“For me, going back for that title shot, whoever has the belt. Hopefully it’s Volk (Alexander Volkanovski) that fourth Volk fight would be amazing,” Holloway said on his YouTube show ‘The Undeniable’

“We just got to be undeniable. Undeniable. Keep doing what we’re doing. The fans got to do their part. You guys want to see that fight? Let them know.”

A fourth fight against Volkanovski when Holloway sits at 0-3 against the current champion seems like a very long shot for the former champ. He hopes that he can continue his run of wins in order to earn that fourth shot at Volkanovski.

“That’s what the UFC is known for. For putting the best guys in the world against each other. I’m here. I’m not here taking breaks. I’m fighting anybody and everybody to get back there. I’m going to be clawing and scratching my way back to the top,” he said.

“Like we’ve been saying, undeniable. I’m just going to keep proving to you guys and keep showing you guys why I’m undeniable. We’re going to get back what’s rightfully ours.”

Outside of the title fight Holloway isn’t sure there’s an opponent for him that makes sense. He knows that it may be up to the fans to voice what they want to see.

“I fought most of the top 10 guys. I think (the featherweight division) is cool. A bunch of new names. A bunch of new faces. There’s nobody,” said Holloway.

“I don’t need to call out nobody. You guys want to see me fight somebody? You guys going to make it happen. UFC they put on the best fights, and the fights the fans want to see. If the fans want to see a fight go and at Dana White, at the UFC, let them know. I’m no matchmaker. I’ll fight whoever. Whatever gets me that step closer back to the title shot, that’s what I want, hard work. Undeniable. Earned not given.”

Watch Max Holloway’s Q & A below.

The post Max Holloway Looking For Title Shot, Fourth Fight With Volkanosvki, “Earned, not given” appeared first on Cageside Press.

The Korean Zombie

Chan Sung Jung, who prefers his nickname to his given name, stepped into the cage for the last time in the main event of UFC Singapore against future Hall of Famer Max Holloway. While Holloway is perhaps just past his prime, Zombie appears well past it. Still, he gave a good account of himself and his patented relentless aggression was on full display, making for an entertaining fight. That is also exactly what got him knocked out, but he was able to surprise Max and hurt him a few times.

The scenes were emotional on television as Zombie laid his gloves down in the octagon, bowed before them for a minute, and then walked away for the last time as the entire crowd in Singapore sung along to the iconic walkout song ‘Zombie’ by the Cranberries. His career will be celebrated for a long time, with legendary fights like his first fight with Leonard Garcia in WEC, his submission victory in a FOTN over Dustin Poirier, and his five round war against Yair Rodriguez being among the best fights in history.

His iconic finishes must also be mentioned too: He had the fist Twister submission in UFC history, he was the second man to ever KO Frankie Edgar, and he still owns the fastest finish in UFC featherweight history at seven seconds, over Mark Hominick. Zombie may be gone but his legacy lives on as a cultural icon in Korea, a pioneering force in Asian mixed martial arts as a whole, and one of the best action fighters ever.

Zombie’s Next Fight: Retirement

Ryan Spann

In a rematch of dubious necessity Ryan Spann once again lost to Anthony Smith in the UFC Singapore co-main event. This fight was closer than the last, where he was finished in the first round in 2021, but the judges did not give him the nod and it goes on his record as a loss, Spann’s second in a row. For now Spann is ranked tenth at light-heavyweight, but his ranking will likely drop on Tuesday and he will need to fight down in the rankings next.

Undefeated Azamat Murzakanov, former GLORY kickboxer Dustin Jacoby, and brutal Muay Thai specialist Khalil Rountree Jr. are all logical fights for Spann next. Azamat is one of the brighter prospects at 205-lbs and is deserving of this fight, or an even higher ranked one. Spann will have to prove he can beat a powerful striker and mauling wrestler in the Russian sambo specialist.

Spann’s Next Fight: Azamat Murzakanov

Alex Caceres

After holding off unranked challengers to win his last two fights, Alex ‘Bruce Leeroy’ Caceres faltered when facing a higher ranked contender than him in Giga Chikadze. He will once again need to fight down in the rankings, and since he is ranked fifteenth at featherweight that means fighting an unranked prospect.

The obvious options are two British prospects who both got good wins at UFC London recently: Nathaniel Wood and Lerone Murphy. Either one makes perfect sense, but Nate Wood is perhaps more deserving after beating Charles Jourdain and Andre Fili, two featherweights who were also on the verge of the rankings at the time.

Caceres’ Next Fight: Nathaniel Wood

Fernie Garcia

Fernie Garcia earned his UFC contract with a big knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021 but has lost three wide decisions in the UFC since then. Not many UFC fighters can go 0-3 and keep their job, so it is likely that Fernie will need to go back to the regional circuit, sharpen his tools, and find his way back to the big show. If he does stick around, it’s probably an incoming fighter next.

Garcia’s Next Fight: Outside of UFC/new fighter

Taila Santos

Former title challenger, and arguable title winner, Taila Santos gave the division’s brightest prospect Erin Blanchfield all she could handle in the first round at UFC Singapore. Santos’ striking shown through early and she defended the takedowns but as the fight went on Blanchfield’s cardio and relentless cage-wrestling let her wear on Taila, earning her the 29-28 victory as Santos tired out late.

After winning four in a row Santos has now lost two decisions back-to-back in which she gave a good account of herself and looked capable of victory, but it is still two losses in a row which means she will fight down in the rankings now. The next brightest prospect in the division, who is deserving of fighting up, is Maycee Barber. Barber’s recent development as a brutal striker, shown in her fight against Amanda Ribas, makes her one of the more intriguing and popular prospects at 125-lbs and the fight with Taila would be a big one, and a big test for both.

Santos’ Next Fight: Maycee Barber

Parker Porter

Porter’s first round knockout loss to Junior Tafa was similar to his loss to Junior’s brother, Justin Tafa. He has now lost three of his last four fights after a 3-1 start to his UFC career. Still, 4-4 is a fine record that keeps him in a job with the promotion for now. He will, however, have to give another less experienced prospect a chance.

Karl Williams has looked like a fighter with some potential in his two UFC fights and wins. Him and Porter both have similar, well-rounded games and solid cardio for heavyweights, making them well-matched for this potential bout.

Porter’s Next Fight: Karl Williams

The post What’s Next: UFC Singapore Losers appeared first on Cageside Press.

Zombie (properly Chan Sung Jung) came to fight at UFC Singapore, booked into the main event against former featherweight champ Max Holloway. The South Korean star, himself a multi-time title challenger, rocked Holloway early, and was rocked himself. In the second, he had to fend off a tight submission attempt from “Blessed,” but it was the third round that saw Zombie’s night end early. He opted to engage in a firefight with Holloway, ending up tagged and dropped for the one-punch KO.

It was the second consecutive loss for Zombie, following a failed bid for 145lb gold against Alexander Volkanovski just over a year ago. Following the loss, Zombie announced his retirement, leaving his gloves in the cage while “Zombie” by The Cranberries played one final time.

The bout with Holloway was enough to earn the pair Fight of the Night honors.

Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC Singapore went to Junior Tafa and Michal Oleksiejczuk. Poland’s Oleksiejczuk survived an early onslaught to finish Chidi Njokuani with extremely violent ground n’ pound on the preliminary card, while Tafa light up Parker Porter on route to a first-round knockout.

Attendance at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday was 10,263 for a live gate of $1,288,777 USD.

The post Retiring Korean Zombie Bags 50K Bonus in Swan Song at UFC Singapore appeared first on Cageside Press.

Each man had significant personal stories as a backdrop to this fight: Holloway entered the cage mere weeks after fires devastated the island of Maui in his home country of Hawaii while for Zombie many thought this would be his retirement fight. Zombie had asked for this fight and Max agreed, but after the brutal beatdown that Alexander Volkanovski put on Jung in his last fight it was predicted to be a lopsided affair. Fans certainly thought Max would win and so did the sportsbooks, with Holloway being more than a seven-to-one favorite going into the bout. His motivation appeared to be at an all-time high as well, as he fought for something bigger than himself, for his people, his land, his culture. The UFC had donated to relief efforts in Hawaii and Max used this fight to promote further donations, constantly shouting out @lahaina_ohana_venmo on Instagram as the best place fans could donate to help those displaced by the tragedy. Max wore red shorts for the first time ever in honor of it.

Zombie came out with a leg kick followed by a body jab. He tried to blitz in several times but Max was able to get out of the way. Max took his time before opening up. When Zombie rushed forward recklessly after landing a good punch and thinking he had Max hurt ninety seconds in, he got caught and staggered. Zombie was able to recover but was put on the back foot. Max kept the pressure on and landed some good strikes though he did not yet open up with his traditionally insane volume. Whenever Zombie threw his right hand he did not bring it back to his chin right away; as a result Holloway’s lead left hook could not miss and it drew a big reaction just about every time. Zombie landed a left hook of his own that made Max’s legs flutter for a moment but Holloway recovered quickly. The first round was competitive but drew to a close as a clear Holloway 10-9.

The second round began with Zombie landing a left hook off of a level change feint. After that Holloway landed a glancing right hand on the temple that dropped Jung to his knees. Max tried to walk it off but Zombie stayed with it and tried to get a takedown. Holloway locked up a tight d’Arce choke which he held onto for a full minute. The referee checked on Zombie’s consciousness but somehow he was still awake. Eventually Max had to let it go and they got back to striking after a failed Zombie takedown attempt. With two minutes left Max swarmed Zombie against the fence after hurting him but as always, Chan Sung Jung fired right back. The wild blitzes of Zombie continued and got him caught more times than they allowed him to hit Holloway. The pair traded good right hands with one minute left; Zombie was still in the fight, but still clearly a step behind. Max landed a round kick to the body and then a spinning back kick too in the final twenty seconds of the round.

The third round started with a Zombie blitz that hurt Max but ‘Blessed’ fired right back and landed himself. Zombie just kept coming, like the monster that is his namesake, but it hurt him more than it helped as he ran right onto a massive right hand from Max Holloway. Chan Sung Jung faceplanted right into the canvas and the fight was stopped immediately.

After the fight Holloway ran to his wife in the crowd to celebrate the emotional win with her, a fellow native Hawaiian. Afterwards he made sure to go back to his opponent, help Zombie to his stool, and give him an embrace, showing the respect these warriors have always shown each other.

In his post-fight interview Max Holloway’s first words were telling the crowd to cheer for the Korean Zombie, who hung around in the cage. He declined to talk about the fight at first, saying, “The only thing on my mind is Lahaina, Hawaii.” He asked for shares and donations to help his people back home.

Michael Bisping then took the microphone to talk to Zombie. Through the translator he said that he was ready to stop fighting now. Zombie appeared to recognize that he could not be champion now, stating his lack of desire to fight if that goal was out of reach. The Singaporean crowd cheered their appreciation for his career as he laid his gloves down in the center of the cage and the stadium played his iconic walkout song, ‘Zombie’ by the Cranberries, for the last time.

Official Result: Max Holloway def. Chan Sung Jung by Knockout (right hook) Round 3, 0:23

The post Max Holloway Knocks Out Retiring Korean Zombie appeared first on Cageside Press.

"I'm the best boxer in the UFC, baby!" 🥊@BlessedMMA looks to put on yet another stunning performance in the Octagon Saturday! #UFCSingapore pic.twitter.com/t1WpHy3o2J

— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2023

Saturday’s main event for the longtime champion is not about the usual talking points. Yes, Max Holloway is still the consensus second best featherweight in the world and he would remain in a highly regarded position with another victory.  But recent events are more prevalent to the “Blessed” one.  Since rising to prominence, he has been one of the Hawaii’s most highly regarded ambassadors as the homegrown pride of Waianae on the island of O’ahu.  Recent wildfires that ravaged the island Maui this month have made Holloway’s upcoming fight about more than another key bout in his career.  He enters looking to provide a boost in morale as his walk out and out of the ordinary (for him) red shorts will be in tribute to those affected.

Competitively, the match up feels as much a battle against complacency as much as it is against another man. Coming off a victory over fellow top contender Arnold Allen, it would be easy to say that Holloway is pursuing one of the smaller pieces on the featherweight chessboard as his opponent has mentioned a possible retirement following their fight.  With the King having eluded Holloway’s capture, the Zombie is amongst the few contenders he can turn his sights towards along with Giga Chikadze (who fights on the undercard) and prospect turned contender Ilia Topuria.  While Holloway has not shown signs of slowing down yet, every night remains precarious as he looks to remain at the top of the division if he hopes to get back into the title picture if there’s a change in the status quo.

🧟‍♂️ @KoreanZombieMMA can finish the fight anytime, anywhere!

[ #UFC273 | Saturday | Live on ESPN+ PPV: https://t.co/KOluT7qhYi ] pic.twitter.com/giP9Bj8AzD

— UFC (@ufc) April 6, 2022

For Chan Sung Jung, affectionately better known as “The Korean Zombie” to fans, Saturday’s headliner feels like the perfect curtain call if he elects to take it.  Following the disheartening loss in the title match against Alexander Volkanovski last spring, Jung acknowledged the struggle of reaching the belt and that he would have to reassess his motivations for competing if the ultimate prize was out of reach.  This week, Jung addressed the future by saying that his performance against Holloway would determine whether or not he felt he should continue in his career.  While his 2-2 run that includes a title fight against the best in the world is not the most alarming on paper by any means, it would feel as if the fight game has caught up to him abruptly if Saturday’s bout is one-sided in favor of his opponent once again.

If it is the end, or if this chapter of his story continues, then it is important to remember the run for “The Korean Zombie”.  Since a breakout performance in the WEC in 2010, Jung has been a fan-favorite who has victories over the likes of Frankie Edgar, Dustin Poirier, and Mark Hominick.  An exciting slugger who also proved his submission prowess when he recorded the first Twister in UFC history, Jung withdrew from competition to serve in the South Korean military at the height of his first UFC run in 2013.  When he returned in 2017, he went on a 4-3 run that saw first round finishes in three of his four victories.

CERTIFIED BANGER INCOMING™️

💢 @BlessedMMA and @KoreanZombieMMA throw down tomorrow!#UFCSingapore | Aug 26 | Main Card 8amET | LIVE on @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/goKmRBxWO2

— UFC (@ufc) August 25, 2023

A victory for Holloway would leave him in an interesting place in the division.  The winner of the fight between Giga Chikadze and Alex Caceres earlier on the card stands out as arguably the best candidate for a fight, but a possible move back up to lightweight for Alexander Volkanovski could see a change up where Holloway might face top contender Ilia Topuria.  Should “The Korean Zombie” pull off the upset, Chikadze or Caceres are his most likely opponents as well.

The post UFC Singapore: Heavy Hearted Holloway Faces Resilient Zombie in Legacy Bout appeared first on Cageside Press.

As late in the career of The Korean Zombie as it is — in honor of the late George A. Romero’s upcoming posthumous release, let’s call this Twilight of the Dead — it’s somewhat shocking that Zombie and Holloway have never crossed paths. The pair have long been staples of the featherweight division, Holloway holding gold as one of the all-time greats of the weight class, and Zombie challenging for belts on multiple occasions.

A somewhat puzzling co-main event, meanwhile, precedes Holloway vs. Zombie. That finds Anthony Smith and Ryan Spann running it back, a rematch that no one really asked for, and one that comes just two years and a couple of fights after their initial meeting. That fight saw Smith win care of a first-round rear-naked choke. Should “Lionheart” be victorious in the rematch, his last two wins will have come against the same man. Since that first fight, Smith has gone 0-2, while Spann is 2-1 and coming off a loss to Nikita Krylov.

Full results from Friday’s UFC Singapore weigh-in can be found below.

UFC Singapore: Holloway vs. Korean Zombie Weigh-In Results

Main Card

Featherweight: Max Holloway (146) vs. The Korean Zombie (146)
Light Heavyweight: Anthony Smith (205.5) vs. Ryan Spann (205)
Featherweight: Giga Chikadze (146) vs. Alex Caceres (145.5)
Bantamweight: Rinya Nakamura (135) vs. Fernie Garcia (135.5)
Women’s Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (125.5) vs. Taila Santos (124.5)
Heavyweight: Junior Tafa (255) vs. Parker Porter (256)

Preliminary Card

Heavyweight: Waldo Cortes-Acosta (264) vs. Łukasz Brzeski (243)
Bantamweight: Toshiomi Kazama (135.5) vs. Garrett Armfield (135)
Middleweight: Chidi Njokuani (185.5) vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk (186)
Welterweight: Song Kenan (170) vs. Rolando Bedoya (170.5)
Welterweight: Billy Goff (170) vs. Yusaku Kinoshita (170.5)
Women’s Flyweight: Liang Na (126) vs. JJ Aldrich (126)
Featherweight: Choi Seung-woo (146) vs. Jarno Errens (145)

The post UFC Singapore: Holloway vs. Korean Zombie Weigh-In Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I’m not really sure what’s going to happen. It’s very difficult for a fighter to acknowledge that a once career has ended,” Jung told reporters through a translator on Thursday.

“I’ll have to see how well I fight in the octagon. I’ll have to asses myself on this fight, and then decide what’s going on next.”

While “The Korean Zombie” (TKZ) respects his opponent who is a former champion, and has taken on the best of the best in the UFC, it does not mean he won’t be going to the win on Saturday.

“I respect Max. He’s a living legend, he’s a legend in this division, I’ve fought every legend here in this division,” he said.

