Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Roosevelt Roberts spoke with MMA Junkie’s Nolan King ahead of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 9 event in Las Vegas.
Roosevelt Roberts spoke with MMA Junkie’s Nolan King ahead of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 9 event in Las Vegas.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 9 event in Las Vegas.
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 9 event in Las Vegas.
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 9 event staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN 9 is expected to take place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It first must be approved by the Nevada Athletic Commission at a Wednesday meeting. The card airs on ESPN and streams ESPN+.
MMA Junkie’s Simon Head, John Morgan, Gorgeous George and Goze react to the latest MMA news and notes.
MMA Junkie’s Simon Head, John Morgan, Gorgeous George and Goze react to the latest MMA news and notes.
“I wanted a five-round fight because he ain’t never fought five rounds before.”
[autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] wants to introduce [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] to championship-level competition.
Former UFC welterweight champ Woodley (19-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) will return for the first time since losing his title in March 2019, when he takes on Burns in the UFC on ESPN 9 main event.
Since moving up to welterweight, Burns (18-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) has won three straight and is coming off a first-round knockout over Demian Maia.
But despite Burns’ impressive five-fight winning streak, Woodley, who’s gone five rounds on numerous occasions, thinks his in-cage experience will be a major deciding factor.
In fact, Woodley says he opted for this fight to be five rounds so he can take Burns to the trenches.
“This fight in particular with Gilbert Burns is, I’m confident because of who I am and what I’m doing,” Woodley told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m aware of what he does, I’m aware of how he is – he’s got a nice little left hook, uppercut, got some knees and flying knees, kicks and punches and calf kicks. I haven’t really seen much different from him. I’ve seen his style, and I’ve kind of gotten it broken down, but the element of surprise is a mother(expletive).
“When you start doing stuff they don’t expect you to do, that’s what I think he won’t be prepared for. He won’t be prepared to get exhausted and drained, and I wanted this. I had the option to fight this fight in a three-round fight, and I wanted a five-round fight because he ain’t never fought five rounds before, not in the UFC, not to my knowledge.”
Woodley’s first three title defenses went the full 25 minutes. He went toe-to-toe with Stephen Thompson twice, then completely neutralized Maia’s grappling in the fight after.
So Woodley is looking to push Burns to the brink, in an area of the fight that Burns has never experienced before.
“So three rounds, starting off strong or loafing in the beginning to finish strong is not going to work, is not going to work in a five-round fight,” Woodley said, “That’s what my goal is: Just take him in that deep water and just trying to drown him.”
UFC on ESPN 9 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
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On Episode No. 3,055 of the podcast, the guys discuss Conor McGregor, Mike Tyson, UFC on ESPN 9 and much more.
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Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!
On Episode No. 3,055 of the podcast, the guys discuss Conor McGregor, Mike Tyson, UFC on ESPN 9 and much more.
THE RUNDOWN
Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio, 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.
The UFC has issued a new COVID-19 protocol for its May 30 event (UFC on ESPN 9) with new requirements focusing on post-test self-isolation.
The UFC has updated its COVID-19 protocol heading into its first event in Las Vegas since the pandemic hit the U.S.
Saturday, the promotion is expected to put on UFC on ESPN 9 at the UFC Apex, pending the approval of the event by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Earlier this month, the UFC hosted three events in an eight-day stretch, starting on May 9 and ending on May 16, in Jacksonville, Fla. – all of which followed the promotion’s first-ever COVID-19 protocol. While many of the elements in the updated policy are the same, there are notable changes in the new protocol, mostly pertaining to self-isolation after testing.
Sunday, MMA Junkie obtained a document laying out the UFC’s newly-minted policies and procedures for athletes fighting on the May 30 card.
Like Jacksonville fight weeks, fighters and corners will received antigen tests (oropharyngeal swabs) upon check in at the hotel. Athletes will then be required to self-isolate at the host hotel until they get their results.
Different than the old policy however, a more concrete definition is given for social distancing expectations. Fighters are instructed not to leave the hotel or have any contact with anyone outside of their designated team.
“This means you should not leave the Athlete Hotel or have physical contact with anyone other than the members of your camp until you have received your test result.”
Athletes who test negative will be allowed to continue their fight week proceedings. Fighters who test negative will be instructed to remain in their hotel room and await further instructions.
