We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 25 event in Rio Rancho, N.M.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 25 event in Rio Rancho.
Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).
Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC on ESPN+ 25 event staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN+ 25 takes place Saturday at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, N.M. The event streams on ESPN+.
Make your picks for all six main card fights inside:
See who champs Jon Jones and Valentina Shevchenko should fight next after their title defenses at UFC 247.
After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next.
With another night of UFC action in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC 247’s key winning fighters.
Those included light heavyweight champ [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) and women’s flyweight titleholder [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC), who defended their respective belts in the main and co-main event from Toyota Center in Houston, as well as [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC), [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 14-5 UFC) and [autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC).
* * * *
Lauren Murphy
Roxanne Modafferi
Should fight: [autotag]Roxanne Modafferi[/autotag] Why they should fight: Whether or not you agree with the result, Murphy got the split-decision win over Andrea Lee and is now 3-1 since dropping down to the flyweight division.
Murphy is among the most durable and fearless fighters at 125 pounds, and it seems the former Invicta FC champion could be near a title shot. She called out Modafferi (24-16 MMA, 3-4 UFC) post-fight, and that’s a pretty perfect scenario given the lay of the land. Modafferi responded shortly thereafter on social media, announcing she was all for it.
Joanne Calderwood is probably the frontrunner to next fight champ Shevchenko, so a matchup between Murphy and Modafferi would be perfect to determine who is next in the queue.
Derrick Lewis
Curtis Blaydes
Should fight: [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] Why they should fight: Lewis won over Ilir Latifi by the skin of his teeth, taking a unanimous decision in front of his hometown crowd after a performance loaded with lots of flying knees and questionable fight IQ.
“The Black Beast” came out triumphant, though, and now he’s riding back-to-back wins since his title-fight loss to Daniel Cormier and in position for another big fight in the heavyweight division. The matchup with Latifi didn’t make a whole lot of sense, and it’s hard to determine whether it helped or hurt Lewis’ stock.
If he wants to get through the top of his weight class, however, he’s going to have to overcome those type of styles. He mentioned Blaydes (13-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) pre-fight as an opponent of interest next, and that would be a really tough matchup. Blaydes is essentially a stylistic nightmare for Lewis, but they are both side-by-side in the rankings, and from that standpoint, it’s the fight to make.
Dan Ige
Shane Burgos
Should fight: [autotag]Shane Burgos[/autotag] Why they should fight: Ige pushed his featherweight winning streak to five when he edged Mirsad Bektic by split decision for what has to be considered the biggest win of his career.
After stumbling in his UFC debut a few years ago, Bektic has rattled off a promising run of victories and definitely has some attributes in his game that can make for many fun fights at 145 pounds.
A clash with Burgos (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) stands out as one pairing that could be quite compelling. Burgos is coming off a pair of notable wins over Cub Swanson and Makwan Amirkhani and, like Ige, is a promising rising name in the division. The only problem is he’s currently a free agent, but assuming the UFC makes the smart choice and signs him, a matchup with Ige would be great.
Valentina Shevchenko
Joanne Calderwood
Should fight: [autotag]Joanne Calderwood[/autotag] Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Shevchenko should fight Calderwood (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) next for her fourth title defense.
Jon Jones
Corey Anderson
Should fight: Winner of [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 25 Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Jones should fight the winner of the UFC on ESPN+ 25 main event between Anderson (13-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and Blachowicz (25-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC) for his fourth title defense.
See the official poster for UFC Rio Rancho, which features Corey Anderson vs. Jan Blachowicz with a lot at stake.
A pivotal rematch between two top light heavyweight contenders will headline the UFC’s first trip to New Mexico since 2014.
[autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) takes on [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (25-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC) in the UFC on ESPN+ 25 main event, which could determine who gets the next shot at the 205-pound title.
Over four years later, Anderson is enjoying the best run of his UFC career, having won his last four in a row. He is coming off a first-round TKO over the highly touted Johnny Walker at UFC 244.
Blachowicz also has picked up two of his most notable wins, knocking out former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold followed by a split decision win over “Jacare” Souza last November.
In the co-main event, New Mexico’s own and fan favorite [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] (29-12 MMA, 18-12 UFC) will take on Brazil’s [autotag]Michel Pereira[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 1-1 UFC).
UFC on ESPN+ 25 takes place Feb. 15 at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, N.M. The card streams on ESPN+.
The UFC on ESPN+ 25 lineup includes:
Corey Anderson vs. Jan Blachowicz
Michel Pereira vs. Diego Sanchez
John Dodson vs. Nathaniel Wood
Yancy Medeiros vs. Lando Vannata
Mark De La Rosa vs. Raulian Paiva
Rogerio Bontorin vs. Ray Borg
Montana De La Rosa vs. Mara Romero Borella
Macy Chiasson vs. Nicco Montano
Gadzhimurad Antigulov vs. Devin Clark
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Casey Kenney
Scott Holtzman vs. Jim Miller
Kazula Vargas vs. Brok Weaver
Ramazan Emeev vs. Tim Means
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.
