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LOS ANGELES – Aaron Pico sees a ton of potential for Bo Nickal in MMA. The Bellator featherweight contender and wrestling standout thinks Nickal is primed for big things in his fighting career. Nickal, just 3-0 in MMA, recently joined the UFC after two quick victories in Dana White’s Contender Series. There’s been a lot of hype with Nickal’s arrival in the UFC, and Pico (10-3 MMA, 10-3 BMMA) assures it’s all deserved and very real. “If anyone can beat Khamzat (Chimaev) right now, I really think Bo Nickal can do it,” Pico told MMA Junkie. “People will think I’m crazy, but he’s a very good wrestler.” Related Bellator 286 video: Spike Carlyle heated after missing weight Patricky Freire says Usman Nurmagomedov doesn't deserve Bellator title fight: 'He fought against nobody' Not only does Pico think that Nickal can take out a top contender in Chimaev just three fights into his career, but he also thinks Nickal is bound to be UFC champion. Nickal currently is sched

LOS ANGELES – Juan Archuleta  is happy to stick to bantamweight just in case there’s another opportunity at the grand prix. Archuleta (25-4 MMA, 7-3 BMMA) meets Enrique Barzola (18-6-2 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) on Saturday’s Bellator 286 main card at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie. Both men recently were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the bantamweight grand prix, but Archuleta sees big implications in this fight. “The tournament’s still going on, and (there’s a) possibility of getting pulled back in – someone gets hurt – so just making sure you’re always on the call and ready to go,” Archuleta told MMA Junkie at Thursday’s Bellator 286 media day. “Enrique and I were both winning our last fights, so it makes sense to have us fight and just use us as an alternate just in case someone doesn’t make weight or anything else happens.” The cut down to 135 pounds isn’t easy for Archuleta, who’s also competed at featherweight

LOS ANGELES – There’s a reason why Liver King is Liver King. The health and fitness influencer has gone viral in the past year for living shirtless, his wild beard and muscles, a drastic lifestyle, and of course eating tons of liver. Well, on Friday afternoon ahead of Bellator 286, Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Freire and UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa tried to challenge Liver King and put his title to a test. The three gentlemen engaged in a liver eating contest in front of the media. And as expected, Liver King remained king. You can watch all the craziness in the video above. Bellator 286 goes down this Saturday at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif. The card is being headlined by a featherweight title fight between champion Patricio Freire and challenger Adam Borics. Below is the full line up for the event: MAIN CARD (Showtime 10 p.m. ET) Patricio Freire vs. Adam Borics Spike Carlyle vs. A.J. McKee Jeremy Kennedy vs. Aaron Pico Juan Archulet

LOS ANGELES – A.J. McKee is officially a lightweight for the first time in his career. McKee (18-1 MMA, 18-1 BMMA), a former Bellator featherweight champion, will move up a division on Saturday when he meets Spike Carlyle (14-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) – who missed weight – in the Bellator 286 co-main event at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif. It’s one of the key bouts on the main card airs that on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie. Watch the video above to see both co-headliners weigh in ahead of Bellator 286, as well as the rest of the main card for Bellator 286. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286 . from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/BTFpqHG via IFTTT

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC Fight Night 211. Top UFC strawweight contenders Mackenzie Dern and Yan Xiaonan clash in the main event as they both look to get one step closer to a title shot. Dern (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) holds the No. 5 spot in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s strawweight rankings , while Xiaonan (15-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is not too far behind at the No. 9 spot. Will Xiaonan be able to snap a two-fight skid and stifle the high-level grappling of Dern? Or will the BJJ ace make it two wins in a row against top competition at strawweight? UFC Fight Night 211 takes place Saturday at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The  card airs on ESPN+. Check out the video above for Tom’s breakdown of the fight and prediction. Dern vs. Yan: Method of victory? - Powered By PickUp Gallery Photos: Mackenzie Dern through the years view 73 images Gallery Yan Xiaonan def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz at UFC on ES

