Max Holloway

Holloway (21-6 MMA, 17-6 UFC) has lost three of his past four fights, but not all 1-3 stretches are created equal.

At UFC 236, Holloway, as featherweight champion, went up in weight and endured five rounds before losing a decision to Dustin Poirier in an interim title fight. At UFC 240, he defeated Frankie Edgar in a title defense. At UFC 245, he suffered a clear-cut loss to Alexander Volkanovski via unanimous decision. At UFC 251, Volkanovski won a highly controversial split decision, as many – including this reporter – felt Holloway won the fight.

A 1-3 under these circumstances, fighting the best competition in the world, going the distance in each fight, and arguably getting robbed in one, is a whole lot different than a fighter losing three of four and looking like they’re done.

But this still doesn’t mitigate the cold facts of the situation: Volkanovski is still the champ; Holloway will have a long road back as long as that’s the case, and the competition isn’t getting any easier. Kattar (22-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is on a tear, and as such, Holloway’s first non-title fight since 2016 should serve as a gauge as to whether he’ll get to another shot.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-on-abc-1-holloway-vs-kattar-5-burning-questions

While the first part of 2020 was not as productive as it could have been for strawweight Loveth Young with a loss in January to Vanessa Demopoulos at LFA 81 followed by the Covid-19 lockdown, the end of the year went decidedly better.

In her second bout of 2020, Young picked up a devastating first round TKO of Reena Norville at LFA 94 in October to get things back on track and build momentum heading into 2021.

“It was kind of a rough year for everybody, including me,” Young told MMAWeekly.com. “Covid brought down everything, but to go out with glory at the end of the year had me happy for sure. I’m grateful for the opportunity.

“I was very focused and very happy with my (fight) performances but I want to do more. I’m very focused. I’m very organized in what I do. I hope to stay focused to the end. That’s it. I did great.”

Young is looking to build off the positive energy she ended 2020 with and have what could very well be a breakout year for herself in 2021.

“Everything in life is an opportuniy,” said Young. “It’s the ability to go out there and give them what they’re looking for; to make the organization happy, to make the fans happy; that’s what I’m looking for. I’m very happy with where I’m at.

“Compared to last year we had just two fights, so this year I think is going to be better. The training camps, the opportunities, everything is coming together. This is going to be a better year for all of us.”

This Friday in P ark City, Kansas, Young (2-1-1) will look to build a winning streak for herself when she faces Kelly D’Angelo (4-3) in a 115-pound main card bout at LFA 97.

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“Every opponent is different, and like I’ve said I don’t underestimate anybody, anybody who steps into the cage to fight has the ability to believe they’re going to win,” Young said.

“Everybody who comes to fight me knows they are not coming to play. They know who they are coming to face. I’m not underestimating (D’Angelo). I know she’s coming prepared. I’m coming prepared too.”

Following just two bouts in 2020, Young is looking forward to having a hopefully more productive year in 2021.

“I want to keep myself busy,” said Young. “When this fight is over I’m on to the next fight. When they call me I’m going to stay ready and be ready to go – that’s it.”

LFA 97 Preview

(Video courtesy of LFA)

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/loveth-young-coming-prepared-at-lfa-97-on-friday

UFC president Dana White wants to see what Conor McGregor can accomplish being fully dedicated to mixed martial arts in 2021, but it appears the Irish superstar may not be ready to commit wholly to MMA this year.

McGregor in 2020 teased a boxing match opposite Manny Pacquiao. Having done the same with Floyd Mayweather and basically willing that bout into existence, people took him seriously.

White is certainly taking him seriously, but still hopes to convince his top star to dedicate himself to the Octagon in 2021, saying of the boxing bouts, “those will always be there” for McGregor.

Though he’s non-committal to either route, McGregor believes that his return to boxing is likely to happen this year.

“I know the talks are intensifying for this year. I am excited for a Manny Pacquiao bout. It’s looking like it will take place this year. What time this year, I’m not sure,” McGregor said in a TheMacLife.com interview.

“We’re gonna have to have some good discussions with Dana and with the guys and the UFC after and see where it goes. What’s there; what do we want? I am open to it all. I am ready for it all.”

If Conor McGregor returns to boxing, he could quickly get a title shot

There has even been recent chatter from the boxing world that McGregor could quickly find his way into a championship boxing bout.

Mauricio Sulaiman, president of boxing’s WBC sanctioning body, recently told SunSport how McGregor could get ranked and a subsequent title fight.

“I would say he needs to face and defeat a ranked fighter, then he would be eligible to be ranked and to compete for a title,” said Sulaiman.

“Because we have plenty of examples of Muay Thai fighters who turn professional in international boxing and they are eligible to fight for the title.

“We also have amateur superstars like Vasiliy Lomachenko, they come into professional boxing and fight for the title and it’s proven it works.”

That, of course, is something that piques McGregor’s interest. Having been a two-division champion first under the Cage Warriors banner and then in the UFC, he would build on his claims of greatness by adding a world championship in boxing to his resume.

It’s something that he promises to do before he calls it a career as a competitive combat sports athlete.

“I appreciate them comments by Sulaiman,” said McGregor.

“I will certainly attain a boxing world title before I call it a day and I’d be very excited to do that again Emmanuel Pacquiao.”

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Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/conor-mcgregor-believes-manny-pacquiao-boxing-match-likely-in-2021

Marlon Vera blames only one person for his recent loss: himself.

A UFC bantamweight contender, Vera (16-7-1 MMA, 10-6 UFC) dropped a unanimous decision to former featherweight champion Jose Aldo at UFC Fight Night 183 on Dec. 19 and has since accepted full responsibility.

