Fightful Fix is your one-stop-shop for all of today's biggest combat sports stories — from Conor McGregor's impact on ESPN+ to why Gilbert Burns bout with COVID-19 — conveniently compiled in one place. Take a look below!
1 million extra subscriptions to ESPN+ were due to Conor McGregor
Disney CEO Bob Iger has revealed that Conor McGregor caused a boost of 1 million subscriptions to ESPN+, despite only fighting once in 2020. "The Notorious" one only fought once, comprehensively defeating Donald Cerrone via TKO in round one, but despite that, he still added a significant amount of new subscribers to ESPN+. McGregor is due to face Dustin Poirier at UFC 257.
Not facing Kamaru Usman a "blessing" admits Gilbert Burns
Gilbert Burns has revealed that he is glad that he didn't face Kamaru Usman at UFC 251. Burns was forced to pull out of the fight due to testing positive for COVID-19. He was admittedly "almost in tears" when he saw Jorge Masvidal make the walk to the Octagon as his replacement, but Burns doesn't feel he would have been able to fight at his best even if he tested negative.
“I feel better that I didn’t fight,” Burns said. “I know that sounds weird but if I got that virus and for any reason tested negative, I was going into the fight and I wasn’t feeling good. Don’t get me wrong, even if I’m not feeling good, I’m going to fight anyways," stated Burns (h/t MMAFighting). "I’m not going to pull out, especially for a title fight. I’m going to give my best. I don’t know if my best will be enough but I’ll never pull out of the fight. But to take me out and I got home and started getting sick, I definitely see it as a blessing.”
Colby Covington backing Conor McGregor at UFC 257 vs. Dustin Poirier
Colby "Chaos" Covington doesn't fancy Dustin Poirier to gain revenge in his rematch with Conor McGregor as "Conor’s just going to spark him in the first round.” Covington is backing McGregor, despite being former teammates with Poirier at American Top Team and even went further as to criticize Poirier for his reaction after losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242.
“Just get the Kleenex ready, cause Dustin’s gonna be crying up a storm at the press conference and get everybody to feel bad for him. Wah-wah, feel bad for me, I didn’t accomplish my dream’. Yeah, because you’re a bitch. You didn’t work hard enough for it," ranted Covington (h/t SCMP). "What is up with society these days? People think everybody should get a participation trophy. Dustin needs his safe space. Go to your safe space, Dustin.”
Leon Edwards called out by several fighters after Kamzat Chimaev pulls out
After Kamzat Chimaev pulled out of their UFC Fight Island 8 main event, Leon Ewards has been called out by several welterweights. Most notably, fighter of the year candidate Kevin Holland took to Twitter to put his name in the hat to step in for Chimaev, despite having a fight agreed vs. Derek Brunson March 20.
Brett- let’s not get ahead of ourselves. @Leon_edwardsmma needs an opponent..... Big Mouth is Calling. https://t.co/hbsZrwuzby
— Kevin Holland (@Trailblaze2top) December 29, 2020
If Holland isn't the fight Edwards is looking for, he could be tempted by a rematch vs. Vicente Luque after he called out Edwards and stated he was willing to step in on short notice.
I’m ready to get that rematch with @Leon_edwardsmma I know MMA fans would love to watch it! Let’s go @ufc @seanshelby @AliAbdelaziz00 https://t.co/UbwobCxMeH
— Vicente Luque (@VicenteLuqueMMA) December 29, 2020
Ali Abdelaziz reveals why Khamzat Chimaev has to pull out of UFC Fight Island 8
Fans were left wondering why Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev was canceled for the second time. Ali Abdelaziz has revealed the COVID-19 has been hampering Chimaev in the build-up, and now he needs to recover. Edwards himself had to pull out of their initial fight because of a positive COVID-19 test and now the virus has taken the fight away for a second time.
Statement on Khamzhat Chimaev (@KChimaev), via his manager Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00). "Khamzat had coronavirus and when he went back to gym, his lungs did not recover 100%. He needs time for his lungs to recover, and right now it's about taking that necessary time."
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 30, 2020
Jake Paul "silent" on potential fight claims Ben Askren
Fans hoping to see Ben Askren vs. Jake Paul in a boxing bout will be disappointed, with Askren claiming Paul has went "silent" since calling him out. Paul has been on a spree of calling out and insulting MMA fighters and targeted Askren as a potential opponent, but Askren is less than confident of a fight happening.
