Category: Radio Highlight

Miesha Tate: Julianna Peña’s striking ‘extremely underrated,’ like UFC champ Dricus Du Plessis

Like Dricus Du Plessis, Miesha Tate thinks Julianna Peña’s striking is more effective than people give her credit for.

Like [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag], [autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag]’s striking is more effective than people give her credit for.

Peña (12-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) challenges bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington (16-9 MMA, 13-5 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 307 (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+) co-main event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Peña was one of Tate’s first female training partners in Washington, so the pair go way back. Tate also coached both Peña and Pennington during Season 18 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which Peña won. Although Peña is known more for her ground game, Tate says her striking can’t be underestimated.

“I think Julianna’s striking is extremely underrated,” Tate told MMA Junkie Radio. “I think her striking is actually very effective – people just don’t understand it. It’s kind of like (Dricus Du Plessis). I think a lot of people look at him, and they don’t really respect his striking, either. I draw some similarities in their striking.

“(Julianna), when she hits you, it’s not a snapping punch. It’s like a joust. You’ve seen those guys that run at each other on horses (with) the jousting sticks? People don’t realize how hard she hits until they get hit by (her). We saw that happen when she took out Amanda (Nunes). Her boxing might not be traditional, but that’s also a benefit.”

Tate is familiar with Pennington’s game, too. She also compared her style to another current UFC champion.

“She’s such a clean, beautiful striker, and she’s very precise,” Tate said of Pennington. “Her defense is so good. I actually liken her style to Valentina Shevchenko. If you think about it, stylistically, they’re pretty similar. They have good bases, and they never overreact.

“Valentina Shevchenko never overextends, Raquel never overextends. They’re both primarily counter strikers, so they look for somebody to make a mistake. They’re great at parrying punches, they have great head movement, they have very technical boxing.”

Tate thinks the outcome of Pennington vs. Peña will come down to will. She pointed to Pennington’s durability, and Peña’s kill attitude, which often leaves her open. Despite Peña’s strong ground game, Tate advises Pennington to be the one on the offensive when it comes to grappling.

“I bet we see Raquel shooting doubles, because I think she would be wise to realize that if (Julianna) gets on top first – anybody’s in trouble under (Julianna),” Tate said. “I honestly think if she gets a good position, she’s going to suck the life out of you there.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Raquel, as she’s becoming more aggressive and more well-rounded, she’s going to try and get on top first so that she hopefully doesn’t have to deal with the onslaught of (Julianna). That’s what I think her mentality would be.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

Jorge Masvidal mum on UFC return specifics but says ‘big word, big news’ coming soon

Jorge Masvida teased a major announcement about his return to the UFC in the near future.

The point of this year has been reached when Dana White and UFC matchmakers could start looking toward 2025. And as they consider who to book when, they’ll have a familiar name to work with.

That’s because [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag], who remained under contract with the UFC despite a brief retirement, has said he’s “definitely” coming back to compete in MMA. Masvidal told MMA Junkie Radio on Thursday that his conversations with White, executive Hunter Campbell and matchmakers have been productive.

“Good news, good stuff with them right now, my brothers,” Masvidal said. “Good stuff coming, news very soon.”

When pressed for specifics about his impending UFC return, Masvidal played it close to the vest.

“There’s a lot of options on the freaking table,” Masvidal said. “We haven’t narrowed down a specific one yet. Kind of waiting for a couple things to go here and fall there. Then I’m supposed to get big word, brother – big word, big news. I’ll tell you now: It’d be the biggest news of the year probably.”

Could that mean a potential showdown with Conor McGregor, who’s no longer tied to Michael Chandler? After all, Masvidal and McGregor have feuded in the past. But it’s anyone’s guess.

Masvidal said he’s back at American Top Team and has started training mixed martial arts again – and he’s feeling the soreness after focusing only on boxing for several months leading up to his boxing match with Nate Diaz. Masvidal said he’s pushing himself hard thanks to Bellator champion Johnny Eblen, who’s gearing up for a title-fight rematch against Fabian Edwards next month at PFL: Battle of the Giants.