“I believe, when you lose, there are a million things you can make up. You can make up a million excuses,” Vera told MMA Junkie on Monday. “I tried just to see the realistic (reasons) why I (lost) or what I could’ve done better. I believe coming into the third round, I was too excited. I was so sure I was about to finish him in a really spectacular way that I came in too heavy.”

“Chito” is disappointed in his decision-making during the fight. In fact, Vera said he isn’t interested in erasing the memory of his loss, as he believes there’s a lesson to be learned. Vera thinks a few small mental adjustments will be the key going forward.

“It’s my fault,” Vera said. “There is no coach to blame. There are no teammates to blame. … I don’t want to erase this memory because that’s what’s going to get me through the next things. I’m going to use that chip on my shoulder to not overcommit or get too excited. I went for the kill and got stuck in a weird position. (Expletive) happens.”

In the days following his loss, Vera turned his attention to what’s next when he called out former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Moraes on Twitter. Moraes (23-8-1 MMA, 5-4 UFC) responded rather quickly, but his reply leaves Vera doubtful the matchup will be made next.

“Honestly, I really believe it just makes sense,” Vera said of the matchup. “We both lost on the same night. Let’s just find a date in the next couple of weeks or whenever to make it happen. But he already (has) found a way out. He answered with a pretty dumb thing like, ‘You should go fight (Sean) O’Malley, and then by the time I come back, if you’re still around, we can do something.’

“Just (expletive) say no. If you just say no, I’m not going to harass you. I’m not going to be sending you more messages. This was weird. It was a weird answer. … Looks like that won’t happen, so I was thinking maybe if Jimmie Rivera finally has the balls to do it, I would love to kick his ass. … Just send me a contract with a name on it and we’ll rock and roll.”

Well I guess it’s me and @MMARLONMORAES next ? @ufc

— Chito Vera (@chitoveraUFC) December 31, 2020

Give o’Maley his well deserved rematch. 😂 By the time I will be back n we meet 🤝

— Marlon Moraes (@MMARLONMORAES) December 31, 2020

Another fighter Vera said he would also be open to meeting next is Sean O’Malley, whom he defeated by TKO last summer. O’Malley (12-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) took to Twitter and talked smack to Vera following the Dec. 19 defeat.

12-0. Chito sucks. 🖕🏽

— Sean O’Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) December 20, 2020

Vera insisted he isn’t worried about what O’Malley had to say, though he certainly wouldn’t mind trying to beat him again.

“Everybody’s always got something to say,” Vera said. “What can we do about it? There’s nothing you can do about it. I won’t lose time arguing with a (expletive)(expletive). What I can do for sure is kick his ass – again. I’m not looking to fight nobody. I’m just looking to fight whoever the (expletive) UFC puts in front of me.”

To hear the complete interview with Vera, check out the video below.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-news-marlon-chito-vera-marlon-moares-sean-omalley-callout-recent-loss

ABU DHABI – The UFC’s anti-doping policy will no longer punish athletes for positive tests for carboxy-THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

UFC and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency officials on Thursday announced significant modifications “in the handling of cannabis and its naturally occurring cannabinoid compounds.”

In short, positive tests for carboxy-THC, regardless of levels, will no longer be considered violations to the policy “unless additional evidence exists that an athlete used it intentionally for performance-enhancing purposes.”

“While we want to continue to prevent athletes from competing under the influence of marijuana, we have learned that blood and/or urine levels of carboxy-THC have little-to-no scientific correlation to impairment,” UFC senior vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky said in a statement. “THC is fat soluble, meaning that once ingested, it is stored in fatty tissues and organs in the body and can be released back into the blood or urine, sometimes long after ingestion.”

Novitzky said athletes will still not be allowed to compete under the influence of marijuana, but that the UFC and USADA will rely on visual evidence of impairment and cognitive behavioral tests to make such determinations rather that any sort of blood level detection, which can often indicate usage well outside of the competition window.

“The bottom line is that in regards to marijuana, we care about what an athlete consumed the day of a fight, not days or weeks before a fight, which has often been the case in our historic positive THC cases,” Novitzky said.

Novitzky said he believes the change in policy is simply the latest by the promotion to maintain anti-doping guidelines that are thorough but maintain a sense of fairness for the athletes who must abide by the policy, which was first instituted in 2015.

“Based on my informal discussion with athletes, there’s a significant number of percentage of athletes that choose to use marijuana, many for legitimate reasons outside of recreational,” Novitzky said. “Many use it for pain control, anti-anxiety, to sleep, in lieu of more dangerous, more addictive drugs, so hopefully this being the first step to opening that up so that an athlete on Wednesday night of fight week instead of going to a Vicodin because their knee hurts and they can’t sleep can use a little bit of cannabis and get to sleep and have that pain control. It has no affect whatsoever on a competition on Saturday night, so it’s the right move, and I’m really excited about this revision and that specific policy change.”

It is important to note that the change in USADA policy does not directly affect regulations by state athletic commissions, so athletes do not have carte blanche with marijuana use following the announcement. However, Novitzky is hopeful that the change to UFC policy can ultimately pave the way for similar moves at the state level.

“I would caution everybody to temper their enthusiasm about this because we still have the commission factor here, but we are actively working on that,” Novitzky told MMA Junkie. “We are educating, informing, lobbying them, and I hope not too far in the near future that we can get uniformity across all the rules as it relates to marijuana because I think it would certainly be a benefit to the athletes.”

Additional changes to the UFC’s anti-doping Policy announced include the removal of “phyto” cannabinoids often found in various CBD products, as well as the addition of Informed Choice as an approved dietary supplement certifier for UFC athletes.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-usada-declare-marijuana-no-longer-violates-anti-doping-policy