Tag: ufc 307

Julianna Peña Talks Beef With ‘Worst Roommate Ever’ Raquel Pennington: ‘Thirteen Years In The Making…’

Julianna Peña recently opened up about her long-standing feud with Raquel Pennington, which has simmered since their days on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) back in 2013. Many fans might not remember that both Peña and Pennington were part of Team Miesha Tate against Team Ronda Rousey during season 18 of the MMA reality show. Despite […]

Continue Reading Julianna Peña Talks Beef With ‘Worst Roommate Ever’ Raquel Pennington: ‘Thirteen Years In The Making…’ at MMA News.

Julianna Peña recently opened up about her long-standing feud with Raquel Pennington, which has simmered since their days on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) back in 2013.

Many fans might not remember that both Peña and Pennington were part of Team Miesha Tate against Team Ronda Rousey during season 18 of the MMA reality show. Despite both appearing on the show, the two bantamweights never clashed. Now, over a decade later, fate has finally aligned them for a long-awaited showdown inside the Octagon.

“The Venezuelan Vixen” is set to take her second shot at the women’s bantamweight crown when she faces reigning champion Pennington in the co-main event of UFC 307 this Saturday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Although Peña and Pennington were teammates on The Ultimate Fighter, they were often at odds. Despite their friction, the Washington native went on to win the season with a dominant first-round knockout over Team Rousey’s Jessica Rakoczy, while ‘Rocky’ was forced to withdraw early from the competition due to injury.

Peña Intends To Make Pennington Regret Past Behavior At UFC 307

During a recent interview with SHAK MMA, “The Venezuelan Vixen” reflected on her time during TUF 18, when she and her now rival Pennington were roommates. The former UFC bantamweight champion revealed that she had been nothing but helpful and supportive during their stint but claimed that ‘Rocky’ was consistently rude to her.

“Raquel and I have had our history of little spats,” Peña said. “If you watch The Ultimate Fighter, she was doing things and saying things that I disagreed with, and it gets to be one of those—I don’t know if you saw that Netflix series Worst Roommate Ever—where they just have these like terrible roommates, and I’m like, I’m doing all of your dishes, I’m giving you makeovers, I’m teaching you how to walk like a runway model. Why are you so horrible to me? Why are you making my life a living hell?””

Peña boldly declared that she plans to hold Pennington accountable for her past transgressions and settle their animosity when they clash inside the Octagon at UFC 307 this weekend.

“For me, it’s just one of those things where I would much rather get it over with. This has been 13 years in the making, and it’s time for the worst roommate ever to get their due justice.”

Continue Reading Julianna Peña Talks Beef With ‘Worst Roommate Ever’ Raquel Pennington: ‘Thirteen Years In The Making…’ at MMA News.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Uses Rising Lightweight Star Example To Explain Why MMA Is Not A ‘True Sport’

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, Javier Mendez, recently shared his perspective on why he believes mixed martial arts doesn’t qualify as a genuine sport. MMA has skyrocketed as one of the most rapidly rising one-on-one competitive sports since the early 2000s, and it’s showing no signs of losing steam. Though it has faced its share of triumphs […]

Continue Reading Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Uses Rising Lightweight Star Example To Explain Why MMA Is Not A ‘True Sport’ at MMA News.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, Javier Mendez, recently shared his perspective on why he believes mixed martial arts doesn’t qualify as a genuine sport.

MMA has skyrocketed as one of the most rapidly rising one-on-one competitive sports since the early 2000s, and it’s showing no signs of losing steam. Though it has faced its share of triumphs and challenges since its inception, the sport has steadily transformed, adapting and expanding into a global sensation.

Despite its polarizing beginnings, MMA has grown into a highly regarded discipline. With standardized guidelines and safeguards in place, strict measures ensure not only the fighters’ safety but also uphold the integrity of the competition as a whole.

However, Mendez, while pointing to Paddy Pimblett as a prime example, explains why he believes MMA has yet to fully qualify as a true sport.