LAS VEGAS – Randy Brown won’t underestimate Francisco Trinaldo . Brown (15-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) and Trinaldo (28-8 MMA, 18-7 UFC) square off in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 211 co-main event, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+. Looking to extend his winning streak to four, Brown had nothing but praise for the Brazilian. “I was honored,” Brown told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at the UFC Fight Night 211 media day on Wednesday. “Uncle Trinaldo has been around for a long time. That’s someone I’ve been watching from even before I got into the game. He’s a vet so ton of respect there, you already know what it is. So, it was an honor and it will be an honor to face him.” Brown may be facing a 44-year-old veteran, but knows Trinaldo is still dangerous. “Unc got power,” Brown said. “We know unc got power, we’ve seen it. He’s always bringing crazy energy when he fights, he’s a little Tasmanian devil. He’s older now so he’s slowing down and you could

Khamzat Chimaev has called out Colby Covington despite recently teasing a move to middleweight. Over the course of his six-fight run with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, it’s safe to say Khamzat Chimaev has built himself into a pretty big star. Between fighting at 170 and 185, ‘Borz’ has made a habit out of smashing every single opponent that steps in his way – barring Gilbert Burns... Source Khamzat Chimaev issues public callout to Colby Covington on Twitter from UFC – GiveMeSport https://ift.tt/2Hylg0b via IFTTT

LAS VEGAS – UFC president Dana White doesn’t think Kevin Holland genuinely meant he wanted to retire. After getting quickly submitted by Khamzat Chimaev in a 180-pound catchweight bout at UFC 279 earlier this month, Holland (23-8 MMA, 10-5 UFC) posted on social media that he was done with the sport, saying “I’m out.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by kevin holland (@trailblaze2top) But White thinks Holland spoke out of frustration. The 29-year-old, who was MMA Junkie’s 2020 Male Fighter of the Year , has shown moments of brilliance throughout his career but struggled against some of the top grapplers in the UFC. “I’m really close to this kid, and I like him a lot,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters Tuesday at the UFC Apex. “I think when you are competing in a sport like this, and you’ve done the things that Kevin Holland has done. He gets out of the fight with (Derek) Brunson and realizes that he needs to wor

LAS VEGAS – Mateus Mendonca was quick to impress at Dana White’s Contender Series 56 . Mendonca (10-0) needed just 48 seconds to knock out CES MMA champion Ashiek Ajim with a blitzing combination that earned him a UFC deal on Tuesday at the UFC Apex. The undefeated Chute Boxe Diego Lima fighter already has his own catchphrase and sent a warning to the UFC’s featherweight division. “Look at ‘The Cat’!,” Mendonca told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter. He continued, “I have a lot of faith in God, and Diego Lima always says to me, ‘You came here to get what’s yours. I came here to have fun in the octagon. I just came to have fun in there and do my thing and just show people the problem has arrived.” Watch the video of Mendonca’s complete post-fight media availability above. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 56 . Gallery Dana White's Contender Series 56: Best photos view 70 images from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/rhftOA2

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene reporting live from Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 56 event. Dana White’s Contender Series cards see prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC president Dana White on hand to make the decisions. The tenth week of the sixth season will see 10 fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract. In the feature bout, highly-touted middleweight prospect Bo Nickal (2-0) returns for his second appearance this season to take on Donovan Beard (7-1). The UFC Apex hosts Tuesday’s card, which streams live on ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The full results of Dana White’s Contender Series 56 include: MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET) Bo Nickal vs. Donovan Beard Vinicius Cenci vs. Sam Patterson Jack Jenkins vs. Freddy Emiliano Linares Joao Elias vs. Rafael Ramos Estevam Ashiek Ajim vs. Mateus Mendonca Continue reading below for more details about each fight. from MMA Junkie https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/mma-news-

It appears Aspen Ladd ’s next fight will be outside the UFC. Ladd, once considered one of the most promising women’s prospects in MMA, no longer is with the UFC in the wake of her most recent issue trying to hit her mark on the scale for the women’s bantamweight division. Citing UFC officials, MMA Fighting reported the move Tuesday after algorithm-based Twitter account UFC Roster Watch first alerted social media she was removed from the official UFC women’s bantamweight rankings database. Ladd, 27, has not made an announcement that she’s no longer with the UFC, but a Monday post about one of her dogs on Instagram made a potentially veiled reference to something new in her future when she posted “Here’s to … the next huge milestone in my own life that she will be there for.” Ladd (9-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) was set to fight Olympic medalist and former UFC title challenger Sara McMann (13-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 210 11 days ago. That matchup was one that was rebooked from a wit

