PFL champ Kayla Harrison targets Sarah Kaufman fight ahead of 2020 season
(https:) Kayla Harrison might now be a millionaire, but don’t think for a moment it’s changed her approach – or her desire to win – ahead of the next PFL season.
Reigning 2019 women’s lightweight tournament champion Harrison (7-0 MMA, 7-0 PFL) talked to MMA Junkie at this past Saturday’s Dominance MMA media day in Las Vegas and said nothing has changed since her $1 million-winning performance, and explained she’s chomping at the bit to get back into competitive action.
Harrison was expected to face Sarah Kaufman in the finale this past New Year’s Eve, but after the Canadian lost to Larissa Pacheco in the semifinals, it meant arguably the biggest female matchup in the PFL fell by the wayside. But it remains a matchup the two-time Olympic judo gold medalist would love to take on.
Valentina Shevchenko thinks Zhang Weili lost at UFC 248, expects title reign to end next fight
(https:)Valentina Shevchenko became educated on Zhang Weili after watching UFC 248, and she came away with mixed reviews.
Shevchenko (19-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC), the UFC women’s flyweight champion, previously stated she hadn’t seen enough of Weili (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in four prior bouts to know what the UFC’s first Chinese titleholder was truly all about. She got five rounds of thrilling action in the “Fight of the Night” on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but it ended in a tight result. The champion retained by split decision over Joanna Jedrzejczyk, who Shevchenko believes, along with at least one judge, should have won the fight.
Stipe Miocic: Eye injury ‘getting better,’ summer return a possibility
(https:)UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic doesn’t expect himself to be out of action for much longer.
Miocic told TMZ Sports that recovery from the eye injury he suffered in his rematch with Daniel Cormier at UFC 241 is progressing well. The injury was severe enough that Miocic had to undergo surgery following the August 2019 bout.
Frankie Edgar targeting UFC return in June, ready to fight any top-ranked bantamweight
(https:)Frankie Edgar still is intending on dropping down to 135 pounds.
Edgar (23-8-1 MMA, 17-8-1 UFC) delayed his bantamweight debut when he stepped in on short notice to face Chan Sung Jung in a featherweight bout this past December.
He was stopped in the first round for his third loss in his past four fights. Edgar was supposed to fight Cory Sandhagen in January, and due to the damage he sustained against Jung, he wasn’t able to make the quick turnaround.
The Sandhagen rebooking could be a possibility, but Edgar isn’t holding on to that fight specifically. He just wants to face a ranked opponent.
So here's why Brian Ortega has beef with Jay Park but not 'The Korean Zombie'
(https:)Brian Ortega’s beef is with rapper Jay Park. Brian Ortega does not, however, have a problem with “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.
Ortega made that very clear by issuing a statement Monday night in which he admitted to slapping Park in the face and explained why. Ortega also included one of those non-apology apologies for the incident, which was caught on video.
Alexander Volkanovski wants Max Holloway rematch at UFC 251, fires back at 'Korean Zombie'
(https:)Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is zeroing in on a rematch with Max Holloway on home soil at UFC 251.
Although Volkanovski is still dealing with a lingering hand injury from when he beat Holloway by unanimous decision to take the title at UFC 245 in December, he said he will advance his recovery timeline to ensure he competes at the event. When looking at the lay of the land at 145 pounds, he thinks a second encounter with “Blessed” is most logical.
Dana White: Henry Cejudo deserves respect for wanting to fight Jose Aldo
(https:)UFC president Dana White thinks Henry Cejudo deserves credit for chasing after a legend like Jose Aldo.
Cejudo (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) will attempt to make his first bantamweight title defense at UFC 250 when he takes on Aldo (28-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in enemy territory.
Aldo failed to make good in his bantamweight debut and was narrowly defeated by Marlon Moraes in a controversial split decision loss, which prompted heavy criticism when the UFC decided to grant Cejudo’s wish. But White, who scored the fight for Aldo, understands where the former dual-champ Cejudo is coming from with his callout of the former long-time featherweight champ.
Israel Adesanya says there are ‘no concerns’ about staph infection ahead of UFC 248
(https:)This weekend, UFC 248 takes place in Las Vegas, main evented by newly minted middleweight champion Israel Adesanya making his first title defense against Yoel Romero. But this past weekend, concerns about the fight cropped up when, in a video interview with Combat TV, Adesanya was shown with an open wound on his left arm.
This led to rampant speculation among MMA fans about Adesanya having a staph infection and how this might affect or even jeopardize the fight.
Colby Covington challenges 50 Cent to a fight, blasts Rosie O’Donnell
(https:)As he seeks a rematch with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman later this year, Colby Covington is currently taking aim at some celebrity detractors, who couldn’t help but dance on his grave after he suffered a fifth-round TKO loss this past December.
After a back and forth war for more than 20 minutes, Covington ultimately got knocked down and finished by Usman in their bout at UFC 245.
Afterwards, hip-hop star 50 Cent blasted Covington while calling him a “racist piece of sh*t” while celebrating the fact that he got his jaw broken during the fight. Actress Rosie O’Donnell also chimed in while saying that she enjoyed watching Covington “limp out with a broken jaw.”
Manager: Deiveson Figueiredo open to Joseph Benavidez rematch at UFC 252
(https:)Deiveson Figueiredo knocked out Joseph Benavidez at Saturday’s UFC Norfolk, but didn’t claim the flyweight championship after he missed weight by 2.5 pounds on Friday morning.
The UFC has yet to announce what’s next for the weight class and the vacant title, but Figueiredo’s manager Wallid Ismail told MMA Fighting the company is interested in booking an immediate rematch for the 125-pound title.
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