Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Diaz-Holland, Bella Mir Stays Perfect, Dern Wants Interim Strap

By
Staff
-
Nate Diaz, UFC 244
Nate Diaz, UFC 244 Open Workout Credit: Marcus Rebelo/Cageside Press

Nate Diaz vs. Kevin Holland is the fight we didn’t know we needed, while Bella Mir stayed perfect this week, notching her third win as a pro on Friday. There’s that and more in your Sunday MMA Quick Hits for the final weekend in June!

Dana White Says Joanna Jedrzejczyk “Without a Doubt” a Future Hall of Fame Member

This isn’t really news if you’ve been paying attention or have any common sense, but UFC President Dana White has gone on record as saying Joanna Jedrzejczyk is “without a doubt” a future Hall of Fame member.

Five strawweight title defenses, one of the most popular female fighters in history… yeah, think they can squeeze her in there somewhere.

While she won’t get in this year, having just retired following UFC 275 earlier this month, “Joanna Champion” is a shoo-in, likely as soon as 2023.

“Oh, without a doubt,” White said during the UFC Austin post-fight press conference (h/t MMA Junkie). “[She was] one of the women who helped build women’s MMA, especially in the UFC – always fun to watch, always came to fight.

“Her walk in that night when she got to the arena, [was] gangster as usual. I love everything about Joanna, and I’m glad that she fought and ended her career here with us.”

“I’m After Gold, Hoe.” Cejudo Not Interested in Fight with Petr Yan

Henry Cejudo vs. Petr Yan sounds like a cracker of a match-up, but Triple C apparently wants no part of it.

After Yan called for the fight on social media last week, Cejudo replied saying he should brush up on his wrestling skills, after falling to Aljamain Sterling.

“Only if you had the gold I would have loved to have buried [you],” Cejudo wrote. “You should go back to Dagestan and learned (sic) more wrestling because you got outwrestled by Division III all American. That wouldn’t be smart of you taking an Olympic champ after that lose (sic). I’m after Gold hoe.”

Jake Paul Set to Box Tommy Fury, Again

If Jake Paul deserves credit for anything, beyond simply existing, it’s that he’s finally trying to box an actual boxer again. Unfortunately, it’s Tommy Fury, a fight that has already fallen through once before, so don’t act surprised if this one is scratched before August arrives.

After a bit of back-and-forth on social media (which is basically where Paul does his best business), Paul-Fury is set for August 6, 2022 in Madison Square Garden. Amanda Serrano will be on the card once again, so there will actually be come boxing talent. And some MMA talent, given Serrano has also fought in the cage.

Who’s starting the pool on how long it takes for Fury to drop out and Tyron Woodley to get the nod for the threequel nobody asked for?

Mackenzie Dern Wants Interim Title Fight with Weili Zhang

Since Carla Esparza is reportedly injured, Mackenzie Dern has thrown her name in the proverbial hat for an interim strawweight title fight with Weili Zhang.

Zhang recently knocked out Joanna Jedrzejczyk with a KO of the Year candidate spinning back fist at UFC 275. Dern, meanwhile, has won, well, she’s won her last fight, a split decision over Tecia Torres. Before that, she dropped a fight to Marina Rodriguez, and that’s where this scenario starts to go south.

Dern told MMA Junkie on Thursday that “if they do have an interim title I would like to be in there. Fight Zhang Weili or whoever it will be. I’m definitely interested in that. I’m ready. I’m talking with Mick (Maynard). I even sent a message to Dana (White). I’m like, ‘Hey Dana, I’m ready whoever it is, I’m ready.’”

Ready or not, there’s the Rodriguez situation. She won four straight, and her only loss in the UFC was a split decision against Esparza. That’s actually the only loss of her career, so the Brazilian would seem to have the inside track on this one.

And then this happened…

Saturday’s JCK MMA event, which aired on UFC Fight Pass, had this beauty of a spinning back kick KO by Aerdake Apaer, who was 0-2 to start the night. That’s picking up your first win in style!

Bella Mir Improves to 3-0

18-year old Bella Mir, daughter of former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir, improved her record to 3-0 on Friday with an arm-bar submission of Jessica Link.

The win came as part of XFN 381, and while Mir is about to embark on a college career, she’s still setting the bar high in terms of MMA. Really high.

“I just want to say that I’m going to be a bigger icon. My dad set the bar, and I’m going to set it higher. That’s my goal,” Mir said following the win.

Kevin Holland vs. Nate Diaz? Yes Please

It’s actually sort of crazy that this match-up hasn’t been brought up before now. The idea of Kevin Holland vs. Nate Diaz just sells itself.

Holland addressed the match-up while speaking with MMA Fighting recently.

“The Diaz fight, I’d smoke Diaz,” Holland told the website in regards to the pairing. “Big brother, little brother, it doesn’t matter. Either Diaz brother, I’d smoke. I think Nate’s a better fighter than Nick. Either way, I’d smoke them.

“They’re over the hill, let’s be real about it. They’re both fun fights. They’re both over the hill. I mean Nate did good against Leon [Edwards] but Leon has a butter chin. It is what it is. For sure, I think me and Nate would have a fun time.”

Diaz has been pleading with the UFC to book him a fight, or release him, for months now. They could do worse than Diaz vs. Holland, a fight that most certainly moves the needle.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR