Fightful Fix is your one-stop-shop for all of today’s biggest combat sports stories — from George Foreman seeing a path for Tyson to get a heavyweight title shot to Claressa Shields signing with PFL — conveniently compiled in one place. Take a look below.
George Foreman sees path for a Tyson Heavyweight title shot
Count former heavyweight champion George Foreman in as a believer in Mike Tyson. Foreman talked with Josh Peter of USA Today, praising Tyson’s performance against Roy Jones Jr and even believing he could end up getting a potential title shot in the future.
“If he gets in shape like he’s in now, and then gets his timing back, and all the other things fall into place, he can have an opportunity to fight for the title,” Foreman, the Hall of Famer, told the publication on Sunday. (h/t MMAJunkie) “If he can be managed right, a champion, the right champion, will come to him. And if the right one comes, he can knock him out.”
“Tyson looked great,” Foreman continued. “He really did. And Roy Jones had to use every old skill out of the book to keep himself from being knocked out.”
“I just couldn’t believe what I saw. And that was just an exhibition. Just think if (Tyson) had some activity the last two years. He’d be in line to be the champion of the world again at 54, 55.”
Claressa Shields talks PFL Signing, potential fight with Kayla Harrison
Two-time Olympic gold medalist boxer Claressa Shields is making the transition to MMA, announcing earlier this week she signed a deal with the PFL. She spoke with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto about the decision, plans for her debut in 2021, and a potential fight with Kayla Harrison.
“I’m still gonna box and do MMA at the same time,” Shields told ESPN’s Okamoto (h/t MMAJunkie) “I could box in my sleep. That’s not something that I really have to worry about. I’m gonna spend a lot of time learning and just growing in MMA, but I’m still gonna accept my mandatory challenges in boxing. I’m gonna fight those girls, I’m gonna beat them, but I plan on having maybe two or three boxing matches and two to three MMA fights next year.”
“I feel like I’ve had fights in boxing that have captured the sports world, just women’s boxing isn’t treated equally,” Shields said. “Every MMA league, they have women fighters main event. The PFL give women a chance to fight for a million dollars just like they give men a chance to fight in a league for a million dollars. In boxing, there aren’t those kind of opportunities for women.”
“You have two or three of us that are getting paid good money, and then the rest of them are kind of just like opponents, and they don’t really have a large following and a big backing. In MMA, in the PFL, you create your own destiny, and that’s what I want to do. I created my own destiny in boxing and as far as in becoming a two-time Olympic champ, starting from the Junior Olympics to the real Olympics, world championships and now being a professional world champion. I just wanna test myself really.”
When asked about a potential fight with another two-time Olympic gold medalist in Harrison, Shields went on to say:
“Right now, she’s the best. She’s the winner of the PFL league. She won the million dollars, and I was able to watch all of her fights leading up to that not because I was getting ready to come to the PFL, but because I’m a fan of hers and we’re actually friends. We’ve been at both Olympics together. We know each other.”
“I actually texted her this morning, so of course that’s who I’m looking at down the line, but then again like I said, the PFL, you create your own destiny. Anything can happen on any given night so we can be in a tournament in 2022 or 2023 and be fighting, and she loses. It’s like anything can happen, so I’m just gonna take it one fight at a time. I’m not initially thinking of Kayla Harrison right off the bat, but she will be in my thoughts towards the end of 2021.”
Henry Cejduo says Deiveson Figueiredo is “babysitting” his belt
Former UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo isn’t impressed with current titleholder Deiveson Figueiredo. Cejudo spoke with The Schmo and didn’t speak highly of the Brazilian champion.
“The only reason why Deiveson Figueiredo’s there is because of me,” Cejudo said. (h/t MMAFighting) “To me, he’s the lord of nothing. I’m the one that gave him that position. I’m allowing him to babysit my belt and he’s being a pretty good babysitter in my eyes.”
Daniel Cormier says Jake Paul “beats” Dillon Danis in a boxing match
Jake Paul has now invaded the MMA world, after securing a viral knockout win over former NBA player Nate Robinson. After the fight, Paul called out Conor McGregor and Dillon Danis. Former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier gave his thoughts on the potential matchups for Paul.
“Jake Paul beats Dillon Danis in a boxing match, but Jake Paul doesn’t beat Conor,” Cormier said on his show ESPN’s Ariel & DC. (h/t MMAFighting) “Conor can box. Conor is the real deal. But I think he beats Dillon. Dillon does not need to fight Jake Paul because he’ll get beat up.”
Danis didn’t take much time to respond to DC, who had a response of his own for the McGregor protege.
Danis sit your ass down before I call @jakepaul for you!!! https://t.co/vrPDyPOOyR
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) December 1, 2020
Anderson Silva’s Future in RIZIN FF?
After being released by the UFC after a 14-year-long run with the company, former pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva is looking for a new home. Well, he might have found one in the form of RIZIN FF over in Japan. Speaking with Drake Riggs of MyMMANews, RIZIN FF Founder and President Nobuyuki Sakakibara seemed open to the idea.
“I have great memories with Anderson Silva during the PRIDE days and in my personal opinion, I think his career took off in Japan,” Sakakibara said. “I have heard that Japan has a special part in his heart as well. I do feel that I would like to help him fulfill his wishes out of respect for what he has accomplished and what he has done for our sport. I haven’t talked to him yet but I would be interested to see if we can come up with something that makes sense for him to start his final chapter in Japan.”
Miguel Baeza on Next Opponent and Training with Colby Covington
Miguel Baeza might be one of the most exciting names to watch at 170 pounds currently. Coming off a second-round submission win over Takashi Sato at UFC Vegas 15, Baeza talked about who might be next for him.
“I’m not sure about the names,” Baeza said following his second-round submission of Takashi Sato this past Saturday at UFC APEX. (h/t MMAFighting) “I know my coaches want somebody in the top-15. That’s fine with me.
“But right now, to be honest, with everything that happened this year, we had four training camps, and during that time, I lost someone close to me, so I want to come back and see my family and be with them for a little bit.”
Baeza also spoke about training with former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington.
“He’s a good guy, man,” Baeza said. “I know everyone’s going to get on him and all the stuff he’s saying. He’s a different person in the gym, and he’s only pushed us to get better.”
Joaquin Buckley wants James Krause at UFC 257 and fight with the entire Glory MMA Camp
KO of the year frontrunner Joaquin Buckley is continuing to push for a fight with rival James Krause. Buckley said on MMAFighting’s What the Heck about the origins of the rivalry with Krause and wanting to fight his training partners as well.
“And that’s the thing: if he was speaking the truth, it would be what it is, but my man is out here preaching lies,” Buckley told MMA Fighting while appearing on What the Heck. “He’s just talking about stuff he has no clue about. My man never met me a day in his life but he’s talking about me like he knows me, and he’s just spreading rumors that other people are sharing with him at his gym.”
“It is what it is. I’m helping him build up his name even more. He’s gained some followers off of this as well. But at the end of the day, we have to see each other—whether the UFC signs the fight up or not.”
“All of them. Every person at Glory MMA can get it,” Buckley stated. “Anybody that’s on the team with [James Krause] can get it.”
“It’s whatever as long as I get a fight on that card. That’s perfect,” Buckley explained. “But the ideal person would be [Krause]. I want him to catch this work. He’s probably gonna blame this knee injury, he’ll say, ‘Well I don’t really fight at 185, let’s do it at 170,’ I don’t want to hear none of that noise. When you was talking heavy, you weren’t worried about all of that.”
Diego Sanchez looking for Retirement Fight
One of the toughest and oddest fighters to ever grace the Octagon, TUF season one winner Diego Sanchez is looking to finally hang up the gloves. Sanchez took to his personal Instagram account to post the following.
“I feel like I always knew fighting was what I wanted to do,” Sanchez wrote. “The end of this fighting lifestyle approaches very soon. Retirement fight needs to be the proper opponent and I’m checking out of this game.”
BJJ Legend Andre Galvao planning return to MMA
Six-time ADCC champion Andre Galvao announced via his Instagram that he is planning on returning to compete in MMA. Galvao last fought in October of 2010 for Strikeforce, where he lost via a first-round TKO stoppage to former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
NHL Player Evander Kane calls out Jake Paul
America’s favorite YouTuber and your favorite boxer Jake Paul returns in the news, this time with a call out from another pro athlete. San Jose Sharks left winger Evander Kane tweeted at Paul that he’d “wreck ya” and even offered an August 31, 2021 fight date. Paul hasn’t responded to the callout.
yo @jakepaul I’d wreck ya. Easy to beat up guys with no experience and much smaller. August 31st 2021 Vegas we can see if you really about that action. #YOURMOVE
— Evander Kane (@evanderkane_9) November 29, 2020
Anderson dos Santos wants Frankie Edgar at UFC 257
Anderson dos Santos got his first UFC win at UFC Vegas 15, submitting Martin Day in the first-round with a guillotine choke. Now he has his sights on former UFC champion Frankie Edgar. Speaking with Combate, dos Santos talked about the fight with Edgar and staying active in 2021.
“I want to fight next week, next month, I’m ready to make up for the time I’ve lost. Financially, it’s awful to go one year and a half without a fight, I want to fight again in January, tops. If Dana White gives me the opportunity, I’d like to fight on Fight Island, the same card as Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)
“I don’t pick names. I’m trained on the ground and to trade shots on the feet. I’m ready for anyone the UFC wants to give me. It can be Jack Shore, Urijah Faber. I’m not calling him out right now, I’ve just got here, this is my first win, but it’s a dream of mine to, at some point in my career, face Frankie Edgar. It would be an honor.”
Deiveson Figueiredo gets $50,000 apology from Dana White
UFC flyweight king Deiveson Figueiredo was disappointed when he wasn’t awarded a post-fight performance bonus after his UFC 255 win over Alex Perez. But Dana White called the champ into his Las Vegas offices a few days later and made things right. Figueiredo talked to MMAFighting’s Guilherme Cruz about White’s decision.
“He told name he made a mistake and he was there to fix it,” Figueiredo told MMA Fighting. “He apologized for not giving me the bonus right away, said that everyone criticized him a lot, but he’s someone that always corrects his mistakes, and he was there to do it.”
Deiveson Figueiredo gets his 50k bonus personally from Dana White
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.#deivesonfigueiredo #danawhite #ufc pic.twitter.com/Q0JwIsDqfa— RED CACHE (@redcachenet) November 25, 2020
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