Matt Brown is on the road to recovery after having his UFC on ESPN 31 bout canceled because of COVID-19.
A few days after he announced testing positive for COVID-19, UFC veteran [autotag]Matt Brown[/autotag] says he’s doing all right now.
Brown had been scheduled to fight Bryan Barberena next Saturday, Dec. 4 at UFC on ESPN 31, but the bout was canceled earlier this week as a result of Brown’s positive test. On Friday, Brown shared an update on his condition in a series of tweets.
“Getting lots of messages asking if I’m ok so I’ll just answer here: I’m totally fine,” Brown wrote. “A little fatigued from fighting off the sickness but getting a lot of things done around the house still. I only had two days that I was too sick to do anything.
“Just terrible timing to catch covid is only thing that sucks. I put a lot of time, energy and money into this camp and won’t get any of that back now.”
Getting lots of messages asking if I’m ok so I’ll just answer here: I’m totally fine. A little fatigued from fighting off the sickness but getting a lot of things done around the house still. I only had two days that I was too sick to do anything.
Brown also shared that he isn’t vaccinated, nor does he seem interested still.
“Also, for those asking, I’m not vaccinated,” Brown said. “I’m not tribal about either side of the argument. I just never felt it necessary for myself.
“I don’t need to hear your opinion on whether I should be jabbed or not either. I’m not really into debating things that people already have their minds made up about.”
[lawrence-related id=1724620,1695335,1497448]
Brown (23-18 MMA, 16-12 UFC) is the latest high-profile MMA athlete to catch COVID-19. UFC Hall of Famer Diego Sanchez this week detailed being hospitalized after contracting the virus and experiencing severe symptoms, which include pneumonia, low oxygen numbers and blood clots in both his legs. Sanchez also admitted to not being vaccinated against COVID-19.
Brown, 40, is one of the longest-tenured fighters on the UFC roster, having competed for the promotion since his debut at The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale in 2007. After a rough stretch of five losses in six fights from July 2014 to December 2016, Brown hit a late career resurgence. In his most recent four fights, Brown has gone 3-1, including a violent knockout of Dhiego Lima most recently in June.
Rachael Ostovich reveals she’s received offers for both bare-knuckle and MMA, but her choice will depend on the numbers.
[autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag][autotag] has received offers for both bare-knuckle boxing and MMA, but her choice will depend on the numbers.
A former UFC women’s flyweight and “The Ultimate Fighter 26” cast member, Ostovich (4-6 MMA) tried her hand(s) at bare-knuckle boxing earlier this year after 10 pro MMA fights. The 30-year-old transitioned in July and defeated Paige VanZant in a five-round battle at BKFC 19.
Although she found success in her BKFC debut, Ostovich said it’s not a guarantee she’ll be back. Her next move will solely be based on which sport pays her more.
“I had some injuries after the fight, it’s definitely different from MMA,” Ostovich told MMA Junkie Radio of her BKFC win. “I’ve had some offers, but I’m kinda waiting on the negotiations between my manager and the promotions, so bare-knuckle is of interest. But it’s if the numbers match then yeah … I’m still down for MMA and there have been offers from MMA, but at this point, I’m kinda just waiting to see what makes the most money here so that’s where I’m at.”
She continued, “They both have their pros and cons, so it really is just money talks for me right now.”
Ostovich says she got paid more in bare-knuckle than she ever did in MMA, where she was barely making ends meet. That type of upside will be hard to ignore when making a final decision, she said.
“I would return to MMA, just right now BKFC is really hot right now and they pay me really good so that’s where I’ll be,” Ostovich said. “MMA is a lot and I felt like I was almost going broke fighting in MMA, so BKFC is where I’m at for right now and hopefully we can get on the same page (for a contract).”
UFC welterweight contender Santiago Ponzinibbio plans to make a statement at UFC 269.
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag] is itching for gold, and he’s doing everything in his power to scratch that itch.
The welterweight contender returns to the cage on UFC 269, the promotion’s final pay-per-view of the year, for a clash with Geoff Neal in the featured bout of the main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Prelims air on ESPN and stream on ESPN+.
Ponzinibbio (28-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC), who’s coming off a “Fight of the Night” win against Miguel Baeza in June, is looking to capitalize on his momentum and make a statement at 170 pounds.
