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Champ champ Amanda Nunes: I'm the WMMA G.O.A.T.
“Yeah, it’s for sure. I am the greatest of all-time. I beat the most dominating woman on the planet. I feel like I deserve it now. A lot of people have been saying [it]. All the things– everybody sends a message for me, a lot of letters at the gym. I have a bunch of letters that I have to send back to the fans. … Every time I sign them, I sit back. Everybody tells me now [I’m the greatest]. I have to say I am, because people tell me, everybody tells me. I believe them and now I say I am. I deserve everything that I have in my life. I proved it. I’m the best – I proved it. I’ve been doing everything people like to see: knock people out, and submissions, and go in there to fight. Don’t run. Put (on) a show. I feel like the fans like that and they respect me for that. And I feel good – I feel happy when they tell me I’m the best. I’m too happy.” Nunes fights Holly Holm at UFC 239 on 7/6 in Las Vegas. h/t MMA Junkie
Mongolia's Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg earns 6-figure ONE contract after win at ONE Warrior Series 6
Singapore: Rich Franklin's ONE Warrior Series, a subsidiary of ONE Championship™, the largest global sports media property in Asian history, concluded its latest season with an action-packed martial arts event in Singapore on 20 June. The brightest young stars in martial arts came out to participate in action-packed bouts. After a series of compelling contests, Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg of Mongolia earned a six-figure ONE Championship contract after his spectacular knockout of opponent Hyun Jin Lee at ONE Warrior Series 6. Also, Xie Xiao Xiang, Michele Ferreira, Satomi Takano, Ji Yeon Seo, Myeong Gu Kim, and Jerry Olsim, each received a Warrior Bonus for their extraordinary performances. Episodes of Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series can be found on ONE Championship’s official YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/OneFCMMA.
Diego Sanchez leaves Jackson-Wink MMA ahead of UFC 239
“Nothing but respect for Winkeljohn and Greg. I love those guys. I am grateful and I express a huge amount of gratitude right now to both Mike Winkeljohn, to Greg Jackson, to Jackson’s MMA. Everything. All the way up. ... For this time in my career, there was no focus on Diego. There was no real love on Diego Sanchez. Maybe because we’ve got two belt fights [at UFC 239], Jon [Jones] and Holly [Holm], but you know what? I don’t give a $#@. I don’t give a $#!@. I’m Diego Sanchez. I am special. I’m a Hall of Famer. ... For the past three years, Diego Sanchez really being doing the Bruce Lee type of style training: going in early, getting my thousands of reps in and training myself. Obviously everyone knows my grappling credentials – getting some grappling classes in and grappling rolls in. Go get my rounds in with the young bucks and do my thing in the gym. But come fight time, you’d get a couple mitt sessions with Winkeljohn, never really learning anything, just kind of tuning up what I already had. With Greg Jackson, it was maybe one or two privates a camp, but never really any true love – the type of love that a trainer should have for his fighter. ... Well, I’m not only thinking, I’m feeling. That’s a big part of who Diego Sanchez is: I don’t think too much. I don’t think it’s good to think too much. I think you’ve got to feel." Sanchez fights Michael Chiesa at UFC 239 on 7/6 in Las Vegas. h/t MMA Junkie
Jose Aldo postpones retirement, signs new multi-year UFC deal
In January featherweight G.O.A.T. Jose Aldo said he planned to fight out the remainder of his contract this year, and possibly pursue a new career in boxing. However, UFC president Dana White says, and coach Andre Pederneiras confirmed that Aldo signed an eight-fight contract prior to his bout against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 237 in May. h/t ESPN
Jon Jones: Fight vs. Santos is my way of saying thanks to stalwart fans
