 269 last December, Peña shocked the world by ending the two-division rule of the consensus female MMA GOAT. After Nunes won 12 straight, including against Valentina Shevchenko, Ronda Rousey,…

Continue Reading Peña Believes UFC 269 Upset ‘Lit A Fire Underneath Nunes’ Behind’ at MMA News.

UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña is expecting a focused and motivated Amanda Nunes when they meet for the second time at UFC 277.

At UFC 269 last December, Peña shocked the world by ending the two-division rule of the consensus female MMA GOAT. After Nunes won 12 straight, including against Valentina Shevchenko, Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm, and remained unbeaten for seven years, it was “The Venezuelan Vixen” who broke the mold.

Having suffered a devastating second-round submission loss at the year’s final pay-per-view, the “Lioness” picked herself up and called for an immediate rematch, vowing to right the wrongs from UFC 269.

Now, after the conclusion of this year’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter, which features the two elite bantamweights as coaches, the pair are set to run it back in the main event of UFC 277.

When they do share the cage again, the champ is expecting the “best version” of Nunes. During an interview with Morning Kombat‘s Brian Campbell, Peña suggested that her underdog victory late last year has lit a fire underneath the Brazilian, something she’s ready to feel the force of in Dallas on July 30.

“I think that I lit a gas can of fire right underneath her behind, and she is gonna be more focused than she’s ever been,” said Peña. “I think she’s gonna be the best Amanda that she’s ever been, which is funny, because that’s what she said she was gonna do the first time. So now, I have to be like, ‘Okay, this time it’s serious, this time she’s being for real. She’s coming in at 110%, and I’m gonna get the best version of Amanda Nunes.’

“And that’s great, because I was ready for that best version of Amanda Nunes in August, I was ready for that best version of Amanda Nunes in December, and whenever that date happens (July 30), I will be ready for that best version of Amanda Nunes, and I will be willing and able, I can and I will, meet that head on and do everything in my power to get my hand raised,” insisted Peña.

Despite making good on her promise to prove her doubters wrong at UFC 269, Peña will still be entering her first title defense as the underdog, with BetOnline.ag having the champ at +245.

With that in mind, “The Venezuelan Vixen” will be looking to induce a state of déjà vu for both her detractors and the reigning featherweight queen come July 30.

Do you expect Julianna Peña to be facing the best version of Amanda Nunes at UFC 277?

Continue Reading Peña Believes UFC 269 Upset ‘Lit A Fire Underneath Nunes’ Behind’ at MMA News.

Luke Rockhold Claims Paulo Costa Is Trying To Rebook Fight, Compares Him To Caitlyn Jenner

Luke RockholdFormer undisputed UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold has claimed that fellow division contender, one-time title challenger, Paulo Costa is attempting to move their scheduled UFC 277 clash on July 30. to another event in August – comparing the Brazilian to Caitlyn Jenner.  Rockhold, a native of Santa Cruz, has yet to feature since […]

Luke Rockhold

Former undisputed UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold has claimed that fellow division contender, one-time title challenger, Paulo Costa is attempting to move their scheduled UFC 277 clash on July 30. to another event in August – comparing the Brazilian to Caitlyn Jenner. 

Rockhold, a native of Santa Cruz, has yet to feature since July 2019 in a light heavyweight divisional bow, suffering a second round knockout loss to former division champion, Jan Blachowicz. 

In the time since, the Californian veteran has seen a scheduled UFC 268 bout with Sean Strickland scratched from last November’s Madison Square Garden card due to a back injury. And his since been rebooked to share the Octagon with Costa.

Luke Rockhold has begun comparing Paulo Costa to Caitlyn Jenner ahead of UFC 277

Revealing recently that his UFC 277 battle with Costa in Dallas, Texas may be in jeopardy – Rockhold claimed Costa was attempting to avoid the matchup, and reschedule it for the following month.

“It’s been a headache and process, (and he) just doesn’t make it easy,” Luke Rockhold said of his return during an interview with Submission Radio. “It’s just, I don’t know what he’s doing behind the scenes, getting veneers or getting his f*cking whole face redone, getting a new nose? What’s next? I don’t know. But everything, I think he’s getting all his cosmetic work probably or something, is what I think is going on, cause he just keeps delaying. He might come out looking like Caitlyn Jenner. You never know.”

Rockhold revealed that he had initially targeted a return at UFC 276 on July 2. at the beginning of the month, however, insists Costa forced another rescheduled bout at the end of the month instead. 

“He’s trying to delay the fight again to August 20.,” Luke Rockhold said. “This guy is – something’s going on behind the scenes. I don’t know what you’re doing over there, Caitlyn (Paulo Costa).”

