Tag: UFC News

Dana White Shuts Down Kamaru Usman vs. Canelo Talk

Dana WhiteDana White is not interested in seeing Kamaru Usman box Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. On Saturday, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ defended his welterweight strap with a hard-fought decision win over Colby Covington in the UFC 268 main event. A little earlier, Canelo scored an 11th round TKO win over Caleb Plant to become the undisputed champion at […]

Dana White

Dana White is not interested in seeing Kamaru Usman box Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

On Saturday, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ defended his welterweight strap with a hard-fought decision win over Colby Covington in the UFC 268 main event.

A little earlier, Canelo scored an 11th round TKO win over Caleb Plant to become the undisputed champion at super-middleweight, the first fighter from Mexico to ever achieve this feat.

In the build-up to their respective fights, Usman and Canelo had commented on a potential crossover fight with the UFC champion appearing keener than the biggest star in boxing.

At the UFC 268 post-fight press conference, White insisted that a fight between Usman and Canelo would not be happening.

“I watched the Canelo fight tonight,” White said. “He don’t want to fight Canelo, he don’t want to fight Canelo. Come on, man. Let’s stop this sh*t. If Canelo wants to come over here, awesome fight. Those two put on an incredible performance (tonight).” (Transcribed by MMA Junkie)

Kamaru Usman Has Talked Up His Chance Against Canelo

In July, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ talked up his chances in a boxing match with the pound-for-pound best, he said.

“I think I can do anything that I put my mind to. I don’t disrespect Canelo. I think Canelo is one of the best, one of the greatest of this generation and I do not disrespect him at all. I respect his skills and I think he’s a phenomenal champion. But I also know whatever I put I mind to, I go out there and I get it. So if it’s in the cards in the future, maybe we’ll dance, we’ll see.”

Ahead of his welterweight title rematch with Colby Covington, Usman explained why he has a desire to box Canelo.

“To be honest with you, I’ll tell you what will really get the people going, Usman said. “When have you ever seen two pound-for-pound fighters in the world in their respective sports go at it? Who’s the pound-for-pound best boxer in the world right now? It’s not about money, it’s about what gets me out of bed, what gets me scared! I want the chance. I want (to fight Canelo)”.

Canelo is of the opinion that Usman is simply chasing a “payday” and has done little to suggest he would be interested in the crossover fight. Now, White has completely shut the idea down so it seems like Usman will need to concentrate on defending his 170lb UFC belt.

Do you agree with Dana White? Does a fight between Kamaru Usman and Canelo make no sense?

[ARCHIVES] Luke Rockhold Tells Story About Near-Death Experience

[MMA NEWS ARCHIVES]

Here is a story published on this day seven years ago about a near-death experience of former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. The following story is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA New…

Luke Rockhold

[MMA NEWS ARCHIVES]

Here is a story published on this day seven years ago about a near-death experience of former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. The following story is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.

On This Day Seven Years Ago…

[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 5, 2014, 4:36 PM]

Luke Rockhold, who battles arch-nemesis Michael Bisping at UFC Fight Night 55 this weekend in Australia, spoke in a recent interview about a time he nearly died while surfing.

Speaking with the folks at MMA Kansas, Rockhold said he’s not nearly as nervous in the Octagon as he is in the ocean.

Below is an excerpt from the interview.

“Getting trapped under water and feeling that sensation of almost drowning, while getting tossed around… that’s not a good feeling. That’s a scary situation. 100 percent, I’m not scared in the Octagon. There’s a little anxiety, but in the ocean, you have no control out there. In a fight I don’t get scared, I might get a little anxiety and a bit nervous, but in the water…it’s a no brainer right there.”

Here’s another excerpt, where Rockhold tells a story about a time he nearly died while surfing.

“I was thrown around and (got) stuck under a rock. My leash got caught and I couldn’t go out the other way so I had to calm myself down and pull myself back out. I was (forced to) crawl my way backwards out from under this rock, not knowing what was going on. My buddies were freaking out because they saw me go over the falls, watched my board just bobbing up and down for a while. When I finally popped up, there were four or five of them staring back at me. I’ve been surfing for a long time, a lot of my friends are professional surfers, and I may get a little more waves than I used to (laughs), but I’m not trying to use my career to get waves all the time… well maybe just a little bit (laughs).”

Luke Rockhold battles Michael Bisping in the main event of UFC Fight Night 55 on Friday, November 7, 2014 from the AllPhones Arena in Sydney, Australia.

Continue Reading [ARCHIVES] Luke Rockhold Tells Story About Near-Death Experience at MMA News.

UFC 268 Bonuses: Chandler vs Gaethje earns Fight Of The Night honors

The UFC 268 bonuses have been released.

The event took place in New York City, New York at the Madison Square Garden. Headlining the card was a clash between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington for the welterweight title. This fight did not see an act…

The UFC 268 bonuses have been released.

