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The Best Upcoming UFC Events

MMA has remained the most exciting fight sports in 2021 and there are plenty of big events coming up in the next few months to see fans through to next year as well. There have been some enthralling events and fights throughout this year and the sport has not lost its popularity with fans around […]

MMA has remained the most exciting fight sports in 2021 and there are plenty of big events coming up in the next few months to see fans through to next year as well.

There have been some enthralling events and fights throughout this year and the sport has not lost its popularity with fans around the world, even with a global pandemic to contend with. The amount of money involved with UFC betting has certainly shown that there has been no dip in the excitement.

Here is a quick round up of what we have seen this year – and some of the biggest and most hotly anticipated UFC events coming up in the next few months.

Best UFC Moments of 2021

UFC 261 saw Kamaru Usman retain his welterweight title by bulldozing Jorge Masvidal in the headline event back in April. While July gave us Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 3 in which the Irish fighter sustained a sickening leg break. Then the highlight of UFC 265 was Ciryl Gane beating Derrick Lewis to take the interim heavyweight title.

Abu Dhabi hosted UFC 267 at the end of October, where we saw Glover Teixera become the new light heavyweight champion when he defeated Jan Blachowicz, winning by submission in the second round. The most recent event was back at Madison Square Garden where Kamaru Usman successfully overcame Colby Colvington once again to retain the welterweight title.

Upcoming UFC Fight Nights

The next few months have a number of UFC Fight Nights for fans to look forward to. After the Viera vs. Tate event at the end of November, the UFC Apex plays host to a big selection of fights headlined by the heavyweight bout between former title challenger Derrick Lewis and Chris Daukaus.

The first event of 2022 is UFC Fight Night 200 in which a featherweight bout between Calvin Kattar and Giga Chikadze is expected to be the main draw. The location of this event is unknown at the current time but UFC fans have come to love these nights and it is sure to be a special occasion as they celebrate the 200^th edition.

Figure 2 The T-Mobile Arena hosts UFC 269

UFC 269

The T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada is the venue for UFC 269, when there will be a double-header of title fights. Amanda Nunes – possibly the greatest female fighter of all time – will defend her bantamweight belt against challenger Juliana Pena. This should be the toughest fight Nunes has had for quite a while.

In the co-headline event, former interim champion Dustin Poirier will take on the newly crowned title holder Charles Oliveira. Many are looking at Poirier to come through in this one, but the veteran Oliveira will surely not give up the belt without a fight.

UFC 270

UFC 270 takes the short trip to Anaheim, California, as the Honda Center welcomes the next big event on January 22. Brandon Moreno and former champion Deivison Figueiredo come together in a trilogy bout with the flyweight title on the line. Another big fight on the night will be between Derek Brunson and Jared Cannonier in the middleweight division.

But the main headline bout of the evening will unite the heavyweight titles when reigning champion Francis Ngannou goes up against interim champion Ciryl Gane. This is sure to be a fight for the ages and will be a fitting way to kick off the main UFC events in 2022.

UFC Fighting in 2022

With more fans returning to arenas, UFC events are only going to get more exciting in 2022. This year saw some truly epic battles between some of the biggest names in the sport. But UFC doesn’t stand still for long – and there is bound to be some intriguing storylines emerging as we go into the New Year.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Breaks Down What Made Georges St-Pierre Great

Former Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov explained what made Georges St-Pierre such a special fighter and possibly the greatest of all time. Many people have dreampt of matching ‘The Eagle’ and ‘GSP’ against each other, and many believed it was going to be the fight to pull both fighters out of retirement. Nurmagomedov retired with a […]

Former Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov explained what made Georges St-Pierre such a special fighter and possibly the greatest of all time.

Many people have dreampt of matching ‘The Eagle’ and ‘GSP’ against each other, and many believed it was going to be the fight to pull both fighters out of retirement. Nurmagomedov retired with a perfect 29-0 record, while St-Pierre ended his career with a 26-2 record. ‘GSP’ avenged both of his losses, and went on to become a two division champ.

Both fighters are known to be the greatest of their respective divisions and both are mentioned as possibly being the best fighter to ever step inside the octagon.

Khabib Nurmagomedov was talking with Daniel Cormier when he decided to praise ‘GSP’ as one of the first well rounded fighters ever

“”I think he was first fighter who become a well rounded fighter. He can strike, he can wrestle, he can take you down, he can hold you there, he can give crazy ground and pound. He can do a lot of submission. My opinion on that time, he was like first in UFC. You know he represents real mixed martial arts.“

Nurmagomedov also said in the interview, that St-Pierre was his fathers favorite fighter. Nurmagomedov’s father played a crucial part in his career and everything he did inside the octagon was to make him and the rest of his family proud. Many speculate Nurmagomedov lost the desire to compete in the UFC after accomplishing everything he needed to and losing his father in the process. Nurmagomedov’s father passed away due to complications with COVID-19.