“We wanted July 2., and then I think he had his first surgery,” Luke Rockhold claimed. “And then there’s July 30. And then I think he’s on his second or this, and then they want to go to August 20. That’s all I’m hearing right now.”

Valentina Shevchenko Believes 2022 Title Fight Against Julianna Peña, Amanda Nunes Is ‘Very Possible’

Valentina ShevchenkoReigning UFC flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko believes a future bantamweight division return against either current champion, Julianna Pena, or former champion and two-time foe, Amanda Nunes is quite likely, before the close of 2022. Shevchenko, the current flyweight champion, is slated to co-headline UFC 275 on June 11. in Singapore – drawing surging contender and […]

Valentina Shevchenko

Reigning UFC flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko believes a future bantamweight division return against either current champion, Julianna Pena, or former champion and two-time foe, Amanda Nunes is quite likely, before the close of 2022.

Shevchenko, the current flyweight champion, is slated to co-headline UFC 275 on June 11. in Singapore – drawing surging contender and Brazil native, Taila Santos in an attempt to secure her stunning, seventh successful defense of the flyweight throne.

The Kyrgyzstan native most recently featured in the co-headliner of UFC 266 back in September of last year, turning in a dominant striking performance en route to an eventual fourth round ground strikes win over Lauren Murphy.

As for a division higher, newly minted bantamweight champion, Pena, who previously shared the Octagon with Shevchenko – is slated to headline UFC 277 on July 30. at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas – matching with Nunes in a title re-run.

Valentina Shevchenko welcomes a bantamweight title return before the close of this year

Moving to the flyweight division following a second career loss to then-champion, Nunes at UFC 215 in September 2017, Shevchenko has embarked on an eight-fight winning spree at 125lbs. And amid her continual roughshod run through contenders, Shevchenko firmly flirted with a bantamweight title excursion against either Pena or Nunes before the end of this annum.

“I think so, I think there is always a chance,” Valentina Shevchenko told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour when asked if she would consider a move back to the bantamweight division. “There is always a chance, and I think – the bigger fight, the better, right?”

“I think by the end of the year, I think it’s going to be a good fight,” Valentina Shevchenko said of a title fight with Pena or Nunes. “Also, we have to have to see – Miesha Tate is coming to 125 in July, so it’s like – many things can happen, many things can change, right? I think it’s possible, it’s very, very, very possible.”

In her first fight with Nunes back in March 2016 at UFC 196, Shevchenko suffered a unanimous decision loss to the current featherweight champion – however, managed to stop reigning gold holder, Pena with a second round armbar in the main event of UFC Fight Night Denver in January 2017.

Nate Diaz, Michael Chandler Appear To Verbally Agree To UFC 277 Fight: ‘Send The Contract’

Nate DiazNate Diaz appears to welcome the opportunity to score a welterweight matchup with lightweight contender, Michael Chandler at UFC 277 on July 30. – urging the promotion to “send the contract” for a summer showdown.  Nate Diaz, who has tirelessly campaigned to land both the final fight of his contract with the promotion – as […]

Nate Diaz

Nate Diaz appears to welcome the opportunity to score a welterweight matchup with lightweight contender, Michael Chandler at UFC 277 on July 30. – urging the promotion to “send the contract” for a summer showdown. 

Nate Diaz, who has tirelessly campaigned to land both the final fight of his contract with the promotion – as well as his release from the organization, teased a summer return over the course of the weekend, suggesting a welterweight pairing on July 30. at UFC 277. 

Receiving a host of offers from the likes of Khamzat Chimaev, and Dustin Poirier – one-time lightweight title challenger, Chandler, fresh from a stunning front kick knockout win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 on Saturday, offered to fight Diaz at the welterweight limit at UFC 277. 

“I’m there,” Michael Chandler replied to Diaz who tweeted, “July 30. 170lbs,” “Quick turn around. Spin your head on it’s axis. @natediaz209.” 

“Hey, @natediaz209… shut up and stop complaining,” Michael Chandler tweeted. “Keep your mouth shut. Keep your head down until your daddy books a fight for you to get your sacrificial dome bounced off the canvas again. Maybe it’ll be me… if you’re lucky. See you at the top.” 

Nate Diaz urges the UFC to send him a contract for a fight against Michael Chandler

Replying to Chandler and welcoming the pairing, Diaz claimed that the UFC had kept him “on ice” for over a year at this stage, and urged them to send the contract so he would could fight the Sanford MMA staple at UFC 277.

“UFC got me on ice for a year now (Michael) Chander’s obviously ready to fight send a contract it’s time,” Nate Diaz tweeted.

In his most recent matchup, Diaz suffered his second consecutive loss at the welterweight limit, dropping a unanimous decision loss to expected next division title challenger, Leon Edwards at UFC 263 back in June of last year.