Tag: UFC on ESPN+ 21

MMA rankings report: UFC on ESPN+ 21, Bellator 233 fallout

What does another big weekend of MMA action mean for the rankings? We walk you through it all in this week’s rankings report.

It was another eventful weekend in the MMA world. Consider the highlights:

  • [autotag]Zabit Magomedsharipov[/autotag] continued his climb up the 145-pound ladder with a win over Calvin Kattar in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 21.
  • [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] returned to action, as the former Bellator champion decisioned Greg Hardy in the UFC Moscow co-feature.
  • [autotag]Arlene Blencowe[/autotag] proved she’s still a factor in the Bellator featherweight division with her impressive unanimous-decision victory over Leslie Smith.

So what does this all mean for the weekly USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings? Let MMA Junkie’s John Morgan and “Gorgeous” George Garcia walk you through the changes in the video above.

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Spinning Back Clique: What do we think of Greg Hardy now?

MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, Gorgeous George and Goze unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 2 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 from UFC on ESPN+ 21 and around the world of MMA.

Show rundown:

  • [autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag] traveled all the way to Moscow on short notice for the biggest test of his early career and came away with a three-round unanimous decision loss to former Bellator heavyweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 21. What did this performance tell us about the controversial former NFL standout? Did it tell us anything significant about his MMA outlook moving forward?
  • [autotag]Zabit Magomedsharipov[/autotag] remained undefeated in the UFC at 6-0 with a three-round unanimous decision win over [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] in the UFC on ESPN+ 21 headliner. Afterward, Magomedsharipov called for a title shot. Was this the performance that sealed the deal? Or does Magomedsharipov need a more signature victory to stake his claim?
  • At first, [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] said he wanted an immediate rematch with Jorge Masvidal. Then he was like, “peace out fight game.” Now he’s clarified he isn’t actually leaving the fight game, after all. What does all of this mean for Diaz’s future?
  • UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] has made it clear that [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] is his next title defense of choice over Corey Anderson. Is that the right next move? What about heavyweight?
  • [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] is off to Bellator and has detailed the reasons why he left the UFC to jump ship. What do we make of this move and his outlook with Bellator?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 2 of “Spinning Back Clique” in the video above.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3000: UFC Moscow, Bellator 233, Nate Diaz, more

Hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” break down the latest MMA news, including UFC Moscow and Bellator 233 recaps, Nate Diaz and much more.

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

On the historic 3,000th episode of the podcast, the guys break down the latest MMA news and notes, as well as look back at UFC on ESPN+ 21 and Bellator 233 from this past weekend. And they look back at their crazy 3,000-episode run in the sport.

The rundown

  • The UFC’s return to Moscow had some big highlights, and we look back at them
  • Bellator 234 went down in Oklahoma, and it featured the final fight for Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal.
  • Nate Diaz teased that he was retiring, and then said he’s not.
  • Did you watch the KSI vs. Logan Paul boxing match? And if so, do you want to see more of those kinds of spectacles?
  • Is boxer Tyson Fury going to make his way over to MMA next?
  • Should Kelvin Gastelum have been fined for his UFC 244 weigh-ins incident in New York?
  • Now 3,000 episodes in to the show, we look back at some of the big moments.

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.