City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman isn’t putting too much stock in his pupil, Dan Hooker’s, loss to Michael Chandler at UFC 257.

Hooker was stopped in the first round of his lightweight bout against former Bellator champion Chandler in the co-main event this past Saturday in Abu Dhabi. The defeat put Hooker on a two-fight skid, which includes a loss to Dustin Poirier last year.

Although this is the first time Hooker has back-to-back defeats in his six-year UFC career, Bareman thinks that’s just the nature of the game when you’re part of the elite.

“Top 15 guys, nothing separates them,” Bareman said on Combat TV. “Like I said, it’s equivalent to a 100-meter sprint. Between No. 1 and No. 10, there’s less than a second difference.

“So it’s not any different in the top 10, top five of the UFC. You’re separated by nothing. On any particular day, anyone can win, anyone can be champion. It’s just how close it is. That’s just how it is at the top end.”

That same night at UFC 257, former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor was also stopped, falling short against Poirier in the main event.

Bareman like that matchup as both fighters are coming off defeats and reiterates that defeats mean very little in MMA.

“A lot has to come together for these fights to get made, but that’s definitely a possibility, so I’ll definitely put that out there,” Bareman said regarding the McGregor matchup. “Like I said, anything can happen. We obviously didn’t expect to lose, Conor didn’t expect to lose. This game is ruthless, but the flip side of it is that this isn’t boxing.

“This is the UFC, and in the UFC the best fight the best straight away. There’s no maneuvering and you have to wait five years for Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury. It’s none of that stuff. You get in the UFC, and you fight the best straight away. And for that reason, one loss doesn’t mean anything. In boxing, they put a lot more on that, but this is MMA. You’re forced to fight the best straight away. One loss for Conor, one loss for Dan, it doesn’t mean anything. Just like Conor lost before, just like Dustin lost before, just like Michael Chandler has lost before.”

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-257-eugene-bareman-downplays-dan-hooke-loss-to-michael-chandler

Conor McGregor on Sunday issued a statement of resolve, looking forward to a Dustin Poirier trilogy bout following his knockout loss at UFC 257 on Saturday.

McGregor returned from a one-year layoff to rematch Poirier in the UFC 257 main event in Abu Dhabi.

He TKO’d Poirier in one minute and 46 seconds in their first match-up. The second bout took a little longer and also ended in a much different fashion.

While McGregor’s hands looked sharp in the first round, Poirier was sneakily chopping away at his lead leg with calf kicks. By the beginning of round two, the effect of the kicks was visible.

Having taken away McGregor’s stability, Poirier landed several punches that rocked the Irishman and sent him crashing to the canvas. A couple punches later and the fight was over, Poirier’s hand raised in victory.

Immediately following the fight, McGregor cited inactivity as the primary factor in his loss.

A day later, he was already looking forward to a trilogy fight.

“Thanks for the support everyone! Was not my night/morning in there but a great contest to improve on,” McGregor wrote on Twitter.

“I’m excited at the blockbuster trilogy I now have on my hands. Dustin is a hell of a competitor and I look forward to going again. God bless us all, happy Sunday”

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Any fight that involves McGregor is considered a blockbuster, particularly from the payday aspect. But the potential for a third fight with Poirier is the second trilogy on his superstar radar.

McGregor’s first loss in the Octagon was to Nate Diaz in a last-minute welterweight match-up at UFC 196 in March 2016. They returned for an immediate rematch in August 2016. McGregor evened the score with a majority decision victory, setting up the potential for a third fight between them.

Following UFC 257, McGregor now has two such trilogies in the offing.

UFC 257 recap highlights: Dustin Poirier KOs Conor McGregor

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Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/conor-mcgregor-issues-statement-following-ufc-257-ko-loss-to-dustin-poirier

Nik Lentz announced his retirement following a loss to Movsar Evloev at UFC 257 on Saturday.

Lentz afforded a good showing of himself, but Evloev won a split decision after all three rounds were said and done. It was his his third consecutive loss, but that isn’t what he said led to his decision to retire.

He mostly attributes his decision to retire to an injury last year that degraded his vision to the point that he no longer feels able to compete at the UFC level.

“They say don’t make rash decisions after a loss, but this one is not rash or even quick for that matter. The injury I suffered to my eyes last year was a career ender. In total I lost about 40% of my vision, but I wanted to see what one more hard fought battle was like with the new eyes. It was clear to me last night that it’s impossible for me to compete at this level anymore. I just can’t lock on to a moving target like I should, and with 40% of my vision practically gone… it’s chaotic to (say) the least.

“My life as a fighter in the best organization on the planet ends here. I am not sad or upset by it, the day comes for everyone. I stand with my head high, God as my redeemer and my children and wife as my treasure. Fighting gave those treasures and only ask for a little vision as payment. A trade I would make 100% of the time.

“Thank you to my fans, my coaches, my family and everyone who has been a part of this process. Who knows what comes next for The Carny…. but I can tell you what it’s not.”

