Tag: UFC 304

MMA News Today: UFC Commentator Feels Fans Watch Belal Muhammad Fights With ‘Tainted Eye’, UFC Featherweight Star Rants About ‘Corrupt’ Olympics, & More

Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 31, 2024, we’re taking a look at: Jon Anik Says Fans Criticism Of UFC 304 Main Event Is Out Of Dislike For Belal Muhammad UFC commentator Jon Anik believes that some fans have been too […]

Continue Reading MMA News Today: UFC Commentator Feels Fans Watch Belal Muhammad Fights With ‘Tainted Eye’, UFC Featherweight Star Rants About ‘Corrupt’ Olympics, & More at MMA News.

Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 31, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

  • Anik says fans are biased against Muhammad
  • Allen labels Olympic Games as corrupt
  • UFC veteran says Mokaev didn’t have a leg to stand on

Jon Anik Says Fans Criticism Of UFC 304 Main Event Is Out Of Dislike For Belal Muhammad

UFC commentator Jon Anik believes that some fans have been too critical of the UFC 304 main event, due to their dislike of Belal Muhammad.

Whilst the majority of each round was spent with either Muhammad or Leon Edwards holding the other in a dominant position with little action, the momentum of the fight did swing back and forth at points.

Anik said that to make it clear, he is a huge fan of both men because whilst he may be friends with the new champion, his career will always be tied to “Rocky” and his title reign.

On the Anik & Florian Podcast recap of this past weekend’s event, he said that some were looking for a way to criticize Muhammad rather than praise him.

“So I’m not sure what exactly we are looking for, I think a lot of people just watch Belal Muhammad with a tainted eye and that’s why I tweet, “cry”, right. I am a Leon Edwards fan as anyone knows, ‘Shabba Madda Pot’ is my favorite song.

“My most significant call of my career is Leon Edwards, the favorite moment of my professional career is when Leon hugged me after the fact, six months later. But, it is time to put respect on the name Belal Muhammad.”

Arnold Allen Criticizes The Paris Olympic Games Amidst Multiple Controversies

The Paris Olympic Games are in full swing but this particular instalment has been defined by controversy from the very start.

In a recent series of posts on social media, UFC featherweight contender Arnold Allen voiced his opinions on how the event has become unwatchable over time.

He may have been planning to spend some time this summer watching the games after returning to the win column this past weekend at UFC 304 but “Almighty” has had to tap out.

Allen referred to Dutch volleyball player Steven van de Velde who qualified for this year’s games despite being convicted of child rape in 2016.

Matt Brown Says The UFC Made The Right Call Regarding Muhammad Mokaev’s Contract Status

UFC veteran Matt Brown weighed in with his thoughts on the recent UFC departure of undefeated flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev.

Like many, he admitted that he was surprised at first given the ability and potential that “The Punisher” brings to the table.

Brown was also able to identify why the UFC would want to walk away from resigning the fighter, if he’s causing issues behind the scenes.

Crucially, he pointed out how Mokaev isn’t in a position where the juice is worth the squeeze given his profile in the sport and performances, compared to other controversial fighters on the roster.

During the latest episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer, “The Immortal” said that he understands the promotion’s call after what went down on fight week.

“I’d probably cut him, too, to be honest,” Brown said. “It is surprising that they would do that, being that his ceiling is pretty freaking high. I’ve watched him fight before. The dude has really, really high ceiling. Young guy with a lot of skills, a lot of talent. But when you’re up and coming like that, you can’t just do that. I think the UFC has shown that before. When you’re an up and comer, you can’t be ruffling too many feathers. Obviously like some but you can’t be doing stupid sh*t like that.

“Once you’re Jon Jones and you’re putting all those asses in the seats, yeah you get away with some sh*t. Because you’re in business with the UFC. You’re a partner essentially,” Brown continued. “Whereas how many people tune in to watch Muhammad Mokaev? When he goes and fights in PFL, how many people are going to tune in and watch Muhammad Mokaev? So there are double standards or triple standards or whatever. There is different standards for every fighter. He’s not at that level to be getting away with sh*t like that. I don’t know the story but that (sucker-punch) sounds like a cowardly b*tch move, and I wouldn’t want to be in business with someone like that either.”

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Leon Edwards’ Coach Names Preferred Next Opponent After Title Loss At UFC 304

Belal Muhammad shook up the welterweight division at UFC 304 this past weekend by overcoming the odds to become the welterweight champion. Leon Edwards had reigned for close to two years. Now, “Rocky” going back to being a contender provides some interesting options for the division. Fans have been critical of Muhammad’s style for some […]

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Belal Muhammad shook up the welterweight division at UFC 304 this past weekend by overcoming the odds to become the welterweight champion.

Leon Edwards had reigned for close to two years. Now, “Rocky” going back to being a contender provides some interesting options for the division.

Fans have been critical of Muhammad’s style for some time, but the same can’t be said for the current list of top contenders at 170 pounds.

With the likes of Shavkat Rakhmonov, Jack Della Maddalena, and Ian Garry all in the mix, there’s some great matchups for Edwards, assuming that he isn’t getting a straight rematch.

His coach believes that one of those names is the best option partly due to his history with the former champion…

Dave Lovell Says Ian Garry Is His Pick To Fight Leon Edwards Next

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Edwards’ head coach Dave Lovell said that his preferred choice for Edwards’ bounce-back fight would be the #7-ranked Garry.

The undefeated Irishman previously had some tension with Edwards and his team after spending a brief amount of time training with them at Team Renegade in Birmingham, England.

Lovell said that this history combined with Garry’s current position in this division make this fight a great return for “Rocky.”

“I’d like to see Leon fight Ian Garry. Obviously we can keep it British based, either Ireland or over here. Obviously the little background story we had going back last year is a — he’s looking for a scalp. Now Leon’s not champion, he may think well, he’s a good scalp for him to get to obviously march on to get a championship belt or title shot.

“For Leon, if Leon beats him, that then puts him at the back of the queue and then maybe if they want one more before he fights Belal, if Belal’s still got the belt, well that’ll be the future move, the future plan.”

Lovell believes Edwards would have the advantage in this fight because of the experience that he brings to the table.

The Team Renegade head coach said that during Garry’s short time at the gym, they were able to identify some of the weaker areas in his game.

“I believe Leon would beat him with the simple fact of fight experience. (Garry’s) a good lad, he’s got good skills, but we know — because we’ve seen some when he was at our gym — don’t just think he came to the gym and it was a boogie ride for him, you know, he was getting tapped out by — again, I’m not mentioning no names. If he wants to mention them, that’s up to him.”

Continue Reading Leon Edwards’ Coach Names Preferred Next Opponent After Title Loss At UFC 304 at MMA News.

Molly McCann Speaks On ‘Sh*t Night At The Office’ At UFC 304: ‘Wasn’t Able To Recover After That Knee…’ 

UFC strawweight Molly McCann acknowledged the impact of Bruna Brasil’s early body work in her first statement on this past weekend’s defeat. McCann was among the home fighters in action at the UFC 304 pay-per-view event, held inside the newly built Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, in the early hours of Sunday morning local […]

Continue Reading Molly McCann Speaks On ‘Sh*t Night At The Office’ At UFC 304: ‘Wasn’t Able To Recover After That Knee…’  at MMA News.

UFC strawweight Molly McCann acknowledged the impact of Bruna Brasil’s early body work in her first statement on this past weekend’s defeat.

McCann was among the home fighters in action at the UFC 304 pay-per-view event, held inside the newly built Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, in the early hours of Sunday morning local time.

“Meatball” made the walk on the preliminary card in pursuit of her second straight win since moving down to 115 pounds this year. But like her final flyweight outing on UK soil last July, the Liverpool native was unable to replicate her 2022 knockouts in London.

Opposite kickboxing specialist Bruna Brasil, McCann found herself folding to a pair of brutal body shots in the opening round, the first of which came from a perfectly timed knee to the midsection.

In her reflection on the unanimous decision setback, the defeated McCann noted the importance that knee had on the rest of the fight…

McCann On UFC 304 Loss: ‘Few Broken Bones…’

McCann took to social media on Sunday to give her first public reaction to the defeat close to home.

Alongside a picture showing her interaction with Brasil and her team at the fighter hotel following UFC 304, “Meatball” praised her victorious opponent on the triumph in enemy territory.

And in terms of her own performance, McCann suggested she was never able to fully recover from the knee that appeared close to finishing the fight early on.

“Last night was Bruna’s night! Massive congratulations to her. I wasn’t able to recover after that knee the firm,” McCann wrote. “Few broken bones and some heavy bruises, Shit night in the office for me but it is what it is. Hope you all enjoyed a great night of fights. Thank you to all UFC/ UFC PI staff for the care and love. We live to fight another day. I’m gonna be taking a bit of time off for me mental and physical state. Much love the firm!

The result stalls the strawweight momentum McCann gained with a career-best display opposite Diana Belbi?? at the Apex this past February.