Mendez Thinks MMA Fans Gravitate Toward ‘Must-Watch TV’ Matchups

During a recent episode of his podcast on YouTube, Mendez shared his thoughts on the UFC light heavyweight title bout between reigning champion Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree. He also addressed the controversy surrounding “The War Horse’s” legitimacy as a true contender.

The American Kickboxing Academy founder defended Rountree’s deserving place in the title picture, but the conversation quickly shifted to a broader critique of why he believes MMA—and boxing—don’t qualify as true sports.

According to Mendez, in MMA, particularly within the UFC, fan favorite and the most popular fighters often dictate who gets to fight them next, driven more by audience demand than by merit alone – like most other sports would be.

“How many times do I say this is not a true sport? It’s [MMA] never been a true sport,” Mendez questioned. “Boxing is also not a true sport either and never will be, as long as people can choose who they want to put on because pay-per-view numbers and eyeballs on the screen create this situation. Boxing too, because if it were a true sport, you wouldn’t have people in the WBA or WBC saying, ‘I’m not fighting that guy.’ They win a WBA title, and the next thing you know, they don’t want to fight certain opponents, so they move on. Why? Because they can. Is it a true sport? No, because if it’s a true sport, you would fight X amount against X amount.”

The renowned MMA coach went on to say he wouldn’t be shocked if Pimblett gets the next crack at the UFC lightweight title. He explained that “The Baddy” is a fan-favorite with undeniable star power, drawing in massive attention, and the fans want to see him at the top.

“This is not that way. Paddy Pimblett doesn’t deserve to be there. A lot of people think, ‘Yeah, well, you know what, if Paddy gets the next title fight, good for him. They’ll tell me he does deserve it.’ A lot of people want to watch him; he’s very entertaining. He’s a must-watch TV, you know, so you watch him because he’s a must-watch TV. He creates the need, you want… Paddy’s a needle mover.”

Continue Reading Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Uses Rising Lightweight Star Example To Explain Why MMA Is Not A ‘True Sport’ at MMA News.

Glover Teixeira Explains Addition Of Sean Strickland To Alex Pereira’s UFC 307 Camp 

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira has been getting help from an ex-opponent and fellow former middleweight titleholder while in Utah for his upcoming defense. Pereira has returned to the “Beehive State” for the first time since his debut at 205 pounds in July 2023, which saw him get the better of Jan B?achowicz on […]

Continue Reading Glover Teixeira Explains Addition Of Sean Strickland To Alex Pereira’s UFC 307 Camp  at MMA News.

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira has been getting help from an ex-opponent and fellow former middleweight titleholder while in Utah for his upcoming defense.

Pereira has returned to the “Beehive State” for the first time since his debut at 205 pounds in July 2023, which saw him get the better of Jan B?achowicz on the scorecards.

Since then, “Poatan” has achieved two-division champ status and successfully defended the light heavyweight crown twice. And having violently stopped Jamahal Hill and Ji?í Procházka this year, Pereira’s third assignment of 2024 headlines UFC 307 this weekend.

The Brazilian looks set for another striking showdown, this time opposite a fellow knockout artist in Khalil Rountree. And to boost his chances of another victory, Pereira and his team have turned to Sean Strickland.

Teixeira Touts Strickland’s Ability To Hang With Pereira In Training

During a recent interview with The Schmo, Glover Teixeira was asked about the impact Strickland’s presence has as Pereira’s camp for UFC 307 comes to a close in Salt Lake City.

While the American was emphatically flattened by Pereira when they shared the Octagon in 2022, Teixeira suggested that “Tarzan” is one of few who can go toe-to-toe with the former GLORY Kickboxing champ in sparring.

“Sean is, you know, incredibly tough. He’s good everywhere. He’s a great mixed martial artist,” Teixeira said. “He knows how to train well, you know? And he’s a guy that can, to be honest, hang with Alex. Alex can push his pace a little more. We love that Sean (came) over here today and helped Alex.”

Pereira will hope that his work with Strickland and the others who’ve been a part of his latest fight camp pays dividends on Saturday night, when “The War Horse” will have a monumental upset over the Brazilian standout in his sights.

