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Jack Hermansson is tired of fighting at the UFC APEX.

This past Saturday, Hermansson got back on the winning track, scoring a unanimous decision win over Joe Pyfer in the main event of UFC Vegas 86. Many fans viewed the matchup as a setup for Pyfer, one of the division’s most highly touted prospects, but heading into the fight, Hermansson saw it as a chance to earn a better spot.

“I knew that he had a lot of hype,” Hermansson told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “Everybody was kind of talking about him. So when I got the fight I was like, ‘Why is this good for me?’ Getting a main event, coming off a loss and getting straight into a main event is not a bad deal. So I thought, let’s do it. But also, there were a lot of eyes on Joe. I thought that would give me a chance to show myself.”

The win was Hermansson’s eleventh in UFC, and it kept “The Joker” firmly entrenched in the division’s top-15 rankings. The only downside for Hermansson was that it happened in the UFC APEX. UFC has hosted events consistently in the APEX over the past several years, with fans and fighters noting the lack of a crowd changes the experience. Hermansson knows better than most as four of his past six fights have come in the APEX, and he’s ready to move on from it.

“I’ve had enough of it,” Hermansson said about the venue. “I don’t know how many fights I’ve had there now, and on top of that I had the fights during COVID without the audience, so I’m just sick of it.

“I want big arenas, big crowds. Something else. It’s cool to watch fights in the APEX, and it’s kind of cool on TV as well with the sound and everything, you can hear so much. But the experience is nowhere near to be fighting in front of a huge crowd.”

Prior to 2020, Hermansson was one of UFC’s preeminent road warriors, fighting all over the world. Now primarily fighting in the APEX, he said that while the fighting is the same, it diminishes the victories.

“I’m so turned on, in a way, when I’m in there,” Hermansson said. “So I don’t think it affects my performance, but I do know it affects how enjoyable it is. Especially after you win a fight, to soak in that experience from the crowd. So the total experience is not that great without the crowd.”

That’s not to say Hermansson will reject the APEX outright. Headlining events remains a powerful motivator, and the key factor is really the opportunity.

“The most important thing is the opponent,” he said. “So if it’s a good opponent, I’m not going to turn it down. But I really would prefer to fight somewhere else.”

Hopefully that opponent will be another recent APEX headliner. Nassourdine Imavov won a majority decision over Roman Dolidze at UFC Vegas 85, the weekend before Hermansson’s big win, and that is who “The Joker” hopes to get next.

“I would like Imavov,” Hermansson said. “I think that’s a good fight because coming off this win, I would love an opportunity to step up a little bit. We’re still very close to each other in the rankings, so I think that makes sense. I’ve fought a lot of other guys high up, and I can’t think that I’m going to be facing a top-five guy either. So I think Nassourdine Imavov makes sense for the next fight.”

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Honeymoon’s Over
| BJPenn.com

UFC

Ilia Topuria, at least in his mind, has already defeated Alex Volkanovski at UFC 298 and booked himself against Conor McGregor for a mega-money super fight later this year. That means current 145-pound contenders like Brian Ortega will have to stay thirsty until further notice.

The rebounding “T-City” — no stranger to Volkanovski title fights — has other plans.

“You have to win the belt for that to happen, that was my first thought,” Ortega told SHAK MMA. “Let’s say you do win and you’re not going to give us a shot, then I’m going to make sure to ruin every contender. Simple as that. One, you have to win it. Two, I’m going to take all the contenders away from you… If you don’t want to fight us then I’m going to take all your people.”

Ortega can start with his Yair Rodriguez co-headliner at UFC Mexico City later this month.

The UFC 298 pay-per-view (PPV) card takes place this Sat. night (Feb. 17, 2024) at Honda Center in Anaheim. Volkanovski, last seen falling to Islam Makhachev in the lightweight division, is currently the odds-on betting favorite for this weekend’s featherweight title defense — but not by much.

For the rest of the UFC 298 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Paige VanZant is back.

The UFC and BKFC veteran announced on her podcast that she’s accepted a fight – but she won’t be competing in bare-knuckle or MMA this time around. Instead, VanZant said she’s crossing over to boxing after receiving an intriguing offer.

“I got called by my manager day before yesterday, and I got offered a fight,” VanZant said. “A boxing match, and I took it. I don’t know if I can give all the details, I haven’t signed a contract yet. I accepted the fight.”

She stopped short of announcing her potential opponent, or the promotion she’s working with. But VanZant revealed plans for the fight to take place in either May or June, though full details are still being worked out.

“It was initially, the date they offered me was March 23, which was perfect,” VanZant explained. “Hell yeah, I’ll get one more fight in before I turn 30, because I turn 30 [on] March 26. So I told my manager f*** yeah, I’ll take it. I’ll get back into boxing. I was just really excited. The opportunity was really cool. So it was perfect, eight-week camp, I don’t that long to stress or overthink, or anything like that, so that’s perfect. It turns out it’s not going to be March 23.