“I always try put on the best fights and fight the best guys in the company,” Ponzinibbio told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I’m always out to beat the top fighters and prove I’m among the best in the world. My objective is the world title, but I’m focused on Neal.
“Fortunately, I’m in great shape, I’m feeling good and I’m prepared to beat him. The idea is to finish the fight and then get in there with a top 5. That’s what I’m looking for. I want a top five, so I can then get an opportunity for the title.”
[lawrence-related id=1761515]
Ponzinibbio is 8-1 in his past nine trips top the octagon. He was a streaking contender for the title years ago, but a life threatening infection put him out on the sidelines for three years. The Argentine wants to make up for lost time by putting away Neal (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC), he said.
The American Top Team product knows champion Kamaru Usman, who is sitting on five consecutive title defenses, is a tough challenge to get by, and he’s impressed by the current titleholder. The two were scheduled to fight back in 2018, but the matchup fell through after Ponzinibbio suffered an injury. Ponzinibbio is determined to fight his way to a second booking with Usman.
“He’s looking better every time and he’s an incredible athlete,” Ponzinibbio said. “He looks very strong physically and mentally and he’s constantly evolving, that’s what catches my eye. He’s an athlete that is getting better every fight.
“I love that matchup. I actually accepted to fight him when they offered me that fight for Chile. We had it booked, but because of an injury I wasn’t able to compete. He then became champion and I had that long layoff. I was ranked No. 6 and then they removed me. But now we’re back on the path and I know that after this fight, this victory, a is big fight is coming. I want to get as soon as possible to that title.”
Bellator champion Cris Cyborg is enjoying her career too much to even think about retirement.
Bellator featherweight champion [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] may feel she has nothing left to prove in her career, but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to hang up the gloves any time soon.
Since beginning her professional career in 2005, Cyborg has been a dominant force in some of the most storied promotions in MMA history such as Strikeforce, Invicta, UFC, and now Bellator, where she sits atop the featherweight division.
The 36-year-old Brazilian has evolved her game throughout the years from a dominant wrecking ball to a savvy veteran who still has the ability to end a fight in a variety of ways.
“I always like to learn, I never stop learning,” Cyborg told MMA Junkie. “I never think I’m the best at everything. I never think there’s nothing to learn, I think this makes the difference. I always respect my opponent. I always like to learn in training. So, I think this is the thing – it’s discipline. I know I have a lot of discipline.”
Cyborg’s dedication to the sport has led to multiple championships throughout her 27-fight career. On the heels of her third Bellator featherweight title defense, Cyborg is happy with her career achievements but has no plans to stop adding to her legacy because the journey is simply too enjoyable.
[lawrence-related id=1724623,1661630]
“For me now, I don’t feel like I have to fight to prove anything,” Cyborg explained. “I really fight because I love my job and it’s an opportunity to share my faith and continue to my community work, my missionary work. This is what I love to do and share my faith with my fans. If one time I feel in my heart, if God tells me, ‘Cris, it’s now time to change,’ then for sure, I’m going to change.
“I’m happy to compete now, and for sure in the future I want to have my kid too,” Cyborg said. “But I’m really happy in the moment. I’m not thinking about this (retirement) yet, I just continue training and be ready for the next one.”
Check out Cyborg talk about her career outlook in the clip above, and watch the full interview in the video below.
Michael Chandler continues his campaign to fight Conor McGregor but not through talking trash.
UFC lightweight [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] continues his campaign to fight [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag], but he’s taking a different approach than most.
Rather than talking trash and aggressively calling him out, Chandler (22-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has paid respect toward McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) not just as a showman, but as a fighter.
McGregor has lost three of his past four fights since October 2018, Chandler still views him as one of the most dangerous fighters on the roster with an unmatched striking proficiency. Chandler is on a losing skid himself having dropped back-to-back bouts to UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira and a “Fight of the Year” candidate against Justin Gaethje, but he thinks both his style and McGregor’s would make for a highly entertaining matchup.
“That left hand can put anybody out on the entire planet,” Chandler said on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast. “I think my right hand can put anybody out on the the entire planet, so I think it’s a perfect fight. It’s a different approach when you’re fighting a guy like Conor because fighting a guy like Gaethje, who loves to brawl, is much easier than a guy who you’re really afraid to sometimes throw a punch at because of the shot that you don’t see coming as you’re pulling your hand back. So, you definitely got to be on your Ps and Qs with the striking. But then the coolest thing about Conor, too, is everybody always talks about how bad of a wrestler he is, how bad of a grappler he is.
