Radio Highlight – Page 49 – Syndication Server

Bellator: Sergio Pettis ready for ‘big opportunity’ against champion Juan Archuleta

Only two fights into his Bellator career, Sergio Pettis finds himself on the cusp of title contention.

Only two fights into his Bellator career, [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] finds himself on the cusp of title contention.

Since joining the Bellator roster in January, Pettis (20-5 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) has picked up a finish of Alfred Khashakyan and an impressive win over Ricky Bandejas at Bellator 242.

The latest victory set him up as a top contender, and after [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] (25-2 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) captured the vacant bantamweight title with a win over Patchy Mix at Bellator 246 earlier this month, he mentioned that Pettis will likely be his first title defense.

And if that’s the case, Pettis is more than ready to take on the newly crowned champ.

“This is a big opportunity for me against a tough opponent in Juan Archuleta,” Pettis told MMA Junkie Radio. “I think he’s only been defeated like two times or three times, so big name for me to go out there and add to my resume. Being 27 years old now, I think this is the perfect time for me to go out there and showcase my skills and show the world what I’ve been working on these past, I guess, almost 10 years now.

“I’ve been a professional since I was 18, so coming up on 10 years, and this is an opportunity for me to go out there and do what I do best. Go out there and show the world that I’m one of the best at any division, at 125, 135, Bellator, UFC, doesn’t matter. Wherever I go, I’m going to be a top name.”

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Pettis, who’s competed at flyweight for the majority of his UFC career, is now able to turn around in between fights a lot quicker at bantamweight, since he doesn’t have to drain himself to 125 pounds anymore.

“Honestly, I’m ready to fight whenever,” Pettis said. “I just gotta make the weight. I stay training all the time, my life is training so I’m prepped. No matter when they give me the call, it could be this year, it could be next year. Whenever Juan wants that fight and whenever Bellator wants that fight, I’ll be ready.”

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Brandon Moreno hopes relationship with mentor Joseph Benavidez stays intact if they fight

Joseph Benavidez could stand in Brandon Moreno’s path to a UFC flyweight title shot.

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] knows there’s a possibility that he could fight his good friend, [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag].

Benavidez is scheduled to rematch Deiveson Figueiredo on July 18 for the vacant UFC flyweight title, and top contender Moreno is aiming to fight the winner. Moreno (17-5-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) was coached by Benavidez on Season 24 of “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2016 and considers him a mentor.

Should Benavidez win the title, Moreno would have to fight him to fulfill his championship aspirations, and “The Assassin Baby” hopes his friendship with Benavidez wouldn’t be affected in the process.

“I knew Joe knew that it was a possibility in the future,” Moreno told MMA Junkie. “Right now I’m No. 3 in the rankings, and Joe maybe can be the next champion. So he knows, and I know, that we can fight each other, and it’s fine. It’s part of our job, but I hope my relationship with Joe won’t change after that. Even if he wins or I win in a possible fight with each other, I think we can still be really good friends.

“Joe, for me, is like a real mentor. He’s a really important part of my development like a professional fighter. It’s a sad moment in my career, but I love Joe, and I know it can be an amazing fight, so I’m just waiting for the result between them. So it’s hard, but it is what it is.”

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In his second stint in the UFC, Moreno positioned himself as a top contender after notching back-to-back wins over Kai Kara-France and Jussier Formiga. With no fight currently booked, Moreno wants to sit out until he gets his crack at gold and is even willing to serve as a backup for the July 18 title fight.

“I think I’m ready for the fight for the title,” Moreno said. “I know the rematch between Figueiredo and Joe B. is on July 18, I think, so I’ll be ready for the time. So I need to wait for that rematch, and Pantoja and Askar Askarov will fight on the same card, so right now I’m in a little camp, and I’ll be ready if something happens in that fight. Figueiredo didn’t make weight last time, so I’ll be ready.”

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Manager Abraham Kawa reveals Jorge Masvidal already in camp, training for next fight

According to Abraham Kawa, Jorge Masvidal already has his next fight lined up.

According to Abraham Kawa, [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] already has his next fight lined up.

While Kawa wouldn’t reveal who Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 11-4 UFC) will be facing next, he did say his client is already in training camp and is waiting for an official date to be confirmed.