“I have a lot of supporters who stuck with me, even through my inactivity. This is my way to say thank you to my fans for being there and for their support. I’m just more grateful than ever to be the UFC light heavyweight champion. It’s a special job to have and I just want to do right by it. I just feel like there’s not many things you can do in life to make this kind of income. If my body is going to hold up, why not just ride it until the wheels fall off. I’m here to just continue dominating and collecting for my family’s future. To remain undefeated is a goal of mine. Continue to dominate the toughest guys in the world. Doing that against the Thiago Santos’s, and the Luke Rockhold’s, and the Chris Weidman’s, and Johnny Walker’s of the world. That’s a huge task within itself. If I’m able to do that, it’d be extraordinary. ... I think it’s awesome to become a champ-champ, but I also know I have time to do it. ... When the time is right I’ll try it at heavyweight as well. I think the quickest way for that to happen is for the UFC to reach out to me and say, ‘Hey, Jon, we want to take care of you to take on some bigger guys.’ And I’ll oblige.” h/t MMA Junkie • Watch LA media day scrum
Latest 10 UFC fights, today's in bold
•Colby Covington vs. Robbie Lawler at UFC on ESPN 5 on 8/3 in Newark
•Justin Ledet OUT, replacement sought vs. Dalcha Lungiambula at ESPN 3 on 6/29 in Minneapolis
•Jim Crute vs. Misha Cirkunov at UFC on ESPN+ 16 on 9/14 in Vancouver
•Pannie Kianzad IN with Melissa Gatto OUT vs. Julia Avila at UFC 239 on 7/5 in Las Vegas
•Clay Guida vs. Jim Miller at UFC on ESPN 5 on 8/3 in Newark
•Replacement John Lineker OUT vs. Rob Font, fight canceled, at ESPN+ 12 on 6/22 in Greenville
•Alexey Kunchenko vs. Laureano Staropoli at UFC on ESPN+ 14 on 8/10 in Uruguay
•Roxanne Modafferi vs. Jennifer Maia rematch at UFC on ESPN 4 on 7/20 in San Antonio
•Sara McMann injured OUT Julianna Pena IN vs. Nicco Montano at UFC on ESPN+ 13 on 7/13 in Sacramento
•Valentina Shevchenko vs. Liz Carmouche headlines UFC on ESPN+ 14 on 8/10 in Uruguay
Jon Jones: Thiago Santos has KO power, so does my fiancée
"I’m not worried about him at all. I feel like my fiancée is strong enough to knock me out if I put my hands behind my back and let her punch me right in the chin. A lot of people hit hard. Anyone has the power to knock out anybody. My manager can knock me out if I let him punch me in the face. It’s about being smart enough to be able to land that punch. I am not worried about heavy hitters, everyone hits hard. The fighters that concern me the most are the intelligent fighters. The guys that can set up those punches and set up a solid game plan. So I am not too worried about Thiago. I have fought many guys with big muscles and knockout power. I’ve been doing that since I was one of the youngest guys in the division." Jones defends his title vs. Santos at UFC 239 on 7/6 in Las Vegas. h/t MMA Mania • Watch Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show
John Kavanagh: Artem Lobov beating Paulie Malignaggi was best day of my life
Francis Ngannou: I could definitely transition to boxing
"First of all, boxing is my background. Boxing was my first love for a very long time. For more than 10 years I have been loving boxing without even knowing what MMA was. Then, I get in MMA by opportunity, but still boxing lover. So, I think, at some point, I can end up to cross paths with that dream. ... Sooner or later, it’s going to definitely – it might happen." In the meantime, Ngannou fights Junior dos Santos at UFC on ESPN 3 on Saturday. h/t Low Kick MMA • Watch
Emily Whitmire recounts finding her homeless mom living in a tent
ONE Championship is coming to America, permanently
ONE Championship is opening offices in Manhattan and LA this summer: "We're not doing it as a temporary measure, we're doing this as a permanent entry into America with the idea of throwing events in America. ... I think it's a global market, just like any other product or service. You have Toyota as the largest car manufacturer in the East, and GM out of the West. You have Apple vs. Samsung. The list goes on and on. UFC is obviously No. 1 in the West, and we're No. 1 in the East. But we go about our business very differently, with a different brand and a different strategy and a different product — even the in-stadium experience is very different. ... A guy like Eddie Bravo was on Joe Rogan's podcast last year saying that he's been to hundreds of UFC events and he's been to all the Bellator shows, and he said ONE Championship, by far, is the best show he's ever seen, full stop. ... I think the American fans are in for a big treat and a big surprise when we throw our first event in America." h/t PhillyVoice
