UFC Vegas 20 loses another fight, Dustin Poirier is working out a trilogy fight with Conor McGregor, Ben Askren is training for Jake Paul and more — this is your Fightful Fix roundup.
Angela Hill vs. Ashley Yoder scrapped from UFC Vegas 20.
The COVID bug has impacted yet another UFC card on the same day as the event. UFC announced on Saturday that Angela Hill vs. Ashley Yoder 2, a fight that was put together seven-days-ago, would no longer happen. Yoder revealed on Instagram that one of her cornermen tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Hill thanked Yoder for taking the fight on short notice and suggested a rematch would take place at UFC Vegas 21 on March 13.
Welp, fight camp starts again... on Monday -- Thanks @AshleyYoderMMA for being such a badass taking this fight with a weeks notice and showing up/making weight like a pro, wishing health to you and your people. We’ll dance on the 13th! #UFCVegas20 #UFCVegas21 pic.twitter.com/6KbaKjmaCD
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) February 27, 2021
Dustin Poirier is trying to "get the right deal structured" for Conor McGregor trilogy
Dustin Poirier says a Conor McGregor trilogy fight is at the front of his mind.
Poirier visited The Joe Rogan Experience and discussed a third fight with "The Notorious" one.
“Conor wants the trilogy, and I do too,” Poirier said during his conversation with Rogan (h/t MMA Junkie). “If they want to do it, let’s do it.”
"The Diamond" said it is a matter of structuring the right deal.
“We’re just trying to get the right deal structured,” Poirier said. “This is going to be a big fight. He knocked me out, (and) I knocked him out. The trilogy. For sure one of the biggest fights this year, but maybe of all time. … I don’t directly talk to them. They talk to my manager, Rob Roveta. We try to put ourselves in the best position to sit at the table with them and have a legit conversation about getting this fight booked. We’re trying to structure the right deal, and when that happens, the fight will be on. Until then, we’ll see."
“I think the trilogy makes a lot of sense and a lot of money. So we’re just trying to get the right deal structured and see what the timeframe is. For a guy like Conor, you want fans in there, even if it’s limited. Right now at the Apex where they’re set up in America, there’s obviously no fans," he concluded. "So where do you do that? And what’s the timeframe?”
Ben Askren promises "the humiliation of Jake Paul"
Ben Askren wants to beat Jake Paul out of combat sports.
The Olympic calibre-wrestler, and former Bellator and ONE Champioship titleholder, will slip on the boxing gloves against Paul (2-0) on April 17.
April 17, I can’t wait!!! @triller @jakepaul @coinflipatm @longmcarthur @rudis @roufusport @k9boxing pic.twitter.com/wpPBMROpKt
— Funky (@Benaskren) February 26, 2021
“I just sparred eight rounds, and I’ve got strength and conditioning later today,” Askren said. “It felt great. The boxing stuff is starting to come together."
“I can’t promise you it’s going to be the prettiest thing you ever saw—although my face is pretty, my combat sports usually are not, they are unique, they are different—but here’s what I can tell you,” Askren added. “You will witness the humiliation of Jake Paul. You will witness one man breaking another man’s will. And that man, Jake Paul, will give up and be humiliated in front of millions of people, live on Triller, April 17.”
Ciryl Gane says "It’s a little bit a shame" to see Jon Jones get heavyweight title shot
Ciryl Gane is quickly establishing himself as the next big thing at heavyweight.
Gane meets Jairzinho Rozenstruik in the main event of UFC Vegas 20 on Saturday, February 27. A win will put him in a small group of heavyweight elite worth title consideration: alongside Derrick Lewis and Alexander Volkov. The heavyweight elite are playing a waiting game while the trio of Stipe Miocic, Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones resolve things.
“I think if I win this Saturday, no matter who is in the line, I’m going to go after the belt,” Gane told reporters during a virtual media day for the event at UFC APEX in Las Vegas (h/t MMA Fighting).
“That’s crazy, and I think it’s possible because he’s a bankable guy, so it makes sense,” he said of Jones' title shot. “Some people could do this before him. It’s a little bit a shame, but I can understand. He’s a bankable guy.”
Daniel Rodriguez and Mike Perry have bad intentions
Daniel Rodriguez and Mike Perry will put their bad blood to rest at a UFC Fight Night event on April 10.
Rodriguez and Perry have mentioned each other in the past. Ahead of their fight, Rodriguez told MMA Junkie that he plans on sending Perry to the unemployment line.
“Stylistically, it’s a great fight,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a fan-favorite fight. He’s got a reputation. … I’m trying to take that shine – even though he shines for some of the wrong reasons sometimes. But he’s got a lot of publicity. He’s got a big name, and I’m kind of aiming for them big-name fights. Really, that’s all it is. I think he’s a big dummy, but he can fight."
“He’s on a losing streak. I’m coming off a loss, too, so it’s going to make for a really great fight because I’m coming in there with no intentions of losing, and I’m expecting a tough fight. He’s probably on his way out from the UFC, so if I’m that person that’s going to take him out, get him – you know. He’s going to have to look for a job after dealing with me," he continued. “I just feel like he has crappy ground game – that’s pretty much it. He can take a punch. He fought Tim Means and they had a great, great fight, and I dropped Tim Means twice when I fought him. So I’m curious to see how my striking (works). I just feel like I’m going to pick him apart, and if he tries to take me down, I’m pretty safe on the ground.”
Perry caught wind of Rodriguez's remarks and took aim on social media.
Not with them skinny little chicken legs you got boi https://t.co/9IexUASX8H
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) February 26, 2021
Amanda Ribas still wants Michelle Waterson fight
Amanda Ribas is eager to test her mettle against Michelle Waterson.
Ribas (10-2) and Waterson (18-8) were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 257 in January; however, the fight fell apart. Ribas went on to fight Marina Rodriguez and suffered a second-round TKO loss.
Ribas took to Twitter on Friday morning and pitched for a fight with "The Karate Hottie".
Heyy @karatehottiemma ! What do you think of making our fight happen ?!
— Amanda Ribas (@amandaribasufc) February 26, 2021
I think it would be very cool --
let's go do this ----@danawhite @Mickmaynard2 @Alexdavismma @ufc @UFCBrasil @espnmma @ribasfight @ParrumpaATT pic.twitter.com/jOL9Qa1mDf
Thiago Moises wants Al Iaquinta with a win over Alexander Hernandez
Thiago Moises is already looking to make moves past his upcoming fight with Alexander Hernandez at UFC Vegas 20.
Moises expects to see his hand raised against an "overrated" Hernanez. Afterwards, Moises believes he is entitled to a top 15 welterweight opponent.
“Bobby Green and Michael Johnson were very experienced,” Moises said in an interview with MMA Fighting, “but Hernandez has an advantage because he’s coming up now, so he’s hungrier and more motivated, and that makes him dangerous. About the hype, he got in the UFC and knocked out [Beneil] Dariush so there was a lot of expectation around him, but I don’t think he’s all that. I think he’s overrated, and I’ll take that hype for me.”
“Three wins in a row against two experienced fighters and a prospect, I believe I deserve to fight a top-15,” he said. “I’d like to fight Al Iaquinta or Brad Riddell, if he beats [Gregor] Gillespie. I believe those fights are good matchups for me.”
Mayra Bueno Silva wants to out-armbar Montana De La Rosa
Marya Bueno Silva wants to prove that her armbar is superior to Montana De La Rosa.
Silva and De La Rosa will test their grappling skills against one another at UFC Vegas 20 on Saturday, February 27. She is confident both women are privy to each other's threats.
“It’s going to be a battle, ‘don’t get my arm that I won’t get yours’ [laughs], we both keeping our arms tucked,” Silva said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “I believe she slowly progresses for the finish, whereas my jiu-jitsu is more aggressive. I believe I have a better chance at submitting her than the opposite. But I can’t blink otherwise I can lose [my arm] too [laughs]. I see myself submitting her with an armbar.”
“I’ve always watched Montana’s fights because they are always super fun,” she said. “Her style is similar to mine, she likes to grapple but won’t shy away from a stand-up fight. I already knew her game because I watch her fights, so I wasn’t obsessed by it, watching everything. I focused on myself and I’m feeling way better, better prepared and happy.”
John Castaneda craves the feeling of TKOing Eddie Wineland
John Castaneda is riding high following a TKO win over veteran Eddie Wineland at UFC Vegas 19.
Castaneda is eager to get back into the Octagon and capitalize on such an opportunity once again. The up-and-coming fighter reflected on how good it felt to get that first win under the UFC banner.
“It’s the first win and it’s just such a good high,” Castaneda told MMA Junkie Radio. “To be honest, it’s more motivating than anything. I feel like winning is more motivating than losing, and people get pretty motivated. I’ve gotten pretty motivated after some losses, but winning is so contagious.
“It’s like a high that you crave, and I want that feeling again. And what’s going to get me that feeling again? Well, more training – so that’s what I’m going to do," he added. “And timeline, I just want to stay busy. I’m not injured or beat up at all like I am normally in my fights, so that’s good. We’re right back in the gym. I’m going to stay in shape and hopefully hop right back in in the next month or two.”
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