Continue Reading Glover Teixeira Explains Addition Of Sean Strickland To Alex Pereira’s UFC 307 Camp  at MMA News.

Glover Teixeira Explains Addition Of Sean Strickland To Alex Pereira’s UFC 307 Camp 

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira has been getting help from an ex-opponent and fellow former middleweight titleholder while in Utah for his upcoming defense. Pereira has returned to the “Beehive State” for the first time since his debut at 205 pounds in July 2023, which saw him get the better of Jan B?achowicz on […]

Continue Reading Glover Teixeira Explains Addition Of Sean Strickland To Alex Pereira’s UFC 307 Camp  at MMA News.

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira has been getting help from an ex-opponent and fellow former middleweight titleholder while in Utah for his upcoming defense.

Pereira has returned to the “Beehive State” for the first time since his debut at 205 pounds in July 2023, which saw him get the better of Jan B?achowicz on the scorecards.

Since then, “Poatan” has achieved two-division champ status and successfully defended the light heavyweight crown twice. And having violently stopped Jamahal Hill and Ji?í Procházka this year, Pereira’s third assignment of 2024 headlines UFC 307 this weekend.

The Brazilian looks set for another striking showdown, this time opposite a fellow knockout artist in Khalil Rountree. And to boost his chances of another victory, Pereira and his team have turned to Sean Strickland.

Teixeira Touts Strickland’s Ability To Hang With Pereira In Training

During a recent interview with The Schmo, Glover Teixeira was asked about the impact Strickland’s presence has as Pereira’s camp for UFC 307 comes to a close in Salt Lake City.

While the American was emphatically flattened by Pereira when they shared the Octagon in 2022, Teixeira suggested that “Tarzan” is one of few who can go toe-to-toe with the former GLORY Kickboxing champ in sparring.

“Sean is, you know, incredibly tough. He’s good everywhere. He’s a great mixed martial artist,” Teixeira said. “He knows how to train well, you know? And he’s a guy that can, to be honest, hang with Alex. Alex can push his pace a little more. We love that Sean (came) over here today and helped Alex.”

Pereira will hope that his work with Strickland and the others who’ve been a part of his latest fight camp pays dividends on Saturday night, when “The War Horse” will have a monumental upset over the Brazilian standout in his sights.

Continue Reading Glover Teixeira Explains Addition Of Sean Strickland To Alex Pereira’s UFC 307 Camp  at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman Honest About Pennington vs. Peña At UFC 307: ‘Looks Like She Doesn’t Wanna Be There…’

Kamaru Usman recently shared his thoughts on the Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña championship fight at UFC 307. Pennington is gearing up to make her first defense of the UFC women’s bantamweight title against former champion Peña. The bout is set to co-headline the highly anticipated pay-per-view event this weekend at the Delta Center in […]

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Honest About Pennington vs. Peña At UFC 307: ‘Looks Like She Doesn’t Wanna Be There…’ at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman recently shared his thoughts on the Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña championship fight at UFC 307.

Pennington is gearing up to make her first defense of the UFC women’s bantamweight title against former champion Peña. The bout is set to co-headline the highly anticipated pay-per-view event this weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Rocky” delivered a commanding performance at UFC 297 this past January, decisively defeating Mayra Bueno Silva to capture the vacant 135-pound title. The belt had been left up for grabs after former two-division champion Amanda Nunes retired following her one-sided rematch victory over Peña at UFC 277 in July 2022.

Meanwhile, “The Venezuelan Vixen” is set to make her long-awaited return to the Octagon after a two-year absence. Peña made UFC history as the only woman to defeat Nunes, submitting ‘The Lioness’ at UFC 269 in December 2021. However, her reign was short-lived, with Nunes reclaiming the bantamweight crown just seven months later.

Usman Predicts Peña Will Test Pennington But Favors ‘Rocky’ To Retain Her Title

During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ weighed in on the Pennington vs. Peña title clash at UFC 307. Usman noted that the defending champion has appeared a bit lackluster in her previous outings, whereas the challenger possesses the resilience that could turn this into a very interesting contest.

“I think Julianna Peña is a complete dog,” Usman said. “But I just think Raquel Pennington is a little bit too solid. She does have a couple of fights where she comes in and looks like she doesn’t really want to be there sometimes, and I know that’s in the past. I’m hoping that stays in the past because Raquel Pennington, the bantamweight champion now, once you become that champion, you get that extra ‘umph’ behind you knowing that you are the best in the world.”

The former UFC welterweight champion further expressed his confidence that “Rocky” will emerge as a more well-rounded fighter when facing the formidable Peña. Usman predicted that while “The Venezuelan Vixen” will undoubtedly present Pennington with one of her toughest challenges yet, the reigning champion will ultimately hold on to her title.

“She’s [Pennington] just a little too solid with her stand-up, with her Muay Thai, her knees—just really solid there in the clinch. Because I’m telling you right now, Julianna Peña does really good work there… Raquel Pennington has shown that she can be good in those types of positions, so I’m gonna have to go with Raquel Pennington here, even though Julianna Peña is a complete dog, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she comes in and pulls off that upset.”

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Honest About Pennington vs. Peña At UFC 307: ‘Looks Like She Doesn’t Wanna Be There…’ at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman Honest About Pennington vs. Peña At UFC 307: ‘Looks Like She Doesn’t Wanna Be There…’

Kamaru Usman recently shared his thoughts on the Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña championship fight at UFC 307. Pennington is gearing up to make her first defense of the UFC women’s bantamweight title against former champion Peña. The bout is set to co-headline the highly anticipated pay-per-view event this weekend at the Delta Center in […]

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Honest About Pennington vs. Peña At UFC 307: ‘Looks Like She Doesn’t Wanna Be There…’ at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman recently shared his thoughts on the Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña championship fight at UFC 307.

Pennington is gearing up to make her first defense of the UFC women’s bantamweight title against former champion Peña. The bout is set to co-headline the highly anticipated pay-per-view event this weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Rocky” delivered a commanding performance at UFC 297 this past January, decisively defeating Mayra Bueno Silva to capture the vacant 135-pound title. The belt had been left up for grabs after former two-division champion Amanda Nunes retired following her one-sided rematch victory over Peña at UFC 277 in July 2022.

Meanwhile, “The Venezuelan Vixen” is set to make her long-awaited return to the Octagon after a two-year absence. Peña made UFC history as the only woman to defeat Nunes, submitting ‘The Lioness’ at UFC 269 in December 2021. However, her reign was short-lived, with Nunes reclaiming the bantamweight crown just seven months later.

Usman Predicts Peña Will Test Pennington But Favors ‘Rocky’ To Retain Her Title

During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ weighed in on the Pennington vs. Peña title clash at UFC 307. Usman noted that the defending champion has appeared a bit lackluster in her previous outings, whereas the challenger possesses the resilience that could turn this into a very interesting contest.

“I think Julianna Peña is a complete dog,” Usman said. “But I just think Raquel Pennington is a little bit too solid. She does have a couple of fights where she comes in and looks like she doesn’t really want to be there sometimes, and I know that’s in the past. I’m hoping that stays in the past because Raquel Pennington, the bantamweight champion now, once you become that champion, you get that extra ‘umph’ behind you knowing that you are the best in the world.”

The former UFC welterweight champion further expressed his confidence that “Rocky” will emerge as a more well-rounded fighter when facing the formidable Peña. Usman predicted that while “The Venezuelan Vixen” will undoubtedly present Pennington with one of her toughest challenges yet, the reigning champion will ultimately hold on to her title.

“She’s [Pennington] just a little too solid with her stand-up, with her Muay Thai, her knees—just really solid there in the clinch. Because I’m telling you right now, Julianna Peña does really good work there… Raquel Pennington has shown that she can be good in those types of positions, so I’m gonna have to go with Raquel Pennington here, even though Julianna Peña is a complete dog, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she comes in and pulls off that upset.”

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Honest About Pennington vs. Peña At UFC 307: ‘Looks Like She Doesn’t Wanna Be There…’ at MMA News.