The event took place in New York City, New York at the Madison Square Garden. Headlining the card was a clash between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington for the welterweight title. This fight did not see an action packed first round, but both fighters did score takedowns. However, Covington continued to work for takedowns in the second round until Usman dropped him twice and had the chance to finish him, but couldn’t. 

The third frame saw a more reserved Usman while Covington started to let his hands go. At the end of it, Covington did get a brief takedown. The fourth round saw a more aggressive Covington who hurt him with a body kick then a left uppercut at the very end of the round. It was a wild start to the fifth round as they threw bombs including Covington tagging him then being stuffed with a takedown. Usman got the decision win. 

The co-main event saw more action between Rose Namajunas and Zhang Weili in a women’s strawweight title. 

This fight saw Rose get a takedown in the first round. The second frame saw Weili stumbling her with a left hand before scoring a takedown after catching a leg kick. They went to clinch work after that. In the third round, Weili had a strong end to the round as she got a takedown and managed to move to the back and then full mount, but time ran out before she could do much damage. 

Although Weili got two takedowns in the fourth round, she didn’t do any damage. Instead, Rose got on top and stayed there without raining down big shots. They continued to exchange in the fifth round as well as Rose scored a takedown. “Thug Rose” walked away with the split decision win to retain her title. 

There was a reason why Michael Chandler vs Justin Gaethje opened the main card as it’s one of the best fights you’ll see all year. Peep the full list of performance bonus winners below. Gaethje got the decision win. 

Fight of the Night: Michael Chandler vs Justin Gaethje 

Performance of the Night: Vera Periera and Green Barnett

MMA News has you covered with results, highlights, and post-fight tidbits from UFC 268. Be sure to keep checking the homepage for the latest news.

Were the right choices made for the UFC 268 bonuses?

UFC 268 Results: Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington, Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili

MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 268. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

Continue Reading UFC 268 Bonuses: Chandler vs Gaethje earns Fight Of The Night honors at MMA News.

Dana White Calls Kamaru Usman ‘The Best Welterweight Of All Time’

Dana WhiteUFC President Dana White calls Kamaru Usman the best welterweight of all time after his win over Colby Covington at UFC 268. White didn’t hold back about where he thought Usman stood in the all time rankings. White was talking to reporters in the post fight press conference when he spoke this highly of Usman’s […]

Dana White

UFC President Dana White calls Kamaru Usman the best welterweight of all time after his win over Colby Covington at UFC 268.

White didn’t hold back about where he thought Usman stood in the all time rankings. White was talking to reporters in the post fight press conference when he spoke this highly of Usman’s skills. He quickly called Usman the best welterweight ever and stated that Usman was even approaching the ‘GOAT’ status.

“Usman is just the best ever. He’s the best welterweight of all time. He is on his way to possible ‘GOAT’ status.” White said at the conference.

Usman came into this fight with better striking than he has ever had. He incorporated kicks unlike he’s ever had before inside the octagon. His jab was on point and the power he possesses in his right hand caused Colby Covington to be tentative to start the fight. Usman’s skills seem to improve after every fight he has been in and a fight like this will only push his skill set to a higher limit.

White’s comments may be controversial considering that Georges St-Pierre is widely considered the ‘GOAT’ to many MMA fans and journalists

‘GSP’ finished his career as a two division champion and was the most dominant fighter for eight years in the welterweight division. He defended his championship 9 times in that time as well. He is widely considered the most well rounded fighter of all time.

Usman has now won 15 fights in a row and is one fight away from tying Anderson Silva‘s record for most wins in a row. He is currently undefeated in the UFC and has ran through the welterweight division. After his win against Covington, Usman has defended his title five times now. He has been the most dominant fighter since Khabib Nurmagomedov retired and is extremely active.

Do you agree with Dana White? Do you consider Kamaru Usman the best welterweight of all time?

7 Takeaways from UFC 268: Usman vs Covington 2

UFC 268 featured two title fights that had two champions defend their titles. A lightweight war between two top contenders would certainly line up the winner for the next shot at the 155-pound champ and the UFC’s return to Madison Square Garden did no…

Usman Covington Face-Off

UFC 268 featured two title fights that had two champions defend their titles. A lightweight war between two top contenders would certainly line up the winner for the next shot at the 155-pound champ and the UFC’s return to Madison Square Garden did not disappoint.

There was a lot to take away from UFC 268, here are some things that stood out.

The World’s Most Famous Arena

The UFC has not been to Madison Square Garden since UFC 244, where the main event was for a belt that would never be contested again in the BMF title. That was in 2019 when Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz fought for that title. The COVID-19 pandemic kept the UFC away from The Garden so this is their first one back in The Big Apple.  Oddly enough, the man that would be the current unofficial BMF titleholder and current welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman headlined the card against another fighter he had already crossed hands with. That with a title fight in the co-main event featuring a champion that won a title there in Rose Namajunas made it seem like the UFC hasn’t been gone long at all.

Honoring Anthony Causi

The UFC takes a lot of heat when something they do, especially with the media, is concerned but rarely do they get attention when they do something nice. COVID 19 kept the UFC out of New York for a year but that didn’t stop them from returning and honoring The New York Post’s Anthony Causi. A photographer that would have been shooting cage side tonight had he not been one of the casualties of the pandemic. The UFC still posted a plaque where he would have been posted for the event. See the image shared by the New York Post’s Scott Fontana:

Last minute lineup change

One thing fans may or may not have seen as a treat was the lightweight match-up between Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler was moved to the opener for the pay-per-view portion of the main card. The announcement was made during fight week because between Kamaru Usman, Rose Namajunas, and Gaethje, coach Trevor Wittman would have to just be cage-side for three fights in a row and after what came of Gaethje and Chandler, it seems like it was the right call. Gaethje certainly thinks so.

Chris Barnett vs Gian Villante

A lot was going on in this match-up, but what went on after Barnett scored the knockout over Villante is one of those moments, among many that Madison Square Garden holds that make the place so special. Barnett used his time to honor his opponent Villante, a New York native who seemed to be retiring with this fight in his hometown.  The finish was good too, but what Barnett did was honorable. 

A Lightweight Warzone

Speaking of Gaethje and Chandler. The fight delivered in more ways than expected simply because these two men ran into each other over and over again and neither man wanted to stop. Chandler’s been in wars before and Gaethje likes to make every fight a war. It was fun, but Gaethje would prove the more durable fighter of the two former lightweight champions. Both men were transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure but Chandler seemed to need the trip more than Gaethje did.

And Still

Namajunas was able to fend off Zhang Weili for the second time, but it was a split decision which means there’s likely a trilogy in the future, but there’s another former champion waiting in the wings. In the post-fight press conference, Dana White said fighters should not wait for fights but it looks like both Carla Esparza and Joanna J?drzejczyk seem to insist on doing just that. The strawweight division has a lot of the same players, so someone has to shake it up, right?

The Nightmare Continues

Kamaru Usman was able to defend his title against Colby Covington, but Covington was able to win the respect of Usman and maybe some fans in his attempt to become a champion. It was also a reminder that Covington is more than the gimmick he’s been running, he’s a legitimate contender. Usman seems to have beaten everyone there is to beat but Covington did do better than the last time. A trilogy after a unanimous decision is a hard sell, so fans will have to wait and see what’s coming in the welterweight division.

There’s obviously more to take away from this event than what is listed here. What’s next for the champions and winners is always fun to speculate but for all the established fighters and champions, new blood seems to be coming in more than ever so the matches to make are endless.

What did you take away from the event?

Continue Reading 7 Takeaways from UFC 268: Usman vs Covington 2 at MMA News.

Colby Covington Embraces Kamaru Usman After Their Fight: ‘It’s All Love’

Colby CovingtonColby Covington and Kamaru Usman both embraced each other after a grueling five round championship fight at UFC 268. You could hear Covington speak the words ‘It’s all love’ as the two are talking and they then shake each other’s hand. The crowd noise and broadcasters make it hard to hear what else was said […]

Colby Covington

Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman both embraced each other after a grueling five round championship fight at UFC 268.

You could hear Covington speak the words ‘It’s all love’ as the two are talking and they then shake each other’s hand. The crowd noise and broadcasters make it hard to hear what else was said between the two fighters, but we know it must have been friendly and respectful.

The two have had an endless amount of trash talking and bad blood coming into the fight. The rivalry between the two is one of the best we have seen in history. They both push the other to the limits and bring the best version out of each other.

To see the two embrace each other and show respect after two hard fought bouts they had, is a fantastic thing to see. It’s just another reason why MMA is such a great sport. The respect two people that don’t like each other can show after going through a war is something we don’t see in any other sport.

Colby Covington turned the tables late in the fight after he looked to be out of it in the early rounds, but wasn’t enough to get him the win.

Usman dropped Covington late in the second round twice, and looked to almost have Covington finished. Covington came out in the third round and went on to out-strike Usman in most exchanges in that round. He kept that same pressure int he fourth round and even rocked Usman at the end of the round. Usman buckled down and took the fifth round to edge out a unanimous decision victory.

It was Usman’s hardest test to date, and his hardest bout since the first fight he had with Covington. Usman stays undefeated in the UFC and has now won 15 in a row. He is just one win away from tying Anderson’s Silva’s record of 16 wins in a row.

Did you enjoy seeing Usman and Covington embrace each other after the fight?