“I’ve fought Jose Aldo, I’ve fought (Max) Volkanovski, so I have nothing but respect for Max, but just because I respect him I’m not going to go easy on him. I expect to win this fight. I’m going to go hard on him. It’s going to be a fun fight.”

TKZ is right. He’s fought the who’s who at 145-pounds, as has his opponent, but Holloway is a different puzzle to figure out. TKZ knows it, but takes a much simpler approach into how to win the fight on Saturday at UFC Singapore.

“Both of us are very durable. People ask me how I’m going to beat Holloway. I think the key to this fight is cardio. It’s about who gets tired less, and who has better cardio,”

“In my training, in my fight camp, that’s what I focused on mainly to improve my cardio. I think that will be the key to winning the fight.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Chang Sung Jung, The Korean Zombie, above. He takes on Max Holloway at UFC Singapore on Saturday.

The post The Korean Zombie Will Decide His Future Depending On Performance Against Holloway appeared first on Cageside Press.

Max Holloway (24-7) will face The Korean Zombie (17-7) in the main event of UFC Singapore, set to take place on September 26, 2023 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

UFC President Dana White announced the booking Thursday, while also officially announcing the promotion’s return to the South-East Asia city-state.

Following UFC Kansas City in April, Holloway, a former featherweight champion and one of the greats of the division, expressed interest in fighting Zombie as part of the upcoming Sydney card, then unannounced but also set for September. Instead, “Blessed” will head to Singapore to fight the multi-time title challenger.

South Korea’s Zombie (properly Chan Sung Jung) has twice competed for featherweight gold, coming up short against both Jose Aldo and Alexander Volkanovski. The 36-year old, who holds notable wins against Frankie Edgar, Dan Ige, Mark Hominick, and Dustin Poirier among others, has not competed since that second title fight, in April of 2022.

Originally, The Korean Zombie was expected to headline a card in his native South Korea this past February. Injury kept him out of it, and the event, already announced by the UFC, was scrapped.

Holloway, who has teased a move to lightweight recently, is 0-3 against current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. He keeps beating everyone else, however, though somewhat incredibly, Max Holloway and TKZ have never before crossed paths.

The post Max Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie Headlines UFC Singapore in September appeared first on Cageside Press.

Kay Hansen No Fan of Fans Criticizing Only Fans

Say that three times fast, will ya? Kay Hansen had another tough night at the office on Saturday at UFC 273. The 22-year old, who was a teenage sensation for Invicta FC a few years ago, lost her third straight fight inside the octagon, dropping a decision to newcomer Piera Rodriguez.

The loss dropped Hansen to 1-3 in the UFC, with all three of those defeats coming to fighters making their promotional debut. She was subsequently released from the organization, with the news breaking on Wednesday.

The loss also brought about renewed criticism of Hansen’s endeavors on Only Fans, which has become a popular side hustle among female fighters (and occasionally male fighters as well, including Kevin Holland). Shortly after her loss, Hansen had a response ready for those who were questioning her work ethic when it comes to fighting.

“Posting a photo on a site has ZERO impact on my fighting performance. Take your pathetic hate somewhere else,” she wrote as part of a brief statement on social media.

And for anyone saying “mAyBe If ShE dIdNt HaVe An OnLy FaNs…” get a life. I train 2/3 times a day, live a disciples life and I’m the hardest worker you’ll meet. Posting a photo on a site has ZERO impact on my fighting performance. Take your pathetic hate somewhere else.

— Kay Hansen (@KayHansenMMA) April 10, 2022

There’s a ring of truth to Hansen’s statement, in the sense that, plenty of fighters have part-time jobs, sadly. And maybe, even if the UFC paid new recruits adequately, she’d go the Only Fans route regardless. It’s not just about the money for everyone, right? There’s little doubt the content of Hansen’s posts being borderline pornographic (she’s currently advertising topless shots for $15) is what brings about a lot of these complaints, most likely from closet porn addicts anyway. Heck, if Hansen’s posts bother you, don’t look up Bellator fighter Orion Starr’s film catalog.

The good news is, at 22, Hansen is young enough to bounce back. With or without her side hustle, which is up to her. We just hope she keeps in mind this cautionary Only Fans tale.

https://twitter.com/KayHansenMMA/status/1510098327336984577

Aljo Gets the Last Laugh

Aljamain Sterling now gets to take a victory lap, after being vilified following his DQ win of the UFC’s bantamweight title last year. Being frank, Petr Yan landed a boneheaded illegal knee, and cost himself the title. Sterling taking it may not have sat right with the fans, but it was the correct call as far as the rules go.

