mma

Francis Ngannou Reveals His Next Move

by

Francis Ngannou is a former heavyweight champion of the UFC. However, Dana White decided that he did not want to pay the man his fair share. Consequently, Ngannou gave up his title so that he could get more money somewhere else. Overall, it has been a difficult road for the former UFC heavyweight. Although, it appears as though he has finally gotten the contract he wants. According to TMZ, Ngannou has officially signed with the Professional Fighters League, or PFL for short.

In the middle of next year, Francis Ngannou will get to be part of the Super Fight Division. Additionally, he has been placed on their Global Advisory Board. This is a condition that was essential for Ngannou to agree to any potential deals. Moreover, he will be the chairman of the PFL expansion that is happening in Africa. This will also come with some equity for Ngannou, who has been adamant about growing MMA in Africa. In a statement, Ngannou explained just how excited he is for this new venture.

Read More: Francis Ngannou Challenges Cyril Gane Following Win Over Derrick Lewis

Francis Ngannou Is Back

“I am very excited for this game-changing partnership with the Professional Fighters League to continue my MMA fighting career in the PFL’s PPV Super Fight Division,” Ngannou said. “I believe in the PFL’s ‘fighter first’ culture and global vision including developing the sport in Africa. With that, I am also proud to announce that I will serve as Chairman of PFL Africa which will be the leading MMA organization on the continent providing great African fighters the opportunity to compete on a global platform.”

The PFL may not be as big as the UFC, but it certainly has some potential right about now. Jake Paul joined the Professional Fighters League back in January, and since then, he has acted as an ambassador for the brand. As it pertains to Francis Ngannou, there is no doubt that he is going to crush his position. At this point, the PFL can expect a lot more viewership in the future. Furthermore, they may just be able to bring in more fighters from the UFC. Let us know your thoughts on this move, in the comments section below.

Read More: Mike Tyson Comments On Potential Francis Ngannou-Tyson Fury Fight

[Via]

Israel Adesanya’s Ex-Girlfriend Reportedly Takes Him To Court For Half His Wealth

by

One of the UFC and the wider mixed martial arts world’s most well-known stars just got a relationship bomb dropped on his lap. Moreover, his ex-girlfriend Charlotte Powdrell reportedly sued the fighter for half his wealth because “they dated too long and she supported his career.” As such, the little information we have of this development indicates that it’s taking shape as somewhat of a divorce case. Furthermore, fans expressed confusion and dismissal at the news, but it’s important to note that other things could’ve happened behind the scenes that we don’t know of and could paint this motion differently.

Still, this is a relatively early story and the Nigerian-New Zealander hasn’t responded to this development publicly as of writing this article. While it’s startling, it’s also too early to say how it will take shape. For those unfamiliar with Israel Adesanya, he recently reclaimed the title of UFC middleweight champion after beating rival Alex Pereira. However, that rivalry is something he cherishes. After their brawl, he remarked on what their long history means to him and gave him his due respect and flowers.

Read More: Israel Adesanya Suffered Severe Injury Before UFC 287

Israel Adesanya’s Ex-Girlfriend Sues Him For Half His Assets

“I love this game,” Israel Adesanya wrote on Twitter with a video of them embracing. “Nothing compares on this planet, in this life than putting it all on the line. One shot, the whole world watching… waiting… then BOOM!! HISSTORY. Our individual legends will always be intertwined because of the stories we’ve told with our beautiful violence. I’m grateful we have this rivalry, I’m grateful he beat me. It forced me to grow, made me better. Now I have done the same for him, the gift that keeps on giving… a** whoopings. Shoutout to the Warrior from Brazil Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira!”

Meanwhile, there are others that side with Powdrell in this case, if only for their dislike of the 33-year-old’s statements and personality. Regardless, it seems like quite the murky and complicated case. In the coming weeks, surely more information will come up that will further contextualize this news. Until then, UFC fans patiently wait for an update on his status or his next fight. For more on Israel Adesanya and the latest news from the MMA world, log back into HNHH.

Read More: Israel Adesanya Gets Good News In Brass Knuckles Case

Nate Diaz Jokes About New Orleans Chokehold Incident

by

On April 22, MMA fighter Nate Diaz was filmed placing a man in a chokehold during an altercation in New Orleans. Diaz did not release the man until he was unconscious. After an arrest warrant was issued for the former UFC fighter. However, Diaz turned himself in at a New Orleans police station but was released on bail. The fighter’s handling of the situation was initially praised by the likes of Dana White and Connor McGregor.

Still awaiting further developments in his case, Diaz attended a press conference to promote his upcoming boxing match with Jake Paul. The conference was a weird affair, with a journalist attempting to steal a moment in the spotlight by asking Diaz if he could get on the undercard. But another moment from the conference has divided the internet.

Nate Diaz Pretends Chokeout Victim Was Logan Paul

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 10: Nate Diaz prepares to fight Tony Ferguson in a welterweight fight during the UFC 279 event at T-Mobile Arena on September 10, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

One of the first immediate reactions to the Nate Diaz chokeout video was that the man being choked out bore a striking resemblance to Jake Paul’s brother, Logan. Diaz appeared to lean into his fact during their press conference on Tuesday. “You’re going to act like that wasn’t Logan?” said a smirking Diaz. “Come on, man!”. He doubled down at Paul’s confusion, saying, “It is Logan, what are you talking about?”. Diaz also spoke about why he chose a chokehold over hitting the man. “You don’t want to just hit people out there,” Nate said. “That’s fucking dangerous. You know what I’m saying? Give him a little nap.”

However, the New Orleans PD doesn’t think it’s as much of a laughing matter. Diaz faces a charge of second-degree battery and faces a hearing in June on the case. Barring any legal reasons, Paul and Diaz will square off on August 5. Furthermore, Diaz’s comments come days after a national conversation emerged about vigilante justice. On May , an unhoused man called Jordan Neeley was killed on the New York subway by an ex-marine who put him in a chokehold for 15 minutes.

[via]

Jorge Masvidal’s Dad Arrested After Shooting at Fighter’s Home

by

The father of MMA fighter Jorge Masvidal has been arrested after shooting a man at his son’s home. First reported by TMZ, Jorge Masvidal Sr. was booked at around 1:30am on May 5. According to the arrest report, Masvidal Sr. shot Luis Leoncini at Masvidal Jr.’s Florida residence after a verbal altercation. Masvidal Jr. was not in the house at the time. Furthermore, police has reiterated that Masvidal Jr. had “no involvement whatsoever” with the May 4 altercation.

Masvidal Sr. has been charged with second-degree attempted murder with a deadly weapon. He was initially arrested at around 3:25pm on May 4. A subsequent search of the home found a .38 pistol in a kitchen cabinet. Police did not release details about what the altercation stemmed from. According to police, Leoncini was shot in both arms by Masvidal Sr. after their verbal argument.

MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 8: Jorge Masvidal in his welterweight fight during the UFC 287 event on April 8, 2023, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, FL. (Photo by Alejandro Salazar/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The arrest of Masvidal Sr. comes while his son, who again was not present at the time of the reported shooting, also faces legal issues. In March 2022, Masvidal Jr. reportedly assaulted fellow MMA fighter Colby Covington in Miami. The alleged incident came just weeks after Covington had beaten Masvidal at UFC 272. Masvidal Jr. was charged with a number of felonies, while Covington claimed he had lost a tooth and suffered brain damage. Covington has not fought professionally since the alleged attack last March. However, in March 2023, Dana White confirmed Covington would be the next opponent of Leon Edwards.

Masvidal Jr. has since hit back over the allegations, claiming there was an element of police favoritism towards Covington during the incident. Masvidal Jr. is scheduled to have a hearing about his case this month. Furthermore, Masvidal Jr. has not issued a public statement over the events that took place at his house on May 4. Masvidal Jr. retired from MMA after losing to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287 in April 2023. Follow HotNewHipHop for all the latest updates in this case.

[via]

Conor McGregor Confronts Mike Perry After Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

by

Conor McGregor is prone to steal the show at any combat sports event he attends, even if he’s not the one fighting. Moreover, that’s exactly what happened Saturday night (April 29) at the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, where Mike Perry fought against Luke Rockhold. After the latter got his teeth busted up and removed himself from the fight, Perry emerged victorious, but found another opponent instead. Furthermore, McGregor joined him on stage and they had a fake face-off during which the MMA star grabbed Perry’s BKFC belt. All in all, it seemed to be just a stare-down for fun, although McGregor obviously had some words to share, as well.

Of course, Conor McGregor lightly challenged Perry to a fight of their own, remarking how all he did was walk in there and grab the belt. “Come get it, baby!” he exclaimed after their showdown. As one of the most prominent figures in the combat sports world (who is out on injury right now), his antics make for a crowd favorite. As the match went on, he drank from his whiskey and toasted the crowd to uproarious cheers and applause.

Conor McGregor & Mike Perry Face Off

Still, that broken leg from his 2021 fight with Dustin Poirier was a scary moment that left him thinking he’d never fight again. However, that lore added to his image and status as a fighting superstar, which rose exponentially in the past several years. The next move to take a peek behind Conor McGregor’s curtain is a Netflix documentary on the Irish fighter. Specifically, the documentary will reportedly highlight his return to the UFC octagon against Michael Chandler and also touch on his career as a whole.

With that, fans of Notorious should be incredibly excited for some more action and excitement from McGregor. In fact, hype around him is so big that he even recently appeared on Fox News as a guest. Time will tell how his comeback will pan out for his health and record. Regardless, it will be a massive event in the community that’s bound to bring a lot of corners of pop culture and sports together. For the latest news and updates on Conor McGregor, keep checking in with HNHH.

[via]

Israel Adesanya Suffered Severe Injury Before UFC 287

by

Israel Adesanya regained the UFC middleweight championship. After a late knockout to Alex Pereira in their first bout, Izzy reclaimed his title in the rematch. However, everything wasn’t perfect leading up to the big rematch. Recently, Adesanya revealed that he was dealing with a major injury before the fight. On Thursday, Adesanya revealed a video of when he tore his MCL in the middle of training. The video is a tough reminder about what these fighters go through during training.

However, Adesanya fought through the pain of his injury. As he reclaimed the middleweight throne in a convincing fashion. Adesanya’s knockout of Pereira will now live forever in the UFC knockout reel. Undoubtedly this injury will further the legacy of Adesanya. Not many people would be able to continue through such an injury. However, Adesanya wasn’t going to let this injury be an excuse, no matter the outcome. Because this is the first time we are hearing about the issue. Check out the video of the incident below.

Israel Adesanya Overcomes Scary Injury

The pain on Adesanya’s face in the video makes it hard to watch. Seeing an athlete put so much time into an event. Only to have that opportunity potentially taken away is a challenging thought. However, those thoughts run through the minds of every fighter training for their next big fight. If Adesanya would have made this injury known, he wouldn’t have been cleared to fight. So this incident could have robbed Adesanya and the fans of one of the most incredible nights in UFC history.

But the injury has happened, and Adesanya is now wearing the crown. The current middleweight champ is now looking forward to his next test in the octagon. While Pereira is looking to make the move to light heavyweight. For now, it seems that Adesanya and Pereira are going their separate ways. However, something tells me there’s money to be made in another matchup. But for now, Israel Adesanya will celebrate one of the biggest moments in his professional career. For the latest news and MMA and sports, keep it right here with HNHH.

Nate Diaz Turns Himself In After Viral Fight

by

Last Friday, MMA fighter Nate Diaz engaged in an altercation with an unnamed man outside a boxing event in New Orleans. The incident ended with Diaz putting the man into a chokehold and rendering him unconscious. Diaz’s representative claimed that their client was innocent and acting in self-defense. However, a warrant was issued for Diaz’s arrest on Monday.

The fight was the culmination of a tumultuous evening for Diaz, who had gotten into an argument with reality star-turned-boxer Chase DeMoor during the boxing event. After the man fell unconscious, Diaz was seen dropping him to the pavement and walking away. His actions were initially praised by the likes of Dana White and Connor McGregor. However, there has now been a new update in Diaz’s case.

Diaz Voluntarily Surrenders To Police

Nate Diaz is now in police custody, according to his representative Zach Rosenfield. Rosenfield told TMZ that Diaz had turned himself in at 7:10am local time Thursday morning. He has since been booked and is being held on a charge of second-degree battery. Rosenfield added that “We continue to look forward to presenting all the evidence and videos that show Nate was acting in self-defense.” While Diaz’s team claims self-defense, it remains to be seen if the police will deem his response “proportional”. After all, Diaz’s day job involves choking people into submission, which changes the nature of things slightly. However, no further details were made available at the time of writing.

Diaz, 38, is currently a free agent after declining to re-sign with the UFC last year. His most recent career fight was at UFC 279 in September 2022, where he beat Tony Ferguson. However, Diaz is scheduled to fight Jake Paul in a boxing match this August. That fight would be Diaz’s professional boxing debut. It is unlikely that the current legal proceedings would prevent him from competing. Fellow fighter Jorge Masvidal has been able to compete in professional fights following his alleged assault on Colby Covington in March 2022. However, be sure to follow all the updates in Diaz’s case here on HotNewHipHop.

[via]

Israel Adesanya Celebrates Rivalry With Alex Pereira

by

Israel Adesanya overcame a massive professional demon at UFC 287. Adesanya reclaimed his middleweight crown in his rematch with Pereira. Pereira has long played the thorn in Izzy’s side, going back to their kickboxing days. Adesanya suffered a massive knockout loss to Pereira in their time as kickboxers. As well as Pereira stopping Adesanya in their first meeting inside the octagon. However, Adesanya finally finished Pereira earlier this month. The victory seemed to drop a huge load off the shoulders of Adesanaya.

However, Adesanya recently thanked Pereira for their time against one another in combat sports. The middleweight champion took to Twitter to show his respects to the former champ. “Our individual legends will always be intertwined because of the stories we’ve told with our beautiful violence. I’m grateful we have this rivalry, I’m grateful he beat me. It forced me to grow, made me better. Now I have done the same for him, the gift that keeps on giving…ass whoopings. Shoutout to the Warrior from Brazil Alex “Poatan” Pereira!

Israel Adesanya Thanks Pereira For Rivalry

Adesanya didn’t hold back his feelings shortly after the bout. The two-time middleweight champion gave an emotional speech after the bout. In the speech, Adesanya discussed what the moment meant to him. Also, Adesanya gave an excellent quote on chasing what excites you. The post-fight interview will go down as one of the most memorable to ever take place inside the octagon. Now, fans are wondering what both fighters have in store for their future in the UFC.

It seems that both have moved on from this moment in their life. Even with Pereira holding an extra win over Adesanay. Recently, Pereira announced that his next fight will take place at light-heavyweight. As for Adesanya, the middleweight champion will take on the winner of Robert Whittaker and Driscus Du Plessis. It looks like both fighters have locked into the next stage of their career. However, there could still be a rekindling of this rivalry down the road. Would you like to see Israel Adesanya take on Alex Pereira one more time? Let us know in the comment section. For the latest news in sports, keep it right here with HNHH.

[Via]

Ben Askren Implies His Wife Is Ugly, Gets Roasted

by

Ben Askren is pretty well done with his fighting career. Overall, he was a hated figure in the UFC. One can simply harken back to his fight against Jorge Masvidal to see what we mean. Moreover, he has a horrendous match against Jake Paul that saw him get knocked out in the first round. Consequently, there haven’t been many more opportunities for Askren in the fight game. He could have gone the WWE route, however, he has decided to stay home and be a family man with his wife and kids.

Speaking of his wife Amy, Ben Askren tried to pay homage to her last night on Instagram. The idea of an out-of-the-blue appreciation post is quite cute. After all, these things feel a lot more genuine when they aren’t prompted by a birthday or Mother’s Day. Although, Askren couldn’t help himself as he delivered an underwhelming caption that had most fans thinking he called his wife ugly. “I’ve seen some guys posting on social media lately about how they are winning bc their wife is attractive, while I don’t disagree I think finding a wife who is a great mother is 500% more important!!!” he wrote.

Ben Askren Swings And Misses

If you were to go into the comments of the post, you would see that everyone is asking the same question. Overall, people wanted to know if he was actually calling his wife unattractive, or at least implying that this was the case. Subsequently, in a second post, Ben Askren made it abundantly clear that he does, in fact, think his wife is good-looking. “She’s not insecure and I don’t need to state the obvious!” he wrote in the second post.

Overall, this is a sure-fire way of sleeping on the couch or in the proverbial doghouse. Either way, it made for a pretty hilarious moment on social media, and fans aren’t too upset about it. They got to laugh at a UFC fighter who has given us plenty of reasons to laugh at him. Hopefully, he has learned a valuable lesson about the internet and how to post.

A Second Attempt

Conor McGregor Netflix Documentary Announced

by

Conor McGregor once thought he would never fight again. The MMA legend suffered a horrific leg break back in 2021 during his bout with Dustin Poirier. The injury led to an immediate stoppage of the fight. While McGregor was also taken into surgery soon after his arrival at the hospital. A moment like this would be dark for any person to have to go to. However, McGregor is ready to share with the world his return from such a tough injury.

On Tuesday, McGregor and Netflix announced a documentary that will follow McGregor’s challenge of returning to the octagon. The UFC star hasn’t been seen inside the cage since that horrific injury. However, the time is swiftly coming for the return of the Irish star. McGregor has been filming the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter. The Notorious one is coaching opposite Michael Chandler for the latest season. After the airing of the season, Chandler will welcome McGregor back to the UFC.

Conor McGregor Ready For Return

No MMA star has attracted a fanbase like McGregor. The former UFC champion brings an audience every time he steps into the cage. McGregor has been a part of some of the biggest moments in UFC history. Including his swift knockout of Jose Aldo back in 2015. The victory marked the first time McGregor would hold gold inside the octagon. But it wouldn’t be the last time. McGregor became a two-weight class champion in 2016 after defeating Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title. A moment that cemented McGregor as one of the best in UFC history.

McGregor’s legacy has already been written. The Irish star is a surefire Hall-of-Famer. However, the comeback isn’t necessarily all about legacy. A fighter wants to prove they still have what it takes to step into the ring and face an opponent. The documentary is set to drop on May 17th on Netflix. Do you believe Conor McGregor will have a successful return to the cage when he faces Michael Chandler? Let us know your thoughts on McGregor’s return to the octagon. For the latest news in sports, keep it right here with HNHH.

[Via]