It appears Dana White didn’t even entertain the idea of Henry Cejudo fighting for the UFC featherweight title.
It appears Dana White didn’t even entertain the idea of [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] fighting for the UFC featherweight title.
When Max Holloway was forced to withdraw from his trilogy bout against featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 272, former dual-champion Cejudo (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) threw his name in the hat.
Cejudo retired after defending his bantamweight title against Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 and the only fight that seemed to gauge his interest for a potential comeback is Volkanovski (23-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC). But according to White, he’s not in a position to get a title shot after being on the sidelines.
“I can tell you this: The ‘Korean Zombie’ (Chan Sung Jung) has been here fighting,” White told BT Sport. “This guy’s retired. He’s been off for how many years now, and he wants to come in and fight Alexander Volkanovski? You’ve got guys like the Zombie, Josh Emmett, Giga (Chikadze) who’s fighting this weekend. You’ve got these guys that are in here doing it three times a year and working their way up. For Cejudo to retire and then just think he should be able to come in and jump into any weight division and take on the champion, it’s not how it works.”
The UFC opted to go with Jung, who will step in to face Volkanovski at UFC 273 on April 9. Chikadze faces Calvin Kattar in the main event of UFC on ESPN 32 on Saturday and could emerge as the next title challenger with a win. As for Cejudo, his quest for a third UFC title will have to wait.
Michael Bisping doesn’t think Colby Covington’s rivalry with Jorge Masvidal is manufactured.
[autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] doesn’t think [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag]’s rivalry with [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] is manufactured.
The former friends, now bitter foes, finally will settle their score when they throw down in the UFC 272 main event March 5 in what is being dubbed as one of the biggest grudge matches in the history of the promotion.
Covington (16-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) and Masvidal (35-15 MMA, 12-8 UFC) spent eight years training together at American Top Team, but things turned sour when Masvidal claimed Covington refused to pay his boxing coach. Covington eventually left American Top Team for MMA Masters.
It’s hard to believe an argument of that nature would end a brotherhood between two fighters who used to live and train together, which has had many wondering if this is a part of Covington’s character in trying to sell fights.
“Everyone that you speak to, by the way, says, ‘No, listen, Colby is a really good dude,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “‘He’s just selling fights. He’s putting on a persona.’ And maybe that’s true. If he’s doing it, if he is acting, then give the man a f*cking Oscar because he is acting his socks off each and every time.”
Covington admitted that he turned heel after the UFC threatened to let him go. After dominating Demian Maia in 2017, Covington took the mic in enemy territory and insulted the entire country of Brazil, which forced him to be escorted and protected by security until he departed the country. Ever since then, Covington ramped things up and has not minced his words toward Masvidal and various other fighters.
And because Covington went after Masvidal’s personal life, Bisping finds it hard to believe it’s part of an act.
“This stuff, going after Masvidal’s ex-wife, calling him a bad father and stuff like that, I don’t think that’s playing a part,” Bisping said. “I mean listen, any time two guys know each other, when they used to live with one another like they did, they know a lot of personal stuff about one another and then that’s when the rivalry or the hatred, for want of a better word, can get real thick.”
There’s big money to be made if you think Jorge Masvidal will beat Colby Covington at UFC 272.
[autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] is expected to beat [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] in their long-awaited grudge match at UFC 272, at least according to oddsmakers.
Covington (16-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) and Masvidal (35-15 MMA, 12-8 UFC) were once roommates and frequent training partners at American Top Team in South Florida. The relationship evaporated, however, when the pair turned on each other as they made parallel rises to the top of the UFC welterweight division.
Ultimately, Covington parted ways with ATT and joined MMA Masters in Miami, but the separation only caused things to get more personal between them, with some deep verbal attacks being traded in interviews and on social media.
It will all come to a head March 5 when Covington meets Masvidal in the UFC 272 main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The opening betting odds, according to Tipico Sportsbook, have Covington as a -330 favorite, meaning a $330 bet on “Chaos” would yield $100 in return. Masvidal, meanwhile, is a +260 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on “Gamebred” would bring $260 in return.
Colby Covington insists his title dreams aren't dead despite a second loss to Kamaru Usman.
Covington, No. 2 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings, is coming off a title-fight loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC 268 in November. It was the second time he’d unsuccessfully challenged Usman for the belt, but the 33-year-old has given the champion his sternest test in both encounters.
Covington will attempt to start the case for a third title shot against No. 9 Masvidal, who is chasing the same thing. Masvidal is recently removed from back-to-back title-fight losses to Usman, which the latter coming by highlight-reel knockout at UFC 261 in April.
The 37-year-old was supposed to fight Leon Edwards at December’s UFC 269 event in what would’ve been another long-awaited grudge match, but he was forced to withdraw due to a rib injury.
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Heated rivals Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal are set to clash in the main event of UFC 272 on March 5.
One of MMA’s biggest rivalries finally will be settled inside the cage.
Former UFC title challengers [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] are set to headline UFC 272 on March 5 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The bout will be contested at welterweight over five rounds.
A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the news to MMA Junkie on Tuesday following an initial report by UFC broadcast partner ESPN, which cited the promotion’s chief legal officer, Hunter Campbell.
It’s no secret that Covington (16-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) and Masvidal (35-15 MMA, 12-8 UFC) have bad blood between them. The two used to be best friends and teammates at American Top Team, but they began to drift apart as both fighters rose to title contention. Covington, now at MMA Masters after leaving ATT, has taken many shots at Masvidal in the past two years, and Masvidal hasn’t been shy in firing back.
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Covington is coming off a championship loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC 268 last November. He lost the fight by unanimous decision. It was Covington’s second title fight loss to Usman as he had been stopped in late 2019 by “The Nigerian Nightmare.” Covington is 8-2 in his past 10 trips to the octagon.
Meanwhile, Masvidal is also coming off a loss against the champ. Masvidal last fought in April at UFC 261, losing to Usman by knockout. It also was his second defeat to Usman. Prior to the pair of losses to Usman, Masvidal was on a three-fight winning streak, which included the “BMF” title win over Nate Diaz and the 2019 flying-knee “Knockout of the Year” over Ben Askren.
This wasn’t your average social media fight announcement from a fighter.
So, [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] has an OnlyFans account. I know, it surprised me, too, when I found out.
On Monday, Holland used his OnlyFans to reveal a welterweight bout against Alex Oliveira set for March 5 at UFC 272. But this wasn’t your average social media fight announcement from a fighter. No, this was good.
Given that he’s set to fight “Cowboy,” Holland made a hilarious Lil Nas X “Old Town Road”-inspired short video that features Holland on the vocals. I could describe it, or you can just watch the video above. And in case you might’ve thought Holland was fighting Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, he clears it up at the very end LOL.
It’ll be one of the best things you see on the internet this week.
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.
Kevin Holland and Alex Oliveira both will be looking to get off the schneid when they meet at UFC 272.
[autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag] both will be looking to get off the schneid when they meet at UFC 272.
Holland announced Monday on his OnlyFans that he and Oliveira will square off in a welterweight fight at the UFC’s March 5 pay-per-view event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Holland (21-7 MMA, 8-4 UFC), who went 5-0 during a remarkable 2020 campaign, is coming off a 2021 without a win in three fights. He lost unanimous decisions to Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori before most recently having his Oct. 2 fight with Kyle Daukaus end in a no contest after an accidental clash of heads.
Now Holland turns his attention Oliveira (22-11-1 MMA, 11-9 UFC), who is on a three-fight losing streak and has dropped six of his past eight bouts. His current skid consists of two submission losses to Shavkat Rakhmonov and Randy Brown, as well as most recently a unanimous decision loss to Niko Price on Oct. 2.
The updated UFC 272 lineup includes:
Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan – for bantamweight title
Josh Emmett thinks he’s the perfect candidate to replace the injury Max Holloway against champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 272.
[autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] thinks he’s the perfect candidate to replace the injury Max Holloway against champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] at UFC 272.
Just days after the promotion announced Holloway (23-6 MMA, 19-6 UFC) would be challenging Volkanovski (23-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) in a trilogy bout on March 5 in Las Vegas, “Blessed” was forced to withdraw due to a lingering injury.
There’s been no formal announcement about whether the fight will be postponed, or if Volkanovski will take on another contender on the same date. If it ends up being the latter, Emmett (17-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) thinks he deserves serious consideration to step in.
Emmett, No. 6 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie featherweight rankings, is currently on a four-fight winning streak and has won six of his past seven overall dating back to October 2017. Now he wants his chance to become champion.
“This is exactly what I’ve been talking about – I feel like I’m one of the only fighters in the division that has not got to fight one of the top guys,” Emmett told MMA Junkie. “Volkanovski and I match up stylistically the best. … Sign me up. I’ll be ready to rock. I always wanted to stay ready in case something like this happened, someone falls out of a fight. In the UFC, it’s all about timing. You have to be ready. You have to be able to take opportunities and I’ll never shy away from an opportunity, especially like this. I want that Volkanovski fight.”
Emmett is coming off a unanimous decision win over Dan Ige at UFC 269 in December. It was his first fight following an injury-filled 18-month layoff, but the performance showed he’s still among the elite at 145 pounds.
With a record number of knockdowns in divisional history, Emmett believes his combination of power, speed and grappling makes for a stern test for No. 1-ranked Volkanovski, who has yet to be beaten inside the octagon.
“I think we match up great,” Emmett said. “Similar styles. Both powerful, explosive fighters. Come from wrestling backgrounds. We both have the power to end the fight at any moment. He’s the best. Anyone who has the title at any given moment is the best in the division in my eyes. This is a fight where I want to fight the best, and he’s the best. I think the fans would be pumped to see us fight.”
The UFC’s plans for Volkanovski are unknown at this time, but the champion has historically stated he’s not one to wait for any specific opponent and prefers being as active as possible. Henry Cejudo has also thrown his name in the hat to serve as a replacement, but Emmett thinks he holds an edge over all other options and would provide the most compelling fight.
“He’s been planning to fight for a while,” Emmett said. “He’s the champion, he’s never ventured away from taking a fight. He’s always down to fight everyone and he’s the best in the world. I think this is a fight that excites the fans because they want to see a war and I think him and I both would bring that to the table and we’re so similar in styles. It would just be a phenomenal fight that would go down in the books.”
Just two days after news broke of a trilogy fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, it appears that bout now is on hold.
Just two days after news broke of a trilogy fight between [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] to headline UFC 272, it appears that bout now is on hold.
Former featherweight champion Holloway (23-6 MMA, 19-6 UFC) has aggravated a previous injury and is out of the planned main event against champ Volkanovski (23-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC). MMA Junkie confirmed the news with a person with knowledge of the injury following an initial report from UFC broadcast partner ESPN.
The UFC has not yet made an announcement of Holloway’s withdrawal, and it is not known if Volkanovski will remain on the card against a new title challenger or simply wait for Holloway to be healthy.
UFC 272 is set for March 5 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected on ESPN and ESPN+. The co-main event is a bantamweight title fight rematch between champ Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan, which for now appears to be the most logical choice to be elevated to headliner status if Volkanovski waits for Holloway.
Volkanovski holds two wins over Holloway. He took the featherweight title from him with a unanimous decision at UFC 245 in December 2019. The pair fought in a rematch at UFC 251, which Volkanovski won by split decision.
After that, Holloway went on a two-fight run in 2021 with decision wins over Calvin Kattar and Yair Rodriguez. In his win over Kattar, he smashed the UFC record for strikes landed. Both bouts were Fight of the Night winners.
Volkanovski is one of only four fighters in UFC history to open his tenure with the promotion at 10-0. After his two wins over Holloway, he took a unanimous decision from Brian Ortega this past September in the UFC 266 Fight of the Night.
The UFC 272 lineup now includes:
Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan – for bantamweight title
Max Holloway will get another crack at Alexander Volkanovski in a featherweight title trilogy bout at UFC 272.
[autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] will run it back again at UFC 272 in March.
Despite Volkanovski (23-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) already holding two wins over Holloway (23-6 MMA, 19-6 UFC), the pair will fight in a trilogy bout with the featherweight championship on the line.
UFC president Dana White announced the news to broadcast partner ESPN on Wednesday.
UFC 272 takes place March 5 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected on ESPN and ESPN+.
More on this in a moment.
The latest UFC 272 lineup includes:
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway – for featherweight title
Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan – for bantamweight title
A pivotal women’s strawweight matchup pitting Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan has been added to UFC 272.
A key women’s strawweight matchup has been added to UFC 272.
Top contenders [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] and [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] have been booked to fight on the March 5 pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. MMA Junkie confirmed the booking with an additional person with knowledge of the matchup following an initial announcement from Xiaonan’s management, Paradigm Sports.
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Rodriguez (15-1-2 MMA, 5-1-2 UFC) is coming off a big win in her second UFC main event spot. The Brazilian beat Mackenzie Dern with a unanimous decision to extend her winning streak to three. Rodriguez’s only career loss came against former UFC champion Carla Esparza in July 2020.
China’s Xiaonan (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is coming off her first defeat in the UFC. She was was stopped by TKO by Esparza in May. Prior to that, she was on a 12-fight unbeaten run that included six UFC wins over notable names like former title challengers Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
With the addition, the latest UFC 272 lineup now includes:
