Tag: breaking

Darrion Caldwell says Bellator champ Patricio Freire avoided grand prix clash

Darrion Caldwell is surprised “Pitbull” didn’t choose to fight him when he had the opportunity.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – [autotag]Darrion Caldwell[/autotag] is surprised Bellator champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] didn’t choose to fight him when he had the opportunity.

At the Bellator featherweight grand prix selection show September, dual-champion Freire (30-4 MMA, 18-4 BMMA) elected to fight Pedro Carvalho instead of Caldwell (14-3 MMA, 11-2 BMMA) .

Caldwell was then matched up against Adam Borics, who he takes on Saturday in a tournament quarterfinal bout, which also serves as the co-main event of Bellator 238 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

Freire’s decision surprised Caldwell, as well as Bellator president Scott Coker, who voiced his displeasure with Freire’s choice at the post-event press conference. Caldwell confronted Freire backstage following the selection show. The altercation was captured on video. In Caldwell’s eyes, Freire’s strategy is to avoid him when possible.

“I was surprised,” Caldwell told MMA Junkie. “Obviously, there’s been some talk back and fourth. The fact he had an opportunity to pick the fight after we were verbally disagreeing for a while, I figured he’d pick me. Overall, I think his strategy was to stay away from me more than anything.”

Whether it’s now or later, Caldwell said a matchup with “Pitbull” will materialize. It’s just a matter of time.

“That fight has got to happen,” Caldwell said. “Eventually ‘Pitbull’ and I will be in the cage with the doors locked. It’s just inevitable.”

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Regardless of how the bracket unfolded, Caldwell said he knew he’d be up against a stiff test in the second round of the 16-man tournament. Hungary’s Borics (14-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) fits the description. Borics is undefeated, but Caldwell said he hasn’t met anyone of his caliber.

“Adam has never faced a star like me,” Caldwell said. “He’s never fought a guy who won’t bow down to him. I’m not willing to give him anything. I don’t think he’s ever fought a world-class fighter like myself – a guy who’s been in five round fights and fought for world championships.

“I think he’s got a lot of attributes. He’s got a lot of things that he does well. All in all, I think the pressure I’m going to bring, the strength I’m going to bring, and the speed I’m going to bring will overwhelm him.”

Caldwell said he expects an exciting fight against Borics, and he envisions a memorable finish that will move him to the final four of the grand prix and one win away from competing for the $1 million prize.

“You’re going to see Adam Borics put on his head,” Caldwell said. “You’re going to see some bodies flying. You’re going to see a guy who’s true to my word. There’s no way I’m leaving the octagon without a win. … I will be ready to take Adam’s head off.”

Check out MMA Junkie’s full pre-fight interview with Darrion Caldwell in the video above.

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Bellator boss Scott Coker: UFC was in ‘Cyborg business’ and never intended to build her division

“I don’t think the UFC ever had an intention to start a 145-pound weight class.”

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Bellator’s 2020 schedule kicks off Saturday with Bellator 238 – and the promotion’s president Scott Coker is excited.

When he spoke to the media Thursday, Coker dished on numerous topics, including Bellator 238 title challenger [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag]. The former UFC women’s featherweight champ Cyborg (21-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) makes her promotional debut vs. champion Julia Budd in the DAZN-streamed headliner at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

Cyborg’s tenure in the UFC had ups and downs. One of the consensus greatest female fighters of all-time, the Brazilian’s departure from the UFC was nothing short of ugly.

In the lead-up to her free agency, Cyborg and UFC president Dana White went back-and-fourth in a public spat. Eventually, the UFC opted not to re-sign Cyborg and announced her departure in a lengthy sit-down interview with White.

The UFC women’s featherweight division has always been different than the promotion’s other weight classes. No more than 10 fighters have ever populated its roster. In Coker’s eyes, the UFC never fully committed to building Cyborg’s division.

“I don’t think the UFC ever had an intention to start a 145-pound weight class,” Coker told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “I think they wanted to be in the Cyborg business. That’s what it was.

“To build a division around her takes time and effort. You’ve got to go out and sign the people and nurture the fights. I think that was really one of the things that happened. They tied her up. Now, she’s free. Now, she’s here.”