Now, after over a year of trash talking between the pair, Sterling sits as the undisputed UFC 135lb champion. Yes, it was a close win at UFC 273, a split decision, but a win none the less.

Sterling posting an “apology form” for fans to fill out following the win was priceless. He’s had to endure a year of trolling, and he’s still got his sense of humor intact. That’s great to see.

I’m going to need y’all to fill this out and hand it in to me by the end of the work day 🤡
•#UFC273 #AndStill #TheWeeklyScraps pic.twitter.com/DalnSPF88Q

— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) April 10, 2022

Jake Paul Comes Through with Charitable Donation to Alpha Male Coach

Jake Paul and Boxing Bullies have come through with a $10,000 donation to Team Alpha Male coach Joey Rodriguez Jr., whose daughter Angie is battling cancer, specifically stage 3 lymphoma.

Paul vowed to make a $10,000 donation following UFC 273, where Team Alpha Male fighter and debuting UFC athlete Mike Malott put the focus on the teenager’s battle with the disease. Malott pledged the entirety of his show money ($10,000) himself; Dana White later said the UFC would cover the donation, and double it, adding his win money as well.

Paul gets a lot of grief from the media, specifically in the MMA sphere, and we’re no exception. No snide marks on this one, Paul is being a class act here. The Go Fund Me to assist Joey and Angie is here.

Brian Stann Predicted Khamzat’s Arrival, Suggests He Hold Off on Title Fight

Earlier this month, a clip made the rounds highlighting Brian Stann from a few years back, talking about an unnamed welterweight turning heads at All Stars Training Center in Sweden (twitter user @rivalant gets credit for asking the question). So who was that mysterious welterweight?

You guessed it, it turns out that was Khamzat Chimaev, who was getting noticed literally years before making it to the UFC.

In June 2017, Brian Stann mentioned a welterweight training in Sweden who would one day enter the UFC and make "real waves" pic.twitter.com/0SQ8nRa2LD

— Oscar Willis (@oscarswillis) April 4, 2022

This past week, Stann went on The MMA Hour to discuss the clip, and his “Mystic Mac” like prediction regarding Khamzat.

“I’d get on the mats with some of those guys [All Stars] and they’d just keep telling me about this guy who had a background from Chechnya who was awesome, who was just fantastic and has all the skills and all the makings, and had the mental — they were like, ‘Look, this guy, when they rotate and it’s your turn to go with him for a round, he’s the one that nobody wants to go with,'” Stann recalled (h/t MMA Fighting), after admitting that he’d forgotten he’d even made the prediction.

That said, Stann’s advice for Chimaev is to slow his roll. “[Chimaev]’s ready, and it will be a fight, [but] do I think that it’s time for him, it’s his best opportunity to beat a guy like Kamaru Usman? I mean, Usman’s an animal, and he’s just so good and he’s still getting better,” Stann noted. “If I’m managing him — and you’re never gonna convince a fighter to slow down, that’s just the way we have to think — I do everything I can to get him more time, more experience.”

Cain Speaks For First Time Since Attempted Murder Charge

Well, not literally, but he has released his first public statement. Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez remains incarcerated, held without bail on an attempted murder charge after engaging in a high speed chase and shooting into a fleeing vehicle on a San Jose area highway, in which one of the passengers was accused of “a lewd and lascivious act” with a relative of the fighter.

Ultimately, Velasquez hit the wrong man, instead wounding his elderly father, while another, female family member was in the vehicle.

In the weeks since the original incident, not a word has been heard from Cain, but this past Tuesday, a statement was released on his verified social media, thanking his supporters.

“To everyone that has expressed your support, my family and I will never be able to thank you enough. From the bottom of our hearts and the depths of our souls, we are grateful for your love. Your selfless gestures and kind words have given me strength in my darkest times. This story is complex and slowly unraveling as we speak. To the true victims of this case, may God give you the strength to come forward. Though it is most difficult to relive the pain that has happened to you, in speaking the truth, justice will be served and your own true healing can start. I will never stop helping or loving my community and all of you. Thank you for loving me.”

Velasquez is facing between 20 years up to life in prison stemming from multiple charges related to the incident. A judge ruled his actions “reckless,” and deemed the fighter too high risk to grant bail.

Nick Diaz to Fight Again by Year’s End?