“He definitely wants to fight somebody,” Kawa told MMA Junkie Radio. “That person, we’re all going to find out shortly. I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say Jorge has been a man of his word since I’ve known him; he’s never lied or said something, then something else happened. He’s not that kind of guy. When he says, ‘This is what I want, this is what I want to do,’ that’s what happens. He gave somebody his word, so we’ll see. I can’t say too much now, but it’s going to be fun.”

“Jorge’s in camp, he’s training, he’s ready to rock and roll, so we’re looking forward to fight. Whether it’s in July or a little bit later, that’ll be fine, too, but he’s absolutely ready to rock and roll.”

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UFC president Dana White recently teased that Masvidal’s next fight may not be against UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Kawa didn’t confirm or deny that claim but is confident that the “BMF” champion holds all the cards at welterweight and the division runs through him.

“Jorge has the one title, the one thing that nobody else has,” Kawa said. “I don’t care if you’re Conor (McGregor), if you’re Henry (Cejduo), if you’re Usman, it does not matter who you are. Nobody has that belt; that belt belongs to Jorge. He just so happens to be at 170 pounds, so if you want to fight him, I think you’ve got to come to the table with something other than ‘I’ve got this.’

“The truth is, if Jorge tomorrow wanted to drop to 155 pounds and challenge the titleholder there, he has that ability. He’s technically a champion. At 170, he can challenge the current champion. It’s really up to Jorge. I believe the division goes as Jorge goes. I don’t think anybody is clamoring to see a rematch with Usman and anybody, or Usman and the next guy. I think everybody is looking for Jorge vs. that guy.”

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Myles Jury: ‘The UFC are control freaks’ compared to new Bellator home

Ex-UFC fighter and current Bellator featherweight Myles Jury describes the differences between the two promotions.

[autotag]Myles Jury[/autotag] has competed in both the UFC and Bellator, so he speaks from firsthand experience.

The main difference between the two promotions is “control,” Jury (18-5 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) recently told MMA Junkie. “From 2012-2019, Jury competed 12 times under the UFC banner. According to Jury, the UFC’s urge to be in charge of everything took its toll on him.

A member of the Bellator roster since mid-2019, Jury’s fight week experiences are much different now, he said.

“For Bellator, the main difference is control,” Jury said. “The UFC are control freaks. They like to control everything from what you wear to when you show up to fight week to how you basically present yourself. If you’re saying bad things, you’re going to get cut. Basically, they just love to control.

“For Bellator it’s a little more relaxed. They let you come in and do your own thing. They just want you to show up, go out there, and fight well. There’s no crazy fight week stuff. It’s just very more relaxed at Bellator. I like that, man, because I’m a fighter.”

In Jury’s eyes, the fighters are the product, but he said in the UFC, they aren’t treated as such. At the end of the day, it’s the fighters who fight – not the promotion’s other workers, Jury said.

“I’m a fighter,” Jury said. “I don’t work in an office. I don’t like people telling me what I need to wear, coming backstage telling me, ‘You’re doing this at this time.’ Basically, treat me like an employee, man. I’m a fighter. I’m the product. When I go out there and fight, I’m the man. I’m the one going out there doing it. I don’t care what the cameraman says or what time they think we need to be ready and all this. I don’t want to hear any of that. I’m a product. I’m the one going out there and putting on the show – me and my fellow fighters.”

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Describing the situation in layman’s terms, Jury used an analogy. He compared the UFC to a chain restaurant, with Bellator being the “mom-and-pop” restaurant that serves the better food.

“Sometimes with the UFC, it’s so big. It’s such a corporate feel, like if you go to a restaurant or something,” Jury said. “You’ve got the mom-and-pop restaurant and you’ve got the big corporation restaurants. I feel like that’s Bellator. Bellator is the strong mom-and-pop shop that comes from a good place. They let you be yourself a little bit more.”

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Lorenz Larkin: Bellator MMA’s resident welterweight badass and… chopper motorcycle builder?

Lorenz Larkin is a badass Bellator welterweight. We all know that. But did you know his skills extend beyond the gym and into the shop?

[autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag] is a badass Bellator welterweight. We all know that.

But did you know his skills extend beyond the gym and into the shop?

In a recent interview with MMA Junkie Radio, Larkin (22-7 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) revealed he hasn’t been spending much time during the pandemic training for his MMA return. However, Larkin has enjoyed building chopper motorcycles.

When asked if he’s actually the one building the choppers, Larkin lightheartedly took exception with implied doubt he was capable of doing so.

“No respect,” Larkin laughed. “We’re building it. I’m building it, but I’m not welding it.”

Could we see a motorcycle reality series featuring him in the future? Larkin isn’t ruling it out, but it has to be on a network that’s OK with his vernacular, he said.

“(Expletive), I could do it,” Larkin said. “The only thing is I’d have to be on HBO because I cuss too much, man. (Otherwise) it’d just be like, ‘Beep-beep, ba-beep-beep-beep.’ But I think I could definitely do a TV show.”

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Just like his motorcycle television series, Larkin’s MMA future is uncertain. Larkin doesn’t have a fight on the books, though Bellator president Scott Coker has voiced interest in a potential matchup with Michael Page.

Whether it be HBO’s version of American choppers starring Lorenz Larkin, or a fight with the uber-popular “MVP,” he’ll have to wait to see which career opportunity presents itself first.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Tyron Woodley wanted five rounds with Gilbert Burns so he can drown him in deep waters

“I wanted a five-round fight because he ain’t never fought five rounds before.”

[autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] wants to introduce [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] to championship-level competition.

Former UFC welterweight champ Woodley (19-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) will return for the first time since losing his title in March 2019, when he takes on Burns in the UFC on ESPN 9 main event.

Since moving up to welterweight, Burns (18-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) has won three straight and is coming off a first-round knockout over Demian Maia.

But despite Burns’ impressive five-fight winning streak, Woodley, who’s gone five rounds on numerous occasions, thinks his in-cage experience will be a major deciding factor.

In fact, Woodley says he opted for this fight to be five rounds so he can take Burns to the trenches.

“This fight in particular with Gilbert Burns is, I’m confident because of who I am and what I’m doing,” Woodley told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m aware of what he does, I’m aware of how he is – he’s got a nice little left hook, uppercut, got some knees and flying knees, kicks and punches and calf kicks. I haven’t really seen much different from him. I’ve seen his style, and I’ve kind of gotten it broken down, but the element of surprise is a mother(expletive).

“When you start doing stuff they don’t expect you to do, that’s what I think he won’t be prepared for. He won’t be prepared to get exhausted and drained, and I wanted this. I had the option to fight this fight in a three-round fight, and I wanted a five-round fight because he ain’t never fought five rounds before, not in the UFC, not to my knowledge.”

Woodley’s first three title defenses went the full 25 minutes. He went toe-to-toe with Stephen Thompson twice, then completely neutralized Maia’s grappling in the fight after.

So Woodley is looking to push Burns to the brink, in an area of the fight that Burns has never experienced before.

“So three rounds, starting off strong or loafing in the beginning to finish strong is not going to work, is not going to work in a five-round fight,” Woodley said, “That’s what my goal is: Just take him in that deep water and just trying to drown him.”

UFC on ESPN 9 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

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After UFC on ESPN+ 29 win, Ben Rothwell only wants in-form opposition for next bout

Ben Rothwell only wants to fight guys that have momentum on their side.

[autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] only wants to fight guys that have momentum on their side.

After edging out Ovince Saint-Preux at UFC on ESPN+ 29 this past Wednesday in Jacksonville, Rothwell (38-12 MMA, 8-6 UFC) called out Aleksei Oleinik.

But it appears that Rothwell won’t get his wish, after revealing that he had heard that Oleinik will likely face someone ranked ahead of him instead.

“It was right there at the cusp of the Top 10. (I) thought it was going to be a great fight for a lot of reasons. We haven’t fought before,” Rothwell told MMA Junkie Radio. “Anyone else aside of that, I get to say the good old boring ‘whatever they bring,’ because they have their own plan. I have no idea what it is.”

Rothwell has been a little confused with some of his recent bookings, which included Stefan Struve, who was coming out of retirement; Gian Villante’s heavyweight debut, a fight which was later canceled; and Saint-Preux, who was also moving up from 205 pounds.