“After I accepted it, they’re like, you know what, we’re going to move it to [May or June]. I heard both dates, so once I have the full information, we’ll be able to release it on the podcast. Accepted a boxing match, that will be my next fight. It’s really, really exciting.”

VanZant admitted she expected her return to be in BKFC, where she signed a lucrative deal after leaving the UFC. But the opportunity to compete in boxing was just too good to pass up.

“Gloves on, it’s just straight boxing,” she said. “I did think my next fight would be a bare-knuckle boxing match, but this opportunity came forward, and I was just like f*** it, let’s go. So took a fight.”

BKFC typically allows athletes under contract to pursue outside interests; Mike Perry recently served as a backup fighter for the recent boxing match between Logan Paul and Dillon Danis. VanZant still has fights remaining on her BKFC contract, and she’s still expected to return to the promotion in the future, but it appears her next fight will instead happen in the boxing ring.

In addition to VanZant’s news, her husband Austin Vanderford revealed that he negotiated his release from Bellator MMA, which took place with one fight still remaining on his contract. As of now, he hasn’t booked his next fight, though he requested a spot on the same card as his wife later this year.

Outside of a potential boxing match, Vanderford said his long-term goal is to earn a spot on the UFC roster, an opportunity he fell short of when he won a fight on Dana White’s Contender Series but didn’t receive a contract offer.

“When I set out to fight, I always viewed the UFC as the No. 1 spot, and we’d always gone back and forth,” Vanderford said. “Now I’m to a point where I would really like the opportunity to go fight in the UFC.”

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After getting pummeled by Sean Strickland last week, Sneako spent some time sparring with ex-UFC superstar Nate Diaz.

The controversial Rumble streamer found himself the subject of many a headline on Friday after footage emerged of him being bloodied and battered by the former UFC middleweight champion during an early morning gym session. In the clip — which you can see right here — Strickland delivers an onslaught of strikes long after Sneako’s corner throws in the towel.

UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin had to physically step in and stop Strickland from continuing the assault.

“When you spar these guys that want to spar, there is no respect,” Strickland said on his YouTube channel. “You haven’t earned it. You haven’t like proved yourself. You don’t deserve not to get hurt. If Forrest hadn’t jumped in, I would’ve took your life if I could’ve.”

Days later, Sneako decided to test his skills against another combat sports star — Nate Diaz.

Sneako spent some time talking with Diaz about his iconic run in the UFC and how the TUF alumnus maintains his signature cardio despite regularly smoking cannabis.

They spent some time rolling on the mats.

Diaz even revealed the origin of his infamous ‘Stockton Slap.’

But when it came time to step inside the ring, Nate Diaz had no interest in leaving the cameras on.

Nate Diaz gives a glowing review of Sneako

After their session was said and done, Diaz had nothing, but positive things to say about Sneako’s skills. However, we have a sneaking suspicion that the lightweight superstar was just trying to be nice.

LowKickMMA.com

Tom Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight championship by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November.  Champion Jon Jones is recovering from a shoulder injury and surgery and is expected to faced former two-time titleholder Stipe Miocic in his return.  

Aspinall wants to fight the best in the world and has called out both Jones and Miocic.  After all, he’s looking to become the greatest heavyweight champion of all time.  

“My secret to success is I just live a pretty mundane, boring lifestyle.  I do the same things every day.  I’m in the gym twice a day.  I’m taking the kids to school.  I’m spending time alone.  I don’t do much,” Aspinall said on The MMA Hour.  

“I’m focused on the goal and the goal for me is to be the best heavyweight that has ever walked the face of the Earth.  That’s what I’m working on.  That’s what I’ve been working on since I was seven years-old.”

The 30-year old Englishman may not get to fight Jones or Miocic.  Some believe both men will retire after their bout.  While a win over either of them would be a resume highlight, Aspinall’s not going to let anything stand in the way of his goal.  

“I ain’t going to let nothing or nobody hold me back.  No Jon Jones.  No Stipe Miocic.  No Dana White.  No UFC politics,” he said.  “If they don’t want to be involved with it I respect their decision.  I respect the move that they’re making.  I respect Jon Jones and everything that he’s done.  I respect the UFC’s decision, but they’re not holding me back, man.  I’m going to be the best heavyweight ever.”

Related: Sean O’Malley thought it was ‘f**ked up’ that Sean Strickland beat up Sneako

Aspinall respects the UFC’s decision to have Jones and Miocic fight, but he doesn’t agree with it.  

“I’ve opening said I don’t think the thing going on with Jon Jones is right.  I don’t think the UFC’s decision is right, but that’s just my opinion.  I stated my opinion.  I respect their opinion.  I respect their decision.  I respect everything Jon Jones and the UFC has done and are doing,” Aspinall said.  

“If they offer me a fight with either of them I’m taking it instantaneously.  Let’s not get it twisted.  I’m taking the fight, but none of them two are going to fight me.  Let’s be honest.  None of them two are going to fight me and that’s okay.  Like, I’m at peace with it,” Aspinall continued.  

“I’m too dangerous.  I’m too risky.  I’m too risky.  I’m too risky for these guys.”

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts