Tecia Torres has given the MMA world a different look in her most recent performances, and it hasn’t come by coincidence.

“The Tiny Tornado” is currently on a two-fight winning streak and she’s looked much improved in those two performances. Torres (11-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) scored a stoppage against Sam Hughes in her most recent fight in December and dominated former Invicta FC champion Brianna Van Buren in a unanimous decision win earlier in 2020.

The back-to-back wins likely saved Torres’ UFC career. She was on a four-fight skid that had her winless for almost two years. Although Torres did have a tough lineup during her skid, the 31-year-old has made some key changes to turn her career around.

“I think the change was in my mentality,” Torres told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I had issues before with believing in me, and now I feel like I can do anything I want.

“I feel like one day, I’ll be champion at strawweight. I did have four defeats against Weili Zhang, Marina (Rodriguez), Joanna (Jedrzejczyk) and Jessica Andrade, and the four of them are some of the very best in the UFC. I feel like I’m the only strawweight who’s fought against all the champions. I fought Carla (Esparza), Joanna, Weili, Jessica and Rose (Namajunas).”

Torres is a veteran in women’s MMA and has been testing her skills against the very best for some time. She admitted it was tough dealing with the string of defeats and said it put her at a bad place in her career.

“During that time, I had a depression and I had no motivation to continue forward,” Torres said. “I didn’t want to retire, but I did want to take time off from fighting. I didn’t want to go to training and I didn’t want to hear anything about the UFC.

“I did know that I needed to change my mentality. At that time, I was talking to a counselor who was helping me, and after that I feel like my mentality changed. Now I feel great. I have two wins, and I think one day we’ll have a Boricua champion in the UFC.”

Torres said she’s in full swing and more motivated than ever before. She was scheduled to fight Angela Hill in a rematch at UFC 256 in December, but Hill tested positive for COVID-19. Instead, Torres fought and beat Hughes.

Torres wouldn’t mind getting booked again with Hill, but hopes to get a higher ranked opponent. She thinks she’s two good wins away from a title shot.

“I’d like to fight as soon as possible and I’d like to fight against someone that’s above me in the rankings,” Torres said. “I’d like to fight someone like Carla Esparza, Michelle Waterson, Claudia Gadelha, Yan (Xiaonan).

“I was talking to the matchmaker and I was told many of the top girls can’t fight – they have fights booked. So I might fight Angela Hill again. If not, I might have to wait until May or June to get someone that’s above me in the rankings. If not, I won’t like to fight anyone that’s not above me.”

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/02/tecia-torres-changes-career-resurgence-ufc-women-mma

He may be one of the nicest men in the game, but Beneil Dariush made clear at UFC Fight Night 184 it’s high time some respect was put on his name. Initially, his comments were interpreted as being aimed at matchmaker Sean Shelby, but Dariush (20-4-1 MMA, 14-4-1 UFC) later clarified his remarks and bemoaned the unwillingness of higher-ranked contenders to face him in the octagon.

His win over the in-form and similarly-underrated Diego Ferreira shouldn’t be underestimated, and after defeating the man ranked at No. 10 in the official UFC rankings, he should hopefully land an opponent with a single-digit ranking next time out.

It’s a crowded division at 155 pounds, but Dariush deserves his shot. Dan Hooker, Paul Felder and Tony Ferguson could all potentially be within reach, and would represent the right next test for Dariush, who is now riding a six-fight winning streak.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-cory-sandhagen-alexander-volkov-top-power-index-feb-1-7

Former Bellator featherweight champion Daniel Straus is alleged to have struck a female victim multiple times before stabbing her with “a sharp instrument.”

The details come via an arrest affidavit filed with the Hollywood (Fla.) Police Department, which MMA Junkie obtained Monday. Straus (26-9 MMA, 12-6 BMMA) was arrested last Friday in Florida and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

According to the arrest affidavit, Straus and the female victim have been involved in “an on and off intimate relationship” with each other for the past three years.

The victim stated that on Jan. 21, the two began arguing via text message, and Straus showed up at her place of employment to discuss the disagreement. The victim then walked outside and eventually entered her parked vehicle with the intention of leaving. She said that Straus then entered the vehicle via the passenger door and initially refused to exit.