“I’ve gotten some good, quality rounds with Johnny,” Masvidal said. “Johnny’s getting ready to scrap and, f*ck, he’s on another level right now. He’s hitting the gas pedal very hard. He’s a real nightmare at the gym right now for everyone that’s going with him. I’m never gonna name drop, but there’s a lot of guys Johnny’s going in there with, man, and he’s putting in good work. I think this guy’s gonna be a future UFC champion.”

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Kayla Harrison: ‘It’s going to be a long night’ for Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307

Kayla Harrison seeks domination vs. Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] seeks domination vs. [autotag]Ketlen Vieira[/autotag] at UFC 307.

Harrison (17-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will look to cement herself as No. 1 contender when she takes on Vieira (14-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) Oct. 5 in Salt Lake City.

Vieira has won three of her past four, with her lone loss in that stretch coming to current bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington. Harrison gave Vieira credit for her skills, but thinks she’s no match for her.

“She’s a good fighter, she’s well-rounded, she’s got good jiu-jitsu,” Harrison told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m expecting some judo knowledge from her just because of her background in judo, as well. We won’t know until fight night. Everyone’s tough until you beat them, but I just think I’m better everywhere and I’ve properly prepared, and it’s going to be a long night for Ketlen.”

On the same night Harrison faces Vieira, Pennington (16-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC) defends her belt against Julianna Peña (11-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in the co-main event. Harrison will be ready to jump in if any of the fighters fall out, but she’ll have to hit 135 pounds on the dot in order to be eligible.

Harrison weighed in at 136 pounds prior to her dominant finish of Holly Holm at UFC 300, and admits that final pound to shed off will definitely be a challenge.

“That last pound is God, not Kayla,” Harrison said. “That’s not anything a human can do, that’s definitely a higher power that’s getting me to that point, and that’s again where faith, and trust, and surrender play a big role in me being able to chase this dream and to do what I love.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

UFC Fight Night 244 headliner Tatsuro Taira on burgers, baseball and the three best friends that anyone could have

UFC Fight Night 244 flyweight headliner Tatsuro Taira goes rapid fire on topics from movies to burgers to music.

[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] has been climbing the ladder at flyweight, but until earlier this year he’d been doing it rather quietly.

The unbeaten Taira, from Japan, won his first five UFC fights, including back-to-back performance bonuses for submissions – all on the prelims. But earlier this year, he made a seemingly out-of-left-field jump to the UFC on ESPN 58 main event in Las Vegas. His second-round TKO of Alex Perez yielded him another $50,000 bonus.

Now he has a second straight headliner coming up when he takes on former title challenger Brandon Royval in the UFC Fight Night 244 main event. A win could give him a chance to make a case for a flyweight title shot.

Ahead of that show, which is set for Oct. 12 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN+), Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) sat down with MMA Junkie Radio and gave a peek into his life outside the cage.

Check out the video above for Taira’s takes on burgers, baseball and more.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

Tatsuro Taira aims to emerge as ‘very clear contender’ with UFC Fight Night 244 win win over Brandon Royval

Tatsuro Taira will look to cement himself as the No. 1 flyweight contender at UFC Fight Night 244.

[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] will look to cement himself as No. 1 contender at UFC Fight Night 244.

Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) takes on former title challenger [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] (16-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) in the Oct. 12 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Another pivotal flyweight clash between former champion Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi headlines UFC Fight Night 246 on Nov. 2. But with Steve Erceg receiving the most recent title shot against champion Alexandre Pantoja, Taira knows there’s no particular direction when it comes to the flyweight division.

He plans on making himself undeniable against Royval.

“Honestly, I was like, why? To be honest, when I saw that match (Pantoja vs. Erceg), I was a little surprised,” Taira told MMA Junkie Radio through an interpreter. “But it’s true. In the flyweight division in the UFC, there’s no clear contender. So, I just want to be that very clear contender. … I hope they will give me a title match after this.”

Tairia, who’s finished four of his past five fights, is confident that he can be the one to take out Pantoja, who’s outlasted his past three opponents in five-round battles.