Brasil, meanwhile, has bounced back from a disappointing decision defeat to Loma Lookboonmee earlier this year. The win also marks victories in back-to-back years in England for “The Special One,” who previously got the better of Shauna Bannon in the country’s capital last July.

Continue Reading Molly McCann Speaks On ‘Sh*t Night At The Office’ At UFC 304: ‘Wasn’t Able To Recover After That Knee…’  at MMA News.

Leon Edwards’ Coach Claims Injury Affected UFC 304 Performance: ‘He Couldn’t Wrestle The Way He Needed To’

Leon Edwards’ coach has looked to add some context to the former UFC welterweight champion’s wrestling struggles against Belal Muhammad. Edwards headlined this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, defending the 170-pound gold in a rematch with Muhammad. Against the odds and despite many backing the champ […]

Continue Reading Leon Edwards’ Coach Claims Injury Affected UFC 304 Performance: ‘He Couldn’t Wrestle The Way He Needed To’ at MMA News.

Leon Edwards’ coach has looked to add some context to the former UFC welterweight champion’s wrestling struggles against Belal Muhammad.

Edwards headlined this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, defending the 170-pound gold in a rematch with Muhammad.

Against the odds and despite many backing the champ to retain, “Remember the Name” proved that his confidence was well placed by putting on a largely dominant display across five rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory.

A key part of Muhammad’s title triumph was his renowned grappling game, as he utilized a smothering wrestling arsenal to control Edwards for significant portions of the UFC 304 headliner. That came as a surprise to many given Edwards’ strong wrestling defense, which helped him outpoint both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington last year.

Now, some extra information has been attached to the former champ’s failure to combat Muhammad’s takedowns…

Coach Lovell Was ‘Dubious’ About Edwards Fighting Through Injury At UFC 304

During a recent interview on Submission Radio, coach Dave Lovell reflected on his man’s setback in Manchester this past weekend, which marked his first defeat since a decision loss to Usman in 2015.

While he acknowledged Muhammad’s display and suggested it simply wasn’t Edwards night, the experienced trainer did reveal some injury troubles that he believes hampered “Rocky’s” ability to handle the challenger’s main offense at UFC 304.

“Where Leon was concerned, a lot of people don’t know this — and I’m not making any kind of excuses for him — but we had a few niggles in camp. His back was niggling him,” Lovell said. “So he couldn’t wrestle the way he really needed to, offensively and defensively. We’re not taking anything away from Belal’s performance. He did well; the best man won on the night. But Leon will be back.

“I was very dubious because these niggles were going on for about maybe five or so weeks on or off. He had to go to a chiropractor (for) regular massages. But again, after one session, it was back to square one,” Lovell continued. “In the back part of my mind, I was thinking, ‘Should we go for this?’ But because he hadn’t fought for so long, Leon said he wanted it, so we just pushed forward through the injury, trained through the injury, and then tried to get through and get a victory. Unfortunately, it never happened.”

Edwards made no mention of the physical problems he seemingly entered the cage with at UFC 304 himself. In a short and succinct post-fight statement, “Rocky” apologized to his fans and vowed to regain the gold.

Continue Reading Leon Edwards’ Coach Claims Injury Affected UFC 304 Performance: ‘He Couldn’t Wrestle The Way He Needed To’ at MMA News.

Manel Kape Bemoans Muhammad Mokaev’s Fouling In Post-UFC 304 Reaction: ‘I Definitely Won This Fight!’ 

UFC flyweight Manel Kape believes he was robbed of victory against Muhammad Mokaev in Manchester, seemingly by both the judges and referee. Kape and Mokaev entered the Octagon during the UFC 304 preliminary card in the early hours of Sunday morning in the UK for a fight that was among the most talked about leading […]

Continue Reading Manel Kape Bemoans Muhammad Mokaev’s Fouling In Post-UFC 304 Reaction: ‘I Definitely Won This Fight!’  at MMA News.

UFC flyweight Manel Kape believes he was robbed of victory against Muhammad Mokaev in Manchester, seemingly by both the judges and referee.

Kape and Mokaev entered the Octagon during the UFC 304 preliminary card in the early hours of Sunday morning in the UK for a fight that was among the most talked about leading into the pay-per-view event.

In the eyes of most, the bout was a likely title eliminator at 125 pounds, and the stakes and anticipation only increased when they got into numerous aggressive altercations during fight week.

The pair ultimately failed to deliver on their promise of a barnburner at the Co-op Live, however, with Mokaev having his hand raised on the scorecards following a low-output and low-entertainment affair.