“Chad Mendes took him down a couple times. He got taken down a couple times in the second (Nate) Diaz fight. He got taken down numerous times in other fights, and he has always kept his composure. His mental awareness capacity and stability inside of the octagon, inside the confines of competition, especially with how heightened the stakes and the senses are inside of his fights while everybody in the entire world is watching, is something to behold, man. He’s a different level of competitor, and anybody who discredits him because he’s lost fights is just either a casual or a Conor hater, to be honest with you.”
[lawrence-related id=1759793]
The respect between both fighters appears to be mutual. McGregor responded to Chandler’s callout earlier this month by praising his performance against Gaethje, claiming that he’d be open to fighting him.
I’m down at some stage for sure. Great fight the other night Mike, congrats!
But McGregor, who’s currently recovering from a broken leg, has declared that he plans on fighting for the title upon his return and that he has unfinished business with Dustin Poirier, despite losing two straight bouts to him.
Diego Sanchez appears to be in a tough battle after contracting COVID-19.
[autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag]’s struggle with COVID-19 has left him hospitalized.
Sanchez, a UFC Hall of Famer, posted an update last week, saying that he was doing better after qualifying for Regeneron monoclonal antibodies. But since then, it appears things have taken a turn for the worse, leaving him with low oxygen levels, blood clots in both legs and pneumonia that has attacked his respiratory system.
Sanchez’s departure from the UFC came after a dispute between his then-manager, Joshua Fabia, and the promotion’s brass over Sanchez’s medicals. Sanchez later separated from Fabia as his manager and business partner.
Who’s next for the winner of Dustin Poirier vs. Charles Oliveira? Ali Abdelaziz discusses his plans.
At UFC 269, champion Charles Oliveira will put his title on the line against challenger Dustin Poirier in a five-round main event.
The division’s title picture beyond that, however, is a bit murky with contenders [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag], [autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag], and [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] all lobbying for the next crack at gold. Each man has made his case, but the promotion and UFC president Dana White has yet to commit to an individual contender as next in line.
Recently, manager Ali Abdelaziz, CEO of Dominance MMA, provided insight into the matter. Interestingly enough, Abdelaziz manages all three of the listed contenders. This could make matters difficult, but Abdelaziz was confident enough in a recent interview to state his prediction for the lightweight division’s plans in a recent interview with TMZ Sports.
“Justin Gaethje is going to be next,” Abdelaziz said. “Probably, Beneil Dariush is going to fight Islam Makhachev. Probably, you are going to see Beneil Dariush fight Islam Makhachev and Justin Gaethje is going to fight for the title probably in May.”
Gaethje (23-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) most recently competed Nov. 6 at UFC 268 when he defeated Michael Chandler via unanimous decision. The win was his fifth in his most recent six fights with the only loss in that stretch coming to then-UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254.
Dariush (21-4-1 MMA, 15-4-1 UFC) is currently riding one of the longest winning streaks of his career, as he’s mounted seven victories in a row. Notable wins include Drakkar Klose, Diego Ferreira, and most recently Tony Ferguson at UFC 262 in May.
In the midst of a nine-fight winning streak, Makhachev (21-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) has submitted his most recent three opponents including a 145-second victory over Dan Hooker at UFC 267 in October.
In the recent weeks, Gaethje and Makhachev’s coach and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov have engaged in back-and-forth on social media. Past opponents, Gaethje and Makhachev were cordial in the lead-up to their October 2020 bout. However, things have gotten a little more testy recently.
Abdelaziz was quick to shoot down any notion Nurmagomedov and Gaethje hold disdain for one another. Additionally, he denied the popular rumor he’s still running Nurmagomedov’s social media accounts.
“Brother, the internet has been saying that (it’s me) for years,” Abdelaziz said. “It’s fine. They respect each other. They see each other all the time. They do press conferences together. At the end of the day, it’s the fight business, you know? Fighters are going to say whatever they want. But both guys have respect for each other. I do not tweet for nobody. But if they they think that, they can keep thinking… I used to tweet for Khabib to tell you the truth, but now his English is much better and he doesn’t need me.”
Historic Oscar winner Halle Berry went behind the camera for the first time to direct new Netflix film “Bruised,” which she also stars in.
