Tag: UFC 261

No regrets: Rose Namajunas says comments on communism, Zhang Weili ‘based on my experiences’

Rose Namajunas stands by her use of “better dead than red” when speaking about Zhang Weili and explains why before their UFC 261 fight.

[autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] stands by her remarks about communism being a motivating factor for her ahead of UFC 261.

Namajunas (9-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC), who challenges strawweight champion [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) on April 24, made some controversial remarks that caused an uproar this past weekend. In an interview with Lithuanian National Radio and Television, Namajunas – who’s Lithuanian-American – used the phrase “better dead than red,” an anti-communist slogan that originated during the Cold War in the 1950s. Namajunas referred to Weili as “red,” meaning communist, in describing what Weili represents to her because she’s from China.

During an interview with ESPN, Namajunas didn’t backtrack. She further explained what she meant by those comments and the inspiration she drew from “The Other Dream Team” documentary, which highlights the struggle that the 1992 Lithuania men’s national basketball team endured under the Soviet rule.

“My opinions are based on my experiences,” Namajunas said on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.” “It’s not something I looked up on YouTube. This is an actual reference to a documentary. If you’re confused about any of my opinions, you can watch the documentary, and you could get a good idea as to what my family had to go through, the reason I’m in the United States today, the reason that I do mixed martial arts, all of that stuff.

“I’d probably have a really different life if it wasn’t for just everything in that documentary, how Lithuanians had to struggle with communism oppression. The reason that I brought it up and that I referenced it is because the reporter suggested that I had animosity towards past opponents, and that’s what maybe caused some motivation in those fights and that this one there’s no animosity, so maybe there’s a lack of motivation, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. No. 1, I don’t have any animosity toward anybody. Obviously I’m not perfect, I’m a sinner, I definitely have emotions. But when I’m fighting, there’s no emotions toward that person. It’s just an outward manifestation of my inner-demons that I have to deal with every day. … This is not directed at Weili as a person.”

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Namajunas’ parents were Lithuanian immigrants who moved to the U.S. after living under communist rule in the Soviet Union. Her great grandfather was an Independent Lithuania military officer killed by the Soviets near his home. That family background is why Namajunas is fueled by politics heading into her championship fight.

“I’m motivated for this fight more than ever,” Namajunas said. “This is my history. This is where I come from, and these are the demons that I have to face every day. That’s just how I feel about it and if there’s any confusion about it, watch the documentary. I really encourage people to do that. It’s something that I’m very thankful for because going through all that and knowing all of the history and stuff, it reminds me why freedom is so important.”

Namajunas insists that she has no animosity toward Weili or anyone. When asked about Weili’s comments saying that she hopes they can be friends, Namajunas said she’d be open to it.

“I love Weili,” Namajunas said. “I don’t know her. I know she wants to be friends and all that stuff, and it would be great to get to know her, if we could, if it’s possible.”

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Rose Namajunas injects politics into Zhang Weili fight at UFC 261: ‘Better dead than red’

Rose Namajunas seems to have conflated her Lithuanian lineage and UFC champ Zhang Weili being from communist China.

Maybe [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] and [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] can’t be friends after UFC 261 like the current strawweight champion had hoped.

In an interview with Lithuanian National Radio and Television, Namajunas – who’s Lithuanian-American – said she doesn’t hate Weili, but also made clear what Weili represents to her as a Chinese champion.

“The animosity and things like that, those can be very motivating factors in short moments. But in all actuality going into the fight, maybe there was certain rivalries and things like that, but I always kept myself in control,” Namajunas said. “I never really hated the person – and I don’t hate Weili or anything like that. There’s nothing … but I do feel as though I have a lot to fight for in this fight and what she represents.”

Namajunas’ parents were Lithuanian immigrants who moved to the U.S. after living under communist rule in the Soviet Union. Her great grandfather was an Independent Lithuania military officer killed by the Soviets near his home.

When she thinks about her April 24 title fight, Namajunas seems to have conflated her family history and Weili being from China, a communist country.

“I was just kind of reminding myself of my background and everywhere that I come from and my family and everything like that, and I kind of wanted to educate my training partner on the Lithuanian struggle and just the history of it all, so we watched (2012 documentary film) ‘The Other Dream Team’ just to kind of get an overall sentiment of what we fight for,” Namajunas said. “After watching that, it was just a huge reminder of like, yeah, it’s better dead than red, you know? And I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Weili is red. That’s what she represents.”