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“Names that have been brought to me (have been) so out of left field,” Rothwell said. “Stefan Struve out of retirement. I’m like, ‘What’? Just out of left field. Then this next fight it’s like, ‘Gian Villante. Who?’ So it keeps happening where it’s out of left field (with) guys you never expect moving up to heavyweight, so it could be anybody.”

Rothwell said he’d be willing to take on a rematch if that kept him in the mix. However, his only request is that he faces someone coming off of a win, and cited the example of former victim Alistair Overeem as a potential next opponent that makes sense.

Rothwell knocked out Overeem in Mashantucket at UFC Fight Night 50 back in September 2014, but the big Dutchman scored a big win of his own in Jacksonville as he stopped Walt Harris in the main event of UFC on ESPN 8. As a result, “Big Ben” says a rematch with “The Reem” represents the sort of bout he’d relish for his next assignment.

“Rematches, they’re better if they make sense,” he said. “Alistair would be great because he’s coming off of a win, and I have a win over him so I’m sure he might want to get the win back. So that fight is good, but fighting a guy on a loss? Honestly, anywhere in the realm, I learned the hard way you don’t want to do that. If you’re on a win, two wins, three wins, (you) don’t want to fight a guy on a loss. It does nothing for you.”

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MMA Junkie Radio weekly live stream on SportsCastr (noon ET)

MMA Junkie Radio brings you a live streaming weekly show on SportsCastr to break down all the latest MMA news.

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MMA Junkie Radio hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will go live Wednesday at noon ET with streaming commentary and analysis on the latest news and developments via SportsCastr, where you can chat with the guys and ask questions.

They’ll talk about the latest MMA news and notes, including the possibility of Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou, the latest on the health of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father, Tyron Woodley’s return to headline May 30 vs. Gilbert Burns, and more.

Be sure to check back and follow @MMAjunkie, @MMAjunkieRadio and @SportsCastrLive on Twitter to be notified when the guys go live.

Spinning Back Clique: Maybe let’s cut MMA referees some slack?

As was highlighted during the UFC’s return in Jacksonville, can we all agree that MMA referees have a tough job?

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, Simon Head fills in to host while “Gorgeous” George, “Goze” and special guest Farah Hannoun recap the UFC’s week in Jacksonville and more. Let’s go!

SHOW RUNDOWN:

At UFC on ESPN+ 29 last Wednesday, the controversy was about referee Jason Herzog allowing Glover Teixeira to beat up Anthony Smith for far too long – prompting an apology from Herzog himself. Then at UFC on ESPN 8 on Saturday, it was about whether referee Dan Miragliotta should’ve stopped it sooner while Walt Harris was swarming Alistair Overeem in the first round – but he didn’t, and Overeem rallied to score a finish of his own. When we see two instances like these, does that underscore the need to cut MMA referees some slack when it comes to appropriate timing of stoppages?
Between UFC on ESPN+ 29 and UFC on ESPN 8, we saw a lot of standout performances. Who was the MVP between the two shows?
UFC president Dana White said the promotion’s return during the coronavirus pandemic was “successful in every way.” Do we agree with that assessment?
[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] is now a thing that’s being seriously talked about after the two men have been going back and forth on Twitter. Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion, has long flirted with the idea of moving up to heavyweight. Is this the fight to make?
Former UFC champion [autotag]Kevin Randleman[/autotag], who died in 2016, was announced as an inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame pioneer wing. We take a trip down memory lane and remember what “The Monster” meant to the sport.

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 28 of “Spinning Back Clique” above.

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UFC on ESPN+ 29 live streaming watch-along with MMA Junkie Radio on SportsCastr

Join MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a live UFC on ESPN+ 29 watch-along on SportsCastr.

UFC on ESPN+ 29 takes place Wednesday night, and MMA Junkie Radio hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live streaming watch-along via SportsCastr that kicks off just before the main card at 9 p.m. ET.

In the main event, former light heavyweight title challengers square off when Anthony Smith takes on Glover Teixeira.

UFC on ESPN+ 29 takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. Here’s the six-fight main card:

Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira
Drew Dober vs. Alexander Hernandez
Ray Borg vs. Ricky Simon
Andrei Arlovski vs. Philipe Lins
Michael Johnson vs. Thiago Moises

Be sure to check back and follow @MMAjunkie, @MMAjunkieRadio and @SportsCastrLive on Twitter to be notified when the guys go live.