In the film world, Halle Berry has nothing short of legend status.
There’s a handsome little man named Oscar in her trophy case she can thank for that, along with the history that came with it: Two decades ago, she became the first Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress – and out of nearly 80 all-time winners of the prize, she remains the only Black woman to take it home.
To movie aficionados, it might seem odd that someone of the 55-year-old Berry’s stature would choose as her latest project an MMA movie. And to the same, it might seem especially peculiar that she decided to not only star in it, but take on directing for the first time.
But to MMA fans, it probably makes a lot of sense. They’ve seen Berry as a cageside fixture at UFC fights for years – she did the ceremonial faceoff for Rose Namajunas and Zhang Weili in Las Vegas earlier this month – and she’s been training just about every discipline of the sport for years, too.
In “Bruised,” which lands at Netflix on Wednesday, Berry plays Jackie Justice, a former UFC standout who had a breakdown in the cage and dropped out of the sport. With her life in proverbial shambles, she finds herself in position to start training again for a climb back against Invicta FC champion “Lady Killer,” played by current UFC women’s flyweight champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag].
When Berry first got hold of the project, the starring role was attached to Blake Lively. It wasn’t until Lively passed on it that Berry officially could get involved.
“I love this genre. I love this idea of fighting for the underdog, watching someone find redemption. I think that’s something that’s so relatable to all people,” Berry told MMA Junkie. “When I read this script, while it wasn’t originally written for someone like me – it was written for a 25-year-old white Irish Catholic woman – I still connected to the bones of the story. I connected to the brokenness of all the characters, of all of them, one together, trying to fight to better themselves and find forgiveness and move forward in their life.”
Berry has spoken openly about being a latchkey kid growing up in Cleveland, particularly while making the rounds doing promotion for “Bruised” the past few weeks. She found solace in the boxing stars on her TV on Saturdays – Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard – and has said she would imagine them as the father she didn’t have.
Her love of combat sports in particular is what drew her to the project. But given the type of character it was written for, she also knew if she ever got the chance, she probably would have some work to do.
“It’s something that once I read it, I just couldn’t let it go. I couldn’t let it go,” Berry said. “And so right away, I started reimagining: ‘Oh, how could this work for someone like me? How can I change the world (of the movie)? How can I change the character? How can I make this work for me?’ Because I desperately wanted to play this character. And I had a big love of MMA. When the script came to me, I was a huge fan of the sport. I was a boxing fan since I was a little girl, so it just ignited me on all levels.”
When Lively dropped out – “the longest six months of my life while I had to wait for her, on her own volition, to pass on it,” Berry said – the door was open.
But that ultimately led to a lot more than just the physical training to get in fighting shape and the work she would need to put into it on the acting side. Eventually, she signed up to direct it, too.
“It’s not something that anybody in their right mind, I think, would actually sign up for,” Berry said. “It sort of evolved. Once I convinced the producers that I should reimagine the story – I gave them my pitch as to how I would reimagine it for a middle-aged Black woman and the world I would set it in – they were all on board. Then they challenged me to go out and find a filmmaker.
“I knew I wanted it to be a female filmmaker, and so I set out and met different people. But the truth of it was, the story and the world, the way I was reimagining it, was only in my head – it wasn’t on paper yet. That’s usually what a filmmaker comes on and does, and they work with the writer and they sort of reimagine the story. I didn’t feel like any of the people I met with really understood the world in which I was trying to create. They didn’t have a love of MMA and the fight game the way I did. And I thought, ‘If you don’t love this, you can’t tell this story. If you’re not curious – really, deeply curious – about these athletes and this world, you can’t tell this story.’
“I just couldn’t find anybody. And I finally went to the producers and I said, ‘Listen, I know this is going to be the craziest thing you’ve ever heard, because it’s even crazy when I say it, but I think I have to do this. Nobody is going to love this like I love it, and I’m going to work too hard that I’m going to have to find a way to do it.’ And to my surprise, they said OK.”
The storylines in “Bruised” might not necessarily be new to movies about MMA or boxing or even sports in general. A former star has fallen from grace, and there are subplots that deal with alcohol abuse; emotional and physical abuse in the home; the need to suddenly take care of a child as a single parent; and more, all while trying to climb back to past greatness.