The UFC returns to New Mexico for the first time since 2014 with February’s “UFC on ESPN+25: Anderson vs. Blachowicz.”
The UFC returns to New Mexico for the first time since 2014 with February’s “UFC on ESPN+25: Anderson vs. Blachowicz.”
The previously announced event takes place Feb. 15 at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, N.M. Already filled with several notable fighters from “The Land of Enchantment,” the card streams live on ESPN+.
In the night’s main event, [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (25-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC) meet in a rematch following signature wins over notable opponents.
At UFC 244, Anderson derailed surging high-flyer Johnny Walker when he defeated the Brazilian by first-round TKO. With the victory, Anderson extended his winning streak to four – a list which already included Ilir Latifi, Patrick Cummins, and former UFC title challenger Glover Teixeira.
As for Blachowicz, the Polish fighter has won back-to-back fights. After knocking out Luke Rockhold at UFC 239 in July, Blachowicz spoiled Ronaldo Souza’s light heavyweight debut by split decision last month at UFC on ESPN+ 22.
Tickets for UFC on ESPN+ 25 are on sale to the general public Friday at 12 p.m. ET (10 a.m. MT local time) through Ticketmaster.com. There is an eight-ticket limit. Ticket prices have not been announced.
UFC Fight Club members can purchase tickets Wednesday via ufcfightclub.com beginning at 12 p.m. ET (10 a.m. MT local time). UFC e-newsletter subscribers can purchase tickets Thursday at 12 p.m. ET.
Anthony Smith thinks Corey Anderson chose the easier route, but at least the back-and-forth trash talk has been fun.
WASHINGTON – [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Corey Anderson [/autotag] chose the easier path to a title shot.
Anderson is slated to headline UFC Rio Rancho on Feb. 15 in what is being dubbed a No. 1 contender fight vs. [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag].
Smith (32-14 MMA, 8-4 UFC), who challenged Jon Jones for the title earlier this year, has been calling out Anderson for a while now. But instead Anderson (13-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will rematch Blachowicz, whom he already beat in 2015.
“Honestly, he’s easy to talk (expletive) to. He talks like he’s got a flip-flop in his mouth, and his analogies don’t make any sense, so it’s fun too,” Smith told MMA Junkie. “He’s a fun guy to go back and forth with, which is why I was hoping we would fight. That would be a really fun build-up, but I think he took the easier route, which, if we’re looking at career trajectories, it’s probably the smart move.”
“So he’s talking about all these things that he thinks he deserves, and he’s mad at me. He’s mad at Thiago Santos because we came in the division – I came in the division and had three fights and got a title fight,” Smith said. “Corey Anderson has been in the division his entire career and hasn’t even sniffed a title shot yet. I understand why he’s upset about that, but that’s not my fault. He needs to be mad at himself.”
[lawrence-related id=469415,469432]
Another thing that rubs Smith the wrong way is Anderson’s comments towards Jones and how his recent wins have come over former middleweights. Smith is one of those fighters to fall short, but he was a pretty big 185 pounder, which is why he thinks Anderson’s comments aren’t relevant.
“He turned me down a couple of times on my way up, and you know, it is what it is. I’m used to it by now; lots of people turn me down,” Smith said. “But then he not only turned down the fight with me, then he would do interviews talking trash about Jon’s out here beating middleweights, and Anthony Smith is just a middleweight. Listen, I’m not just a middleweight anymore. Not only was I the biggest middleweight in the division, I’m not the smallest 205’er. So, I don’t know where he’s going with that, but it’s a really silly dig at me, and it’s not what he’s saying, it’s the point he’s trying to make.”
A potential No. 1 contender fight is looming in the UFC light heavyweight division.
A potential No. 1 contender fight is looming in the UFC light heavyweight division.
[autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] will square off Feb. 15, if all goes according to plan. The fight will headline the Rio Rancho, N.M. event, which is expected to air on ESPN/stream on ESPN+.
A person with knowledge of the booking confirmed the targeted pairing to MMA Junkie following a report by ESPN on Monday. The person asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
The targeted bout between the two light heavyweights will be a rematch of their UFC 191 fight from Sept. 2015. In the first meeting, Anderson earned an unanimous decision nod.
[lawrence-related id=463774,463482]
Both Anderson (13-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and Blachowicz (25-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC) are fresh off signature wins over notable opponents.
At UFC 244, Anderson derailed surging high-flyer Johnny Walker when he defeated the Brazilian by first-round TKO. With the victory, Anderson extended his winning streak to four – a list which already included Ilir Latifi, Patrick Cummins, and former UFC title challenger Glover Teixeira.
As for Blachowicz, the Polish fighter has won back-to-back fights. After knocking out Luke Rockhold at UFC 239 in July, Blachowicz spoiled Ronaldo Souza’s light heavyweight debut by split decision last month at UFC on ESPN+ 22.
Hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” break down the latest MMA news and notes, including the biggest fight booking of the week.
Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!
On episode 3,004 of the podcast, the guys break down the latest MMA news and notes, as well as unpack Bellator Europe 6 from over the weekend in London.
The rundown
It’s official. [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] will defend his UFC light heavyweight title vs. [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] on Feb. 8 in Houston. Is Reyes ready for this massive challenge, or is it too soon?
With [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] left on the outside looking in, should they be booked against each other as insurance? It’d be a rematch of a 2015 fight won by Anderson.
Bellator Europe 6 took place Saturday and ended with another highlight-reel knockout by [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag], who finished Giovanni Melillo with one punch early in the first round. Afterward, Page called for a rematch with welterweight champion [autotag]Douglas Lima[/autotag]. Where does Bellator go next with MVP?
Did you catch UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] on the set of ESPN “College Gameday” before the Ohio State-Penn State football game? That was cool, wasn’t it? More of this, Stipe.
UFC strawweight champion [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] seems to be stirring the pot with [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag]. What do we think of this?
[autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] is back! Maybe. And he’ll be working with UFC president Dana White! Maybe. What do we make of this?
Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at AudioBoom, 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.
MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, Gorgeous George and Goze unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 3 of “Spinning Back Clique.”
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, John Morgan, Gorgeous George and Goze touch on the biggest storylines around the world of MMA and take a quick look back at a lackluster UFC on ESPN+ 22 show.
Show rundown:
[autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag] announced his retirement from MMA on Monday after an eventful UFC stint in which he went 1-2 with the promotion. What does this mean for the former undefeated Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion’s legacy? Is there more to judge than just his win-loss record inside the octagon?
[autotag]Nick Diaz [/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag]: Buying or selling? And should Diaz even return to the cage after such a long absence?
UFC Sao Paulo was, well … it was not the most memorable evening in MMA history. [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] won. [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] fought to a split draw. It’s no surprise there wasn’t a “Fight of the Night” bonus handed out. But, hey, at least there was [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] scoring another finish. What was the biggest takeaway from the card?
Bellator star [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] returns this week to headline Bellator Europe 6 in London, and he’s facing … a newcomer. What is Bellator doing here? Will it let “Venom” face real competition or not?
For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 3 of “Spinning Back Clique” in the video above.
MMA Junkie’s “Gorgeous” George and John Morgan walk you through all the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings changes.
It wasn’t the most eventful weekend in MMA history, but nonetheless, UFC on ESPN+ 22 and Bellator 234 are in the books, and there were some items of note:
[autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] earned a victory over [autotag]Ronaldo Souza [/autotag] in the UFC light heavyweight main event in Sao Paulo. What does that mean for his spot in line hoping to meet champion Jon Jones?
What do you do with “Jacare” after his unsuccessful light heavyweight debut? (Spoiler alert: Continue ranking him at middleweight).
Over at Bellator 234, [autotag]Sergei Kharitonov[/autotag], who was an honorable mention at heavyweight, was upset by [autotag]Linton Vassell[/autotag].
What does this all mean for our weekly USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings? Let MMA Junkie’s “Gorgeous” George Garcia and John Morgan walk you through the changes in the video above.
Conor McGregor hasn’t won a fight in three years, and our latest rankings are about what’s hot now, not then.
If [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] fought a fraction as often as he tweeted about potential fights, and then went out and won those fights, he’d be atop the pound-for-pound rankings list.
And make no mistake, when when MMA’s prodigal son does make his return to the octagon, it will still be a very big deal.
But in the meantime, the rankings move on. You wouldn’t put USC football No. 1 in the polls this year based on what they did in the Reggie Bush Era. Likewise, McGregor’s accomplishments in winning the UFC featherweight and lightweight championships in 2015 and 2016 are increasingly irrelevant when putting together rankings lists as we head into the 2019 holiday season.
McGregor has not won a fight since he beat Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight belt in November 2016. His only MMA fight since was a loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018.
[lawrence-related id=463894,463638,462675]
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who is No. 9 in this week’s USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie pound-for-pound rankings, had not even made his UFC debut the last time McGregor won a fight.
McGregor is no longer on the pound-for-pound list. He’s no longer in the featherweight rankings. Lightweight? Well, he’s still listed there, but he’s no longer on the short list of title contenders.
We’ve got “The Notorious” in at No. 12 at 155 pounds this week. Maybe he’ll announce a fight soon and have the opportunity to prove he should still be listed with the likes of Nurmagomedov, Tony Ferguson, and Justin Gaethje. But for now, he’s right on the edge of becoming yesterday’s news.
To find out where last week’s winners and losers — like UFC on ESPN+ 22 main eventers [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] and [autotag]Ronaldo Souza[/autotag] — shake out in the week’s rankings, click on the drop-down menu above.