“Looking at that title fight hopefully as a contender, I think Pantoja’s fights have all been five rounds,” Taira said. “It’s been all tough rounds, tough fights. But I think honestly, me, I should be able to finish him in three rounds.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for the UFC Fight Night 244.

UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili watch-along live stream with MMA Junkie Radio

Join MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a live-streamed watch-along of Noche UFC at Sphere in Las Vegas.

In honor of Mexican Independence Day, the UFC is going bigger than it ever has with UFC 306, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live-streamed watch-along right here at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The unique event at Sphere in Las Vegas is headlined by a bantamweight title fight between champion [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC). And in the co-main event, women’s flyweight champ [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag] (16-3-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) and former titleholder [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (23-4-1 MMA, 12-3-1 UFC) meet in a trilogy rematch.

Noche UFC takes place Saturday and streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

Below is the complete lineup of fights included in the watch-along:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili – for banatamweight title
  • Champ Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko – for women’s flyweight title
  • Diego Lopes vs. Brian Ortega
  • Esteban Ribovics vs. Daniel Zellhuber
  • Ode Osbourne vs. Ronaldo Rodriguez

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET)

  • Irene Aldana vs. Norma Dumont
  • Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Manuel Torres
  • Yazmin Jauregui vs. Ketlen Souza
  • Edgar Chairez vs. Joshua Van
  • Aori Qileng vs. Raul Rosas Jr.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

UFC 306’s Daniel Zellhuber explains how Yair Rodriguez inspired early career

Mexican fighter Daniel Zellhuber recalls how Yair Rodriguez’s UFC journey caught his attention.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Daniel Zellhuber[/autotag] recalls how [autotag]Yair Rodriguez[/autotag]’s journey caught his attention.

Zellhuber (15-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) watched Rodriguez win Season 1 of “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” in 2014, when he represented Team Mexico under coach Cain Velasquez. Rodriguez (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) helped put Mexico on the MMA map and has had a standout career, capturing the interim UFC featherweight title in the process.

“When I kind of got more into MMA was at the time that the first ‘Ultimate Fighter’ (Latin America) was streaming, so one of the first fighters that I ever watched and really became a fan of is Yair,” Zellhuber told MMA Junkie Radio. “And now we’re friends, so it’s funny. I remember watching him on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ really desiring to win and when he won the tournament and his whole UFC career.”

As he looks to pave his own way, Zellhuber moved to Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas and built a team around him, which has produced results in the form of three consecutive wins and two bonuses to go along with it.

On Noche UFC, a night when the promotion celebrates Mexican Independence day, Zellhuber takes on Esteban Ribovics (13-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) on the UFC 306 main card Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas.

“Being here (Vegas) training is not enough to be successful,” Zellhuber said. “So that’s when I searched for coach (Jorge) Capetillo, coach Dewey (Cooper), coach Hector (Vasquez). I started getting more and more coaches to really help me develop what I need to be a world champion. I feel right now I’m in a good spot.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Coach explains why Sean O’Malley at disadvantage training for Merab Dvalishvili before UFC 306

John Wood doesn’t think UFC champ Sean O’Malley could find a training partner to help him prep for Merab Dvalishvili’s style.

Syndicate MMA head coach John Wood doesn’t think UFC bantamweight champ [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] could find any training partner to help him prep for [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag]’s style.

Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) challenges O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) in the UFC 306 main event Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas. O’Malley is confident that Dvalishvili won’t be able to test his wrestling, but Wood thinks Dvalishvili’s high-octane style is something O’Malley will have a hard time finding in the training room.

“Here’s the thing with that, is there’s a lot of really good strikers, and I’ll give it up,” Wood told MMA Junkie Radio. “Sean, he’s a sniper, he’s a specialist, and Sean’s very well rounded everywhere. He’s got a good coach. They have a good game plan. They come out and do good things. He’s a specialist, and I say that with respect because he is good on the ground, he is good at avoiding takedowns.