Cesar Gracie says Nick Diaz will fight again by the end of the year.

Whether that’s a fight we want to see relies heavily on the circumstances and opponent. After years away from the sport, Diaz returned to action in September, but was stopped due to retirement in the third round against old foe Robbie Lawler.

Ahead of the fight, Diaz shockingly claimed that he wasn’t sure why or how the fight had been booked in the first place. He made similar statements after the fact.

Now, his coach says he’ll be competing again. Let’s hope he’s fully on board if it happens.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcMH-_PvCiD/

Kingdom’s Jonathan Tucker in L.A. Supporting Juan Archuleta

Jonathan Tucker was one of the stars of Kingdom, an MMA-centered drama that ran for three seasons on Audience Network, from 2014 to 2017. He was on hand in Los Angeles on Monday at the Bellator 277/279 press conference, in support of Juan Archuleta, who both appeared on the show, and helped train fighters. Check out our chat with Tucker below.

Volkanovski, Zombie Get Identical Medical Suspensions Following One-Sided Beatdown

Maybe that’s a little harsh, but also, Florida. Is there anything they can’t get wrong?

Among the medical suspensions stemming from UFC 273, both Alexander Volkanovski and The Korean Zombie were slapped with… 14 day medical suspensions.

Suspensions from the event were handed out by the Florida State Boxing Commission. According to the UFC 273 broadcast, Zombie absorbed over 100 significant strikes in the fight.

Khamzat Chimaev got a 30 day suspension following his war with Gilbert Burns.

Mick Foley Stops by Jackson-Wink MMA

Cactus Jack. Mankind. Dude Love. For kids in the 90s, Mick Foley was pretty damn amazing regardless of what character he was portraying in WCW and later WWF wrestling. Say what you will about the wrasslin’ biz, but there was no faking what he did at Hell in a Cell, which made Foley a legend in a heartbeat.

Foley, a noted MMA fan, stopped by Jackson-Wink MMA recently, and was apparently used as a sack of potatoes.

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/1514782999031681036

And just because, Hell in a Cell highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJQek2pGB4M

Mounir Lazzez’s Kinahan shout-out flops, fans then attack journalist who questions UFC fighter’s ties to wanted drug lord

UFC Vegas 51 was not a great event, and you’ll probably read a lot about why over the next few days. Two technical decisions, based on fouls that many fighters felt should have led to DQs, led the way. Then there was Mounir Lazzez, who spoiled his own win by shouting out a wanted fugitive — Daniel Kinahan.

Just days ago, the U.S. DEA and OFAC put a five million dollar bounty on Kinahan’s head, for information leading to his arrest or conviction. The Irish gangster is accused of heading an international drug cartel; he and other figures in the Kinahan cartel are banned from entering the U.S. He also founded MTK Global back in 2012, a company that has represented Lazzez, and has promoted boxing and MMA events. Kinahan supposedly cut ties with the organization in 2017, but he still remains tied to combat sports. Fighters including Darren Till and Tyson Fury have been associated with him

Still, Lazzez’s timing couldn’t have been worse, with Kinahan’s crimes in the public eye like never before: his organization has been linked to several murders.

He also looked very uncomfortable when his links to Kinahan were questioned following the event.

Mounir Lazzez was asked about his #UFCVegas51 post-win shoutout of suspected Irish mob boss Daniel Kinahan, who was sanctioned by the U.S. government and had a $5 million bounty placed on his head this week.

Here's what he had to say: pic.twitter.com/Vsf0JTcrhX

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 17, 2022

Lazzez may or not been aware of Kinahan’s exploits. His team complaining about the line of questioning was a bit silly, since the fighter himself broached the subject on live T.V. Truly pathetic, however, were the number of MMA “fans” who threatened the reporter in question, in the comments section of the video above, with one suggesting that the murder of Daniel Pearl was justified, and that a similar response here was warranted. If that’s you, do us all a favor — stay under your rock, and don’t breed.

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Nick Diaz to Fight Again, Kay Hansen Defends Only Fans Gig appeared first on Cageside Press.

Here are our thoughts as to what’s on tap for the night’s losers.

The Korean Zombie

The main event of the evening at UFC 273 saw The Korean Zombie step in against the champion Alexander Volkanovski after former champ Max Holloway went down with an injury. It didn’t take Alexander “The Great” long to make The Zombie start to resemble a zombie. He was landing hard and quick jabs right from the start. After the third round, referee Herb Dean asked the doctors to check on Zombie; they allowed him to continue. It didn’t last much longer, as Volkanovski would earn the stoppage 45 seconds into round four, leading us to ask “what’s next?” for TKZ.

In his post fight interview Zombie seemed very emotional, discussing how he’d need to think about hanging up the gloves and spending time with his children. Missing a good chunk of his prime fighting years due to military obligations to his native country, I can’t see him retiring just yet. He’s got some gas left in the tank and there are some youngsters looking for a fight. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zombies next fight being a nasty one. One with a fellow twister finisher, “Thug Nasty” himself.

Zombie’s next fight: Bryce Mitchell

Petr Yan

In a much anticipated rematch of their title fight at UFC 259 that resulted in a DQ finish and a new champion, Interim Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan took on UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling in Jacksonvile. The first round wasn’t full of action and could have been very hard to judge in the favor of either fighter. Rounds two and three very easily went to Sterling and rounds four and five were easily scored for Yan. After going to the judges’ scorecards, we heard “and still,” as Yan fell via split decision to the “Funkmaster.”

Yan could be matched up with a plethora of opponents at the top of the division and any of those fights would make sense for a variety of reasons. There are rematches for top guys looking to avenge losses against the former champion. There are new talents tearing through the division looking to make a name for themselves off the former champion. Let’s not forget there is also a legend that has returned from multiple injuries that has his eyes on getting his title back. He could also get a rematch against Sterling but I think there is another former champ that gets that call first. As for Yan, a very marketable fight is out there against Sterling’s own teammate, Merab Dvalishvili. This one sells itself.

Yan’s next fight: Merab Dvalishvili

Gilbert Burns

At UFC 273, “Durinho” did what we’ve heard a lot of men had absolutely no interest in doing, he got locked inside the Octagon across from Khamzat Chimaev. In doing so he did what no other man has been able to do: he made Chimaev look mortal. Burns rocked Chimaev. He hurt Chimaev. He cut Chimaev. After the seventh minute of the fight, he had officially taken Chimaev into the deepest waters of a fight he’d been to in his career. It wouldn’t be enough, as Burns would drop a unanimous decision to the man many say will be the next champion at 185 pounds. It was written on the faces of both men after the fight. This one was an instant classic, a contender for Fight of the Year in 2022, and could end up in the Fight Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame.

Burns, like many others, has been on the losing side of things before. He’s been in there with the current champion and former championship contenders. He came into this one ranked #2 in the division and I’d have a hard time seeing him dropped any further than #4. The three guys ranked immediately below him have fights lined up and it seems Chimaev has called next for the winner of Usman vs. Edwards 2. If that actually happens (and it may or may not) only one man really makes sense as the next person for Burns to fight, maybe even in Brazil or…..Miami? Covington. Of course, Dana White also suggested “Chaos” for Chimaev next, so it all comes down to whether he gets the winner of Usman-Edwards 2. If he doesn’t, maybe the Luque vs. Muhammad winner works.

Burns’ next fight: Colby Covington (dependent on title picture)

Tecia Torres

Torres has been locked inside the cage with a who’s who of the top women in the game. Saturday night was no different as she faced off against arguably the best female grappler in the UFC, Mackenzie Dern. This fight between Dern and “The Tiny Tornado” was definitely a whirlwind of back and forth stand-up and grappling. After we went to the judges, it was a split decision win for Dern.

Torres, a top 10 strawweight, has been on this side of a decision in the past. She had a four fight losing streak all decided on the scorecards, before her most recent three fight winning streak. The list of names Torres has fought in her career is endless, however there is some new blood in her division, so we’ll line her up with one of them. A former Invicta champ in this case.

Torres’ next fight: Virna Jandiroba

Vinc Pichel

“From Hell” Vinc Pichel most definitely didn’t go down without a fight against Olympic silver medalist Mark O. Madsen. This one was a very back-and-forth three round scrap, where Pichel could be overheard telling his corner “he’s done… he’s done” in regards to Madsen after the second round. He wasn’t. It turned out to be the wrestling of “The Olympian” Madsen that would seal the deal in the third round.

Pichel has been in and out of the Octagon on a regular basis during his career due to injury. Seemingly coming out of this one injury free, he’s probably be hell bent on getting a quick turn around. While his wrestling did look good (he was the first person to ever secure a takedown against Madsen in his MMA career), Pichel seems much better matched up against someone who will stand with him.

Pichel’s next fight: Jai Herbert

The post What’s Next: UFC 273 Losers appeared first on Cageside Press.