Nurmagomedov and St-Pierre are both polarizing figures inside the octagon that mostly every single fan admires. Nurmagomedov even said he leanred a lot from watching ‘GSP’s ground and pound game. St-Pierre’s ability to beat you anywhere was such an amazing skill he had and was what made him so dangerous in so many different aspects of the fight.

Who do you think would have won in a bout between ‘GSP’ and Khabib?

Michael Chandler Thinks Justin Gaethje Will Be UFC Champ In 2022

UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler gave high praise to his UFC 268 opponent, Justin Gaethje, following their three-round battle.

Despite giving Gaethje some issues in the opening minutes of the fight, Gaethje was able to deal the most damag…

UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler gave high praise to his UFC 268 opponent, Justin Gaethje, following their three-round battle.

Despite giving Gaethje some issues in the opening minutes of the fight, Gaethje was able to deal the most damage in the later rounds and earn a unanimous decision win. Chandler and Gaethje each earned a ‘Fight of the Night’ performance bonus for their efforts in arguably one of the greatest three-round fights in recent memory.

Chandler has taken the loss in stride, even joking with his family about the significant damage he suffered to his face in the Octagon. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Chandler gave quite the prediction for what could be next for Gaethje.

“I loved what Justin Gaethje said after the fight,” Chandler said. “He’s like ‘We were born in the wrong time. We should’ve been two gladiators fighting to the death.’ The said thing is, it’s absolutely true, and that’s what I said to him after the fight. I said ‘I knew you didn’t dislike me. I knew that you knew this about me, I knew that you knew that I was your equal.’ We had a blast man, hats off to him. I think Justin Gaethje is going to be our lightweight champion by the middle of next year.”

Michael Chandler Vs. Justin Gaethje Could Happen Again

Gaethje is more than likely next in line for the lightweight title shot and could face the winner of Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier. Oliveira will make his first title defense against Poirier in the main event of UFC 269. Chandler is hoping to return sometime at the start of 2022 and has recently expressed interest in a Conor McGregor fight.

If Chandler’s prediction comes to fruition and Gaethje earns the lightweight title next year, we could see a Chandler vs. Gaethje five-round rematch for the title. After their epic battle at UFC 268, many fans wouldn’t mind seeing these two fight again with more on the line.

Do you think Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje will fight again at some point?

Continue Reading Michael Chandler Thinks Justin Gaethje Will Be UFC Champ In 2022 at MMA News.

Vicente Luque Calls For Title Eliminator Against Leon Edwards

UFC welterweight contender Vicente Luque has called for a title eliminator against #2-ranked Leon Edwards, and suggested he could make weight for UFC 269.

Luque has surged into the 170-pound top five with back-to-back submission wins in 2021. The B…

UFC welterweight contender Vicente Luque has called for a title eliminator against #2-ranked Leon Edwards, and suggested he could make weight for UFC 269.

Luque has surged into the 170-pound top five with back-to-back submission wins in 2021. The Brazilian initially entered it after a memorable victory over former champion Tyron Woodley at UFC 260 in March. Michael Chiesa then sent Luque back to #6 in the summer without either man fighting prior to the rankings update.

Luque reversed that change in emphatic fashion when he met “Maverick” at UFC 265 in August. After escaping multiple submission attempts against the grappling specialist, “The Silent Assassin” lived up to his moniker, reversing position and locking Chiesa in a D’Arce choke.

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Luque: “It Would Remove Any Doubts”

Luque’s second D’Arce choke triumph of 2021 marked his fourth straight victory. Prior to his successes against Woodley and Chiesa, the 29-year-old finished Randy Brown and Niko Price. A defeat to perennial contender Stephen Thompson in 2019 is Luque’s only blemish in his last 11 Octagon outings. In that time, he’s secured six bonuses, five of which have come in his last six appearances.

Having entered championship contention, “The Silent Assassin” believes he has earned a title eliminator. After Jorge Masvidal’s withdrawal from his UFC 269 clash against Leon Edwards, Luque pitched a number one contender contest with “Rocky” during an interview with AG Fight.

While the Englishman has announced his intention to move towards a rematch with Kamaru Usman for the gold, Luque suggested he’d be ready to fill in for “Gamebred” at next month’s pay-per-view. That’s despite the fact he missed weight as backup for the UFC 268 main event earlier this month.

“I would accept (the fight). I saw a lot of people talking about this fight and I didn’t say much because there were a lot of people asking. I’m always ready, I couldn’t beat the weight to be in reserve for Kamaru (Usman) and Colby (Covington), but I got the news within 10 days. If the UFC calls me, I’ll be in and sign a contract. A month is easy to beat the weight and I would still have time to do a good workout,” Luque said. (h/t BJPenn.com)

While some fans are calling for Edwards to receive the next shot, something the Jamaican-born Brit believes he is long overdue, others believe Luque should sit at the top of the queue. According to the Brazilian, a title eliminator between the pair makes the most sense.

“I think it would remove any doubts. There are people who think I should fight for the belt, there are people who think Leon. He has a great streak of victories, but I’ve done some damage in the division, with victories, so a fight between the two of us would remove any doubts and would be the next challenger for Kamaru.”

Would you like to see Vicente Luque and Leon Edwards collide in a title eliminator?

Continue Reading Vicente Luque Calls For Title Eliminator Against Leon Edwards at MMA News.

Renan Barao, Former UFC Champ, Has MMA Return Canceled

Former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao anticipated quite the return to MMA at a Premier FC event, but his opponent withdrew on short notice. Barao was set to make his return to the cage at Premier FC 32 in Springfield, Mass. against Tyson Duckworth, but Duckworth pulled out of the fight just six hours before […]

Former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao anticipated quite the return to MMA at a Premier FC event, but his opponent withdrew on short notice.

Barao was set to make his return to the cage at Premier FC 32 in Springfield, Mass. against Tyson Duckworth, but Duckworth pulled out of the fight just six hours before he was scheduled to land for the event. Barao is hoping to vie for the promotion’s featherweight title and snaps a five-fight losing streak.

Barao last competed for the UFC in 2019, losing to Douglas Silva de Andrade by a unanimous decision. He also fell to current bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling to begin his recent skid in the cage.

Renan Barao Was Once Regarded As Arguably the Pound-For-Pound Best

Barao began his professional career with an astonishing 32-1 record in the octagon. His early wins came against the likes of Urijah Faber, Brad Pickett, and Michael McDonald. Barao defeated Faber for the interim bantamweight title, before successfully defending it three times during his reign.

Barao would go on to lose the belt to TJ Dillashaw at UFC 173, in a short-notice opponent swap. After many believed Barao earned an immediate rematch, he instead took a fight against Mitch Gagnon and beat him by submission. Barao would suffer another brutal KO to Dillashaw in their rematch in 2015.

This would be the beginning of a bit of a downfall for Barao. He has lost seven of his last eight bouts and hasn’t won a fight since late 2016 against Phillipe Nover at featherweight.

At 34 years old, Barao still has plenty of time to turn his career around and leave a lasting legacy in the sport. However, he’ll need to wait a bit longer to showcase what he’s worked on during his two-year hiatus from fighting.

Do you think Renan Barao can still compete with the top flyweights in the world?

Joanne Wood Blasts Lauren Murphy For Flyweight Title Loss

UFC flyweight contender Joanne Wood wasn’t a fan of her old rival, Lauren Murphy’s showing against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 266. Wood is one of the few flyweight contenders who hasn’t fallen victim to Shevchenko’s title reign, but that’s because she’s lost top contender bouts against Jennifer Maia and Lauren Murphy during her tenure. She […]

UFC flyweight contender Joanne Wood wasn’t a fan of her old rival, Lauren Murphy’s showing against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 266.

Wood is one of the few flyweight contenders who hasn’t fallen victim to Shevchenko’s title reign, but that’s because she’s lost top contender bouts against Jennifer Maia and Lauren Murphy during her tenure. She most recently lost to Murphy by a controversial split decision at UFC 263 and will face Taila Santos at UFC Vegas 43.

A win over Santos could give Wood the next title shot, as one of the few remaining first-time flyweight title challengers. During an interview on The MMA Hour, Wood ripped Murphy’s approach to the UFC 266 title fight against Shevchenko and claims she has the game plan to make it a difficult fight for the champ.

“I feel like Lauren Murphy, she scraped that win from me, and then she went out and did that performance,” Wood said. “At least go out on your sword.”

“Go out there and take it to the champ,” Wood continued. “For me watching it as a fan, I was like, there’s nothing happening here. I know Valentina’s a calculated killer, but you can at least go out there and make it exciting. Die on your sword.”

Joanne Wood Is Vying For A Title Shot With A Win At UFC Vegas 43

Despite losses to Maia and Murphy, Wood remains one of the top flyweights in the UFC today. She’s earned wins over noteworthy contenders such as Jessica Eye, Ariane Lipski, and Andrea Lee during her time in the octagon.

It’s unclear who Shevchenko will face next, whether it be a top flyweight contender such as Wood or a third fight with Amanda Nunes. Wood hopes to make the decision an easy one in her favor this weekend.

Do you think Joanne Wood will get the next flyweight title shot with a win at UFC Vegas 43?