The victim stated she then left the vehicle and Straus followed, at which point the argument escalated. Straus then allegedly pushed the victim, and she pushed him back. As she then attempted to get back into her vehicle and leave, the victim said she “was struck multiple times by the defendant and fell to the ground.”

The victim said Straus then got in his car and fled the scene. As the victim returned to her car and drove away, as well, she began receiving multiple calls from Straus, saying that he was at her apartment. Rather than meet him there, the victim says she was concerned about potential destruction of her property and drove to Straus’ residence, instead, in hopes of obtaining the spare key she had given to him.

Once inside Straus’ residence, the victim alleged she tried to get Straus to return her key. At some point, she said Straus told her, “You don’t know me, I’ll stab you,” before later physically pushing her out of the door. The victim says she then said, “You’re big and bad, what are you gonna do? Stab me?”
At that point, the victim alleges Straus reached around to his backside and then used a sharp instrument to stab her in the abdomen. Due to the speed of the sequence, the victim said she “was unable to describe the cutting instrument,” according to the police report.

The victim said Straus then followed her for a few steps as she tried to leave before returning to his residence. She then sought assistance from neighbors, who drove her to a local hospital where she “received a few stitches to close the puncture wound,” according to her statement.

In addition to the puncture wound, the arrest affidavit said the victim also suffered “a large contusion to her right eye.”

According to the affidavit, The victim did not initially wish to provide a statement to the responding detective but eventually said she will fully cooperate with the state attorney’s office. Further, the victim said she “is in complete fear of the defendant and feels that if he is not apprehended that he will come after her and cause further harm to her for notifying the police.”

As of Monday, Straus currently remains in jail on a $100,000 bond, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/02/daniel-straus-allegedly-stabbed-female-victim-in-abdomen-bellator-champion

In this episode of Inside the Octagon, John Gooden and Laura Sanko preview the UFC 258 main event between Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns.

The two former teammates go head to head as welterweight champion Usman looks to continue his undefeated streak in the UFC when he takes on Burns.

UFC 258 takes place on Saturday, Feb. 13, in Las Vegas.

(Video courtesy of UFC)

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Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-258-usman-vs-burns-inside-the-octagon-preview

Coming off a 2019 that saw him go undefeated in his first three fights, welterweight Darian Weeks was looking to carry over that momentum into 2020 when the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic put those plans on hold for most of the year.

When he was finally able to get back into MMA, Weeks picked up a solid second round TKO in October to keep his undefeated streak going and regain some of his lost momentum as he headed into 2021.

“2020 was kind of a slow year for everyone,” Weeks told MMAWeekly.com. “The virus thing kind of slowed everything down.

“In October I carried a W over Dustin Parrish, who was 8-3, beating a fighter who had so many more fights than I had I feel like 2020 above all a great year for me. It put real good stock on my name.”

While he only managed to have one MMA bout last year, Weeks was able to use his time to improve his game in ways he feels will help carrying him further in 2021.

“I felt like I had a stronger game plan I would say for my fights I was going into,” said Weeks. “I feel I did a good job of planning and watching my opponent, preparing for my opponent, and maturing in my game as I went along in the year.

“I think every fight is pretty much the same. I’m always trying to make a stamp; I’m always trying to make a mark for my name. I feel like that’s what carried me to this point in my career right now.”

On February 12 in Park City, Kansas, Weeks (4-0) will look to kick off his year in a big way when he faces Craig Fairley (3-4) in a main card 170-pound bout at LFA 99.

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“I’m going to go out there and try to implement everything that I’ve practiced and everything that I’ve planned for and put a stamp on my name and show people I belong here long-term,” Weeks said.

“I take all of my opponents seriously from the very jump. Whether they’re all or long or 5-0 or 3-4 even, everyone can be dangerous. I’m going to go out there and put pressure on (Fairley) and do the things I’m great at. I’m going to find holes in his game and exploit them and look for the finish.”

For Weeks, rather than trying to push his luck by looking too far ahead, he’s choosing to approach each opportunity as it comes and take things one step at a time in 2021.

“I think things tend to open up themselves,” said Weeks. “I feel like opportunities come to those who deserve them. I don’t try to force anything in my career. I try to let things develop.

“Saying that, I do go after things that are going to put a good progress on my career and move it forward.”

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/darian-weeks-plans-to-put-a-stamp-on-his-name-at-lfa-99