Henry Cejudo has questions. The former two-division UFC champion and Olympic gold medalist is very skeptical of the lack of drug tests conducted with Conor McGregor by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency – the UFC’s partner in charge of testing the roster. McGregor is the only active fighter on the UFC roster – aside from new athletes signed after Aug. 1 – to not be tested by USADA in 2022. That information was first reported by TSN ; McGregor’s testing history, along with every UFC fighter, can be viewed publicly on USADA’s website . Cejudo believes the Irish star is getting special treatment. Not only that, he believes McGregor, who appears to have bulked up in photos and videos, is using performance enhancers. “He’s on that privileged list,” Cejudo said on his YouTube channel . “That’s crazy. Those are things to bring up. That’s crazy. “But ‘roids are not going to help, Conor. Of course he’s on that sh*t knowing that (he hasn’t been tested this year). But it ain’t going to help him.

Luke Rockhold sees a lot of promise in UFC bantamweight contender Marlon Vera . Rockhold, the former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion, believes that “Chito” Vera is primed for big things in the UFC’s 135-pound division and sees him as a legit threat to anyone. Both Rockhold and Vera train under the same roof at RVCA in Southern California under the tutelage of Jason Parillo. Rockhold, who’s seen Vera’s recent rise to title contention, says there’s a lot to like from Vera’s game and is confident there’s a lot more to come from the Ecuadorian. “He’s a big problem, no doubt,” Rockhold told Submission Radio . “He’s technically getting sound in his areas of weaknesses. So I think he’s, there’s a couple of guys that are dangerous. I mean, everyone is going to be dangerous at the top, but Chito is pretty sound, and he keeps himself out of danger in most areas, and I think he’s going to press anyone to the extent. “I think he’s got so many weapons and so much relaxation and so mu

Check out these photos highlighting Aaron Pico ’s career. from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/ctnMyA3 via IFTTT

Aaron Pico was a super prospect who signed with Bellator before his 18th birthday, expected to set the MMA world ablaze. And while his professional career got off to a rocky start, he’s been on fire since 2020. After a 4-3 start to his career, which included being finished three times, Pico turned things around once he left his Team Body Shop home in Southern California to join famed Jackson Wink MMA in Albuquerque, N.M. Since that move, Pico has won six fights in a row with five finishes, including some of the most impressive work we’ve seen from the now 26-year-old. Related Bellator 286's Aaron Pico: If Adam Borics got hurt, I'd absolutely step in and fight Patricio Freire Jeremy Kennedy: Aaron Pico leaves a lot of openings, and I really plan on exploiting his aggression at Bellator 286 Aaron Pico eyes boxing crossover, thinks he could've fought Floyd Mayweather better than Conor McGregor did In the video above, relive some of his seven career knockouts in su

Mackenzie Dern has explained why she takes inspiration from Charles Oliveira’s run to becoming a UFC champion. The revival of Brazilian mixed martial arts has been really important across the last couple of years with a parade of new stars bursting through to prove that the nation is still able to produce top talent. One man who stands head and shoulders above most, of course, is none other than... Source UFC star Mackenzie Dern explains why she's 'inspired' by Charles Oliveira's recent success from UFC – GiveMeSport https://ift.tt/TF1GIKa via IFTTT

Check out these photos highlighting Angela Lee ’s career through the years. from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/EwleN2n via IFTTT

Bellator returns for the second consecutive week on Saturday with Bellator 286 , which takes place at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif. A featherweight championship bout is featured in the main event. Patricio Freire (33-5 MMA, 21-5 BMMA) will attempt to start his third reign as featherweight titleholder in a positive fashion when he takes on Adam Borics (18-1 MMA, 9-1 BMMA), who challenges for gold for the first time. For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about Bellator 286. from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/VgPzh3r via IFTTT