After Friday weigh-ins, athletes and corners will be tested a second time. Following the test, athletes and corners will once again be required to self-isolate.
Unlike Jacksonville, fighters and corners must remain in self-isolation overnight, until it’s time for them to depart for the Apex on fight night. No one may exit self-isolation without the express prior approval of the NAC.
“During this time, no athletes or cornermen will be permitted to leave the Athlete Hotel without express prior approval from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.”
Physical contact with non-camp-members is prohibited. Athletes and corners will receive their second test prior to leaving the hotel for the arena.
Additionally, the promotion notified May 30 athletes that the UFC Performance Institute will remain off-limits during fight week.
UFC on ESPN 9 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
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UFC on ESPN 9 has a full lineup and location to go with its May 30 date, even if it doesn’t officially have approval from a governing body.
UFC on ESPN 9 has a full lineup and location to go with its May 30 date, even if it doesn’t officially have approval from a governing body.
On Thursday, UFC president Dana White announced the event – headlined by a previously reported welterweight clash between ex-champion [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] and [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] – will take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. At the moment, combat sports have yet to be reinstated in Nevada, but that is expected to happen next Wednesday during a Nevada Athletic Commission meeting.
Woodley, No. 2 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings, is fighting for the first time since March 2019, when he lost the title to Kamaru Usman. No. 12 Burns, meanwhile, is riding a five-fight winning streak heading into his first UFC headliner, most recently defeating Demian Maia by TKO in March.
“This kid’s on fire right now. Him and Woodley should be fun,” White said. “… He matches up very well against Woodley. This should be a really, really fun fight.”
The UFC on ESPN 9 co-headliner pits [autotag]Blagoy Ivanov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Augsto Sakai[/autotag] in a heavyweight fight. Also featured on the card will be jiu-jitsu ace [autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag], who looks to rebound from the first loss of her career. [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] also will be fighting just two weeks removed from his 39-second victory over Anthony Hernandez at UFC on ESPN 8.
The complete UFC on ESPN 9 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+)
PRELIMINARY CARD (6 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+)
Alistair Overeem’s fire to compete still burns heading into his UFC on ESPN 8 headliner.
[autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] has more than two decades of experience in combat sports, and he plans to keep clocking in time for his storied career.
The former Strikeforce and Dream heavyweight champion returns to the cage Saturday in the main event of UFC on ESPN 8, which takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. Overeem (45-18 MMA, 10-7 UFC) takes on Walk Harris in a five-round contest.
Despite having 64 MMA and 14 kickboxing bouts under his belt, “The Demolition Man” still remains in love with the fight game.
“I’ve been doing it for a long time, but I love the lifestyle. I love improving my game, and a fight is always a test, and you build off that,” Overeem said Thursday during a virtual media day. “Also, what other thing to do but fight? I mean, I really enjoy going to the gym, improving my game and helping my teammates. That’s something I can see myself doing, becoming a coach, passing on the knowledge, but not yet. I’m still in the peak, so I just need to keep going.”
Overeem is coming off a knockout loss to Jairzinho Rozenstruik back in December, but prior to that he was on a two-fight winning streak. In the defeat to Rozenstruik, Overeem was winning the fight until he got knocked out in the final 10 seconds of Round 5.
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Overeem still thinks the stoppage was premature, but he doesn’t view the loss as a big setback. The 39-year-old still has title contention in mind but wants to take things a step at a time.
“In my opinion, I had two wins and then in my last fight, the Rozenstruik thing, in my opinion, I got cheated by the ref,” Overeem said. “Perfect performance. I was proud of it, but I think let’s just take it easy, let’s just cruise control and get this victory, and we’ll figure it out from there.”
If victorious, Overeem plans to compete again in 2020 sometime in the fall.
When asked about the matchup itself, Overeem can’t wait to share the octagon with Harris, and he laments Harris’ recent tragedy coping with the murder of his kidnapped stepdaughter.
“Walt is good, strong guy, athletic guy, someone who prefers striking, and I like striking,” Overeem said. “So I think the matchup is better for the fans, and yeah it was very unfortunate what happened with his daughter situation, very terrible. Can’t imagine being a dad myself, so to me it was not a shock that he pulled out of the fight. It’s a natural thing, and now we’re back on, so now it’s all good. There’s no rivalry. I like him as a person, and we’re just going to make it a great fight for the fans worldwide.”
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