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The phrase “better dead than red” was a slogan during the Cold War that caught on in the U.S. in the late 1950s with “red” meaning communist. Weili never has championed communism publicly, but Namajunas is associating her with it by default and using that as a source of motivation.

“It’s nothing personal against her, but that’s a huge motivating factor of why I fight, and I fight for freedom,” said Namajunas, who’s looking to win the 115-pound title for a second time. “I’ve got the Christ consciousness, I’ve got Lithuanian blood, and I’ve got the American dream. All of those things I’m taking with me into the fight.”

Namajunas’ remarks come less than a week after Weili said she hoped they could bond after their fight.

“From an exchange of blows, friendship grows. So I hope maybe we will become friends after this fight,” Weili told the South China Morning Post. “It’s because Rose is a humble and very great fighter. She beat Joanna twice and won against Andrade. She is a competitor with very good ability, and I have always hoped I can fight with her. I feel a connection to those who fight martial arts, and we build friendships through the martial arts. We learn from each other and exchange our views when we fight together.”

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Jorge Masvidal excited but wary of ‘adrenaline dump’ back in front of fans at UFC 261

Jorge Masvidal’s second crack at a UFC title comes with a lot more pressure and eyeballs on him.

[autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag]’s second crack at a UFC title will come with a lot more pressure.

Masvidal (35-14 MMA, 12-7 UFC) rematches welterweight champion Kamaru Usman on April 24 in the main event of UFC 261 at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. Born and raised in Miami, the longtime American Top Team fighter will get an opportunity to avenge his UFC 251 loss to Usman (18-1 MMA, 13-0 UFC), but this time in front of a sold-out crowd for the first time in more than a year.

“I’m excited to fight, period, but to do it in Florida, my home state, they haven’t had a fight in so long, to be at a live event,” Masvidal said Tuesday during an ESPN+ Q&A hosted by Laura Sanko. “I think the energy there is going to be insane. There’s going to be an adrenaline dump, so I’ve got to be ready to handle that, but I love it. I love to compete. Whether there’s one person watching in a parking lot or millions around the world, I love it. So, I can’t wait.”

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Masvidal fell short in his first attempt at UFC gold, dropping a lopsided unanimous decision to Usman on just six days’ notice last July. The pair have since reignited their rivalry, and “Gamebred” isn’t the least bit surprised to see the event sell out in minutes despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“I knew it was going to go well just because people have been off it for so long,” Masvidal said. “Then you put a violent individual in there like myself, that they know is going to come give them every penny of their dollar’s worth. I knew it was going to sell out quick.”

Jorge Masvidal: Smooth weight cut will be ‘main determining factor’ in winning Kamaru Usman rematch

Jorge Masvidal says there will be “no excuses” in his rematch with Kamaru Usman at UFC 261.

[autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] appears to be firing on all cylinders ahead of his rematch with [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] at UFC 261.

Masvidal (35-14 MMA, 12-7 UFC) is set to challenge Usman (18-1 MMA, 13-0 UFC) for the UFC welterweight title for a second time this month in their main event rematch on April 24, which takes place at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

The first time Masvidal fought Usman was at UFC 251 in July. He replaced Gilbert Burns on six days’ notice, and initially pointed to a lack of a complete training camp for the loss, despite the fact he was originally in negotiations to fight Usman at the event before he couldn’t reach terms with the UFC.

With the sequel rapidly approaching, Masvidal said he’s going to enter the fight strong. He’s been aware of it for long enough to properly time his weight cut, and after putting his body through agony last time, he anticipates feeling like a different man at UFC 261.

“I’m not going to cut 20 pounds of weight now, mainly of water, in six days,” Masvidal said on Tuesday during an ESPN+ Q&A hosted by Laura Sanko. “As I stand right now I’m eight, nine pounds before I hit the mark of 170. So it’s a different weight cut altogether. That’s going to be the main determining factor I think.”

Masvidal kept his planned tactics for Usman close to the vest. He had trouble fending off the clinch work of the champion in a unanimous decision loss at UFC 251, but vows to turn the tables this time and get his hand raised.

That won’t the last of his encounters with Usman, though. A trilogy fight is already on Masvidal’s mind, because the last thing he wants is for his rival to be able to call thing even.