Smartest man in MMA: Kevin Iole was not incorrect
Award-winning filmmaker Jody Eldred helps shine a light on the Fight for the Forgotten
Justin Wren's Fight for the Forgotten is the best story in combat sports. Deep in a rain forest in Equatorial Africa, the peaceful Batwa Pygmies were once known as ‘the keepers of the forest.’ But for generations, the Batwa fought against their own slavery, rape and now, poverty. After reading about the Pygmies, Wren, who would later be known in MMA as ‘The Big Pygmy,’ headed to the Congo. A wealthy benefactor facilitated a land purchase so one tribe would have an area they could live on and farm. And even more important, low-cost groundwater wells are being drilled. The price of freedom was providing fresh water wells to the Mokala slavers as well, and it’s helping establish a level of goodwill never experienced before. Wren has rallied some in the MMA community to the cause, particularly legendary female fighter Cris Cyborg giving her dollars and time. And now, a documentary to chronicle this powerful story is being brought to life by Jody Eldred, an Emmy award-winning and DGA award nominated TV and Filmmaker, and Royce Gracie purple belt. h/t B+C
Jorge Kanella discusses viral 'Gooch Kick' at Bellator 223
The weekend featured events from Bellator MMA, BKFC, Combate Americas, and the UFC, but one of the most viral moments was Jorge Kanella's Oil Check Kick on Alfie Davis, in an ultimately losing effort. WATCH HERE. Kanella denied it went there: “It was like, the bum, right at the bottom of the balls. If you’re standing up with someone on the floor, you do not go straight line like that. You’re never taught that because it’s a foul. … It slid up. So when I stood up, it was right in the gooch. It’s normally pleasurable for a man, isn’t it? The gooch. We all enjoy the gooch, but not when you’re getting kicked straight in it. I kicked his butt, and that’s normal. That’s not illegal. If you watch the video, I didn’t kick him where he says it was. Watch the video, I kicked his butt. He was faking it to get a point deducted, and it worked. The judges’ decision was unfair, but what can I do? It’s always the same when you’re fighting in enemy territory. They are always biased.” h/t MMA Junkie
Henry Cejudo calls out Vasyl Lomachenko
Daniel Cormier: Brock Lesnar made the right decision
“I was disappointed. I wanted to fight Brock. I’ve known Brock for a long time. I’ve competed with Brock for a long time in wrestling, and I’ve always been a fan of his. And then we had that great moment out in UFC 226, so the build was gonna be fun. But you know, you can only really worry about things that you can control, and I can’t control that he doesn’t want to fight anymore. He’s done. I know the UFC and Brock tried to make this happen. It just didn’t. So I appreciate all parties involved trying to get it done. But it just didn’t work, man. I don’t know exactly [why Brock signed with the WWE not the UFC]. Honestly, I just think the WWE gave him such a great deal. Like, they really always take care of this guy. And ultimately, you get paid that much money to go and wrestle as opposed to fighting me…there’s no predetermined outcome there. I’m gonna try to kick your ass. So I think he made the smart decision.” h/t My MMA News • Watch TMZ interview
Dakota Cochrane: Chris Leben’s head is hardest thing I’ve ever hit
“It feels good. He’s a tough sum bitch. His head is the hardest thing I’ve ever hit. He’s a legend man, I’m a fan. I’ve watched him for a long time, so for me to be able to fight him, that was a dream come true, and no matter who is in there, I’m gonna try to win. I don’t care who you are, I’m gonna try to knock you out. Hopefully the bossman [Bare Knuckle FC promoter David Feldman] brings me back. took a short notice fight for him so… and went up a little bit in weight. I think there was a little bit more tieing up than I would have liked in the Leben fight, but I come to fight no matter who it is so I’m ready.” Leben offered his experience: "Well you drive a car long enough you go to get in a wreck it was a good fun fight thank you BKFC Way to go Dakota Cochrane. I’ve been punched by a lot of people before but I don’t think anybody hit me quite as hard." h/t My MMA News • Instagram • Twitter
Cian Cowley's return confirmed for BRAVE 24 in London
Lightweight Cian Cowley is the first official addition to BRAVE's debut in London, set for July 25th. The exclusive event will take place at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, inside the Copper Box Arena, and will feature the return of the SBGi representative, who takes on promotional newcomer Maciej Gierzewski in the main card. Cowley will look to rebound from his first BRAVE loss, at the hands of John Brewin, in a close decision back at BRAVE 22, in March of this year, in the Philippines. The defeat broke a two-win streak for the Irish striker, who started off his career with BRAVE CF beating Daniel Olejniczak and Hardeep Rai, both by technical knockout. Cian is teammates with MMA superstar Conor McGregor and other standouts such as Dillon Danis and Gunnar Nelson and has an extensive background in Muay Thai and kickboxing. Before transitioning to professional MMA, "The Warrior" was a multiple-time national champion in Muay Thai and won a bronze medal at the IMMAF Amateur world championships in 2016. Meanwhile, Maciej will be making his BRAVE debut on the back of his last win, in May of this year, as he TKO'd Sergiusz Uzarek in the second-round in a local Polish promotion. "Magic Man" is from Poland, but fights out of IFS Northern Ireland.
Black breaks down left leg hospital, right leg oil check
Artem Lobov 'surprised' by ref's quick breaks at BKB 6
Clinching is prohibited in amateur boxing, but is a staple albeit limited part of professional boxing; athletes are supposed to be given more latitude still in BKB, but Lobov was surprised at the ref's quick breaks on Saturday night at BKFC 6: “The clinch is the huge part of my gameplan; I don’t want to f@$%ing mess around with a pro boxer. That’s his game, so even if I felt I was better than him, it would be stupid of me to just exchange there with him. I was a little bit surprised with the referee when we were in the clinch,. I was on top of him, and right away they were breaking up the clinch. ... Even in a boxing fight, the clinch is not allowed, they allow people to do a lot more in the clinch than they do here, where the clinch is allowed. ... I’m prizefighter; my success is defined by my purses. I love this sport – this sport is good for my heart – but I would be lying if I didn’t say whoever f@$%ing pays I go. If there is a boxing fight, let’s go. I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime, any way. I’ll fight anywhere. I don’t give a $#!@ but pay. You’ve got to pay.” h/t MMA Junkie • Watch post-fight press conference
Paulie Malignaggi's excuses
Malignaggi lost a Unanimous Decision to Artem Lobov at BKFC 6, and reports he broke his right hand in Round 2. “I got a $#!@ decision and I made a tic-tac-toe board out of his face with my left hand. ... Luckily, I have experience fighting with one hand from earlier in my career, breaking my right hand so many times, so even when my right hand was gone I thought I boxed very well in three, four, and five. ... You have a state that has a fight every 50 years. You have judges that don’t know what the f@$% they’re watching, don’t know what the f@$% they’re doing, and you get this. Everybody and their mothers thought I won this fight, but you know what? I’m also 38 years old and I guess this is sort of a sign to say, ‘Yo, you gotta stop.’ Because I probably would have kept doing this if I won this fight tonight... I took that one shot in the clinch and I thought I dealt with the clinch pretty well, I was pretty elusive, and so I was boxing well. ... I still don’t agree with everything that he did, but I’m sure people aren’t going to agree with the way I responded to everything too. So respect to Artem. He’s got a newborn baby, so he’s probably going to benefit from this and do well for himself.” h/t MMA Fighting • Watch post-fight press conference