But under Berry’s direction, they get a fresh coat of realistic grit through the eyes of a woman in a genre that more often than not sees its stories told through the eyes of men.
“I hope that people really get touched by the authenticity of these characters,” Berry said. “I tried to present something that was real for me. I understand this world since I got to create it, and as a Black woman living in this environment, all of these issues are very real. One of the reasons for me to tell this story was to finally do a fight movie that was from a female perspective, a female point of view.
“How we navigate our relationships is different. How we deal with our family of original relationships is different – the mother-daughter relationship is latent with, many times, struggles and problems that we have to get past as women. To be a mother and be a fighter at the same time, and sort of balancing the two of those, I think there are so many issues at play that make the film relatable and I think very real.
“At the end of the day, I hope people take away from it that forgiveness can be had for everyone, all the time. We all are allowed to redeem ourselves. We all make mistakes, and we all are allowed another chance, a second chance, and even in Jackie’s case, a last chance. We do have a chance to get it right, and that psychologically, our mental game is really what’s at play. We can do whatever it is we set our minds to do.”
Tuesday’s arrest marks the third time since June that Luis Pena has been arrested.
Former UFC fighter [autotag]Luis Pena[/autotag] was arrested Tuesday, marking his third publicly-known run-in with the law since June.
According to Broward County, Fla. online arrest records, Pena, 28, faces two new misdemeanor charges: battery and criminal mischief. TSN was first to report the news Wednesday.
Pena is being held at Paul Rein Detention Center in Pompano Beach, Fla. No bond has been set.
MMA Junkie has reached out to Broward County Sheriff’s Office for additional details but has not heard back at the time of publication. The story will be reflected with any updates should they come in at a later time.
In June, Pena was arrested in Coral Springs, Fla., on felony charges of robbery, battery and criminal mischief. The first charge stemming from the arrest is a misdemeanor battery charge with a bond amount of $1,000. The second is a misdemeanor domestic violence charge and does not have a bond amount listed because a bond hearing is required.
The second incident occurred Oct. 10. According to Broward County Sheriff’s office, “At approximately 12:34 a.m., Broward Sheriff’s Office Deerfield Beach deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call near the 200 block of Southeast 12th Avenue in Deerfield Beach. On scene, deputies made contact with multiple subjects, and Luis Antonio Peña was later detained and taken into custody. Peña was transported to BSO Main Jail and faces one count of simple battery and one count of domestic violence battery (both misdemeanor). The investigation continues.”
Following his second arrest, the UFC released Pena from his promotional contract just hours after the news broke.
“UFC is aware of the disturbing allegations concerning the recent arrest of Luis Pena,” the UFC said in a statement. “Mr. Pena has been open about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse issues and the organization has on multiple prior occasions attempted to help him get professional treatment. At this time, UFC believes Mr. Pena needs to deal with the health and legal issues in front of him, and consequently has informed Mr. Pena’s management that his promotional agreement has been terminated.”
[lawrence-related id=1759786,1695335]
Pena competed under the UFC banner seven times, winning four of those bouts, after entering the promotion following “The Ultimate Fighter 27” in 2018.
Former UFC fighter Anthony Rocco Martin is facing misdemeanor charges of battery and lewd/dissolute conduct.
Former UFC fighter [autotag]Anthony Rocco Martin[/autotag] is facing multiple charges after a recent arrest.
A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrest report obtained by MMA Junkie on Wednesday shows Martin was arrested Nov. 20 for allegedly urinating on a casino floor and punching a security guard at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The arrest was first reported by 8 News Now Las Vegas.
According to the report, Martin began to get hostile towards a security guard who asked him to show some identification after a surveillance camera spotted him urinating in a casino hallway. When the guard told him to back up, Martin responded by punching him in the throat.
At around 1:30 a.m., police arrested Martin. The arresting officer stated in the report Martin became very agitated and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Martin is facing charges misdemeanor charges of battery and engaging in lewd/dissolute conduct in a public place. He is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 19.
The 31-year-old parted ways with the UFC in January after fighting out the final fight on his promotional contract last June at UFC 250. In 15 UFC fights, Martin picked up notable wins over Sergio Moraes, Ryan Laflare, Ramazan Emeev, and Jake Matthews.
Since his UFC departure, Martin openly discussed health complications that landed him in the hospital. Following a knee surgery to repair an injury, Martin contracted an infection that caused further complications. He has not competed since.