While some disagreed with the decision going in “The Punisher’s” favor, the biggest point of contention came in round one when the Dagestan-born brit displayed some of the most egregious fouling in recent memory.

After landing a takedown, Mokaev blatantly pulled Kape’s shorts down, leading to firm complaints from “Starboy.” But despite the views of the commentary team and many in the community, no point was taken.

That fact has left the defeated Kape less than pleased…

Kape Admits He Underperformed At UFC 304 But Claims He Deserved More

A few hours on from his disappointing setback in Manchester, Kape took to social media to release his first public statement on the result.

The Angola-born Portuguese flyweight insisted he deserved the victory and pointed out Mokaev’s cheating early on, as well as some other fouls he believes went unpunished from referee Mike Beltran.

“I definitely won this fight, that pull of the shorts deserved to be removed the point, two fingers in the eyes, 3 kicks in balls,” Kape wrote. “Anyway, It was not the best performance, I apologize for those who expected the best from me but only Allah knows. Alhamdulillah for everything.”

While he may have had his championship ambitions stalled for the time being, he appears to have had the last laugh in his feud with Mokaev.

After it emerged that the Dagestan-born Brit would be completing the final fight on his contract at UFC 304, Dana White revealed at the post-fight press conference that the promotion wouldn’t be re-signing “The Punisher,” seemingly owing to issues outside of the Octagon.

Continue Reading Manel Kape Bemoans Muhammad Mokaev’s Fouling In Post-UFC 304 Reaction: ‘I Definitely Won This Fight!’  at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier Defends Belal Muhammad Against Criticism Of UFC 304 Title Win: ‘That Was The Furthest Thing From A Boring Fight!’

Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has dismissed the notion that Belal Muhammad captured welterweight gold in “boring” fashion. Muhammad achieved his long-held title ambitions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage at this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event, held inside the Co-op Live in Manchester, England. “Remember the Name” entered the Octagon as an […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Defends Belal Muhammad Against Criticism Of UFC 304 Title Win: ‘That Was The Furthest Thing From A Boring Fight!’ at MMA News.

Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has dismissed the notion that Belal Muhammad captured welterweight gold in “boring” fashion.

Muhammad achieved his long-held title ambitions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage at this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event, held inside the Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

“Remember the Name” entered the Octagon as an underdog against Leon Edwards and with many expecting “Rocky” to handedly defend his title again given how the first round of their 2021 fight played out.

But the challenger ultimately made good on his promise to dominate the champion in his own backyard, securing control for the majority of the fight and landing some notable shots of his own on the feet en route to a unanimous decision victory.

With that, Muhammad proved his doubters wrong in a major way. But, of course, not everyone is giving the new welterweight kingpin credit. Some of his detractors have accused him of reaching the top with a less than entertaining style and performance at UFC 304.

In that regard, Muhammad has the backing of one individual who had a close view of his efforts inside the cage in the UK…

Cormier Shuts Down ‘Boring’ Accusations After Muhammad’s UFC 304 Triumph

During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier gave his take on the events that unfolded at UFC 304 from cageside inside Manchester’s Co-op Live.

Reflecting on the main event, “DC” had nothing but praise for Muhammad, admitting that he put in a display that went above and beyond what he had expected from the American-Palestinian.

The ex-heavyweight and light heavyweight titleholder also pushed back on claims the UFC 304 headliner was “boring,” highlighting Muhammad’s impressive performance in all aspects of the game.

“Tonight, Belal Muhammad fought the absolute perfect fight,” Cormier said. “He said all week that he would make this look easy. I didn’t believe him, and I will say that openly. I thought he was underestimating Leon Edwards. I thought when he was walking out to the Octagon, he looked a bit confident and I wasn’t sure that it was warranted. But what he did in the Octagon tonight was so special.

“Belal gets a bit of a bad rap, and at times they say he’s boring. But I will tell you right now, that was the furthest thing from a boring fight from the new champion,” Cormier continued. “His pace was amazing, his pressure was amazing, his striking — he fought and struck with Leon Edwards. He outlanded Leon Edwards. … It was a fantastic performance.”

Continued dismissive remarks from some in the community won’t come as a surprise to Muhammad, who has long dealt with criticism from an abundance of haters. But with the welterweight title now in his possession, it’s safe to say that “Remember the Name” had the last laugh in Manchester.

He’ll now look to continue that trend by turning back challenges from the division’s pool of contenders and building a lengthy reign.

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Defends Belal Muhammad Against Criticism Of UFC 304 Title Win: ‘That Was The Furthest Thing From A Boring Fight!’ at MMA News.