“I don’t really want to fight anybody. So November, this jabroni Jake Paul calls me out, puts up a poster with my name. It’s kinda funny, whatever, no big deal. Well then, a couple weeks later, I get a couple of texts. Then a week after that I get some calls. Then I get an offer. OK, this guy really wants to fight," said Askren (h/t Boxing Scene). "Am I opposed to making some easy money beating up a YouTuber? Of course I’m not. So what do I do? Sure, Jacob, I’ll fight you. No problem. I accept publicly on Twitter, nonetheless. Since then, Jacob’s went silent. Jacob’s kind of a coward. Sorry guys, don’t think the fight is gonna happen.”
Should Paul no longer be interested in fighting Askren, he may have an opponent in Dillon Danis. Bellator president Scott Coker has said he would be more than happy to promote a boxing bout, as long as Paul fights Danis in an MMA fight after.
“To me, come fight an MMA fighter in MMA or come fight an MMA fighter that really can strike. I’d love to see that. Let’s do one and one," offered Coker (h/t MMA Fighting). "You guys fight them in boxing. You want to fight Dillon Danis, go ahead. But come back and fight him in MMA and be fair about it. It shouldn’t just be a one-way street.”
Rob Font targeting Tj Dillashaw or Jose Aldo after Marlon Moraes win
After defeating Marlon Moraes at UFC Vegas 17, Rob Font is eyeing up the top contenders in the bantamweight division. Font finished Moraes by TKO to put himself into the upper echelon of the division, with TJ Dillashaw and Jose Aldo in March his targets.
“After we get through Calvin Kattar’s fight, I’m thinking sometime in March would be good. The first option would be TJ Dillashaw. He’s a big name, the former champ, and if that doesn’t happen, I want Jose Aldo," concluded Font (h/t BJPenn.com).
Dillon Danis doesn't believe Khabib Nurmagomedov can beat Conor McGregor in a rematch
Dillon Danis doesn't believe that should Khabib Nurmagomedov face off against teammate Conor McGregor that he would stand a chance. Danis was speaking on his Twitch account and feels that a motivated and ready McGregor would get the upper hand on Nurmagomedov.
“I hope so. The thing is, I don’t think it would be close, I really don’t. If Conor’s mindset is like how it is now, it won’t be close. Trust me, I know what Conor McGregor can do ability-wise, it wouldn’t be a close fight. Khabib is a one-dimensional fighter, Conor would put him away within five rounds," stated Danis (h/t BJPenn.com). "Look at his last fight and how good he did, that fight was his fight. With the right mindset and the right camp, it doesn’t even close. I would bet my soul and everything I have in my possession that he would beat Khabib the second time.”
Conor McGregor boxing coach Phil Sutcliffe not impressed with Dustin Poirier's skill
Phil Sutcliffe, the long-term boxing coach of Conor McGregor, doesn't believe that Dustin Poirier has the skillset to beat McGregor when they face off at UFC 257. McGregor knocked out Poirier when the pair met at featherweight and Sutcliffe feels that despite being very tough, Poirier's style will play into "The Notorious" hand.
“Skill-wise, no. Toughness, yes. I know Conor knocked him early, but Conor’s (got) too much boxing ability. Poirier comes straight at you, his arms are wide open. His arms are like this (opens arms wide). Conor will be able to get his shots or his kicks or anything in there like he did the last time. Now hopefully he’s more powerful now than he was – Conor’s more powerful now and so will the other guy be a little more powerful because he’s had to put on a bit of weight," said Sutcliffe (h/t MMA Junkie). "But Conor’s skill’s percentage towards Poirier’s skill percentage is much bigger. Not saying it’s going to be an easy fight, but Conor has the skill and the strength now. He’s stronger now than he was the last time he fought him…Conor hits very, very hard, but precise with technique. He hits with precision.”
Logan Paul is a bigger threat to Floyd Mayweather than Conor McGregor according to Victor Ortiz
Logan Paul shouldn't be underestimated when he takes on Floyd Mayweather on February 20, according to former boxing champion Victor Ortiz. Ortiz faced Mayweather himself in 2011 and believes that Paul's background in boxing will give him an edge on McGregor when he faced off against Mayweather.
“Conor couldn’t do nothing. I don’t mean to speak bad. Conor’s a heck of a UFC fighter in the octagon, but he has no business in a ring, as opposed to someone like Logan – Logan learned in a ring," said Ortiz (h/t MMA Fighting). "So his stuff is all standup. Everything about Logan is boxing, angles, moving, so it’s two different worlds. I couldn’t tell you what someone like Logan or myself could do in an octagon, but stick to what you know. And Logan, he knows boxing right now.”
Oscar De La Hoya wants to fight Floyd Mayweather
Oscar De La Hoya has called out Floyd Mayweather, saying he's more interested in a fight with "Money" than Canelo Alvarez. "The Golden Boy" hasn't competed professionally since 2008 and was speaking after Alvarez defeated Callum Smith and although he is interested in a fight with Alvarez, Mayweather is the most "interesting".