“But there’s a lot of really, really good strikers, and there are guys that we have in the gym, world champions that are able to simulate that style of striking. I’m not going to say they’re as good as Sean because he’s the champ, but there is nobody out there that you can bring in that will simulate what Merab is going to do for five rounds. It’s a pretty clear-cut case of we know what they want to do, they know what we want to do, it’s just about how we implement those game plans.”

Wood is not surprised to see that Dvalishvili is a favorite over O’Malley. However, according to DraftKings, the gap has now closed and the fight is virtually a pick’em. O’Malley is just the slightest of underdogs at -105 against Dvalishvili, who’s a -115 favorite.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

UFC champ Belal Muhammad vows to make welterweight great again: ‘I’ll be their Alex Pereira and step up’

Belal Muhammad wants to be an active champion.

[autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] wants to be an active champion.

Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) upset Leon Edwards to claim the welterweight title with a dominant performance at UFC 304 in July, and hopes to compete again before the end of the year.

Muhammad was critical of Edwards’ lack of activity as champion, and is ready to step in for the UFC when needed – just like light heavyweight champion [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] has done time and time again this year.

“I’d rather fight than not fight,” Muhammad told MMA Junkie Radio. “So hopefully if I can get into the last card of the year in December, that’ll be great for me. I think that makes a lot of sense. You just never know if they don’t want to put nobody on (Conor) McGregor’s card, but I doubt McGregor is even fighting.

“So if they need somebody for that, I’ll be their Alex Pereira and step up. I’m training in the gym. My boy ‘Nacho’ (Bahamondes) is fighting at Sphere in September, so I’ll be in camp helping him. I’m still motivated. I’m ready to go. I’m not going to be a Leon Edwards where I take a year off. I want to make this division great again, so let’s just stay active.”

Muhammad’s goals don’t stop there. An underdog in most of his recent fights, the 36-year-old wants to leave behind an undeniable legacy.

“I think I’m the most complete martial artist in the UFC where you see me go in fights and I’ve had to wrestle, then I’ve gone into fights where I’ve only had to strike, then I’ve gone into fights where I’ve had to defend takedowns,” Muhammad said. “I always adjust my style to whoever I’m fighting, and I could fight these guys where they’re worst at.

“I could take these guys where they’re uncomfortable. I’m comfortable everywhere, and I’m good everywhere. So when you’re thinking about what’s a complete martial artist – this guy could fight any way he wants to fight, and he adjusts his style to whoever he’s fighting – I want to be one of those guys you’re thinking of, because there are guys that are like specialists, and I’m special everywhere.”

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Brendan Loughnane fighting for love of MMA, not money or belts: ‘I’m in the twilight of my career’

Brendan Loughnane knows he won’t be fighting for much longer, which is why he’s soaking up every bit left of his MMA career.

[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] still feels elite, but he knows that won’t last forever.

The 2022 PFL featherweight champion is at a stage in his career when it’s not about the money or the titles, but instead enjoying what he will not be able to in the near future. Turning 35 in December, Loughnane (29-5) feels he’s getting close to the end, and that’s why he’s had a shift of mentality.

“I got a belt; it’s right there. I got the money, and I’ve invested it well,” Loughnane told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m purely doing this for the love of martial arts and showing my skills and getting up every day and training and doing it until the wheels fall off.

“Let’s have it right: I’m 34. I’m in the twilight of my career. I’m in the last quarter of my career, and I want to enjoy every last second of it, and that’s where I’m at.”

Loughnane returns to the cage this Friday in the main event of PFL Playoffs 3, which goes down at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. He takes on Kai Kamaka (14-5-1) in the semifinal bout of the 2024 PFL featherweight playoffs.

As far as who he expects to see in the final in November, Loughnane believes he’ll end up fighting Timur Khizriev (16-0), who fights Gabriel Braga (14-1) also at this Friday’s PFL event.

“I think Timur,” Loughnane said. “I think his wrestling will be a bit too much for Braga, but I’ve been wrong before. I actually like Braga, and he’s got a great story, and he’s a great guy. Either of those two guys. Let’s just concentrate on Kai Kamaka. … I will rise to it, and I will beat him.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Playoffs 3.