Jim Miller wants to thrive in the chaos against Bobby Green at UFC 258
Jim Miller wants to thrive in the chaos against Bobby Green at UFC 258
Jim Miller wants to thrive in the chaos against Bobby Green at UFC 258
Tag: UFC 258
Kamaru Usman sees no UFC contenders after Gilbert Burns
Kamaru Usman sees no UFC contenders after Gilbert Burns
Kamaru Usman sees no UFC contenders after Gilbert Burns
Champ Kamaru Usman explains why ‘that chip is still heavy on my shoulder’ ahead of UFC 258
Kamaru Usman has established himself as the top welterweight on the planet but says he’s no less driven to keep proving his doubters wrong.
At this point in his career, [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] has clearly established himself as the top welterweight on the planet, but the reigning UFC champion says he’s no less driven to keep proving his doubters wrong.
“It’s funny, actually – I’ve still got that chip on my shoulder,” Usman told MMA Junkie. “It’s actually almost even bigger now, and it’s because even with all of that, for some reason, people still don’t want to give you the respect that you deserve because of maybe their personal preference. But it is what it is.”
Usman’s rise to the top of the UFC’s 170-pound division wasn’t a quick one. After serving as the winning fighter in the finals of the team-based “The Ultimate Fighter 21,” Usman would have to earn another eight consecutive victories before getting a crack at the title. While his win streak was impressive, his grinding, wrestling-based style didn’t necessarily make Usman a fan-favorite.
But even the most cynical of critics would certainly struggle to find fault in any of his recent wins over the likes of Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington, Tyron Woodley, Rafael dos Anjos and Demian Maia – many of which were rather one-sided affairs.
But “The Nigerian Nightmare” said even he becomes a the most loved athlete in the game, he’s always going to have a little edge.
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“That chip is still on my shoulder because when I got into this, it wasn’t for legacy,” Usman said. “It wasn’t for fame or money or anything of that nature. It was just simply to compete and prove that I am the best, that I can be the best at my time. And so that was my mindset, and it’s still my mindset. That’s the biggest thing that drives me, is competition. So as long as there’s competition out there, and as long as I’m – and that’s the biggest thing: I have to be honest with myself. As long as I’m honest with myself, and still capable and able to do it, I want to be the best. So that chip is still heavy on my shoulder.”
Usman has already earned two successful defenses of his title, and he’ll get a chance at a third at UFC 258, which takes place Feb. 13 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Usman (17-1 MMA, 12-0 UFC) faces former training partner Gilbert Burns (19-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) in the night’s main event. Stylistically, it’s an intriguing matchup, with “Durinho” providing power on the feet but also very dangerous jiu-jitsu that could prove problematic for a grappling-heavy attack.
But Usman has found a way to absolutely shut down opponents in recent years, and he believes his mental strength has fueled that success and can do it again.
“My mind is better than all these guys in the division right now, to where it depends on him,” Usman said. “Those guys dictate how this thing is going to go. If they’ve done their homework the appropriate way and they come prepared, then they might be able to pull out a different fight out of me, like you saw in the Covington fight. He came prepared, and he pulled out that kind of fight from me. But if you don’t come prepared, it’s going to be one-sided, like every last one of my fights. It’s going to be a one-sided beating, so I’ll leave that up to him.
“We haven’t trained together in quite some time, so I’ve added some new wrinkles to my game that I’m pretty sure they don’t see coming, so we’ll see how it goes, but I’m sitting at the top.”
Check out the full interview with Usman in the video below.
https://youtu.be/1FCQdoLiyAA
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Kamaru Usman explains why ‘that chip is still heavy on my shoulder’ ahead of UFC 258
MMA Junkie’s John Morgan spoke with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
MMA Junkie’s John Morgan spoke with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman rematch shifts from UFC 258 to UFC 261 after positive COVID-19 result
The rematch between Uriah Hall and Chris Weidman will have to wait.
The rematch between [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag] will have to wait.
Hall (16-9 MMA, 9-7 UFC) and former UFC champ Weidman (15-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) were scheduled to run it back in the co-main event of UFC 258, which takes place Feb. 13 in Las Vegas, but is now expected to take place April 24 at UFC 261, although details are still being finalized.
The reason for the delay was a positive COVID-19 test from Weidman, MMA Junkie verified with multiple people close to the situation following an initial report from ESPN on Friday.
Weidman won the first meeting with Hall by TKO more than a decade ago at Ring of Combat 31 in September 2010, and both men have taken different trajectories since.
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2020 was a turbulent year for Hall, and that seemingly continues to begin 2021. After fights with Ronaldo Souza and Yoel Romero fell apart, he was presented with the opportunity to be Silva’s retirement fight opponent at UFC on ESPN+ 39 last month. He won by third-round TKO in an emotional contest for Hall.
Now looking to build off a three-fight winning streak, Hall attempts to get one back over Weidman, who stopped him in just his fifth career bout.
Weidman will attempt to repeat the feat and get some momentum going in his own career. After dropping five of six bouts, including an unsuccessful jump to light heavyweight, the former 185-pound titleholder Weidman got a career-saving victory over Omari Akhmedov at UFC on ESPN+ 33 in August.