“I’ve always prided myself in fighting the very best, and why go after the second-best? Why not go after the guy that beat [Canelo]? Why not go after [Floyd] Mayweather, for instance, in a revenge fight? That’s something that’s very intriguing," stated De La Hoya (h/t BJ Penn). "We’ll see how I feel, and then we’ll take it from there. I would definitely think about [fighting Canelo]. But my eye is on a bigger prize. For any fight that you might have lost or that was close or whatever, it’s always gonna be a thorn. I strongly feel that with the way I’m feeling and the way I’ve been training and the way things are unfolding, it could be very interesting."
Jordan Leavitt "no longer embarrassed" after UFC Vegas 16 win
Jordan Leavitt had a life-changing victory at UFC Vegas 16 when he TKO'd Matt Wiman via a body slam and can finally say that he is a professional fighter with pride. Leavitt was always bullish about his career when asked in the past but after signing for the UFC and winning in such spectacular fashion, Leavitt can now say he is a UFC fighter and is on the rise.
“I’ve gotten a lot of negative feedback this entire time and I don’t hear them now. They’re just echoes that are fading more and more in the distance because they were wrong. I got to prove them wrong and I’ll get to see them and they’ll be like, ‘Oh, congrats man. I’m really happy for you,’ and I’ll be like, ‘Yeah, sure man," said Leavitt (h/t MMA Fighting). "I’m happy to not be embarrassed anymore. I’m happy to know I wasn’t diluted, or silly, or someone who was just chasing a dream with no real basis to be chasing it. It’s a nice place to be in.”
Betting odds for 2021 champions in UFC at the end of the year
The following odds have been announced for who is favorite to be champions at the end of 2021 in the UFC. All odds are courtesy of Bet Online.
Bantamweight Champion at the End of 2021
Petr Yan 3/1
Aljamain Sterling 7/2
TJ Dillashaw 9/2
Cory Sandhagen 13/2
Rob Font 15/2
Cody Garbrandt 9/1
Henry Cejudo 9/1
Frankie Edgar 10/1
Pedro Munhoz 12/1
Deiveson Figueiredo 14/1
Dominick Cruz 14/1
Jimmie Rivera 16/1
Merab Dvalishvili 20/1
Featherweight Champion at the End of 2021
Alexander Volkanovski 3/2
Max Holloway 11/4
Brian Ortega 4/1
Calvin Kattar 6/1
Zabit Magomedsharipov 7/1
Yair Rodriguez 9/1
Chan Sun Jung 10/1
Jeremy Stephens 14/1
Josh Emmett 16/1
Sodiq Yussuff 20/1
Flyweight Champion at the End of 2021
Deiveson Figueiredo 4/5
Brandon Moreno 7/2
Cody Garbrandt 9/2
Askar Askarov 6/1
Alexandre Pantoja 8/1
Manel Kape 9/1
Alex Perez 10/1
Brandon Royval 10/1
David Dvorak 16/1
Joe Benavidez 16/1
Raulian Paiva 16/1
Tim Elliott 20/1
Heavyweight Champion at the End of 2021
Francis Ngannou 3/2
Stipe Miocic 5/2
Jon Jones 5/1
Ciryl Gane 6/1
Curtis Blaydes 9/1
Jairzhino Rozenstruik 10/1
Derrick Lewis 16/1
Allistair Overeem 20/1
Light Heavyweight Champion at the end of 2021
Israel Adesanya 7/4
Jon Jones 3/1
Jan Blachwicz 4/1
Glover Teixeira 6/1
Aleksander Rakic 13/2
Dominic Reyes 9/1
Jiri Prochazka 14/1
Thiago Santos 20/1
Middleweight Champion at the end of 2021
Israel Adesanya 2/3
Robert Whittaker 7/2
Marvin Vettori 6/1
Jared Cannonier 9/1
Darren Till 10/1
Paulo Costa 12/1
Derek Brunson 14/1
Khamzat Chimaev 16/1
Kevin Holland 20/1
Welterweight Champion at the end of 2021
Kamaru Usman 1/1
Colby Covington 3/1
Gilbert Burns 11/2
Khamzat Chimaev 13/2
Leon Edwards 8/1
Jorge Masvidal 9/1
Stephen Thompson 10/1
Conor McGregor 16/1
Women's Bantamweight Champion at the End of 2021
Amanda Nunes 1/4
Holly Holm 7/1
Aspen Ladd 8/1
Germaine de Randamie 9/1
Ketlen Vieira 10/1
Irene Aldana 12/1
Raquel Pennington 14/1
Julianna Pena 20/1
Women's Featherweight Champion at the End of 2021
Amanda Nunes 1/15
Megan Anderson 8/1
Felicia Spencer 10/1
Norma Dumont 16/1
Women's Flywweight Champion at the End of 2021
Valentina Shevchenko 1/4
Jessica Andrade 11/2
Cynthia Calvillo 9/1
Lauren Murphy 10/1
Katlyn Chookagian 12/1
Joanne Caderwood 14/1
Vivianne Araujo 16/1
Maycee Barber 20/1
Women's Strawweight Champion at the End of 2021
Weili Zhang 1/1
Rose Namajunas 3/1
Joanna Jedrzejczyk 4/1
Tatiana Suarez 6/1
Carla Esparza 8/1
Yan Xiaonan 8/1
Amanda Ribas 9/1
Marina Rodriguez 10/1
Nina Ansaroff 10/1
Mackenzie Dern 14/1
Claudia Gadelha 20/1
Bantamweight Champion at the End of 2021
Petr Yan 3/1
Aljamain Sterling 7/2
TJ Dillashaw 9/2
Cory Sandhagen 13/2
Rob Font 15/2
Cody Garbrandt 9/1
Henry Cejudo 9/1
Frankie Edgar 10/1
Pedro Munhoz 12/1
Deiveson Figueiredo 14/1
Dominick Cruz 14/1
Jimmie Rivera 16/1
Merab Dvalishvili 20/1
Featherweight Champion at the End of 2021
Alexander Volkanovski 3/2
Max Holloway 11/4
Brian Ortega 4/1
Calvin Kattar 6/1
Zabit Magomedsharipov 7/1
Yair Rodriguez 9/1
Chan Sun Jung 10/1
Jeremy Stephens 14/1
Josh Emmett 16/1
Sodiq Yussuff 20/1
Flyweight Champion at the End of 2021
Deiveson Figueiredo 4/5
Brandon Moreno 7/2
Cody Garbrandt 9/2
Askar Askarov 6/1
Alexandre Pantoja 8/1
Manel Kape 9/1
Alex Perez 10/1
Brandon Royval 10/1
David Dvorak 16/1
Joe Benavidez 16/1
Raulian Paiva 16/1
Tim Elliott 20/1
Heavyweight Champion at the End of 2021
Francis Ngannou 3/2
Stipe Miocic 5/2
Jon Jones 5/1
Ciryl Gane 6/1
Curtis Blaydes 9/1
Jairzhino Rozenstruik 10/1
Derrick Lewis 16/1
Allistair Overeem 20/1
Light Heavyweight Champion at the end of 2021
Israel Adesanya 7/4
Jon Jones 3/1
Jan Blachwicz 4/1
Glover Teixeira 6/1
Aleksander Rakic 13/2
Dominic Reyes 9/1
Jiri Prochazka 14/1
Thiago Santos 20/1
Middleweight Champion at the end of 2021
Israel Adesanya 2/3
Robert Whittaker 7/2
Marvin Vettori 6/1
Jared Cannonier 9/1
Darren Till 10/1
Paulo Costa 12/1
Derek Brunson 14/1
Khamzat Chimaev 16/1
Kevin Holland 20/1
Welterweight Champion at the end of 2021
Kamaru Usman 1/1
Colby Covington 3/1
Gilbert Burns 11/2
Khamzat Chimaev 13/2
Leon Edwards 8/1
Jorge Masvidal 9/1
Stephen Thompson 10/1
Conor McGregor 16/1
Women's Bantamweight Champion at the End of 2021
Amanda Nunes 1/4
Holly Holm 7/1
Aspen Ladd 8/1
Germaine de Randamie 9/1
Ketlen Vieira 10/1
Irene Aldana 12/1
Raquel Pennington 14/1
Julianna Pena 20/1
Women's Featherweight Champion at the End of 2021
Amanda Nunes 1/15
Megan Anderson 8/1
Felicia Spencer 10/1
Norma Dumont 16/1
Women's Flywweight Champion at the End of 2021
Valentina Shevchenko 1/4
Jessica Andrade 11/2
Cynthia Calvillo 9/1
Lauren Murphy 10/1
Katlyn Chookagian 12/1
Joanne Caderwood 14/1
Vivianne Araujo 16/1
Maycee Barber 20/1
Women's Strawweight Champion at the End of 2021
Weili Zhang 1/1
Rose Namajunas 3/1
Joanna Jedrzejczyk 4/1
Tatiana Suarez 6/1
Carla Esparza 8/1
Yan Xiaonan 8/1
Amanda Ribas 9/1
Marina Rodriguez 10/1
Nina Ansaroff 10/1
Mackenzie Dern 14/1
Claudia Gadelha 20/1
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