Nik “The Carny” Lentz

Lentz, 36, has been fighting professionally since 2005. He has 45 professional bouts to his credit, amassing an overall record of 30-12-2 with 1 no contest.

He has been fighting under the UFC banner since 2009. Lentz has frequently knocked on the door of entering the title picture at featherweight and lightweight, but has never made it all the way to a championship bout.

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UFC 257 recap highlights: Dustin Poirier KOs Conor McGregor

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Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/nik-lentz-announces-retirement-following-ufc-257-its-impossible-for-me-to-compete-at-this-level-anymore

ABU DHABI – Joanne Calderwood is looking to pick up right where she left off.

The UFC women’s flyweight wants to build on her momentum now that she’s bounced back from defeat. Calderwood (15-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) outpointed former UFC title challenger Jessica Eye on the main card of UFC 257 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. The win over Eye comes on the heels of a submission loss to Jennifer Maia in August 2020.

Prior to the Maia loss, Calderwood was scheduled to challenge champion Valentina Shevchenko in the summer of 2020, but Shevchenko was forced to withdraw due to injury – pushing Calderwood to take the fight with Maia.

The Scottish fighter wants to be labeled a title challenger once again.

“I hope so, (but) it’s up to (UFC president) Dana (White) and the UFC crew,” Calderwood said in her post-fight interview in the octagon. “But if that’s who they want me to fight or if I have to fight 10 more girls, I’m good for that, too.”

Calderwood is 2-2 in her past four UFC outings and knows there’s plenty of work to do, but she got off to a good start if she wants to get back to title contention.

“It feels good to be back in the ‘W’ column,” Calderwood said. “I think I did a good fight. I never know until I watch it back, and I’ll be probably critical of myself, but as long as fans enjoyed it … I’m not injured and I’m ready to get back in the gym and work on what my coaches think I should get better at.”

If the title shot doesn’t come next, the 34-year-old wants to keep building her resume and improve her standing in the division.

“I’ve got like five defeats, and all the girls have been in the flyweight division, so I can take my pick from there,” Calderwood told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “But whoever is above me, I’d like to slide in Jessica’s number, No. 6, and then next would be the top five. So yeah, (I’m) just looking forward to the next one already.”

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/joanne-calderwood-wants-top-five-opponent-ufc-257-video

ABU DHABI – Julianna Pena won’t take back her post-fight comments on UFC dual champion Amanda Nunes.

The UFC women’s bantamweight had a few things to say about the champ-champ following her submission win over Sara McMann on Saturday night at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi. Pena (10-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) asked for a title shot and said Nunes was “ducking” a fight with her during her post-fight interview in octagon.

Speaking with reporters back stage, Pena added more context to her comments in the cage accusing Nunes of avoiding a fight with her.

“She says I’m not a contender, but also a girl with .500 record, with three wins and two losses, is more of a contender than I am?” Pena said. “I don’t get it. She told me she would fight me and now she’s saying I’m not a contender. To me, it just sounds like she doesn’t want to fight me. I’m not injured and I’m ready to step in on short notice if that’s what needs to happen, but that’s the only fight that makes sense to me.”

Nunes defends her featherweight title March 6 at UFC 259 against former Invicta FC featherweight champion Megan Anderson (11-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC).

Pena, who’s been fighting in the UFC since 2013, is 2-2 in her past four fights. However, even though she’s not in her best career run, Pena thinks the defeats should hold an asterisk next to them.

“First off, when she fought Miesha Tate at UFC 200, I had just beaten Cat Zingano and Cat Zingano had just stopped Amanda Nunes and Amanda said she would fight me,” Pena said. “Then she went and fought Ronda Rousey. I was going to wait and bench myself, but then I got strong-holed into fighting Valentina (Shevchenko).

“I put Valentina in positions that she didn’t want to be in and I made the mistake about getting over excited and punching myself into a submission. And same thing with world champion Germaine de Randamie. I put her in positions she didn’t want to be in and I screwed myself by not pulling her off the fence more and thinking I was caught in a regular guillotine. I was shoulder pressuring her and I was like, ‘Thanks. I passed to the right side. I’m shoulder pressuring, so thank you.’ And then I was gurgling and I was like, ‘Man, I’m shoulder pressuring, maybe I need to shoulder pressure more,’ and then I was gurgling and I was out. So anyways, I’m putting girls in positions they don’t want to be in and I’m the one that’s making the mistakes.”

Pena thinks she sold be next in line to challenge Nunes for her bantamweight title. She’s unsure what will come next, but she wants a championship fight.

“The plan is for me to fight for the belt. That’s always been the plan,” Pena said. “I don’t know. I’m going to talk to the bosses. But for the most part, Amanda is the only fight that makes sense for me.”

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/julianna-pena-calls-out-amanda-nunes-does-not-want-to-fight-me-ufc-257-video