He hasn’t had a winning streak since 2015, but now Weidman attempts to get the ball rolling against a familiar foe.
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Gilbert Burns details training history with Kamaru Usman: ‘200 rounds sparring at least’
Even though they’re about to fight, Gilbert Burns acknowledges Kamaru Usman played an important role helping him get this far.
[autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] doesn’t need to do much studying for his first UFC title bout.
The Brazilian takes on former teammate and UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC 258 on Feb. 13 in Las Vegas. This fight was originally scheduled to take place last July, but a positive COVID-19 test forced Burns (19-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) out. The two were later booked for UFC 256 on December, but Usman was unable to fight due to injury.
Now, in a third booking, the duo are set to clash next month, but it will not be the first time the two will trade punches.
“Me and Kamaru had over 200 rounds sparring, at least,” Burns told MMA Junkie. “We started training together in 2012 in Blackzillians. Then Blackzillians broke down, they disappeared, so we moved with Henri Hooft. We went to a place called Combat Club. Then we were there for almost a year, and then we opened up the Hard Knocks. We were at Hard Knocks for two years. Then we moved to Sanford MMA and then we been in Sanford for a total of two years. So I’ve trained with Kamaru for seven years and we both love to train.
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“He was a good training partner for me and I was good partner for him. Just sparring sessions, over 200. And just the grappling sessions, plus the wrestling sessions, for sure I have so many hours on the mat with Kamaru. We know each other very well.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQno2Qa7WBo
The training relationship between Usman (17-1 MMA, 12-0 UFC) and Burns came to an end when Burns became a title contender at 170 pounds, picking up wins over Demian Maia and former champ Tyron Woodley in succession in early 2020. Burns’ rise pushed Usman to take his training to Colorado under the tutelage of Trevor Wittman.
Burns recalls training with Usman fondly and won’t downplay the fact Usman was a great partner and a big help to his career.
“It was hard work for both,” Burns said. “He beat me up a couple of times; I beat him up a couple of times. It was very competitive, especially when I went up to 170. I think I was always a natural welterweight, but as soon as I moved up (from 155 pounds), I got a little bigger and then I felt even better with all the welterweights at the gym.
“But it was always good work. Kamaru was always a guy that if I saw that he was available, I was always looking to drill or to train and with him. We helped each other a lot.”
Come Feb. 13, Burns has to take out Usman to achieve his dream of becoming a UFC champion. Although they have history and they know each other very well, Burns wants to keep the fight strictly business.
“I have so much respect for Kamaru,” Burns said. “I like him a lot and it’s going to be a competition. No bad blood, nothing. I have nothing against him. He’s been a great champion, a good teammate. We were never close friends, we never texted each other or anything, it was always about fighting.”
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Dhiego Lima vs. Belal Muhammad rebooked for UFC 258 in February
The promise of a new date for a welterweight fight between Dhiego Lima and Belal Muhammad has landed.
The promise of a new date for a welterweight fight between [autotag]Dhiego Lima[/autotag] and [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] has landed.
Lima (15-7 MMA, 4-5 UFC) and Muhammad (17-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC), originally booked to fight in December, now will meet at UFC 258 next month. Muhammad revealed the new date while a guest on The Anik & Florian Podcast hosted by lead UFC play-by-play voice Jon Anik and former UFC fighter Kenny Florian, though the UFC has not yet made a formal announcement.
UFC 258 takes place Feb. 13, and while a location has not yet been announced, it is likely to go down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card will air on pay-per-view following prelims expected for ESPN and ESPN+.
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In late October, Sean Brady was forced out of the UFC’s Dec. 19 card and Lima took his place against Muhammad. But in the week leading up to UFC Fight Night 183, Muhammad tested positive for COVID-19 and the fight was scrapped to be picked up at a later date.
Muhammad has won seven of his past eight fights, including wins over Tim Means, Takashi Sato and, most recently, Lyman Good at UFC on ESPN 11 in June. Lima has won three straight, but hasn’t fought since a win over Luke Jumeau at UFC 243 in October 2019. He was scheduled to face Alex Morono at UFC 247 in February 2020, but was forced out due to a neck injury that required surgery.
With the addition, the UFC 258 card now includes:
- Champ Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns – for welterweight title
- Pedro Munhoz vs. Jimmie Rivera
- Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman
- Ian Heinisch vs. Kelvin Gastelum
- Maycee Barber vs. Alexa Grasso
- Gabe Green vs. Phil Rowe
- Dhiego Lima vs. Belal Muhammadc
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Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns UFC welterweight title fight on tap (again) for Feb. 13
Despite a crowded welterweight division, the UFC is sticking with Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns for its next 170-pound title fight.
Despite an increasingly crowded welterweight division, the UFC is sticking with [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] for its next 170-pound title fight.
Reigning champ Usman (17-1 MMA, 12-0 UFC) will put his belt on the line for the third time when he fights Burns (19-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) on Feb. 13 at UFC 258.
A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to MMA Junkie that both sides have verbally agreed to the matchup following initial reports from Combate and ESPN. The person requested anonymity because the UFC has yet to make an announcement.