“When I win the rematch, we definitely will go for the trilogy because I will not go down in history 1-1 with this individual,” Masvidal said. “It’s just not going to happen.”

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Masvidal’s rise to his first UFC title shot came through a “Fight of the Year”-worthy campaign in 2019. It was a slightly surprising rise to a championship bout after more than 14 years in the sport, but it didn’t go his way.

He largely thinks that’s because of the circumstances, but this time there’s “no excuses” to be had, he said. He expects to finally have his crowning achievement come to fruition, and said it’s going to make him feel complete.

“What’s it going to feel like to win that belt? Everything. Everything I’ve put into this sport. I’m going to get the type of sleep I want at night when I have that belt, so, let’s go. Let’s find out.”

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Tristan Connelly returns from injury layoff, fights Pat Sabatini at UFC 261

UFC 261 has gained a lightweight fight.

[autotag]Tristan Connelly[/autotag] has his first fight booked after undergoing neck surgery months ago.

For the first time since his UFC debut in September 2019, Connelly (14-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will return to competition and fight [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] at UFC 261 on April 24. The event takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking, but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Connelly made his UFC debut on short notice up a weight class against viral sensation Michel Perreira. An unfamiliar name to most at the time, Connelly entered the fight against Perreira as a sizable underdog. Despite the odds, Connelly stuck to the fundamentals and handed the high-flying Perreira his first UFC loss by unanimous decision.

Sabatini (13-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) signed with the promotion earlier this year as a short-notice replacement to fight Rafael Alves at UFC Fight Night 185 in February, but his fight was canceled when Alves missed weight by 11.5 pounds.

The CFFC featherweight champion, Sabatini enters his UFC debut on a two-fight winning streak. His lone loss in his most recent six fights came due to an arm injury in February 2020.

With the addition, the UFC 261 lineup includes:

  • Champ Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal – for welterweight title
  • Champ Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Andrade – for women’s flyweight title
  • Champ Zhang Weili vs. Rose Namajunas – for strawweight title
  • Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman
  • Jimmy Crute vs. Anthony Smith
  • Randy Brown vs. Alex Oliveira
  • Brendan Allen vs. Karl Roberson
  • Danaa Batgerel vs. Kevin Natividad
  • Qileng Aori vs. Jeffrey Molina
  • Johnny Munoz vs. Jamey Simmons
  • Kazula Vargas vs. Rong Zhu
  • Dwight Grant vs. Stefan Sekulic
  • Ariane Carnelossi vs. Na Liang
  • Tristan Connelly vs. Pat Sabatini

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Colby Covington preparing as if he’s the backup for Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261

Colby Covington is ready to step in if anything happens in the UFC 261 welterweight title fight between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal.

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[autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] is ready to step in if anything happens in the UFC’s upcoming welterweight title fight.

[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] will defend his 170-pound title against [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] in the UFC 261 main event April 24 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., in front of a full-capacity crowd.

Covington (16-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC), who currently doesn’t have a fight booked, has expressed his desire to either rematch Usman (18-1 MMA, 13-0 UFC) or face friend-turned-foe Masvidal (35-14 MMA, 14-8 UFC), but was left out of the equation when the pair was booked to face each other.

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But the outspoken welterweight contender, who’s coming off a fifth-round stoppage win over former champion Tyron Woodley this past September, is staying put in case either Usman or Masvidal are forced out. He’s willing to replace either fighter or even jump on the scale at weigh-ins if necessary.

“I’m going to evaluate things when that fight happens,” Covington said in an interview with “The Schmo.” “Everybody knows: The UFC hasn’t told me, but I think it’s pretty self-explanatory that I’m the backup guy. If anything happens, anybody gets COVID, anybody gets cold feet and pulls out of that fight, I’m showing up. That’s right down the road from me.

“We’re in Miami, Fla., right now. That’s a three-and-a-half hour, four-hour ride. I’ll take a bus over to Jacksonville, and I’ll be showing up for the fight. I’ll be there. So if anybody pulls out, I’ll be stepping in and we’ll evaluate from there. I just want to put on good fights and capitalize on the prime of my career, which is what I’m in. So we’ll see what happens in a couple of weeks.”

Although the UFC hasn’t told Covington anything or approved of his request, he said he’ll be in fight shape come April 24 in case anything happens to either headliner.

“That’s up to Dana White and Hunter Campbell,” Covington said. “That’s their decision. That’s their business and what they want. But I’m staying ready. I have my weight ready to go. I’m training, preparing like I’m fighting April 24 for the world title. So if they want me to weigh in, I’d love to weigh in. If not, it’s OK. I’ll be there in attendance, and I’ll be ready to go in case anybody pulls out last minute.”

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Rescheduled matchup of Randy Brown vs. Alex Oliveira among additions to UFC 261

A welterweight matchup between a pair of fighters with a penchant for the exciting has been added to UFC 261.

A welterweight matchup between a pair of fighters with a penchant for the exciting has been added to UFC 261.

Promotion officials recently announced that [autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag] faces [autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag] on the card, which takes place April 24 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The night’s main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Brown and Oliveira were initially scheduled to meet in February, but “Rude Boy” was forced to withdraw from the card. Oliveira was then scheduled to face Ramazan Kuramagomedov on short notice, but the replacement opponent was also ultimately unable to compete, and the bout was scrapped altogether.

UFC 261 marks the return of fans at full capacity for the promotion, which has operated largely behind closed doors since March 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Additional bouts announced for the blockbuster event – which features a trio of title fights in the night’s headlining contests – include lightweights [autotag]Kazula Vargas[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) vs. [autotag]Rong Zhu[/autotag] (17-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC), welterweights [autotag]Dwight Grant[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. [autotag]Stefan Sekulic[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and strawweights [autotag]Ariane Carnelossi[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) vs. [autotag]Na Liang[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

Brown (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) fought most recently in August, suffering a second-round knockout loss to Vicente Luque. Prior to the setback, Brown had picked up a “Performance of the Night” win over Warlley Alves and a third-round TKO of Bryan Barberena.

Meanwhile, “Cowboy” Oliveira (22-9-1 MMA, 11-7 UFC) looks to rebound from a UFC 254 loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov this past October. Before that defeat, Ooliveira had scored decision wins over Peter Sobotta and Max Griffin.

With the addition to the cards, the UFC 261 lineup now includes:

  • Champ Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal – for welterweight title
  • Champ Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Andrade – for women’s flyweight title
  • Champ Zhang Weili vs. Rose Namajunas – for strawweight title
  • Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman
  • Jimmy Crute vs. Anthony Smith
  • Randy Brown vs. Alex Oliveira
  • Brendan Allen vs. Karl Roberson
  • Danaa Batgerel vs. Kevin Natividad
  • Qileng Aori vs. Jeffrey Molina
  • Johnny Munoz vs. Jamey Simmons
  • Kazula Vargas vs. Rong Zhu
  • Dwight Grant vs. Stefan Sekulic
  • Ariane Carnelossi vs. Na Liang

With Mark Striegl out, Jamey Simmons targeted to fight Johnny Munoz at UFC 261

Johnny Munoz has a new UFC 261 opponent.

The UFC 261 lineup has been tweaked.

The promotion is targeting a bantamweight fight as [autotag]Jamey Simmons[/autotag] replaces [autotag]Mark Striegl[/autotag] to take on [autotag]Johnny Munoz[/autotag]. The fight is expected to take place on the April 24 pay-per-view card, which will be the first the UFC has held in front of a full capacity crowd since March 2020.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the change but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

It’s unclear why Striegl withdrew from the originally scheduled matchup.

Both UFC sophomores, Munoz (10-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and Simmons (7-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will seek their first promotional victories against one another. A KOTC standout, Munoz made his UFC debut in August when he lost a unanimous decision to Nathan Maness. Five weeks later, Simmons lost his debut fight against Giga Chikadze via first-round TKO.

UFC 261 takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card streams on pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

With the change, the UFC 261 lineup includes:

  • Champ Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal – for welterweight title
  • Champ Zhang Weili vs. Rose Namajunas – for women’s strawweight title
  • Champ Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Andrade – for women’s flyweight title
  • Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman
  • Jimmy Crute vs. Anthony Smith
  • Danaa Batgerel vs. Kevin Natividad
  • Brendan Allen vs. Karl Roberson
  • Qileng Aori vs. Jeffrey Molina
  • Johnny Munoz vs. Jamey Simmons

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Spinning Back Clique: Is the world ready for packed arenas at UFC events?

Check out the latest edition of “Spinning Back Clique,” the weekly show that takes a quick spin through the biggest topics in MMA.

Check out the latest edition of “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a quick spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week, our panel weighs in on a few upcoming UFC title fights, what can be done about weight cutting in MMA, and what type of message the UFC is sending by announcing fans are returning to future events. Host Simon Head is joined by panelists Brian “Goze” Garcia of MMA Junkie Radio, as well as MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun and Danny Segura. Let’s get into it!

  • [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] 2: It’s a huge fight, but if you’re [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] – who seems to be waiting in the wings for the winner – what do you want to hear from Bruce Buffer at the end of the fight at UFC 260? “And new,” or “And still”?
  • The UFC’s vacant lightweight title fight will feature [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] in May. What’s your reaction to that booking, and who do you think will take over Khabib Nurmagomedov’s mantle at 155 pounds?
  • There were scary scenes at the UFC on ESPN 21 weigh-ins, when [autotag]Julija Stoliarenko[/autotag] passed out on the scale. What should be done to prevent a repeat, or worse?
  • And finally, the UFC has confirmed that UFC 261 in Jacksonville and UFC 262 in Houston will both play to maximum-capacity crowds. It’s a big statement from the UFC, with Dana White making good on his promise to be the first sport back to full arenas. But what are your feelings on this? Is being the first sport back a good thing, or would the UFC be better off waiting?

Hope you enjoy this week’s show. Watch Episode 72 of “Spinning Back Clique” above.

At UFC 262, Kamaru Usman aims to ‘put the nail in that coffin’ of Jorge Masvidal ‘once and for all’

UFC champ Kamaru Usman raised eyebrows when he chose to call for a rematch with Jorge Masvidal, but he explains why.

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UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] raised eyebrows when he chose to call for a rematch with [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag], but he’s explained why.

Usman got what he wanted and will face Masvidal in the UFC 261 main event April 24 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.

Although Usman scored a definitive unanimous decision win over Masvidal to retain his title last July, Masvidal took the fight on only six days’ notice, which had many people questioning if the fight would go differently had “Gamebred” been given a full camp. It’s a point that Masvidal himself drove home after the fight.

Since then, Usman defended his title for a third time by finishing Gilbert Burns last month at UFC 258, while Masvidal has yet to compete. Nine months after their first outing, the pair are set to run things back, and the bottom line is that Usman wants to prove Masvidal has no chance of beating him regardless of the circumstances.

“You said you wanted more than six days. Well, guess what? Now I’ve given you six weeks,” Usman told TMZ. “You asked for three, but I doubled it and gave you six, so April 24, this time there’ll be no excuse. That’s it; let’s go in. You know what I’m looking to do, put the nail in the coffin, so bring your best game.”

Usman added that without a clear first-time opponent to challenge him, he was in position to call his shot.

“Let’s be honest: If I had to pick, I can do whatever I want to do,” Usman said. “I’ve cleared the division up. Now it’s time to lap everybody. It’s like we’re running a race. Now I’m about to lap everyone, so I went in and told (UFC president Dana White), ‘Hey, give me him (Masvidal).’ He’s a tough guy. I know he’s a tough guy. Yeah, it’s risky, it’s dangerous, but guess what? I want to put the nail in that coffin once and for all. And that’s how that fight got made.”

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With the likes of Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, both of whom Usman has defeated, and Stephen Thompson vying for title contention, Usman (18-1 MMA, 13-0 UFC) opted to rematch Masvidal (35-14 MMA, 14-8 UFC), who’s confident that he’s the better fighter.

But Usman begs to differ.

“It’s two things,” Usman said. “One, he either truly believes it, which I have to take very, very seriously, or he’s just too stupid to understand what’s happening right now. So I’ve got to believe it’s the first one, and I’ve got to take him at his word. He’s a very, very dangerous opponent. I never took that away from him. He did great things in 2019, but that was 2019. Now it’s time to come back to reality. It’s 2021, (and) his ship has sailed.

“I said it before: You’re a journeyman. Not in a disrespectful way because there’s nothing wrong with being a journeyman, but you’re a journeyman and that’s good, because that means you’re gonna win some, you’re gonna lose some. That’s OK. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but don’t try to pose as if you’re something more than that, as if you could dethrone the champion. Don’t try and do that.”

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