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Bellator has been putting on women’s featherweight fights for years. Coker said Cyborg will see more challenges in the Bellator ranks because of the depth of the division he’s put together. First up, though, she must get through Budd (13-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA), who is the only champion the division has seen to date.

“We have a lot of girls she can fight and it starts with Julia Budd, who by the way looks like she’s in amazing shape,” Coker said. “She’s going to come and bring it. I tell everyone, ‘Don’t underestimate her. This girl can throw down and she’s dangerous. I’m expecting a great fight on Saturday night.”

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Video: Bellator 238 media day faceoffs from Hollywood

Check out the faceoffs for Julia Budd vs. Cris Cyborg, Darrion Caldwell vs. Adam Borics, and all the big fights at Bellator 238.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Bellator 238 media day took place Thursday, and MMA Junkie was on the scene for the proceedings, which concluded with fighter faceoffs.

A women’s championship fight tops the card, as [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) attempted to defend her title for the fourth time when she takes on former UFC champ [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (21-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in the main event.

The co-headliner sees former Bellator titleholder [autotag]Darrion Caldwell[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 11-2 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Adam Borics[/autotag] (14-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) in a quarterfinal matchup in the promotion’s featherweight grand prix.

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In addition, notable names set as Juan Archuleta (23-2 MMA, 5-1 BMMA), Sergio Pettis (18-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and Raymond Daniels (1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) are set to compete.

You can watch the faceoffs for all of the main-card bouts, which took place at Paramount Studios, in the video above.

Bellator 238 takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Who is next for Stipe Miocic? UFC champ hits the streets to ask the public

Does the world was a Stipe MIocic vs. Daniel Cormier trilogy? The UFC heavyweight champion put his reporter hat on and found out.

All signs point to a trilogy fight between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier being next in the UFC heavyweight division. But is that what the world wants? The UFC heavyweight champion was determined to find out.

Miocic (19-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC), who’s lingering eye injury appears to be the only holdup from a third fight against Cormier (22-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC) getting an official date and location, took to the streets of New York to find out if “DC” is the consensus option, or if there’s amore preferred opponent for him to take on next.

Working for The Players Tribune, Miocic took a respectable sample size and got a variety of options, which included Cormier, Jon Jones, Brock Lesnar, Conor McGregor and more.

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Watch the video blow to see how it unfolded (via Twitter):

Speaking with MMA Junkie in December, Cormier said he’s hearing June could be the timeline for the final chapter of the rivalry. Miocic has been relatively quite since regaining the title at UFC 241 in August, though, and outside of this new segment, hasn’t spoken much about the next fight.

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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Ciryl Gane vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov in the works for UFC 249

A heavyweight matchup is in the works for UFC 249.

A heavyweight matchup is in the works for UFC 249.

The promotion is working on a fight that would pit heavy hitters [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] and [autotag]Shamil Abdurakhimov[/autotag] against each other April 18.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the matchup to MMA Junkie on Thursday after an initial report from La Sueur. The person asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an announcement.

One of MMA Junkie’s “20 fighters who could become stars in the 2020s,” Gane (6-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) won three fights in his first four months with the promotion. Bringing a kickboxing background with him to MMA, Gane has proven to be more than a striker. The Frenchman already has picked up two submission victories inside the octagon.

As for Abdurakhimov (20-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC), the Russian fighter has won four of his last five fights. However, his most recent outing was a loss to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 242 in September.

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UFC 249 takes place April 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected for ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

With the addition, the UFC 249 lineup now includes:

  • Champ Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson – for lightweight title
  • Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas
  • Uriah Hall vs. Ronaldo Souza
  • Ben Rothwell vs. Gian Villante
  • Ottman Azaitar vs. Khama Worthy
  • Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens
  • Ciryl Gane vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov

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UFC 246 ‘Thrill and Agony’: What Conor McGregor and Grandma Cerrone said to each other

Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone’s grandma had a warm embrace and shared some words inside the octagon.

Once again, the UFC takes us behind the scenes of its latest pay-per-view – this time at UFC 246 in Las Vegas.

UFC 246 took place this past Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

In the UFC 246 “Thrill and Agony” preview, we get an all-access look at the immediate aftermath surrounding [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] and [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag].

In the main event, McGregor had a spectacular return to the octagon by finishing Cerrone in just 40 seconds of their welterweight headliner.

Check out the full clip above to see the outpouring of emotions on all sides following the night’s main attraction, including what McGregor said to Cerrone, what McGregor and Grandma Cerrone said to each other, UFC president Dana White’s instant reaction to the outcome, and more.

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The video is a preview of “Thrill and Agony.” The full episode is available on UFC Fight Pass for subscribers.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3020: Does McGregor vs. Gaethje make sense at 170?, Cub Swanson (guest)

“Gorgeous” George and “Goze” discuss the latest MMA news and notes, including (surprise!) Conor McGregor, and Cub Swanson joins the show.

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Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!

On Episode No. 3,020 of the podcast, the fellas react to the latest MMA news and notes. Surprise, surprise! [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] comes up!

THE RUNDOWN

  • Coach John Kavanagh says, if it was up to him, McGregor would fight [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] next. But here’s the catch: The SBG Ireland head coach would like it to happen at welterweight, even though McGregor and Gaethje are regular lightweights. Does this make any sense?
  • [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] initially said he had no interest in fighting [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag], but as it turns out, the two of them will headline UFC London in March. Woodley’s manager, Abe Kawa, shed some light on what changed in an interview with MMA Junkie. What do we think of Woodley’s mindset here?
  • You’ll recall that [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] made headlines a couple of weeks back when he used the N-word during a Twitter spat with African-American actor Michael Jai White. In that same interview with MMA Junkie, Kawa, who manages Perry, offered some insight into Perry’s mind when it comes to using the slur. How do we feel about this?
  • Former UFC welterweight title challenger [autotag]Thiago Alves[/autotag] signed with Bare Knuckle FC. Good move for him?
  • UFC veteran [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag] joins the show for an interview to talk about his ongoing recovery from a torn ACL, how the UFC is taking care of him after the injury suffered during Quintet Ultra, when he’d like to return to the octagon, what he has left for his career, and more.

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio, or check it out above. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens in the works for UFC 249

UFC 249 is on the verge of gaining another big matchup.

UFC 249 is on the verge of gaining another big matchup.

The promotion is targeting featherweights [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] to face off in an April 18 bout in Brooklyn, N.Y.

MMA Junkie confirmed the news with multiple persons with knowledge of the situation after an initial report from MMA Fighting. The persons asked for anonymity since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Earlier this month, Kattar (20-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Stephens (28-17 MMA, 15-16 UFC) verbally agreed to fight March 7 at UFC 248. However, Stephens suffered an undisclosed injury before the fight was finalized.

Kattar (20-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is coming off a narrow loss in his first UFC headliner. He suffered a decision loss to Zabit Magomedsharipov at UFC on ESPN+ 21 in November. Prior to that fight Kattar, 31, had won 12 of 13.

Stephens (28-17 MMA, 15-16 UFC) is currently riding a four-fight winless skid. “Lil’ Heathen” hasn’t won since a knockout of Josh Emmett at UFC on FOX 28 in February 2018 and has droped fights to Yair Rodriguez, Magomedsharipov and Jose Aldo since then.

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UFC 249 takes place April 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected for ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

With the addition, the UFC 249 lineup now includes:

  • Champ Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson – for lightweight title
  • Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas
  • Uriah Hall vs. Ronaldo Souza
  • Ben Rothwell vs. Gian Villante
  • Ottman Azaitar vs. Khama Worthy
  • Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens

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Ava Knight admits love-hate with grappling, hopes to showcase heavy hands at Bellator 238

Boxer-turned-MMA prospect Ava Knight prefers to stay in her comfort zone.

LOS ANGELES – [autotag]Ava Knight[/autotag] freely admits she’s more comfortable inside the boxing ring than the Bellator cage, but she says the skills she brings from boxing will stand her in good stead in her MMA adventure.

Knight (1-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), a former IBF flyweight boxing champion, will make the second appearance of her professional MMA career at Bellator 238 from The Forum against [autotag]Emilee King[/autotag], and “The Lady of Boxing” says she plans on making sure she isn’t dragged too far out of her comfort zone on Saturday night.

“The biggest lesson is I don’t ever want to be on the ground again,” Knight told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “Not that I ever felt like I was in a place where I want to tap out or anything. But at the same time, I just want to be where I’m comfortable.”

To some, Knight’s admission that she doesn’t want to be on the mat could be taken as weakness, but she doesn’t see it that way. Instead, she used her desire to keep the fight standing to underpin her work in the gym as she prepared for her latest test.

“I practice not being somewhere I would hope that everything that I trained for is going to work, just like everyone else does,” she explained. “That worst-case scenario … my camp is based around what happens if that does happen. But at the same time, where I am comfortable is where I should be fighting my fight.

“All of my camps here on out are all going to be grappling. It’s the only thing I don’t know how to do, and it’s the only thing I should learn. But at the end of the day, it’s always (a good idea to) keep your strengths strong. At the end of the day, that’s what I want. That’s what I want to do, but we’re always going to be ready for whatever someone has to throw at me.”

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Knight, who has a 19-2-5 record as a pro boxer, won her professional MMA debut at Bellator 228 via third-round TKO, and has stayed busy since. She returned to her original sport of boxing and picked up a unanimous decision victory to extend her current unbeaten streak to nine in a row inside the squared circle. Now she’s set to return to the cage in a bid to kick off another undefeated streak with victory against King (3-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).

“I looked her up, and she just looks like a really happy girl that’s an athlete and really wants a fight,” Knight said. “I think she’s coming off three wins – I didn’t watch the videos. Whatever she has coming, my coaches have prepared me for it. I don’t like to psych myself out. I’m doing me, and I’m going to do that the best that I can, and she’s going to the best that she’s got to take me out, and I’m just going to be there.”

Unsurprisingly, Knight’s preferred route to victory involves her hands: “Of course! I punch hard, that’s what I want to do. I want to stick to that.” But she’s working hard on building up the newer aspects of the game, and said that she has a love-hate relationship with grappling that she hopes will help her progress in her second sport.

“I’m really happy with MMA, and I actually really like it,” she said. “And I really like what comes with it, and that’s just the respect in the sport, respect for women in the sport. Boxing is still a little behind. We’re doing a whole lot better, but we’re still way behind. So I’m really happy to keep progressing in this sport.

“I’m having fun grappling. I hate doing it, but I’m actually having fun learning something new. So it’s a good thing for me, and I’m happy to do MMA, at least for the next year, and just focus on that.”

As for the fight itself, Knight admits she’ll step into the cage with an experience disadvantage, but said she’s ready to do what she does best and find a home for her educated hands as she bids to capture her second straight victory as a mixed martial artist.

“Obviously she’ll be better at MMA than I am, but at the same time I’m here to win,” Knight said. “I don’t care how it happens. I could submit her – people don’t know what I’ve been doing – but at the same time I’m thinking I want to knock her out, I want to get a name for myself, I want to be a girl in this sport with heavy hands. And I’m proud to hold that title if I can get it.”

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All-time Bellator fights leader David Rickels leaves to sign with BKFC

After almost nine years with Bellator, David Rickels has a new home.

After almost nine years with Bellator, [autotag]David Rickels[/autotag] has a new home.

Bellator’s all-time leader in fights with 23, Rickels (21-6) recently became a free agent. After exploring the market, he has signed with BKFC according to an Instagram post from his management group, KO Reps, on Wednesday.

According to the post, Rickels will headline BKFC 11 on March 14 in his backyard of Wichita, Kan. No opponent as been named for Rickels yet.

In a statement to MMA Junkie, Rickels’ manager, Oren Hodak, confirmed the fighter’s departure from Bellator. Additionally, Hodak indicated Rickels’ MMA days are not over.

“Dave is excited to headline for BK on their debut in Wichita. It is an opportunity that we just could not pass up. MMA fights are still on the radar for ‘Caveman’ as we explore the world of free agency. When you have an athlete that is truly an entertainer inside and out of the cage, opportunities will always be there. We still have a great relationship with Bellator and will continue conversations with them as well. But for now his next epic walkout will be for BK.”

Rickels made his promotional debut at Bellator 40 in April 2011. He competed against a who’s-who of lightweights and welterweights. At Bellator 97 in July 2013, Rickels unsuccessfully contended for the Bellator lightweight title against Michael Chandler. Other opponents during his Bellator tenure included Patricky Freire, Michael Page and Melvin Guillard.

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Nico Hernandez, an Olympic bronze medalist in boxing, also is expected to make his BKFC debut on the March 14 card.

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