Floyd Mayweather ’s exhibition tour will continue Nov. 13 in Dubai, where the Hall of Famer is scheduled to face British YouTuber Deji on pay-per-view. “Huge thanks to Global Titans and my team for creating this incredible opportunity,” Deji said in a statement announcing the fight Monday. “It’s a privilege to be headlining this phenomenal spectacle in Dubai, against the all-time great Floyd Mayweather. This is going to be fun!” Said Mayweather, “I am delighted to bring this incredible boxing experience to Dubai. Global Titans will give fans an unrivalled boxing match with a huge undercard. It is an honour to be a part of such an iconic event in an iconic city, and I would like to thank the Global Titans team for reaching out to me and giving back so much to the sport I love.” Deji is the brother of KSI, who outpointed fellow YouTube star Logan Paul in a sanctioned bout in 2019. Mayweather faced Paul in an exhibition in June of last year. You’re not ready for this one! https://t.

UFC Fight Night 211: Make your predictions for Mackenzie Dern vs. Yan Xiaonan We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 211 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 Fight Night 211 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC Fight Night 211 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+. Make your picks for the fights below. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 211 . from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/O2n0IFS via IFTTT

Johnny Eblen needs assurances he won’t be duped out of a title defense before he agrees to put Bellator middleweight gold on the line against Yoel Romero . Romero (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) called for a shot at Eblen’s (12-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) title this past Saturday at Bellator 285 after he scored a third-round knockout of Melvin Manhoef in their co-main event clash in Dublin. “The Soldier of God” has fought his three Bellator appearances thus far at light heavyweight, but prior to that had spent seven year at a division below. It was far from a flawless run at 185 pounds, though. Romero missed weight on multiple occasions, and now that he’s 45 years old and hasn’t fought in the weight class since March 2020, Eblen has valid concerns. Eblen, who beat Gegard Mousasi by dominant unanimous decision to become champ at Bellator 282 in June, said he would prefer to see Romero make weight against another opponent before a title shot. If Bellator insists on putting him in right away, though, Ebl

We want your predictions for Saturday’s Bellator 286 event in Long Beach, Calif. 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 Bellator 286 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. Bellator 286 takes place Saturday at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie. Make your picks for the fights below. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286 . from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/6HGvma0 via IFTTT

Even more than 15 years later, Mirko Cro Cop ’s run under the now-defunct PRIDE FC banner in 2006 stands as one of the all-time great calendar years in MMA history. Cro Cop (38-11-2), who is one of the all-time great heavyweights to compete in the sport, closed his memorable tenure with the Japan-based PRIDE organization with a memorable four-fight streak – all in just over a five-month stretch. The Croatian kickboxing specialist tore through Ikukisa Minowa, Hidehiko Yoshida, Wanderlei Silva and Josh Barnett – the latter two of which he beat on the same night – to capture the 2006 PRIDE open weight grand prix tournament crown, which prompted a move to the UFC. Cro Cop’s future after that point, which included multiple UFC stints, a return to Japan to fight for DREAM and Rizin, as well as a one-fight stop on Bellator, featured mixed results. He ultimately retired from combat sports in March 2019 due to health issues. The 2006 run was among the best single-year stretches the sport

Eddie Hearn is taking legal action against Jake Paul . The Matchroom Boxing CEO has filed a lawsuit for defamation, as they claim reputational damage from a recent interview where Paul accused Hearn of paying off judges. This is according to TMZ , who reported the news on Friday. “Both legally and ethically there is a clear line separating opinion from defamatory lies,” Hearn’s attorney Frank Salzano told TMZ. “Jake Paul knows that, and he purposely crossed that line when he wrongly accused Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn of fixing fights. “Nonetheless, he was still given an opportunity to retract his defamatory statements and refused to. Now he will face the legal consequences of his actions as Matchroom and Mr. Hearn will be seeking damages in well excess of $100 million given the value and goodwill attached to the Matchroom business and the harmful nature of Mr. Paul’s comments.” Related Yoel Romero wants to fight Jake Paul in boxing: 'He needs to get humbled' C