UFC 258, which isn’t officially set, does not have a location or venue. The main card will stream on pay-per-view following prelims expected on ESPN and ESPN+.
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The matchup between Usman and Burns has fallen apart twice. In July, Burns was removed from the UFC 251 headliner after testing positive for COVID-19 upon check-in to one of the UFC’s four hub cities from which fighters were flown to the event in Abu Dhabi. Burns was then replaced by Jorge Masvidal.
The fight was rescheduled for UFC 256 on Dec. 12, but some lingering injuries to Usman forced postponement even further.
Usman, 33, has yet to lose a fight in the UFC. After defeating Tyron Woodley to earn the welterweight belt, Usman has successfully defended his title twice. At UFC 245, he defeated bitter rival Colby Covington by fifth-round TKO. Then Usman defeated Masvidal by unanimous decision.
Burns, 34, is currently riding a a six-fight winning streak. He is undefeated since moving up to 170 pounds in August 2019, having defeated Alexey Kunchenko, Gunnar Nelson, Demian Maia, and most recently Woodley en route to a title shot.
The latest UFC 258 lineup now includes:
- Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns – for welterweight title
- Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman
- Ian Heinisch vs. Kelvin Gastelum
- Maycee Barber vs. Alexa Grasso
- Gabe Green vs. Phil Rowe
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Julian Marquez vs. Maki Pitolo added to UFC 258
Julian Marquez will attempt to make his long-awaited return at the third time of asking when he takes on Maki Pitolo at UFC 258.
[autotag]Julian Marquez[/autotag] will attempt to make his long-awaited return at the third time of asking.
Marquez (7-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is set to take on [autotag]Maki Pitolo[/autotag] (13-7 MMA, 1-3 UFC) at UFC 258 on Feb. 13. The event currently doesn’t have an officially confirmed location or venue.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking Friday but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Marquez was initially scheduled to return on Aug. 29 against Saparbek Safarov, but the matchup was moved to UFC Fight Night 182 on Nov. 14 due to undisclosed reasons. However, the matchup was scrapped just one day before fight night, with Safarov forced to withdraw due to weight cut issues.
Marquez hasn’t competed since suffering a fully torn latissimus dorsi during his split-decision loss to Alessio Di Chirico at the TUF 27 Finale in July, 2018. The injury resulted in Marquez undergoing two separate surgeries that forced him out of action for an extended period.
A fellow graduate of “Dana White’s Contender Series,” Pitolo will look to rebound from back-to-back losses to Darren Stewart and Impa Kasanganay. Prior to that, he picked up a second-round finish of Charles Byrd at UFC 250 in June.
With the addition, the UFC 258 lineup includes:
- Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman
- Macy Barber vs. Alexa Grasso
- Gabs Green vs. Phil Rowe
- Julian Marquez vs. Maki Pitolo
After training camp change, Maycee Barber says she’s ‘evolved a ton’ ahead of return at UFC 258
Maycee Barber explained how she has instituted some changes ahead of her return against Alexa Grasso at UFC 258.
[autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] has undergone some changes ahead of her octagon return.
Barber (8-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has been sidelined since her Jan. 18 decision loss to Roxanne Modafferi due to a torn ACL, and has moved to Chicago in preparation for her comeback fight against [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag] at UFC 258.
Barber is currently training under the tutelage of wrestling coach Israel Martinez and striking coach Mike Valle in “The Windy City,” where the likes of ranked contenders Yair Rodriguez, Belal Muhammad and Julianna Pena also train.
“I’ve been training with Izzy since I was 15 or 16 down in Albuquerque,” Barber told MMA Junkie. “And now I’ve known that’s he’s been up here, and I’ve trained back and forth with him. But then meeting coach Mike happened just through watching some fights and figuring out what gyms are around in the area, even though Milwaukee is not that far from Chicago.
“So (I) just researched and finally connected with him and he’s a really great coach, and I feel like him and Izzy really work well together and it’s just gonna be really good for this camp and my career.”
Barber faces Mexico’s Grasso (12-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC), who had a successful 125-pound debut in August, when she defeated Ji Yeon Kim via unanimous decision.
Prior to her first career loss to Modafferi, Barber had a lot of momentum having scored stoppage wins in her first three UFC fights, and hopes to pick up where she left off in her return against an established name like Grasso.
“She’s got a big name behind her so I think it’ll be a good fight and it’s a different style from what I’ve already fought,” Barber said. “She’s tough, and I’m really excited to have this fight, especially as a comeback. Even her moving up from 115 to 125, that’s something similar to what I did, so I feel like we match up well, and I’m super excited for this fight.”
She continued, “At this point in time, we’re looking at different routes to take, and I feel like with my evolvement as an athlete and fighter, I feel like we could win and beat her everywhere. So where we choose to do that, is gonna come throughout the camp and throughout fight week and all the way up to the fight. But I truly believe that I’ve evolved a ton, and I’ve learned and I’ve grown a lot since the injury, and I feel like it helped me mature a lot so I feel like I could take this fight anywhere and win.”